As my youngest child finishes eighth grade and moves on to our school district's high school, our family's fifteen years at Freedom Prep Academy come to a close. This is a good opportunity to thank all of you for the parts you have played in helping to raise my five children.
Kassidy, my oldest who is now 21, began second grade at FPA in 2005. She built friendships in elementary school that have lasted through the years, and she still gets together with some of those early friends. Madelyn, now 20, attended Kindergarten through sixth grade and was able to take advanced subjects through the elementary years that set her up well for the gifted program in middle and high schools. Andrya, 18, graduated from high school this week, but got her start working the system in Kindergarten where, we're convinced, she influenced the uniform policy to specify that dresses and pants could not be layered together! Gwen, 16, benefited from a long series of loving teachers through all her years at FPA. And Heber, 14, leaves having tried a wide variety of classes and extracurricular activities through his years.We were initially attracted to the school for its focus on good nutrition and the excellent curriculum, especially the leveled math learning. The academics, teams, and other events at Freedom Academy have served my children well. As I think about our years with all of you, I realize there are more enriching activities than I can remember--but here are some of the offerings that our family enjoyed:
The 6th-grade etiquette dinner, which morphed into the annual Valentine lunch.
Eagle Service Unit.
Mother-daughter activities in the library (I think they were offered on Saturdays for a while).
Dances for older grades as the first children at the school aged.
Mock trial, which I had so much fun coaching!
Class parties and spirit competitions--crazy hair day was always a favorite!
Required Spanish classes, which introduced Andrya and Madelyn to their now fluency in the language.
Choirs, violin, visual, and other art classes.
Teachers and administrators who practiced Love and Logic. I know showing love in the classroom can be fraught with peril these days, but I appreciate the younger-grade teachers who gave my kids daily hugs, and the upper-grade teachers who gave high expectations and reasonable consequences.
Middle school classes that included robotics and digital media.
Science fairs, creative reports, and math competitions.
Programs such as Hope of America singing, end-of-year celebrations, and the Fourth-Grade Utah presentation (which I loved, but I did get my fill after five rounds.) ;-)
Essay contests and spelling bees.
Ballroom team, then class, and competitions.
Shakespeare Festival and school plays.
Sports, including after-school karate, track and field, cross-country, and Ultimate Frisbee.
As a parent, I've appreciated the administration's listening ear and willingness to try new things. Mrs. Herring and Mr. Ivie always opened time for me to visit when I had a concern or idea, and I love that the board is open to parent input. Some of my personal best memories have come through my volunteer hours, especially in coaching mock trial teams and the student council in the high school's beginning years. I love that the Mexico trips have become a tradition and that new teachers and parents pick up the work it takes to coordinate that each year. I am grateful for the friendships I've made with other parents and staff members.
Mary and Kent White Family
