December 5, 2024
PEPPER PIKE CHRISTMAS CONCERT | December 12
PENINSULA CHRISTMAS CONCERT | December 18
HCA CARES - SUITED FOR HOPE DONATIONS DUE | December 19
NOON DISMISSAL | December 20
THE GRIFFIN RUNDOWN
We encourage you to listen to Heritage’s weekly podcast, “The Griffin Rundown.” Each Tuesday Mr. Nees interviews a Heritage community member and discusses important topics relevant to families and Heritage culture. This week features OCEN’s Troy McIntosh and how you can give to Heritage by redirecting your Ohio tax dollars. Listen here.
HCA IS HIRING!
We have several substitute teacher openings at both campuses. Apply here.
WINTER CLUBS
Be on the lookout for Winter Club Registration! Campus-specific Winter Club information will be sent out next week.
HCA CARES
HCA cares deeply about incarcerated youth, and we are partnering again with Suited for Hope to help make a difference in their lives. Suited for Hope serves young people who have completed their sentences and are returning home. Many of these individuals face significant challenges, such as outgrown clothing, impoverished families, and limited financial or emotional support. Suited for Hope helps ease their transition by providing Bibles, clothing, and essential toiletries to help them restart their lives.
Over the next few weeks, we will be collecting new clothes and toiletries to show these young people the incredible love of our caring God! This small act of kindness can provide them with the hope they need to move forward.
We invite your family to prayerfully consider selecting one or more items from the pin boards to purchase. Pin boards are located at the front of the cafeteria in Peninsula and the front lobby in Pepper Pike. All items are due by December 19.
Let’s come together to show we care and help these young people make a fresh start! To learn more about this important cause, please click here.
ENROLLMENT 2025-26
Click here to review updated enrollment information for the 2025-26 academic year. Included in this important update is information about priority and continuous enrollment, details about our withdrawal policy, and a link to next year’s tuition schedule.
EDCHOICE 2025-26
We recognize that many families are anticipating updates regarding EdChoice funding for the 2025-26 school year. The state is still finalizing program details. We will share comprehensive information as soon as it becomes available. Please note that applications for EdChoice will open on February 1, 2025. Thank you for your patience as we await further updates.
PARENT PARTNERSHIP FORM
Completed Parent Partnership Forms must be submitted by tomorrow, December 6. Click here to access the form.
Your agreement with the content in this form is essential to preserving our school’s culture and fostering unity around our shared mission and values. Please note that completing the form does not commit families or Heritage to student enrollment for the 2025-26 school year.
Contact our Director of Advancement, Elizabeth Joyce, at elizabeth.joyce@heritageclassicalacademy.org with questions about this form. Thank you for your partnership!
SUPPORT THE ANNUAL FUND
Today is the final day to support our teachers and students through the Annual Fund—and enter to win a FOUNT Leather Bellfield Tote and accessories!
For every $5 donated through this link, you’ll receive one raffle entry. The raffle closes today, December 5, and the winner will be notified tomorrow. The announcement will also be made on The Griffin Rundown podcast next Tuesday.
Don’t miss your chance to give and win!
GIVE A GIFT TO HERITAGE STUDENTS THAT COSTS YOU NOTHING!
Heritage has been actively raising awareness about the Ohio taxpayer credit available through the Ohio Christian Education Network Scholarship Granting Organization (OCEN SGO). This tax credit allows Ohio taxpayers to direct their tax dollars toward student scholarships at Heritage.
Last year, our students benefited from $300,000 in scholarship funding through this initiative. If every Heritage family participates this year, we can double that amount to $600,000!
Please consider redirecting your Ohio tax dollars today to support our students. Learn more here.
ZOOM PRAYER MEETINGS
Please join us via Zoom to pray with other Heritage parents, teachers, and administrators. Zoom prayer groups meet on Tuesdays at noon and Thursdays at 9 p.m.
Meeting ID: 841 3066 5990 Meeting ID: 814 4090 4034
Passcode: griffin Passcode: griffin
HOT LUNCHES
Hot lunches are available weekly for all K-11th grade students. For Lower School students, Chick-fil-A orders are due the Sunday before (served on Tuesday), and pizza orders are due the Monday before (served on Wednesday). Late orders cannot be accepted.
Peninsula and Pepper Pike Lower School families, please refer to the Orientation webpage for the lunch ordering procedures.
Upper School families are now able to order lunches through Renweb and the HCA app.
ATTENDANCE REPORTING POLICY
Please note an important change to our Attendance Reporting Policy. Please do not contact the Campus Coordinator by email or by phone regarding attendance-related issues. For all attendance related communications including absences, tardies, mid-day appointments, bussing, carpooling, and early pick-ups, please do one of the following:
1) Call the appropriate Attendance Line and leave a message. You will still need to contact your child’s teacher and the nurse (when medical).
Peninsula (330)-548-1738, Ext 1, Ext 1
Pepper Pike (330)-548-1738, Ext 2, Ext 1
2) Send an email to the appropriate Attendance Email address (see below), your child’s teacher, and the nurse (when medical).
All absences, tardies, and mid-day appointments should be communicated by 9:00 a.m. Any end of day pick-up changes should be communicated by 1:00 p.m.
Heritage APP
Download the Heritage app to stay updated on all the latest information from Heritage.
AFTERCARE
Aftercare will not be provided on the following dates in December:
Wednesday, December 18 (Christmas Concert)
Friday, December 20 (noon dismissal)
PRAYING MOM AND DADS
Praying Dads - Second Friday of the month, from 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. in the library
Praying Moms - Second Thursday of the month, from 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. in the library
CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Our Christmas Concert for Early Childhood and Academy students will be held at Christ Community Chapel in Hudson on Wednesday, December 18, at 6:00 p.m. Student arrival time is 5:30 p.m. at the church. Students are to wear their Sunday best (no jeans or t-shirts, no heels for safety purposes on the risers, and dresses must be knee-length). Please understand that administration may ask a student to cover up or not participate the evening of the concert if the student’s attire does not fit these standards.
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL BEFORE CHRISTMAS BREAK
The last day of school before Christmas Break is Friday, December 20. This is a HALF-day of school with dismissal at noon and no lunch or recess. Students may wear a Christmas shirt (no Santa themes) with uniform bottoms. Study Center students may wear a Christmas shirt on Thursday, December 19.
MEDICATIONS
As a reminder, please do not send medications to school to be kept with your child. All medications, prescription or over-the-counter, must be kept in the clinic. If you prefer your child take an over-the-counter brand of medication we may not keep on hand, we are happy to hold it for you in the clinic. Students may not carry any medication with them. Thank you for your help in this!
CHESS SET DONATIONS
We are looking for 15 chess sets to be donated for student use. Would you consider purchasing one for our students? Please click this link to order and bring to the front office. Thank you!
LUNCH VOLUNTEER SIGN-UPS
AFTERCARE
Aftercare will not be provided on the following dates in December:
Thursday, December 12 (Christmas Concert)
Friday, December 20 (noon dismissal)
CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Our Christmas Concert will be held at Parkside Church in Chagrin Falls on Thursday, December 12, at 6:00 p.m. Student arrival is 5:30 p.m. at the church. Students are to wear their Sunday best (no jeans or t-shirts, no heels for safety purposes on the risers, and dresses must be knee-length). Please understand that administration may ask a student to cover up or not participate the evening of the concert if the student’s attire does not fit these standards.
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL BEFORE CHRISTMAS BREAK
The last day of school before Christmas Break is Friday, December 20. This is a HALF-day of school with dismissal at noon and no lunch or recess. Students may wear a Christmas shirt (no Santa themes) with uniform bottoms.
MEDICATIONS
As a reminder, please do not send medications to school to be kept with your child. All medications, prescription or over-the-counter, must be kept in the clinic. If you prefer your child take an over-the-counter brand of medication we may not keep on hand, we are happy to hold it for you in the clinic. Students may not carry any medication with them. Thank you for your help in this!
LUNCH VOLUNTEER SIGN-UPS
Sign up to be a lunch volunteer!
AFTERCARE
Aftercare will not be provided on the following dates in December:
Thursday, December 12 (Christmas Concert)
Friday, December 20 (noon dismissal)
UPPER SCHOOL HAPPENINGS
The Upper School continues to have extra events that rotate throughout the month:
Our 6th graders enjoyed attending A Christmas Carol at Playhouse Square yesterday, December 4. They will now be preparing to perform their own adaptation of the same title for the Pepper Pike Lower School on Tuesday, December 17, on the Peninsula campus on Thursday, December 19, and for their parents on Thursday, December 19, at 5:30 p.m. at the Peninsula campus.
Upper School Students will participate in a Christmas Hymn Sing on Friday, December 13.
We will have a few special Christmas surprises on Thursday, December 19 for 9-11 graders and on Friday, December 20, for 6-8 graders.
CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Our Christmas Concert will be held at Parkside Church in Chagrin Falls, on Thursday, December 12, at 6:00 p.m. Student arrival is 5:30 p.m. at the church. Students are to wear their Sunday best (no jeans or t-shirts, no heels for safety purposes on the risers, and dresses must be knee-length). Please understand that administration may ask a student to cover up or not participate the evening of the concert if the student’s attire does not fit these standards.
SEMESTER EXAMS
Semester exams for Rhetoric School students will take place on Thursday, December 19, and Friday, December 20, from 8:15 a.m. - noon both days. Students are dismissed at noon each day but must figure out their own transportation home on Thursday. The semester exam schedule is nearly finalized and will be sent to parents and students soon.
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL BEFORE CHRISTMAS BREAK
The last day of school before Christmas Break is Friday, December 20. This is a HALF-day of school with dismissal at noon and no lunch or recess. Students may wear a Christmas shirt (no Santa themes) with uniform bottoms.
11th GRADE ACT
11th graders will have two ACT prep Rhetoric Seminars on January 17 and 24. The ACT will be administered on campus on the morning of Thursday, February 27. Practice tests are also available for at-home preparation.
BASKETBALL
The next varsity games are on Monday, December 9, vs. Christian Community School. Check the Athletics Calendar for locations and times. Good luck, Griffins!
The junior high teams play Andrew Osbourne Academy on Monday, December 9. Check the Athletics Calendar for locations and times. Good luck, Griffins!
WINTER CLUBS
Be on the lookout for Winter Club Registration! Campus-specific Winter Club information will be sent out next week.