December 12, 2024

Written By HCA

PEPPER PIKE CHRISTMAS CONCERT | December 12

PENINSULA CHRISTMAS CONCERT | December 18

HCA CARES - SUITED FOR HOPE DONATIONS DUE | December 19

NOON DISMISSAL | December 20

CHRISTMAS BREAK | December 23 - January 3

SCHOOL RESUMES | January 6

EARLY DISMISSAL | January 9

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 an interview with Mr. Grame to explore the virtues we focus on at HCA. Listen here.

TECHNOLOGY AT HERITAGE

Curious about the role of technology at Heritage? We aim for balanced and responsible use. Earlier this year Mr. Nees interviewed Davies Owens, host of podcast BaseCamp Live, to discuss this topic and provide parents with some useful tips. Click here to listen to part one and here for part two of this interview. 

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. 

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

Heritage APP

Download the Heritage app to stay updated on all the latest information from Heritage. 

RECESS

Recess will be outside as often as possible. Students should always come to school prepared for outdoor recess and are encouraged to bring snow gear in the winter months to take full advantage of our playground and field areas. 

AFTERCARE

Aftercare will not be provided on the following dates in December:  

  • Wednesday, December 18 (Christmas Concert) 

  • Friday, December 20 (noon dismissal) 

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. 

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

Volunteer Sign-Ups are available for 2025! Please prayerfully consider helping with Lunch and Recess. If you are able to devote a portion of your day to volunteering with Lunch and Recess Monitoring, it would be greatly appreciated. In cases of extreme weather, we may have indoor recess. It’s always beneficial to have extra hands for helping and an extra set of eyes for observing; thank you in advance for being willing to serve HCA in this way! Please see the links below:

RECESS

Recess will be outside as often as possible. Students should always be dressed for outdoor recess and are encouraged to bring snow gear in the winter months to take full advantage of our playground and field areas. 

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. 

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CHICK-FIL-A STUDENTS OF THE MONTH!

  • November: Rylan Rothermel and Alden Hopkins 

  • December: Josephina Finelli and Brayden Pence 

LUNCH VOLUNTEER SIGN-UPS

Volunteer Sign-Ups are available for 2025! Please prayerfully consider helping with Lunch and Recess. If you are able to devote a portion of your day to volunteering with Lunch and Recess Monitoring, it would be greatly appreciated. In cases of extreme weather, we may have indoor recess. It’s always beneficial to have extra hands for helping and an extra set of eyes for observing; thank you in advance for being willing to serve HCA in this way! Please see the links below:

SEMESTER EXAMS

Semester exams for Rhetoric School students (grades 9-11) will take place on Thursday, December 19, and Friday, December 20, from 8:15 a.m. - noon both days. The semester exam schedule was emailed last week. Please note: the bus will run at its normal time on Thursday, December 19. If Rhetoric School students stay for our Caffeinate and Celebrate event after exams, they will need transportation home at 12:30 p.m.

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

  • Upper School Students will participate in a Christmas Hymn Sing Chapel on Friday, December 13. 

  • Tuesday, December 17, our 6th graders will perform their adaptation of A Christmas Carol for the Pepper Pike Upper School. On Thursday, December 19, they will go to Peninsula to perform for the Lower School and will then perform for their parents at 5:30 p.m. in the Peninsula gym. If you have not filled out your 6th grade child’s permission form, it can be found here: 6th Grade Play Performance at Peninsula.

  • HAP is sponsoring a Christmas Party for our 6th - 8th grade students Friday, December 20. The Sign-Up Genius to provide items or to volunteer can be found here: 6th-8th grade Christmas Party. Please send in items by Friday, December 20, at the start of school. 

  • HAP is sponsoring Caffeinate and Celebrate (a coffee, cocoa, cookie bar) for our 9th-11th grade students on Thursday, December 19, from 12-12:30 p.m. (after their exams, before they leave to go home to study). The Sign-Up Genius form to provide food items for that and semester exams can be found here: 9th-11th grade Coffee Bar and Exam snacks. Please send in items by Wednesday, December 18, at the start of school.  

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.

LUNCH VOLUNTEER SIGN-UPS

We are in need of parent volunteers to help with Upper School lunch service. If you are unable to fulfill a commitment, please contact Bobette Hatteberg, bobette.hatteberg@heritageclassicalacademy.org.  

BASKETBALL 

The Varsity Girls and Boys play Hearts for Jesus this Friday, December 13. Check the Athletics Calendar for locations and times. Good luck, Griffins!

The 6th Grade Boys have their last game before break vs. Stow Bulldogs this Saturday, December 14. Check the Athletics Calendar for locations and times. Good luck, Griffins!

WINTER CLUBS

Winter Club registration is now open! To sign up for Pepper Pike Clubs click here. To sign up for Peninsula Clubs click here. Clubs fill up quickly, so sign up today. For questions, contact Mitchell Monas, mitchell.monas@heritageclassicalacademy.org.

HCA
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