Upcoming Events

Fine Arts Showcase
Thursday, May 21
7:30 p.m.
We invite you to enjoy an Evening with the Arts this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. This night will feature performances from our instrumental, choral, and dance ensembles as well as a beautiful visual art show. Tune in online at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8dM7F3pYZZhdCsZWiZnaRg

Academy Theatre Radio Hour
Friday, May 22 7:00 p.m.
Even if you can’t be together over Memorial Day weekend, you can gather your family together to listen to the Academy Theatre Radio Hour, a brand new radio theatre show, which will make its debut over the holiday weekend with entertainment for the whole family! Friday, May 22, at 7:00 p.m., they will release The Pandemic Productions, a series of five vintage radio shows brought to you by the Advanced Drama Class of 2020, a group of student actors who wouldn’t let a pandemic stop them from making good drama. Listen to The Adventures of Superman, Little Women, Casey at the Bat, The Saint: The Robin Hood of Modern Crime, and Agatha Christie’s The Case of the Missing Client. You won’t want to miss this exciting new Academy Theatre event!

General News

A Message from the Principal
As we are nearing the end of what could be best called a “non-traditional” spring at Wheaton Academy, I have been reflecting on the 2019-2020 school year.  It was such a blessing to recognize many students this week for outstanding academic, athletic, and artistic accomplishments.  I am so proud of the 238 students who are taking AP tests, finishing the year strong as they try to earn college credit.  Our students and faculty were recognized with a Blue Ribbon this year.  Each and every student at Wheaton Academy has brought their unique gifts to our community this year to make our school a better place.

Unlike many schools at the end of the year, I believe our reflections, recognitions, and celebrations hold a deeper purpose.  They are an act of worship and gratitude to God for the gifts He has given to our students, and the ways He has used them.  Isaiah 26:12 says, “LORD, you will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really from you.”  As we enter this last week of classes, I hope that we will take time to thank God, because truly, all that we have accomplished is not only FROM Him but also FOR Him.

As we prepare for the upcoming weeks, please take note of the information on book drop off and locker pick.  Also, for the over 300 students in Summer Academy, keep an eye out for information on that as well.

I pray that you will be encouraged this weekend as we prepare to experience our last week of classes.  Next week holds even more opportunities: Senior chapel on Tuesday, the Fine Arts Showcase on Thursday, and the Academy Theatre Radio Hour on Friday.  You won’t want to miss them.
Blessings to you today –Kori Hockett

Faculty/Staff Appreciation Thank you!
We would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone that contributed to the kind notes and gift cards that were sent out to faculty and staff last week. They were an unexpected gift, and we are all thankful for the thoughtfulness and love shown through this warm gesture. It was such an encouragement to see the love, comfort, and compassion displayed by so many. May the Lord bless you for your generosity and kindness!

End of the Year: Book Return, Locker & Athletic Locker Cleanout, Choir/Band Uniform Returns, Artwork Pick-up, Medication Pick-up, and Surface Drop-off for Seniors Parents, please note that based on the ISBE recommendations with social distancing, Wheaton Academy has determined the following guidelines for student presence on campus to return/collect items:

• We will allow for a limited number of individuals to enter buildings to gather their personal belongings at any given time. Only the student will be allowed entry.
• We ask that parents who arrive to assist students remain in their vehicle until the student brings their items outside to be loaded into their vehicle. If one-on-one assistance is necessary, only one guest may accompany students into the building.
• Parents/students should park in the parking lots, and students only should line up outside of commons covered sidewalk. Students will be permitted to enter by Mr. Holtrop to ensure only a certain number of people are in the building at one time.
• Students entering any Wheaton Academy facility need to wear a face mask/covering. All staff will wear face coverings while in the building as well.
• Hand sanitizer will be made available in school buildings for staff and students.

Below are the assigned days for students. If you have multiple siblings in your family, please bring both/all siblings on the oldest sibling’s assigned day. For example, if you have a junior and freshman student, both should come on Monday, June 1.

• Tuesday, May 26 – Seniors (class of 2020)
• Monday, June 1 – Juniors (class of 2021)
• Tuesday, June 2 – Sophomores (class of 2022)
• Wednesday, June 3 – Freshman (class of 2023)
• Thursday, June 4 – Incoming Freshman (class of 2024) and transfers who are attending Summer Academy: Surface Pick-Up Day

All Activities need to be completed between 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on assigned days above. Complete the activities that pertain to your student:

• Book Rental Returns (bundles only) – Commons
• Academic Locker cleanout – Academic Building
• Surface return days for seniors – Commons
• Choir uniform return for seniors only – Commons
• Return tux, Return Music, clean out music locker, return borrowed instruments – FAC bandroom
• Athletic Locker cleanout – Fieldhouse – entry at office door only
• Ceramics picked up – FAC – side door entrance by cube
• Visual Art picked up – FAC – side door entrance by cube
• Pick up prescription meds, PRN meds, EpiPens, Diabetic supplies, etc. – Commons. If medications are not picked up during this time, families should contact Rachel Austin, or the medicine will be properly disposed of over the summer.

Summer Academy Details
Today is the last day to register for Summer Academy. It is also the last day to drop a Summer Academy course without incurring a $150 administration fee. Wheaton Academy is committed to the health and well-being of all our students, and we will do all that we can to provide them outstanding learning opportunities even amid the current COVID-19 crisis. In light of current government restrictions for gathering and our desire to plan for and provide an excellent educational experience, Wheaton Academy has decided to run Summer Academy through a synchronous learning platform. This means that all Summer Academy classes will be online with portions of class being live each day. Teachers will be conducting live instruction for up to 90 minutes at a time during the AM and PM classes. Full-day science classes will have multiple portions of live instruction spread throughout the 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. class runtime. When not receiving live instruction, students will be expected to complete independent work, small group work, or receive 1-on-1 guidance from teachers.

Our morning and afternoon classes will be calibrated to account for 3-4 hours of work each day (a combination of synchronous instruction and independent work). Full-day science classes will be calibrated to account for 6-7 hours of work each day (a combination of synchronous instruction and independent work). The day-long science classes will also include a lab element that may require students to pick up equipment from Wheaton Academy to take home and/or use basic home items to conduct labs (we will release a list of what these items will be in advance of the class). We will expect students to be ready for classroom learning each day, starting at the classes assigned start time. This means that students will need to be ready to start learning from home at 8:00 a.m. for the AM and Science classes and 1:00 p.m. for the PM classes.

Wheaton Academy believes that the Summer Academy classes will build upon the excellent foundation of E-Learning already established in the spring. We will take what we have learned an apply it to Summer Academy classes to make for an outstanding learning experience for all students involved.

Incoming freshmen and transfers will be able to pick up their Microsoft Surfaces on Thursday, June 4. We will also host a webinar on Thursday, June 4, at 7:00 p.m. for all incoming freshmen and parents. The webinar will include vital information on how to use the Microsoft Surface, how to access our Learning Management System call OnCampus, and how to best prepare for the adjustment to Summer Academy.

We will be releasing more details and expectations as Summer Academy approaches. Feel free to reach out to Angie Roberts (aroberts@wheatonacademy.org) with any registration questions and contact Brad Thornton (bthornton@wheatonacademy.org) with questions specific to classes or synchronous learning. Thank you – Brad Thornton

Summer Academy registration is now open.Register for Summer Academy

If you have any questions, please contact Angie Roberts.

A Few Items for Seniors:

1. We wanted to remind you about yearbook ads. Without any spring sports or activities, the yearbook, unfortunately, will not be featuring as many photos of our students as planned. So, we are extending the deadline for our senior ads. You may want to consider this ad as a way that you can honor your child during these times. Here is the information: Senior yearbook ads will again be available for purchase for $150 per quarter-page ad.  Fees for ads will include a yearbook at no additional cost. If you order a senior ad, you do not need to order a yearbook through the Jostens website. You may click here for an example of what an ad should look like. Please submit ads by May 15 by mailing in a check to the school. Checks may be made payable to Wheaton Academy (to the attention of Jim Holtrop).

2. If you have not submitted a senior picture for your student (we are missing 60 senior photos), please submit a headshot to yearbook@wheatonacademy.org as soon as possible.

3. Seniors need to return their Surface Pro 6 in its case with the pen attached, and the charger clearly labeled with your name.  Please return the Surface Pro 6 clean and without any other stickers on it or the case besides the name tag and the serial number sticker – do not remove those. Before you return your Surface Pro 6, please make sure you have copied any files that you wish to retain, either to cloud storage such as Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox, or to removable media such as a flash drive. All data on your Surface Pro 6 will be permanently erased! The return date is May 26 in the Commons.

Winterim Trips 2021
Normally Wheaton Academy announces Winterim trips in April, but due to COVID-19, we have decided to delay the release of trip information until August. When school resumes in August, we will unveil the 2021 trip experiences along with application information.

Yearbook Order Deadline is May 15!
WA yearbooks are for sale again this year for last year’s price of $25.00 each. Your 2019-2020 yearbook is now available for purchase at www.jostensyearbooks.com. Go to the Yearbooks dropdown to find “Buy your Yearbook,” then search Wheaton Academy to finish your purchase. They will only be for sale through the website. We do not want you to miss out on receiving a yearbook, so please order yours today! If you do not order via the Jostens link, you will be unable to receive a yearbook next fall. DEADLINE IS MAY 15!

WA Service Team Sign-Ups
The Sign-Up link for the WA 2020-2021 Service Team is now live. You may click here to access it. We encourage students and families to sign up early. Contact Jim Holtrop at jholtrop@wheatonacademy.org if you have any questions. To read additional information regarding the WA Service Teams, click here.

College Corner

There are no new announcements at this time.