November 13, 2020

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Schedules
We want you to know about some upcoming schedule adjustments so that you can plan accordingly. 

Monday, November 16 – This is an Off-Campus Learning Day. Teachers will have assignments posted by 9:00 a.m.  Additionally, Sophomore Registration for Winterim classes will open at 8:00 a.m., and Freshman Registration for Winterim classes will open at 1:00 p.m.

Tuesday, November 17 – Community Time will replace advisory.  Instead of going to their Advisory location after lunch, students will report to their 3rd-period classes for Community Time.

Tuesday, November 24 – We will run a 7-period schedule with Chapel and no Advisory.
7:55 – 8:43 – 1st period
8:53 – 9:36– 2nd period
9:46- 10:29 – 3rd period
10:34 – 10:59 – Chapel
11:04 – 11:47 – 4th period
11:47 – 12:25 – Lunch
12:30 – 1:13 – 5th period
1:23 – 2:06 – 6th period
2:16 – 3:00 – 7th period

WA Men’s Prayer
Saturday, November 14
8:00 a.m.
White Alumni Chapel
On the second Saturday of each month, the men from the WA community meet to pray and hear from one of our WA employees. This month the guest speaker is Neal Roys, WA math teacher. Please join us for prayer Saturday, November 14, at 8:00 a.m. in the white Alumni Chapel. Light refreshments are served.

General News

A Message from Steve Bult, Head of School
Over the last week, we had eight individuals test positive for COVID-19. As we have done in previous weeks, we have contacted those who were in close contact with these individuals and asked them to quarantine at home for the appropriate time. 

Up to this point, we have not reported on faculty, staff, and students in quarantine.  This statistic is a bit complex.  Some students are in quarantine due to being a close contact with a Wheaton Academy student, but a vast majority of students in quarantine are due to being close contacts with parents, siblings, and others, not necessarily related to time spent at Wheaton Academy.  Some are also choosing to stay at home out of precaution. For each student in quarantine, our nurse is in conversation to determine the reason for the quarantine. At this point, we have 55 students and six faculty/staff in quarantine. We are grateful that the majority of these individuals are not sick and can go about their school work virtually.

We are thankful for the continued cooperation with parents and students in self-certification and in keeping students home when necessary.   Thank you for your cooperation in keeping us informed of COVID cases that impact your family as we all work together to prioritize the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff this year.  

We ask for your continued vigilance.  We know how important in-person instruction is for student learning and discipleship.  Key metrics for us to continue providing learning in this environment are:

  • Sufficient number of faculty and staff on campus
  • Amount of virus transmission at Wheaton Academy
  • Number of students who are sick and unable to do school work

As you know, the situation continues to change each day, and responses to the virus change quickly.  If these metrics remain stable or improve, our hope and prayer is to finish the first semester in person on campus. 

Please do not hesitate to call us with any questions.

Steve Bult
Head of School

Winterim

Winterim Class Registration
Sophomores: Monday, November 16, 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Frehman: Monday, November 16, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Winterim class registration continues in OnCampus on Monday, November 16 for the sophomore and freshman classes. To view a complete list of courses, see the Winterim Guide. A “Closed Classes” button on the Winterim page shows which classes are no longer available to register for. Please contact Brad Thornton with any questions.

Please click here to watch a video with instructions on how to register.

  • Click on Course Requests
  • Click on Winterim
  • Register for an AM class and a PM class OR a Full-day class (make sure to pick one AM and one PM class. It will let you pick two AM or two PM, so pay attention as you choose)
  • You should add an alternative course for each session in case your first choice is full – Type in the name of the course
    • Click Save! Don’t forget to save!!

Winterim Internships
An internship provides a first-hand perspective of the skills and tasks needed to succeed in a potential career and helps students discover how God has uniquely equipped them to impact the world positively. All students interested in an internship during Winterim need to review the requirements and fill out the application in the Winterim Guide. The deadline to submit applications is Tuesday, November 24. If you have any questions or if any parents or Alumni are interested in providing an internship experience to a student, please contact Phil Strzalka, the Business & Innovation Program Director at pstrzalka@wheatonacademy.org.

Senior Pictures
Lifetouch will be available for the last time at Wheaton Academy to have senior pictures taken. They will be here on November 30, from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. Please make an appointment by either calling Lifetouch at 630-910-6800 option five or go online at prestigeappointment.com, create an account, select your school, and follow the prompts to book an appointment.

Senior Cap and Gown Orders
On Friday, November 20 and Tuesday, November 24, during lunch, seniors can purchase their cap and gown for graduation 2021. Seniors may pick up an order packet at the front office or purchase their cap and gown directly from Jostens.com.

Donations Needed for the Live Nativity Fundraiser
The Project Lead Global and Local teams are hosting a family-friendly, COVID-safe, Live Nativity Drive-Thru Fundraiser on the evenings of Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5.   Project Global is raising funds for the 23 vulnerable children Wheaton Academy sponsors through Kids Alive International.  We are looking for donations of hot cocoa supplies and parent volunteers to help prepare and distribute hot cocoa during this fundraising event.  We are also accepting monetary gifts to defray the costs of this fundraising event.   Please use this link to find out more details and sign up for donations and/or volunteer. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Gregersen, Ms. Johnson, or Mr. Holtrop. *This activity may be subject to change due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Live Drive-Thru Nativity Fundraiser Vehicle Sign-up
You and your family are invited to the Live Drive-thru Nativity at Wheaton Academy on Friday, December 4, and Saturday, December 5.  The Wheaton Academy Project Lead Global and Local teams are hosting a live Nativity fundraising event.  For a suggested minimum donation of $10 and 2 canned food items per vehicle, families will be given hot cocoa and will be able to drive through Wheaton Academy’s campus viewing scenes from the Christmas story.

Details of this Christmas fundraiser along with a sign up for times to arrive can be found using this link, Live Drive-Thru Nativity Fundraiser.  If you have questions, please contact Valerie Gregersen. *This activity may be subject to change due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Financial Aid Applications for 2021-2022
As we prepare for the 2021-2022 academic year, this is a reminder that you must re-apply through the FACTS platform each year for financial aid. To apply for financial aid, visit https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/3G6YX. After completing the online application, you will need to upload all required supporting documentation before your request can be reviewed. *Note: FACTS charges a $35 processing fee payable at the time of application.

FACTS opens on November 15, 2020, for 2021-2022 financial aid applications. The award dates are February 15, March 15, and April 15, 2021. You will receive an email once your application has been reviewed, and you may check status on the FACTS portal after February 15.

Please contact Sheri Guarnizo, Finance & Accounts Receivable Coordinator, at sguarnizo@wheatonacademy.org or Patrick Brooke, Controller, at pbrooke@wheatonacademy.org, if you have any questions.

2021-2022 Application for Enrollment
We are excited to announce that our 2021-2022 application season has begun! Applications are open online now. We will be hosting in-person and virtual events this fall to showcase our school. The in-person event is November 12 at 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and the virtual opportunities are November 5 and 19 from 7:00-8:00 p.m.   

Click here to learn about each event. Registration is required and can be completed online.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Amy Burdett, Amy Hogan, or Brittany Klenke in the Admissions Office: admissions@wheatonacademy.org.

Shadow Experience Now Available
Spend time on campus in-person to experience Wheaton Academy first-hand! Because of necessary restrictions due to COVID-19, we have modified our typical shadow experience. This fall, we offer 8th – 11th-grade students opportunities to shadow a single 90-minute class. We have pre-selected classes that students can visit on either Tuesdays or Wednesdays, starting in November. Share the registration link:
Shadow Experience Details

New Host Family Informational Zoom Meeting
Have you wondered what it would be like to host an international student? Are you looking for a unique ministry for your family? We are having two informational meetings coming up on Wednesday, November 18, at 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Please RSVP to Julie Grant, Host Family Coordinator, at jgrant@wheatonacademy.org. She will give you the zoom link and any further information you need to know.

Second Semester Schedules
All schedule changes for 2nd semester are due by November 13. Please contact Angie Roberts, aroberts@wheatonacademy.org, to make any changes.

College Corner

There are no new announcements at this time.