BETWEEN the LIONS
YOUR SOURCE FOR ACA NEWS
April 16, 2025
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Dear ACA Families,
As we enter Holy Week, our hearts are drawn again to the dusty road leading into Jerusalem—the road where Jesus, the King of Kings, rode not on a war horse, but on a lowly donkey. Palm branches waved, cloaks were laid down, and the people cried, “Hosanna!” Yet, in all the celebration, no one paused to notice the donkey beneath the King.
And yet, what a role that donkey played. Without it, the procession would not have moved forward. In God's plan, even the humble beast of burden had a purpose—chosen for a sacred assignment.
I believe there is something deeply instructive about that image for all of us—parents, teachers, and students alike. We are called, not always to stand in the spotlight, but to carry Jesus faithfully wherever we go. Like the donkey, we may not receive applause. We may carry burdens that feel unnoticed or exhausting. But our purpose is not in being seen—it is in being faithful.
As parents, you carry the weight of guiding your children toward truth. As educators, we shoulder the responsibility of shaping hearts and minds for Christ. And together, in partnership, we prepare the way for the King to enter the hearts of the next generation.
Palm Sunday begins the road to Easter—we know the story well. The cheers of “Hosanna” will soon fade into cries of “Crucify.” The humble King who entered in peace will walk the road of suffering and death. And yet—praise God!—that is not the end of the story. Easter morning bursts forth with resurrection, hope, and new life.
This Holy Week, may we all walk the road of humility, service, and worship. May we take up our own “donkey’s assignment”—to carry Christ into our homes, classrooms, and communities. And may we do so with the confidence that the One we carry has conquered death, bringing eternal life and unshakable hope.
He is risen. He is with us. And He is worth carrying.
With gratitude and hope,
Jason Putnam
William Jason Putnam
Interim Head of School
Upcoming Events.
Calendar navigation: hover cursor or tap phone to view event details. Use arrows to view next month.
Featured Events:
April 18-21
NO SCHOOL
April 16
Parenting Together with Bradley Pinion
Thank you to our Lead and Champion Sponsors for the
2025 Sporting Clays Tournament!
All School News
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See You Tonight! (4/16)
Wednesday, April 16
6:00 – 7:15 pm
ACA Auditorium
5:00 Family Meal in Student Union
PUNTS FOR PURPOSE: perspective entering NFL season #11
Join Atlanta Falcon’s punter, Bradley Pinion, as he and his wife, Kaeleigh, share stories of faith, family, football, calling, impact, and PURPOSE.
We hope you plan to join us (and invite friends) for our next and final Parenting Together event for the year. This will be an event for the entire family (4th grade and up).
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Habitat Dress Down day April 29th!
Our next Habitat for Humanity Dress Down Day is Tuesday, April 29th. Subscribing students and faculty can wear jeans and an ACA t-shirt. Others can bring $5 to their classroom/first period teacher the day of the dress down to participate for that day only. Future dress down Tuesday dates are as follows:
April 29
May 13
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Register Now!
2025 Sporting Clays Tournament
Friday, May 2
at Biltmore Sporting Clays Club
Event is open to all parents, grandparents and ACA friends. Space is limited.
Thank you to our Lead Sponsor:
Allen Tate, Beverly-Hanks Realtors
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Spring 2025 School Calendar Change Reminders
Just a quick reminder of the changes to this school year’s calendar.
Friday, May 23 is now a NOON DISMISSAL (in order to prepare for honoring our graduating seniors at Baccalaureate that evening). This is a new addition!
May 27-30 were added to the end of the school year to reclaim some of our lost days. These will all be Noon Dismissal days.
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2025 Summer Camp Registration Now Open
Summer Camps will be happening at ACA this summer! Click the link below for access to the 2025 summer camp brochure and registration link!
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Carline Tags
As we approach the end of the school year, be sure to hang on to your carline tags!
You will not need a new car tag next year!
You can always email the transportation email if you need a replacement or have questions.
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Summer Drivers Ed Class at ACA
We will offer a summer session of Drivers Ed at ACA in June.
Dates are June 10, 11, 12, 17, 19 from 8:30-3:00 at ACA in room 206 in the upper school.
You can register online at: School Classes | Mountain Professionals. Please do not register for the summer session if you are unable to attend all the dates listed.
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Win a $100 Gift Card for Uniforms
Back-to-School Sweepstakes
Visit the link below to enter.
Deadline to enter is May 5, 2025.
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Terrific Trade - Get More Bang for Your Buck!
The Summer Reading Terrific Trade is happening in May!
Find books from the summer reading lists for $5 each.
Trade prior year books that are currently on the list for a $3 credit each during the month of April.
(In May, trade-in credit is only $2 per book).
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Congratulations Middle School Battle of the Books Team!
The MS Battle of the Books team won 1st place at the NC Regional Competition in Raleigh on April 4. They are the NC Independent School Champions and will next compete on May 1st at the state level against public schools from all over the state.
Congratulations team!
From the Board of Directors
Dear ACA families,
Thank you to everyone who attended the Annual Corporation Meeting last week. I’m excited to share a few important updates from the meeting as we approach the last few weeks of this school year and look forward to next year.
Director Election
All four director nominees were successfully elected. We are grateful for their continued commitment and leadership as we look ahead to another productive year. Treavor Riley and Jennifer Riseden were each elected to their second term and Jeffrey Owen and Aaron Slate were each elected to their first term. As we welcome them to the Board of Directors, we also want to thank the three directors who will be rotating off at the end of this fiscal year: Emily Gerritz and Kristi Owens with three years of service and Tracy Gualano with nine years of service. If you would like to nominate a corporation member for future consideration, please email the Board of Directors at acaboard@ashevillechristian.org.
Bylaws Amendment
The corporation’s bylaws were officially amended during the meeting to change the deadline for membership from October 15th back to June 30th each year and reduce the Board’s member review period from 90 days to 60 days. These changes are effective immediately so the window to apply for corporate membership is significantly shorter than previous years. The requirements for membership are outlined in the bylaws, which are available for review here.
Before the June 30th deadline, we encourage all parents and grandparents to sign up for corporation membership using the online form available here. We have strong interest from alumni and former parents, and we want to ensure current parents are represented as well. Thank you all for your ongoing support and involvement. Thank you for the trust you place in the Board of Directors as we look to an exciting future for ACA.
Joshua Bradshaw
ACA Board Chair
PTF Corner
(Parent Teacher Fellowship)
If on a mobile device, swipe or use the arrows underneath the descriptions to scroll through volunteer opportunities.
Thank you SO much for those who have so quickly responded to our requests for volunteers! Your help has been invaluable. We will have more opportunities in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Please stay tuned for sign-ups via text or email as they come available!
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![PTF Circle Logo]()
Get Involved, Stay Connected, Build Community
We believe that PTF is a great way to get involved, stay connected and build community. We have room on the PTF board next year. If you are interested in being more involved, please contact Sara Nix at ptf@ashevillechristian.org.
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![Volunteers]()
Volunteer at Parenting Together Events
As part of the Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF), we have the opportunity to help our teachers and staff by setting up and volunteering in their place at the Parenting Together events this year. This is a fun way to meet other parents by serving together and greeting other parents as they arrive for the events. You will only need to arrive an hour before the start time of the event to help set up, greet and check-in parents, and serve snacks. You will NOT miss any of the event.
The next Parenting Together is on April 16 at 6 p.m., with a community meal beforehand. Please consider signing up to help.
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![Come Pray With Us]()
Moms in Prayer
Please join us every Monday morning after drop-off for Moms in Prayer.
Contact Amanda O’Brien (acwskier@yahoo.com) for more information about the meeting locations during our time at the temporary school locations.
Athletics & Fine Arts
Athletic News
Upcoming Games
Stay Up-to-Date on all athletic games by checking out the Tandem calendar.
“Home” Game Locations
While our outdoor facilities are being rebuilt, this is where you can expect to go to cheer on our teams “at home:”
Varsity Soccer home matches are at Montreat College athletic complex, Black Mountain campus
MS Soccer home matches are at BCSP #3
Varsity and JV Baseball games are at Montreat College baseball field and Bob Lewis baseball complex. (Alternate location is the Big League Camp in Marion).
Save the Date!
Athletic Physicals at ACA
May 14 at 3:00 pm
Rising 6th-12th Grades, $20 each
Fine Arts News
The Upper School Spring Musical: Mary Poppins
Dates:
May 1 at 7:00 pm
May 2 at 7:00 pm
May 3 at 6:00 pm
May 8 at 4:00 pm
May 9 at 7:00 pm
May 10 at 2:00 pm
Guidance News
8TH GRADERS, FRESHMEN, SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS:
Advising meetings: Course Request sheets are due, with all required signatures, on April 17.
SENIORS
Keep Scoir updated as your college acceptances come in, make sure you check any emails from your schools, and complete the FAFSA. Let Guidance know how we can help.
The Future Plans bulletin board is going up by the Guidance offices. Be sure to mark in your future plans – including any non-college plans. We want to celebrate your next steps.
Sophomores and Juniors: SAT/ACT Test Prep at ACA
July 30-Aug 1, 2025
Use Coupon Code: GOLIONS for half off!
Juniors and Parents: Save the Date: Monday, May 5, 7:00 pm: Rising Seniors College Prep Webinar
ALL FAMILIES:
Did you know that the Guidance Dept focuses on specific themes each year that are derived from our mission statement?
The ACA College Guidance Office, in conjunction with school administrators, faculty, and parents,
engages with students to explore their God-given abilities and dreams,
reviews the impact of their current choices on their future opportunities,
and presents essential information regarding college and career selection,
encouraging congruence between faith and life to be enabled to serve Christ in all areas.
Freshman Year: High School Transition and Initial Dreams
Sophomore Year: College and Career Orientation
Junior Year: College and Career In-depth Exploration
Senior Year: College Applications and Selection (or other plans)
Lower School News
Lower School News
FRIENDLY REMINDER:
Please remember that early pickups must take place before 2:30. No student pickups will be allowed between 2:30-3:00 due to end of day preparations. We request that you plan accordingly.
LS Missions Month:
Last week the 5th grade kicked off Missions Month in the Lower School. Chapels throughout the month will be led by our 5th graders with a variety of speakers including ACA students who served in Peru during Winterim. We are looking forward to hearing about ways to serve the Lord both globally and locally. What an incredible opportunity for our students to share the gospel of Christ!
We are excited about the two opportunities we have to support missions. Our global project will continue to provide support for Cush Christian School in South Sudan. On a local level, we will also support Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries which serves our community from East Asheville to Ridgecrest. LS students are looking for ways to earn money for our missions collection. Missions is a great way to put into action words from I John 4:11, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Thank you Lower School!
Lower School Fine Arts Night
Please plan to join us for the LS Spring Concert at 6:30 PM on Friday evening, April 25. This is a program of music presented by our first through fifth grade students. You will also have the opportunity to enjoy a display of art throughout the Lower School building. Student attendance is required. Spring dressy is the dress code for this evening – dresses, skirts, dress pants, collared shirts. No jeans, shorts, or t-shirts please. We are looking forward to this Fine Arts celebration and seeing you there!
Lower School End-Of-Year Events to Note:
Week of May 5 – LS Spring MAP Growth Testing
Friday, May 23 – Noon Dismissal
Wednesday, May 28 @ 8:30 – PreK Celebration/Noon Dismissal
Wednesday, May 28 @ 10:00 – KinderCelebration/Noon Dismissal
Thursday, May 29 @ 8:30 – PreK Playdate/Passport to Kindergarten
Thursday, May 29 @ 10:30 – 5th grade Launch/Noon Dismissal
May 30 – Last Day of School/Noon Dismissal
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