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A blue bird with flames above its head is on the left, with the words "Academy for God Weekly Newsletter" in blue text on the right, all set against a light blue background within a dark blue border.

Week of September 7th, 2026

Here's a look at what we've been up to lately and what's coming next.

Thanks for being part of The Academy!



 A Message from the Head of School

In light of all the healthy changes that have occurred at our school, I wanted to take time to reassure families that our students’ faith formation and character development is still a leading priority at our school. 


Faith development is a team effort among family, church, and school. As a school, we provide development in faith in multiple ways from formal classes and gatherings to informal avenues through day to day teacher interaction and encouragement. In regards to the organized and more formal methods, chapel is still every Wednesday for all grade levels. Bible class time has increased in Kindergarten and stayed the same through elementary compared to previous years. In Junior High, Bible class meets two days a week, and in High School, Bible class is five days a week, which is an increase from previous years.


Our high schoolers take a Public Ministry course, our 9th graders have Worship Band, and our 9th and 12th grade fine arts classes are centered on music and public ministry — service and worship, not just performance. Faith formation isn't taking a back seat anywhere in this school — it's a priority.


We also protect time for our students’ spiritual, social and emotional learning every single day. Our K-2 students start every morning with 20 minutes of homeroom built around social-emotional learning and Bible; 3rd through 8th grade get that same rhythm in a focused 10 minutes and this doesn’t include their bible classes. As mentioned, HS has bible classes every day. 


As many of you already know, we have teachers who have a heart for showing students how to live out our calling as God’s children. Our teachers are biblically educated, wholly committed to Jesus. Students have the privilege of being built up and instructed by people who filter their education through a biblical lens. It’s how we teach through a biblical worldview. 


Our hope as a school is to provide discipleship for students to know how to exemplify the character of our Lord both here and in the world. I love the story of when Jesus went to school for three days and gave his parents a bit of a “heart attack” because they couldn’t find him. The story concludes saying that, ”52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Our hope for our students is that very thing: to grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. As I said before, this is a team effort, and we’re thankful to do our part in our students’ lives to teach faith and wisdom. 


Mr. Derek Bargatze, M.Ed

Head of School

Academy for God


Upcoming Dates & Reminders


Labor Day - School Closed

The Academy is closed on Monday, September 7th is observance of Labor Day. Students should not report. We'll see you on Tuesday!


Save the Date: A Night of the Arts

Mark your calendars for November 19–20 for our annual Night of the Arts, featuring Academy's Got Talent and The Arts Showcase!


All students, K–12, are welcome to participate. Registration details coming soon — stay tuned! We can't wait to celebrate our students' creativity and talent with you.


Heat Advisory:
Staying Safe Outdoors

With temperatures staying above 90° next week, we'll continue closely monitoring outdoor activities and adjusting as needed to keep students safe, per our Outdoor Activities Protocol.


Please send your child with a full water bottle daily — teachers will be encouraging regular water breaks throughout the day.

Several colorful reusable water bottles, including a green Owala, a red Hydro Flask, a gray Stanley, and a child's bottle with a dog and bicycle design, are arranged on a wooden surface against a light-colored background.

Attendance Policy Update

As a reminder, we have updated our attendance policy this school year to allow for excused absences for illness without requiring a doctor's note.


When parents submit their child's absence via Orah, their illness will reflect an excused absence. Please use the link below to reference our full attendance policy.


School Handbook: Attendance Policy


Academy for God School App

Did you know we have a school app that can be downloaded from your device's app store? Keep your student's class schedule, attendance records, school handbook and calendar all in one place by having the app on your mobile device.


Please reach out to admin@academyforgod.org if you have any trouble connecting.

A grid of icons for "The Academy for God" app is displayed on a white background, with the app's logo at the top.

Fall Portraits

We have TWO fall portrait dates! Please note the grade levels for each day:

  • Wednesday, Sept 9th - K-6th and Student Body photos - THIS WEEK!
  • Wednesday, Sept 30th - 7-12th and Senior Portraits

Students should wear standard attire (polos) for fall portraits.

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Academics


Spring '26 TCAP Scores

If you have a current 4th - 11th grade student, please note their TCAP scores have been posted to their student portfolio in FACTS. To access:


  1. Log into FACTS Family Portal
  2. Navigate to Student
  3. Portfolio
  4. TCAP Scores

Please notify admin@academyforgod.orgif you have any trouble accessing student TCAP scores.

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Phoenix Athletics


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LAST CHANCE
City Saver Fundraise

The City Saver fundraiser closes on September 8th. Don't miss your chance to snag some great deals at restaurants, entertainment venues and more in the mid-state area! Each purchase directly supports our school's athletic program.

Purchase your City Saver book here!


Athletics Calendar

Catch our Phoenix athletics teams in action this school year by following our athletics calendar!


Use your Academy app > Calendar to view upcoming games for all seasons. Student admission is FREE to all home games. We hope to see you in the stands!

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Extracurriculars


Esports League Returns This Fall! 🎮

Academy for GOD is back in action for the Fall 2026 season, competing in the Tennessee Academic Esports League (TAEL) via the Fenworks platform. Open to students grades 6–12 (some titles HS only), matches are played on campus in our esports arena, supervised by a coach.

  • Season: Sept 14 – Dec 18, 2026
  • Matches: 4:00 PM CDT, on-campus (After-School Block: 3:45–5:30 PM)
  • Fridays: Make-up matches & scrimmages
  • Enrollment closes: September 14, 2026
  • Cost: $125/participant (optional jersey: +$50)

REGISTRATION FORM


Upcoming Clubs
Save the Date

Chess Club is back!

  • Dates: Wednesdays, October 21st-November 18th
  • Time: 3:30-5:00pm
  • 1st-12th grades are welcome to participate.
  • Registration coming soon!

Art Club is returning in February!


Early Bird Discount on Tickets for Into the Woods Jr!

A dark, enchanted forest with tall trees in the foreground frames a distant figure walking towards a clearing under a starry sky, advertising "Into the Woods Jr."

The Arts at Center Street's production of Into the Woods Jr. is showing October 1-4th!! This production is family friendly and several performers in the cast are students at the Academy for God!!


TACS is offering an early bird discount of 20% off tickets if purchased by September 13th. (discount will be automatically applied at check out.)


Come out, show your support and enjoy a fantastic musical theatre show!


Get your tickets HERE!


CSDA Dance Registration

Center Street Dance Academy Classes are now enrolling! Registration closes September 20th.


Classes will close once filled, so reserve your spot today at centerstreetdance.com!



The Academy for God

401 Center Street

United States