Head of School Updates

Last week, I shared our academic achievement data in an effort to celebrate our successes and focus on opportunities for continued growth.

One of the most important factors in that continued growth is having our students in school every day. Every day matters. When students miss school, they miss valuable instruction, classroom discussions, collaboration, and experiences that cannot always be recreated. While we understand that illness and other circumstances will occur, attendance matters, and we need your help.

We are asking every family to help by getting students to school on time each day, scheduling appointments and travel outside of school hours whenever possible, and limiting absences to times when they are truly necessary. Thank you, in advance, for reinforcing this message with your children and helping us make every school day count.

As a reminder, Sussex Academy activity fees are due today, September 30. Annual fees are $185 for Elementary, $205 for Middle School, and $225 for High School and may be paid by cash, check, or through our online payment system.

If you have not yet submitted your student’s activity fee or need to arrange a payment plan, please contact Mrs. Calli Horsey at calli.horsey@saas.k12.de.us or (302) 856-3636 ext. 1004. Thank you for your continued support of the opportunities and experiences we provide our students.

Next Friday, October 9th, is a Professional Development Day for our staff. We will be hard at work improving our practices while our students enjoy a three-day weekend!

Click here to access the 2026–27 Academic Calendar.

Thank you for your help in spreading the word about our call for alumni! We've had a great response from our graduates. Please help us spread the word with the alumni you know by asking them to fill out the contact form at this link so we can keep in touch!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeRDq5NAlj8k2mhZ4qNUtcCtAq63ms-OGm4sR2vUFFKNqdrrw/viewform

Delaware’s School Choice Application window for the 2027-28 school year will open in November, and we’d love help from our families in spreading the word about Sussex Academy throughout the community.

Please share this flyer about our upcoming open houses with families who may be interested in joining our flock here at Sussex Academy!

Fall is officially underway at Sussex Academy Elementary, and we have so many exciting events and opportunities coming up for our Seahawks! From celebrating literacy to providing families with helpful resources, we look forward to a wonderful season of learning, family engagement, and community connections. Be sure to mark your calendars for these upcoming events!

Looking for simple strategies to reduce conflict, build stronger relationships, and help your child manage their own behavior? Join a FREE virtual PAX Tools workshop to learn evidence-based strategies that encourage cooperation and self-regulation in children.

Date: Thursday, October 22 Time: 6:00 PM Location: Microsoft Teams

To attend, email alowe@delawareguidance.org to request the Microsoft Teams link. Visit www.paxis.org to learn more.

Get those smiles ready! Elementary Picture Day is tomorrow, Thursday, October 1. Please make sure your child wears their school uniform for Picture Day.

Picture Day: Thursday, October 1
Retake Day: Thursday, October 29
Event Code: FE380326

View and order your student's JostensPIX school photos online.

Did you know your grocery shopping can help support Sussex Academy Elementary? Through Redner's Save-A-Tape program, our school can earn funds from qualifying purchases!

Simply save your eligible Redner's receipts and send them to school with your child to be delivered to our elementary front office. Every receipt helps support our Seahawks!

Learn more about Redner's Save-A-Tape Program

Our Scholastic Book Fair is just around the corner! Students can shop for books October 12–16 with their class during their school day. Families can also visit our Scholastic Book Fair website to preview books, add money to your child's eWallet, and shop online.

Our Scholastic Book Fair will also be open during Literacy Night! We look forward to seeing our Seahawks and their families!

Literacy Night: Thursday, October 15, 5:30–7:00 PM

We have exciting news! We are nearing completion of the licensing process for the Sussex YMCA Aftercare Program at Sussex Academy Elementary School and anticipate the program beginning within the next couple of weeks. Registration is now open and applications are being accepted!

Families interested in participating can complete the YMCA aftercare application here. Before enrollment can be finalized, families will need a current Health Appraisal, immunization record, proof of lead and TB risk screening, and their child's IEP if applicable.

Already applied? You can request an update on your application status here.

The program will run from the end of the school day until 5:30 PM. The introductory rate for the 2026–27 school year is $245 per month, and a $50 non-refundable application fee applies. Once the YMCA receives final licensing approval, families will receive additional communication with the official start date.

Please see the YMCA Frequently Asked Questions flyer for additional details. We are excited to welcome the YMCA to Sussex Academy and provide our students with a safe, engaging, and enriching after-school experience!

We are excited to launch the Middle School Science Club, led by Sussex Academy junior Eva Navitskaya! This is a great opportunity for middle school students interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) to explore their interests, collaborate with peers, and participate in exciting competitions.

Students may participate in the Sussex County Science Fair, join Sussex Academy’s Division B Science Olympiad Team, or participate in both! Through these experiences, students will have opportunities to conduct their own scientific research, design and build solutions, test their knowledge, and represent Sussex Academy in competition.

📅 Begins: Friday, October 2

⏰ Meets: Every Friday, 3:15–4:30 PM

📍 Location: Room 503

🚗 Transportation: There is NO activity bus on Fridays. Students must be picked up at 4:30 PM.

Eva brings significant experience to the club as a three-year Science Olympiad participant and four-year Sussex County Science Fair participant, earning recognition in both competitions. We are excited to see her demonstrate student leadership by sharing her passion for STEM with our middle school students!

Questions? Contact Eva at eva.navitskaya@sussexacademy.org

See the flyer for all the details on how to order your school pictures! The Event Code is: FE380226

• Capture all the memories from this school year with a Sussex Academy Middle School Yearbook! 💜

• Yearbooks are currently $37.00 when ordered by October 2, 2026.

• Families can order through Jostens using the information on the flyer or this link (Click Here). Students and families can also share photos from throughout the year for possible inclusion in the yearbook. Don’t miss out on the memories — order yours early!

Join us for a full weekend of Homecoming festivities!

Homecoming Soccer Game - Friday, October 23, at 7:00 p.m.

Homecoming Dance - Saturday, October 24, from 7:00–10:00 p.m. at Sussex Academy

Dance tickets go on sale Monday, October 12, and cost $20 per student. Tickets must be purchased in advance; tickets will not be sold at the door. Guest-pass forms will be available by the end of this week.

Students have selected “Jungle” as this year’s Spirit Week theme! The Homecoming Dance will feature a related theme, which will be announced soon.

Episode 2 of our student-created SIX docuseries is here! Follow the cast and crew as they continue bringing the production to life, and enjoy another behind-the-scenes look at the creativity, collaboration, and hard work involved in preparing the show. Click on the YouTube video below to check it out!

Once again, Sussex Academy is partnering with Speak Out Against Hate (SOAH) to host a special screening of Childhood 2.0 on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.

This thought-provoking documentary explores how smartphones, social media, gaming, and constant connectivity affect young people’s mental health, relationships, and daily lives. Following the screening, Titania Jordan, Chief Parenting Officer at Bark and a featured expert in the film, will join us via livestream for a Q&A.

Please note that the film is recommended for ages 13 and older due to sensitive content. A supervised activity space will be available for younger children.

Please RSVP here by October 20 or click the link on this flyer.

This week, Mrs. Bobby is hosting group meetings for juniors about college and career planning. The schedule for these meetings is here. Students do NOT need to check in with their teachers before attending; an attendance report will be shared with teachers immediately following the meetings.

COLLEGE VISITS AT SUSSEX ACADEMY - Week of 9/28

Throughout the fall, representatives from colleges and universities will host 30-minute information sessions at Sussex Academy. Juniors and Seniors may miss class to attend these sessions.

Upcoming College Rep Visits:

Northeastern University - 10/5 at 8:30am

Coast Guard Academy on 10/5 at 1:15

Salisbury University on 10/8 at 8:30

University of Delaware on 10/8 at 11:30

To view upcoming visits and register, students should:

1. Log in to Naviance.

2. Select Colleges.

3. Under Research Colleges, select College Visits.

4. Click Register Now beside any school they are interested in learning about.

5. Record the visit’s date and time in their planner.

6. Notify their teacher at least one day in advance.

7. Check in with their teacher on the day of the visit for attendance and information about missed instruction or assignments.

New visits are added throughout the fall, so students should check Naviance regularly.

STAND BY ME FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION SESSION: PAYING FOR COLLEGE

On Monday, October 5th at 7pm (in Room 102), the Stand By Me Organization will host a Paying for College Workshop geared toward Parents/Guardians and their senior students. This presentation provides an overview of the many options available to families to pay for college. The goal is to inform students and parents about government grants, scholarships, loans, FAFSA application procedures, and additional services and programs provided by Stand by Me. Register HERE.

ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS

Juniors and seniors are welcome to schedule one-on-one meetings with Mrs. Bobby throughout the year. They should contact her direct to schedule an appointment.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Some localized scholarship opportunities have been sent our way! See our Scholarship Spreadsheet to stay up to date on all scholarship opportunities in our area.

LAUNCH INTO YOUR FUTURE WEEK: OCTOBER 26–30

Launch Into Your Future Week will take place October 26–30 in the library. During the week, students will have opportunities to sign out of class to work on college and career-related tasks and attend special information sessions. Additional details and sign-out instructions will be shared in October.

COMMUNICATION

Contact erin.bobby@sussexacademy.org with any questions.