September Newsletter

Dear Parents,

The first month of school has flown by! It has been such a joy to see our students settle into their classrooms, build friendships, and learn new routines. We are so thankful for the wonderful start to the school year and for the excitement, energy, and positive spirit our families have brought to FaithWay. As we head into September, we look forward to all that God has in store for our students and families!

Within this newsletter you will find:

• A shout out to the recipients of the August "I CAN" Excellence Award
• Reminder about September 7 Labor Day/No School
• Information about Picture Day on September 8
• Reminder for students to wear their regular uniforms on September 9
• Information regarding our September 10 Field Trip
• Reminder regarding Revival Coffee Truck @ FCA on September 17
• Sign Up Sheet for the optional $5 Orange Leaf Yogurt Wednesday on September 23
• Information and RSVP for the FCA Family Night on September 25
• Reminder about the 12PM dismissal on Wednesday, September 30
• Information regarding E-learning Days on Thursday, October 1 and Friday, October 2
• Introductory information regarding the new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit
• Short list of upcoming events

Serving you joyfully in Christ,

Kimberly Russ

We are proud to celebrate our August I CAN Excellence Award recipients! This month, we focused on the Character of Love which is showing Christ-like love through kindness, compassion, patience, encouragement, and putting others before ourselves. These students demonstrated what it means to love others through their words, actions, and everyday choices.

Congratulations to our August recipients! We are so proud of the way they are reflecting Christ’s love in our school community.

School Picture Day will be held on Tuesday, September 8. Students should wear their Wednesday uniform for photos. To accommodate Picture Day, students will wear their Tuesday uniform on Wednesday, September 9.

There is no cost to have your child's picture taken. After Picture Day, parents will have the opportunity to view their student's photos and choose from a variety of optional photo packages if they wish to purchase them.

📸 Online Gallery: Fall 2026 Online Gallery and Order Form

☕ Revival Coffee Truck at FaithWay Christian Academy: Revival Coffee Truck will be on campus every third Thursday of the month from 8:00–9:00 AM. Parents, teachers, and students (with parent permission) are welcome to purchase coffee, specialty drinks, and other menu items. To view the menu or place an order in advance, visit the Revival Coffee Truck online ordering site at https://revival-mobile.square.site/s/splash.

🌾 We’re excited to take our students to Farmish Momstead for a fun-filled day of learning, exploring, and enjoying God’s creation! The Farmish Momstead family loves sharing their homestead with others and encouraging families to embrace a simpler, more hands-on way of life. Students will have the opportunity to experience farm life, learn about the homestead, and make wonderful memories with their classmates.

Payment Information: The $10 field trip fee will be invoiced through FACTS. Parents may pay online through FACTS or send cash or check to school. Online payments made by ACH/e-check have no processing fee; credit card payments are subject to a processing fee.

📅 Date: Thursday, September 10, 2026
🕣 School Drop-Off: 8:30 AM
🚌 Departing for Farmish Momstead: 9:00 AM
🏫 School Pick-Up: 3:00 PM
📍 Destination: Farmish Momstead — 5847 W 450 S, Owensville, IN
🚗 Transportation: Parent Volunteers
👕 Student Attire: Blue FCA Shirt
💵 Activity Cost: $10 per student/adult

🍎 Lunch is Included! All attendees will receive a Greenfield Organic Lunchable-style kit with turkey or ham, cheese, crackers, fruit, chips, cookie, juice box, and water.

📋 LINK: Online Permission Slip

Parents who would like their child to participate can order a $5 frozen yogurt for their child. Our staff will collect all orders, place the order with Orange Leaf, and pick everything up so students can enjoy their treat during lunch.

Cost: $5 per student
Invoice/Payment: Parents may pay online through FACTS, or they may send cash or check to school. Online payments made by ACH/e-check have no processing fee; credit card payments are subject to a processing fee.

Flavor/Toppings Note: The flavors and toppings listed on the order form are those currently offered to us by Orange Leaf. Please note that availability may vary on the day of our order, so your child’s actual flavor and toppings will depend on what is available when we place the order. We will do our best to accommodate your selections whenever possible.

📋 LINK: Online Order Form

Participation is optional, and parents must order in advance for their child to participate.

🎉 Family Night - September 25

Join us for a Family Night filled with fellowship, fun giveaways, and delicious food! We’re looking forward to spending an evening together as a FaithWay family and enjoying some time to connect outside of the school day.

Family Night Fee: $10 per family

Payment: Family Night fees will be invoiced through FACTS. Parents may pay online through FACTS, or they may send cash or check to school. Online payments made by ACH/e-check have no processing fee; credit card payments are subject to a processing fee.

We hope your whole family can join us for a fun night together! 💛

📋 LINK: Online RSVP Form

💻 E-Learning Days – October 1–2

Our teachers will be attending the IACS Teacher Convention in Indianapolis on October 1-2, so students will complete two days of e-learning from home. The IACS Convention provides Christian educators with biblical encouragement, professional development, and fellowship.

Teachers will provide each student with a checklist of assignments and activities to complete for each day. Students should complete and submit their assigned work as directed by their teachers. Completed student work will be used to verify attendance for each e-learning day.

A new federal tax credit could help more families afford Christian education beginning in 2027.

We are excited to share about a new opportunity for both families and donors that could open additional doors for students to attend Christian schools here in Indiana.

Beginning January 1, 2027, the new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit will allow individuals to make qualifying donations to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700 per taxpayer.

What does this mean for donors?

Instead of simply making a charitable donation, eligible donors can contribute to a qualifying SGO, such as the Sagamore Institute Scholarship for Education Choice, FCA's participating scholarship organization, and potentially receive a federal tax credit for the amount of their contribution, up to $1,700 per taxpayer.

That means your giving can help provide scholarships to FCA students while also reducing your federal income tax liability.

For example: a donor who contributes $1,700 to Sagamore could receive a federal tax credit of up to $1,700, subject to applicable federal requirements and the donor's tax liability.

This creates an incredible opportunity to turn dollars already going toward federal taxes into scholarships that help children access the Christian education their families have chosen.

What does this mean for families?

The tax credit is not a $1,700 tuition credit that parents receive directly. Instead, donors contribute to Sagamore or another approved SGO, and that organization uses the funds to provide scholarships to eligible students.

Scholarship funds may be used for qualifying K-12 educational expenses, including private-school tuition and fees, tutoring, curriculum and instructional materials, technology, special-needs services, and transportation.

Students whose household income falls within the program's eligibility requirements may qualify. Current guidance sets that threshold at up to 300% of the area's median gross income, meaning the large majority of Indiana families are expected to qualify.

Governor Mike Braun officially opted Indiana into the federal program in January 2026, positioning families across our state to benefit when it launches. Several Indiana-based SGOs, including Sagamore, have already indicated they plan to participate.

This federal credit will work alongside Indiana's existing state-level programs, such as the Choice Scholarship and the state SGO tax credit, meaning it has the potential to provide another avenue of financial assistance for families pursuing Christian education.

What happens next?

The program is scheduled to begin January 1, 2027, but some details are still being finalized, including the full list of approved SGOs and how funds will be distributed. We will continue monitoring the program closely and will share more with our families and supporters as official guidance and application procedures become available.

Why this matters to FCA?

We believe that kind of education has the power to shape not just a child's mind, but their whole life. Opportunities like this one can help make that education reachable for more families, while giving our community a new and meaningful way to invest in the next generation of believers.

For families, it means more potential scholarship support toward the cost of the biblical education we're committed to providing.

For donors, it means a new way to invest generously in students' spiritual and academic growth while potentially receiving a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit in return.

For our community, it means more children with the chance to grow in truth and be equipped to serve faithfully in their local church.

FCA already participates at the state level with the Sagamore Institute Scholarship for Education Choice, and this new federal credit is expected to work alongside that existing partnership. Families and donors interested in learning more about Sagamore and how to get involved can find details online through this link.

We are excited to see how God might use this new opportunity to open doors for more students and families to be part of FCA's mission.

September 7 - 🏫 Labor Day / NO SCHOOL

September 8 - 📷 Picture Day - Wednesday Uniform

September 9 - ⚠️ Dress - Tuesday Uniform

September 10 - 🤠 Farmish Momstead Field Trip

September 17 - ☕ Revival Coffee Cart @ FCA

September 23 - 🍨 $5 Orange Leaf Yogurt Wednesday

September 25 - 🍔 FCA Family Night

September 30 - 🏅"I Can" Excellence Awards in Chapel / 12PM Dismissal

October 1-2 - 🖥️ E-learning Days / Teacher Professional Development Days

🔗 LINK to the FCA Events Calendar

Partnering with parents to reinforce Christian values taught in Scripture, at church and in the Christian home.

As a ministry of FaithWay Baptist Church, FaithWay Christian Academy disciples students biblically through academic integrity, spiritual excellence, and leadership development to love truth and serve faithfully in their local church.