DISCOVER AACS MIDDLE SCHOOL
JOIN US FOR OUR FINAL ADMISSIONS EVENT OF THE SCHOOL YEAR!
Discover AACS Middle School
Thursday, April 25, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Student Life Activities
There's just something different at AACS. You can feel it when you step onto the campus: students are engaged, happy to be at school, and willing to lend a helping hand. No, it's not something in the water...it's Jesus. AACS has a warm and welcoming environment, and our parents, students, faculty, staff, and visitors notice and appreciate it every day.
At AACS, we are serious about developing the whole child - mind, body, and spirit. We strive to help students understand how to love our neighbors, respect each other, and build God-honoring relationships. That means creating opportunities for practice. In addition to the many clubs, retreats, conferences, mission trips, and community service opportunities, AACS students also enjoy a wide variety of events where they can have a break from the regular school routine and come together in fun and fellowship.
Upper School
Freshman Orientation
This is the first Friday of the year, and it's a day when we hold the 9th graders out of class for the day in order to help them acclimate to their new class and learn more about AACS.
Field Service Day
A highlight of the year for many kids, this is a day when students spend the entire day with their mentor groups. Each group spends the morning serving off campus at a wide variety of ministries, churches, etc. The afternoon is spent back at school in field day activities where groups a variety of team games.
Homecoming
Another favorite of the community, Homecoming weekend is a time to celebrate the entire school community. Many of our alums return for the games and festivities. Events include a girls' PowderPuff football game, flag football, pep rally, student dance, fall festival, and various athletic games.
Spirit Week
An annual week of craziness in early February, Spirit Week is an opportunity to celebrate the community and creativity that makes AACS unique and special. The week features a different dress theme for each day, daily spirit assemblies featuring fun games, and a variety of other class competitions for which Spirit Week points are given. One class is given the Spirit Week crown once all of the competitions are complete.
Dodge Ball Nights Bonfires
Traditionally, these are two of the AACS' community's favorite social events. Both draw large numbers of students and succeed in developing a sense of inclusion and school spirit.
Junior/Senior Prom
Held off campus, this is an opportunity for the Junior Class to put on a beautiful formal event intended to honor the Seniors in their final months of being AACS students.
Pi Day
Held each year on March 14 (or, of course, 3.14), this is a day when our math department holds a humorous assembly highlighting the importance of math. The assembly is followed by a group of parent volunteers providing slices of pie to our faculty and students.
Coffeehouse
This is a great event that is open to our entire community and features student musical performances, dance, dramatic readings, faculty performances, Starbucks coffee, and lots of desserts.
Prefects
The AACS Prefect Board consists of student leaders who help to identify needs within the Upper School community. They work collaboratively with faculty and the Student Council to address those needs. Prefects cultivate a relationship with Christ, cultivate relationships with students at all grade levels, and work to cultivate a healthy school culture.
National Honor Society
The Honor Society of AACS is a local chapter of the National Honor Society. During the first semester of each year, outstanding juniors and seniors are chosen on the basis of high standards of scholarship, leadership, service, and Christian character. The purpose of the society is to give formal recognition to these four qualities. It also acts as a vehicle for further service to the school and community.
Student Council
The Student Council is responsible for overseeing the Student Life of each individual class, as well as working together for the whole student body. Each class has five Council Officers who are elected by their classmates.
International Week
International week is a time to celebrate and learn about the different cultures that help make our community beautiful and unique. Each year this week is a bit different, focusing on various countries and cultures around the world. This past year the focus was on Nigeria and China, and featured a number of different elements, including a local African dance group, a guest chapel speaker, an assembly from two of our Chinese international students about their homeland, some ethnic food for kids to enjoy, and a special "Heritage Day" to close the week.
Middle School
Field Trips
Middle School students enjoy a variety of hands on learning opportunities with field trips to locations such as the Maryland Science Center, Medieval Times, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Wetlands, Hershey Park Band and Chorale Festival, and Mt. Vernon.
Student Ambassadors
Students serve as ambassadors for open house events. They bring prospective families on a full tour of the school and answer all of their questions from a student perspective.
Student Council
Students apply and interview for Student Council and teachers select the members. The Middle School Student Council organizes activities for the students. They get experience with collaboration, communication, planning, and decision making.
Pumpkinfest
PumpkinFest is an annual event at the Middle School held in late October or early November. The event begins with lunch and then the fun begins. Students will participate in a number of games and activities. There is a dunk tank, face painting, a pie eating contest, a scavenger hunt, pumpkin bowling, a paint-your-pumpkin contest, and a number of other activities.
Door Decorating Contest
Students are encouraged to jump into the Christmas spirit by staying after school one day, joining their friends, and decorating a classroom door for the holidays. This is a Student Council-sponsored event and is great fun for the whole school to enjoy. Cookies and hot chocolate are available as teams create a Christmas scene on the classroom door of their choice. Doors are judged by a special panel of experts on creativity, theme, aesthetics, and the spiritual component of their artwork.
Spirit Week
This is an annual school event held in February. Students enjoy contests, fun, and spirit wear dress up days. The classrooms, hallways, and students are ALL blue and gold!
3 on 3 Basketball Tournament
The 3 on 3 basketball tournament is held in late winter. Students make their own teams and sign up for the tournament. The teams are seeded into a single elimination tournament bracket and the tournament takes place on one afternoon after school. Teams may dress up in their own creative uniforms.
Kickball Tournament
This is an annual event that the students plan for months ahead. Kickball teams are formed and games begin. Even the faculty form their own team! Extended lunch periods provide time for the games. As the week progesses, the winning team is narrowed down until the last day when the final two teams play for the big win.
Siege Weapons Building
Siege weapons building is a culmination of a social studies project on Medieval history. Seventh grade students build either a catapult, trebuchet, or a castle. Student teams design their structure machines on their historical and scientific research. Each machine is tested for effectiveness and students evaluate their efforts. Parents are invited to help with construction.
Lower Schools
Field Trips
Lower School students love going on field trips and we plan lots of them. Field trip locations include the Zoo, Pumpkin Patch, County Fair, Fort McHenry, Antietam Battlefield, St. Mary’s City, Corn Maze, firehouse, Walters Art Museum, Kennedy Center, Londontowne, Toby’s Dinner Theatre, Maryland Science Center, Owens Science Center, Patuxent Wildlife Center, and more!
Grandparent’s and Grandfriend’s Day
Grandparent’s Day at our Lower School Campuses is an annual event that everyone looks forward to. Grandparents and friends spend the day listening to students poems, stories and view beautiful pictures created in their honor. Students memorize special scriptures, songs and the 4th and 5th grade classes usually perform musical pieces during a special morning chapel. All to celebrate AACS Grandparents and friends and show them how special they are. They spend time together, learning about what students are doing in school and some participate in crafts or activities together. Students give tours of their campus and even browse through books that were available to purchase to be dedicate to the students, an annual tradition on Grandparents Day at AACS.
5th Grade Presidential Tea
The 5th graders at the Annapolis Lower Schools have an annual Presidents' Tea. Students are each assigned a president to research and write a report on. Then they take the information they gathered and perform an oral presentation as the president or the president's wife. Of course they finish this event with a special snack of tea, cookies and other goodies.
OREO Project
What's more fun than playing with your food...especially when it's cookies? Not much. The Lower School math class participates in a special event every year to reinforce math skills in the classroom. This team building event is a global project. The project is called the O.R.E.O. Project – which stands for Our Really Exciting Online Project – and is hosted by a teacher in Southern California. Every student looks forward to this.
100th Day of School
This is for and Kindergarten students. On the 100th day of school, children and their teachers come to school dressed as if they are 100 years old. It’s always a favorite day for photos!
Harvest Party
Every grade has a Harvest Party. Children can dress up like pilgrims and native Americans. They learn about early American times and the first Thanksgiving. The day always involves lots of Thanksgiving food, games, and arts and crafts.
Pioneer Indian Day
This is a fun 5th grade event that aligns with lessons students are learning in social studies. Lots of different stations are set up, each with something the students can see, touch, do, or eat! There is lots of hands on learning and fun throughout the day.
Birthday Party for Jesus
This is our Christmas celebration. Children focus on the celebration of the birth of Jesus, understanding the reason for Christmas. There is a big Christmas Chapel with songs, a nativity scene, and skits. This is one of many annual chapels that is a favorite for parents to attend.
STEM Day
Lower School students in grades K-2 are invited to the Upper School for a full day of hands-on STEM activities. Lots of Upper School students are involved as Lower School students go to different rooms and different stations, each with a fun hands on activity. They do experiments, Project Lead the Way activities, and much more.
Career Day
Parents and friends are invited in to speak to students about their career. Students get to hear from doctors, bakers, lawyers, scientists, artists, musicians, and a wide variety of others. Students LOVE having their mom or dad come in to class and share what they do at work.
Valentine’s Day Party
All Lower School students celebrate Valentine’s Day. In some classes, the students plan the entire event, from food, to games, to refreshments. Lots of red and pink arts and crafts take place in all of the classrooms. Heart shaped cookies are a favorite treat.
The Marriage of Q and U
When learning how to spell words beginning with “q,” first grade classes dress up every year in veils and bow ties to celebrate the union of the letters Q and U. It’s adorable!
International Studies Week
This is a special week to celebrate world cultures. Every grade focuses on a different country to celebrate and learn about for the week. Students enjoy the learning activities, food, arts and crafts, and dressing up.