Fall 2022 SOARING Newsletter

Summit

Christian Academy

Administration, Early Education, Secondary 1500 SW Jefferson Lee’s Summit MO 64081 816.525.1480 Elementary

SW Jefferson Lee’s Summit MO 64081 816.524.0185

Chris Hahn, Head of School

Joe Hesman, Secondary Principal & Director of Operations Anthony Mickelson, Secondary Assistant Principal

Charissa Sanders, Early Ed & Lower Elementary Principal Julie Madsen, Upper Elementary Principal

Lance Quessenberry, A.D. Sarah Coats, Director of Development

Cordell Dick, Director of Access

aring

SCA Teacher Receives Herzog Foundation

Excellence in Christian Education Award

Summit

Christian Academy is pleased to announce longtime history teacher

Mr. Greg Finch was recognized

recently at the Herzog Foundation’s Excellence in Christian Education Awards Gala, as one of the top ten Christian Teachers of the Year. The Gala took place at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Finch has taught Secondary American Government, Geography, World History, and American History at SCA for 22 years. He was one of ten award recipients after a rigorous application process with over 120 nominations. The Awards Gala was part of the Herzog Foundation’s award series to bring national recognition to excellence and innovation in Christian education.

“I was honored to attend and celebrate the recognition of Mr. Finch and Christian educational teachers from across the United States,” shared SCA Head of School Chris Hahn. “It was a first class event, honoring first class servant leaders and teachers! SCA is blessed to have Mr. Finch as part of our educational ministry; his influence extends years beyond the time a student is in his class.”

Mr. Finch was named SCA Teacher of the Year in May 2019, and Teacher of the Year for the Great Plains Alliance of Christian Schools in October 2019. Finch was named the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR)

Teacher of American History of 2022” for all Missouri schools earlier this year and is in competition for their national award. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and History and a Master’s degree in American History from the University of Missouri Kansas City. Finch has taught at SCA since 2001 and is an Adjunct Professor of History for Southwest Baptist University.

SCA longtime history teacher, Greg Finch, was honored as one of the top 10 Christian Teachers of the Year for 2022 by the Herzog Foundation. He was honored at the Herzog Foundation Excellence in Christian Education Awards Gala in Washington, D.C.

Spiritual Seniors Serve Through Mission Trip to Memphis

The Class of 2023 spent the final days of summer vacation away from home and serving on the senior mission trip in Memphis, Tennessee. The SCA Senior Mission Trip is a long-standing tradition at SCA and this was the 19th year that the SCA senior class has served. As seniors prepare to go beyond the campus of SCA after graduation, the SCA senior mission trip is an opportunity to build class leadership, unity, spiritual and personal leadership, and help a community in need.

addition, they built relationships with the community, prayed over the families and organizations, and led worship and chapel services for a mission group.

The seniors finished their service week with a day of fun and saw Memphis sights including the Civil Rights Museum, Lorraine Motel, Mud Island, and the Pyramid at Bass Pro Shops.

in to who God is and felt His presence and love for them! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!”

Partnering with Praying Pelican Missions, the SCA senior class was able to divide into multiple small groups and impact several different organizations in Memphis. The seniors served with Calvary Rescue Mission, Knowledge Quest Food Stability Center, St. Vincent de Paul Food Mission, Feed the Kingdom, Catholic Charities drive-through food distribution, Mid South Food Bank, Constance Abbey neighborhood outreach, and local elementary schools.

Seniors completed projects including preparing 2,000 backpacks for local children returning to school, preparing and serving food for those experiencing homelessness, and landscaping/ beautifying local churches and schools. In

“It is always humbling and amazing to watch our God work in and through the lives of students,” shared SCA Secondary Principal Joe Hesman. “The senior mission trip this year saw our students grow closer to God and each other through Bible study in the book of Philippians, worship, working with the homeless, cleaning the grounds, and preparing and serving meals at the rescue shelter. Our seniors leaned

Seniors helped a homeless family in Memphis move in to a home so they wouldn’t have to continue living in shelters and on the street. They prayed with them on the porch on move-in day.

Senior Emirson Schooley serves food to the homeless at St. Vincent de Paul Food Mission in Memphis, TN as part of the annual SCA senior mission trip.

The SCA Class of 2023 assemble before leaving the walls of SCA to serve in Memphis, Tennessee.

“It is always humbling and amazing to watch our God work in and through the lives of students.”

Spiritual SCA Unites at See You at the Pole

Hundreds of students, faculty, staff, parents, and Covenant Church pastors from Summit Christian Academy united at the schools’ flagpoles on Wednesday for See You at the Pole (SYATP). SYATP is an annual, nationwide initiative encouraging students to unite themselves in worship and prayer. It is a student-initiated, student-organized, and student-led event. SCA kindergarten through 12th grade students gathered at the Elementary or Secondary flagpoles to pray for their friends, families, school, and nation, as well as praise and worship.

The theme for the 2022 SYATP was Aflame, based on Romans 12:11-12, “Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive...PRAY!”

Message from SCA Head of School

On Saturday, September 24, SCA history teacher Greg Finch was honored at Herzog Foundation’s Excellence in Christian Education Awards Gala in Washington, D.C., where his name was called as one of the top 10 Christian Teachers of the Year for 2022!

Mr. Finch was featured in Herzog Foundation’s online Lion publication in September and was quoted as saying, “An effective teacher must, first and foremost, acknowledge the Source of all learning. I drench every lesson in God’s Word and prayer.”

Mr. Finch identified his passion for history in college and earned multiple degrees in it. He had not yet, however, found his calling. In 2001 when attending

an event at his daughter’s school –Summit Christian Academy – he heard an announcement that the school was looking for qualified, God-fearing history teachers for the new high school program. A bell went off. Soon after he applied and was hired to teach history. Now in his 22nd year at SCA, Mr. Finch is highly regarded and greatly respected by his peers, and especially by the thousands of students he has inspired.

“It was a great pleasure watching Greg bring history to life in his classrooms over the years and witness the way he impacted his students. He lived his calling every day,” commented former SCA Head of School Linda Harrelson.

SCA Head of School Chris Hahn, said of Mr. Finch, “Greg is a life-long learner, an exceptional teacher, and a teacher of teachers. He is Christ-centered, studentcentered, and servant-hearted. SCA has

been incredibly blessed to have him as part of our learning community for so many years.

In addition to the Herzog Foundation award, Mr. Finch was named Summit Christian Academy Teacher of the Year in spring 2019, Great Plains Alliance of Christian School Teacher of the Year in fall 2019, and Daughters of the American Revolution 2022 Outstanding American History Teacher.

These many awards are well-earned and an honor to Mr. Finch, but his favorite award may be from a recent SCA graduate who was asked at his Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) orientation to name his most influential teacher. While not a math, computer, or science teacher, Sam Chinnery listed Mr. Finch because he is the one who best gave him context for his life and purpose. Mr. Finch’s mission was most definitely accomplished!

Chris Hahn

Secondary 2022 student-led See You at the Pole event.

Elementary 2022 See You at the Pole event.

Secondary students, staff, and Covenant Church pastors split into small groups for prayer during See You at the Pole.

Academics

SCA Student Participates in Envisions’ National Youth Leadership Forum

Third grade student AJ Florio was nominated for and accepted into the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) Pathways to STEM experience in Boston, Massachusetts. The program was held at Babson College July 25-29.

Locally, AJ participates in his local youth group, swim team, Jiu Jitsu, and has the rank of Bear Scout in the Cub Scouts organization. AJ was nominated to attend the forum by SCA teacher Mrs. Rachel Sare. AJ joined other outstanding elementary school students from across the nation to take part in the unique academic and career oriented development experience. AJ aspires to be an engineer, and the program allowed him to explore his interests and experience learning beyond the classroom.

Speech & Debate Team Finished Strong at Nationals

AP Class Excels on National Exam

Class of 2022 seniors Zach Akeson and Kaitlyn Gregg qualified and participated in the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National tournament in Louisville, Kentucky.

Zach participated in International Extemporaneous and made it to the semifinals, where he finished 7th in the nation out of 266 competitors. Zach competed in 12 rounds over three days.

Kaitlyn participated in Supplemental Extemporaneous Commentary and made it to the quarterfinal rounds.

Congratulations

to the AP Calculus class who had a 100% passing rate on the AP Calculus Exam in June 2022! The average score for the class was 4.55 (5 is the highest score), and seven of the students received a 5 on the test.

Approximately 268,000 students take the AP test each year with only 20% scoring a 5 and 16% score a 4. Congratulations to these hard-working students in Mrs. Stringfellow's class. We are so proud of them and how they continue to excel academically!

SCA Graduate Receives Executive Women International Scholarship

Class of 2022 graduate M’racle Bryant-Morgan received a $1,000 scholarship from the Executive Women International Scholarship Program (EWISP). Only one student can be nominated per school, and M’racle was the winner of the scholarship for the Kansas City Metro area.

The EWISP Scholarship is an annual competition-based program that awards more than $200,000 in college scholarship funding each year. Judges select winning students based on their scholastic achievement, leadership qualities, good citizenship, and extracurricular activities.

M’racle is studying Broadcast Journalism at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Third grade student AJ Florio at Babson College classroom in Boston.

Academics Senior Receives Perfect ACT Score

Senior Andrew Mishriky received a perfect 36 on his American College Testing (ACT) score.

The ACT test is scored based on a 1-36 scale range in four sections of reading, math, science, and English. The average of the subject scores is taken to get the composite score which will range from 1-36. In 2020, nearly 1.6 million students took the test and less than 6,000 scored a full 36, making this an achievement that approximately .33% of the ACT test-takers will achieve. For the 2021-2022 school year, the average ACT score nationally was 20.3, and the Missouri state average was 20.7.

“Andrew is a young man that loves the Lord,” shared Secondary Principal Joe Hesman. “Whenever I think of Andrew, I am reminded of the verse: ‘Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…’ (Col 3:23). This is most definitely Andrew. He does his best in everything that he is part of– his relationship with God, academics, his sports, etc. Andrew is a young man that I absolutely believe will make an extremely positive impact on the world!” Andrew desires to attend the University of Missouri—Kansas City’s six-year medical program.

Record Enrollment at SCA As We Celebrate our 33rd Year

SCA is celebrating the 33rd year serving Lee’s Summit and the Kansas City metro with record enrollment of nearly 1200 preschool-12th grade students. The school has expanded to five sections of kindergarten and four sections of many other elementary and secondary classes, and will have a graduating class of 71 this year.

This is a monumental

school year at SCA as the campus’s third building — Fieldhouse & Activity Center — is under construction. The Activity Center is set for completion in spring 2023 and will have bleacher space to accommodate 1200. This will provide students with increased athletic and activity enrichment opportunities.

The senior class started their first day of the new

year with a time of prayer and worship. It was a great start to a great day, to what I believe will be a great year,” shared Head of School Chris Hahn. “I was blessed to begin my day with the Class of 2023 in prayer for the year. I am excited, grateful, and humbled for this group of Seniors and to have them as our campus leaders. I am incredibly humbled and excited to serve

the children and families God has brought to SCA with our faculty and staff. WE ARE SCA, We are the FUTURE!”

Fifth grade student Emiah and Dad Jason are all smiles as SCA kicks off the first day of school of the 2022-23 school year.

The Class of 2023 and Head of School Mr. Chris Hahn gathered before classes started on August 17 to start the day in prayer and devotion before greeting and welcoming students to the campus.

Senior Andrew Mishriky

Athletics Great Start for SCA Athletics

by Lance Quessenberry, Athletic Director

The school year has started great and the same can be said for SCA Athletics. Our athletes put in a lot of time over the summer perfecting their crafts and now they are getting the opportunity to show off their hard work. Some teams have achieved a lot of success during competitions, while some are improving each week and looking forward to increased opportunities as they grow as a team.

The fall season is always a busy time with nine active programs. We are at the mid-point for many of our programs, but some are already starting post-season play. As always, we appreciate the time and effort our coaches and athletes put forth to achieve their highest level of success. It is great to be able to watch our SCA teams compete and represent Christ while they do it.

Make sure to visit the athletics page of the school website to find an opportunity to attend an SCA athletic event. Our athletes and coaches appreciate all those who come to their competitions and feel your support.

As always, we thank God for the opportunities He gives us at SCA. As a community, we want to do our best to represent Him as players, coaches, and fans. We want others to see Christ in all we do and that includes every area of athletics.

Hope to see you at an SCA athletic event soon!

When the soccer season starts, one of the first scrimmages of the season is the Alec Rush Alumni game. This is a chance for alumni soccer players to scrimmage current players as well as a great opportunity for families to come together under the love of soccer. The 5th annual Alec Rush Alumni game saw a

record 18 alumni return and lead their team to victory.

While winning a game is fun, one important aspect of this game is the reminder to set our minds on things above, “Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand

of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). The alumni game raises money for the Alec Rush Dash Award which honors an athlete who represents the qualities displayed in the life of former SCA athlete and coach, Alec Rush, who was a fearless warrior, a faithful follower, and a forever friend. The dash represents one’s life while they are on earth. In his short life, Alec Rush was able to focus on things above as an athlete, coach, and friend. It is important for all of us to focus on God’s kingdom and what we can do for His glory rather than focus on earthly things. The soccer program looks forward to continuing this focus through our play, attitude, and speech as we finish this season.

The 5th annual Alec Rush Alumni soccer game saw a record 18 alumni return to claim the victory over this year’s JV and Varsity players.

Lance Quessenberry

Athletics Great Season Start for Softball

Softball has had a great season so far! The girls have accomplished great things, despite being plagued with injuries since the first day of competition. They have persevered through the constant loss of valuable players and continued to improve to have a winning record of 13-8.

Each Friday, we are walking through a Bible study on the Proverbs 31 woman together as a team. It has been a joy to learn what God has for us as Godly women, and to know who God created us to be as women who love God and love others. Through this study, we are learning that God designed women with many beautiful unique gifts that we are to use for His glory and the advancement of His Kingdom. It is so much fun to watch the girls grow as softball players, but more so as young women who love God and love each other.

Four incredibly strong and amazing seniors, Avary Hill, Jolee Lunn, Zoey Medsker, and Hope Woodall, are leading this special team this year. As we head into our district tournament, the team

Fine Arts

has the potential to do very well in the tournament which starts October 11th and will be played at Lawson High School! Come out and see them play!

Despite a season plagued by injuries, the Varsity Softball team continues to pursue their winning record!

SCA Students Participate in National Art Honor Society Project

The SCA National Art Honor Society inspires and recognizes students who have shown an outstanding ability and interest in art. The program supports members in their efforts to attain the highest standards in art scholarship, character, and service, and to bring art education to the attention of the school and community. Accepted applicants must be high school art students, have an 85% or better art grade average, 80% or better unweighted cumulative grade point average, and have demonstrated excellent character and dedication to the arts in and out of class.

Members inducted for the 2022-23 school year complete at least eight hours of miscellaneous art-related service. Several created art for the Sierra Leone Memory Project started by a University of Wisconsin student who “was passionate about connecting youth around the world through art to help build cultural understanding and international kindness.”

U.S. art students received a photograph and some information about a child and then created handmade (from any media), heartfelt portraits of that child from an orphanage or refugee camp around the world. The portraits are sent to the organization and then presented to that child. This year over 1,000 children in Sierra Leone received a portrait of themselves and three SCA students, Jisue Kim, Jillian Stellar, and Elise Welch, contributed drawings to this project.

Elise Welch (L) and Jisue Kim (R) created portraits for the Sierra Leone Memory Project.

Fine Arts

SCA Students Participate in Missouri Choral Directors Association Summer Honors Choir

Two SCA students auditioned and were selected to participate in the 2022 Missouri Choral Directors Association Summer Honors Choirs. Eighth grade student Josie Gillihan participated in the 7th and 8th grade Honor Choir and sophomore Abagail Stidham participated in the 9th and 10th grade Honor Choir.

Eighth grade student Josie Gillihan auditioned and was selected to participate in the 2022 Missouri Choral Directors Association Summer Honors Choirs.

Sophomore Abagail Stidham, pictured with SCA Vocal Music Director Mandy Hoover, auditioned and was selected to participate in the 2022 Missouri Choral Directors Association Summer Honors Choirs.

International

SCA Welcomes New International Students from Spain and China

SCA was excited to welcome Vega Gastaldo Sanchis (Spain) and Emma Bao (China) for the 2022-2023 academic year! Vega comes from Valencia, Spain, and is a senior. Emma is from Guangzhou, China, and is in 8th grade, with the goal of graduating from SCA. Both Vega and Emma are excited to be studying and sharing their cultures at SCA. They have been participating in school activities, like the dance team (Vega), and NEXUS, and connecting with their Buddies!

The Buddy Program is a crucial piece of the International Program at SCA. Buddies have the unique opportunity to connect with and be a first, permanent friend to an international student. This year, Vega’s Buddy is McKinzie Parks, Emma’s is Rylie Friess, and Big Buddy Sister, Jaidyn Hohl. Buddies have many opportunities to connect with, learn from, and teach their international student. International Student Orientation and various excursions throughout the year are ways that deeper connections are made with both Buddies and their International Student.

Our International Student Orientation was at a beautiful lake house in Lee’s Summit. This orientation helped Vega and Emma get a crash course of what life would be like at SCA and ways to set them up for success. It gave them a chance to ask questions, too. But it wasn’t all work. Vega, Emma, and their Buddies, had an exciting time building deeper relationships by playing games, kayaking on the lake, and spending an afternoon in KC, which included a photo scavenger hunt and a trip to the Museum of Illusions.

As a Buddy, there are many chances to show your international student about American culture. One buddy had a fantastic idea to visit Louisburg Cider Mill to enjoy Cider Fest! Vega and Emma enjoyed seeing how apple cider was made, tried tasty apple cider donuts, and got lost in a corn maze! We are looking forward to more adventures as the year progresses! If you’re interested in being an International Buddy next year, please contact International Program Director Rocco DeFelice at rdefelice@sca-kc.org.

International students and buddies enjoy a trip to the Louisburg Cider Mill to taste Cider Fest and see how apple cider is made! L-R: Vega Gastaldo, Jaidyn Hohl, Rylie Friess, Emma Bao.

International students and their buddies had a lot of fun at the Museum of Illusions, during International Student Orientation Weekend! In the photo from left to right: Vega Gastaldo, Sharon DeFelice, Emma Bao, Rocco DeFelice, McKinzie Parks, Michael Mayor, and Rylie Friess.

International Students and their Buddies checking out the KC views from the WWI Museum during International Student Orientation Weekend. L-R: Rocco DeFelice, McKinzie Parks, Sharon DeFelice, Vega Gastaldo, Emma Bao, Rylie Friess, Michael Mayor. In the front taking the photo is Jaidyn Hohl.

This & That Golden Eagles Provide New SCA School Bus

Thanksto the generosity of our Golden Eagles Grandparents, we have a new bus to transport students to field trips and activities off of school grounds! We see lots of fun, learning, and adventures for our students in the future through opportunities made available by this bus! We are so thankful!

BUS DRIVERS NEEDED!

Would you like to work part-time? Do you like working with children of all ages? SCA is in need of bus drivers to help with occasional daytime field trips and evening athletic events. Drivers will be required to have a Class B CDL license with a passenger endorsement. If you do not currently have a CDL license, SCA can train you and pay for obtaining your CDL. Pay for drivers will be $15 per hour. This position is not eligible for a tuition discount. If you are interested in more information or applying, please contact Joe Sanders, Director of Transportation, at (816) 525-1480 or jsanders@sca-kc.org.

Health Office "Ins and Outs"

Medication Procedure

SCA will adhere to the following procedures recommended by the Missouri State Health Department when dispensing medication:

• All prescription medication must be in the original container and labeled with the child’s name, physician’s name, and written instructions.

• All medication must be checked in at the Health Office by a parent/ guardian, and the proper paperwork filled out. Students may NOT be in possession of prescription OR over-the-counter medication while on school grounds without being first approved through the Health Office.

Backpack Safety

Many things can lead to back pain — like playing sports or exercising a lot, poor posture while sitting, and long periods of inactivity. But some kids have backaches because they’re lugging around their entire locker’s worth of books, school supplies, and personal items all day long.

Doctors and physical therapists recommend that kids carry no more than 10-15% of their body weight in their packs. But many carry a lot more than that. When a heavy backpack is incorrectly placed on the shoulders, the weight’s force can pull a child backward. To compensate, the child might bend forward at the hips or arch the back. This can make the spine compress unnaturally, leading to shoulder, neck, and back pain.

Kids who wear their backpacks over just one shoulder — as many do, because they think it looks better or just feels easier — may end up leaning to one side to offset the extra weight. They might develop lower and upper back pain and strain their shoulders and neck.

Improper backpack use can also lead to bad posture. Girls and younger kids may be especially at risk for backpack-related injuries because they’re smaller and may carry loads that are heavier in proportion to their body weight.

Also, backpacks with tight, narrow straps that dig into the shoulders can interfere with circulation and nerves. These types of straps can lead to tingling, numbness, and weakness in the arms and hands.

Bulky or heavy backpacks don’t just cause back injuries. There are many other safety issues to consider and guidelines to help prevent back and neck problems all together. Please go to http://kidshealth.org/en/ parents/backpack.html to find out more.

Now is the time to get your flu shot. The flu vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu. MYTH - You can get the flu from the flu vaccine. Another great way to prevent the flu is to teach your child how to wash their hands and remind them to do this often, as well as keeping their hands off their face.

For your child’s protection and the protection of others, children should be kept home when they have any of the following symptoms:

• Severe cold symptoms: chronic coughing, sore throat, etc.

• Temperature: a child must have a normal temperature (below 100.4) without Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen for at least 24 hours prior to returning to school.

• Upset stomach, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea: A child must be kept at home until there has been neither vomiting or diarrhea for at least 24 hours without medication.

• Undiagnosed rash or skin lesions, red or discharging eyes, earache or swollen glands. A child must be kept home with any of these symptoms until diagnosed by a doctor and the student has been symptom free for at least 24 hours.

• Head Lice: Students may not be re-admitted to school until appropriate treatment has been applied and the health office checks to make sure all live lice and lice eggs (nits) have been eliminated.

• Please notify the office if your child has been diagnosed as having a communicable illness; i.e., strep throat, chickenpox, influenza, hand/ foot/mouth, etc.

If a student complains of illness, the health office will:

• Check the child’s temperature. If it is 100.4 degrees or more, the parent/emergency contact will be called to take the child home.

• If the student has returned to the health office or is still not feeling well one hour after an original complaint, the parent/emergency contact will be called to take the child home.

• If the child is vomiting and/or has diarrhea, the parent or emergency contact will be contacted.

We hope you’ve had an amazing and refreshing summer!

Your SCA Health Clinic Staff, Noelle Rhyne, RN, BSN nrhyne@sca-kc.org

Erin Rider, RN, BSN, MSN erider@sca-kc.org

Tiffany Summitt, MEd tsummitt@sca-kc.org

This & That

Cordell’s Corner: Income Tax Savings Using 529 Plans for K-12 Student Tuition

I realize that I have written about this topic previously, but it is certainly worth repeating. And for those of you who are new to SCA, this should especially interest you. If you haven’t already taken advantage of using a 529 Plan as part of your tuition-payment process, you ought to consider doing so, since the state income tax savings could be significant, and it is simple to set up and use.

What are 529 Plans?

They are special tax-advantaged investment accounts, originally designed to help families pay for college expenses. But now parents can use these plans to pay educational expenses at K-12 public, private, or religious schools.

Are contributions into 529 Plans tax deductible?

Yes, for state income tax purposes; however, each state has its own limits. In the State of Missouri, a state income tax deduction is available for annual contributions to 529 Plans of up to $16,000 for married couples filing jointly or $8,000 for single taxpayers. In Kansas, the state income tax deduction is available for up to $6,000 per plan for married couples filing jointly or $3,000 per plan for single taxpayers. To maximize your income tax savings, it is recommended that you set up a separate 529 Plan for each school-aged child.

Are the earnings that accumulate inside 529 Plans taxable?

No, income and earnings that accumulate inside 529 Plans are not taxable for either federal or state income tax purposes.

Are withdrawals from 529 Plans taxable?

No, withdrawals for qualified educational purposes are not taxable if the withdrawals do not exceed $10,000 per year for each 529 Plan for K-12 students. There are penalties for excess withdrawals or for paying for nonqualifying expenses.

How can I set up a 529 Plan and what does it cost?

A 529 Plan can be set up with your financial investment advisor or directly with the State of Missouri (MOST 529 Plans) or the State of Kansas (Learning Quest 529 Plans). There are no fees for setting up MOST 529 Plans or Learning Quest 529 Plans; however, your financial investment advisor may charge a small fee to do so. How long do funds need to be held in a 529 Plan before they can be withdrawn?

There is no minimum time period for the funds to be held in a 529 Plan account before they can be withdrawn. Therefore, a family may withdraw funds that are needed to pay for qualifying educational expenses soon after the date of deposit without jeopardizing the income tax benefits of the plan. Will my 529 Plan(s) change my SCA FACTS account?

No. Your FACTS tuition payment plan will remain in effect. You will be responsible for submitting reimbursement requests to your 529 Plan administrator for withdrawing qualified educational expenses. The 529 Plan should reimburse your personal account directly. To learn more about 529 Plans go to: https://www.missourimost.org/ for Missouri residents and https://kansascash.ks.gov/learn_quest.html for Kansas residents.

If you have any other questions about 529 Plans or making a gift to Summit Christian Academy, please give me a call at 816.525.1480, Ext. 421 or email me at cordelld@sca-kc.org.

Cordell Dick Director of Major Gifts

The mission of Summit Christian Academy is to inspire students to achieve their God-given potential through excellent academics and Christian training in a compassionate environment.

Upcoming Events

Oct 7-14 Secondary Spirit Week

Oct 11 7-12 Choir Concert 7 p.m.

Oct 13 Secondary Pep Rally 2:10 p.m.

Oct 14 NO SCHOOL (professional development)

Homecoming Game 7 p.m.

Oct 15 Homecoming Dance 7 p.m.

Oct 17 7-12 Instrumental Concert 7 p.m.

Oct 19 Elementary Pep Rally 2:45 p.m.

Oct 27-28 NO SCHOOL (parent-teacher conferences)

Oct 31 Elementary Food Drive Begins International Education Week Begins

Nov 3 Elementary Winter Sports Meeting 6 p.m.

Elementary Fall Sports Awards 7 p.m.

Nov 10-12 Hello, Dolly! production 7 p.m.

Nov 12 Hello, Dolly! production 2 p.m.

Nov 17 EE Program (Abundant Life) 9 a.m.

1st Grade Production 7 p.m.

Nov 18 Secondary Blue Crew Day

Nov 21-25 NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)

Nov 30 Elementary Yearbook Pics

Dec 1 5-6 Instrumental Concert 7 p.m.

Dec 2

Campus Visit Day 1 p.m.

Dec 4 Virtuosity! Recitals 1:30, 3, & 4:30 p.m.

Dec 8 High School Choir Concert 7 p.m.

Dec 12 7-12 Instrumental Concert 7 p.m.

Dec 13

Third Grade production 7 p.m.

Dec 15 Reenrollment Begins

Dec 16-20 Secondary Finals (7-1 2 Early Release)

Dec 20 Elementary Sing-along 9:45 a.m.

EE-12 EARLY RELEASE

Dec 21- NO SCHOOL (Christmas Break)

Jan 3

Jan 4

School Resumes

Secondary Blue Crew Day

Jan 5 Kindergarten Teach Night 6 p.m.

Jan 13 Secondary Blue Crew Day

Jan 16 NO SCHOOL (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)

Jan 19-21 Jr. High Drama production 7 p.m.

Jan 20 Kindergarten Preview 8:30 a.m.

Campus Visit Day 1 p.m.

Jan 27 Kindergarten Preview 8:30 a.m.