The Cornerstone Winter 2022

WINTER 2022

TIPTON-ROSEMARK ACADEMY

CORNERSTONE

School News

Activities

Alumni

See what's happening in the lower and upper schools.

Highlights from the first semester in sports, arts and more!

Get to know our alumni who are doing big and exciting things!

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HOME OF THE REBELS

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

FEATURE

PAGE

Message from Head of School &

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Board Chair Lower School News

4

Upper School News

5

The Arts

7

Athletics

8

Alumni

9

Campus News

10

MISSION & BELIEFS MISSION STATEMENT

Providing a culture grounded in Christian values, TiptonRosemark Academy is dedicated to guiding students toward their full potential. Using a personalized, technology-driven curriculum with high academic standards, TRA develops students who are bound for college. Preparing students for life through participation in a variety of extracurricular and service activities, TRA shapes leaders for a global society.

BELIEFS

Each student is a unique individual of value.

Biblical knowledge, spiritual growth, and good moral citizenship equip students with the life skills necessary for making wise decisions and positive contributions to society.

Students, parents, and educators share responsibility for providing an effective, Christ-centered education for each student.

A solid foundation for successful higher education and wise life choices includes positive faculty-student relationships, a challenging college-preparatory curriculum, and a safe, supportive learning environment.

Extracurricular activities aid students in developing strong character, new talents, and social and leadership skills.

Tipton-Rosemark Academy Bound for College. Prepared for Life.

8696 Rosemark Rd., Millington, TN 38019 www.tiptonrosemarkacademy.net 901-829-6500 phone 901-829-4477

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL DR. ANDY GRAHAM I once had a Head of School who was an incredibly progressive educator. Her mantra was always “If you are not moving forward, you are going backward. There is no such thing as standing still.” As I think of our 2021-2022 school year and reflect on the first semester, we are definitely moving forward at Tipton-Rosemark Academy. We have had the opportunity this year to enhance our academic program, improve our school facilities, and also support some really worthy causes.

At TRA, we are a community of educators who are respectful of the incredible history of our school, yet passionate about moving our program forward and serving the evolving needs of our students as they prepare for their future goals. As you read the articles inside, we hope you see our commitment to a dynamic academic program, innovation, and leadership. We are excited about the momentum on campus and would ask you to get involved as a parent, alumni, or friend.

Finally, we will be updating our alumni database in the days to come. Please contact Suzanne Davidson at sdavidson@rebelmail.net or Rebecca Downing at rdowning@rebelmail.net with your current contact information. If you know someone who is a TRA graduate and may not be on our alumni list, please contact us, so we can get back in touch with them. We love having our alumni involved in our school community. We would also love to expand our 1965 Society and will be contacting members in the days to come to announce upcoming plans for that organization. For those who have already become members of the 1965 Society, we look forward to seeing you at our exclusive social event that we are planning for later in the year. Thanks to all of you for your continued support and enjoy this issue!

Best wishes to you and your family!

MESSAGE FROM THE 2021-22 BOARD CHAIR - HARRY SINIS Having reached the midpoint of the current academic year, our school has so much to celebrate and be thankful for. While public health concerns continue to present challenges for communities, especially schools, our school has consistently remained open while providing TRA students with high quality face-to-face instruction. It is very likely that our school has continued to thrive, and enroll new families because of how the faculty and staff have exceeded expectations in educating students while keeping them safe.

The school's programs including academics, athletics, and the arts are vibrant and thriving. Successful sports teams, fine arts productions, and senior service projects have reflected the mission and vision of the school throughout local communities. It is through opportunities like these, where we have the best opportunity to attract new families to join our school community. On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, we are excited and proud of the dedication and efforts forged by the administration, faculty, staff, and students in not only continuing the expectation for excellence, but also for their commitment to always raising the bar for success both inside and outside of the classroom. If the first semester is any indication for how the second semester will go, we can only assume the best is yet to come!

LOWER SCHOOL NEWS

As we begin this new year of 2022, I am thankful for the first semester we have shared together at TRA. It has passed quickly and we are making great strides in the second half of our year. Our students had a fabulous fall with many exciting and engaging learning activities and fun extracurricular events as well. A few of these highlights include educational field trips, halftime Little Rebel football and cheer, our PreK and Kindergarten Thanksgiving feast, a fantastic Christmas program and much more. The schedule last fall was tight but students were able to make the most of their auxiliary classes along with the regular academic subjects.

Our weekly chapel services are amazing and full of praise to our Lord. Our spiritual life in the elementary is strong and we are thankful for all who take part in leading our students to God daily.

I encourage you to read to your child or have them read to you every single night. Modeling good reading habits is so important to the success of your child. Ask your child questions about the story as you read or have them tell the story back to you in his / her own words. A good reader can do just about anything. As your child makes his/ her way through the elementary grades, he / she will become less dependent on you and more independent in doing assignments. The more you read to your child or with your child, the better and more fluent reader he/ she will become and more successful academically he/ she will become. We encourage reading many ways and one way is with our new AR Words Read Wall. Each student has a bookmark and when he/ she has read a certain number of words, a bead is added to the book mark. This becomes extremely competitive as each child wants to have the most beads on their bookmark!

Thank you for helping us make your child a strong reader and a successful student.

As we look to the Spring semester, we are excited about our Daddy/Daughter Dance, Grandparents’ Day, Mom and Son Nerf Night, additional fun and educational field trips and much more. Our Aspire testing window is May 2-6. We know our students will do well because both they and their teachers are working hard to achieve top scores.

We are blessed with the best team of preschool and elementary teachers. I see the love they have for not only our students but for the Lord. They work hard every day to make sure your child is taught, loved and nurtured. We are so blessed to have our small school that does so many BIG things! I am thankful to be a part of TRA each day and share the blessings with you.

UPPER SCHOOL NEWS

We have completed yet another successful semester in the upper school, and what an eventful semester it has been indeed! Our fall athletes and their respective teams have several things to be proud of from postseason appearances and individual accomplishments, these student athletes made our school extremely proud. In our fine arts programs we performed a stellar fall production of CLUE, and Scholastic Art winners. Academically, the upper school continues to add students to our ACT 30+ Club, and we also welcomed new members into Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, and the National Beta Club. Our students and staff have certainly been hard at work, and there is no shortage of things for which I could boast from this particular division of our school. We have been exceedingly blessed with so many opportunities to showcase the many gifts and talents within our school community, and especially that we have been able to do so while all together in person.

Also during the fall semester, our school hosted a team from other SAIS schools, to conduct our accreditation visit. The team met with various stakeholder groups from the school community, visited classrooms and evaluated our improvement plans for the next five years. This team of educators was extremely complimentary of the true community feel from all those they met with, and is just a true testament to the culture we work so hard to maintain inside and outside of the school. It is certainly nice to have what you know to be true of your school, affirmed by other educators from outside of your own school community.

One of my favorite things about the fall semester around TRA’s campus is getting to see the culmination of our senior groups and their service projects through their final presentations. This year we had groups participating in service projects on the school campus, as well as in the surrounding communities. Some improvement projects around campus were renovating the visitor’s bleachers at the football field, the prayer garden in the courtyard, a soccer dugout project, and the outdoor classroom/playground restoration. Another group assisted with a Rebel Store project and working to increase student excitement with items marketed and sold in the store. Still another group worked with Ms. English and re-established the Kindness Club throughout each division of the school.

UPPER SCHOOL NEWS

Some outside projects were in support of the River of Life Food Bank, and a collection drive to benefit the flood victims impacted in Waverly, Tennessee. This group of seniors really did a wonderful job of not only representing TRA, in being the hands and feet of Jesus while meeting the needs of others, but they also represented themselves humbly and graciously as they described the impacts their project had in their own lives.

Anyone that knows me, even if just for a short time, knows how much I love TRA. I have spent my career in education here, my sons attend here, and so much of what I love about our life as a family is wrapped up in some aspect of this school. There are so many reasons that I believe our school is the best around. It is my prayer that you feel the same way about TRA that I do, and if you do, be sure and tell others that you meet what you love about us. I have seen the hand of God at work, in the intricate details of His plans unfolding in the lives within our school. I have felt the Holy Spirit in our midst as the students and staff gather to lift their prayers with one voice. There is something truly special about our little school, with a big heart, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be just a small part of the big things happening within its walls.

Re-enrollment

Re-enrollment for our current families runs through February 28. Beginning March 1, contracts will be accepted from new families. Please be sure to complete your enrollment packet as soon as possible.

THE ARTS

All -West Honor Choir

TRA Makes History!

It was a milestone audition season for Choir & Drama Director, Lalania Vaughn and her students. For the first time in the school's history of participating in The West TN Vocal Music Educator's All-West program, all auditioning students were awarded chairs or alternate status. You heard that right, all 24 of the auditioning students were selected to participate in the All-West Honor Choir.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Cade Harkness and Brooke Cox are representing TRA in the Orpheum's STAR Council. STAR= Students Take A Role - in their community, at the Orpheum, and in their theatrical future. Star Council is a service organization that offers Memphis area High School students the opportunity to “take a role” by providing theatrically based opportunities for both learning and volunteering. The participating students meet monthly to explore how theatre works in service to its surrounding community. Additionally, Orpheum staff “headliners” speak to students about the many professional opportunities in the theatrical world. Brooke and Cade are also encouraged to complete service hours for the Orpheum by volunteering for fun opportunities such as ushering for Broadway Musicals, assisting with Kids Night on Broadway, and providing support for the High School Musical Theatre Awards.

Scholastic Art and Science Award is the nation’s longestrunning, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. Congratulations to Olivia Kennedy for winning Gold Key (regional top honor) in photography and Sierra Slayman and Nathan West for winning regional honorable mention for their paintings.

All-State Treble Honor Choir Congratulations to the elementary and middle school students selected to represent TRA at the TN Treble Honor Choir.

Adam Walker 5th Naomi Blair 5th Georgianne Phelps 5th Logan West 5th Emme Williamson 5th Jackson Biggs 6th Angelo Khattar 6th Ryleigh Kate Hampton 6th Gracie Vego 6th Emma Lacey Stafford 6th Hayden Bishop 6th Zachary Crane 6th

ATHLETICS

College Signings

Ladies Soccer Awards

All-West Volleyball Team

Ryleigh Bowers - Softball Dyersburg State Congratulations to Emma Pence on being selected for the West Tennessee RisingStar Match. Also, to Gracen Williams and Myah Wright who were selected to be on the West-TN All-Star Team that was protected by our All-Star Keeper, Ryleigh Bowers.

Kayla Clement - Softball Chattanooga State

Varsity Cross Country

Football Recognitions

8th grader Yianni Sinis placed 12th in the Varsity DII-A State meet.

TN Football Associaton All-State Team: Gibson Phillips DL & Payne Fullen QB TN Sports Writers Association AllState Team - Tyler Byrd WR

Sophomores Brooke Harrison and Lydia Harvey were selected to the Division II All-West Volleyball Team.

Next Level Play MS Volleyball finished runnerup in District Tournament play & Varsity Football competed in the first round of the Division II-A Playoffs.

Sectional Coach of the Year - Baseball TRA’s Head Varsity Baseball Coach Jacob Cole was awarded the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association's 2021 Sectional Coach of the Year.

ALUMNI

Kate Parchman '17 graduated cum laude from the University of Memphis Loewenberg College of Nursing in May of 2021.

Upon graduation she was offered a full-time position in Labor and Delivery at Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women. Kate currently lives in Memphis and enjoys cooking/baking, traveling and hiking.

Hannah Adams '14 attended the University of Memphis to complete her prerequisite classes for dental hygiene school.

She received her Bachelor's of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 2019. Hannah is a hygienist for Dr. Billy Ferguson and Dr. Kelly James at Brunswick Station Dental Center.

Hannah Harrald ‘15 has been working hard on obtaining her Registered Nurse License, and recently graduated with her Bachelors of Science in Nursing. Hannah currently works in Labor & Delivery at Jackson Madison Coutny Gernal Hospital in Jackson, TN. Branson Bitzer '17 is a commissioned officer in the Navy. He will soon be onboard the USS Thomas Hudner DDG116 in Mayport, FL. He is currently attending Officer of the Deck school in Norfolk, VA. Branson is proud to be commissioning in the Navy as a Suface Warfare Officer achieving his dreams and keeping the faith.

Maddie Payne ‘15 graduated from The University of Alabama in May of 2019 where she majored in Exercise and Sport Science with concentrations in Fitness and Pre-Professional Studies and minored in Psychology. Maddie is currently in graduate school for occupational therapy at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and will be graduating this May. Elizabeth Blackwell '95 is the Director of Client Strategy & Development for Computer System Innovations out of Wheaton, IL. She and her husband Dave recently built their dream home in Rosemark, TN. She is fortunate to work from home with her current job.

College & Career Chat Grace Harvey '20 and Abbey Dallas '20 led a College and Career Chat with members of the junior and senior classes.

Grace (Nursing) and Abbey (Accounting) about Union University, their respective majors and college life in general.

It is always great to have alumni back on the TRA campus. Earlier this year we welcomed '08 TRA alumnus, Todd Starks and his mother. Todd, along with his varsity teammates, led the Rebels to the basketball state championship in 2008, ending as the State Runner-Up. He went on to play Division I basketball at Idaho State. After college he played for the Harlem Globetrotters for 6 years and is currently in the St. Louis, MO area coaching a high school girls basketball team.

CAMPUS NEWS

Veterans Day Chapel Service

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.“ ~John 15:13 We were honored to have Captain Elisabeth Stephens, United States Navy (retired) as our guest speaker at both our Lower and Upper School Veterans Day Chapel services.

Captain Stephens reminded our students that our Veterans are national treasures and we should strive daily to be worthy of the sacrifices they have made for our country.

American Math Competition

Washington DC Trip

Members of the 9th grade class were finally able to take their 8th grade trip to Washington, DC. The weather was a little warmer that usual, but the trip was a success none the less. As in years past, the trip ended with a historic tour of Jamestown and a fun day at Busch Gardens.

FutureStar Summit

Congratulations to the 20 upper school students who participated in the The MAA’s American Mathematics Competition. The MAA AMC program helps America’s educators identify talent and foster a love of mathematics. The MAA AMC program positively impacts the analytical skills needed for future careers in an innovative society.

Ty Tyler & Dr. Keith Carver, UT Martin Chancellor.

Ty Tyler was selected to attend the FutureStar Summit at the University of Tennessee at Martin.

FutureStar Summit is a leadership program designed for West Tennessee's potential leaders and is sponsored by WestStar Leadership alumni.

Leadership Summit Congratulations to Maddie White, Eddie Dowden and Brooke Cox, who represented TRA at the 2021 Vaughn Rising Star Leadership Summit at U.T. Martin. They were selected based on their involvement in leadership roles within their Community and in their school.

CAMPUS NEWS

Charity of Choice This year’s Charity of Choice is Project R12.

Project R12 is a Christian organization committed to rescuing, restoring, and creating freedom for the most vulnerable in Uganda.

College Fair We welcomed thirty-seven universities and colleges to campus this fall for our annual College Fair. All Upper School Students in grades 6th-12th participated. It was exciting to see the students interacting with the college representatives.

Spelling Bee winners!

1st Place: 7th grader Riley Taylor 2nd Place: 6th grader Angelo Khattar 3rd Place 8th grader Hallie Hendren A special thanks to Justin M Hanson '98 for being our pronouncer.

CAMPUS NEWS

Student of the Month TRA's South Tipton County Chamber of Commerce Student of the Month sponsored by Patriot Bank for September - January Payne Fullen - January Alexander Blue - December Myah Wright - November Megan Pfeifer - October Jack English - September

Important Dates February Re-enrollment Month 21 Presidents' Day - No School March “LOVE is the key to the problems of the world.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Our kindergarten classes learned about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by

4 Grandparents Day 7-11 Spring Break April 15 Good Friday - No School May

reading a book about Dr. King’s kind

13 Last Day of Preschool &

heart. They talked about how he

Kindergarten

changed the world by explaining we

14 Baccalaureate &

all look different on the outside but

Graduation

on the inside we are all the same. To show the kids what this means, they did an experiment using brown and white eggs.

15 Kindergarten Graduation 17-19 Upper School Exams 19 Last Day - 11:30 a.m.

Dismissal

1965 Society The 1965 Society is a prestigious giving level of the TRA Annual Fund. A gift of $1,000 or greater to the TRA Annual Fund allows you membership. Members receive a welcome gift and an invitation to the exclusive recognition event scheduled for later this fiscal year.

Investments to the Annual Fund provide a crucial bridge between tuition revenue and the actual cost of running the school, offering relief to the operating budget and directly affecting students, faculty and numerous programs across the campus. The Annual Fund supports every aspect of the student experience. Please consider supporting the TRA Annaul Fund and joining the 1965 Society.

As always, gifts of any amout are needed and appreciated! https://www.tiptonrosemarkacademy.net/support-tra/give-to-annual-fund