October 2023 – Students and staff ended the month with a fun Fall Festival packet with sensory booths, motor skills booths, bounce houses, Trunk or Treats, and delicious Sno Cones! Thank you to all of our parent volunteers and our friends at Gordon Food Service for helping create such a successful event!
Don’t forget Tuesday, November 28th is our schoolwide Giving Tuesday event and Mainspring Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization! Choose Mainspring as your Giving Tuesday charity! Our end-of-year fundraising is important for helping us maintain the quality, resources, and programming we are able to provide our students throughout the school year. CLICK HERE to create your Facebook Fundraiser! If you do not have a Facebook, donations can be made on our website (CLICK HERE), or by mail at ATTN: Community Affairs, 6700 Southpoint Pkwy Suite 400, Jacksonville, FL, 32216. Checks can be made payable to “Mainspring Academy”.
JULY 2023 – Mainspring Academy is delighted to announce that the JT Townsend Foundation has extended an invitation to our families who may be interested in receiving individual grants for adaptive equipment. The JT Townsend Foundation mission is to provide hope to the community of people living with disabilities by offering financial assistance for adaptive equipment and services that will improve their quality of life. Grant recipients have received adaptive mobility aids, feeding devices, asistive technology, bikes, carseats, medical equipment, and more. Read JT Townsend’s Inspiring Story Here>
If you would like to apply for a grant for your child, please have your doctor complete a letter of medical necessity describing your child’s need for the proposed equipment. You can then submit the letter and application on their website. If you need assistance with this process, please reach out to Mainspring Administration at [email protected]. We are happy to help! Apply Now>
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Wednesday, November 1st – Out-of-pocket tuition due
- Friday, November 3rd- FLANNEL FRIDAY – Students and staff are encouraged to wear their favorite flannel/plaid clothing.
- Tuesday, November 7th– Open Parent Action Committee (PAC) Meeting 9:15am at Mainspring Academy
- Friday, November 10th – Food Truck Friday (TBD)
- Wednesday, November 15th – Extended Care Fees Due
- Wednesday, November 15th – Out-of-pocket Tuition Due
- Thursday, November 16th – Schoolwide Thanksgiving Feast
- Monday, November 20th-Friday, November 24th – Thanksgiving Break
- Tuesday, November 28th– Giving Tuesday Schoolwide Fundraiser
Questions or missing any forms? Check Quickschools! Many questions and requests can also be submitted in the Parent Corner of our website! More Information (Quickschools)> More Information (Parent Corner)>
MSA BIRTHDAYS!
Michelangelo –November 10th
Julia R. – November 11th
Ms. Jes – November 12th
Mariah – November 13th
Tanner – November 14th
Ms. Laney -November 16th
Anish– November 18th
Amanda– November 19th
Ms. Paige– November 22nd
Ms. Olivette– November 25th
DIFFERENCE MAKERS
Mainspring Academy has been awarded a Fall grant from HEAL Foundation to help us enhance our playground! We are so excited to be able to provide some new equipment to help our students regulate, unwind, and have fun during recess!
On behalf of the Mainspring Academy community of parents, staff, and supporters, thank you for the compassion and commitment you have shown for our students and school. It is the kindness of our donors and volunteers that has helped us to expand in size and quality, furthering our mission to provide quality, individualized education in a safe learning environment for students with intellectual and developmental differences who are often missed.
Thank you for the differences you make.
Hello, It’s me again, Benny the Manatee! I had such a blast at the Fall Festival last week! I won tons of cool prizes and I got to jump in the bounce house! MY belly is still full from all the yummy treats I got!
Did you know October is Down Syndrome Awareness month? Many adults with Down syndrome are constantly being met with limiting stereotypes. Portrayal of Down Syndrome in movies and popular media are not a huge help either. While people may use these stereotypes unintentionally, they tend to tear away a person’s beautiful and unique individual identity. “They’re always happy!”, “They’re like children!”, “They can’t have relationships or live on their own”, they’re “Down Syndrome sufferers”, and unfortunately many more. Check out the video below to hear what some of them have to say about these harmful stereotypes and let’s work together to shift perceptions! For more information about Down Syndrome, please visit https://ndss.org/.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
A few friendly reminders:
(1) All volunteers NOT listed as a student’s parent, guardian, or sibling must complete a Volunteer Application to be kept on file. More Information>.
(2) If seeking parent participation credit, all volunteer hours must be reported via Parent Participation Credit Request Form. More Information>.
There will be a Parent Action Committee (PAC) Meeting Tuesday, November 7th at 9:15am in the Mainspring Academy Cafeteria to discuss Thanksgiving Feast, Miles for Mainspring, and our Winter Party! Parents interested in joining our volunteer event/holiday planning team can access meeting dates, topics, notes, signups, team updates, and action-day group messaging! Join our Parent Action Committee (PAC) (via Mobile or Desktop App)>
Our two Special Olympics events for the year have been scheduled! Volunteers will be needed from 11am-2pm at the duPont YMCA 7373 Old King’s Rd S, Jacksonville FL 32217 on January for Flag Football/Basketball and April for Track/Soccer. Details on dates and times in the following link. Get on the list>
Our Thanksgiving Feast will take place Thursday, November 16th. (Keep an eye out for times and the Signup Genius).
Curious about Mainspring Academy’s needs and how to support us through donations, pledges, or sponsorships? Check out our Ways to Give Page. More Information>
MERCH
Exciting News! Check back towards the end of August! Link to Mainspring Store Coming Soon!
