November 2023 – Students, staff, and parents enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving Feast put together by our Parent Action Committee. Thank you to all of our parent volunteers for providing a beautiful and welcoming lunch that brought the Mainspring community together, reminding us of the gifts we have to be thankful for all year long.
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! We will be continuing our end-of-year fundraising throughout December. 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
- Friday, December 1st- Out-of-pocket tuition due
- Tuesday, December 5th– Open Parent Action Committee (PAC) Meeting 9:15am at Mainspring Academy
- Friday, December 8th – Food Truck Friday (TBD)
- Friday, December 8th – Deadline for Event Sponsors for Miles for Mainspring February Parent Fundraiser
- Saturday, December 9th – Deadline for Mainspring Academy Merchandise and Ornament Orders. Order HERE.
- Friday, December 15th – Extended Care Fees Due
- Friday, December 15th – Out-of-pocket Tuition Due including Semi-annual Tuition
- Friday, December 15th– Winter Music Performance and World of Cookies for Santa Day. Students, staff, and parents are encouraged to wear their favorite Holiday Headwear for the Winter Performance. Schedule: Paige, Callie, Nicole 11:30-12; Kim, Che, Dabbs 12:05-12:35; Liz, Lisa, Amy 12:40-1:10; Sara, Jeff 1:15-1:45. Sign up HERE for World of Cookies for Santa Day. Parents are encouraged to bake a dozen or more cookies representing another world culture.
- Monday, December 18th – Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
- Thursday, December 21st– Early Dismissal and NO AFTERCARE
- Thursday, December 21st– Polar Express Holiday Pajama Party. Sign up HERE!
- Thursday, December 21st– Winter Intersession Forms Due for February 5th-February 9th Intersession
- Friday, December 22nd- Friday, January 5th – SCHOOL CLOSED for Winter Break. Students to return Monday, January 8th
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!
Grace –December 3rd
Aiden – December 8th
Ms. Elise – December 10th
Ms. Stephanie – December 12th
Ms. Che – December 22nd
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! It was so nice to see so many Mainspring families coming together for our delicious Thanksgiving Feast!
December 10th marks the 75th anniversary of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which pledges freedom, equality, and justice for all! Many people with IDDs experience multiple risk factors for human and civil rights violations. Disability rights are human rights. Everyone deserves to be included and live a full life in their community — accessing the same public spaces, housing opportunities, education, and work as anyone else. For more information about Human Rights Day, please visit https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day.
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, December 5th at 9:15am in the Mainspring Academy Cafeteria to discuss 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>
A World of Cookies for Santa will take place Friday, December 15th. Parents are couraged to bring in a dozen or more cookies from based on another culture from around the world! Sign up HERE!
Our annual Polar Express Holiday Pajama Party will take place Thursday, December 21st. Sign up HERE!
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!
