Front & Center News from Fork Union Military Academy – September 9, 2022

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Stories in this issue:

• Parent Updates
• Save the Date: Club Rush 2022
• First Day of Classes
• Meet our Academic Dean COL Michael Goad
• Bravo Zulu Awards
• Upcoming Admissions Events
• Do you want to be a part of our Cadet Corps?

Parent Updates

All parent updates can be located on Fork Union Military Academy's website on the Parents page under Announcements. Click the link to view on forkunion.com.

Classes have begun!

All cadets started classes this week! The class day begins at 0800 and ends at 1400 each day. Day Students need to check-in with the Commandant's Department by 0715 each morning.

Please note, there are no classes this Saturday, Sept. 10. The only Saturday Class for the 2022-2023 academic year is scheduled for Saturday, January 7, 2023.

Orah Parent Portal & PowerSchool Information

Parents must use the Orah Parent Portal for all transportation and leave requests throughout the year. An email with login information was sent to each parent via the Orah Parent Portal this week. Parents were also sent PowerSchool information this week. The PowerSchool email with login information came from COL Scott Krogh, Director of Support and Information Technology. If for some reason you do not see an email from COL Scott Krogh and/or the Orah Parent Portal, please contact Mrs. Kelly Barnette.

Academic Calendar

Please bookmark the link to our Academic Calendar for the 2022-2023 year. This calendar highlights all the major events on campus for the academic year, including dates of when each term begins and ends, leave weekends, SAT and ACT tests and all holiday breaks.

Please note, there is only one Saturday Class this year, which is scheduled for Saturday, January 7, 2023.

Important Upcoming Dates

• Monday, September 12 | Club Rush | 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM | Cadets will have the opportunity to learn about all the clubs that Fork Union Military Academy has to offer and PARENTS are invited! Parents are welcome to come visit with their cadet and learn about all the clubs. Plus, Blue Ridge Pizza Co. and Kona Ice trucks will be available for purchase. Location: Middle School Circle (where the Library and Dining Hall are located).
• Friday, September 16 | Outside Communication Turned On | Cadets will be able to communicate with family and friends by email and room phones starting Friday, September 16.
• Friday, September 30 | First Leave Weekend Cadets, who are eligible, will be able to leave for the weekend. Please use the Orah Parent Portal for all Leave Requests. Leave Weekends start on Friday at 1730 (5:30 PM) and end on Sunday at 1900 (7:00 PM).

Fall Senior & PG SAT Test Prep Class

Registration is Now Open Our College Placement and Academic Services office is now accepting registrations for our Fall SAT Test Prep workshops for seniors and postgraduates. This workshop will take place one evening each week for 10 sessions, alternating between English and Math preparations for the SAT Test.

Postgraduates will meet on Tuesday evenings from 1800-1915 hours for 10 weekly sessions, starting September 20 and ending November 29.

Seniors will meet on Thursday evenings from 1800-1915 hours for 10 weekly sessions, starting September 22 and ending December 1.

The Fall SAT Test Prep class is optional.

The cost of this class is $200. Parents will need to register their cadet and pay the class fee prior to the start of the sessions. You may register for the Fall 2022 SAT Prep class here.

For more information, please click here.

October ACT Information

For those cadets wanting to take the October ACT test here at FUMA, the registration deadline is Friday, September 16.

Parents must register the cadet for the test and print the admission ticket for entry on test day.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Rhonda White at whiter@fuma.org.

Athletic News and Schedules

Please bookmark the link to the FUMA Athletics website. The athletic website will be your home for all game schedules, rosters and news stories. FUMA Athletics also offers a mobile app! Follow the link to download the FUMA Athletics App for all updates including, news stories, rosters, and schedule changes.The app allows you to receive direct messages on all schedule updates and changes, so please allow push notifications in your settings.

• Click here to download the FUMA Athletics App for all Android devices.
• Click here to download the FUMA Athletics App for all Apple devices.

How to Send Mail & Packages to Your Son

The best way to stay connected with your son for the next two weeks, believe it or not, is by mail! Please allow the Academy time to set up your son's email and room phones.

In the meantime, you can use the addresses below for sending mail and packages to your cadet:

Address for Cadet Mail (Letters, Envelops, Magazines, etc.)

• Cadet *First Name* *Last Name*
• *Company Name* Company (i.e. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie or Delta)
• Fork Union Military Academy
• PO Box 278
• Fork Union, VA 23055

Address for Cadet Packages Cadet

• *First Name* *Last Name*
• *Company Name* Company (i.e. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie or Delta)
• Fork Union Military Academy
• 4744 James Madison HWY
• Fork Union, VA 23055

Who should be your primary point of contact?

One of the big questions most parents have is, "Who do I call if I have questions about my son?"

Your primary point of contact for most questions will be your son's TAC Officer. This is the adult who supervises the cadets in each of our cadet companies.

Below you will find each company's TAC officer:

• Alpha Company - Luis Gutierrez | gutierrezla@fuma.org | (434) 842-4381
• Bravo Company - Christopher Morgan | morganch@fuma.org | (434) 842-4237
• Charlie Company - Michael Ocker | ockerm@fuma.org | (434) 842-4229
• Delta Company - Demarcus Roberson | robersond@fuma.org | (434) 842-4240
• Headquarters & Service Company - Zachary Harris | harrisz@fuma.org | (434) 842-4231

For questions about academics, you will also be in contact with your son's teacher.

You can follow your son's academic process through our PowerSchool Parent Portal, which you can access at: https://fuma.powerschool.com.

Meet the Academic Dean of Fork Union Military Academy

COL David "Mike" Goad

After the completion of the first week of the 2022-2023 academic year, it is only fitting to introduce our wonderful Academic Dean, Colonel David Michael Goad.

COL Goad enters his eighth year at the Academy, including fourth year as the Academic Dean. COL Goad came to Fork Union in 2015 as a teacher and coach, prior to being named the Academic Dean in March of 2019.

Let's get to know COL Goad!

Describe your role as the Academic Dean:

As the title suggests, I have oversight over all items related to academics here at the Academy. Fortunately for me, I have a great team of wonderful, hard-working colleagues beside me who make it fun to come to work each day.

What positions have you held throughout your time here?

Teaching

• 7th Grade US History (2015-2018)
• 7th Grade English (2015-2018)
• AP US Government & AP US History (2018-2019)

Coaching

• Head Debate Coach (2015-2019)
• Assistant Prep Football Coach (2015 & 2016)
• Head Middle School Football Coach (2017 & 2018)

What brought you to Fork Union Military Academy?

As I was finishing my MAT in 2015, I was working with Southern Teacher's Agency (STA) as a teaching candidate to find the right private school fit for me. In March of 2015, STA sent my file/resume to COL Todd Giszack, the Academy's Academic Dean at that time. When I came for my initial interview, I fell in love with the Academy - and I guess they liked the 23-year-old me enough to bring me on as a 7th grade English/US History teacher, assistant prep football coach, and head debate coach. As a former college football player who majored in History and minored in Rhetoric, I couldn't think of a better way to begin my career in education than teaching history and coaching football and debate.

Moreover, when I arrived at Hampden-Sydney College (an all-male college) in 2010, I immediately realized the impact that an all-male educational environment could have on a young student still trying to find his way academically. When I came here for my interview at Fork Union, I saw the opportunity to be in that environment again - just on the other side as an educator. For me, the all-male educational environment was a big reason I decided to begin my educational career at the Academy over other schools I was exploring at the time.

What made you want to work with young men?

As I stated above, my experience at an all-male college was integral in my passion for working with young men. However, those seeds were sewn long before I arrived at Hampden-Sydney in 2010.

I was blessed to have a wonderful father in my life. But I also had a number of coaches and teachers who influenced me both in the classroom and on the football field in middle and high school. Early in high school, I realized that I wanted to return that favor some day when I got where I was going in life.

Fortunately for me, that place was FUMA.

What makes Fork Union special to you?

Anything I write here would be an injustice because Fork Union is special to me in infinite ways.

From a professional perspective, it’s the relationships that I am able to build with cadets and fellow staff-relationships that transcend peoples’ time here at the Academy.

From a personal perspective, Fork Union is special to me because it is where I met my wife Kate, who also works here at the Academy. Kate was born and raised here in the village of Fork Union, it’s where we’ve come to call home, and where we will raise our son who is due in January.

Quite simply, Fork Union - both the Academy and the community as a whole - is special because it’s home.

What other responsibilities do you have at FUMA besides your current role?

In each year I have served as the Academic Dean, I have had the pleasure of teaching a term or semester at some point throughout the year. While I am not scheduled to do so this year, I would be more than excited to do so if the need were to arise!

What is one thing the cadets would be surprised to learn about you?

I was a very average student in high school.

All I cared about was Friday nights under the lights in the Fall and the hardwood in the Winter.

If I could go back and talk to the 17-year-old me, I would advise myself to find more balance.

Does your cadet want to go to Italy?

Fork Union Military Academy cadets and chaperones can pay their way to Italy with Explorica Educational Tours. The new date for the Italy Trip is March 10-17, 2023. Ms. Regina Delman held an informational meeting back in May to inform parents of the trip. You can watch the meeting on YouTube here to learn all about the trip. All details remain the same, other than the date change. The enrollment deadline for the trip is November 20. If you have any questions regarding the Italy Trip, please reach out to Ms. Regina Delman at delmanr@fuma.org.

Check out the Italy Trip Itinerary here. Please make your own login to view the site.

For more information, click here.

This Week's Bravo Zulu Awards

Every Friday the Fork Union Military Faculty and Staff meet to nominate a few who have exceeded the standards and demonstrated superlative performance. Whilst we have various awards and recognitions - a simple "Well Done!" we hope, is also appreciated. The combination of the Bravo and Zulu nautical signal flags, i.e., Bravo Zulu, also referred to as "BZ," is a naval signal, typically conveyed by flag hoist or voice radio, meaning "Well Done" with regard to actions, operations or performance.

The following are the Bravo Zulu awards for this week:

Cadet Private Benjamin Burtram is a junior and a first-year cadet in Alpha Company. He is a boarding student from Mebane, NC. Cadet Burtram took the initiative to clean common areas without being asked to. He has done extremely well in PT, drill, and appearance in uniform. Cadet Bertram is a member of the cross country team. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Burtram!

Cadet Sergeant First Class Emerson Smith is a junior and a first-year cadet in Bravo Company. He is a boarding student from Stowe, VT. Cadet Smith attended summer school in which he showed maturity and eagerness to be a leader. He attended Cadet Leadership Training while attending football camp and was promoted to platoon sergeant after completion. He has excelled in his position, helping guide new and returning cadets. Cadet Smith is a true leader for the cadets to look up to and is an example of the great things that can be accomplished here at FUMA with hard work and dedication. Cadet Smith is a member of the Prep football team. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Smith!

Cadet Captain Jacob Clodfelter is a junior and a third-year cadet in Charlie Company. He is a boarding student from Mickleton, NJ. Cadet Captain Clodfelter earned a place on the Battalion Staff as the Training Officer for the Corps of Cadets. He is responsible for developing and implementing the overall military training for the Corps of Cadets. He identifies individual and company training needs through observation and provides feedback to those Commanders to support them with materials or instruction as needed. Cadet Clodfelter hit the ground running during or Leadership Course and the following week when our first-year cadets arrived. During that time, he taught classes and provided the Battalion Commander with results of the Corp’s strengths and weakness and recommendations for improvement. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Clodfelter!

Cadet Sergeant Roman Molina is a sophomore and second-year cadet in Headquarters and Service Company. He is a boarding student from Butler, PA. Cadet Molina has earned the title of Squad Leader in 1st Platoon. He is reliable, proactive, accountable, and demonstrates great patience. Recently, he has had to make tough decisions and has been able to maintain positive relationships with his squad members while adhering to his duties and professional boundaries. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Molina!

Scheduling Team – Over the last several weeks, Kelsey Hill, James Benson, Jen Schnelle, and Liz Patrick have worked countless hours poring over transcripts, phoning and emailing parents and former school counselors, and scheduling placement tests to ensure that all of our 300-plus cadets are placed in the right courses for the 2022-2023 academic year. Bravo Zulu, Scheduling Team!

Admissions Team – Thank you Mrs. Jackie Montero-Sharpe, MAJ Gary Leydig, MAJ Mark Shuman, and Mr. Jose Rodriguez, for exceeding admissions goals this year welcoming 308 cadets for the start of the academic year. Bravo Zulu, Admissions Team!

Mr. Peter Schoebel and the SAGE Dining Team have done an amazing job with food services including special events for the Board of Trustees Executive Committee meetings this week on campus. Bravo Zulu, Mr. Schoebel and the SAGE Dining Team!

Go FUMA!

Upcoming Admissions Events

The best way to learn about Fork Union Military Academy is to schedule an appointment with our Admissions Office and come for a family visit and receive your own individual tour of the campus.

We also schedule a number of Admissions Fairs in various cities and regions throughout the year.

Thursday, September 15 | Admissions Event in Richmond, VA

• One of our admissions counselors, MAJ Gary Leydig, will be representing the Academy at the St. Mary's School Secondary School Information Fair in Richmond, VA from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

Wednesday, September 21 | Admissions Event in Park Ridge, NJ

• Come meet our Director of Enrollment Management, Mrs. Jackie Montero-Sharpe, at an admissions event to be held at the Marriot Park Ridge NJ from 3 PM to 7 PM. Please select your appointment time slot on our event calendar.

Thursday, September 29 | Admissions Event in Lexington, KY

• COL Steve McCoy will represent the Academy's admissions team at the Lexington School High School Fair from 3 PM to 5:30 PM. The Lexington School is a private school for grades PreK-8th Grade located in Lexington, Kentucky.

Do you want to be a part of our Cadet Corps?

Are you a young man in the 7th to 12th grade? Do you want to be a man known for integrity, respect for yourself and others, faith, character, and discipline?

We encourage you to fill out an application for enrollment and join our cadets here at Fork Union Military Academy.

Thank you!