Archers in Action: News & Events ~ February 19, 2026

Dear Families,

One of the greatest gifts we have here at FCA Leander is our incredible community. This morning, I was taken aback by the number of grandparents who were willing to visit us on campus. One grandparent even told me they had traveled 4 hours to come.

I had the opportunity to share and unpack our mission and to really think even more about the goal of our education here. Ultimately, our mission is to produce students who have been formed by a beautiful curriculum and caring teachers to learn to love and appreciate the true, the good, and the beautiful. I can't help but reflect on my own life and how grandparents have played a crucial role in my formation, and I'm moved by how present our grandparent community is in our students' lives. We all know that bringing about the formation of students is not an easy task, but I am thankful that it's not a task any individual has to do on their own.

I shared this morning with the grandparents how thankful I am that my son is here, learning from these people and being part of this community. It is incredibly encouraging to know this many people are helping to form our children's virtue, their intellect, and ultimately helping them to become the good men and women of character and the good citizens that we long to produce.

Thank you again to everyone who put in so much effort to make today possible, and a special thanks to all of the grandparents who are investing in their grandchildren and to all of our parents who choose to partner with us as we all seek to guide our children in formation towards the good.

Kindly,

Assistant Headmaster

Chase Carlisle

Grand BFast

Save the Dates

March 13 - Crazy Socks - St. Patrick’s Day

March 13 - Early Release @ 12:00pm/Teacher Inservice

March 13 - House Meetings & R&R Weekend

March 16-20 - Spring Break, School Closed

March 27 - Pizza Friday & Dodge Brawl Tournament

Important News To Know

➹Tomorrow ~ Muffins in the Morning

➹Don’t Be Late! Family Dance is TOMORROW ~ See below for details

➹Saturday ~ HCAL State Varsity Boys Basketball Championship Game ~ See flyer below for details

➹Alice In Wonderland Jr.~ Tickets on Sale Now! See below for details

➹February: 4th Grade and House of Newton Stocks the Lounge! See below for details

➹The 2026 Talent Show ~ See below for details

➹Makeup Bad Weather Days Announcement ~ See below for details

➹Required Health Screening Information ~ See below for details

➹Yearbook Sales Officially End This Friday ~ See below for details

Click here to purchase.

Reminders From Last Week

➹2026-2027 Uniform Alert See below for details

➹Lunch Visitor Policy Announcement See below for details

➹Carline Late Pickup Policy Reminder See below for details

➹Golden Arrow Reminder ~ See below for details

➹2025-2026 Founders Classical Academy Family Handbook: 2025-2026 FCA Leander Family Handbook

➹Student-Led Tutoring Available See below for details

➹2025-26 Calendar of Events ~ALL Dates are Subject to Change See below

➹Got Pictures? Share with the Yearbook Class See below.

➹Buy your 2025-26 Spirit Tee here!

Volunteer Opportunities/Requests

➹Paper Drive ~ We are requesting Reams or Boxes of paper ~ Donations can be dropped off in B1 or B3 offices ~ Your support is greatly appreciated!

➹ Pizza Friday Fundraiser ~Volunteer Opportunity and Donation Requests ~ https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084EAEA92CA5FEC07-57914979-pizza#/

⭐Don't Be Late! Family Dance is TOMORROW 🎩✨

Tomorrow is our Founders Family Dance and we can’t wait to see you there!

To help the evening run smoothly, please pre-register today. It makes check-in much faster at the door and helps us prepare for food and seating.

🕰 February 20 | 7:00–9:00 PM

📍 FCA Gym

🎟 $5 per person | $20 family max

Pre-purchase tickets (and optional Bush’s Chicken family meals) here:

https://fine-arts-booster-club.square.site/

Follow the white rabbit and join us for a whimsical night of music, crafts, and community. Don’t be late for this very important date! 🫖✨

⭐Alice In Wonderland Jr.~ Tickets on Sale Now!

⭐February: 4th Grade and House of Newton Stocks the Lounge!

Each month, one or two grade/house level(s) “Stocks the Lounge”—filling our teacher lounge with grab-and-go snacks and drinks to keep our teachers fueled and feeling appreciated all year long. February is 4th grade and the House of Newton's month to serve!

This is more than just treats. It’s a simple, meaningful way to say thank you to the teachers who pour their hearts into our children every single day.

Every $10 in donations = 1 Archer Hour, so your gift not only blesses our teachers but also counts toward your family’s volunteer hours.

Let’s surround our teachers with the same care and encouragement they show our kids—help us fill the lounge and remind them how much they mean to the Founders family! All donations can be dropped off in B1 or B3 offices during the month.

Below is a list of some of our staff’s favorite snacks:

Coffee Pods

Mini Creamers for Coffee

Sodas

Sparkling Waters

Chips (Pretzels, crackers, popcorn, nuts)

Granola Bars

Trail Mix

Gluten Free Snacks

Fresh Fruit

Bagels and Cream Cheese

STL

⭐The 2026 Founders Talent Show

The Talent Show will be held on March 6th at 5:00 PM, and we are inviting all K–12 students to audition. Whether you sing, dance, play an instrument, perform comedy, magic, or have another special talent, we would love to see it!

Upper School performers will earn House Points, providing an opportunity to support their

House while modeling confidence and exemplifying the values of our school community for

Grammar School students.

Students must submit a video audition by February 25th using the Google Form linked below:

Founders 2026 Talent Show Audition Form

Please note:

All performances must be school-appropriate. (Please refer to the Google Form for

further details.)

Performances may not exceed 4 minutes.
Not all audition submissions are guaranteed a performance spot.
A mandatory rehearsal will take place on March 5th immediately after school.

Students may be picked up at 5:00 PM. All selected participants must attend.

We look forward to celebrating the incredible talents of our students. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Rebekah Wallace at [email protected].

talent show

⭐Makeup Bad Weather Days Announcement

⭐Required Health Screening Information

⭐Don't miss out! Yearbooks are selling FAST! Order yours before it's TOO LATE!

⭐2026-2027 Uniform Alert

⭐Lunch Visitor Policy Announcement

⭐Carline Late Pickup Policy Reminder

When the construction fence was installed, we had to make changes in our car line structure and approach. You have been incredible at making these changes and have now made the new system work well. While the changes have unfolded, we have extended grace on the late pick-up policy outlined in the handbook, trying to ensure we have a system that works.

We wanted to let you know that we will now begin upholding the late pick-up policy as outlined in the handbook. Please make sure that you arrive to pick up your students by 4:00 p.m. Parents arriving after 4:00 p.m. will incur a late fee of $1.00 per minute. Please consult the handbook for more details.

Also, please make sure your car tag is visible throughout the car line until your student enters your vehicle.

We know the car line is not always the most fun experience on campus and can often require patience. Thank you for how well you have adapted to the shifts needed over the last few years.

⭐Golden Arrow Reminder

Our second edition of The Golden Arrow will be released soon! This quarterly newsletter is created especially for grandparents, offering a meaningful glimpse into life at Founders and the learning, traditions, and milestones shaping their Archers. If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to sign your child’s grandparents up to receive this special publication and stay connected—no matter the distance.

Sign your grandparents up to receive the quarterly newsletter here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeulV-sST5z2RkbEF1TFqvDTOTs06GyJqiabRgFp9obf0fBsA/viewform

Golden Arrow

⭐Student-Led Tutoring Now Available

⭐2025-26 Calendar of Events

⭐Got Pictures? Share with the Yearbook Class

⭐Ongoing Reminders...

*New Attendance Reporting Procedures

Reporting an absence and other attendance related issues just got easier. You can now report early dismissal for athletics, early dismissals for student drivers, make alternate arrangements for student pickup, and report absences, all through our new online forms found here.

When the need arises, go to our school website at foundersleander.com. Navigate to one of three places - the Archers in Action page, Attendance page, or For Our Families tab to find a “Report an Absence” button. Simply click that button, find and complete the appropriate form for your situation and upload documents and correspondence directly to that form. Done! It’s that easy.

Please contact [email protected] if you have further questions.

Please note these changes in our 2025-2026 Family Handbook.

*Uniform Closet Donation Guidelines

The following school uniform items will be accepted as donations to our uniform closet:

Items with the school logo (including polos, jackets, spirit wear);
Plaid Wednesday formal skirts;
White Oxford shirts;
Girls jumpers;
Uniform ties and bows;
Belts

All items must be in good condition (clean, not stained or faded)

*Apply to be a 2025-2026 Volunteer!

Volunteers must be approved each school year to be on campus.

Each school year, ResponsiveEd requires every volunteer to complete an online volunteer application and undergo a background check. Once you are approved, you must review the guidelines for Founders Archer Volunteers and sign a confidentiality agreement. Applications remain active for the current school year. A volunteer must reapply each school year regardless of their date of application. Please allow up to two weeks for processing of your application.

Click on the links below to access applications and information:

* Follow us on Instagram & Facebook:

School Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/FoundersClassicalLeander

Athletics: @FCArchers

Archers Council: @fcaarcherscouncil

Travel Groups: @archersaimfar