Congratulations to the CDA FM Symphonic Band! It was an amazing day at Solo & Ensemble competition! We had 19 soloists and 10 small ensembles participating, and EACH made a superior rating, which is the highest rating possible. In addition, we had 14 soloists and 7 of our small ensembles advance to the State Solo and Ensemble Competition, which takes place May 25! To be able to advance to State is an honor and speaks very highly of the musicianship of our students. The TPSMEA president made a comment when we were checking out at the end of the day that CDA was cleaning him out of medals!
We had a great day at the TPSMEA Vocal Solo and Ensemble contest held at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth recently and came home with five medals!
Ivy Hull and Maddie Murphy qualified for State Solo and Ensemble and received first divisions and Aria Stanley, Francesca Pastor, and Ella Rich also received first division ratings.
This past weekend, members of the CDA Collin County Symphonic and Intermediate Bands competed at TPSMEA Solo & Ensemble competition. We had 13 soloists participating, and EACH performer made a superior rating, which is the highest rating possible. In addition, we had several soloists who performed class 1 (difficult level) literature advance tothe State Solo and Ensemble Competition, which takes place May 25!
Students advance to state when they make a superior rating on a class 1 solo that is on the (UIL) Prescribed Music List. * denotes students advancing to state
The following students received the highest score, Superior (1 rating):
Brayden Axford
Seth Bell*
Joseph Bell*
MuAnna Chien*
Henry Colby
Ray Kim
Avery Meazell*
Thomas Myslak*
Giada Pangborn*
Benjamin Pruski
Abraham Watkinson
Jasmine Yeh*
Jedidiah Yeh*
Congrats to ALL of our amazing soloists on their excellent work! Mrs. Clements is so proud of everyone who participated!
At CDA, we are Christ-centered, classical, and collaborative. As such, we believe that the culture of your home plays an important role in the learning of our students. The curriculum department has developed this series to support families in shaping the culture of your home to grow ethical servant leaders and wise thinkers for the glory of God.
This past Saturday, February 24, the following students participated in TPSMEA Solo & Ensemble Contest:
Emma Jones, Julia Naizer, Sarah Mehta, Georgia Kiser, Patrick Teson, Tate Colby & Evan Meyer.
All our CDA students made “excellent” (2) or “superior” (1) ratings on class 1 repertoire which is the most difficult level of music. All of these students sang in an ensemble that qualified to go to State Solo & Ensemble and soloists, Georgia Kiser & Julia Naizer, also qualified for State.
At CDA, Grammar School Festivals are a vital component of the Grammar School foundation. Each Grammar School student participates in a grade-level festival presentation. Not only do festivals give students time to celebrate the history they learned in their grade, but they also develop their presentation skills before entering Logic school.
This month, our PTF loaded up on donuts and invited our Logic School dads for breakfast and fellowship. Donuts for Dads never fails to touch the heart and the stomach! Thank you dads for sharing your precious time with us. You are a blessing to our school.
Earlier this month, Senior Jacob Turner and Freshmen, Luke Hulme and Koert Bouma represented CDA Dallas at the TAPPS Swimming State Championships in San Antonio.
The CDA band participated in the north TPSMEA All Region Honor Band clinic and concert this past weekend. Our CDA students performed well, were a blessing and a light to those at the event, and they rose to the top of the region band competition!
At the TPSMEA All Region Honor Band clinic and concert, there were over 20 private schools, some of whom meet several times a week for band class. TheCDA Collin CountyBand Program had 5 rhetoric students and 8 logic students audition and make the All Region Honor Bands. Among the highlights of the weekend, CDA band had 2 students make 1st chair in their section! Congratulations, CDA band students!!!
Middle School All Region students: Joshua Chua (flute), Thomas Myslak (bassoon- 1st chair), Taylor Smith and Jessica Mullins (clarinet), MuAnna Chien (alto saxophone- 1st chair), Zachary Goh (trumpet), Brian Berggren (trombone) and Ray Kim (percussion)
High School All Region students: Giada Pangborn and Jasmine Yeh (clarinet), Seth Bell (bass clarinet), Avery Meazell (trumpet) and Caleb Hsiao (euphonium)
Mrs. Clements would like to extend special recognition to Brian Berggren of our Dallas Campus for being a part of the CDA CC Band and representing CDA Dallas so well!
Congratulations to the CDA Lions robotics team for advancing to the FIRST Tech Challenge regional tournament for the 5th year in a row. In the process of advancing the team scored the 10th highest score in all of Texas and the highest among the North Texas teams. Regionals is on Feb 24 with the winners advancing to the World Championships.
Last week, our Collin County second grade classes participated in the annual Grammar School History Festival. Those second graders presented all about the Greek culture, art, sports, and philosophers. The second graders work diligently all year to be ablet to make it to these fests that are put on as a showcase for parents and friends. They start by reciting a song they've been learning in class, but all of them have memorized the Nicene Creed by memory. This impressive feat for second graders accumulates the standard that CDA holds, as we also live by this Nicene Creed in and out of the classroom. Next, these students recite their also memorized Greek alphabet! From A-Z or Alpha to Omega, these smart students showcased their studies in strides. Each student also had a personal presentation on one of the forementioned categories, explaining the history, people, and giving examples behind all of them. For example, some female students did a presentation over Greek makeup and jewelry, describing where the Greek women would find and how they would make the ingredients for the makeup. For some male students, they would give cunning and descriptive notes of the Olympic games or accounting the Greek Gods. To hear these very intuitive second graders stand up on their own and speak clearly, owning their education that is presented, it is a privilege to see just where the University Model of CDA can take them! Our teachers, parents and families have been well-involved in their process the whole year, and we want to thank all of them for their hard work also.
CC Students, Brayden Axford, Luke & Patrick Teson, and Evan Meyer, have all recently become Eagle Scouts.
This is a major accomplishment, as they have a huge impact on the community by being good and productive members of society. This helps train the mental muscle of perseverance and working hard to achieve whatever they put their minds to. For these students, the journey to become an Eagle Scout can take anywhere from 2 to 6/7 years, which means a fortitude and dedication by all.
For these students who not only have a rigorous school schedule and, for some, athletics included, the time and attention put into reaching their goal of becoming Eagle Scouts truly shows their desire to make CDA's mission come to life as they are training to become ethical servant leaders in and out of the classroom.
We are so proud of Brayden, Luke, Patrick and Evan for their high achievements.
This past weekend, 14 members of the bands from both Flower Mound and CDA Collin County campuses participated in the TPSMEA All State Clinic and Concert weekend in Richardson. The concerts were held in McFarlin Performing Arts Center on the SMU campus.
The students worked with guest clinician Amy Woody (University of North Texas Wind- Studies Department and Director of Athletic Bands). Our musicians spent dedicated hours in rehearsals benefiting from these world-class clinicians and learning music that they would then perform on the concert on Saturday. Outside the rehearsals and performance, students had fun fellowshipping with one another at Top Golf in Allen!
Mrs. Bowen, Mr. Thacker, and Mrs. Clements are proud of their students for their tireless musical efforts, and humbled by the time and energy they spent this weekend auditioning, preparing, and performing such amazing repertoire.
Last weekend, two choir students from Flower Mound and CDA Collin County campuses participated in the TPSMEA All-State Clinic and Concert weekend in Richardson. The All-State Choir Concert was performed at McFarlin Auditorium on the SMU campus on Saturday evening.
The students worked with guest clinician and conductor Dr. José “Peppie” Calvar who is an associate professor and assistant director of choral activities at the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University. The choir had a marvelous time learning a varied repertoire of music and gleaning musical knowledge from this talented conductor. Outside of the rehearsals and performance, students had fun fellowshipping with one another over meals and bonding at Top Golf in Allen!
Mrs. Westgate and Mrs. Kiser are proud of their students for their many hours of rehearsal, preparation, focus, and endurance that are all part of this All-State process.
Picture gazing is a pedagogy that we use in the Classical grammar school. It involves showing children a beautiful work of art that is associated with something that the students have studied in Bible, history, or literature. The practice helps students become attentive to detail, light, and perspective, and how these aspects inform the picture-gazer. It also launches great conversations about the art piece and its subject. Having observed several picture gazing lessons, I'm always amazed at the attentiveness of our students and the creativity of their ideas.
Recently, our 4th graders were learning about George Washington and the story of crossing the Delaware River. Since we have a copy of a beautiful, and famous, painting of this event in our hallway, several students recognized it and requested that they have an impromptu picture gazing lesson. The teacher led them to the hallway and took a quick picture of them looking at and discussing the artist's rendition of the event.
Classical education is all about making connections, even at the grammar level. We ask students to approach their learning in a synthetic way. They were able to take something they see everyday and connect it to new knowledge. Both the old and new knowledge were enhanced because of this synthetic approach... just by looking at and enjoying a painting.
On Tuesday night, January 23rd, the Collin County Basketball teams celebrated Senior Night by recognizing three Senior players. During halftime, the families of our players came together to stand with their Senior, showing unity and support for all their accomplishments with the Basketball teams. The ceremony began with honoring Senior Peyton Cheney, who played on the Girl's Varsity Basketball Team. Peyton walked out with her mother and father on each arm, along with her younger brother. Next, came John Paul (JP) Dolle, a player for the Boy's Varsity Basketball Team. A point guard, JP walked out alongside his parents, giving mention to how he wanted to be "just like his own father" when he grows up. And last but certainly not least, was Senior Christan Rogers. Christian also walked alongside his parents; his mom actually being a teacher here at the CC campus, recognized the powerful moment of her son being honored as a Senior. The whole gym had a mood of celebration as the Seniors were honored for their dedication to the team as well as their hard work at CDA as a whole.
Over the weekend, CDA Dallas students from the Logic School Musical Theatre elective performed, “A Little Princess” at the second annual, Classics One Act Festival hosted by The Covenant School.
January 4-7, 8th grade CDA Dallas students traveled to Washington D.C. to extend their learning far beyond the classroom walls. Students enjoyed sightseeing with tours of the White House, the Capitol, Museum of the Bible, and National Archives - just to name a few!
With the new semester comes a new unit in our grammar Hands On Science classes. Both the kinder-1st and 2nd-4th classes are designed to offer new units each semester so that a child could take Hands On Science every year of grammar school and never repeat a unit!
This spring our 2nd through 4th graders will study the physics of balance and motion. Their first task in the unit was to build card houses. Our students were up to the challenge and saw how difficult it can be to carefully hold the cards and find a way to make them stable. One of our students didn't leave the lesson in the classroom, though. He continued the challenge at home and had success! It looks like it's going to be a fun unit to study!
“When you’re at CDA, most things have a set schedule. You don’t necessarily get to have options on when you do things, but in college, you get to choose.”
“Because you typically have more free time, you get to decide whether or not you fill that time with community, classwork, or even self-care.”
Making sure students fill that time wisely was a near-unanimous piece of advice that the alumni wanted to present to CDA’s high schoolers.
In addition to time management, leadership training, and using time in college to grow yourself, the biggest takeaway was to appreciate how CDA created a strong foundation for their faith.
“My world exploded after leaving CDA,” expressed one Alumnus, “whatever you have planned, be excited that the Lord might take it and toss it out of the window.” Another shared, “Being a part of CDA reaffirmed my faith and who I am, which made it easier to step into college where people have lots of different beliefs than me.”
Hearing these wise and ethical servant leaders speak, everyone seemed to be entranced at their humble knowledge that was shared with the current class. The Collin County Campus feels honored to have hosted the esteemed panel, welcoming these past students back with open arms, and are thankful for their willingness to share and continue to contribute to the CDA community as a whole.
In December 2023, the Collin County Drama Department performed William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". A great feat for the department, this play brought with it incredible set design that transported one right into the scenery, as well as outstanding performances by the cast and crew. Led by Dean of Students, Mr. Armstrong, the Drama department spent hours rehearsing and creating a magical Shakespearian world. These incredible photos were taken by Emily Faux, Senior '24.
For CDA, these are the moments where the Classical and Collaborative nature of the school comes into full illumination. We are grateful for the hard work of these students, leaders, and parents who all were invested in making this show a success.
Last month, students all over the state recorded auditions for the TPSMEA All State Band. Our CDA Collin Students did an amazing job! Congratulations to the following students from our campus who auditioned for and made the ALL STATE BAND!
Giada Pangborn, clarinet
Caleb Hsiao, euphonium
These students will take part in the TPSMEA All- State Clinic and Concert next month. Mrs. Clements is so very proud of these musicians for their dedication to excellence!
(Students participating in the TPSMEA All State Clinic and Concert, pictured from left to right: Giada Pangborn (band-clarinet), Georgia Kiser (choir-soprano), Caleb Hsiao (band-euphonium)
Congratulations to CDA Flower Mound freshman, Levi Robertson! At TMEA Area auditions on Saturday, Levi was selected 1st chair French horn and earned a seat at the TMEA 6A All-State Band.