WCCS CONNECTIONS  12/1/09
Looking Forward...Westminster Catawba Christian School
Weekly E-News
 
Welcome to the weekly E-News from the Leadership Team of Westminster Catawba Christian School. Our desire is to keep you informed about upcoming activities/events as well as provide you with resources that may help you in reaching this mission at home. If you do not wish to receive this weekly e-mail, please contact us at
wccs@wccs.org and we will remove you from the list.
Admissions/ Development
Lisa McCutchen 
At WCCS, it is our passion and enormous privilege to educate the WHOLE child, academically and spiritually. Current families, faculty, staff, board members, grandparents, alumni, and friends of WCCS all play a part in the success of our school. As you think about your year-end tax deductible giving, would you prayerfully consider WCCS? Your gifts enable us to effectively nurture and equip our students to influence our culture for Jesus Christ. In this season of giving, your gift will truly make a lasting difference! May God richly bless you and your family as we celebrate God's greatest gift, our Lord Jesus Christ.


STAR
Janice Carter 
Talk, Talk, Talk
 
Students love to talk.  They love to talk about their interests, celebrities, teachers, friends, pets, and anything that comes to their minds...except their struggles in learning.  Help your child talk about their struggles. By talking to them about how hard math is but reading is a breeze, will help them to understand and accept their weaknesses as well as their strengths.  Encourage them to read about and explore others, including celebrities, who may have similar challenges but overcame them as adults.  Take some time to research together the specific challenges, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD or whatever the specific diagnosis on the internet. It will help them embrace their "uncommon giftedness" and take ownership of their learning responsibilities. They need to know and understand what it all means and that God did indeed create them in an amazingly wonderful way.  You have heard that knowledge is power; talking creates knowledge. So open up and talk, talk, talk!  We have information here that may help to initiate the conversations.
Head of School - Ray Casey

One Heart, One Mind, One Purpose ... Philippians 2:2

Do Not Be Afraid 
 
It seemed good to Luke, since he carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write Theophilus and orderly account of the events that had been fulfilled among the children of Israel and the surrounding Gentile nations.  Luke's gospel captures first hand testimony from original eyewitnesses of the angel of the Lord, Gabriel, appearing to both Zechariah and Mary.  Gabriel's messages begin:
 
"Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard."

"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God."

Certainly, an angelic visitation would be a startling and unsettling event that would evoke fear in any of us, but what is striking is Gabriel's immediate exhortation, "Do not be afraid," followed by the affirmation that Zechariah's prayer has been heard and Mary has found favor with God.  What is encouraging for us is that the Lord knows the deep longings of our heart, hears our prayers, and favors us with His love. Do not be afraid.
Catawba Campus - Dave Baniszewski
Is it really December? Pinch me. We will be doing our best to make good use of the next three weeks and wrap up the year with a strong academic finish. We want everyone to go off to their Christmas break with a sense of accomplishment and the satisfaction of a job well done. In the midst of our academic endeavors, we will be reminding ourselves of the significance of this advent season. We want to fulfill our academic goals while remaining cognizant of God's great gift to us in the birth of His Son, Jesus. 
  
Doughnuts With Dad: On Friday, Dec. 4, the PTF will be sponsoring a Doughnuts with Dad event on the Catawba Campus for grades 4 through 12. The event will be held in the chapel from 7:30 - 8 a.m. There will be doughnuts, coffee, and milk available. This is a great way to start your day with your child, and we hope to see you there.
 
Midterm: The midterm for the 2nd quarter occurs on Friday, Dec. 4. All student grades will be reviewed on Tuesday, Dec. 8 to determine student standing as regards academic probation. At that review, students currently on academic probation may come off of it if their grades have sufficiently improved. Students who are currently not on academic probation cannot be put on academic probation based on this review, but will be issued warning letters if their grades warrant it.
Westminster Campus - Sandi Jolly
Teaching children biblical precepts at the earliest possible age is vital to helping them develop a Christlike mind.  Even at an early age, our children encounter a barrage of worldly ideas, attitudes, and thinking that are hostile to a biblical worldview.  In his book, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, George Barna says,
 
"We can strive to give our youngsters all the advantages the world has to offer, and motivate them to make the most of available opportunities and resources; but unless their spiritual life is prioritized and nurtured, they will miss out on much of the meaning, purpose and joy of life"  (p.29).
 
We are working with you to help your children become followers of God who love the Lord with all their heart, mind, and soul.  These early years of your child's life are so important since most people who trust Jesus as their Savior do so before the age of 15.  Barna challenges us to be ready to wage spiritual war for the heart and minds of our children. 
 
Upcoming Events and Information you don't want to miss:
 
Doughnuts WITH Dad: Dads you are invited to bring your children to school early on Thursday, December 3, and enjoy doughnuts, coffee, and milk with them before class in Room 15 of the Multi-Purpose Building (gym) from 7:30 - 8 a.m.  This is a great opportunity to spend time with your children and connect with other WCCS dads. 
 
WCCS Fall Cookie Dough Sale: Orders can be picked up on Thursday, Dec. 3 in Westminster Hall, Section C between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.  For easy access, park on the office side of campus, pick up your cookie dough, and then enter the car line.     
 
ExploreLAB: First grade students will participate in the "Force and Motion" lab on December 4. 
 
Progress Report: On Monday, December 7, progress reports go home for students in Grades 1-3. 
 
Afternoon Pick-up: Parents who wish to walk up for their children at pick up should park in the bottom parking lot or the office parking lot.  Please do not park beside the gym as this creates a hazard for students and traffic. 
 
Parent Prayer Group: If you have a need, please place your prayer request in the Prayer Request Box located in the school office, or you may contact Beverly Tate.  The Westminster campus parents' prayer group will pray for the requests every Wednesday at 8 a.m. in the multipurpose building, room 13.
Athletics - Steve Cross 
Winter sport team pictures will be taken on Friday, December 4, at the following times:
 
11:00          JV Cheerleaders
11:30          Varsity Cheerleaders
12:00          Varsity Boys Basketball
12:30          Varsity Girls Basketball
 1:00           Junior High Girls Basketball
 1:30           Junior High Boys Basketball
 2:00           Junior Varsity Girls Basketball
 2:30           Junior Varsity Boys Basketball
 
NOTE:  Swim team pictures will be scheduled on a day when the photographer can come to the pool and get the team photos as well as some action shots.  Please watch for more details.
 
There will be no Indian Club general meeting in December.  The Indian Club Board will have a closed meeting and the general meeting will resume January 11. ·        
 
Thanks to a very generous donation from a WCCS parent and Winthrop head basketball coach, Randy Peele, you can enjoy a FREE evening of family fun this Thursday, Dec. 3 as the Winthrop Eagles take on Radford at 7 p.m. in the Winthrop Coliseum.  If you are interested in a voucher, come by the athletic department prior to 2:30 p.m. Thursday.  Your vouchers will be transferred to tickets with seat assignments at the Coliseum ticket booth.