WCCS CONNECTIONS  1/12/10
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
(wccs@wccs.org) and we will remove you from the list.
Admissions/ Development
Lisa McCutchen 
 
Save the date and pass the word for two upcoming development events! 
 
Grandparent's Day (Westminster campus only) is scheduled for Thursday, April 15.
 
The 6th Annual Westminster Cup Golf Tournament is set for Monday, April 19 atTega Cay Country Club. For more information or volunteer opportunities, e-mail lmccutchen@wccs.org.
Athletics - Steve Cross

Our Varsity girls and boys soccer teams as well as our cross country team are in the process of preseason conditioning.  If you have a child interested in participating in these workouts, please contact the coaches.  If you have questions or concerns, contact Karla Jollie (kjollie@wccs.org or 328-5468) or you may contact the coaches directly by email:

Varsity Girls Soccer
Shelly Selle (selle@fmtc.net)
 
Varsity Boys Soccer
Brian Davenport (jayhawkjr@comporium.net)
and Bryan Martin (bmartin@wccs.org)
 
Varsity Co-ed Cross Country 

There will be a short meeting to discuss club tennis on January 20 at 3:15 p.m. on the gym stage.  While our Athletic Director, Steve Cross, will address parents and students, the meeting will be led by Tyanne McDonald.  This discussion is to gauge interest in the sport as we look for additional athletic opportunities for our student athletes.
Head of School - Ray Casey

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

Poor in Spirit

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs" Matt 5:3.  Jesus introduces the beatitudes with such an absurd assertion.  How can being poor lead to anything good?  Who would intentionally pursue poverty as a means of access to the kingdom of God?  From a material perspective we go to great lengths to avoid being poor because poverty carries with it the unenviable circumstance and stigma of depending on others to meet our most basic needs.  Such a thought brings with it the feelings of vulnerability and even at times humiliation.
 

From a spiritual perspective there is something we can learn from our commitment to being fiercely independent.  Jesus invites us to surrender, acknowledge our spiritual poverty, and become totally dependent on Him for all our needs.  The kingdom of heaven becomes ours when we submit to the rule of God in Christ and enjoy true blessing by enjoying relationship and intimacy with Him.  Being poor in spirit is not just being humble, it calls us to the understanding that we are deeply loved and desperately dependent on Jesus.

Catawba Campus - Dave Baniszewski
The first semester and second quarter come to an end this week. It's almost startling that we are halfway through our school year! As we approach this halfway point, we are thankful to God for all he has allowed us to accomplish and do in this first semester and look forward to his continuing work within and among us as we head into the second half of the year.

End of 2nd Quarter & 1st Semester: The 2nd quarter and 1st semester conclude on January 14. Report cards will be issued on Monday, January 25 and student status for academic probation will be reviewed. Students may come off academic probation on this date or be placed on it if their grades warrant it.

 
Long Weekend: There is no school in session on Friday, January 15 (Teacher In-service/Workday) and Monday, January 18 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day). 

Refuel Event: The WCCS Student Council wants to provide the upper school community an opportunity for focused growth in our lives to know Christ more. To do this the student council is kicking off the second semester with a week of spiritual emphasis called Refuel. Throughout the week of January 19-22, the upper school will be holding worship sessions in the morning, small group Bible/prayer studies prior to school, Refuel leaders in Bible classes, an evening youth outreach concert, and a parent education night. Check out the following link for more information...Refuel Event  

Intermediate School Store: In collaboration with our WCCS PTF, we are offering a school store for our students in grades 4-6. The store is available to students during their lunch time on Tuesdays. We will be offering a collection of school-work related materials for students to purchase.

Semester Exams: Semester exams are scheduled for the week of January 11 for our upper school students (7-12). Below is the information you will need concerning the schedule and procedures.

 EXAM INFORMATION

First semester exams are being given January 12th-14th, 2010. January 12-14 are half days and students will be dismissed at 12:15 p.m. Please feel free to contact the Catawba Campus School Office (803-366-4119) if you are unclear as to the procedures, expectations, or schedule.

Students in grades 7 and 8 will be taking nine-weeks tests during the exam schedule.  These tests will count as a major test and will be included in the second quarter average.  Students in 8th grade Algebra I will be taking an exam that counts as 1/5 of the semester grade.

Students in grades 9-12 will be taking semester exams.  Each exam counts as one-fifth of the semester grade.

Students only need to attend school when they are taking an exam/test on January 12-14.  For example, if a student has a second period exam on Tuesday, January 12, he/she may leave school after 10:00 a.m. if he/she does not have a third period exam.  If a student has a third period exam but not a second period exam, he/she may come to school to attend the exam at 10:00 a.m.

Students may be released after they have finished their second exam Tuesday through Thursday.  Only students who bring a note from a parent will be released early.  No student will be released before 11:45 a.m. from their 2nd exam period. Students will not be allowed to call home for verbal permission to leave early any day. No student will be dismissed any day before 10:00 am.

During the break time, students are to report to the cafeteria where PTF will provide snacks for the students.  PTF room parents will be contacting parents to coordinate the snacks.  Students, including Seniors, who have two exams on any day may not leave school between their exams. 

All students must make arrangements to leave the school grounds by 12:30 p.m. on January 12-14.  Please plan ahead and make transportation arrangements. 

WCCS First Semester Exams/Nine Weeks Tests Schedule
Grades 7-12
 
Tuesday, Jan. 12
8 - 10 a.m.               2nd period exam
10 - 10:15 a.m.         Break in Cafeteria
10:15 - 12:15 p.m.    3rd period exam
 
Wednesday, Jan. 13
8 - 10 a.m.               4th period exam
10 - 10:15 a.m.         Break in Cafeteria
10:15 - 12:15 p.m.    5th period exam
 
Thursday, Jan. 14   
8 - 10 a.m.               6th period exam
10 - 10:15 a.m.         Break in Cafeteria
10:15 - 12:15 p.m.    7th period exam
Westminster Campus - Sandi Jolly
Cold weather is certainly upon us!  Students play indoors if the temperature is below 32 degrees with the wind chill.  Please make sure your children are dressed appropriately for days that are above 32 degrees. 

WCCS is pursuing ACSI/SACS reaccreditation for grades Kindergarten - 12 using a process called, Accreditation by School Progress (ASP).  This process is designed for schools that are organizationally well established, stable, and committed to improvement beyond meeting accreditation standards.  The components of ASP involve research, selection, planning, implementation, and peer review during a repeating five-year-cycle.  It includes some of the traditional accreditation elements yet allows the school to devote energies to one school improvement area.  The WCCS faculty and administration have chosen curriculum mapping as our project.  Curriculum mapping is a method that organizes and stores curriculum data, facilitates curriculum analysis and evaluation, and provides avenues for more effective communication between faculty, students, and the school community.  This project will allow the faculty and staff to address student needs in four domains:  academic and thinking, skills development, worldview orientation, and spiritual formation.

SACS currently accredits our preschool, but we are seeking additional accreditation through ACSI in conjunction with the ASP process.  The preschool faculty and staff are pursuing initial accreditation through the traditional accreditation process, REACH.  Future ACSI reaccreditations will view WCCS as a whole school K3-12. 

You will hear more about the accreditation process as we move forward and involve all aspects of the WCCS community. 

Upcoming Events and Information you don't want to miss:

Kindergarten Field Trip:   Kindergarten classes will watch the play, "Little Red Riding Hood", at the McCelvey Center on Thursday, January 21, 2010.

First Grade Field Trip:  PLEASE NOTE THE DATE CORRECTION.  First graders will enjoy the play, "Little Red Riding Hood", at the McCelvey Center on Thursday, January 21. 

ExploreLAB:  Wednesday, January 13, the preschool classes will create "Earthworm Gardens."  Thursday, January 14, Kindergarten students will participate in a lab on "Weather."  Friday, January 22, third grade students will learn about "Matter."

End of 2nd Quarter:  Thursday, January 14.  Report cards will be issued on Monday, January 25.

Teacher Workday:  Friday, January 15.  School will not be in session, but Extended School Care is available until 6 p.m.  If you would like your child to attend, please contact Beth Epperly for more information at bepperly@wccs.org.  Your child will need to bring a bag lunch with drink.

MLK Holiday:   School will be closed on Monday, January 18, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The school office and Extended School Care will also be closed for the holiday.

Summer Camp Opportunity:   WCCS is hosting Camp Invention - Camp Create, June 21-25, 2010.  SPACE IS LIMITED! Registration is available on line for current K-5th grade WCCS students.  Exclusive WCCS registration available until January 31, 2010. Community registration available February 1, 2010
 
Early Registration $185.00 (valid through 3//31/10)
Standard Registration $210.00 (valid 4/01/10)
 
Secure Your Child's Registration Today with a $50.00 deposit.*
Please visit www.campinvention.org for detailed information and payment terms.