Category: News

Middle School STEAM students are exercising their engineering skills by creating useful items with cardboard. They began the lesson by watching the story of Caine’s Arcade, where a 9 year old boy builds an entire arcade out of cardboard. They also watched a short video in which cardboard was used in India to make backpacks for students that folded out into desks that were used at schools that didn’t have desks. They discussed some of the problems facing our world today and brainstormed ideas on how to help ease some of these problems by using discarded cardboard to make items that people need. The students are making items including a house, a tent, a shelf, a chair, shoes, a lunchbox, a candy dispenser and even a grass board (a snowboard that you use on grass), as they discover the Engineering Design Process/Cycle by using it in their design and building process. They are also demonstrating their creativity and ingenuity as well as their desire to be good stewards of the earth through this cardboard construction project.

As a substitute teacher at TCS last year, Brad Haywood enjoyed getting to know all of our students and was able to take part in many of the learning activities at our school. This year, Brad is thrilled to serve on our 4^th grade team teaching math, social studies and Bible. “I love all the subjects I teach,” says Brad, “but without a doubt, I am most excited about teaching Biblical Worldview. I love Biblical history as well as viewing what’s going on in the world through a Christian lens. The students will tell you I get pretty fired up in Biblical Worldview. I also will take any opportunity I can to serve as chapel speaker.”

Brad grew up in a rural town in southern Illinois. “After high school, I played football at the University of Illinois on a full football scholarship,” he says. “In my sophomore year at U of I, we were Big Ten Champions, and I played in the Sugar Bowl. After college, I enlisted in the Army. I was a Combat Engineer and Jumpmaster with the 82nd Airborne Division; I deployed to Iraq twice in this role. Later, I deployed to the southern Philippines twice and returned to Iraq for a third time as a Psychological Operations Sergeant. I went to Officer Candidate School and finished my military career as a Personnel Officer. In addition to five deployments, I did tours in both Germany and Korea.”

Brad continues, “This summer, I completed a 7-week PADI Divemaster program with The Dive Station here in Orlando. I can now lead certified divers as well as assist Instructors as they certify divers. I enjoy diving in the different springs throughout Central Florida as well as catching lobsters off of the Atlantic coast by Ft. Lauderdale. I love traveling (have traveled to 38 different countries) as well as whitewater rafting and exploring different waterfalls.”

Although Brad did not aspire to become a teacher early in his career, he is happy to have discovered his passion for teaching at this point in his life. “After the military, I was not sure what I wanted to do,” says Brad. “During my last three years in the Army I was a Personnel Officer; therefore, I thought it would be a natural transition into the HR field. However, that is not where my passion was. I truly felt God was calling me into not only education but Christian education. I took a leap of faith by resigning a good position to go back to graduate school to earn my Master’s in Education. While in school, a parochial school was looking for a 5th and 6th grade Math teacher, so I became a full-time student and teacher at the same time! The doors truly started opening when I sought after God’s purpose for my life.”

“I am excited about this year with my students,” says Brad. “I really enjoy Florida history, and a lot of our field trips are focused on Social Studies. I am looking forward to bringing the history of Florida to life for them at St. Augustine as well as at Fort Christmas. On a day-to-day basis, I look forward to building relationships and mentoring students during such an important time in their lives.”

“I am happy to be at The Christ School. I love the focus on Jesus. We make Him a priority every day, which means we truly are aligned with our mission to provide a Christ-centered educational experience,” Brad continues.

“My wife Asha and I have two sons who are students at TCS. Daniel is in 1^st grade and Elijah is in TK. My hope is that my children see the entire world through a Christian lens. I do not want them to be just ‘lukewarm Christians.’ We look forward to building relationships with other families in The Christ School community” he says.

Some skills really set the stage for student success. Executive functions (EF) are skills students needed for planning, organizing, strategizing, paying attention to and remembering details, and managing time. They sound like a big deal…because they are! For some students, these skills come naturally and seem easy. For others, they seem impossible. These children may have challenges with:

• Planning projects
• Comprehending how much time a project will take to complete
• Telling stories (verbally or in writing), struggling to communicate details in an organized, sequential manner
• Memorizing and retrieving information from memory
• Initiating activities or tasks, or generating ideas independently
• Retaining information while doing something with it.

There are many ways to help children with weaknesses in these areas. This year, students in grades 3-8 have a planner. Using a planner consistently is a great way to write out deadlines for weekly homework, daily reading, and bigger projects that need deadlines chunked into smaller bites. Understood.org is an excellent resource with strategies and tools to help you maneuver through these challenges. Check it out!

As you have seen and heard, TCS students are experiencing more exciting programs and activities than ever. All students will benefit from new classes like our STEAM class. Some students will be taking part in different aspects of our Student Support Center or the Math Acceleration Program. Whether your child is involved in one of these or not, they will likely notice more movement of students around campus than in previous years. This is a great thing to notice! Students are getting what they need, based on how God uniquely and wonderfully made them. If children are curious about why classmates may be coming or going, I encourage you to normalize the idea that TCS is a school that desires all students to succeed- and that looks different for everyone. What does that mean for you as parents? It is so important that you partner with us in helping your children understand that every child has different abilities, and every child has challenges. Some challenges may be more visible than others. We need to model to our children the grace that God gives to us. Join me in praying for The Christ School community this year as we continue to provide an excellent Christ-centered education to all students who walk through our doors.

The Christ School welcomes 4^th grade teacher, Lee Combs. “I am thrilled to be at TCS!” says Lee. “I have one daughter, Bailey, who is in 8th grade here at TCS. Our mini-poodle, Cali, rounds out our immediate family unit, however, we have many relatives whothat live in the area. We relocated to Orlando from Kentucky about 5 1/2 years ago to be closer to extended family.  While most of my time is spent chauffeuring my daughter around to various activities, I do enjoy painting and creating unique gift items, when time permits.”

Lee knew from a very young age that God’s plan for her was teaching. “From playing school as a toddler to tutoring in middle and high school, to being a camp counselor through high school and college, I have always sought out positions that allowed me the opportunity to work with children.  I am entering my 20th year as a teacher and still know this is exactly where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to be doing,” she says.

Lee is delighted to be teaching 4^th grade this year. “My favorite thing about teaching fourth grade is the students and their ability to make connections and absorb information,” she says. “I am constantly amazed at how they approach problems and work in different ways to solve them.  Right now, I am excited to get to know my students, their interests and how they best learn.  I believe relationships are part of the foundation of a solid education.  Children (and families) need to feel safe and secure within the educational setting to be truly successful.  Academically, I cannot wait to collaborate with Mrs. Liu in the STEAM lab and watch my students explore and get excited about science.”

“Since I arrived here, I have noticed that everything at TCS is done with a gracious heart, a willingness to help and a desire to serve children and their families.  My daughter and I have been touched by the warmth and helpfulness provided by the staff, families and students of this amazing school!” she says.

Lee shares her favorite Bible verse: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:13

In an effort to better coordinate middle school specific communications, we have created a middle school website. The purpose of this website is to provide parents with “one stop shopping” for teacher information, middle school topics and middle school events. It is not intended to be a narrative, a photo display or to replace RenWeb. The site will contain bulleted points regarding dates to remember and reminders. It will also include a brief FAQs section on middle school related topics and a page for each teacher to provide easy access on matters like field trip information, how to use Zinc, and class information (i.e. syllabus, learner contract).

You will receive an email on Monday, August 20, with the link to the website. To simplify use, you will receive an email directing you to the link when the website has been updated.

The website is a work in progress. If you have any questions or ideas regarding the Middle School Update contact, contact Mary Crimmins.

The Christ School is excited to welcome our new STEAM teacher, Christina Liu!  Christina hails from Michigan and attended the University of Michigan, earning both a Bachelors and Masters Degree (Microbiology, MBA). “Go Blue,” Christina smiles.  She and her husband, Mike, have two daughters, CJ and Anna, who attend Apopka High School.  CJ is a junior and Anna, a freshman this year.  A puppy named Gizmo and a hedgehog named Priscilla round out their family. “My family and I served on mission trips in Jamaica for 5 summers in a row,” she says. I look back at these trips as some of the most special times with my family.”

When not teaching, Christina plays the violin in the Central Florida Community Arts Symphony Orchestra and in the Worship Band at her church. “One of my favorite sports is figure skating,” says Christina. “As you learn to jump in figure skating, you begin to identify the jumps on TV during skating competitions.” Christina continues, “Before we had children, my husband and I did a lot of SCUBA diving. Last summer, we were able to refresh our SCUBA skills and have our girls certified as Jr. Open Water Divers!  We look forward to going on dive trips together with our girls.”

“Prior to coming to The Christ School, I taught Think Tank for 5 years,” she says. “Think Tank is an award-winning STEAM-infused critical thinking class that I helped to build at Lake Mary Prep.  I’m so thrilled to be at TCS!  I love teaching in a faith-based community and look forward to doing some awesome things with my students in our new STEAM Lab.  This year, I am really excited about making cool things with my students on the Deltamaker 3D Printer!  I love to see the wonder and excitement on my students’ faces as they create and explore.”

Christina says, “My favorite Bible verse is Joshua 1:9, which I learned from a song from VBS.  If you ask, I’ll sing it to you!”

Middle School Athletics
Middle school athletes, please remember to return your uniform to The Christ School office. Uniforms should be clean and in a bag marked with your name.

Please check Renweb for all athletic contests, announcements, forms, and information.
For all athletic questions please contact. Jim Vais, TCS Director of Athletics and Student Conduct.

Middle School
Congratulations to our middle school athletes for a great year! Please click here to enjoy a video featuring these athletes.

Middle school athletes, please remember to return your uniforms to The Christ School office. Uniforms should be clean and in a bag marked with your name.

Lower School
Congratulations to all of our lower school athletes who participated in a TCS sport this school year.  Please click here to see a video of our athletes.

The Christ School Congratulates 2014 Alumni
who are Graduating as 2018 Boone High School Valedictorians

The Christ School (TCS), an independent, Christ-centered, K – 8 school located in downtown Orlando, congratulates its 2014 alumni who are graduating as 2018 Boone High School Valedictorians: Cara Eakins, Kara Gentry, Sydney Haselden, Reid Marlett, Trip McCree, Cooper McKillop, and Emma Schrago.  Out of the 17 Boone High School 2018 Valedictorians, 7 are TCS alumni.

“The Christ School is delighted to recognize these seven TCS alumni for their academic achievements,” says Dr. Aaron Farrant, Head of School at The Christ School. “These students worked hard to build upon the foundation of academic excellence they received at TCS. I am excited to see them shine as they continue their educational journey.”

“It is no accident that 7 of the 17 Valedictorians at my high school this year are TCS graduates,” says Reid Marlett, TCS class of 2014 and Boone High School Valedictorian, 2018. “Looking back, I am amazed at how well I was academically equipped for high school. Most notable was how TCS developed my public speaking and critical thinking skills with projects like giving a long speech to classmates or discussing and analyzing our Christian faith from a logical perspective. In addition to being prepared to face the challenging academics of high school, TCS taught me that I am surrounded by a community who loves me with Christ’s love and wants me to succeed.”

The Christ School strives to establish a strong foundation in each student through an academically challenging, Christ-centered curriculum infused with service learning, leadership, and public speaking opportunities. These seven alumni exemplify The Christ School’s portrait of a graduate. They are prepared to perform with distinction at the next academic level, are equipped to be life-long learners, are committed to being others-oriented, are confident and articulate in communication, and are devoted to glorifying God.

For more information, visit www.thechristschool.org or phone 407-849-1665.

About The Christ School

The Christ School partners with families to provide an academically rigorous and Christ-centered K – 8 experience.  TCS students and graduates confidently pursue excellence in scholarship, service and leadership. The Christ School, established in 1996, is an independent school, located in downtown Orlando on the campus of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. The Christ School is accredited by the Christian Schools of Florida, Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS) and Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC).

Lee Combs grew up in Naples, Florida with her extended family. She completed her undergraduate work at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky and earned her Master’s degree in Education from Indiana Wesleyan.  Since becoming a teacher, she has taught in Missouri, Florida and Kentucky in all grades from kindergarten through fifth grade.  As she enters her 19th year as an educator, she is known by students and staff for her smile, creativity and enthusiastic attitude in the classroom.  In her spare time, Ms. Combs enjoys reading, playing with her miniature poodle (Cali), painting and scrapbooking.   She and her daughter, Bailey (8th grade), are excited to be joining The Christ School family!

Brad Haywood earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism Management at the University of Illinois. Upon graduation, he felt compelled to serve in the U.S. Army. During his service, he completed five deployments in addition to tours in Korea and Germany. After completing his military service, Brad returned to school, where he earned his Master’s degree in Education from Molloy College. Brad taught 5th and 6th grade Math at Notre Dame School in New Hyde Park, NY, before he and his family relocated to Orlando.

Sports have always been a major influence in Brad’s life. He was a four-sport athlete in high school and attended the University of Illinois on a football scholarship. The highlight of his athletic career was winning the 2001 Big Ten Championship with his team and playing in the 2002 Sugar Bowl. He also loves traveling, whitewater rafting, and scuba diving.

He and his wife Asha have two sons, Daniel (6) and Elijah (4).

Christina Liu is excited to be a part of The Christ School team. Recently, Christina helped create Think Tank, a STEAM-Infused Critical Thinking Class and Innovation space at Lake Mary Preparatory School. The Think Tank was awarded the DeWitt E. and Vera M. Hooker Grant from the Florida Council of Independent Schools in 2014, and received the Program of Excellence Award for the State of Florida by ITEEA (International Technology and Engineering Educators Association) in March of 2015. Christina has also taught Mandarin Chinese to elementary and middle school students. She is married and has two daughters who will be entering their freshman and junior years in high school. Christina plays violin in the Central Florida Community Arts Orchestra.

Middle School
TCS middle school parents – join us on Friday, May 11, at 8:10 am, in the Reformation Chapel for the Middle School Sports Recognition Chapel. Our Head Soccer Coach, Sara Haight, will serve as our speaker. We will recognize our middle school athletes for a great year of athletic performances at The Christ School.

TCS head volleyball coach Lindsey Carter will hold a volleyball clinic for TCS 8th grade girls on Monday, May 14, Tuesday, May 15, and Wednesday, May 16, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in the gym.  Athletes will participate in drills to sharpen their volleyball skills to prepare them for high school.  Please register by Friday, May 11. The cost for the clinic is $50 and will be charged to your FACTS account.

Middle school athletes, please remember to return your uniforms to The Christ School office.  Uniforms should be clean and in a bag marked with your name.

Lower School
Congratulations to all of our lower school athletes who participated in a TCS sport this school year.  Please click here to see a video of our athletes.

The 3rd, 4th & 5th grade cross country clinic will have their final practice on Thursday, May 10, from 3:30 to 4:15 pm.  Participants will be dismissed to their coaches after school.  The students will participate in a fun run to Lake Eola. Please plan to pick up your athlete at 4:15 pm in The Christ School lobby.

Middle School Sports
Join us on Friday, May 11, at 8:10 am in the Reformation Chapel for the Middle School Sports Recognition Chapel. Our Head Soccer Coach, Sara Haight, will be speaking and we will recognize our 2017-2018 middle school athletes for a great year of athletic performances at The Christ School.

Lower School Sports
The Christ School Lower School Sports Bash will be held on Tuesday, May 8th, at 5:00 pm in the gym.  This event celebrates all of our TCS lower school athletes, coaches, and their families.  Come celebrate our year of sports with fun, games, prizes and our Boosterthon friends.  Following the Bash, head over to Chick-fil-A on Orange Avenue for TCS Spirit Night.  When you order, let Chick-fil-A know you are with TCS. Your purchase helps raise funds for TCS sports!

The 3rd, 4th & 5th grade cross country clinic will practice on Thursday, May 3, from 3:30 to 4:15 pm.  Participants will be dismissed to their coaches after school. Please plan to pick up your athlete at 4:15 pm in The Christ School lobby. The remaining clinics will be held on May 9 & 10.  The last day of the clinic, Thursday, May 10, the students will participate in a fun run to Lake Eola.

Congratulations to our 3rd/4th grade and 5th grade volleyball teams who finished their seasons LION Strong on Monday, April 30. Thank you to 3rd/4th grade Coach Richard Hale and 5th grade Coach Nick DeOrio for leading our athletes this season!

Sixth grade Bible students have been discussing how God created each of us with a perfect design. They explored what makes each person unique, what gifts and talents God has given each person, and discussed the future and what they can do now to prepare for it. After reviewing materials from the teen study of the book, Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, the students spent time in prayer and took stock of their gifts as they reflected on questions such as, “What’s the one thing that I do better than others?” What’s the one thing that I could do every day and never grow tired of?” and “What do I need to do now to prepare for the life that God has planned for me?” to help discover their passions and goals for their purpose driven lives.

Middle School Sports
Middle school volleyball tryouts for the fall 2018 season will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, May 1, 2, and 3, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in the gym. All 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th grade girls are invited to try out for the team. The tryouts will be conducted by head volleyball coach Lindsey Carter.

Lower School Sports
Lower School Sports Bash
The Christ School Lower School Sports Bash will be held on Tuesday, May 8, at 5:00 pm in the gym. This event celebrates all of our TCS lower school athletes, coaches, and their families. Come celebrate our year of sports with fun, games, prizes and our Boosterthon friends. Following the Bash, head over to Chick-fil-A on Orange Avenue for TCS Spirit Night. When you order, let Chick-fil-A know that you are with TCS. Your purchase helps raise funds for TCS sports.

The 3rd, 4th & 5th grade cross country clinic on Thursday, April 26, has been canceled.  The next session will take place on Wednesday, May 2, from 3:30 to 4:15 pm.  Participants will be dismissed to their coaches after school.  Please plan to pick up your athlete at 4:15 pm in The Christ School lobby.  The remaining clinics will be held on May 3, 9, and 10.  The last day of the clinic, Thursday, May 10, the students will participate in a fun a run to Lake Eola.

The 3rd/4th grade volleyball team will play their next game on Monday, April 30, at 5:15 pm at The Masters Academy, located at 1500 Lukas Lane, Oviedo, FL 32765.

The 5th grade volleyball team will practice on Thursday, April 26, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in the gym. They will play two games on Monday, April 23, at 5:15 and 6:15 pm at The Masters Academy, located at 1500 Lukas Lane, Oviedo, FL 32765.

The ability to process auditory information is critical to learning. The world presents a complex listening environment that is often noisy, reverberant, and filled with confusing and conflicting speech signals. Compass students are practicing auditory learning with “Extreme Listening” activities. These activities help students focus when the listening environment is less than ideal. The activities are engaging and allow the students to improve their auditory listening skills. Last week, the students played Bang-O!, a fast-paced and high energy challenge that kept them listening and on their toes!

The middle school Citizenship class worked in teams and used critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creative problem-solving to design websites and Google Map walking tours of downtown Orlando. Each team of students integrated the five themes of geography (location, place, human-environment, movement, and regions) they experienced during four walking tours of downtown Orlando into their projects. On their tours, they photographed architecture, art, history and topography seen downtown. The goal was to educate visitors on how the world is exemplified in downtown Orlando. Their web design skills and creativity are showcased in four unique websites.

TCS 5th, 6th & 7th grade girls who are interested in trying out for volleyball are encouraged to register for our middle school volleyball clinic. The clinic, conducted by head volleyball coach Lindsey Carter, will take place on Monday, April 23, and Wednesday, April 25, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm in the gym. Athletes will participate in drills to sharpen volleyball skills as they get ready for try-outs. The cost for the clinic is $50 and will be charged to your FACTS account.  Middle school volleyball tryouts for the fall 2018 season will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, May 1, 2, and 3,  from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in the gym.

Get ready for Spirit Day on Thursday, April 26 at 2:15 pm in the gym.  Wear your green and gold and bring your TCS spirit as we recognize the students who achieved the President’s Physical Fitness award, our lower school girls volleyball team and our cross country clinic runners!

Middle School Sports
Registration is open for the middle school volleyball clinic, held on Monday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 25, from 3:40 to 5:00 p.m. in the gym. The clinic is open to all current 5th -7th grade ladies who would like to sharpen their volleyball skills.

Coach Sykes will lead the next open gym for middle school students to play pick-up basketball games on Tuesday, April 24, from 3:45 pm to 5:00 pm in the gym.

Lower School Sports
The 3rd, 4th and 5th grade cross country clinic will have their first session on Thursday, April 19, from 3:30 to 4:15 pm. Participants will be dismissed to their coaches after school.  Please plan to pick up your athlete at 4:15 pm in The Christ School lobby.  The remaining clinics will be held on April 26, May 3, 10, and 17.  On the last day of the clinic, Thursday, May 17, the students will participate in a fun a run to Lake Eola.

The 3rd/4th volleyball team will practice on Thursday, April 19, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in the gym.  They will play their next game on Monday, April 23, at 5:15 pm at The Masters Academy, located at 1500 Lukas Lane, Oviedo, FL, 32765.

The 5th grade volleyball team will practice on Thursday, April 19, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in the gym.  They will play two games on Monday, April 23, at 5:15 and 6:15 pm at The Masters Academy, located at 1500 Lukas Lane, Oviedo, FL, 32765

Middle School Sports
Congratulations to our track and field team who finished their season LION Strong last week. Thank you to Coach Dale van Gelder and assistant coach Glenn Gullikson for leading our Track and Field athletes this season!

Coach Sykes will lead the next open gym for middle school students to play pick-up basketball games Wednesday, April 18, from 3:45 to 5:00 pm in the gym.

Lower School Sports
TCS offers a Cross Country Clinic to our 3rd, 4th & 5th grade students this spring. The clinic will be led by our head cross country coach Laura Kerlek and assistant coach Terra Townsend, who will introduce running and breathing techniques through fun games and activities. The five-week clinic will take place on Thursdays beginning April 19, from 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm. Participants will be dismissed to their coaches after school. Please plan to pick up your athlete at 4:15 pm in The Christ School lobby. The remaining clinics will be held on April 26, May 3, 10 and 17.  The last day of the clinic, Thursday, May 17, the students will participate in a fun a run to Lake Eola. Please register by Monday, April 16. The registration fee for the clinic is $75, and will be charged to your FACTS account.

The last Soccer Shots session will take place on Thursday, April 12. The session will take place on the green space from 3:30 pm to 4:05 pm.

The 3rd/4th volleyball team will practice on Thursday, April 12, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in the gym.  They will play two games on Monday, April 16, at 6:15 and 7:15 pm at The Masters Academy, located at 1500 Lukas Lane, Oviedo, FL 32765.

The 5th grade volleyball team will practice on Thursday, April 12, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in the gym. They will play their next game on Monday, April 16, at 5:15 pm at The Masters Academy, located at 1500 Lukas Lane, Oviedo, FL 32765.

A teacher approaches a student and lavishes him or her with praise about a challenge completed successfully and is given a lukewarm response. Is this an ungrateful child?  No. It may be that the teacher is not “speaking his/her language.” A student gives a friend a hug as a greeting and the friend pulls away. Are they not friends?  Could the hugger feel rejected?  Or, it is possible that the one being hugged expresses and receives connections in a different way? Fourth grade Compass students have been learning the “Five Languages of Children.” These are 5 ways God has “wired” us to connect with others: quality time, acts of service, physical touch, giving and receiving gifts, and words of affirmation. Learning these languages helps the students not just connect with others but understand a little more about themselves. With the knowledge that people connect with others in different ways, the students are identifying the language they personally use and the languages their friends use to connect with others. The goal is to understand one another better and to use their individual language and God-given gifts in positive ways such as building one another up with their words and actions. So, that friend that doesn’t like to be hugged? Maybe next time her friend will put a kind note in her desk (words of affirmation/giving gifts) or ask to sit with her at lunch (quality time).

Middle School Sports
Middle school track and field will complete their season at the Greater Orlando Athletic Conference Championship on Thursday, April 5, 4:30 pm at The First Academy.

Coach Sykes will lead the next open gym for middle school students to play pick-up basketball games Wednesday, April 11, from 3:45 to 5:00 pm in the gym. For questions, contact Jim Vais.

Lower School Sports
TCS offers a Cross Country Clinic to our 3rd, 4th & 5th grade students this spring. The clinic will be led by our head cross country coach Laura Kerlek and assistant coach Terra Townsend, who will introduce running and breathing techniques through fun games and activities. The five-week clinic will take place on Thursdays beginning April 19, from 3:30 to 4:15 pm. Participants will be dismissed to their coaches after school. Please plan to pick up your athlete at 4:15 pm in The Christ School lobby. The remaining clinics will be held on April 26, May 3, 10 and 17. The last day of the clinic, Thursday, May 17, the students will participate in a fun run to Lake Eola. Please register by Monday, April 16. The registration fee for the clinic is $75, and will be charged to your FACTS account.

The next Soccer Shots session for TK and Kindergarten students will take place on Thursday, April 5. The last Soccer Shots session for 1st and 2nd grades will take place on Tuesday, April 10. The sessions will take place on the green space from 3:30 to 4:05 pm.

The 3rd/4th grade volleyball team will practice on Thursday, April 5, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in the gym. They will play two games on Monday, April 9, at 5:15 pm and 6:15 pm at The Masters Academy, located at 1500 Lukas Lane, Oviedo, FL 32765.

The 5th grade volleyball team will play two games on Monday, April 5, at 5:15 pm and 6:15 pm at The Masters Academy, located at 1500 Lukas Lane, Oviedo, FL 32765.

In 8th grade Language Arts, students are completing a unit on the Holocaust. After visiting the Holocaust Museum in Maitland, students completed one final assignment: to discuss why the Holocaust is an important lesson that should be studied in school. Here are some great points the students made:

• The purpose of studying the Holocaust is to teach children that one person can make a difference and people possess the power to make their own choices and control their own behaviors.
• When we allow prejudice to thrive, lives are at stake, and as shown during the Holocaust, millions of lives were lost due to one man’s crazy ideology.
• Bystanders are just as guilty as perpetrators.
• By studying the Holocaust, children can learn how to confront present concerns involving loyalty, peer pressure, conformity, belonging, and scapegoating. When faced with these concerns, children can remember the fate of the Holocaust victims, and rather than choose to ignore the wrongdoings of others, they can take action and help to create better situations for those who are victimized.
• It is important to study and remember the mistakes made in the past so that we never repeat them.
• In an effort to honor Holocaust victims, we can celebrate the freedom to choose to act in the face of prejudice so that fateful events such as the Holocaust will never happen again.