On National Philanthropy Day®, November 15, The Christ School thanks you for your support! Your involvement—whether as a donor, room parent, party planner, chaperone, lunch volunteer, event chair or team member—makes The Christ School experience unique, special, and meaningful for students and their families.
National Philanthropy Day® is the special day set aside to recognize and pay tribute to the great contributions that philanthropy—and those people active in the philanthropic community—has made to our lives, our communities, and our world. Celebrate National Philanthropy Day®! Celebrate TCSby making your gift to the 2012-13 Annual Fund campaign today!
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. –2 Corinthians 9:7
To enhance literacy and development of fine arts in kindergarten, our classes traveled to the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre. Students were engaged in active learning through the experience of a play. The children viewed Frog and Toad. By reading the story in class initially, students were able to draw meaning during their visit to the theatre. This is but one more example of how passionate TCS is about providing a curriculum that is thoughtful and integrated in all ways – a learning process that develops all aspects of a child.
Mr. Bosscher’s fifth grade students shared bread and something new on Friday last week. Mr. Bosscher combined November’s chapel theme, “I AM the Bread of Life,” with current classroom science, social studies, and language arts learning units into a unique learning experience, a bread taste test. Students combined their knowledge of seeds and plant reproduction with early civilizations and they discussed how bread is the staff of life throughout the world for mankind. In all, seven types of bread were sampled and descriptive adjectives were highlighted as students described each type’s flavor, texture, and color. French was students most liked bread type. Rye received the least favored title. Its’ flavor was more “tangy, strong, and vinegary” than many cared for.
Both our basketball and flag football seasons open this week. Our 8th/7th grade girls play their first game on Monday, November 12th, and our 6th grade boys and lower school flag football teams have a full schedule on Saturday, November 10th.
Sixth grade girls and lower school basketball registration is open until December 3rd. Register here and make sure to choose your grade, select TCS as your school, and say yes to a uniform. All practice and game dates are available on RenWeb’s calendar section. Middle school athletes please remember to turn in your washed TCS uniform in a bag marked with your name.
Middle School Basketball
Our 8th/7th grade girls’ team opens the season on Monday, November 12th, 4:00 p.m.; Trinity Prep.
Next game:
8th/7th grade girls basketball Tuesday, November 13, 5:15 p.m.; Trinity Prep. Flag Football
The 6th grade boys’ flag football team is ready to hit the field in their opening game on Saturday, November 10, 10:05 a.m. at Trotters Park, Field #6.
Lower School Flag Football
Opening Games at Trotters Park
Saturday, November 10
1st/K grade– 9:00 a.m.; Trotters Park Field #1
2nd grade Gold- 12:15 p.m.; Trotters Park Field #1
2nd grade Green-12:15 p.m.; Trotters Park Field #1
3rd grade 10:05 a.m.; Trotters Park Field #3
4th grade- 10:05 a.m.; Trotters Park Field #4
5th grade-12:15 p.m.; Trotters Park Field #5
Please check RenWeb for all athletic contests, announcements, forms and information.
Forms and information flyers can be found under Resource Documents.
For all athletic questions please contact Coach Wiborg.
TCS parents and Trustees will be calling each TCS family next week to ask for your support of the 2012-2013 Annual Fund. We have begun what promises to be a year of significant growth and excitement for The Christ School community. To continue this growth, we need your help! Please respond favorably to the Annual Fund caller – your fellow class parent. Help us reach 100% parent participation. Gifts can be made anytime before the June 30, 2013 Fund deadline and all amounts are appreciated. The ChristSchoolis a 501(c) (3). All gifts to the Annual Fund are 100% tax deductible. Gifts can be made online or via mail. For more information, please contact Joanne Fleming, Director of Development.
Thank you to The Christ School families, Trustees, faculty, staff, grandparents and community supporters who have already made their gift to the Fund. Thank you to the TCS parent callers. Please accept their call.
Congratulations to TCS alumnus and junior swimmer John Meisenheimer (Class of 2010) for being named one of the Orlando Sentinel’s Classroom Stars last week! Meiesenheimer owns a 4.67 GPA and volunteers extensively with Special Olympics.
Congratulations to our soccer teams and their coaches for an awesome fall season. Fall Middle School Athletes please remember to turn in your washed TCS uniform in a bag marked with your name.
Middle School Basketball
Middle School 8th and 7th grade boys basketball extended evaluation November 2nd, 3:45-5:15 p.m.; TCS gym.
Sixthth grade boys basketball practice every Tuesday and Thursday, 3:45-5:00 p.m.; TCS gym.
Sixthth grade girls basketball registration opens Thursday, November 1st. Sign up here. Choose TCS as your school and say yes to a uniform. Flag Football
Please check your email and RenWeb for your team’s practice schedule.
Lower School Basketball
Basketball registration opens Thursday, November 1st. Sign up here. Choose TCS as your school and say yes to a uniform. Flag Football
Please check the calendar section on RenWeb for all practice dates.
Please check RenWeb for all athletic contests, announcements, forms and information. Forms and information flyers can be found under Resource Documents. For all athletic questions please contact Coach Wiborg.
Nathan, from Mrs. Wigles class, is moving to North Carolina with his family. He spends time learning internet safety in the TCS Technology Lab. We will miss Nathan and his sister, Lizzie.
Lower School Technology at TCS
Technology is an everyday reality both in our lives and in TCS classrooms. We embrace a fully-integrated technology model as part of our curriculum. That means that our kindergarten through 8th grade students experience technology everyday either with their classroom teacher or in the technology lab with both the technology instructor and classroom teacher.
Our students are using the latest technology to work on skills learned in the classroom by utilizing the most effective and appropriate software and applications available today.
In technology, students are working hard in the lab.
Fifth grade is working on their third Excel spreadsheet assignment. So far they have created charts, shopping budgets, and expense tracking sheets.
Third and 4th grade have explored a myriad of topics utilizing Google as a research tool. Now they are creating PowerPoint presentations utilizing their research. I am consistently amazed with their creativity, ideas and their willingness to share what they figure out with each other.
First grade has worked with iPads quite a bit, using Letter School to practice tracing the letters and numbers and Teach Me 1 to review their math, writing, and pattern skills. They have visited the lab a few times for Star Reading tests as well as for practice using the mouse and the keyboard. We have visited several websites to talk about safety on the internet and to practice typing and finding letters on the keyboard.
Second grade was introduced to PowerPoint through a short presentation on End Punctuation. They will continue with PowerPoint next week. This week second grade learned about internet safety.
Kindergarten spends their technology time getting to know the many age-appropriate educational apps we have loaded on TCS iPads. Their favorites include: LetterSchool, Starfall, Doodle Buddy, Pattern Recognition, and their most favorite, Teach Me K. Last week, the kindergarten group visited the lab for the first time this school year. In the lab, we practiced using the mouse by playing Bees and Honey and we learned about the alphabet and backspace keys.
Lizzie spends time during her last day at TCS working on an iPad in Mrs. Lewis's class. We will miss you, Lizzie.
If there’s one thing our parents and our Christian education taught us, it was that we are called by God to be a blessing to others. Teaching at The Christ School has been a great blessing to us and, as we continue in our ninth year at TCS, we are called to return that blessing in whatever way we can. Whether that’s keeping a positive attitude during a ”Jonah day”, encouraging fellow faculty members in their calling, praying for students and their families or contributing to the annual fund, we are sure that God is calling us to pay forward the blessings He has given us.
Scripture has many promises for believers and this one we hold dear, “Bring the whole offering into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it” (Malachi 3:10).
We have made our gift to The Christ School Annual Fund in confidence that our Lord Almighty will fulfill His promise and bless TCS. Won’t you join us?
Building Castles in the Air?
Following their study of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, TCS 5th grade students created fantasy kingdoms complete with a castle, maps, laws, currency, a coat of arms, and characters. “I call this my blood, sweat, and tears project,” says TCS 5th Grade Teacher, Kathy Whitman. While fantasy castles seem like the stuff daydreams are made of, Whitman says this annual 5th grade event is a “a real-world project.”
Miss Whitman created certain elements of this project to mirror C.S. Lewis’s masterpiece and, at the same time, be a group project to help students define within themselves their own areas of strengths and weaknesses. “Students recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and see the same in others, too, while working on this project,” she says. “Group members have to cooperate, collaborate, and sacrifice time to create a product. They begin to understand that we need each other. We all rely on others to accomplish a task.”
TCS’s Native American Experts
For the first year, 4th grade students worked in groups to learn Florida’s Native American history. “We’re getting them ready for their 5th grade project,” says 4th Grade Teacher, Mrs. Angie Harrison. “It was Mrs. Ross’s idea to divide up different tribes into groups.”
Groups of three to five students became “experts” on their Native American tribe. They researched topics including where the tribes lived in Florida, what they ate, and their culture and beliefs. Then groups created posters and presented their findings to the class.
“This year students learned more,” says Mrs. Harrison. “Becoming an “expert” on one group helped them learn about the other Florida tribes by comparing what they learned to other groups’ discoveries.”
Look for first quarter report cards in backpacks today. If your child is receiving an award this quarter, report cards will be stamped with the appropriate award: Star Scholar, Super Star Scholar, Honor Roll, or Distinguished Honor Roll.
Please join us in chapel for the recognition of our Star/Super Star Scholars in grades 2-5 and our Honor/Distinguished Honor Roll students in grades 6-8.
The ceremony for grades 2-5 will be during Lower School Chapel on Tuesday, November 6, at 8:15 am in the Sanctuary and the Middle School ceremony will be during Middle School Chapel on Wednesday, November 7, at 9:05 am in the Reformation Chapel.
Our TCS family gathered last Thursday evening to spend a little quality time together. Though we could never capture every special moment, here are a few you’re sure to love–we did! Thank you to our volunteers and families for a memorable evening.
Our 7th grade students raised the healthy eating standard last week: 34 students consumed 295 natural foods over five days during our Healthy Lunch Competition. Our two winners, Skylar Colvin and Jack Reddeck, ate a total of 44 God-created, non-processed foods. They were rewarded with a fruit smoothie. Congratulations!
High tea never looked more elegant, nor tasted more delightful, than it did last Friday here at TCS. Our 5th grade students celebrated their love of C.S. Lewis’s classic tale, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at Mr. Tumnus’s Tea Party. Held in the Spare Oom (top of TCS’s elegant circular staircase), the tea was a tribute to Mr. Tumnus, the kind and mannerly faun who befriends young Lucy in the story. Thank you to Ms. Whitman, homeroom parents, Laura Spigener and Susan Wood, and all 5th grade families for providing an unforgettable display of traditional tea sandwiches, cookies, cakes, and more. It was an affair our young men and ladies shall not soon forget.
First graders had fun while learning to stay safe last week at the Central Florida Children’s Safety Village. Two Orange County firefighters provided a fire safety class and a former Sheriff’s deputy taught “Stranger Danger.” Students practiced dialing 911, learned how to “fall and crawl” to avoid smoke, and discovered the importance of smoke detectors. Students also learned that anyone you don’t know is a stranger, and they learned some of the lures strangers might use.
Congratulations to TCS alumni, J.B. Woodman and Taylor Clauss, (class of 2009) for being selected as Edgewater High School’s Homecoming King and Queen. In the fall, J.B. will attend Ole Miss on a four-year baseball scholarship and Taylor will study at Florida State University. J.B. and Taylor are true examples of TCS Lions leading on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.
Fall middle school athletes please remember to turn in your TCS uniform washed in a bag marked with your name. Flag football practice will start soon. Watch your email and check RenWeb for TCS Sports updates and practice information.
Middle School Basketball
Seventh and 8th grade boys basketball extended evaluations are on October 29th, 31st, and November 2nd and 3rd; 3:45 – 5:15 p.m.; TCS gym
Lower School Soccer
Saturday, October 27
Boys 2nd/1st grade- 12:00 p.m.; Trotters Park #5
Girls 2nd grade – 10:00 a.m.; Trotters Park #5
Please check RenWeb for all athletic contests, announcements, forms, and information. Forms and information flyers can be found under Resource Documents.
For all athletic questions please contact Coach Wiborg.
Thank you for making your attendance a priority at our Parent/Teacher conferences on Thursday, November 1st. We value the partnership we have with our families and look forward to this opportunity to strengthen these ties.
For your convenience, we are pleased to offer childcare for kindergarten, first or second grade TCS students during the time you are conferencing with their teacher, or for any TCS student while you conference with the teacher of a sibling. This service will be available between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Please bring these students to room 145 and plan to pick them up immediately following your conference. Unfortunately we are not able to include preschool children or any others who are not currently enrolled at TCS.
As a reminder, we encourage all students in grades three – eight to attend the conference with their parents.
It was a busy week in TCS science. Our sixth grade students transformed the science lab into a gigantic “cell.” On Thursday, October 11th 4th grade classes were invited to learn about cells and on Friday, October 12th families and friends were invited to a student-led tour of the “cell” and its components. Students shared information about the basic composition of cells, organelles, cell theory, and the contributions of Robert Hooke and Anton van Leeuwenhoek, scientists whose work led to the cell’s discovery.
Great News! TCS has been approved by the Disney Employee Matching Gifts: A Program of The Walt Disney Company Foundation (“Disney Employee Matching Gifts”). Please help us spread the word to any and all family members or friends who are Disney cast members. They can leverage their philanthropic giving to The Christ School with a 100% match from the Disney Foundation. For more information, please contact Joanne Fleming, TCS Director of Development, or the Disney Employee Matching Gifts Program Support; 877-229-1812.
If your company offers a matching gift program but is not listed as one of our current partners, please contact Joanne Fleming. We will begin the application process immediately.
Congratulations to both of our 5/4th grade volleyball teams for an awesome performance at Saturday’s tournament. Kudos to our coaches and to the Gold team for bringing home the 2nd place trophy! Be on the lookout for flag football practice to start. Information will be emailed to families and available on RenWeb. Fall middle school athletes please remember to turn in your TCS uniform washed in a bag marked with your name. Middle School Basketball
Middle School Girls (Coach Gilbert’s team) basketball practice starts Tuesday, October 23, 3:45-5:15 p.m.; TCS gym.
Lower School Soccer
Saturday, October 20
Boys 2nd/1st grade- 9:00 a.m.; Trotters Park #6
Girls 2nd grade – 11:00 a.m.; Trotters Park #5 TCS Tennis Program
Next class Wednesday, October 24, 4:00-5:00 p.m.; Fort Gatlin
Please check RenWeb for all athletic contests, announcements, forms, and information. Forms and information flyers can be found under Resource Documents. For all athletic questions please contact Coach Wiborg.
Fourth grade works to "Clean the World" one bar of soap at a time."Everybody is super nice," says Anabel about her time at the Coalition for the Homeless.First grade students help clean and weed Dickson Azalea Park.
We know helping others feels good; we know it changes lives. What we don’t expect, and are often surprised by, is that in service to others, it is the giver who receives. On Friday, October 5th TCS left campus once again to green up, clean up, and cheer up the community around us.
This week’s photos were taken at the Coalition for the Homeless in Downtown Orlando, Dickson Azalea Park, and at Clean the World. Fifth grade students spent time cleaning toys for the Coalition’s Early Childcare Center, packaging meals, and serving lunch to the homeless. Here’s what a few students had to say when asked what they will most remember about their time at the Coalition:
“When I got to clean the toys for the kids because they were really happy.” Gabi
“They were sweet but they don’t have the stuff that we have.” Addie
Congratulations to our 6th grade undefeated Green Team for bringing home the 1st place volleyball trophy last week—and to our cross country teams and their coaches. The boys cross country team earned a 4th place finish and the girls team brought home the 2nd place trophy. Kudos to the Lions who earned a place in the top 14 with a ribbon: Hannah Millard, Hallie Millard, Alexa Long, Sky Seaman, and Danny Ruach.
Now, it’s playoff time for our lower school volleyball ladies. Make sure to mark your calendar for basketball tryouts. Fall middle school athletes, please remember to turn in your TCS uniform washed and in a bag marked with your name.
Middle School Basketball Tryouts Girls
Tuesday, October 16, 3:45-5:00 p.m.; TCS Gym. Boys
Wednesday, October 17, 3:45-5:15 p.m.; TCS Gym.
Lower School Volleyball
Saturday, October 13
5/4th grade Match Green Team – 9:00 a.m.; Faith Christian Academy
5/4th grade Match Gold Team – 9:45 a.m. Faith Christian Academy
Soccer
Saturday, October 13
Boys 2nd/1st grade- 12:00 p.m.; Trotters Park #5
Girls 2nd grade – 10:00 a.m.; Trotters Park #5
TCS Tennis Program
Next class Wednesday, October 17, 4:00-5:00 p.m.; Fort Gatlin
Please check RenWeb for all athletic contests, announcements, forms, and information.
Forms and information flyers can be found under Resource Documents.
For all athletic questions please contact Coach Wiborg.
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
–Psalms 33:11
Middle school parents are invited to join Kristi Ryan on Tuesday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. in the Reformation Chapel for High School Parent Information Night, an evening of planning, preparation, and prayer. This time is designed to begin equipping our 8th grade families for a smooth transition to high school.
Mrs. Ryan will discuss Orange County Public School enrollment and registration procedures, magnet programs, Florida graduation requirements, and college entrance considerations.
There will be a question and answer session and a special prayer time for our 8th grade students.
Head of School, Jason Powell, Ed.D. joins TCS students in prayer.
TCS gathered for See You at the Pole on Wednesday, September 26th. The event began in 1990 as a way for public school students to pray at school. During chapel time, TCS joined with others to celebrate this event in prayer.
“We are a community of people who value education and childhood,” said Head of School, Jason Powell, Ed.D. of TCS’s commitment to daily faith development. “We are serious about the spiritual formation and faith development of children. Here Christ is not only a Sunday school concept in students’ minds–this savior in their lives–He is their Lord with whom they have a personal relationship. I believe TCS is one of God’s tools for faith development in our children’s minds and hearts, and in the hearts and minds of families, faculty, and staff.”
Spirit Day was held on Friday, September 28th to recognize and celebrate our fall athletes. “The number one thing we tell our students is that they are playing their game for the glory of God, to honor Christ and TCS,” said TCS Cross Country Coach and Board Chairman, Charles Cook. “TCS is having a great season in fall sports—cross country, volleyball, swimming, and soccer.”
On Monday, October 8th our 6th grade girls’ championship volleyball match against Trinity Prep. will be played here at home and our last swim meet of the fall season will be held at 6:00 p.m. at Lake Highland Prep. Cross country’s championship meet is at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 9th at Trinity Prep. Come out to cheer your Lions on to victory.
We did it! 100% The faculty and staff here at TCS, through their commitment to the Annual Fund, have put muscle behind our school’s philosophical belief. We believe in the mission of TCS, we believe in the community being built here, and we believe in the vital part we are each called to perform in this cause. Working with ‘the next generation’ is an overwhelming responsibility, yet an awesome privilege. All that we do must be done for His Glory!” —Mrs. Marvin, Faculty/Staff Annual Fund Chair
You are invited to join The Christ School Faculty and Staff, by making your gift to the 2012-2013 Annual Fund campaign. Funds raised through this campaign will help TCS continue to offer academic excellence in a strong Christian environment during this school year.
Thank you for your support of TCS’s annual One Great Day of Service! As Friday approaches, we are finalizing the details and have one area where your help is needed. 4th grade, 5th grade and 8th grade students are collecting supplies to help make a deeper impact with the organizations they will be serving. They need your help with the collection.
This is a great time to clean out your closets, medicine cabinets, and toiletries collected from hotel stays. Here’s what they need:
Soap for Clean the World.
Small toiletry items to make hygiene kits for Coalition for the Homeless.
Gently used toys for the Christmas toy drive at Harvest Time International.
The collection boxes are located at the first floor reception desk through Thursday afternoon. Our 4th, 5th, and 8th grade students, along with the organizations the items will benefit, greatly appreciate your contributions!
Join us on October 18 at 5:30 p.m. for a Hawaiian themed evening of fellowship and fun.
Food and events include: food trucks (Chick-fil-A, Caro-Bama BBQ & Papa John’s), a chicken wing eating contest, faculty served ice cream sundaes, and the return of the ever-popular students vs. faculty volleyball game. For more information, or to find out how you can help, please contact Erica Duncan.
Our Christmas program is quickly approaching and we need TCS students’ submissions of original artwork to potentially become the cover of either our 2-5 grade program, Light of the World: Share the Joy, or ourK-1 program, Sounds of Christmas. Interested students should create a drawing or painting to be used as the invitation and program cover. The final artwork will be selected by a TCS parent committee and will be showcased on the program cover. A 2–5 grade student’s artwork will be chosen for their program and a K-1 student’s creation will be chosen for Sounds of Christmas.
Guidelines:
Submissions should fit the title of the program.
Students should ONLY put their names on the back, in pencil, to insure anonymity for judging purposes.
Winning entries will then be signed by student for proper recognition.
Come cheer on TCS’s Cross Country Team at our championship meet this coming Tuesday, October 9th at Trinity Prep. beginning at 4:30 p.m. Flag football registration deadline is October 5. Please make sure to register online for flag football by October 5th. When registering, choose The Christ School and say yes to a uniform if you need one.
Girls basketball tryouts are on Tuesday, October 15th from 3:45 – 5:00 p.m. in the gym. Boys tryouts are on Wednesday, October 17th from 3:45 – 5:15 p.m. in the gym. Please come prepared with a t-shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes. Middle School Volleyball
Monday, October 8th
6th Grade Championship Match – 4:30 p.m.; HOME Cross Country
Championship Meet
Tuesday, October 9th 4:30 p.m.; Trinity Prep. Middle and Lower School Flag Football
Flag Football registration is open online. Choose The Christ School as your team and say yes to a uniform if you need one. Do not miss out, deadline is October 5th. Middle and Lower School Swimming
Monday, October 8th, 5:30 p.m. warm-up, 6:00 p.m.; Lake Highland Prep. Basketball
6th– 8th grade
Girls Try-outs
Tuesday, October 16, 3:45-5:00 p.m.; TCS gym.
Boys Try-outs
Wednesday, October 17, 3:45-5:15 p.m.; TCS gym.
Lower School Volleyball
Saturday, October 6th
5/4th grade Match Green Team – 10:00 a.m.; Faith Christian Academy
5/4th grade Match Gold Team – 9:00 a.m.; Faith Christian Academy Soccer
Saturday, October 6th
Boys 2nd/1st grade- 9:00 a.m.; TrottersPark #6
Girls 2nd grade – 11:00 a.m.; TrottersPark #5
Please check RenWeb for all athletic contests, announcements, forms and information.
Forms and information flyers can be found under Resource Documents. Contact Coach Wiborg with all athletic questions.
On National Philanthropy Day®, November 15, The Christ School thanks you for your support! Your involvement—whether as a donor, room parent, party planner, chaperone, lunch volunteer, event chair or team member—makes The Christ School experience unique, special, and meaningful for students and their families.
