A HAMILTON DISTRICT CHRISTIAN HIGH PUBLICATION
Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the holy one, is here. Be Still, for the Presence of the Lord by David J. Evans
FALL 2023
Vol. 17 Issue 1
Faithful Presence
The theme for 2023-24 School Year is Presence Ways We are Present Each person who comes to HDCH, whether staff, student, parent or community member, is called to be present. Adults, present with our students, support HD’s vision that our students be a faithful presence in the communities that they serve. We are called to be: • Present with God • Present with each other • Present with our students • Present in our city and region
Why Presence? When HDCH staff speak about being present with students, we mean working “with” students and knowing each student.
Social Discipline Window Costello, Wachtel and Wachtel, 2009
Our 2023-24 theme of Presence asks each of us to be more intentional in the ways we are present with students, families, and with one another. As adults, we know that modeling presence will help our students be more present in their learning and daily interactions.
Expectations & Challenges
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Educators and support staff alike are intentional in our relationships with students. We set high expectations for community participation, while simultaneously providing high support to reach those expectations. This is consistent with the Restorative Practices we are committed to at HDCH.
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Support, Nurture
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Our Anchor Image This 500-year-old image from a language textbook written by John Amos Comenius is our anchor image depicting what being present with students means.
The student is poised to learn, pointing to his ear that is ready to hear and inclining his head toward his teacher. The teacher stands, cloaked in knowledge, ready to walk alongside the student, sharing the wisdom that he has learned that is inspired by the Word of God which shines through him. We see both student and teacher with their two feet firmly planted on fertile ground–putting them in a place of readiness for learning as they journey together. While ideas about teaching have evolved from Comenius’ time, there are many faithful messages that resonate as we think of being present with our students today. Comenius and his student circa 1650
HDCH Vision: To see all HDCH students be a faithful presence in the communities that they serve.
The Lord’s Prayer is our Anchor Scripture Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
"I will go, Lord, if you lead me." Here I Am, Lord by John Michael Talbot
Matthew 6:9-13 NIV
Jesus’s presence on earth and his teaching on prayer open up the kingdom to us. Our job as Christian educators is to provide our students with opportunities to see the kingdom at work here and now, on earth as it is in heaven, and to participate in the ongoing work of the Spirit. Our Anchor Quote HD staff is referencing Doug Blomberg’s 2007 book Wisdom and Curriculum: Christian Schooling After Postmodernity for our anchor quote about God’s presence: The more we are fully present as persons, engaging the various dimensions of our humanness and wholeheartedly accepting a challenge, the more we learn. D. Blomberg, Wisdom and Curriculum: Christian Schooling after Postmodernity, Dordt College Press
We love this quote because it is a powerful statement about how our own work to be present enhances our own learning and how encouraging our students to be present will help their learning too. Staff members who are engaged and challenged inspire students to accept challenges in turn.
H
ymns that speak to us about Presence
Be Still, for the Presence of the Lord David J. Evans
Great is Thy Faithfulness Thomas Chisholm
Here I am, Lord Daniel L. Schutte
"Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide" Great Is Thy Faithfulness by Thomas Chisholm (1866-1960)
Staff are present with students as coaches, directors and in learning.
A Case Study in Presence:
Cell Phone Use at HD One of the practical applications of being present at school is cell phone use. Cell phone use in classrooms is a tricky conversation because their use impacts how students are fully present in class. We need to find a balance somewhere between the two extremes of an outright ban on cell phones in school on one end and no regulation whatsoever on the other end. Many of us use our mobile devices as mini-computers. During the school day, it’s common that quick and sometimes urgent staff communication takes place via text. Some of our courses require cell phones. For example, Mr. Hordyk’s grade tens have used their cell phones as microscopes to magnify pond creatures! Other classes use phones for Kahoot quizzes, class exit tickets, or research assignments. Some teachers ask students to photograph or shoot videos of their work for assessment purposes. At the same time, both staff and students can become distracted by our phones. Such distraction means we are no longer fully present either in our learning or social environment. As part of our presence theme, we are exploring ways to use mobile devices with discernment, as useful tools, while not impeding on or distracting from important work in the classroom. Join us at The Voice, following the Membership Meeting on November 20 for dialogue on Cell Phone use at HD.
Upcoming Events Oct 14 ~ Golden Horseshoe Revival Concert Nov 1 ~ Exceler8 Nov 20 ~ New Parents’ Dinner Nov 20 ~ Membership Meeting & The Voice Nov 28 ~ New Parent Info Session (Zoom) Dec 14 ~ Christmas Concert Jan 27 ~ New Family Open House hhh To find out more about these events, visit our website ~ hdch.org/events or contact Tina VanDyk, Engagement Co-ordinator tvandyk@hdch.org | 905.648.6655 x 110
A standard personal mobile device becomes a microscope in Mr Hordyk’s Grade 10 Science class.
Connecting With Us Duncan Todd Principal principal@hdch.org 905.648.6655 x 105
Sara Whetstone Vice Principal swhetstone@hdch.org 905.648.6655 x 103
Nate VanKampen Dean of Students nvankampen@hdch.org 905.648.6655 x 109 Sandra Baker Advancement & Admissons sbaker@hdch.org 905.648.6655 x 122
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whyHDCH | www.hdch.org