November 2010 Paws for Thought by Legacy PCA

Paws for Thought The Official Student Newspaper of

LPCA exists to cultivate parental involvement in the educational process of their children, to instill students with a biblical worldview and the passion to stand firm and articulate boldly in defense of their faith, to prepare them for the rigors of college to guide them into independent learning, and to train our students to always give themselves fully to the work of the Lord, because their labor will not be in vain. Truth is revealed by God through Christ “in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3

NOVEMber 2010 • Volume IV • Issue III

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Fourth Grader Zapalac Turns Legacy Prep into a Bully-Free Zone By Sarah Cruthirds

aite Zapalac is a current fourth grader at Legacy. She is a model student, in the words of Dean of Family Ministry Stephanie Koppelman, and the initiative-driven girl who started LPCA’s first friendship campaign. Sure, you hear of kids every year designing programs and making national news or meeting the President, but this one was created especially for Legacy. That’s what makes it special. “I was bullied last year,” said Taite, who saw some of the same behavior this year at Legacy. “I noticed a new boy getting picked on, so I decided to do something about it.” And she did. Zapalac created the De-Bug Program to promote a bully-proof school. The pamphlet includes five steps on how to “de-bug” or get a bully off of you, the biblical definition of what a friend is, and the importance of her cause. “I can’t say how proud I am of Taite,” exclaimed Mrs. Koppelman, “She did everything; all I did was make the copies.” “Everywhere you go there are mean people. If you have to deal with that at school you should have a way of getting them off your back,” said Taite. She wants to give others a venue for debugging in a Christ-like manner. Mrs. Koppelman, who helped Taite get her program rolling, said, “In our character-driven college prep school, that is how we want them to be when they leave here. Rarely, if ever, have I seen that much initiative in someone so young.” A brave Taite stood before nearly the entire school and explained the friendship campaign. Next she gave instructions on how to sign up. “When you sign up, you pledge to help make Legacy prep an ‘anti-bully’ environment.” Romans 10 is the passage Taite said inspired her. The first part is about how Moses explains that anyone who proclaims God will be saved, and God is Lord of all. “Anyone who trusts in him, shall never be put to shame, for there is no difference between Jew and Gentile.” (Verses 11-12) It is also about how the Israelis rejected this and Isaiah pleaded to the Lord, ((continued on p.20)

November 2010

LPCA Welcomes Two New Board Members By Rebecca Schardt

he Legacy school board is announcing two new appointments to the Board of Directors. Mark Furber and Angie Condley have been invited to be a part of the Board of Directors. They are profiled in feature articles in this edition of PFT. You may be wondering how someone becomes part of the board and what it takes. This will explain all of it. Any current board member, or any member of (continued on p.19)

Lions Wrap Up First Football Season p.8

And the Lord said, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for me?” And Isaiah replied, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 68

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Mrs. May’s Message

Spread the WORD!

s part of October’s character trait the students discussed, in large and small ways, the matter of initiative; seeing what needs to be done and doing it. I don’t often discuss the character trait because that’s taken care of by Mrs. Koppelman. But, those of us at Legacy Prep are very familiar with the process of getting things done, and therefore, are well versed in initiative. Every day I see initiative-driven people, both young and old, stepping up and doing those things that can be difficult and challenging; each person contributing their gift or talent to the work of preparing our students to be godly examples and to moving Legacy into the place the surrounding community wants to be a part of. As I’m sure you’ve discovered, we’re the best kept secret in The Woodlands!

dedicated fathers and administrative staff dove off into the world of junior high sports and established our first football team. While the boys may have only one win, their initiative was something to be proud of. It takes courage to turn initiative into action! While I am sure that there will be many more years of football to come, the young men that participated this year will always have the privilege of being the first, setting the standard, and raising the example. This school year is a pivotal one for us. We are about to take another leap into the “unknown” as we develop an outstanding high school program and serve our upper school community. We have dedicated board members, administration staff, students and parents committed to expanding this model and Legacy so that we reach the full

One small way to spread the word about Legacy Prep is to purchase one of our new and very nifty car decals! Since becoming accredited last year, I’ve seen many doors begin to open. Families in the surrounding areas with older children in grades 9th and up are calling almost daily. Parents, both new and returning, have approached me with incredible ideas about how to get our name out in the community, the possibilities of grant writing, land deals in the area, and possible donors with a heart for private education. Our board has expanded with people who are energetic and driven to see Legacy become a K-12 school, fully utilizing the University Model and preparing our students for higher education. Opportunities abound but we must grab the moment and take advantage of the place in time God has prepared us for. Initiative has served us well over the last few years, especially as it relates to the feedback we receive from you. As a staff, we always love hearing your ideas and relish the times we are able to act upon great suggestions. One example will be the change to the upcoming lower school electives being offered in the spring. Many of you have observed the chaos that has become Friday electives. Spurred on by your feedback, we have made a change to the way those will be offered, asking you to sign up in blocks and dismissing all lower school students by noon. We hope that you will find this adds more freedom to your day, and benefits your family’s schedule. Initiative is also what created our first athletic teams. As we met with interested families, many of them loved the idea of the school, but felt that we were missing an important piece of school pride. So, with nothing more than an inkling of understanding about six-man football, a group of November 2010

potential we are meant to fulfill. For the first time in our history, Legacy will surpass 200 students next year. Do you realize that this is only about 100 students less than Woodlands Christian Academy? We are no longer the little school meeting in a few rooms of a half-empty church, but a thriving preparatory, 185-strong student body about to burst the walls of our current location... again! How mighty is our God! But, we can’t be like the Israelites, sitting back and waiting on God to do it all. We are his vessels and his will is accomplished through us. It will take all of us stepping up and out to make Legacy successful. There are many ways to help out, but one small way would be to purchase one of our new and very nifty car decals. As I walked the parking lot this morning I saw a lot of advertising space on the backs of those vehicles! Be sure to place your ad on your car as soon as possible so that we can spread the Legacy word! Another great need would be for you to join a committee and choose your passion! With so much growth and so many different interests, it may take a small army to accomplish all that’s before us! After saying all of this, I want to end with a challenge. What is God giving you the initiative to do? Do you have the courage to act on it or will you sit by and hope that someone else will take your place. Don’t be a bystander! Come on and get on board with us as we do what we do best, pioneer new paths for God’s kingdom! PFT Serving Him and You, Audra May amay@legacypca.org • 936-337-2000 2

Paws for Thought The Official Student Newspaper of

NOVEMBER 2010 Volume IV • Issue III Audra May Executive Editor amay@legacypca.org Daron Jones Managing Editor djones@legacypca.org

8th Grade Editors & Photographers Meggy Brown Sarah Cruthirds Keegan Ellis Darby Goodwin Adele Mouna James Pirkle Rebecca Schardt Travis Wilson 7th Grade Editors & Photographers Amber Condley Gabby Hogan Kasen Jones Jake Koppelman Jessica Lawrence Chandlyr Mickan Ben Portilla Caroline Shook Jenna Williams Tray Wright

Our Very Own Cinderella! By Jessica Lawrence

egacy has its own Cinderella story. Ms. Elise Quinn, Legacy’s upper school Spanish and science teacher, got married October 8. She and her new husband, Randy Salazar, got married at First Baptist Church in The Woodlands. They met in their Sunday school class and casually knew each other for about a year. Then one day he asked her out. She was dating someone else at the time so she had to turn him down. A couple of months later, she was out of that relationship, and sent him an email to see if he was still interested. He was! They count their Sunday school Christmas party as their dating anniversary, because they have been inseparable ever since. Her husband, Randy, is a graduate of Klein Oak High School and Sam Houston State University, where he majored in history. He is working on a second degree in accounting at Sam Houston. Randy loves his job as a deputy sheriff. He has been with Montgomery County for almost five years. He patrols in The Woodlands at night, and likes to check on their favorite places to go, just to make sure all is okay. He hopes to become an accountant for the FBI. Since Ms. Quinn wanted to get back to her students’ smiling faces quickly after the wedding, they went to Galveston for the weekend for their honeymoon. They enjoyed the submarine and ship at Sea Wolf Park, Moody Gardens, and dinner at the Rainforest Café. Over Christmas break, they plan to go to San Antonio for the week. Randy loves the history in San Antonio and she loves the shopping. Since her students already know her as Ms. Quinn, she says, “My new last name is Salazar. But this year, I’ll go by either name.” The Legacy staffers congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Salazar and wish them a wonderful life together. Looks like the shoe fits! PFT

A Formula for Success in Ethiopia By Kara Portilla, LPCA Parent

y son, Ben, is in seventh grade. We are loving our Legacy experience in our first year at the school. Another passion of our family is our charitable organization, called Into the Streets of Ethiopia. God called us to this cause, and it has enriched our lives. Our aim is to raise financial support, basic living essentials, and educational items for children living in Ethiopia. Improving a child’s living standard and providing for education will help to contribute to their future well-being and adjustment in society. It is our desire to partner with charitable organizations which serve underprivileged youth in Ethiopia. All funds will be devoted to the cause of helping street children and at risk children in Ethiopia. We are currently partnered with Adoption Ministry of YWAM-Ethiopia. We serve them by helping supply life-saving formula to their four orphanages in the country.

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Into the Streets currently ships 120 pounds of “liquid gold” on a monthly basis, which feeds 30-40 babies. This is not nearly enough to sustain these precious babies, but as the Lord grows our ministry, our shipment will increase. I am going to Ethiopia Nov. 4-13 to accompany our latest shipment of formula. I am also taking plenty of cash to assist with emergency needs and establish an emergency formula fund in the country. In the last month, there has been a tremendous increase of abandoned babies brought into YWAM’s care, thus requiring funds available in Ethiopia to meet the needs of the new babies. In the last two years, the cost of formula in Ethiopia has risen over 400%. Formula brought in from the states is higher in nutrition and protein, allowing severe malnourished babies a higher chance of survival and future growth. 3

For those who may feel called to aid in our efforts, we are always seeking financial contributions for formula and other areas we will be working with YWAM on. We also welcome any formula donations, and find that Walmart’s brand is the best value in size and price. Thank you to the entire Legacy Prep family for your support in this cause. For more information, visit our website at www.IntotheStreetsofEthiopia.com. PFT November 2010

Scouts Invade College Station for SHAC-Jam

Character Trait of the Month

Uniqueness By Stephanie Koppelman, Dean of Family Ministry

f bugs creep you out, don’t read this paragraph. Scientists know there are some 900,000 different kinds of living insects. That’s based on past and present studies. And those are just the ones we KNOW about. Scientists can only guess at the true number of species of insects. Conservative estimates suggest there are two million kinds of insects. Other estimates are as high as 30 million. And that’s just species of insects. Scientists say that on any given day, there are 10 quintillion individual insects alive and kicking (that’s with 19 zeroes). That represents the largest biomass of animals that live on the land. That’s about 300 pounds of insects for every pound of human flesh. And that doesn’t include other “bugs” like arachnids (spiders), crustaceans (crabs, barnacles), and myriapods (centipedes, millipedes). Are you feeling outnumbered? Bug-aphobes, start reading here. Whatever your personal feelings about bugs, all these creepy crawly creatures point to something remarkable: how much we DON’T know about them. Their total numbers, where the undiscovered ones live, what their role is in life. But what we DO know about them, even if that knowledge could fit on a speck on the freckle behind the knee of the very back leg of a centipede, underscores the marvelous diversity of creation and the fantastic imagination of their Creator. In short, knowledge of bugs, or anything God created, helps us better understand HIM. In the same way, knowledge of OTHERS helps us better understand ourselves. Ever heard a five-year-old compare and contrast himself with a friend? “You like to make worms with the play dough, and I like to run over them with the car.” A fifth-grade boy may watch his favorite baseball player hit home runs on TV, learning how he himself can increase his batting average. Again, knowledge of others helps us better understand ourselves. So in November we’ll be talking about uniqueness (which is learning more about others so you can know more about yourself) and the fact that God made each of us unique. On purpose! By looking for the gifts and talents of other people, a kid can begin to appreciate everyone’s importance in God’s story, including his own. Kids will learn that it’s okay, even good, to be different and that God made them with a unique blend of talents, abilities, and gifts for a reason. The same God who took the time to design each and every one of those 10 quintillion insects, in all their glorious variety, made each of us. That is truly remarkable. Here are some things we think are important for kids to understand about themselves, about others, and about God’s purpose for them when it comes to uniqueness: • God made everybody different. What is it that makes you stand out? God can use those differences to change lives, yours and others’. Deborah is an impressive case in point (Judges 4:1-24). • God made everybody a somebody. Most everybody has felt like a nobody at some point. Gideon sure did. But God had some big plans for Gideon (Judges 6:11--7:22). • God can use anybody to share His message, even a locust-eating man who lived in the wilds of the Judean desert. Who listens to you? What are your words and actions “telling” others about God? (Matthew 3:1-6) • God gave everybody special abilities. God not only created a package of talents and abilities just for you, He gives you “spiritual gifts” when you become a Christian (1 Corinthians 12:1-11). We think this is going to be a great opportunity to help kids get to know themselves and others, and even more importantly, their heavenly Father and some of the things He may have planned for them. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31, NIV). PFT

By Keegan Ellis

HAC-Jam is the Sam Houston Area Council’s 100th Anniversary Scouting Jamboree. It was held at the Texas World Speedway in College Station, October 8-10. SHAC-Jam happens every 50 years to celebrate another half-century of boy scouting. There were so many fun things to see and do at SHAC-Jam. For example, Legacy 6th grader, Bobby Cruthirds from Troop 355, said, “We got to shoot rifles, see military fighting vehicles and weapon demonstrations, and went to the largest rocket launch in the world, 3200 rockets!” One hundred of those rockets were from Bobby’s troop alone. The scouts also got to shoot cannons and the helicopter from FOX news was giving tours. Bobby is at the far right, middle row, in the photo above. Scouts from Houston, Beaumont, Galveston and Austin attended the event. Troops from these cities are part of the Sam Houston Area Council. This year’s guest speaker was Lord Baden-Powell’s greatgranddaughter, Jilian Clay. Lord Baden-Powell started the scouting movement in 1907. He also wrote about the principles of scouting in Scouting for Boys in 1908. Jilian came all the way from the UK to speak and share memories of her great-grandfather. This was her first trip to the US. When asked what the coolest part of SHAC-Jam was, Bobby said, “shooting shotguns and Saturday night’s closing ceremonies, I can’t decide between the two!” It sounds like a good time was had by all, and by all I mean 25,498 scouts! What a great event to bring troops together and learn from each other and make new friends. PFT

Mrs. DePrang’s and Ms. Bone’s second graders studied vertebrates in science. The students chose vertebrates to research, gave presentations to the class, and created their animals using clay. Here are some of the masterpieces!

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Cone Family in Tune with LPCA Melody By Keegan Ellis

egacy Prep’s music teacher, Rebecca Cone, began playing the piano at age seven and has always been involved musically at school, church, and in the community. She loves to sing, but says the piano is the instrument on which God blessed her with talent. She began accompanying church services, weddings, and school choirs in junior high. She loves to share, whether it’s through performing or teaching. Rebecca has a husband named Jeff and two children, Brennan and Jocelyn. Brennan is in the 5th grade and Jocelyn is in 2nd grade. Both are attending Legacy for their first year and love it. They have made new friends and have adjusted quickly to the school after homeschooling. They wish they could attend school every day. In Rebecca’s music class the younger students have learned about how God has created music through nature, and have discussed how music makes different sounds and beats. They have listened to a variety of classical music, sang songs and played rhythm instruments in class. The older students are learning how to play the recorder. Mrs. Cone pursued an education in music at Cedarville University in Ohio. She soon realized that she needed to focus her time and energy on the piano, not voice or any other instrument. So Rebecca earned her degree in piano performance and pedagogy. Rebecca has always known that she wanted to teach. She has taught piano for 20 years now but God has also allowed her to teach middle school choir and elementary school music in Pennsylvania. She loved her time there investing in her student’s lives, planning and directing a spring musical, taking a group to a choral competition and festival, and sharing her love for music with each student. Rebecca came to know Christ when she was four years old. Growing up in a Christian home, her older sister was very concerned about Rebecca. When they were playing checkers one night, Rebecca lost and she began to cry. So her sister asked her if she was crying because she lost or because she wanted to accept Jesus into her heart. Rebecca didn’t want to admit that she was a sore loser so she said that she wanted to be saved. Her sister brought their mom into the

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room and went through the plan of salvation together. She believed she knew she needed Him in her life and that lie was a catalyst to truly accepting His forgiveness. She struggled with the fact her salvation came from sin for years but isn’t that the point? Rebecca rededicated herself when she was nine years old at church camp one summer. Although the Christian life is not easy and she believes we can easily lose the joy of salvation, it only takes asking to be restored to take back that joy. God promises to “never leave us nor forsake us!” Her God-given talent, education, and her decision to accept Jesus in her heart led her to Legacy. Mrs. Cone found out about Legacy just a couple weeks after she moved to Texas. As a homeschool mom, many people she met mentioned Legacy as a resource for enrichment activities and classes. In the spring, she attended an information session with her children and was excited about what Legacy offered, but she 5

knew that she would have to find a job that was flexible to make it happen. A few weeks later Rebecca checked the Legacy website and saw that Legacy was looking for a music teacher. At that very given moment she knew that if God wanted them at Legacy, He would open the doors of opportunity. He did! One of the things that connected her was the first view of the school’s website featured Jeremiah 29:11-13: 11 ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. This is one of her favorite passages of scripture. Mrs. Cone believes that God has our lives planned and that He will show us the steps to take when we seek Him! She believes she is living proof of that. PFT November 2010

Nehemiah of the Month

Do you know someone who has gone above and beyond to help Legacy prep build its walls? Nominate your Nehemiah by emailing djones@legacypca.org.

Fourth Graders Visit Zoo

Shalaina Cruthirds Project Coordinator By Sarah Cruthirds How did you first come to Legacy? Seven years ago my son, Bobby, and Mrs. May’s son, Ryan, were in pre-K together at a church near my house. She was in the process of trying to start Legacy then. Over the next few years God was working on my heart, and the public schools in our area were deteriorating, and I ended up at an information meeting... So three years ago my daughter, Sarah, started Legacy in the 6th grade, and now we are so blessed that Bobby (6th) and Grace (pre-k) are both Legacy Lions as well. What are your duties at LPCA? As Project Coordinator I get to do so many different things at school. I help out in the workroom with copying, laminating, etc. I supervise our students in the lunchroom and at recess. I collect the attendance from teachers. I’m also responsible for coordinating our hot lunch program, substitute teachers, and the SAT program. What is your favorite part of your job? Your least favorite? My favorite part is spending time with our awesome students and parents. I really don’t have a least favorite part. I am on my feet all day and I’m tired when I get home, but I also have a great sense of satisfaction knowing that I worked hard and did my best. If you were to win the lottery what are the first things you would do? 1. Pay off debt 2. Make a financial gift to my church 3. Make a financial gift to my favorite school (gee, I wonder what school that is!) What is your favorite snack? My favorites are cashews and chocolate-covered raisins.

By Gabby Hogan Photos by Jenna Williams

rs. Forester and Mrs. Manning recently took their fourth grade science classes on a field trip to Houston Zoo to explore some of God’s wonderful creations. They were studying the classifications of animals and the zoo really brought this concept to life for the students. On this trip they viewed many different animals, but the most exciting were the orangutans. They put on quite a show for us! “The students had studied habitats, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and unique characteristics of animals and their classification systems,” said Mrs. Forester. “They were to look for indicators of these items during the zoo trip.” As an extra bonus we had amazing weather, which made viewing the animals even more pleasurable. We ended the day with what I think is one of the most beautiful animals at the zoo, the Red Panda. We watched in amazement as the animals interacted. PFT The Lions visited the octopus exhibit.

We are thankful that

The Lord has blessed What do you do for fun? LPCA with the I grew up with sports so I love evCruthirds family. erything from little league baseball to NFL football – and everything in between. I went to a Houston Aeros game a few years ago and was surprised how much I loved it – it was super fast-paced and so much fun to watch. I also enjoy going through antique shops, and LOVE listening to older folks talk about historical events from the past.

How did you come to Christ? I was raised in the church so I never knew anything else – Jesus has just always been in my life. I was 13 years old when my father baptized me at our church. It’s a special bond that he and I will always share. Where did you grow up? I grew up in Clear Lake City, just a few miles away from the NASA space center. It’s amazing how much of a small town it was back then and how much of a huge (and crowded) metropolis it is now! Where did you go to college? Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. I have a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology. Favorite bible verse? “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 Anything else you’d like to share during this shining moment of intense fame? To our students: I hope each of you know how special you are to me. To our parents: I count it a blessing to stand with you as we all work together to train our children for Christ. PFT November 2010

They also enjoyed this gorgeous bald eagle. www.legacypca.org

A Bird Nest in the Hand is Worth..

By Tray Wright

rs. Wright’s Pre-K class made bird nests for their science class. The students talked about how birds had to build the bottom of the nest fairly thick to support the baby birds after they hatched. The activity helped the class explore some of the basic wonders found in nature and related this truth back to them with Biblical truth (Psalm 91:1-4, “God takes good care of me”). Involving God with basic instruction is a wonderful way for children to learn science and see how science points back to our Creator. PFT

8th Grade Poll Where Would You Like to Go to College? James Pirkle Ole Miss Travis Wilson UT or LSU Mrs. Carrico’s 7th and 8th graders recently had some fun with a quick response dart game. The math exercise reinforced sets of ordered pairs, quadrants, domain, range, graphing, and precision! (Left) Darby Goodwin, Adele Mouna, Rebecca Schardt, and Sarah Cruthirds have their poor victim, James Pirkle, surrounded. (Above) The 7th graders get in on the act. www.legacypca.org

Adele Mouna An Art Institute Rebecca Schardt Hardin-Simmons Sarah Cruthirds UT, TCU, A&M, or Duke Meggy Brown Texas A&M Ty Koumonduros Oregon, Oregon State, Boise State, UT Keegan Ellis Undecided Gabe Locke Undecided November 2010

Gridiron Lions Lay Foundation for Future

By Sarah Cruthirds

egacy Executive Director Audra May was presented with a football figurine years before the school was ready to have sports. The figure was wearing a green uniform with Legacy on the front and her last name on the back, signifying her sons. Since that time she has taken it as her personal responsibility to put a team of boys onto the gridiron to represent Legacy in the game of football. As we all know, this year that dream came true. There has probably never been a group of people as proud of a 1-6 record as The Lions’ Den. But like all good things, God put us on a long, hard road to get here. Back at the start of the journey, Mrs. May quickly found we couldn’t field an 11-man team. We simply didn’t have enough students. Then she found six-man football and its slightly different rules – an 80-yard field, everyone is an eligible receiver, etc. This sounded perfect for Legacy Prep.

SEND IN THE COACHES

This past year, with accreditation finally behind them, the staff hit the ground running, determined to put boys on a field. First they had to find a group of men willing and able to teach and coach football. Their prayers were answered. Rodney Manning, Miles Freeman, Brandon May, Anthony Curl, and Jay Mondick were the brave souls who answered the school’s motto, “Here am I. Send Me!” (Isaiah 6:8). “It has always been a dream of mine to coach football,” said Head Coach Manning, “and lead young men onto the field of battle. But to lead them into battle for a school that puts our Christian values first is a blessing for me.” When Coach May was asked why he followed the motto, he answered, “When Matt Koppelman did the first Him Possible Father Breakfast, it hit me that I needed to be heavily involved in the coaching of the team. I was so tied up in baseball for four boys that I had not thought about it until Him Possible. I was there, so I went forward.” The coaches worked the boys hard in an eight-week summer conditioning program, pushing them to their limit. But each week they improved. Getting stronger, faster, and smarter, the boys became warriors in the words of Defensive coordinator Miles Freeman. “As the father of four daughters, I consider it my job as dad to prepare the girls to be great helpers for their future husbands,” said Freeman, “I want them to marry well. I want them to marry warriors that love Jesus. Warriors don’t just happen. They are trained and molded.” November 2010

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FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT

The coaches did indeed send their warriors into battle in Legacy’s first year of competitive football. The dream was finally reality. The Lions lost almost every game, but had the support of nearly the entire school every time they took the field. Then came that fateful day in Chester, a game that will go down in Legacy Prep history. At the half the Lions and Yellow Jackets were tied 13-all, and it was an exciting game. By the fourth quarter Chester led 26-13 with about six minutes to play. Then the offense took over and made the coaches and fans proud. Running back Ty Koumonduros scored two late touchdowns that propelled the Lions to their first and only win. “I told the boys to build a brick wall,” said Coach Manning. “They did it and they won!” Ben Portilla had 11 tackles and Gabe Locke had one of his three interceptions of the year.

A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS

The trained and molded warriors often played from behind, but they played with pride. “Building anything from the ground-up is difficult. Building and winning are very different. Building a foundation for success has begun. It can be measured by the young men’s growth and attitude toward the game and each other,” said Coach Freeman. Coach May, father of players Travis and Ryan, said this season taught him patience. “I trust that God has a plan for LPCA and that I am a small part of the plan.” Despite the record, considering the long road Mrs. May and the school took to get here, the season has to be considered a success. This team paved the way for future teams to walk on, and they have created memories for themselves that will last forever.

GAME RECAPS St. Anthony’s of Padua 33, Legacy 12

By James Pirkle On October 14th, the Lions lost to the St. Anthony’s of Padua Dolphins 33-12. While there wasn’t much to cheer about, Ty Koumonduros rushed for 146 yards on 13 carries and a TD. Travis May added the other TD on a nice reception from QB Jake Koppelman. Koumonduros was a leader on defense with six tackles, and Ryan May led all tacklers with seven. Gabe Locke intercepted his second pass of the year in a defensive highlight for the Lions. Coach Manning said afterwards, “I am proud of the boys. They have come a long way.”

LIONS LEADERS

Koumonduros ended the season, despite his injuries, with a team-leading 703 all-purpose yards, 643 of it rushing. His 10 kickoffs averaged 31.3 yards per kick, and he scored nine touchdowns, most on the team. Quarterback Jake Koppelman was 28 for 64 for 350 yards passing, eight TDs and two interceptions. His longest completion was 47 yards. Ryan May had 12 receptions for 174 yards and four TDs. Travis ran for 344 yards and scored eight TDs. Landon Davis had two touchdowns, as well. On defense, Ben Portilla had 34 unassisted tackles and eleven assisted. He also had the first and only quarterback sack. Gabe Locke had three interceptions, including the first ever. Many of the coaches have said they are coming back next year, but Coach Manning is undecided at this time. “My family and I will have to pray and see where God leads us for next year.” Coach May said, “Like the movie Sandlot – each kid plays their role in the drama of the football team and they create memories for us.” The coaches, players, parents, and fans will remember this season forever. They will remember it as the season where a bunch of scared boys became warriors, and a season where the jerseys didn’t come until the third game. And a season where God touched the hearts of everyone and gave Legacy a foundation that can be built on for years to come. PFT www.legacypca.org

Tomball Christian 56, Legacy 32

By Jake Koppelman The Legacy Lions played the final game of their first season on October 21. They were handled by the Tomball Christian Warriors 56-32. Travis May returned a kick for a touchdown while seeing limited action due to an injury. Landon Davis broke a few big runs and ended up with 129 yards and a TD. QB Jake Koppelman threw the ball a season-high 20 times, completing eight for 91 yards and three TD’s. His favorite target was Ryan May, who had a season-high six catches for 71 yards and two TD’s. Defensively Locke was locked in with eight tackles and an interception. After the game, the players recognized the cheerleaders and their equipment manager (and PFT staffer), Sarah Cruthirds, for their hard work and support throughout the season. The boys had fun and played hard, but came up short. PFT 9

November 2010

Coach Mondick Has the Time of His Life

By Tray Wright

r. Jay Mondick is a Legacy parent and one of the assistant football coaches. He came to Legacy because he and his wife, Valeria, wanted to keep Christ in their children’s lives. Their son Jay is in 5th grade, and daughter Presley is in Kindergarten. He says he wanted to coach to be close to his son. “There’s more to life than working all the time! I played quarterback in college and wanted to volunteer some knowledge I learned from my experience. Most of all, I wanted to spend time with my son, Jay,” Coach Mondick stated. Coach Mondick was born in Memphis, Tennessee. “We moved from there when I was three months old and I lived in Dallas until I was five years old. We moved again to Albuquerque, New Mexico, until I was in the 5th grade and moved to Spring, Texas, in 1976 until my sophomore year in high school. We moved to Conroe, where I finished high school in 1983.” Coach Mondick accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior while he was finishing up his senior year in high school. “I am still amazed of God’s grace everyday,” he says. Coach Mondick and Mrs. Valerie Mondick have been blessed to own their own personal training gym, called Jay’s Gym. His role on the team is to coach the quarterbacks and offensive line. He says he enjoys watching the kids persevere and come together as a team during adversity, and never giving up when they are down, just as in life itself. “I really enjoyed helping out with the team,” he says. “It was one of the best times of my life. I hope and pray the kids learned a lot about adversity and how to trust God with their life. No matter what the scoreboard says, we will always win if our eyes are fixed on Jesus.” PFT

November 2010

Coach Curl: From the Longhorns to the Lions By Darby Goodwin

ssistant coach Anthony Curl decided to join the staff at Legacy Prep because God has blessed him with an athletic ability. This Legacy parent and former college star sees coaching as an excellent opportunity to “give back and share football knowledge and experience to help players grow as athletes and as individuals.” Coach Curl began playing football at age six. He was a three year starter in high school and named Houston Touchdown Club defensive player of the year. He was also a four-year starter at linebacker for the University of Texas Longhorns and is ranked fourth in career tackles there, as well. Coach Curl also played basketball, ran 400 meter, and did discus and shot put in high school. And by God’s will, he had no injuries during his football career. He grew up in a Christian household and came to learn at an early age that “Christ our Savior is the only way.” He is currently employed with an International Steamship Line and has two beautiful children, Kylee and Kayden. His wife, Nichole, was instrumental in getting the school moved to Woodland Place this past summer. Mr. Curl says he feels the best moment for the Lions this season was “watching the young players develop and gain confidence in their abilities.” Legacy is so blessed to have Anthony Curl on its football coaching staff. PFT

Coach Freeman: You Gotta Play Hurt! By Ben Portilla

iles Freeman is the defensive coach for the Legacy Lions football team. When asked why he decided to coach the Lions, he said, “I liked what I saw last year during the basketball season, and thought I could help with football.” Like many of his players, Coach Freeman had to play hurt this year. He also plays in an adult flag football league and recently twisted his leg going out for a pass. He will have to have surgery on it now that the season is over. Coach Freeman began a relationship with God through his step dad at the age of six. He has four children, and two of them attend Legacy – his oldest, Caroline, in 2nd grade, and Georgia in kindergarten. Mr. Freeman graduated from Texas A&M and majored in industrial distribution. When he has free time he likes to coach the Lions, bird hunt, play with his kids, and play in his flag football league as a wide receiver. Even with a throbbing leg, he still had the power to coach the Lions to the end of the season. Thanks for your effort, Coach Freeman! PFT 10

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Cheerleaders Leading the Charge!

By Meggy Brown

he Lions cheerleaders motivate our football players at games, and they have a lot planned for the future! To learn the cheers, the cheerleaders only have to practice each cheer a few times and they quickly catch on. They get the cheers from perusing Christian cheerleading websites, from cheer camp, or make some up. Soon the cheerleaders will start practicing stunts on their new mats. Some of the cheerleaders have enrolled in tumbling classes and will hopefully add some of the things they are learning into their school cheers. “We have a lot of new and exciting things coming up for the cheerleaders,” says Danielia Powell, one of the cheer coaches. She and the other coaches, Angie Condley and Shelly Smyth, are all LPCA parents and have a lot of great ideas together. Basketball season is approaching, and some of the cheerleaders are on the team. They will work out new formations to account for the girls who will be playing instead of cheering. They plan for all the girls to cheer at the boys’ basketball games. In the future, they hope to have new cheers and form a Varsity Cheer Squad as Legacy grows. “My plans for the girls in the future,” says Mrs. Smyth, “are first and foremost to continue to have a Christ-like attitude in all they do. I want them to learn to cheer as if they are cheering unto the Lord.” She also hopes they will build deep friendships as they master cheers. Coach Angie Condley says she and the other coaches will continue to encourage the girls to take an active role in seeking out new cheers that they can teach to each other. She would like to see them take ownership of the team and be able to run through games with less instruction from the coaches. Sounds like a lot of new and interesting things are coming up with the Lions cheerleaders. PFT

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November 2010

Sarah Cruthirds and author Chandlyr Mickan model Legacy’s sharp new uniforms during a preseason practice.

Lady Lions Ready to Take the Court

By Chandlyr Mickan

et ready Lions! This year’s girls’ basketball season at Legacy is going to be waaaay different than last year. This season, all the girls have experience ready to give and to grow in! The Lady Lions should be more confident in their abilities and less intimidated about this year. With two new fantastic coaches, Mrs. Audra May and Mrs. Leah Ford, who both have big basketball backgrounds playing at Texas A&M, the girls are expected to play great! (And be sore for a few days…) (Okay, maybe more than a few days...) “I have always been a student of the game and always will be,” says Coach May. “Basketball is a game in which you do not have to have a superstar to be successful. It is the one sport where, if people work together as a team, every member of that team will have something to contribute towards its success. Basketball is about working to serve others, to get your teammate open, to protect your teammate, to help your teammate, and to work together for a common goal.” She said coaching the girls this year was an easy decision. “I decided to take the team because I love these girls and I believe they are better than even they can imagine.” Her inspiration comes from her first coach, who made a big impact on her life. “He forgot more basketball than most coaches learn in a lifetime. He felt strongly November 2010

that fundamental skills and basic abilities that if I didn’t assist her, she would make were essential to winning. Nothing fancy! me wear the Lion mascot costume to all of He also taught us how to study our opthe football games!” ponents and look for their weaknesses. He The Lady Lions basketball team will helped us understand that any team could play at least eight different schools this be beaten on any given day. But, he was year. We will not be playing any public most concerned about us as individuals and schools, however. had high expectations of us re“The girls have everything garding attitude and work ethic. Lady Lions Roster they need to be successful,” says Thank you, Coach Lusk!” Coach May. “But they need to Makaila Bender Mrs. May played shooting leave all they have on the court Amber Condley forward and post during college, every game. We are going to set Sarah Cruthirds and during her senior year she goals and accomplish them.” Gabby Hogan played entirely post. She first Coach Ford’s advice to the Kasen Jones played at Angelina Jr. College, girls on her team is: “Get ready then transferred to Texas A&M. to WRECK SHOP!” Jessica Lawrence Coach Ford is also very For the losses this team is Chandlyr Mickan experienced. She played basketsure to take, the Lady Lions will Rebecca Schardt ball at Oak Ridge High School, do it with grace. No one wins at Annie Shook and trained with the track team. everything, but God wants our Her coach, Barbara Leon, was best. If we leave a game knowrespected in the community, and had her ing we were prepared both mentally and team practice hard. She knew the harder physically and played with heart, and we they worked, the better they would be on still lose, we know we gave our best. the court. If the coaches had one wish, it would Five of the six girls who graduated with be that the whole world knew Jesus. Coach Coach Ford went on to play with major uniMay wants kids today to realize that this versities. She is an avid runner, and hopes IS the best time of their lives, and that they to be an athlete her entire life. She knows should live strong, make memories, take that it is a lifelong decision to be healthy, chances, stand firm, and seize the day! not a “season.” As Colossians 3:23 says: “Whatever you When asked why she decided to become do, work at it with all your heart, as workan assistant coach this season, Mrs. Ford ing for the Lord, not for men, since you replied, “I’ve always loved sports and athknow that you will receive an inheritance letics, and I wanted to get to know some of from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord the upper school girls. And Coach May said Christ you are serving.” PFT 12

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Lions Looking to Improve Under Bender By Travis Wilson

t’s that time of year again! That’s right, this month marks the start of the second season for Legacy’s boys basketball team. Coming off a not-so-great first season, the team is hoping to improve on their record. Not only are there two new coaches, Head Coach Troy Bender and his assistant, Rodney Manning. There are also some great new additions to the team, including Ben Portilla, Bobby Cruthirds, Gabe Locke, Landon Davis, and Ty Koumonduros, among others. Coach Bender has coached on many different skill levels, from his son’s Upward basketball team to adult leagues. “God put the desire in my heart during one of the ball games last season. So I started preparing, even though I knew I might not get the chance. About a month later Mrs. May approached me about coaching the boys’ basketball team and I was more than happy to accept the opportunity.” This will be his first time coaching this age group (fifth through eighth grade). “I have great expectations for this team,” said Coach Bender. “I believe you will see great improvements in each player’s skill level and the team’s overall chemistry.” The new coaches and players are hoping it all adds up to new results. I hope all you Lions come out and show some pride for our boys’ basketball team throughout the year. PFT

New Head Coach Troy Bender (right) and Assistant Coach Rodney Manning (left) have high expectations for the Legacy hoopsters this season.

Lions Roster

Gabe Locke Ty Koumonduros Ben Portilla Jake Koppleman Travis May Ryan May Garret Chevalier Bobby Cruthirds Landon Davis Jared May Seth Wiley Malik Manning Mason Aguirre Josh Marvel Cole Howden www.legacypca.org

Legacy Basketball 2010-2011 Schedule

Nov: 1 - Scrimmage - Salem Lutheran - Away - G: 5:00, B: 6:00 Nov. 4 - Scrimmage - TWCA - Boys Only - Away -5:45 Nov. 8 - St. Anthony Padua - Home - G: 4:30, B: 5:30 Nov. 9 - Rosehill Christian - Home - G: 4:00, B: 5:00 Nov. 11 - 12 - Girls Tourney - St. Marks 4:30 Nov. 15 - Lifestyle Christian - Home - G: 4:00, B: 5:00 Nov. 18 - Abiding Word - Away - G: 4:30, B: 5:30 Nov. 30 - Providence Classical - Home - G: 5:30, B: 6:30 Dec. 6 - TWCA - Home - G: 4:30, B: 5:30 Dec. 7 - Abiding Word - Home - G: 4:30, B: 5:30 Dec. 10 - Rosehill Christian - Away - B: 4:00, G: 5:00 Dec. 13 - HCYA - Home - G: 4:30, B: 5:30 Jan. 10 - Lifestyle Christian - Away - G:4:00, B: 5:00 Jan. 11 - Salem Lutheran - Home - G: 4:30, B: 5:30 Jan. 17 - Brazosport Christian - Home - G: 4:00, B 5:00 Jan. 18 - HCYA - Home - G: 4:30, B: 5:30 Jan. 27 - Providence Classical - Away - G: 5:30, B: 6:30 Jan. 28 - 29 - Salem Lutheran Tourney - TBD Feb. 4 - Salem Lutheran - Away - G: 4:30, B: 5:30 November 2010

LPCA News & Notes NEW PHONE NUMBER Did we mention that Legacy Prep has a new main phone number? We do! Just call 936-337-2000 for all your LPCA needs. With the first quarter of school already behind us, we hope all of you have adjusted well to the UMS routine and are enjoying the time at home with your children. May God bless the extended Lions family.

MANE EVENT Keep selling those raffle tickets for our fall fundraiser, the Mane Event. The winning tickets will be drawn at this year’s Christmas banquet, held on December 2nd. Each raffle ticket gets the purchaser a chance at a 40-inch Samsung LED, ultra-slim, HD 1080p TV, an iPad, a Playstation3 with Move starter bundle, Chapel and more! Should you Stay and Pray wish to sell more than the required 20 tickets, we will Rebelution collect your first 20 and Fall Conferences re-issue a new set of 20 tickets to you. Any family Breakfast in the Park that sells 50 tickets will win Spring Registration a family fun night at Main Teacher Meeting Event Entertainment, complete with a limo ride, on Dads and Donuts Monday, December 6th.

IMPORTANT DATES NOVEMBER

SCHOOL DIRECTORY We are enabling the school directory on RenWeb. If you would not like your information (name, address, phone numbers, email address) listed, please let us know and we will remove your family.

1 3 5 1-5 6 8-12 10 15 15-22 17 19 22 23-26 29

SCRIP Fundraiser It’s time to place Scrip orders Scholastic Book Fair for the month of November. BE A CHRISTMAS Co-Teacher Training Scrip involves purchasing BANQUET TABLE HOST gift cards for items and Progress Reports due This year the Mane Event services you normally buy Grandparents Day and use. Legacy receives a Christmas Banquet is on percentage of the gift card December 2. If you are inThanksgiving Break amounts purchased. Ordering terested in hosting a table, Chapel instructions will come home email Rachel George at in folders on Monday. The rachelhlavenka@hotmail. deadline for placing orders is com. The “host” of a table Nov. 2nd. Everyone who places an order will be entered in coordinates the decorations and theme of the table to a drawing to win a $25 gift card to Wal-Mart! go along with this year’s overall banquet theme, “HOME NOVEMBER CHICK-FIL-A SPIRIT NIGHT We have another Chick-fil-a spirit night scheduled for November 3rd, from 3:30 -6:30. The cheerleaders and Roary will again be on-hand to spread the joy of Legacy Prep. The folks at Chick-fil-A are very hospitable and great to work with. We did great last time and raised enough for our first cheer mat! Way to go!! We are hoping to raise enough money again during this second spirit night to purchase our second new mat. Tell friends, family, neighbors, and grandparents to come by Wednesday afternoon and grab a bite to eat. Send out the news in emails and on Facebook! Let’s see if we can pack the Chick-fil-a with green and gold Legacy fans! Also, they do not have to come inside. If they need to be speedy, they can also go through the drive-through and just mention Legacy when they order! LIBRARY NEWS Did you know that you can go to scholastic.com and use their Book Wizard to type in any book title and they will give you the DRA level and grade level of the book? Simply go to scholastic.com, click on the book wizard, then choose DRA as your reading level system, which is located in the upper right hand corner of the page. When you type in the title of the book, it will come up with a reading interest level and the DRA level if they have one registered. Also, when ordering books from the web site through the classroom (fliers went home last week), you should go to scholastic.com, click the parent tab and then click on book clubs. From here you should register and will be prompted to put in the teacher code that is on the letter that went home with the fliers. Also, don’t forget the library code is HDZVM. We have a library wish list of books we would love to have. The deadline is Nov. 5th. November 2010

FOR THE HOLIDAYS.” You will build your decor from the table cloth up! This includes dishes (china or paper), flatware (silver or plastic), cups (glass, paper or plastic) and a centerpiece (which is your very own homemade dessert). As families purchase tickets they may request to sit at your table. This is a fun, creative event and prizes will be awarded!

Get Ready for Grandparents Day L

egacy Prep’s annual Grandparents Day celebration is coming fast. Monday, November 22 will be a half-day, consisting of preparation for our guests in the morning, followed by a school-wide assembly and program in the Sanctuary, then an open house and reception. The program usually lasts about an hour. We then dismiss the students to their parents/grandparents for the open house and reception. Hopefully everyone will be leaving to go home by noon. Traditionally, our program is a chance for each class to show off the neat things they have been working on thus far. The open house portion allows the parents and grandparents to enter the classrooms and see what’s going on day-to-day here at LPCA. After the parents and grandparents tour the rooms, there will be a cookies and punch reception in the gym. Please join us to visit and fellowship with your students and their families as soon as your classroom clears out. This is a fun and special day! Many grandparents come from out of town for this occasion, so we want them to feel warmly welcomed. It is a great way for some of them to wrap their minds around this unique school their grandchildren go to! It is a wonderful start to our Thanksgiving holiday. PFT

PRE-K & KINDERGARTEN DISMISSAL Parents, if you are coming in to pick up your PreK or Kindergarten student, please remain in the lobby area (at Mrs. Jody’s desk) and refrain from going down the hallway. You can take your student as the classes come by on their way to the gym. SURVEY In a continuous effort to make Legacy a better place, we are soliciting your feedback and ideas. This online survey should only take 5-10 minutes of your time. The link to the survey is www.surveymonkey.com/s/firstsemestersurvey. CHARACTER TRAIT It was such a wonderful month of learning about Initiative – seeing what needs to be done and doing it. We have seen many students take God’s word and put it into action. We’ve underscored the fact that God created initiative and is our model of it, and that He wants us to have initiative as well. But initiative can only take us so far. That’s why God wants us to do everything we can do, then trust Him to take care of the rest. When we do, He will do extraordinary things through our efforts, things that could only have been accomplished “with the help of our God” (Nehemiah 5:16). PFT 14

Frolicking Fifth Graders www.legacypca.org

Shooks Honored at East Texas Baptist University Reunion By Caroline Shook

n Thursday, October 7, the Shook family left for Marshall, Texas, for Brent and Audrey Shook’s college reunion at East Texas Baptist University (ETBU). A four-hour car ride awaited us, which wasn’t easy with a two-year-old and nine-monthold screaming the whole way there. Over the next few days we attended a school talent show, the Fire Ant Festival, and an art show, which some of my art was featured in. My father, Brent, won an award for being one of the most successful students to ever go to ETBU. He also gave a speech about his experiences at ETBU and his job as a skin cancer surgeon. On Monday the 11th, Legacy welcomed back Annie, Harrison, and me after our fun- filled trip. I brought back a story of one my parents’ professors, whose son, Jacob, nearly drowned in a canoe accident. But that, dear readers, is a tale for another time. (To find out more about the canoe accident read the book, Parting the Waters, by Jeanne Damoff, Jacob’s mom.) PFT

(Right) The Shooks on the ETBU campus. (Below) A selection of Caroline’s fabulous art was chosen for display during the art show.

Yummy Third-Grade Parthenons! By Jenna Williams

rs. Brown’s 3rd grade History classes made Greek Parthenons out of gingerbread and icing. The students were studying about ancient Greece and Greek architecture. They were assigned several weeks to work with their parents to create the Parthenons out of gingerbread, royal icing and candies. Good job, 3rd graders, on your fantastic works of art! PFT

Historical Thespians

By Rebecca Schardt

his past month the 5th grade history class performed skits. The class split into two groups and wrote their own scripts according to the story they had just finished studying, Queen Nzinga of Angola. Both groups prepared everything, from the script to each prop that they used. The groups were creative with their ideas and understood the story well. By the smiles on all of their faces no one would have been able to tell they were learning about history. “It was crazy fun,” said Ben Schardt. “I would definitely want to do it again.” PFT

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November 2010

Lions Attack SK8 Town!

SK8 Town hosted Legacy Prep on Thursday, October 28. Thanks to all the families who came out to this fundraiser and had a great time. SK8 Town is always a gracious host to the Lions family, and helped us earn more than $300. Congratulations to Mrs. McCallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s class, which won the popsicle party with 14 skaters present. PFT

November 2010

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LPCA Library

Even quarterbacks love to read! Jake Koppelman samples the Library’s great selection of books.

First Grade Poll What is Your Favorite Candy?!?! Mrs. Ford’s Class

Lanah Burkhart Gum Reid Hauser Twizzlers Samantha Palmer Whoppers Tucker Ming Nerd Rope

Books are our Business, and Business is GOOD!

By Jenna Williams

egacy Lions, the library is now open! The library opened for business on Monday, October 4th. Kids from all grade levels are coming with their classes to enjoy the library and to check out some wonderful books to read. Moving a library is a lot of work and many volunteers have helped put the library in working order. Mrs. Kristan Williams has recently taken on the role of Library Coordinator. The library is located outside on the left hand side of the portable building, by the office. Students can check out books with their class or to come on Fridays with a parent. Mrs. Williams says, “We have many new library books that we were able to purchase with money earned from the book fairs last year. It is wonderful to see the children’s excitement when they come to the library and can pick from an assortment of books. Their smile is infectious.” The library is always accepting book donations. To donate books, Mrs. Williams asks that you bring your book donations directly to her in the library. Another way to donate new books is to log in to www.schoolastic.com and order from the book club section using the class code HDZVM. There you will find a library wish list that you can purchase from. Books will be delivered directly to the school and library. Personally, I can’t wait to go to the library to check out some of my favorite books. PFT

Creativity Abounds in Annual Pumpkin Contest Photos by Tray Wright

Maddox Crenshaw Blow Pops Brandon Davies Sour Straws Anna Kruppstadt Chocolate Richard Lewis Skittles Emilie Carlson Candy Canes Hassyn Carrico Kit Kats Jacob Heckt Nerds Mrs. Ford Snickers Mrs. McCall’s Class:

Caden Citso Chocolate Kylee Curl Chocolate Layla Faysal Candy Canes Maya Lazzaro Starbursts Kaden Levang Chocolate Adelyn Polk Chocolate Crunch Macey Raines Candy Canes Mrs. McCall Chocolate Almonds

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November 2010

It’s Mane Event Raffle Time!

By Adele Mouna

egacy Prep’s annual fall fundraiser, the Mane Event, has already started! It’s time for all of you Lions to start selling some raffle tickets to raise money for our growing school. This annual event is key for helping our school raise money for equipment and programs, and helps keep our tuition costs low. Mane Event has three separate parts. Here are some details on each phase. Each family is given a set of 20 raffle tickets, which they are required to sell for $10 each. Of course, we encourage families to sell many more tickets than this. And if your family sells 50 tickets or more, you will be provided with a Family Fun night with other Lions families at the real Main Event on Monday, December 6th!

HAPPY NOVEMber BirthdayS! Jenna Williams 11-1 Malik Manning 11-2 Harrison Shook 11-2 Addy Polk 11-5 Noah Lightfoot 11-6 Joshua Marvel 11-8 Aubrey Davis 11-10 Samuel Chutter 11-12 Lauren Railey 11-12 James Hafemeister 11-13 Taite Zapalac 11-16 Seth Wiley 11-17 Makaila Bender 11-17 Kylie Murphy 11-18 Allison Byrd 11-20 Neal Hext 11-27 Meggy Brown 11-27 Cole Howden 11-28 Gabe Locke 11-30 Isabella Ambrosia 11-30 November 2010

The raffle tickets are for some great prizes, including a flat-screen television, an Apple iPad, and a Playstation Move game console. There will be many other great and exciting prizes, in addition to these. The raffle ticket sales are due back by November 29th, along with any remaining unsold tickets (each family must account for all their tickets). The actual raffle drawing will be held at the annual LPCA Christmas Banquet on December 2nd. The Christmas Banquet’s theme this year is “Home for the Holidays.” It is a great time to join other Lion

families for fun, fellowship, and great food. Tickets for the banquet will be put on sale in November. Legacy will also need table hosts to help at the banquet. More details will come out in November regarding being a table host. The silent auction is also a big part of Mane Event. Each class will be auctioning off a homemade class project. Homeroom moms will be in touch regarding each class project. If you have any questions or ideas, please contact Lions’ Den PTO Chair Nicole Bender at nbender@ simplifycorp.com. We hope that this year’s Mane Event will be a great success due to the help of all you great Legacy families! PFT

MANE EVENT CHRISTMAS BANQUET Home for the Holidays December 2, 2010 at 6 pm in the Gym $10 per adult/$8 per child under 10

Tickets can be purchased at school 30 minutes following drop-off and pick-up on November 10, 17, and 22nd (Grandparents Day)

WE NEED TABLE HOSTS!

The Table Host coordinates the decorations and theme of the table to go along with the overall “Home for the Holidays” theme. You will build your décor from the table cloth up! This includes dishes (china or paper), flatware (silver or plastic), cups (glass, paper or plastic) and a homemade dessert centerpiece. Families may request to sit at your table. You coordinate what everyone needs to help with at your table. Prizes will be awarded for best decorations! TO BECOME A HOST: Email Rachel George at rachelhlavenka@hotmail.com 18

www.legacypca.org

NEW LPCA BOARD MEMBERS (continued from p.1) the school community, is able to nominate someone whom they believe would make a good addition the Board of Directors. After someone has been considered for nomination, and before proceeding any further, the approval of the nominee is sought to ensure a willingness to answer the call from the Lord to serve as a leader. From that point, the entire board will be responsible for reviewing each nominee together in prayer and to carefully consider the nominee and their unique gifts and qualifications to become a board member. When (and if) a nomination meets the

board’s approval, the nominee will be appointed to begin serving at the time decided by the current board members. The board is guided by the Bible in how they operate. One of the key scriptures guiding the board is, “There will be at least three but no more than twelve Directors.” Ecclesiastes 4:12. There are also four officer positions of the board: • The Chairman of The Board, Mike Schardt, presides over all board meetings and is responsible for directing the work of the board in general. • The Vice- Chairman, Matt Koppelman, assists the chairman in the performance of his duties and takes on the responsibilities

of the chairman in his absence or inability. • The Secretary, Paige Jones, is responsible for keeping an official record of each board meeting and for handling any needed correspondence related to the board. • The Treasurer, Mark Furber, is responsible for overseeing the financial records for the board. The Legacy Board of Directors put in many volunteer hours that we do not realize. All the current board members are parents whose students attend Legacy, though that is not a requirement. The board works hard at making Legacy Prep a better place and we should all be very appreciative of that. PFT

Furber Named Treasurer on LPCA Board of Directors By Amber Condley

ark Furber is one of the new board members that Legacy has accepted. His wife, Barbie Furber, found out about Legacy when she saw children wearing Legacy uniforms at a Chick-fil-A. They called the school and the rest is history. This is their third year at Legacy. Mark and Barbie have four daughters attending Legacy this year: Dawson (K), Evan (2nd), Dallas (4th), and Samantha (6th). The whole family is very involved with Legacy Prep. Mrs. Furber chaired last year’s Mane Event and is currently secretary of The Lions’ Den PTO. She helps out as much as possible and helps with the first two days of school every year. They have all attended school activities like SK8 Night, Breakfast in the Park, and Race For Education. Samantha played basketball last year, and she and Dallas have participated in Legacy’s Spelling Bee. Mr. Furber was interested in being on the board last year when the call went out. However, it wasn’t until this year that he was approached by Board President Mike Schardt, and he said, “Definitely!” “Being able to serve on the Board is a tremendous honor,” says Mr. Furber. “There is so much to do: finding the school’s true home, growing the school, and fundraising, just to name a few. I hope to help Legacy establish a sustainable growth model which will see this phenomenal schooling format well into the future after I am gone.” Mark was the treasurer for the student council in ninth grade and is also the treasurer for Legacy. He was born and raised in Alberta, Canada, but it took a move to Texas for him to find Christ. “My wife and I were attending a Weekend to Remember through Family Life in February 2004. During one of the presentations, I felt compelled to put my trust in Christ, so I asked Jesus into my life.” They had attended church from the time he got married to Barbie in 1999, but this was the first time he really felt a pull on his heart. “Looking back on my life, it is easy to see where Christ has influenced my decisions, even without my faith in Him.” Mr. Furber says. He is currently a Senior Staff Reservoir Engineer in the Portfolio Planning Group at Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. He said, “I enjoy camping, hockey, golf, and trading stocks.” And being from Canada, the puck is in his blood. “It has been a while since I played hockey, but I am ready to coach Legacy’s girls’ hockey team!” PFT www.legacypca.org

November 2010

Condley Adds Board to Lengthy Legacy Resumé By Kasen Jones

ngie Condley was recently named to Legacy’s Board of Directors. Executive Director Audra May contacted her this past summer to see if she was interested. She was. She met with board members Mike Schardt, Paige Jones and Matt Koppelman to talk about it. Later that month, she received a call from Mike offering her the position. She and her family came to Legacy in 2005. Her friend, Jennifer Unnasch, had been searching for a different type of school for her family and discovered Legacy. She invited Angie to an information meeting. At the time her daughter, Amber, was asking to be homeschooled. Since Mrs. Condley knew she could never successfully homeschool, she decided she would give Legacy a try. After the first semester they loved it! Ever since Angie has been a great help to Legacy. She has served as a room mom, librarian, cheer coach, and has also volunteered for many things. She has been so great of a help that they wanted her to do even more! November 2010

Even though this is her first time to serve as a director, she knows what she wants to accomplish. “I would like to see Legacy make advance placement (AP) courses as well as dual-credit classes available to our students where possible,” she says. “I would like to find a cost-effective way to offer different types of electives, such as multiple foreign languages and technology courses, to our upper school students. That would help us to compete with other methods of schooling. “However, my ultimate goal is to help the administration and staff create a high school that is known as the school that parents want their kids involved in because they see us sending educationally and spiritually equipped difference-makers for Jesus into the world.” Mrs. Condley was raised going to church on and off, but really accepted Christ the summer of 7th grade at a church camp. When she’s not helping out at the school, she enjoys reading and playing trivia games. But her favorite thing to do is spend time with her kids, Amber (7th), Hannah (2nd), and Will (K). PFT 20

TAITE ZAPALAC (continued from p.1) “Lord, who has believed our message? (Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear?” (Verses 16-18) “Absolutely,” said Mrs. Koppelman when asked if this verse fit. “Another is they’ll know we are Christians by our love for each other.” Taite is ambitious and has plans for the campaign, but for now is just focusing on Legacy. She is in all private activities so hasn’t been able to recruit members there, but she is talking to her friends from last year. They have pledged to not be bullies and to use her steps if ever bullied. In a great show of support, 172 students signed up and pledged to de-bug LPCA. Once you’ve helped five people de-bug you get a certificate. Then at the end of the year if you have helped the most people de-bug, you will get a special prize. The go-getting Taite was introduced to the Lord through her parents. “They brought me to Christ. A few years ago I was baptized and became a believer.” Taite wrapped up by saying, “I want to graduate from Legacy, and I feel I’ve helped Legacy become a bully-free school.” “She’s a true superhero!” said journalism teacher Daron Jones when he read about the campaign. “Wish I had her on my staff!” PFT

Be a Christian 24/7 S

everal years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in a new town. One day, he rode the bus downtown. He discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, “You”d better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.” Then he thought, “Forget it, it’s only a quarter. Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they’ll never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet.” When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, “Here, you gave me too much change.” The driver, with a smile, replied, “Aren’t you the new preacher in town?” “Yes” he replied. “Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I’ll see you at church on Sunday.” When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, “Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.” Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard – and remember – You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself “Christian.” Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. PFT www.legacypca.org

Dazzling Dioramas By Rebecca Schardt

he eighth grade United State History class was assigned dioramas this past month. The dioramas were to be based on any historical scene that had been discussed in class. They did this project so that they could picture and see what these scenes looked like, with their own creative ideas tied in. While several of the projects were of the Boston Tea Party, there were others such as Washington crossing the Delaware, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the Boston Massacre. The students had to do research to ensure that their scenes were historically correct.

All of the dioramas were wonderful and creative. The class knew how to add their own styles and ideas into a diorama that was graded on it being historically correct. In this particular diorama the class got very creative when it came to materials. There were things such as clay models for people, a scale model of a ship, and lots and lots of paint. All of the dioramas were amazing and no matter their grade all of the students should be proud of their efforts. If you don’t know what a diorama is, it is a scene that is placed in or on top of a box, however the student prefers. Most of the time every student does the same scene. However, in this case the students had a little bit of leeway with the subjects. The scene you choose for your diorama needed to be as accurate as possible as well as the usage of creative items, such as clothespins for people or felt for grass. PFT

A Sign of Things to Come

Slowly but surely Legacy Prep is putting our visual stamp on the Woodland Place property. The Schardt, Koppelman, and Cruthirds families took time out of their busy Saturday, October 30, to beautify the administration and library building with a new sign. We thank them for their service and dedication to our school. On the left, the whole motley crew with the new sign. On the right, the Real Boss shows the Poor Guy Who Thinks He’s Boss how it’s done. PFT www.legacypca.org

November 2010

What Do I Want to Be When I Grow Up?

Curriculum Quest Continues

ATTENTION PARENTS AND TEACHERS:

SEND US YOUR STUFF!

By Julie Hauser, Dean of Curriculum

y 3rd grader asked me the other day what I actually do at Legacy. The question made me laugh out loud as I was reminded to pray that the Lord would always lead me as I oversee the curriculum at Legacy. I simply told my son that I am in charge of the books we use at Legacy and he seemed satisfied as he walked out the back door to the swing set. I felt the weight of making such a large task seem so simple in childlike terms. I do not take this task lightly and hearing it said so simply made me appreciate my calling and role here at Legacy. When I began at Legacy, I had thee goals in mind regarding curriculum. The first was to help us lay a firm foundation of lesson plans. Secondly, I hoped to help get our curriculum in order according to a scope and sequence to help us towards accreditation. And lastly, I wanted to help raise our Stanford Achievement scores. Thankfully, the Lord has allowed me to be a part of all three of those goals taking shape and given me a new season to pray through the next phase of curriculum at Legacy. As I set out this year “to oversee the books,” I had several goals in mind with a fresh perspective following a successful accreditation effort. During the accreditation process, we set into motion a philosophy and schedule of curriculum review based on perceived teacher needs, current test scores, parent feedback, and our scope and sequence. Language Arts and history will be fully reviewed this year, with math and science to follow next school year. The review process will be conducted by a committee of staff members, including administrators and teachers. Focus groups will be solicited for feedback composed of teachers groups and parent groups. The committee will culminate with a full review report listing the strengths and limitations of each particular subject, as well as revised goals and purpose statements for the departments examined. There will be action items for the following years that will also be written into our five-year school improvement plan. As we review our language arts and history programs, we appreciate your feedback and covet your prayers as we seek to honor the Lord with academic excellence here at Legacy. If you have any questions or comments regarding curriculum, feel free to contact me at jhauser@legacypca.org. PFT

Parents, are your children doing something interesting, different, fun, or exciting? Teachers, is your class doing a project, going on a field trip, digging a hole directly through the Earth to China? WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT! Whether it is in class or outside of school, we want your photos and notes about what Legacy Lions are up to! Send us pictures of what you kids are doing and they could be in the next Paws for Thought newspaper for everyone to see! Email your photos and writeups to the PFT staff at djones@legacypca.org. November 2010

he sixth-graders recently learned a valuable life lesson in math class. With lots of creativity, the students presented their “What I Want to be When I Grow Up” projects. With only PowerPoint and tri-fold displays, each student showed how much money they would make in their chosen profession, what their living budget would be, and the pros and cons of their specific job. The class was excited as they got to present their boards or slide shows. Everyone had a completely different idea about what they wanted to be when they grew up, and everyone saw just exactly how creative God was in creating each of us. PFT