UMS Celebrating University-Model Schools and Families ®
l a n r u o J
2014 • Issue 1
Worlds of Wisdom from Arkansas’
PROVIDENCE CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Editorial Advisory Board Barbara Nicholson Freeman, M.Ed. Executive Director National Association of University-Model® Schools Midlothian, Texas www.naums.net
2014 • Issue 1 Andrea Howey Director of Events & Marketing National Association of University-Model® Schools Midlothian, Texas www.naums.net
Barbara Van Wart NAUMS Board of Directors National Association of University-Model® Schools Midlothian, Texas www.naums.net
Bob Cree Administrator Community Christian School Westfield, Massachusetts www.ccsfamily.org
Audra May Executive Director Legacy Preparatory Christian Academy The Woodlands, Texas www.legacypca.org
Terri Turley Administrator Oaktree Academy Virginia Beach, Virginia www.oaktreeacademy.org
Tammy McIlvoy Administrator Logos Preparatory Academy Sugar Land, Texas www.logosprep.com
VOLUME IV
HJP
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DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Jo Anne Hudson jhudson@umsjournal.com EDITOR Daron Jones djones@umsjournal.com ADVERTISING SALES Dolores Ridout dridout@umsjournal.com Entire contents ©2014, all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part, without written permission of Hudson Jones Publications, LLC, is prohibited. The publisher accepts no responsibility for content of any advertisements solicited or printed herein, including any liability arising out of any claims for infringement of any intellectual property rights, patents, trademarks, trade dress and/or copyrights; nor any liability for the text, misrepresentations, false or misleading statements, illustrations, such being the sole responsibility of the advertisers. All advertisers agree to defend, indemnify and hold the publisher harmless from all claims or suits regarding any advertisements. Due to printing and ink variances, the publisher does not guarantee exact color matching. Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. Readers’ views are solicited. Publisher reserves the right to publish, in whole or in part, any materials or correspondence received from outside parties. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material.
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2014 • Issue 1 2014
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A Visit to Community Christian School
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Schedule a NAUMS Visit to Your School
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Providence Classical Has Arkansas Jumping for Joy
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My Child Struggles with Math! HELP!
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New UMS in Central Austin
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Wylie Prep Hosts Skyview Competition
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Parenting with Scripture
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King’s Academy Celebrates Ten Years of Partnership Learning
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Legacy Prep is Home at Last!
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Homer’s Odyssey and the Thinking Christian
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The Battlefield
By NAUMS’ Dr. John Turner and Dr. Mike Chrasta
By NAUMS Executive Director Barbara Freeman
Exclusive interview with Headmaster Jason Ross
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By Jan Bedell, M.Ed., M.ND., Little Giant Steps
By Dusty Kinslow, M.Ed., Head Administrator of Texas’s Austin Classical School
An interview with UMS parent and author, Kara Durbin
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By Audra May, Founder and Head Administrator of Legacy Preparatory Christian Academy
By Wendy Powell, Coram Deo Academy
A poem by Andrew Cox, creative writing student from King’s Academy Christian School www.umsjournal.com
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A Visit to
Community Christian
Batter up! (L-R) Dr. Turner, Dr. Chrasta, Chris Dolan, and Bob Cree take their cuts at Dolan’s perfect backyard replica of Boston’s Fenway Park.
While the Boston Red Sox were winning the World Series, NAUMS’ Dr. John Turner and Dr. Mike Chrasta visited Bob Cree and the students, parents, staff, and board members of Community Christian School in Westfield, Massachusetts. Here is Dr. Chrasta’s report. 2014 • Issue 1
www.umsjournal.com
COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Administrator: Bob Cree 39 South Broad Street Westfield, MA 01085 info@ccsfamily.org www.ccsfamily.org Grade Levels K-12 Opened 2005 Fall 2013 Enrollment: 80 Candidate for Certification 3
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hat a privilege it was to be visiting a UniversityModel® School located in the very heart of what was the First Great Awakening in America! Arriving as soon as the doors were open, we first met with several parents who were dropping off their children. It was easy to see that they sincerely loved their little school community! They were so eager to talk about it and share stories about how the Lord directed them to this model of schooling. Such a boost to our faith! After meeting with the staff and being part of a powerful prayer session with them for their school, we met with the students for a special chapel session where we urged them to pray and love those in their community who need the good news of the gospel. We encouraged them to think of serving others and to make a difference. God so loves to use young people to bring His message of hope to others. Then it came time to meet and pray with several teachers. Every UniversityModel® School should do something like
“We believe we have been called for such a time as this, in this region of the world, to restore what was once the birthplace of the Great Awakening.”
(From the website of Community Christian School)
this—simply gather the staff together to tell their stories. It was thrilling to hear how God had so intricately woven their community together. We sat in a circle and had the teachers introduce themselves, tell a little of their history and background and how they came to be teaching at the school. I think nothing in our trip encouraged us more than hearing the incredible miracles of how each one was called to Community Christian. It is truly amazing to see how God brings His very best—highly seasoned teachers with years of collective experience in their professions or in the public schools now serving a new genera4
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2014 • Issue 1
tion of students in their rugged UMS outpost in the Pioneer Valley! One particular teacher’s story was especially memorable. Luca, born in Italy and still fluent in Italian, was a Summa Cum Laude graduate in English language and literature at the University of Rhode Island, and was once voted Teacher of the Year in the Providence public school system. Praise God that he now teaches senior high English and Worldview at Community Christian! Of course our trip would not have been complete without a visit to Fenway Park. That evening Board President Chris Dolan invited us to his home to meet his family and other board members and to watch the Series. But first we had to see his backyard. There it was, the Green Monster, the famous infield and the dugouts—an exact replica of Fenway Park standing right there in front of us! Chris built it in part as a fundraiser for the school. What a thrill to see this amazing piece of work and to stand on home plate with bats in hand! I think the reason John and I enjoyed meeting Bob, Chris, and all those at Community Christian was our opportunity to be together and get to know one another. I am sure we will be finding excuses to visit them again soon. After all the fun and just being together, we came away feeling that we had made some wonderful new friends. Obviously, after returning to Texas we were elated to receive an encouraging email from Bob, who said: “I can say from all the feedback that I received that your visit was timely, necessary, and uplifting. I felt encouraged in my position, the board felt honored in theirs, and everyone else was given opportunity to hear and be heard.” We thought so, too. And now, John and I are looking forward to visiting other University-Model® Schools in the future! UMS
Dr. Turner and Dr. Chrasta check out the “mini-Monster” at the incredible mini-Fenway.
(L-R) Robert Cree, Leah Giupponi, Justine Deida, Mary Bourgault, Doris Neffinger, and Dr. Chrasta demonstrate the importance of prayer in the UMS ministry.
2014 • Issue 1
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Schedule a NAUMS Visit to Your School By Barbara Freeman NAUMS Executive Director As the result of the NAUMS “repositioning initiative,” implemented during the 2013 national conference, several advancements and improvements in the University-Model® school ministry have occurred. Among these is an additional core value to “pursue Christ-centered community,” a new vision and purpose statement to “Build Dynamic University-Model® School Communities Worldwide,” and an action taken by the NAUMS, Inc. Board of Directors to designate a special budget item for the purpose of visiting member schools upon request. These visits, at no cost to schools, will serve to encourage, to build stronger connectivity and relationships between NAUMS and its member schools, and to meet specific school needs. Dr. Mike Chrasta, Corporate Support Specialist, and Dr. John Turner, Coordinator of Family Ministry, were the NAUMS’ ambassadors for the first visit, which took place during the fall semester of the current school year 2013-2014. The visit was to Community Christian School, a K-12 school in Westfield, Massachusetts which opened in 2005. Dr. Chrasta describes this visit in this article. A recent school visit , by Dr. John Turner and Zach Henry, NAUMS Board President, went to Legacy Christian Academy in Bakersfield, California. This K-7 school is now in its second year of operation. Visits in the planning stages include Heritage Academy in Columbia, Missouri, Veritas Preparatory Academy in Largo, Florida, and Providence Preparatory Academy in Wilmington, North Carolina. If you are interested in a visit to your school, email me, Barbara Freeman, at bfreeman@naums.net. UMS 5
school profile
PROVIDENCE CLASSICAL HAS ARKANSAS JUMPING FOR JOY Exclusive Interview with Headmaster Jason Ross
Providence Classical Christian Academy 4911 W. Pleasant Grove Rd Rogers, Arkansas 72758 479.263.8861, Ext. 2 providence-academy.com
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Give us a brief history of how and when your school was launched. Providence Classical Christian Academy (PCCA) started in the fall of 2004, so we celebrated our 10th year this school year. A small group of inspired parents connected with NAUMS in the two years prior to the launch of the school. Those parents prayed, fasted, and conducted significant research into the UMS and the necessary steps to starting a school in Northwest Arkansas, the first of its kind in the state. When Tom Guthrie, one of our founders and President of the PCCA Board of Directors, slowly raised his hand to Aaron Weast’s question—Who in this room is starting a UMS school?—the commitment was made and the vision began to come into fruition. The school started by leasing from a small church in Rogers, Arkansas. At that time, there were 39 grammar students who largely met for classes in different areas of the church sanctuary. PCCA then assisted the church in completing an educational facility on the property and leased rooms in that building as the school grew. The school added a grade level each year until graduating our first seniors in 2012. In 2008, I came to serve as Headmaster. That same school year, due to growth, we facilitated a lease agreement with another local www.umsjournal.com
church in order to move upper school grades to another location. So, we operated in those two locations until we eventually outgrew the original church facilities. Now we lease from two churches that combine to nearly 100,000 square feet of classroom, gymnasiums, and office space. We sought nice, newer facilities, and things are working well. Our relationships with the churches have been healthy. We started as a full-time UMS, and have maintained that approach. This school year, we started to allow part time attendance under certain circumstances at the high school level. When did you join NAUMS? Have you gone through the certification or accreditation processes yet? Have you visited other NAUMS schools to get an idea of how they do things? We joined NAUMS from the start. We are certified through NAUMS, and we are fully-accredited through Christian Schools International and AdvancED (North Central Association). We were awarded accreditation in 2011. We are glad we went through both of these processes. It helps school improvement by providing outside perspective. I think it also conveys confidence to stakeholders that the school is largely on track. 2014 • Issue 1
In general, what are the latest developments with PCCA? Our International Patriots Program is new. We have four international students after receiving our I-20 status. We have two female students and two male. One is from Japan; another from South Korea; a third from Lithuania; and one from Nigeria. The Nigerian young man is 6’9”, and plays on our basketball team! The Lithuanian student also plays on the same team. This program has not only expanded our ministry into one that is international. It has very positively impacted our local students. To see students come from so far to be a part of their school has given them a new perspective on the value of the Christ-centered education they are receiving. How has your enrollment grown from when the school launched until now? What factors do you think account for the numbers? We have over 370 students now, and we anticipate surpassing 400 next fall. We grew by 18% this school year over last. The Lord has blessed our school. We have asked Him often to do so. We try to bathe everything in prayer. After that, I think word-of-mouth has been the greatest factor. We make fans of our families by viewing our service as a ministry to families and by offering service that would rival a Fortune 500 company. We endeavor to listen and make improvements quickly and often, whether those are improvements to workloads at home, alterations to parent training, communications between school and home, or some other area of the school. We endeavor, by God’s grace, to be excellent in every realm of our programs. Hiring the right people goes a long way toward achieving this objective. We also tout four distinctions. We are focused on being: 1. Christ-honoring, 2. UMS, 3. Having a special sense of community and unity, and 4. using classical methodology. We do limited and strategic advertisement, and we hold monthly prospective parent meetings called Patriot Previews. Finally, we also work hard to create a parachurch/family ministry atmosphere that responds when we learn that a family is having a difficulty. How has your Bible curriculum evolved over your school’s lifespan? Not a whole lot. Although our students take courses in the subject of Bible, we make it our intention that every class is biblicallyintegrated in an effective way. God needs to be understood as the inventor of every worthwhile academic and athletic pursuit. 2014 • Issue 1
Describe your marketing structure. Do you have a specific person or persons handling that, or is it a catch-all thing that happens whenever you have time? What outlets do you find are most effective for getting your school’s name out in to your community – local newspapers, magazines, “school nights” at restaurants, etc.? A great outlet for our advertising has been our local Christian radio station. I just wrote a script that one of our graduates recorded with the station for playing on the radio. We look for good market saturation at low or affordable costs. We contact the local newspaper when something somewhat out of the ordinary is hosted at the school—such as a medieval Lords and Ladies 5th grade event, or the physical science Punkin’ Chunkin’ competition at which trebuches, catapults, and the like launch pumpkins in competition. Describe the growth curve of your athletic programs. What did you start with, and what do you feature now? Is it hard to find/keep coaches? Do you have a booster club and is it a helpful fundraiser? We started with cross country running, basketball, and track and field. We have added baseball, and we plan to offer golf next school year. Our goal is to add sports when we are sure they will make, of course, and, at a point when we know they are going to launch with excellence and year-to-year stability. Basketball has meant the most to the school community. However, the other offerings have added value as well. How have your non-athletic extra-curricular programs (praise bands, theater, academic clubs, etc.) grown over your school’s lifespan? Which would you recommend to new schools or schools on a budget? I would recommend starting with the ones for which you have strong personnel, perhaps a motivated parent. Musical theatre has been fantastic for us, but a large part of its success is the leadership and dedication of the instructor. An enthusiastic and energetic individual who understands the mission and vision of the school and is ministry-minded is very valuable to the school community. It is important to apply what resources are availwww.umsjournal.com
able to the programs that are going to add considerable value and promote the overall mission. An eternal lament of UMS schools is the difficulty in keeping quality teachers. How do you deal with this ongoing issue, and do you feel you are successful at it? This has been a challenge for us at times, too. We promote teacher appreciation and try to provide resources teachers want. Administration endeavors to listen to instructors closely and make improvements as the budget allows. At the end of the day, people stay more often when they are sure they have been called by God for the opportunity and when they feel they are appreciated. If you could make all NAUMS schools adopt your one favorite curriculum, what would it be and why? We cherry pick curriculum to suit the developmental needs of the student in the subject area at the appropriate grade level. We utilize a wide variety of curricula from varied sources, so that is a very tough question. Does your school experiment with the new “flipping the classroom” theory? If so, how would you describe your experience so far? I see the theoretical appeal of having students grope with material, analytically, without lecture. However, we think students need to be developmentally at a certain level for flipping to be effective, and we have done very little of it. The traditional educational process usually means a teacher demonstrates how to utilize a concept. Then the student applies the concept with teacher oversight. Then the student uses the concept on his/her own. Finally, the teacher provides feedback and gives the student the opportunity to use the concept again until there is mastery. Most of the time we favor this approach. However, having students watch a video lesson prior to coming to class can fit within our preferred order for learning. We have done more project-based learning than we have done “flipping.” Another eternal struggle for nearly every UMS is location. Briefly trace your school’s location history to where you are today, and what you ultimate goal is. How do you plan to make that goal reality? Do you have advice for other 7
schools who share their buildings with churches, etc.? I will only add to my previous comments by saying, we are pursuing the possibility of eventually acquiring property upon which to build our own facilities. Sometimes we see new families come into UMS thinking it is going to be easy, then leave soon after complaining that it is too hard. How do you and your staff know when you pass the tipping point of “too much work” for your students? Have you dealt with this struggle in the past, or are you now? We convey upfront that our setting is college-preparatory and sustains a rigorous course of study. We have found developing two tracks—strong and stronger—has been helpful at the middle school and high school grades. Also, for the subject of math, adding optional math labs both on at-school days and satellite days did wonders for us. We have surveyed families, and we have asked parents to report on assignment sheets the length of time spent by the student working on his/her subjects at home. We have also benchmarked against other strong schools—UMS and traditional—in order to gauge the number of readers at each level, the number of problems assigned, and the number of writing assignments, for example. It has been an ongoing process of improvement. It may be as simple as shifting some of the workload from the Wednesday satellite day to the Friday satellite day. Do members of your staff attend the NAUMS conference in the summer? If so, how many of you attend and what do you find beneficial about it? If not, why not? Yes. Usually we have 6-10 attend. We appreciate networking with other schools, and the sessions across various lines. UMS
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2014 • Issue 1
My Child Struggles with Math!
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By Jan Bedell, M.Ed., M.ND. Little Giant Steps
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any children struggle with math and have a very negative attitude toward this daily activity. The Neurodevelopmental Approach can change all that! It takes the stress out of academic performance (output) by providing lots of information/instruction (input). Have you ever noticed that when you go to check on a child 10-15 minutes after sending him off to do his math, that he is staring off into space or doodling on his paper? The really creative ones among us are upside down in their chair building castles from carpet fuzz balls! The “intensity” in this scenario is GONE! The what? Yes, I said the “intensity” is gone. It takes intensity to get the brain to recognize the importance of information and store it permanently. So how do you get intensity into a math session especially when the child seems to struggle with math or flat doesn’t like it? Follow these tips to a more positive learning environment:
Tip #1 Do not send your child into another room to do an entire page of math on his own. Those pages may contain concepts that are not permanently stored. The struggle to remember information that has not been visited often enough kills the motivation and enjoyment of learning! Take the stress, frustration (yours and his/hers) and tears out of your child’s math sessions by spending just 10 to 12 minutes (maximum) on math, twice a day. The other difference is, you do it with him! You might be thinking that this is a really radical idea. Isn’t it cheating or something to do math for your child? Just think about it, you have spent 10 plus minutes in the past just trying to get her back on track, right? Instead of coaxing her to do something she is not ready for, do every other problem for her while she watches. Even if you know she is capable of doing the problem, there is benefit to doing this 50% input method. Be sure to watch when it is her turn and stop her from 2014 • Issue 1
making any mistakes. It typically takes 21 exposures to information to attain mastery. If there is a mistake, it takes 21 more exposures to erase the mistake in the student’s brain. So don’t let her make a mistake! What typically happens is a child struggles through a math lesson on his own (he HAS to be independent, right!?) just to receive 3+ red marks on the problems he missed. Now he has to struggle to figure out what went wrong because the paper is given back to him to correct. What is his attitude about math now? Think of the difference if the two of you zoomed through the assignment with you demonstrating every other one (input) and making sure he didn’t make a mistake then switching to a different subject and coming back to math fresh for another intense 50-50% session. Think of the confidence boost this scenario can bring. A five year old from a NAUMS school in the San Antonio area said, “I love math! On this page, the mom does this one and the child does this one!” She was describing her experience with the Neurodevelopmental curriculum called, Early Learning Foundations. This curriculum created a special, positive time for this family and the results were a child that looked forward to math and the time spent with parents. This same feeling can be accomplished with any curriculum if you follow these tips.
Tip #2 When there is a new concept, the child needs more input to solidify this process. Think of it like learning to play the piano. You have to practice the scales many times before you can use the finger skill and keyboard knowledge to play more advanced pieces of music. With a new math concept, you will do three problems while the child watches, and then the child does one similar problem. Repeat this process, doing three and he does one for all the problems representing this new concept. Once the child understands a concept, you can gradually work back to doing one problem and then the child does one similar www.umsjournal.com
problem. On all previously learned concepts, you share the assignment 50/50 for best results. Math gets done quickly with great input, input, input! Math struggles are then a thing of the past.
Tip #3
There is a big difference between understanding math operations and the rote memory of math facts. Understanding operations is understanding what is happening when: “I add, I am putting objects together”; “Oh, some go away when I subtract”; “Multiplying means groups with the same number of things” and “Division is dividing things up into in equal groups”. Children that really know their math facts and don’t have to rely on the time consuming process and bad habits of counting in the air or on their fingers, enjoy all these math operations more. Children, whose math facts are solid, can zip through math computation pages with ease and those pesky word problems are easier, too. They experience fulfillment of correct answers instead of red circles on their page indicating wrong answers that have to be revisited. Blah!
Free Online Test Remember, for every wrong answer a student gives, he must have 21 more exposures to the right answer (input) in order to solidify the correct answer and release the wrong one. Wow! You sure don’t want him to miss one! Consider doing the free Math Facts Proficiency Assessment provided by Little Giant Steps to find your child’s current math facts proficiency level. Give the assessments as described in the instructions, submit the results and receive a graph of your child’s results compared to the suggested proficiency for that age. You can also receive recommendations on how to avoid wrong answers and make math easier. See the ad in this issue or visit: www.LittleGiantSteps.com/ math-facts. You might want to do this assessment for your whole class. Request classroom instruction from office@littelgiantsteps.com. UMS 9
New UMS in Central Austin By Dusty Kinslow, M.Ed. Head Administrator
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hirteen students decked in their navy blue polo shirts, tucked smartly into their khaki shorts stood proudly on the steps of Northwest Baptist Church on Woodrow Avenue in central Austin, Texas. They were preparing to have their picture taken on this unusually memorable day. August 12, 2013, was their first day of school. However, this was no run-of-the-mill first day of school. It was the very first day of school ever for Austin Classical School, a school born of the dreams of several central Austin families. Glenn and Stephanie Lucke, Jeff and Anna Marshall, Harry and Cici Scott and several others moved their families to central Austin with the purpose of cultivating rich relationships with each other and within their neighborhood. As each family added children, educational options became a persistent topic of discussion among the friends. Most assumed they would educate their children the traditional way, but, after beginning to research options, several families began considering a classical, Christian, University-Model® education for their children. Several excellent classical, UMS schools operate in and around Austin, but each requires a long commute to the north or south ends of town. Proximity to home and community were highly important values for the group, so the idea was suggested to 10
gave theological guidance while Stephanie’s background in finance helped immensely. Several other families offered support financially or through providing childcare, prayer and encouragement. After almost a year of planning and praying, working and waiting, the dream became a reality as the school opened its doors that August day, serving Kindergarten through fourth grade. The year has been filled with much learning. Students have studied ancient history with stories of King Tut and King David. They have watched larvae grow into beautiful butterflies and seeds grow into leafy, green plants. They have memorized scripture and continents and the parts of speech. They have learned to add, subtract, multiply and are about to tackle division. They have read Charlotte’s Web and Aesop’s start a centrally located school. The group fables. They have played kickball and pararesearched the classical, University-Model® chute games in P.E. and tag at recess. school, discussed details, formed connecThe parents, teachers and staff at Austin tions to other interested educators and Classical have been amazed at how curious families, and Austin Classical School slowly and diligent the students have been with became a reality. the rigorous academic requirements placed Starting a nonupon them. It has been STUDENT TESTIMONIAL a truly successful year, profit school takes My name is Robby Moore, and I business know-how establishing a firm founam a 4th grader at Austin Classical and educational dation and high expecSchool. This was our school’s first chops. tations for the school’s year. ACS offers grades kindergarLuckily, the future. ten through 4th grade. Austin Classical This year we did a service Next fall, hopes are project by collecting toothbrushes launch team had high that classes will and toothpaste for children. This experiences and fill and that growth will resumes that comple- service project was to help the continue. Many hours Ukraine orphans. The name of the mented each other have been given to this orphanage that we are helping is well. labor of love, and many the Fifth School Internat. We colThe Scotts conmore will be required. lected exactly 200 toothbrushes tributed Harry’s com- and 13 tubes of toothpaste. We However, to see it all did this because in the Bible, mercial real estate come to fruition that Jesus says, “I will not leave you skills as the school 12th day of August was as orphans. I will come to you.” navigated lease something quite lovely. John14:18. Our school is excited negotiations and city As Stephanie Lucke has to help the orphans. I am thankful permits. Cici offered said, “It is such an honor to be a student at Austin Classical her expertise in sysSchool, where I can learn to help to create something tems development. others in need. beautiful where nothJeff Marshall lead the ing like it was before.” way with his technological savvy, while his Austin Classical School has most definitely wife, Anna, offered her experience as a prohad a beautiful, blessed beginning. fessional educator as well as heading up the If you would like to learn more about marketing aspect of the school. Glenn Lucke ACS, visit www.austinclassical.org. UMS www.umsjournal.com
2014 • Issue 1
Wylie Prep Hosts Skyview Competition T
he first annual Skyview Academic Competition was in February and hosted by Wylie Preparatory Academy. This UIL-style competition provided the opportunity for students to demonstrate their God-given abilities to represent their families, schools, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Over 150 students from four area schools participated in Onsite Drawing, Number Sense, Mathematics, Creative Writing, Ready Writing and Spelling. Schools represented were Denton Calvary Academy, Lucas Christian Academy, Providence Academy, and Wylie Preparatory Academy. The day was marked by an atmosphere of cooperation, encouragement and competition, and students from each school won ribbons. The second-place school in overall points was Denton Calvary Academy, while Wylie Preparatory Academy won first place overall. Wylie Prep Administrator Julie Calhoun concluded the day announcing the school winners, and with a heart of gratitude, thanked the parents, students, and staff from each school for their participation. Without their participation and contributions, this event would not have been such a success! Wylie Prep looks forward to hosting another great competition next year and welcomes the UMS community to come be part of this new academic tradition. UMS
2014 • Issue 1
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author interview
Parenting with Scripture An Interview with UMS Parent and Author, Kara Durbin
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ara Durbin and her family have been at Texas’s Wylie Preparatory Academy for five years. Her book, Parenting with Scripture: A Topical Guide for Teachable Moments, was published by Moody Publishers and has sold over 60,000 copies. Kara’s passion is helping parents learn to use teachable moments to connect God’s Word in everyday ways to their children’s lives, Deuteronomy 6:6-7 style. Kara was kind enough to detail her views in this interview with UMS Journal. What is your opinion of the UMS style? When I first learned of the UMS educational style, I thought it was too good to be true! It is simply the best of both worlds, combining the advantages of traditional schooling with the benefits of homeschooling. Hardly a week goes by when I am not thanking the Lord for the blessing of having a school model that fits our family so perfectly. How compatible is UMS with the tenants of your book? Deuteronomy 6:6-7 encourages parents to bring God’s Word into the everydayness of every day: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” This can be done effectively alongside any schooling method a family chooses. However, I appreciate the additional time with my children that the UMS provides. I consider it “buying back time for our family.” Describe your writing process on this book. It took about a year to compile the first 65 twopage topics. When Moody Publishers contracted
to publish it, they wanted 101 topics. I can tell you it was much more enjoyable writing on my own timeline than being under a deadline. As my children have been learning about the writing process in their Language Arts classes, it has been enlightening to share with them my experience from the publishing world. My writing process was exactly the same as how they are practicing with their papers – Outlining, Drafting, Revising, Editing, Final Copy. Whether students intend on being published authors or not, writing is a part of all of our lives in one way or another. It’s always encouraging when children can see how what they are being taught in school translates to the real world. For those who struggle with perfection, it might be helpful to know that even with professional editors and multiple paid proof-readers, it is almost impossible to catch everything. Have grace for published authors and don’t be too hard on your kid when a final paper is returned with points off for those pesky errors that slipped through. Why did you write Parenting with Scripture? A number of years ago, my sister shared with me how she caught my nephew in a lie. She explained to him that he shouldn’t lie, not only because she said so, but because God said so. Then she used a verse about honesty in that teachable moment. I loved that she had a perfect verse for that situation. I also knew that it was instinctive for her to go to God’s Word because our mother had done that with us – blessed us by parenting with Scripture. Knowing the positive impact that had on my life and wanting to parent in a similar fashion, I began making lists of topical Scriptures. As my lists grew longer and longer, I wondered why I was reinventing the wheel. I searched the variety of topical references on the market and realized there was nothing specifically and concisely geared toward parenting. That’s when I knew I was being called to create such a resource. Why were you so strategic in the formatting of
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your book? In a parenting moment, there’s not time to read a whole book on a topic, or even a chapter on a topic. That’s why I made the book as concise and easy to use as possible. It’s only two pages per topic, for that quick help with what God says. When you open to a topic, you’ll see a definition from a children’s dictionary and the related verses on the left side. On the right, you will find discussion questions, take action ideas, and often parenting tips. I wanted it to be like a mini lesson plan, helping parents make topics from the Bible come alive. It can be used as a quick reference, topical family devotional, or topical prayer guide. I geared the discussion questions and take action ideas as middle of the road as possible so parents can gear it up or down, depending on the age or ability of their children. However, since we never outgrow God’s Word, Parenting with Scripture can be used for any age. Why is it important to parent with Scripture and how will your book help with that? In this age of moral relativism, we need a foundation for decisions. As Christians, that’s the Bible. We know from Deuteronomy 6:6-7 that parents are responsible for the spiritual development of their children. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus shares the story of the wise and foolish men building houses on the rocks and the sand. Be encouraged that every time you bring Scripture into a teachable moment, you are helping build that solid foundation on Christ. What is next for you as a writer? Currently, I am focused on weekly blogging for my e-mail subscribers about tips for parenting with Scripture and making use of teachable moments. I have a couple of other book ideas on the backburner and am waiting on God’s timing on those. As I’m sure all UMS parents can relate to, there’s a fine balance in not getting over our heads with other projects since our job as coteachers should remain priority. What if readers want to know more? They can sign up for weekly blogs with tips on parenting with Scripture and making use of teachable moments at www.parentingwithScripture.com. The site has helpful videos and categorized information on related topics. They can also listen to my recent interview with Focus on the Family’s president, Jim Daly, on their international daily broadcast. UMS Parenting with Scripture: A Topical Guide for Teachable Moments is available at your favorite online retailer or Christian bookstore. 2014 • Issue 1
K-2nd graders display the 10 year celebration pins. (Front L-R) Angelina Posada, Emma Loyd, Isabella Posada, Anna Awbrey, Abigail Bolay. (Back L-R) Nathaniel Rhyne, Ethan Morrison, Krew Korenek, Chase Browning, Jace Rickelman, and Ella Hollis.
King’s Academy Celebrates Ten Years of Partnership Learning
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n the summer of 2003, two Tyler, Texas residents, Sam Fisher and Mitchell Rhodes, heard about a unique school in Arlington that offered a new alternative to education. Mr. Rhodes attended a seminar hosted by Grace Preparatory Academy to learn about this new concept and to explore the possibility of starting this type of school in Tyler. This trip convinced Fisher and Rhodes that God would establish this type of school in Tyler. They began praying with others for people to join them in this vision. As a result, the UniversityModel® school known as King’s Academy Christian School (KACS) was created. King’s Academy is the only Christian, University-Model School in East Texas. KACS serves Kindergarten through 12th grade. The school utilizes the proven approach to educational success – the professional instruction of a classroom teacher and the close involvement and guidance of parents. During these ten years, KACS has expanded its curriculum to include award-winning sports teams, fine arts programs, and numerous extracurricular subjects. Our graduates have attended universities and colleges around the nation winning thousands in scholarship monies. Each year the number of students, faculty and staff has increased. This year started with over 105 students and 30 faculty
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members, many with master’s degrees and 30 years of experience. King’s Academy has also expanded its mission focus. In years’ past, the school has taken a mission trip to China and participates in the community through local mission days during the school year. As all entities evolve from their conception, KACS has become a college prep school that allows the student to become who Christ created them to be. Students graduating from KACS are not only academically prepared, but confident and life prepared. “Words cannot express how amazed I am at the great things God has done at King’s Academy over the last ten years,” says founder Sam Fisher. “I can candidly say that my expectations have been exceeded in so many ways. Now, when I think of all that has transpired, see the great staff and faculty and get to know the fantastic students and families, the thing that boggles my mind most is God sure has some great things in store! If He can bring us to where we are, starting with no money, just a few people, and a dream, then the sky is the limit from here forward. I want to say a wholehearted ‘thank you’ to every person who has in any way been a part of the KACS journey during the last 10 years. We’ve come a long way and I believe – no, I know – the best is yet to come! Mostly, I want to say ‘thanks’ to God for His overwhelming faithfulness. May KACS always bring Him glory and honor.” UMS
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Legacy Prep is Home at Last! By Audra May Founder and Head Administrator www.legacypca.org
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ocated in The Woodlands, Texas, Legacy Preparatory Christian Academy, like most University-Model® schools, has lived quite the nomadic existence for the past nine years. In 2005, we began with only 43 students in a very small church, and have moved four more times since then. We’ve worked out of closets, kept a “clog log” for toilet use, been forced to put duct tape down the middle of a hallway so we were kept to one side, and make sure our tables and chairs were always at a right angle as we left the rooms. In most churches, if something went wrong, it was our fault. The challenge was trying to remain grateful while under so much scrutiny. After arriving at our last church and just barely surviving that fourth move, we knew we were too big to move again and that if we didn’t make some permanent arrangement for our 350+ students, we would be out of options and room. Our board began to seriously consider a building of our own in 2011. After conducting a feasibility study to test our parents’ interest and commitment to have our own place, we began to move forward. We looked into several plots of land, vacant buildings and empty strip centers, and anything else where we might use our creativity to house our students. Land in The Woodlands is extremely expensive, with prices now in the range of one acre for one million dollars! But God’s timing and plan was perfect. In 2012 our board purchased 25 acres of land for just over $2 million. Initially it appeared we would sit back off of a Farm-to-Market road where we wouldn’t be noticed. Oh, but that wasn’t God’s plan. The Woodlands began construction on Research Forest, a much better access road, and carried that road all the way through the back of the Woodlands. Our “little” school now sits along this highly visible street where everyone can see our Legacy Prep sign. This story may sound too good to be true. Rest assured, it wasn’t and still isn’t! The building was delayed by over six months. A mineral was found on the property that had to be “regulated.” AQUA, our water provider, couldn’t decide how to connect our land to city water, so they spent about three months “studying” the layout of the land. The contractor installing the water system made a complete mess and the pipes had to be re-done. The portable company “forgot” our order for portables. Water wasn’t connected on the property in time for school to start, so we used portable toilets and sinks. I could go on and on! Throughout the entire process, our board stood strong and committed to fulfilling our goal of providing a permanent place for our students. And now, here we are in our new home and all together again! The final product was a 55,000-square-foot facility with 24 classrooms, administrative office space, a collegiate-size gym, and a beautiful football field scheduled to be completed in time for the upcoming season. While we are thrilled to have our own space and are enjoying the freedom that comes with it, I can easily see that building a permanent facility isn’t for everyone. Construction can be overwhelming and time-consuming, the financial burden can be frightening and uncertain, and it just never seems that one is able to build something large enough for everyone. Our journey took us through many peaks and valleys, but we knew this was a step we had to take. We are blessed to have been able to walk this path and thankful for the many blessings we encountered throughout the process. The hope of our leadership is that our focus can now be on continuing to fulfill our mission and vision as we send our students out into the world to spread the love of Jesus Christ. It has been an honor to serve our families and students for the last nine years, and now even more so in our new home. We are prayerful that our next nine years will be just as wonderful. UMS
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Homer’s Odyssey and the Thinking Christian By Wendy Powell Coram Deo Academy Flower Mound, Texas
As part of Coram Deo’s goal to train our students to be thinking Christians, we publish a Journal of Theology three times per year. This is an opportunity for our students, faculty, and alumni to explore the intersection of theology and the “real world.” Our themes have ranged from an issue on the Resurrection to our upcoming issue on the influence of the book of Exodus on Paul’s letter to the Galatians. The following article was written by English and Theology teacher, Wendy Powell, and was published in the Journal’s first issue. www.coramdeoacademy.org
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or nearly 3,000 years Homer’s epic tale, The Odyssey, has inspired and delighted readers. Beyond the obvious appeal of sea adventures, monsters, and man-to-man combat against overwhelming odds, the story touches deep themes that transcend cultural differences and appeal to the common chords of humanity’s “collective unconscious.” Although written before the time of Christ, some of these themes parallel the truths and the longing for redemption portrayed in scrip-
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ture. These themes include the quest for one’s true home, the coming of age of Telemachus, and the return of the rightful king. Books, magazines and whole industries are built around man’s desire to create the perfect home. The loss of one’s “true” home and the longing to regain it is also a Biblical theme. According to scripture, Adam and Eve were exiled from their perfect home, the Garden of Eden. Ever since, Christians have been pilgrims
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on a quest for their true home. In The Odyssey, Odysseus longs to return to his home in Ithaca after ten years at Troy away from his wife and son. His quest home is a ten years series of adventures: He faces physical obstacles to returning home—giant cannibals, a brutal Cyclops, and a six-headed monster. He faces spiritual temptation in the lotus plants and the song of the sirens. And perhaps most significantly, he is offered eternal youth and eternal life to remain on an island as the lover of the goddess Calypso. The name Calypso means “hidden,” and the true glory and heroic stature of Odysseus is hidden as long as he remains on her island. Odysseus chooses to leave the island on a hastily constructed raft and venture across the sea to continue his quest for his rightful home and his true family. In each of his twelve adventures, there is a temptation for Odysseus to do something forbidden; on each occasion Odysseus passes the test
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by displaying a virtue. Interestingly, this theme is also a major element of the Roman epic, The Aeneid, as the hero loses his home in Troy and must seek a new home. He faces many adventures and dangers, including the desire to settle in Carthage with Dido, but finally achieves his destined quest, the founding of a new city. This universal story is a truth reflected in scripture: Christians are on a life-long quest for their true, heavenly home, but face obstacles and dangers that may prevent them from reaching it. Bunyan’s classic Pilgrim’s Progress is another timeless treatment of this theme. A second universal theme reflected in The Odyssey is the coming of age, or discipleship, of Telemachus. The son of Odysseus, Telemachus must prove himself a worthy heir to his heroic father. The tension of his situation is highlighted by the sub-plot involving King Agamemnon’s brutal murder at the hand of his wife Klytemnestra and her lover Aegithus. At the beginning of The Odyssey, the son of Agamemenon, Orestes, has returned and avenged the death of his father, proving himself a true and worthy son. Meanwhile, Telemachus faces the potential “ravishing” of his home and his mother and must prove himself capable of protecting them. With the help of Athena, he begins to stand up to the suitors and travels to find information about his father. He proves himself worthy in both spiritual and physical strength. His spiritual test echoes the teaching of Christ in Matthew 25:40: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” The lowly beggar whom Telemachus protects and befriends at the swineherd’s hut turns out to be his own father in disguise. His hospitality contrasts with the evil suitors’ jeers and abuse. He passes his physical test by nearly stringing the great bow of Odysseus, a task at which all the suitors fail. He also stands courageously by his father during the carnage at the Great Hall, fighting valiantly and receiving a slight wound—the baptism of his first battle as a man and a warrior. The final book of The Odyssey highlights Telemachus’ successful discipleship and portrays one of our main goals at Coram Deo Academy: multi-generational faithfulness. We desire to see children stand with their parents and their grandparents in remediating the effects of the fall in our culture and in bringing Christ to a broken world. In Book 24, Odysseus goes to find his father, Laertes, who has retreated impotently to a garden hermitage. Encouraged by the strength of his son, Laertes joins Odysseus and Telemachus in their final battle. They must stand, vastly outnumbered, against the fathers of the slain suitors. Odysseus attempts to hearten Telemachus: “Telemachus, you are going into battle against pikemen where the hearts of men are tried. I count on you to bring no shame upon your forefathers. In fighting power we have excelled this lot in every generation.” Telemachus replies, “If you are curious, Father, watch and see the stuff that’s in me. No more talk of shame.” And the old grandfather, Laertes cries aloud: “Ah, what a day for me, dear gods! To see my son and grandson vie in courage!” With that, Laertes himself hurls his spear through the throat of the most evil suitor’s father, ending the bloodshed and the battle. His strength is renewed by his faithful son and grandson. So may it be in our families. Finally, The Odyssey portrays the archetypal pattern of the return of the rightful king. This also is a theme found in scripture: A corrupt and leaderless world longs for the return of the true king, Christ, who will judge the wicked, rescue his bride, and restore a world broken by sin. The appeal of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is based on striking this common chord. The world of Middle Earth, nearly overcome by the evil of Sauron, is restored at the return of the rightful king who defeats the forces of Mordor and ushers in a new golden age. In The Odyssey, the rightful king of Ithaca, Odysseus, must return to save his wife, Penelope, and restore his household. He returns disguised as a lowly beggar, but finally reveals himself and destroys the suitors, purging his house of evil. Christ also came “disguised” as a lowly servant, but will return as king to destroy evil and rescue his “bride.” The Odyssey successfully appeals to readers as both a superficial story of love and adventure and as a tale which touches on the deepest longings, hopes, and fears of the human soul. This profoundly moving poem stirs the hearts of readers across all times and across all cultures. Leland Ryken writes, “A story begins in delight and ends in wisdom.” The Odyssey is a reflection of the one true story that we spend our lives learning and will one day know in its fullness. UMS 2014 • Issue 1
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The Battlefield By Andrew Cox Creative Writing Student King’s Academy Christian School
Behold the was a wooded glen Where once there lay remains of men, Where men did run and feet did pound Upon the broken hallowed ground.
If cannon missed when fired away, Then those who died, would live one more day, Had men not shot and guns not fire They might be here instead of mire.
If men didn’t anger and war hadn’t been Then those who died might still be seen. So I sing out this joyous song, That hope that died is not gone long.
They were the dead and still the dead, Whose curls once lay on feather bed. And those who died and were so young Whose mothers with their grief were stung!
In graves they lie with sod and dirt, While families tried to cure the hurt. The ground to which the dead belong, Has hidden them from living song. 17