Immanuel Classical School: November 2022 Newsletter

11 Nov 2022

Newsletter MONTHLY

About Us We are a new Christian and classical school, just finishing the 11th week of our second year! The Lord has richly blessed our beginnings. We want to spread the word of who we are and our desire to raise disciples in Christ. We hope this newsletter grows our community's understanding of our mission: to cultivate wonder, train in truth, and shape our students' love for God and His world through robust, objective-based, Classical Education.

www.immanuelclassical.org (509)955-3335

A Letter from the Headmaster

Dear Immanuel Classical School Community, We have completed our 11th week of school, and students and staff are working incredibly hard in all subjects. A recent highlight was our Reformation Day celebration, when students and teachers dressed up in outfits from Medieval times and learned about Martin Luther and his 95 Theses. Our Monday/Friday enrichment program celebrated by learning about the Reformation followed by a festive afternoon party!

As Christians, we are blessed with a rich artistic heritage which we explore every week in both our core academics (T/W/Th) and enrichment program (M/F).

Students have studied and created

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Greco-Roman sculptures, ekphrasis drawings, watercolor, mosaics, Medieval musical instruments, and more! Our core students are also busy preparing a Christmas program in music class, and they sound wonderful!

We start each morning in chapel with prayer, which is a gift given to us by God our Father, as we remind our students often. Each Tuesday, guest pastors lead our students in chapel through a portion of the Sermon on the Mount, creatively tackling important truths in an applicable way for 4-14 year olds! We ask for prayer for our students and staff; this month, specifically for endurance for teachers and perseverance for students as we head into winter months.

Faculty Highlights Tollie Nail What is your favorite thing about teaching Primary Prep?

My favorite thing about teaching Primary Prep is seeing everything that the children create.

What led you to teach at Immanuel?

I taught ESL for two years before joining ICS. I love focusing on the alphabet, basic math, and reading good books! I enjoy using sensory items to make concepts come to life!

Tell us some fun facts about you: My favorite color is lavender and I love to garden!

Shannon Gaskell

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What is your favorite thing about teaching Primary Prep?

The kids at this age are so sweet and fun to teach. They can get so excited and amazed by something we're learning, like what it's like to live on the International Space Station or how Mars Rovers operate as we study astronomy. I love the ease of their laughter, and their energy and willingness to learn through play and song. There's a purity to their wonder and curiosity that's so enjoyable.

Shannon Gaskell, cont.

What led you to teach at Immanuel?

My son was enrolled last year, and I got to experience as a parent this healthy, wholesome environment that all the kids seemed to enjoy and feel comfortable in. It was easy to see something special was being cultivated here. I'd been working part-time online as a mental health counselor (and still am, but now just a few sessions a week).

I've always loved the teaching aspects in counseling and in other past roles, and it didn't take long for me to know that I wanted to try to lean into that, especially in a context where you weren't just allowed to include faith, but that it's a main component of Christian, classical education to endeavor to find God's truths and His glory in every subject we study.

Tell us a fun fact about you and your family: My husband and I went to Selah and started dating in high school. We both wanted adventure and couldn't wait to move away. And now nearly 20 years later, guess where we live? But it hasn't been without adventure!

Peek into the Classroom Read about what we've been up to this year!

All of our classes, starting with Mrs. Williamson’s Secondary 2, are in the midst of giving presentations each Thursday on something they have studied this year.

Presentations have ranged from reader’s theater of scenes from The Hobbit, dramatic re-enactments of King Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, an imagining of the day Mt. Vesuvius erupted, and facts about the solar system.

Classes work for several weeks creating

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and rehearsing these presentations, and we love watching them! Parents and family members are invited to attend our chapel every day, but Thursdays are extra special because of these wonderful presentations.

Our classes also have a variety of fun inclass celebrations to get to know handson what life was like in Roman times, which is part of our Ancient History year for everyone. Teachers wonderfully plan exciting events, like the Roman lunch in Mrs. Gaskell’s Primary Prep class where everyone got to lie on the ground to eat!

Top: Mrs. Nolan’s Secondary Prep class before their Mt. Vesuvius/gladiator battle presentation Right: Mrs. Gaskell’s Primary Prep class eating their Roman lunch Bottom: Mrs. Anderson’s Primary C class after a wonderful King Arthur presentation

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School News and Events Conservatory Recital

All Immanuel Music Conservatory violin and piano students will perform solo pieces at our upcoming recital! Immanuel families are invited to come support both studios on November 17th at 6:30 PM, even if you do not have a student performing.

Many of our students will be performing for the first time ever.

Christmas Program

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Changemaker Fundraiser

Immanuel has an ongoing tuition fundraiser, Changemakers, which supports current and future families! A changemaker is someone who donates their digital spare change to Immanuel. You simply sign up a credit/debit card, shop as normal, and your change is automatically donated to the school. Please click here to learn more and sign up to be a changemaker!

Our Core Days music classes will be performing the songs that they have been working on since the beginning of the school year!

Each music group (2 combined classes) has their own song, Primary C and above will sing a second song, then the whole school will sing a version of Silent Night together with the audience on December 15th at 6:30 PM.