MCS 2022 Alumni & Friends Newsletter

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Class Fundraisers

Preschool Fun at MCS

Mrs. Enochs, Preschool

God’s Kingdom From Under Four Feet Tall Mrs. Jansons, Pre-K

Buddies are a Blessing Mrs. Guerra, Kindergarten

The Best Day Ever! Miss Trudgeon, Kindergarten

God Leads, I Follow Miss Krause, First Grade

Working Together: GLT Mrs. Sytsma, Second Grade

The Importance of Relationships in the Classroom Miss Stima, First Grade

The Best Fieldtrip Ever! Mrs. Bailly, Second Grade

Technology Blessings Mrs. Coburn, Third Grade

Washington State History Mrs. Hughes, Fourth Grade

Welcomed With Open Arms Miss Olson, Fifth Grade

Reading Fun in Fifth Grade Mrs. Snyder, Fifth Grade

Friday: Best Day of the Week Mrs. Moses, Sixth Grade

Any Questions?

Mr. Hvattum, Seventh Grade

The Sneak Attack! Mrs. Waltman, Eight Grade

On and Off the Field Coach Austin, PE & Sports

Knight’s Spotlight

Season’s Greetings!

As we look expectantly to celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, we wanted you to know what is going on at Monroe Christian School!

In these pages you will see that we have been blessed with continued student growth and wonderful staff of educators. You will see their joy float off the pages as we work together to shape young lives, both for their future, and for service to others in God’s kingdom.

These stories come from many familiar faces, as well as wonderful new additions to our team. As you read, my greatest hope is that you will see how God’s enduring presence continues to fill our classrooms and hallways each day. I trust that you will see how He faithfully continues to meet all our needs, and continue to support us with your generous gifts and prayers.

This year’s theme verses are found in Ephesians 6:10-18. Our focus has been learning how to truly ‘wear’ the Armor of God, and how each piece equips us to handle life’s many situations. Join with us as we stand firm in His promises for today, as we look expectantly toward tomorrow!

Sincerely, Elaine Obbink & MCS Teachers

QUICK FACTS

We’ve had Big changes to our “Little” School!

- This year we are serving 290 students ! In three years we’ve nearly tripled in size!

- We currently have 26 staff members : 9 have their master’s degree. 3 have been at MCS for over 10 years. 3 have been at MCS for over 30 years!

- We hired our first full-time Custodian , Mr. Clark!

- Your generous gifts have helped us purchase so many important and wonderful things: 130 computers

Smartboards and Document Cameras for numerous classrooms. Each classroom has received new chairs and desks. A two-classroom portable to expand our campus. Energy-efficient heating & cooling units for every classroom. Security Upgrades : Interior doors/safety glass and security cameras.

- The Board is actively exploring avenues to expand for future growth . Watch for more information in the coming months!

CLASS FUNDRAISERS

We are so proud of our students’ generosity! Classes have tackled some big causes this year, and they have delivered beyond even their own predictions. Here is a snapshot of their service to our Knight’s Community:

$6K for a Medical K9:

This was raised using only spare change in just one week! A student has recently been diagnosed with epilepsy and has an urgent need for a service/ seizure dog. Students worked together to help their friend and the goal was reached within days.

769 Pairs of Socks:

Students divided into South and West building wings and competed to collect warm socks for ‘Take the Next Step’, a local non-profit. The wining wing collected 507 pairs!

Thanksgiving Meals:

Classes filled multiple bins for the Sky Valley Food Bank in hopes of blessing others during this especially difficult holiday season.

Learning to Love School

Mrs. Enochs:

I feel so blessed to be here at MCS for my third year of teaching. I have never had co-workers as supportive and positive as the team at MCS. Teaching Preschool and Pre-K at MCS is an extremely rewarding job. Everyday our class is full of fun and laughter. We are learning nursery rhymes, Bible verses, and painting, just to name a few of the fun things we get to do. The children really enjoyed making homemade applesauce in the Fall.

Not only am I teaching, but I’m learning from them as well. They teach me to have an open heart and a positive attitude. Often a child will say something that makes a big impact on

me, or very often they will say something to make me laugh. “Mrs Enochs will you help me put on the safari dress up clothes because they look good on me.” or “I won’t see you when I’m done with school. I will be 25, I mean 5500, I mean 50.”

Miss Trombley:

This year, I was excited to see that half of our students in preschool last year had signed up to be in our Pre-K class! It has been a great joy to me watching them grow in math, phonics, following instructions and being kind to thier classmates. It has also been wonderful getting to know our new preschool kids, and see how much they have grown in their daily routine after just a few short months!

MRS. ENOCH’S CLASS MISS TROMBLEY, ASST.

Everyday our class is full of fun and laughter.

God’s Kingdom From Under Four Feet Tall

As I write today, I am listening to the rainfall. It’s beautiful, wet, refreshing, and musical. I don’t always feel this way about rain, but this year is different.

We started our school year with a month and a half of dry weather. No rain during the school day has its advantages. We don’t need coats or boots. There’s no need for a towel to dry the slides. The extra clothes lovingly packed into backpacks stay stowed away, hibernating.

The smoke, however, was no picnic. We stayed in on the worst of days and some of us suffered respiratory illnesses so we longed for rain to clear the air. We prayed for rain and for the safety of those affected by the wildfires.

And then God sent the rain. It was cleansing and renewing and fun! The pre-kindergartners rediscovered puddles and waterfalls dripping from gutters. They discovered rivers flowing in concrete seams that would float miniature play chip boats. It was magical! As for getting soaked – who cares! We were having fun!

A sort of reckoning came when the bell rang and we lined up to go inside. It may have only been a few months ago that I had to deal with my own wet shoes and rain jacket, but for the students it was a distant memory. They needed help –lots of it.

I began by asking them to wipe their feet on the way in. Some students still slipped on the wet tiles and needed help untangling their wet limbs to stand up again.

Then I instructed them to change out of their rain boots back into their dry shoes. Boots flew in all directions as kids kicked them off their feet. Cries of “I’m wet!”, “I need to change!”, and “I can’t find my shoes!” came from the many sodden children. There are only two of us, my aide and me, and 20 students, so it was sometime later when we had enough of them sorted out so we could continue learning.

And the scene in the hallway? It was a disaster – wet coats, boots, extra clothes, backpacks all in disarray on the floor!

It was a bit overwhelming for me, so I imagined the scene from the perspective of a child under 4 feet tall. It was a mountain of trouble!

It was then I realized how dependent the children are on those who care for them. They need direction, answers to questions, and correction on a regular basis. After some patient instruction on how to put shoes in cubbies, clothes in backpacks, and rain coats on hooks, our hallway was much tidier.

Recently while reading the Bible, I came across the passage in Matthew 18 where Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus put a child in front of them and told them they needed to change and become like the child in order to even enter God’s kingdom.

Just like my students need teachers, parents, and other adults to help them through life, we need to depend on God. We are helpless without him.

So the next time you see chaos, a mountain of trouble, or even just something out of place, remember to simply depend on God. He knows what we need even before we ask Him.

Just like students need teachers and parents, God knows what we need even before we ask Him.

MRS. JANSON’S CLASS

MRS.

MEYERS & MRS. MATIKO, ASST.

Buddies Are A Blessing

Above the doorway to our classroom a blessing reads, ‘You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out,’ Deuteronomy 28:6.

As a kindergarten teacher, part of my purpose is to help each child feel welcome and loved, and so with a joyful smile and a hug, I greet my students each morning. Each little one arrives with a smile of their own and various stories of their morning routines, adventures, and mishaps that they openly share with giggles.

As we journey through our days together with fun and educational stories, discussions, academics, and Bible stories depicting God’s love for his children, we grow closer as a family.

As the days become weeks, and the weeks become months our family bond strengthens. We recognize each other’s voices without the need to visually see who is speaking. We celebrate big events and birthdays together. We recognize the need to comfort one another when one of us is hurting. We voice our concern when one is absent. And we rejoice when absent friends return to school.

Our family also extends outside our classroom walls and into the larger building as we greet friends and teachers in the halls or outside at recess. However, the students who have taken a special place in our hearts outside our classroom are our fifth grade reading buddies.

We meet with our buddies once a week; at which time they read numerous and entertaining books. Sometimes we participate in a craft together. More importantly than the reading of books are the bonds developed as these students make each buddy feel like a special part of their life.

Some of the buddies have drawn pictures or given small gifts that they have purchased in their classroom store to their little buddies. These special buddies also participate in chapel with us where bonds are strengthened through our worship of God.

As the holidays are upon us, I pray that each one of you feel blessed by those who the Lord has put in your path. Furthermore, may we also strive to be a blessing to everyone we encounter. Who knows, maybe these individuals may become a very special part of your family.

MRS. GUERRA’S CLASS

These fifth grade reading buddies are such a beautiful blessing to our kindergarten family.

The Best Day Ever

Every day before dismissal, I ask my Kindergarten class, “What are we going to have tomorrow?”, they will shout back with a grin on their face, “The best day ever!”.

A couple weeks into the school year, I had a student come up to me in the afternoon and say, “Miss. Trudgeon, you were right, today really was the best day ever!” As a teacher, this moment will surely be one I will hold on to forever.

It reminded me that I have the opportunity to create a classroom atmosphere that helps these precious kiddos get excited about learning, and about all the fun possibilities that each day at school can hold.

Chances to be silly together, chances to learn about God’s love for us, learn our letters and numbers, explore the world with fun science experiments and chances to get excited about becoming readers!

This is my first-year teaching at MCS. Last year, I student taught in fourth grade with Mrs. Hughes. I loved it so much at MCS that I was overjoyed to accept a position to stay another year and teach Kindergarten.

From the moment I stepped foot into this school, I could tell there was something different about it. There is no denying the fact that Jesus is SO present. His presence can be found in the warmth of the teachers and in the smiles and laughter from the students.

A little over a year ago, I had no idea Monroe Christian School even existed. Now I can add my name to list of thousands of hearts that have touched by this school and consider themselves to be a part of the MCS family.

What a privilege it is to come alongside parents to help raise up this next generation to love God, love others and love learning. With Jesus at the center of our hearts, every day is the best day ever at MCS!

MISS TRUDGEON’S CLASS

From the moment

I stepped foot into this school, I could tell there was something different about it. There is no denying the fact that Jesus is so present.

God Leads, I Follow

This is my first year at MCS and my first-year teaching. When I started my schooling for my degree, I knew that the only place I wanted to teach was at a Christian private school. It was something that God had put on my heart, and I wasn’t sure why.

When it came time to begin my student teaching, the pandemic hit. I managed to help place myself in a Christian school, as I knew that is where God wanted me. After my student teaching, I really wasn’t sure how I would find a job. The pandemic had made things so difficult, but I kept hearing God’s words: “Be still” – and so I did.

I sent in resumes to Christian schools, but something never quite felt right to me. It didn’t feel like family, it didn’t feel like home. That’s when MCS called for an interview. I remember leaving that interview and praying that if this was God’s will and this is what He wanted, that it would be done. The atmosphere, the people, and the school just felt right.

When the job was offered to me, I accepted and knew it was the right thing and what God had intended for me. Since being here, it has been like no other job I have ever had. I really feel that the people here are my family and people that I can rely on both in and out of work. We share in our success, our frustrations, and our goals.

My students remind me every day how rewarding my job is. It is challenging as a first-year teacher. I want my students to learn, but I think it is equally important that they have fun while learning. That we make time to be goofy and laugh. That they see mistakes are okay, and a valuable part of learning.

I don’t know all the tricks yet, and every time I begin to overthink things or get anxious, I continue to hear those words – “Be still.” And so I will.

Working Together: Grade Level Teams

Every other week the teachers at MCS meet in groups called Grade Level Teams. These professional learning communities allow staff time to work collectively to discuss how best to meet student needs.

Knowledge is shared between experienced teachers and new staff. Mentoring takes place that encourages each staff member, and student learning is discussed. GLT groups are divided into teams Pre-school-2nd grade, 3rd-5th grade, and 6th-8th grade.

GLT group discussions are centered around these four crucial questions.

1. What do we want our students to learn?

2. How do we know what and how well they are learning?

3. How do we engage all students in relevant learning?

4. What do we do when they learn quickly or don’t learn well?

GLT groups give teachers an opportunity to dialogue about best practices in education and to share knowledge on how to best meet student needs. Our goal is to keep working hard to find ways to impact student achievement in a positive way.

I am thankful to be part of a staff that cares about each student at MCS, and dedicated to working as a team to encourage and cheer on students in their learning.

MRS. SYTSMA’S CLASS

I really feel that the people here are my family. We share in our success, our frustrations, and our goals.

MISS KRAUSE’S CLASS

The Importance of Relationships

In The Classroom

I asked my second grade students what I should write for this article. Most answers included something silly about our classroom, or little moments that do not obviously contain any “academic value”. However, I would assert that those moments have immense value, both socially and academically.

According to Megan Marcus, founder of FuelEd, “Just one relationship with a caregiver throughout a lifespan can actually change the brain’s development, heal trauma, and promote learning. (Cacciatore, 2021)

While it is common knowledge relationships are important for behavior management, this assertion takes it a step further and claims that there are developmental changes simultaneously. When students feel safe, they take more academic risks. They feel comfortable trying, even if they make a mistake, because they know they are loved no matter their answer. This is imperative for learning development.

In addition to academics, most social learning is done through relationships. The pandemic hurt many kids socially. I do not see it evidenced in their ability to communicate; my students are among the chattiest kids in school! When I say COVID-19 hurt them socially, I am referring to their ability to problem-solve in relationships.

A lot of my day is spent helping my students work through conflict and big feelings such as being left out or getting called out in a baseball game. Knowing my students and having a foundational relationship with them creates a trust that lets me speak truth about these important social issues in their lives.

I would propose that relationships are the single biggest way our students are able to see Jesus.

Every teacher on staff here is committed to reflecting and glorifying God in everything we do. We want students to see how amazing Jesus is, and how much He loves us.

MISS STIMA’S CLASS

To show Jesus to our kids, we must be willing to occasionally slow down academics and magnify their personhood through building a relationship with them. Knowing their favorite sports team may not seem like holy work, but it is when they see you care. When they know you care, you can speak truth and light into the darkness many students face.

Monroe Christian knows the importance of relationships and strives to prioritize relationship development. The class sizes allow teachers to know their students’ individual needs.

The safe atmosphere starts at the top with the principal supporting each teacher. This sets the tone for our classrooms to be safe havens with strong relationship building.

In addition, staff comes together every morning to pray for our school family. Each of these may seem insignificant, but they are the most powerful ways we work in the kingdom for King Jesus.

To show Jesus to our kids, we must be willing to slow down academics and magnify their personhood through building relationships with them.

*Cacciatore, Gianna. “PERSPECTIVES + OPINIONS: Teacher-Student Relationships Matter.” www.gse.harvard.edu, 17 Mar. 2021

The Best Fieldtrip Ever

Learning about communities is one of the Second Grade social studies units. Most years, I take my students on a walking community field trip. To be honest, this year I was a bit nervous about the field trip.

By the time students enter Second Grade, they’ve usually had many opportunities to experience field trips and the expectations that go along with them. This would also be the first time many of the local businesses had hosted students since the winter of 2020.

We left the school and headed to the Monroe Coffee, Co. where we toured the store and brewing facility. Some students brought their own money to purchase one of their famous cookies, which to them was a major highlight.

On our way to Sky River Park, we stopped at the Food Bank and the Boys & Girls Club. We discussed the ways they each serve our community. When we arrived, we saw a city worker taking great care of the park.

Our next adventure took us to the library where we had a private tour, story time, and were able to observe the mysterious book drop room.

Next, we walked to the Monroe Police Department where we received a private tour of the police station, vehicles, and many of their special training rooms. The highlight for many was when an officer and showed us their SWAT vehicle!

The last stop on our tour was Dr. Kim’s Dentist office, where we were once again treated to a wonderful tour and each student left with a goody bag full of oral hygiene items.

God is so good! Hands down, this was the best field trip in years! Our parent volunteers were amazing! They did a fantastic job keeping their groups together, and they facilitated learning by asking engaging questions that helped the students make connections.

Each location we visited went above and beyond my expectations with the kindness, the level and depth of attention, and time spent with the children. I was thanked repeatedly, at each location, for bringing the students to see them. I believe they were as blessed by the children as we were blessed by them!

The students were so excited to experience their first real field trip. They were well behaved, polite, full of great questions, and patient. Although tired, the students were so excited about their adventure and wanted to know when the next one would be. I was so proud of our little classroom community and very grateful for how they were treated by our local community.

God is so good! Hands down, this was the best field trip in years!

MRS. BAILLY’S CLASS

MISS WEEKS, Student Teacher

COBURN’S CLASS

Technology Blessings!

This year has had so many blessings! I have been blessed to have such a wonderful class this year. The students are so eager and excited to learn about all the subjects we cover in Third Grade.

This year our school was also blessed with the purchase of several more computers for each classroom, as well as two more mobile computer carts that can be shared.

Washington State History

MRS. HUGHES’ CLASS

Each year the Fourth Grade class studies Washington State history. We learn about our beautiful state and celebrate it’s history by going on several field trips.

We always begin by going to the Corn Maze at Swans Trail Farm. It is shaped like the state of Washington and has many roads, landmarks, and cities of our state within the maze. The students are challenged to follow a map with road signs to get from one city to another. They always enjoy crossing the state from east to west and north to south!

Our next adventure is off to a nearby stream in Gold Bar to witness the salmon spawning. Next, we go to the Hibulb Cultural Center where we learn about the Native Americans in our area. We learn about the culture, see artifacts, and even make a Native American craft! We plan to have a ‘Potlatch’ in January to display some of our Native American work.

March bring us to Olympia to learn about the Capitol and our state the government. We get to tour many of the rooms in and even participate in a mock trial. The students really enjoy this field trip!

I normally teach typing with my students each year. They learn about hand placement, how to move their fingers to type each letter, and how to type words and sentences. They really love learning how to type and always ask if it is typing day. With the addition of an extra computer cart and my classroom computers, I added a math program, Moby Max, which is a wonderful program that supplies lessons based on the skills they need to improve.

In my classroom we use the computers during our math and free choice times. After students finish their math lesson and practice, students can choose to go on the computer and practice with Moby Max.

They are using this resource each day and I can see their math skills improving the more that they practice. Students can even choose to practice both their math and typing skills at home as well. Each program is web-based and can be accessed from a home computer. With the addition of the extra computers now, my students who may struggle with math can get the extra practice they need.

I feel blessed to have these resources this year and look forward to adding more ways to use this technology. I hope to start this spring with having students complete their final drafts for writing on the computer. Thank you so much for donating to our school so that we may continue to supply the best possible education for our students.

In May, we will be going to the Padilla Bay Estuary. There, the students will gather seaweed, creatures, and other items to look at through their microscopes. They can see firsthand how important this estuary is to our wildlife.

Fourth Grade is a year of learning about our state in a fun and educational way!

MRS.

Welcomed With Open Arms

As soon as November rolls around I begin to think of what I am grateful for in life. I have a lot to be grateful for in this season, but perhaps none as big as coming to Monroe Christian School. I taught at a public school for four years before coming to MCS, and it was difficult.

That may seem obvious, but I did not quite realize all that would entail. It’s hard to work with students and staff who have an ever-changing moral code. My last year in public school was the most difficult year. It left me feeling jaded and unsure if I even wanted to be a teacher anymore.

Over the summer I prayed and asked God for guidance. Then one day Mrs. Snyder got ahold of me and told me about this amazing private school in Monroe. She raved about the staff and students. She told me about what a breath of fresh air it was compared to public school. So, I made the jump!

Right away I could tell that the atmosphere was different from my previous place of employment. All of the staff greeted me with smiles and welcomed me in with open arms. As the school year started however, the fear that the staff and admin were being fake-nice, or that there was gossiping, creeped in. Nothing had happened, I had just become untrusting of coworkers from my previous experience.

One day, I was talking with Mrs. Obbink about my fears and she reassured me that this was a school with integrity. She said if anything ever arose, it would be addressed with kindness and respect. Ever since that conversation, I have seen the integrity that staff, students, and parents have here. In a world that feels like integrity is optional, it feels special to be in a place that won’t compromise its values.

Reading Fun In 5th Grade

This is my first first full year teaching in a Christian school. It is amazing to study God’s Word, teach Bible class, attend chapel, have the Gospel integrated into our curriculum, and be able to pray often with others in my workplace!

Last summer, I read many of the core literature/novels that our 5th graders will be reading at MCS this school year. For the first, I am using a reading program called CIA (CollectInterpret-Apply), which is a wonderful reading curriculum adopted by MCS that encourages students to read ‘like detectives’ while they comprehend, analyze, and relate to the text that they are reading. Students have been making connections, debating what characters should or shouldn’t do, and discussing the characters’ values, beliefs, and morals.

Currently, all 5th graders at MCS are reading a historical fiction novel called A Journey to a New World. Students are learning history while gaining new vocabulary words and understanding some of the difficulties people endured to practice their religion freely. My students are excited to write their own diary entries by imagining they were traveling on the Mayflower to a new land. They will also pretend to be a travel agent and create a brochure for a ‘marvelous’ cruise that will leave England for the New World in September 1620. This novel, and many others that we will read, will focus on the importance of religious freedom and our need of our Heavenly Father to guide us in our lives.

I’m excited to be teaching and learning with my students at Monroe Christian School where God’s love, grace, and mercy are practiced daily.

MISS OLSON’S CLASS

MISS OLSON’S CLASS

MRS.

Friday: The Best Day of the Week

After 8 years of teaching at MCS, I think my favorite day of the week is still Friday. Not for the reasons you might expect, but because it’s our chapel day.

What I think about as I look back over our chapel times is seeing kids rush into the room ready to begin, eager, and looking forward to our time together. I see the enthusiasm and joy on their faces as we worship, and watch as our students simply have fun together.

Our theme this year is putting on the Armor of God based on Ephesians 6. One chapel, we had races with giant pants to show how the Belt of Truth holds us together and helps us keep running the race for God. Oh, the laughter!

In our last chapel, the teachers were fending off Nerf “arrows” shot by the kids, as they were protected by the Breastplate of Righteousness. The kids were eagerly bouncing to be chosen, and lined up to aim at us teachers. It was such fun! I think I laughed and enjoyed it even more than the kids did. We have been blessed with so many new students that it has been difficult to fit everyone into the church at one time.

CLASS

We made the tough decision to split up chapel into two smaller groups and have separate chapels on alternating weeks. I thought I would really miss having chapel only every other week, but it has been amazing to have mini-chapels in our classroom!

We have been able to have some real-world, in-depth discussions about what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus in our world today; discussions we may not otherwise have with a younger audience present. Sometimes the students are so engaged and eager to contribute that it’s hard to finish up and go on to Math and Science.

Once chapel winds down, it’s time for my most favorite part of the day. We practice our Bible memorization, which has been focused on the learning every verse in Matthew chapter five. For just a few minutes, a chorus of twenty students quoting the Word of God fills the classroom.

Sometimes after we begin, I just stay silent and listen to the sound of their voices in unison, and it fills my heart with unspeakable joy.

I see the enthusiasm and joy on their faces as we worship, and watch as our students simply have fun together.

MOSES’

MR. HVATTUM’S CLASS

Any Questions?

After a year of teaching Fifth Grade, I am back in middle school teaching Bible and Social Studies. I love being back with this age group and feel it is where I belong!

One of the things I love about students at this developmental stage is their compulsion to question everything. This might sound crazy, but if you know any students in 6th-8th grade, you know this is in their nature! As middle school teachers, we have the privilege of guiding them in how to work through this respectfully while fostering their curiosity.

The middle school teachers at MCS recognize the value in students seeking clarification and don’t shy away from indulging students when they want to know more about the purpose behind lessons.

We put passion into preparing for the subjects we teach, so we are happy to give them some insight. This often affords us the opportunity to help them hone the way they communicate in a way that will serve them in other settings as well.

You may have heard a student who is working through a task they don’t prefer say, “why do we have to do this?” What a great opportunity to train them in respectfully seeking clarification! It is encouraging to hear a student instead asking, “could you tell me a little about why you chose to take us in this direction today?”

The cognitive development of a middle schooler is such that they are no longer satisfied by memorizing a set of facts and accepting it as truth. They have developed reasoning skills that won’t allow it.

One of the ways I encourage this is to make questions part of the assignment. If I know they are going to have questions anyway, why not give them a forum to pose them? Sometimes, in the act of intentionally thinking through questions they might have, students connect the dots and answer their own questions.

Other times, one student posing a question gives another the opportunity to think through the topic in a way they might not have, or to learn through teaching and listening to others.

I consider it an important part of the maturation process of any middle schooler that they, sometimes indignantly, don’t hold back from questioning the world around them. I feel privileged to be able to guide them in this process, teach them etiquette, and encourage their curiosity.

Middle Schoolers are no longer satisfied by memorizing a set of facts and accepting it as truth.

The Sneak Attack

Like a deer in the woods, middle schoolers scare easily when we bring up deep topics. If I come right out of the gate and ask, “How’s your walk with God?”, or “What insecurities are you facing today?”, you’d hear crickets.

Those are scary questions for a middle schooler to answer. And yet, those are the exact questions we need to dive into regularly so that our students grow in their foundational understanding of God, of who they are, and of how others speak into that.

Everyday, they bring their own insecurities or moods for me to decipher. So how do I help students safely enter into these discussions? As a teacher, I’ve learned to be comfortable doing two things: get weird, and share what’s real.

In this picture, I’m wearing a stack of hats on my head. I wanted to outwardly show thoughts that went through my mind as a teenager and also show how thinking on God’s truth throughout the day can transform them.

MRS. WALTMAN’S CLASS

I described how they negatively affected my mood, my demeanor, my hope, my influence. Real struggles from my life. Allowing them a window into more of who I used to be, continuing to sprinkle in some humor here and there.

Next, I entered God into the scene. I had each student bring me a hat to place on my head. Each hat had one of these truths taped to it.

I am chosen. You want me. Because of You, I am somebody. No matter what others say about me.

You don’t change your mind about me. You’ve given me your inheritance. You’ve given me your strength. I can do all things through You.

And as they placed these hats on my head, I outwardly showed how these truths transformed my thoughts to positively affect my identity, which then led to a change in my mood, my demeanor, and my influence.

So now I ask, “What insecurities are you facing? How is your walk with God?” Students themselves now begin to get real. They shared their own doubts, pains, insecurities. Their struggles to understand God’s truth in their lives. The room became a safe space to share, to open up.

So first, I got weird. I began acting as I did when I was a middle schooler their age. This got them to laugh. Once I saw that they were hooked and into it, then, I got real – I began sharing aloud the thoughts, insecurities, pain, and doubts that toggled through my mind.

And so you see how important it is to approach the deer with tact, so as not to scare it away. It is then that we can expound upon deeper issues of life that hold true meaning. It’s what they need most. It’s the main reason why God has me here, teaching middle school.

He truly does equip those he calls, not of our own doing, but by His alone. So don’t be afraid to get weird and share what’s real with those around you. Who knows what kinds of raw, honest conversations might come from it.

He truly does equip those he calls, not of our own doing, but by His alone.

On and Off the Field

I would have never believed when I started work here almost 5 years ago, just how far our sports program could go…

When I first started working here at MCS, the mood was grim. We had 100 students enrolled, and at the end of the year, we were trying to figure out how we were going to get 125 for the following year.

If you had asked me then what the future held for our sports programs, both in PE and after school activities, I wouldn’t have been too optimistic. But our teachers and staff were strong and determined, and our mission to provide quality education with a foundation in Christ never wavered. Now, by the grace of God, we are currently at 290 students, and our school is growing.

With the growth in our student population and our community, we have been able to expand what we have been able to offer in terms of our after school sports program. We are just finishing up our 5th through 8th grade co-ed soccer season. We have been playing for the last two months, and we are so proud of the skills and improvements we have seen.

We have also started an after school sports program for our younger grades in between our middle mchool sports seasons. This program is offered to our younger kids once a week after school, which allows kids to learn new games, get all their energy out, all while providing a safe learning environment.

One of the programs we are most proud of is from last summer, when we started our first sports summer camp that we offered to our students.

The sports camp program went from 9-2 each day with a different sports theme each week. This program gave our students the chance to play with friends over the summer but also gave our parents a much-needed break.

All these programs are fantastic, but what prides us most at MCS is how they are all centered on Christ. Every time our teams take the field for a soccer game, they do so knowing that they represent not only our school, but our God.

Every track meet we go to our kids know that the value of sportsmanship and being kind to the students we play against is priced above any win we could get. Through the teachings of Christ, complemented by education through sports, our students are learning many life and spiritual lessons through the activities we do on the sports field.

Every time our students take the field, they do so knowing they represent not only our school, but our God.

TAPP (Teacher & Parent Partnership)

This is our largest parent group and functions much like a typical PTA.

They help to facilitate all of our hot lunch options, which include bi-weekly pizza days and hot dog lunches from a food truck, organize donut days, and numerous popcorn snack days.

TAPP supports the teachers in so many ways: classroom supplies, birthday cards, and lunches, just to name a few. This November they held their first-ever Bingo Night, which was a great success and will definitely be a new tradition!

Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students)

We are so excited to have this special program back again! Our dedicated troop of dads, uncles,

and grandpas have been present in our crosswalks, classrooms, and hallways. They bring a unique feeling of safety and security as they spend the day with us.

Most of all, they are a source of great joy and pride for the students who get to show off their dad for the day.

Moms in Prayer

This is a group is for moms of every grade who fellowship with one another and pray for the health of our school. They gather twice a month just after drop-off and faithfully pray for our students, their families, and the future of our school.

Building and Grounds Committee

This handy group of parents take care of so many needs around the school! They continue to maintain the exterior of the building, take care of pothole filling, paint the sidewalks, shovel, mow the field, and so much more that goes under the radar. We couldn’t do it without them!

In addition, we have been blessed to have our first fulltime custodian on staff this year, Mr. Clark. Teachers have been able to call him instead of stopping class to attend to a spill or refill papertowels in the bathroom. We are so grateful for this much-needed help, and for his cheerful smile around the building each day.

ONLINE

1. Go to www.monroechristian.com, then click “Support MCS” on the Home Page.

2. Scan the QR code to the right and it will open the MCS PushPay website. A donation receipt will be sent via Paypal.

3. Send a check to Monroe Christian School in the secure envelope provided.A donation receipt will be sent to you from MCS.

We are thriving because of You. Please help keep our school going strong!

We pray God will bless you in your faithfulness and support!

We hope you enjoy this Alumni Newsletter! We are so blessed by your continued prayers and support!