Knight Vision 2010-2011 05.pdf - Abbotsford Christian School

KNIGHT VISIONABBOTSFORD CHRISTIAN SCHOOLA Publication of ACSSH.A.N.D.S. Team trip to Nicaragua Check Page 3In this IssuePrincipal’s Message Pg 2Hands Report Pg 3Athletic News Pg 3Secondary EventsSummer apprenticeship applicationsdueApr 15Semester 2 term 1 ends Apr 15Semester 2 term 2 begins Apr 18SR Golf Hosts SJB Apr 18Upcoming event Pg 4Drama Update Pg 5Messenger out to publicVia emailGood Friday/ easter Mondayno schoolApr 21Apr 22-25Upcoming DramaProduction Pg 5Grad update PG 63rd report card via students Apr 27H.A.n.d.s. benefit concert Apr 28Please check the websitefor more dates.ACS MISSION STATEMENT: Abbotsford Christian School, operated by Abbotsford Christian School Society members, seeks to serve Christian familiesby providing a secure learning environment in which God’s children can continue to explore, experience and evaluate all of life under God. We aim tonurture students in the discovery and development of their abilities and unique gifts so that they are enabled to be faithful, discerning, obedient andcreative servants of God and of neighbour, and stewards of His creation.ACS Elementary (P-5)Roy van Eerden, PrincipalACS Middle (6-8)Tym Berger, PrincipalACS Secondary (9-12)Rob Bakker, PrincipalAdministration OfficeJulius Siebenga, ExecutiveAdministration OfficeNilah Lewis, Admin Assistantw w w . a b b o t s f o r d c h r i s t i a n . c o m1

Principals Message:Growing Our SchoolIts spring. Besides the playoffs, this is the time of year when far-reaching decisions are made about the nextschool year. Teacher assignments, schedules and course offerings all need to be considered and planned.Integral in all of these discussions is the number of students attending our school next year. In many ways, thishas a profound effect on what we can and cannot do educationally. More students means more classes,more resources and more options in terms of programs. It is very disappointing then, that the trend of lateseems to be a decrease in the number of students attending our school.How do we bring about a change in circumstances? This, of course, is a discussion common to independentschools everywhere. We advertise, speak at churches, try to get some attention in the local papers and counton students from our traditional supporters. Let me share my thoughts on the topic of schoolgrowth.Let‟s start with the facts; families are decreasing in size, financially, times are tough, wehave an excellent school but there are several “Christian education options” available toparents in this area. Tough circumstances but we have the advantages of supportive families,great staff and a rich and well-known tradition of providing excellent, Christ-centerededucation in the Abbotsford area. So why aren‟t we growing? I believe it is because weneed something more. Consider that it is likely fairly common knowledge that we are doing a good job educatingstudents if we use the Fraser Institute‟s Report on BC Schools as a measure of excellence. Educators willlikely argue that this is hardly a valid yardstick of school excellence and they may be correct but the fact remainsthat many (most) non-educators see this widely publicized report as a good way to see how schoolsmeasure up. For the past several years, we have been at or near the top of local schools. By this measure weare excellent yet our numbers decline. I must conclude that just being excellent is not enough to grow theschool. I suggest that to grow, we need excellence with a difference. We need to be demonstrably superbeducationally (if we serve God and his image bearers, what else would be sufficient?) and offer a type of educationnot commonly available anywhere else. We need a school that sees each student as an individualand teaches them in ways that engage them, challenge them and focuses on the relevancy of the materialbeing learned. We need to teach them to think, take their gifts into consideration and focus on learning activitiesthat reflect the skills that they need to succeed as servants and citizens in society.This means that traditional teaching, even if it is done well, will not likely grow the school. We have beendoing it for a long time and are very good at it but so are many other schools and we are not growing. Togrow the school, we need to address a new kind of pedagogy with some urgency. We need to take studentsaway from the school and out into the “world”. We need to let them work together in authentic, cooperativeand cross-curricular ways. Projects (real projects…not just big traditional assignments), presentations, effectiveuse of technology and information and programs that target their gifts and talents and let them discover(uncover?) knowledge that has relevance are essential to this kind of school.Interestingly, there are schools taking this approach. It‟s not my idea! In most cases, the results have beenstaggeringly successful. Students love their schools, they score well on standardized test and are very successfulin post-secondary studies. Those that support a more traditional version of education often voice concernthat students taught in this manner will find college and university education very difficult since they tendto be much more traditional. This does not appear to be the case. You may wish to visit the website of HighTech High in San Diego or YES Prep School in Houston TX. These schools have taken education to a new level.They do not single out the best students, they are not boardingschools that cater to the wealthy (quite the opposite) and theydo not focus on exam scores. They take education seriouslyand constantly seek better ways to teach. They aren‟t afraid totry something new if they think it may lead to better or moreauthentic learning. They reflect on what they have tried andwork collaboratively to improve.We can do this. We can offer a type of education that honoursGod and his people and works to develop students thatcan engage culture, be discerning and obedient servants insociety and get excited about learning. When this happens,we will grow. You‟ll see!Rob Bakker2

A Wonderful Success!Thank youto the community for all ofthe support for our performanceofDiary of Anne FrankOur Next ProductionThis year Drama 11/12 is taking on the huge task of doingour own main stage production. As a class we are so excitedto be a part of a play we can make our own. There area variety of different people in our class, some acting veteransas well as first timers to the stage. So far it’s been alot of hard work building the set, creating costumes aswell as all things technical in the middle of acting everythingout. Our biggest excitement factor us to see RobWool (Mr. Frank), Justin Hageland (Mr. Dussel) and AaronBeukens prancing around in poodle skirts and saddleshoes to convince their Aunt that they are girls instead ofthree rowdy boys. Our Girls is going to be a hilarious comedyand tickets will be available at the beginning of May.-Brandi Devries (formerly Mrs. VanDaan)The Story:The Lovejoys have named their sons "Jesse," "Francis"and "Vivian," because Mildred's Aunt Jessie doesn'tlike boys. Aunt Jessie lives in England, so it has been easy to deceive her. She must never know that the"girls" who are to inherit her money are boys—very real boys. They "scrap" with Chester Wattles, are accusedby Mrs. Wattles of breaking her windows, and act as other boys do. Each will receive $5,000 on his sixteenthbirthday and more when he comes of age. Vivian is nearly sixteen, and Father plans to borrow part of the$5,000 to expand his business. Then the blow falls! Aunt Jessie has decided to pay a visit and bestow on hereldest "niece" in person the $5,000. What can be done? The boys must be girls! You don’t want to miss hishilarious romp!5