PILGRIM Journey February 2013
Our parents are saying: “The teachers and faculty as well as the atmosphere in the building are warm and caring.”
“We have loved our time at LCS and never doubted this was the right choice for our children and family.“
Word of Mouth—What are people saying about LCS? When we asked our 2012-13 new families to tell us how they first heard about Lansing Christian School, 83% told us it was by word of mouth. What does that tell us? It tells us that what we say to people about Lansing Christian School is important. In fact, it might even be the determining factor in bringing another great family to our school.
“The teachers are on fire for the Lord and passionate about teaching.”
Here is what we are telling people about LCS
LCS partners with Christian parents and churches, guiding students in developing a biblical world view and Christian character.
At LCS, classroom learning is rigorous and relevant.
At LCS, faith formation is intentional and it is integrated into every part of school life – in classroom learning, athletics, co-curricular activities and stu-
LCS is “challenging them to excel in academics to glorify God.”
dent leadership.
At LCS, students are able to cultivate caring and positive working relationships with teachers.
LCS offers a wide variety of student life opportunities where students are encouraged to grow in their God-given gifts and abilities and engage in Christian community.
“The extracurricular activities are varied and can offer a sense of community, a place of belonging.”
We invite you to read more about each of these LCS distinctives in this month’s edition of the Pilgrim Journey. More than 3,000 households will receive a copy this month. If each and every reader, takes the opportunity to share what Lansing Christian School is about with just one other person by word of mouth, we could see the benefits in a very short time. We are already taking in new families for the 2013-14 school year. Consider being a part of recruiting the next generation of Lansing Christian Pilgrims!
Rigorous and Relevant 21st Century Education, Technology and LCS Technology is rapidly changing all around us, and the way it looks in our class“Puppet Pals" allows elementary students to compose plays in which they can review story elements such as plot, problem and solutions.
rooms is changing as well. At all levels, technology is being used to facilitate and advance student learning in all subjects. New this year to LCS are carts of iPads making their way through the school. In elementary grades, the iPads have been used to compliment and extend learning in the classroom. The tablets create excitement, reinforce skills and take learning in a new direction.
Preschoolers have iPads put into the rotation at their daily centers. The ease of use makes iPads ideal for tiny fingers to maneuver around the tablet practicing shapes, patterns, counting and making their own artwork.
“Safari” gives students the opportunity to tour the White House without leaving Lansing.
and learning reinforcement in a variety of subjects with the iPads. The tablet captures students’ attention and then allows them to become proficient in telling time, sounding out letters and learning math.
“Rocket Math" engages students to practice basic math and add coin values together.
The Elementary Academic Support Center is getting extra help
First and second graders are using apps on the iPads to broaden their learning in social studies, math and language arts.
The middle school is using the upgraded technology and new curriculum for the integration and application of important technology concepts and skills.
In sixth grade language arts
students are breaking away from their desks and curling up on pillows on the floor to post poetry
Teachers share curriculum ideas with tools like Moodle and Google documents.
and memoirs on their self-created blogs using the iPads.
Seventh and Eighth graders
are using technology to help facilitate a service learning project at Riddle Elementary. Middle School students collaborate on projects using Dropbox and Evernote.
Students sharing information about an iPad application
Teachers love the expanded technology that allows for flexibility and more learning opportunities.
Students no longer wait for a computer lab to be reserved to compose their work.
Teachers don't have to work their schedules around a lab's availability.
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Forward Progress All of these examples represent forward progress. Traditionally, computer skills were
90
taught in a separate
iPads and 4 iPad carts
class and that is where they stayed. While tech education classes still provide the know-how, the technology is being used to enhance school subjects, making tech-
200
nology and programs applicable for student
Laptops and Desktops
use outside of the classroom, in jobs, and in life. Using technology to facilitate and advance learning produces a high level of student engagement. Students have more access, ownership, responsibility
2nd graders using iPads in class
3 Computer Labs
and opportunity for self-directed learning. Teachers are eager to find new programs and apps that keep their students up-to-date on the latest skills and knowledge that will lead them throughout the 21st century. This is just the beginning of what lies ahead as Lansing Christian remains committed to providing
$220,000 spent annually on technology
excellence in every activity and program of the school, including the ever-changing world of technology.
“Primrose� is 1 of 4 iPad carts the school rotates through the classrooms
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Faith Formation Integrating Faith and Learning At LCS, faith and learning are not separate. Every day our students are learning more about God and His world in their classrooms and in chapels.
Chapels Middle and High School The students come together in worship twice a week in middle school and high
2012-2013 Theme Verse I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
Stay Connected. Branch Out.
school chapels. Each Tuesday, the students get to hear from a speaker, often a youth pastor, an alumni or someone living out their faith in our community. On Fridays, the chapels are planned and led by students and designed to make connections between their faith and their lives.
Chris Norman, a linebacker for the MSU
Elementary
LCS students . He encouraged our students
Engaging in worship is an essential component of our Christian walk. Each Mon-
Football Team, shared his testimony with to let the love of Christ shine through them, so that others will see Christ in them.
day and Friday our elementary students gather to praise and worship our heavenly Father. Using our theme, “Stay Connected. Branch Out.”, we began the year helping students understand the importance of staying connected to Christ. During the second half of the year we are delving into what it means to Branch Out. One way we do this is through prayer. For the remainder of the year elementary students are praying for children around the world.
Sophomore student presenting his project at this year’s Kingdom of God Fair where students showed how various organizations are impacting the world.
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Mr. Russ: A Lesson From Freshman English Faith and Learning in the Classroom One of the reasons I love teaching freshmen English is because of the many opportunities we have to consider our faith in connection with language arts. My English students and I have recently discovered the profound connection between conflict and significance. All the stories ever told— everything from children’s books to multi-million dollar movie productions—contain conflict. Our favorite stories are almost always the ones that have the greatest conflicts; the ones in which evil has all but won the day just before
Mr. Bryant Russ, High School teacher and alumnus
that glimmer of hope becomes a reality and conquers the darkness. These are the stories we remember, not because they are happy and easy all the way through, but because they contain great conflict and great characters that overcome adversity.
“Perhaps following Jesus was never about finding the easiest way out of difficulty, but rather about living lives of significance.”
We are a nation obsessed with eliminating all forms of conflict from our lives because, well, easier is better right? Then why are so many people dissatisfied, restless, purposeless, and hungry for something more? The answer can be found in a semester of freshmen English. A good story cannot exist without significant conflict that needs to be overcome, and the same is true of a significant life. When our desire for conflict-free lives influences our choices, the way we work, the way we conduct our relationships and when we consistently choose the easiest possible path, we are actually uprooting the potential for significance, the possibility that our stories will be worth telling. What does Jesus tell us about following Him? “In this world you will have trouble,” and “If they persecuted me they will also persecute you,” and “Enter through the narrow gate.” Follow Jesus and conflict is guaranteed. This revelation led the freshmen and me to a profound question: Are many of us bored with the Christian life because we’ve traded the commands of Jesus for the comfortable life? Perhaps following Jesus was never about finding the easiest way out of difficulty, but rather about living lives of significance. Whether it means standing up to peer pressure, confronting a deeply rooted addiction, or befriending the “least” at the risk of loosing your reputation, following Jesus always leads to conflict. And as we learned in freshmen English, conflict always leads to a better story. 5- PILGRIM Journey
Caring and Positive Working Relationships with Teachers Teachers making the Difference Lansing Christian School
Fun Facts about Ms. Somerville:
is a unique place. It combines academic excellence with a compassionate community. This combination is per-
39 years serving at LCS
haps best exemplified in Ms. Sharon Somerville, one of our high school English teachers. Throughout her time at LCS, Ms. Somerville has provided exceptional education for “a long
30 weddings
time,” and, during that
attended in 18 months
caring and positive working relationships with more than 1,600 students. While
time, she has cultivated
Ms. Somerville sharing her love of language arts with students
her impact is impossible to measure, one testament to the relationships she has created with her students is how they seek to maintain connections with her. Ms. Somerville is considered to be a “professional wedding attender.” During one eighteen month period, she attended more than thirty former students’
1600 students taught
weddings. Ms. S. is always willing to go above and beyond for her students, whether that means working at sporting events, spending more time with students to ensure their comprehension, or coming in on Saturdays to prepare her lessons. She enriches students’ experiences by organizing yearly trips to Shakespearean plays in Stratford, Ontario. And, she organizes a system for her students to write encouraging notes to their peers and the community. All these are reflections of her passion and dedication. Most importantly, Ms. S. demonstrates concern for her students’ faith develop-
Countless
ment. She has helped lead several mission trips to places like Panama and Mexico. She also arranges and hosts Bible stud-
lives touched
ies to deepen her students’ faith. To help them live out their faith, Ms. S. leads her homeroom students in creating Thanksgiving baskets for the Lansing area. Her students leave well-equipped with English skills for their future. They also leave having experienced the genuine compassion of someone living her life as a servant of Christ.
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Ms. S, HS language arts teacher
Community Engagement LCS Students Serve the Community Lansing Christian students are making a difference in the Lansing community and in the world. Students at every level are learning what it means to share Christ’s love through service. At the elementary level, students are learning how to serve fellow students and the local community. Middle school students serve the Lansing community through an ongoing relationship with Riddle Elementary School. At the high school level, students have the opportunity to serve locally and on a global level. LCS students are using their abilities to bless others in our community!
Mrs. Jackson’s 1st grade class planted flower bulbs along the playground.
Mr. Delano’s 5th grade class is helping the Holt Community Food Bank by stocking shelves.
The elementary donated 42 pies to the City Rescue Mission during their annual Market Day pie sale.
Our PreK-12 student body collected 269 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas
42 Pies donated to Rescue Mission
269 Operation Christmas Child boxes collected
Child. These boxes, filled with age-appropriate toys, blessed children around the world.
LCS middle school students serve at Riddle Elementary School in Lansing, spending time with kindergarten, first, and second grade buddies writing stories, reading books, coloring pictures and playing math games.
The high school student council raised $3,500 selling olive wood items made in Bethlehem. The money they raised benefits the Al-Basma Center in Bethle-
$9,222 raised by Sophomore class for World Vision
hem, a center for disabled adults and children.
The sophomore class raised $9,222 between their biology fundraising and the Kingdom of God Fair. This was enough to fund three water wells
300 Bulbs planted by Mrs. Jackson’s class
and mosquito bed nets for one village through World Vision.
Residents at Edgewood Retirement Center enjoyed Christmas music sung by Mrs. Shackelford’s 1st graders
30
Seniors
enjoyed a concert by 1st graders
(Picture at Right) and the high school chorale. 7- PILGRIM Journey
Student Life Opportunities Excellence in the Arts We believe that the arts are a gift from God and deserve no less than our very best. In the arts God’s beauty is reflected in what students create with their minds, with their hands and with their voices.
4th Grade through 12th grade choirs join in song
Lansing Christian has a rich music tradition. Concerts, festivals and musicals have been a part of Lansing Christian’s history for many years. This year’s annual Christmas Concert featured 175 students in grades 4-12, with Lansing Christian School has a rich tradition in the arts
an audience of more than 700. The concert concluded with the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah, sung by alumni, parents, grandparents, faculty and friends of LCS. The elementary students held a Fine Arts Night on January 24. On March 21, our middle and
Alumni & Students sing Hallelujah Chorus
high school students will celebrate their Fine Arts Night featuring the visual arts, vocal and instrumental music, world languages, drama and video production.
Elementary Fine Arts Night featured performances from Preschool through 5th grade
Visit LCS’s Fine
On April 26 and 27, the choir department will perform Rogers and Hammer-
Arts blog at
stein’s Cinderella at MacDonald Middle School in East Lansing. Tickets will be
www.lcscreates.
available for purchase beginning at the end of March.
wordpress.com.
Ten high school art students will be competing in an all-area art competition at the MSU Federal Credit Union in February, and many more students will be competing for art scholarships at their prospective colleges.
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Academics in Overdrive Science Olympiad is in its third season at LCS, with 30 high school students participating in this year’s team. Being a member of the high school Science Olympiad team allows students to go beyond the high school science curriculum. They gain in-depth knowledge and skills in multiple areas of science study as they work with more than 20 coaches that have passion and expertise in the various areas of competition. Chemistry Lab, Forensics, Designer Genes, Forestry, Astronomy, Disease Detectives and Gravity Vehicle are just some of the events Science
Upcoming: Saturday, February 23 the Science Olympiad teams will compete at Lansing Community College in the regional competition.
Olympiad team members will be competing in this year.
73%
of
High School students participated in Fall Sports
172 8th grade boys win championship game
Athletics in Motion Winter sports are in full swing at LCS! In the high school, students are participating in basketball, bowling, and co-op
Class D Girls Basketball teams in Michigan with LCS at the top
hockey and boys swimming. This year’s girls high school basketball team is undefeated in regular season play and ranked as a top team in the state for Class D. Our middle school students also participate in basketball. This year’s 8th grade boys benefitted from the coaching skills of Travis Walton, former MSU basketball player. Now that the snow is on the ground, our ski club is hitting the slopes. Even the cold and snow didn’t stop the LCS community from celebrating and dedicating the completion of the new Soccer Lighting Project on a wintery Friday night in January. Watch for the spring edition of The Pilgrim Journey for more complete coverage of all things sports including soccer.
18.4 average points per game from LSJ player of the week, Senior, Elizabeth Perkins
Check out the sports calendar and join us for a game! 9- PILGRIM Journey
Investing in Lives The Big Event - 2013 Black and Gold Celebration
“Your support means everything to us, and your generous heart and contribution is the only way our children would be able to continue at LCS.” -Scholarship recipient
Nourishing Opportunities for Children to Grow Academically and in Christ
Thursday, March 14, 2013 Eagle Eye Golf Club, 15500 Chandler Road, East Lansing Join us at 6:00 pm for Strolling Heavy Hors d’oeuvres and Silent Auction Dessert and Live Auction
“Words
cannot express enough the gratitude that we have for your contribution towards Lansing Christian.” -Scholarship recipient
This year’s fundraiser will bring some of the areas finest chefs together in a “Chef’s Challenge!” where you will pick the winner. The Black & Gold Celebration is our annual fundraising event to raise money for tuition grants and scholarships. Last year, $78,000 was raised from this event to support more than 300 students who received tuition assistance. Here’s how you can join us in supporting LCS students:
Sponsor—opportunities range from $100 to $10,000
Donate an auction item
Bid online (March 8-18)
Attend and bid Tickets: $45 now, or $50 after 2/28 Tables of 10: $450 now, or $500 after 2/28
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for giving, for investing in our lives and our children’s lives, for loving God and for loving us.” -Scholarship recipient
A few of the items featured in this year’s auction:
Catered Dinner for 12 by Professional Party Planners
MSU Women’s Basketball VIP Package for Two
Lake Michigan Beach House Weekend Getaway
5-day, 4-night Trip to Puerto Rico
Commemorative Art Pieces
To register, donate, or get more information visit the Black & Gold Celebration website at www.lansingchristianfoundation.org/blackgold or contact Carol Feuss at cfeuss@lansingchristianschool.org or 517.882.5779 x103. 10- PILGRIM Journey
Moving forward Board Message: Focus Forward Lansing Christian School has been partnering with parents to provide Christian education for more than 60 years. Much has changed since we opened our doors in 1951. What began as a
“We are intentionally moving forward, striving to cultivate programs of excellence that disciple our students and nurture their faith.”
handful of students meeting in the basement of a local church has matured into a school enrolling nearly 600 students on a 67acre campus. And yet, our mission has remained the same: to educate students to the fullextent of their God given abilities, preparing them to exalt God and follow Christ in all of
Charging forward with a little help from a friend (LCS 5K)
life. As a Board of Trustees responsible for the long-term, mission-based success and viability of the school, we desire to be wise stewards of all that God has entrusted to us. We are embracing the opportunities set before us, continuing to make bold advances in areas of student learning and teacher growth, technology integration and faith formation. We are intentionally moving forward, striving to cultivate programs of excellence that disciple our students and nurture their faith. And we are committed to building upon the strong foundation that God has blessed us with. We praise God for you and for your partnership in advancing the kingdom of God through Christian education.
“Why LCS?” Share our excitement as the school rolls out a series of videos featuring Lansing Christian students and parents talking about why a Christ-centered education is valuable and relevant in today’s world. Equipping our students to know God, love God and serve God is integral to our curriculum.
KEEP IN TOUCH! On the web at lansingchristianschool.org
We are passionate about Christian education and preparing our students to advance Christ’s King-
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dom in the 21st century. Visit our website to learn more! Listen for our new ads on 88.1FM 11- PILGRIM Journey
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All School Information Night February 21 @ 7:00 pm
February 21, 2013 All School Information Night for prospective families and students March 14 Black & Gold Celebration @ Eagle Eye March 21 Middle & High School Fine Arts Night April 26 & 27 Cinderella, Musical @ MacDonald MS For more details, visit lansingchristianschool.org
Look for our new videos on our Website and Facebook