Lower School Newsletter
Monday, April 23, 2018
Upcoming Events
The end of the school year is full of events! Please watch this calendar each week!
April 23 - 5th grade Academic Information Night, 5:30pm, Auditorium
April 23-27 - 1st-5th Grade Standardized Testing (please do not miss school)
May 3 - National Day of Prayer, details for Lower School TBA
May 7-11 - Staff Appreciation Week, sponsored by CATS
May 8 - Classes visit the Scholastic book fair during the day
May 9 - Classes visit the Scholastic book fair during the day and it's open from 6:00-8:30pm
May 10 - Classes visit the Scholastic book fair during the day
May 10 - Lower School Concert and Arts Festival, 6:30pm, students report 6:00pm. The Book Fair is open before and after the concert.
Tuesday, May 15 - Upper School Concert and Arts Festival, 6:30pm
Tuesday, May 15 - Deadline for Lower School yearbook purchase
Friday, May 18 - K-5 Field Day, 8:15-11:30am - More details to come.
Thursday, May 24 - Lower School Awards Assembly, 8:15am
Thursday, May 24 - Kindergarten Graduation, 6:30pm
Thursday, May 24 - Last day for Kindergarten and PreK-3
Friday, May 25 - Bobcats Blast Off in the morning, 1st-5th grade, Kindergarten invited, more details to come.
Friday, May 25 - Last student day for PreK-4 and 1st-5th grade, regular times, busses as scheduled
UPCOMING CHAPEL EVENTS - Parents are always invited!
Tuesday, April 24 - Pastor Ryan Clarke from Daybreak
Tuesday, May 1 - 4th and 5th grade leading us in worship and prayer. Radiant Hope is presenting Yellow Day.
Tuesday, May 8 - Yellow Day - Students will bring their boxes to chapel and then we will have a prayer walk around our school.
Tuesday, May 15, 2:00pm - Our end of the year chapel celebration in the Grove as we reflect on the great things God has done!
Tuesday, May 22 - No chapel
Thursday, May 24, 8:15am - Lower School Awards Assembly
From the Principal's Desk....
Dear Lower School Families,
Our CSAGH Benefit Gala on Saturday was a very special time. It was hard to pick from the many items up for bid. Thanks to all that helped make it a success, especially our families for their donations and time preparing the baskets for the auction. We are truly blessed by God with all our families and support for their school.
This week I am continuing to feature parent tips for our upcoming standardize testing. Today was our first day of Terra Nova testing in 1st-7th Below is the second of three series of parent tips.
Parent Tips: How to Help Your Child Prepare for Standardized Tests
On Test Day
Make sure your child gets a good night's sleep and eats a healthy breakfast
Many teachers report that students who don't do well on tests haven't gotten enough sleep and haven't eaten breakfast on the morning of the test. Doing both things will ensure that your child is working at full capacity (Narang, 2008).
Make sure your child is prepared
Some schools may supply the tools your child needs for the test, such as pencils, an eraser, paper, and a calculator. Others may require the students to bring those materials themselves. Check with your child's teacher to see if you need to provide your child with any of these materials. Also, check to see whether you child will be able to make up the test if she is sick on test day (Narang, 2008).
Remain positive
Staying calm will help your child stay calm. If she gets nervous about the test or is likely to experience anxiety during the test, help her practice some relaxation techniques that she can try once she's taking the test (Narang, 2008).
Please note that these tips have been adapted from articles published by Scholastic, Inc., Parent/Teacher Organizations and the International Reading Association.
Yours in Christ,
Mr. Shirvinski
The Transformed Heart- What Does It Mean to Love God and One Another?
Question for this week: How can we bless those who are not kind to us?
Romans 12:20 “If your enemy is hungry feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Enrollment Update
Please know that our classes are filling up! If you are wavering on enrollment, want to enroll a sibling, or have friends that you know are interested in WSCA, please contact Mary Beth Gilge at mbgilge@westshorechristian.org right away. We want to plan for class sizes and hiring of teachers for 2018-2019.
Terra Nova Tests, April 23-27
Our 1st-7th graders will be taking the Terra Nova standardized tests on April 23-27. These tests help parents and teachers see the students' progress through the years. As a private school, we do not take the PSSAs like in public schools. Our testing is for our benefit and is not reported to the state nor is our funding dependent on the results. If you have any questions regarding the tests, please email Mr. Shirvinski at jshirvinski@westshorechristian.org.
You can help your child do their best on the tests by helping them relax, keep early bedtimes, and feed them a hearty breakfast to power their brain! Also, please do not pull them out of school for appointments this week.
Scholastic Book Fair
Save the dates of May 8-10 for the Scholastic Book Fair to benefit our WSCA library! It will be set up in the big church lobby for classes to visit during the week. Parents can also stop by and shop on Wednesday, May 9 from 6:00-8:30pm and on Thursday, May 10 before and after the Spring Concert and Arts Festival. We need volunteers to help Mrs. Burd at the book fair. Please stay tuned for a link where you can sign up to volunteer, see school goals, and find out all of the details about the book fair.
Library Books and Volunteers (edited on 4/24)
Our library will close for the year on May 17 so Mrs. Burd can take inventory. All library books are due during library classes, May 14-17.
Mrs. Burd is in need of volunteers to assist with the 1st grade class. If you can help, please email her at eburd@westshorechristian.org.
Tuesday, April 24, 1:20-2:00pm, 1st grade
Tuesday, May 1, 1:20-2:00pm, 1st grade
Tuesday, May 8, 1:20-2:00pm, 1st grade
Tuesday, May 15, 1:20-2:00pm, 1st grade
Staff Appreciation Week - May 7-11
Extended Yearbook Deadline
There is still one last chance to purchase a WSCA 2017-2018 Lower School yearbook! You can order it for $15.00 at www.treering.com until May 15, 2018. It will be mailed to your house sometime in May or June. The code for the Lower School yearbook is: 101495056158615.
CSAGH Job Openings 2018-2019
Please help us spread the word! Full descriptions for WSCA, HCS, and CSAGH positions are at www.westshorechristian.org. Applicants should send resume, letter of interest and application to our HR Department at jobs@csagh.org or mail them to West Shore Christian Academy, 201 W. Main Street, Shiremanstown, PA, 17011.
• Athletic Director & PE Teacher (WSCA)
• Bible Teacher – Upper School (WSCA)
• Math Teacher – Upper School (WSCA)
• History Teacher –Middle and Upper School (WSCA)
• Life Science Teacher – Upper School (WSCA)
• Spanish (Part-time) – Middle School (WSCA)
• 2nd Grade Teacher (WSCA)
• Guidance Counselor - Part-time, Upper school (WSCA)
• Sous Chef (mostly WSCA)
• IT Coordinator – Immediate opening (mostly WSCA)
• Online Learning Coordinator (Part-time) - Immediate opening (CSAGH)
• Kindergarten Teacher (Part-time) (Devonshire campus)
• Kindergarten Aide (Part-time) (Devonshire campus)
Substitute Nurse and Substitute Teachers
We are looking for a substitute nurse, who can help out once in a while when Mrs. Krouch and Mrs. Hoover cannot come to WSCA. We are also looking for additional substitute teachers, PreK-12th grade. Please fill out an application on our website and help us spread the word!
Volunteer Cashier Needed
We are in need of a cafeteria cashier volunteer. If you, or someone you know, is interested in ministering to our school and students in that way, please contact Sandy Berry at sberry@westshorechristian.org. Volunteer clearances will need to be completed prior to starting.
West Shore Christian Academy
Email: info@westshorechristian.org
Website: www.westshorechristian.org
Location: 201 West Main Street, Shiremanstown, PA, United States
Phone: 717.737.3550
Facebook: www.facebook.com/westshorechristian
Twitter: @WSCA1