Lower School Newsletter
Monday, April 16, 2018
Upcoming Events
The end of the school year is full of events! Please watch this calendar each week!
Monday, April 16 - Firm deadline for donations to silent auction baskets
Wednesday, April 18 - PPL Theatre presents: "The Safety Detectives in Hot Pursuit" 2:15pm
Friday, April 20 - Bobcat Breakfast in the Grove, 7:15-8:00
Saturday, April 21 - CSAGH Benefit Gala, 5:30-8:30pm
April 23 - 5th grade Academic Information Night, 5:30pm, Auditorium
April 23-27 - 1st-5th Grade Standardized Testing (please do not miss school)
May 8-10 - Scholastic Book Fair
Thursday, May 10 - Lower School Concert and Arts Festival, 6:30pm, students report 5:45pm. The Book Fair is open before and after the concert.
Tuesday, May 15 - Upper School Concert and Arts Festival, 6:30pm
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 17 - Pastor David Richards from CLA
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 is this Saturday at 5:30. I hope you will be able to join me and see all the items that are up for bid. I very thankful for the parents who donated items for the grade level theme baskets and the volunteers that are putting them together. Who knows, one of our students may win Principal for a Day at the Lower School!
This week I am continuing to feature parent tips for our upcoming standardized testing. Next Monday, April 23rd, we will begin Terra Nova testing in 1st-7th Below is the first of three series of parent tips.
Parent Tips: How to Help Your Child Prepare for Standardized Tests
Before the Test/Be Prepared
Help your child in areas that are difficult for him/her: If your child has struggled with a particular area or subject in the past, you may be able to help her overcome some of that difficulty by providing some extra practice. Many workbooks target test preparation by offering practice exercises and questions like the ones students see on the test. Focus your practice on your child's weaknesses rather than their strengths so that she doesn't get bored with the exercises (Narang, 2008).
Give your child a chance to practice: If your child has trouble taking tests, try practicing test questions and studying new words. Keep the sessions short, and set small, manageable goals so that the extra practice boosts your child's confidence (Narang, 2008).
If you have concerns about the test or testing situation: Discuss your concerns with the teacher and/or school administrator. If you believe that your child's difficulty with standardized tests may be the symptom of a problem such as a language or learning difficulty, speak with your child's teacher to learn if your child qualifies for any assessment accommodations.
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 do I know that Jonathan truly loved his friend David?
Verse for this Week: 1 Samuel 23:16-18 "And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. Don't be afraid," he said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this." The two of them made a covenant before the Lord."
"The Safety Detectives" April 18
The National Theatre for Children, sponsored by PPL, will be presenting "The Safety Detectives in Hot Pursuit" to our Lower School students on Wednesday, April 18 at 2:15. Topics will be fire safety, electricity, and how we can keep our homes safe. Parents and siblings are invited to attend the assembly in the auditorium, as long as the siblings can handle the content. Teachers are reinforcing the material in the classroom and workbooks are being sent home with the students. We encourage you to review these as a family and make changes in your home to keep your family safe.
All-School Bobcats Breakfast - Friday, April 20
CATS invited all students, staff, and parents to stop by and grab a donut and some orange juice before school. Bring your own coffee and enjoy a few moments with your WSCA community!
CSAGH Benefit Gala - Saturday, April 21
We are getting very excited about the CSAGH Benefit Gala on April 21, 5:30-8:30! It will be a delightful evening with the goal of raising $90,000 for scholarships and student programs. You can still register for the event at https://bidr.co/events/gala2018. Please keep inviting your extended family and friends - this is a community event!
All of the auctions items are available for live bidding (until Saturday morning) at https://bidr.co/events/gala2018/items. A separate email was sent out today with a sampling of items: Penn State tickets, vacation packages, Cirque de Soleil tickets, and so much more! Many of our teachers are offering items: Chick-fil-A date with Mrs. Scalf and Mrs. Derliunas, Mrs. Bartels' famous chocolate chip cookies, become the Lower School Principal for a day, and a mini golf date with Ms. Cornetto and Mrs. Leatherman. Our classes also donated baskets filled with spa, family game night, and beach items. The full list of items are attached in two PDFs below. We hope you will bid on these generous offerings! Thank you to everyone who donated items.
Enrollment Update (added April 17)
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.
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!
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.
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)
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