August 12, 2010
I welcome you to a new school year! There is already a lot of activity and excitement here at school as we prepare to greet our middle and high school students on Tuesday, August 31. Please note: Our revised 8:00a.m. start time this year. I appreciate your taking the time to read through the important information contained in the recent mailing for parents and for students. Excellent communication is important in our work together, and it is a priority for me as I work with students, teachers, and parents. I will do my best to get you the information you need to help your children, and to work in partnership with us throughout the school year.
Our spiritual theme for this year is focused on Romans 12:5-6 --In Christ, we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. God has given each one of our students specific gifts and talents to be used for His glory, and to further His kingdom. One of the most significant things that a teacher can do in the life of a student is to help him/her identify and develop those gifts. As a part of our work with students this year, we will be helping students identify their God-given gifts, strengths, and talents. This will be an area of focus for us at our Fall Retreat and in weekly chapels.
As a Christian community here at LCS, one of our greatest opportunities is the idea that all of us (students, parent, teachers, coaches, administration) use our gifts to build up the body of Christ, and that by doing this, we can truly make a difference in the lives of our students and even in the greater Lansing community.
This summer, the Lansing Christian School Hospitality Association was established with the goal of instilling the organization and communication needed at every level to encourage greater parent participation and to ensure a positive volunteer experience. Representing the LCSHA leadership team, Gillian Granger writes, “We are excited as we anticipate the many opportunities LCSHA will have to bless our students, teachers, staff, school community and community-at-large through activities and events such as Fall Festival, Grandparent’s Day, and the Pastor’s Breakfast. We know that every parent wants to be involved at LCS in some capacity, and the goal of LCSHA is to encourage and support volunteerism while cultivating a warm, welcoming atmosphere that values every individual contribution.“
I encourage you to begin looking for opportunities to use your gifts and abilities and to make meaningful connections with people in our Lansing Christian School community this year.
I look forward to seeing your sons and daughters very soon!
As always, if you have any questions you can contact me at whofman@lansingchristianschool.org/phone: 517.882.5777 ext. 303Your partner in Christian education,
Wendy Hofman
Secondary Principal
Secondary newsletter
Click here for the August, 2010 Secondary newsletter which has important information for the upcoming start of school.
- A special welcome to Mrs. Beverlee Henderson, our new High School Secretary. Bev and her husband, Gary, have three children enrolled at Lansing Christian. She comes to us with broad experience both in office work and in education, and most important, she loves Lansing Christian School! Bev is excited about serving our students and parents to further our mission of educating students to the full extent of their God-given abilities. Please stop by the office to introduce yourself and welcome Bev into this new role.
- We are pleased to welcome Mrs. Charissa Karr to our teaching staff this year as our middle school Academic Support teacher and 6th grade Language Arts teacher. Mrs. Karr is a graduate of Baptist Bible College, majoring in Bible and Education. She spent last year working as a long term substitute in the Perry Schools, where received high recommendations from teachers and parents for her work there. Mrs. Karr is looking forward to teaching at LCS, where she can freely express her enthusiasm for helping students see God in all of learning.
- Godwin Sathianathan, an LCS alumni, and current pastoral intern at University Reformed Church, will be teaching one section of 11th grade Bible this year. For the past six years Godwin has served on the Campus Staff at South Church. Godwin also has an undergraduate degree in Engineering and a master’s degree in Biblical Studies-Counseling and Teaching.
- In addition to his duties as JV Basketball coach, Ben Nichols, a recent MSU Education graduate, will be working with Judie Quinn as the Academic Support Aide in the High School.
Chapel for Middle School and High School Students
- In our continued efforts to make spiritual life a central and vital part of your child’s school experience, we have made some adjustments in the way that we will be doing weekly chapel with our students. This year middle school and high school students will have chapel on Tuesdays and Fridays for 30 minutes. By having chapel twice a week, in the middle of the week, our plan is to connect the goals and content of chapel to other parts of school life.
- To develop more student leaders and to intentionally teach students the skills for leading their peers in worship
- To increase the level of staff involvement in chapel
- To increase our level of engagement with the local community, and specifically with churches. Guest speakers for chapel will include: Youth Pastors, LCS alumni, musicians, parents, and various people in our community with an important Christ-centered message to communicate to our young people.
Important Information for Students
Schedules:
- High School Students: Your new 2010-11 schedule is posted on your skyward account! If you need to make an adjustment, please e-mail Mr. Blamer at tblamer@lansingchristianschool.org, or call him at ext. 301.
- Middle School Students: A hard copy of your schedule is included. Music choices will be made by students and approved by parents during the first week of school.
- Middle and High School students will meet in homerooms from 8:00am – 8:10am on non-chapel days. In homeroom students will begin the day with devotions and prayer. On non-homeroom days, all classes will begin the day with prayer. Middle School students will be in grade and gender specific homerooms. High School students will be in mixed grade and mixed gender homerooms.
- Middle and High School students will have Guided Study from 2:35pm – 3:00pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Tuesday and Friday students will have Chapel.
- On Thursday, August 26 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm and on Monday, August 30, from 4:00pm – 6:00pm Mrs. Dunn and Mrs. Henderson will be available outside the secondary office to give you your locker number and to collect your emergency forms and various permission slips. Homeroom assignments will be posted at this time.
- Important for Middle School Students: On Monday, August 30 from 4:00pm – 6:00pm the middle school teachers will be available to greet students and parents. (The teachers will not be available on August 26).
Lansing Christian has been sending middle and high school students on Fall Retreats for as long I can remember. In fact, as a former LCS 8th grade student, I remember going on Retreat! At Lansing Christian we use the annual Fall Retreat as an opportunity to build relationships with students and teachers, and to lay some groundwork for spiritual development throughout the year.
- This year we will be sending both the middle and high school students to Camp Geneva in Holland, Michigan during the week of September 21-24. Middle School students will be staying at The Pines on Tuesday- Thursday of that week, and high school students will stay at The Shores on Wednesday – Friday.
- These two facilities are a part of the same camp, but located across the street from one another. This will give us the opportunity to share transportation, staff, administrators, and guest speakers.
- If you are interested in being a parent chaperone on Retreat this year, please pick up a Chaperone Application in the secondary office.
Senior Survival will be from September 17-19 on South Manitou Island. The cost will be $60 per student. For more information, click here.
College Financial Aid and Scholarship Information:
To find information on financial aid or scholarships for college, follow this link or look on this page under Secondary Resources.
Secondary Class Trip Information:
Information on Secondary class trips, including the Senior trip to Washington D.C., the Junior trip to Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry, and Antietam, and the 8th grade trip to Chicago can be found by following this link, or by looking on this page under Secondary Resources.Check it out - there is recently updated information!
Homework Websites:
Our middle school and high school teachers all have homework websites. Students can access these websites on the Secondary Page of the LCS website. If your child is sick and at home, this at-home access to school work can serve as a great tool to keep your student connected to the learning that is happening at school.
Seniors – Get those College Applications Done!
- Transcript requests can be made through the high school office.
- Please give our teachers one week to complete any recommendation forms, and include a self addressed stamped envelope for mailing.
