Short week...

 

Hello Amazing Elementary Parents,

We have a three – day weekend coming up. Remember, there is no school tomorrow. We ask for prayers as we have the girls’ and boys’ middle and high school teams, as well as parents and coaches, heading to Knoxville first thing in the morning. Over 100 people connected with our school will be traveling! It's going to be a big day for all the players!

Some upcoming activities for our elementary friends are listed below:

*Candy-grams and information coming home soon...

*February 15 – 4th grade play "School Daze"

*February 18 – No school (in-service for teachers)

*February 28 – Kindergartners lead elementary chapel

Click here to see the fall calendar: 2013-2014 School Calendar

The following security information was sent out earlier this week from President Beecher Frasier:

NEW SECURITY GUIDELINES:

While our security committee continues to review and improve our procedures, these are some things we are reinforcing with our whole school community, beginning this week. They are not meant to hinder our family friendly atmosphere, and you are still encouraged to come and have lunch with your child or run that forgotten item back to school. These policies are fairly simple things we can do to better ensure the safety of our children, parents, and teachers.

On Campus:

Once the bell has rung, all adults on campus must sign in at one of the school offices. As a general rule, we do not allow parents to wait in the halls during school hours unless you have stopped by an office and received a visitor tag.

Visitor Check-in:

In the offices, you will receive a visitor badge when you submit a current form of ID (driver's license.) The ID will be held until you return to the office to check-out. Please feel free to share this policy with any family member who comes to have lunch with a child, especially in the elementary school.

As stated in the handbook, "High School Students will not be permitted to have students from other schools or outside friends to visit during lunch or school hours." Pg. 26

"Parents and supporters are encouraged to visit the school. However, all classroom visits should be by appointment only. Visitors should go directly to the office, sign in and discuss their visit to the school with the principal or school secretary. Drop-in visits are discouraged because they take time from the planned schedule of the teachers and students. Appointments with teachers should be scheduled before school, after school, or during the teacher's planning period."Pg. 26

Entrances:

During school hours-including morning drop-off, only the main entrance doors are accessible. Please do not try to gain access along the ends of corridors. These remain locked throughout the day and are for faculty use or emergency exit only. We are making efforts to train our students to not allow someone in at the end doors, even if they are asking to be let in. Students arriving late must also use the main entrance.

The High School senior hall and Commons entrances will remain unlocked until 8:00am. After that, students and visitors must walk around to the front entrance.

Here is my thought for this week (it's about judging others). As always, I am saying what is on my heart, and I shared this with my fellow teachers earlier this week. I feel at times we seem to only focus on the negative aspects of a person or a situation, and that is all we see. While we focus on the negative, we cannot see the good things about others or about situations at hand. This mostly occurs because we usually do not know the whole story or see the big picture. This is why it is dangerous to talk negatively about a person to others, especially without knowing ALL THE FACTS. This ends up forming a wrongful negative opinion of that person in the minds of others or makes a situation seem way worse than it really is, so I will share with you a story that came to me this week through an e-mail. It was a timely e-mail and gave me clear perspective. I know it is something I can work on not doing, and maybe it can help you this week...

Judging Others? A very short story.

A doctor entered the hospital in hurry after being called in for an urgent surgery. He answered the call ASAP, changed his clothes, and went directly to the surgery block. He found the father of the injured boy pacing in the hall, waiting for the doctor. Upon seeing him, the dad yelled:

“Why did you take all this time to come? Don’t you know that my son’s life is in danger? Don’t you have a sense of responsibility?”

The doctor smiled and said:

“I am sorry; I wasn’t in the hospital and I came as fast as I could after receiving the call… And now, I wish you’d calm down so that I can do my work.”

“Calm down?! What if your son was in this room right now – would you calm down? If your own son were dying now, what would you do?” said the father angrily.

The doctor smiled again and replied: “I would say what Job said in the Holy Book: “From dust we came, and to dust we return; blessed be the name of God.” Doctors cannot prolong lives. Go and intercede for your son, we will do our best by God’s grace.”

“Giving advice when you’re not concerned is so easy,” murmured the father.

The surgery took some hours, after which the doctor came out happy with good news.

“Thank goodness! Your son is saved!” he said. Without waiting for the father’s reply, he hurried out the door saying, “If you have any questions, ask the nurse!”

Minutes after the doctor left, the father said to the nurse, “Why is he so arrogant? He couldn’t wait a few minutes for me to ask about my son’s state.”

The nurse answered, tears coming down her face, “His son died yesterday in a road accident. He was attending the burial when we called him for your son’s surgery. And now that he saved your son’s life, he left running to finish his son’s burial.”

Moral: Never judge anyone, because you never know what their situation is or what they’re going through.

http://inspireyourliving.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/never-judge-anyonea-must-read-story/

Matthew 7:1-5 (The Message)

“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor."

Hello Parents,

What a fun, short week we are having. We've had opportunities to dress up and participate in Coming Home activities. I believe the students have had a lot of fun coming to school in their pajamas and dressed up as their favorite holiday! I was able to get pictures of pajama day, and you can find those under their grade-level tab listed above. This week you will also find pictures of the students who made Principal’s List and Honor Roll under the “Eagle Happenings” tab. There are lots of good reminders this week on the blog, so be sure to take a look below and read up on all the information. We have a special message from the administration, as well. **CHAPEL video clip from today under "chapel" tab!**


 First, I would like to personally invite you all to the Chick-Fil-A in Smyrna. It's spirit night – another great opportunity to show your support while fellowshipping with our EHCS family. This will be from 5:00 -7:00 p.m. Please bring a flyer, and Chik-Fil-A will donate 20% of proceeds to EHCS. It's just one of many ways that add up to help provide the best education for your family! I hope to see you all there this evening!

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On Wednesday, January 23^rd our kindergarten students came to school eager to celebrate the 100^th Day of school! The kindergarteners have enjoyed decorating the hallway with 100 snowballs, 100 snowflakes, 100 gumballs, 100 pennies, and portraits of themselves at 100 years old as they were leading up to the 100^th Day events. The 100^th Day was packed full of learning fun as students counted their way to 100 in many different ways. See pictures under the “Kindergarten” tab.

Important Information from President Beecher Frasier:
The new tuition schedule for 2013-2014 has been reviewed and approved by the EHCS Board of Directors. I hope you continue to see the value of the education that Ezell-Harding provides to your family and the positive impact you help provide to this community. In a few weeks, you will receive information on the reenrollment process and the associated deadlines. Thank you for choosing to be a part of the future at Ezell-Harding Christian School,  where we are committed to excellence!

2013-2014 Tuition:

Prekindergarten (3 & 4) – 4th grade                $7,250

                          5th - 8^th                                       $7,850

                          9th - 12th grade                    $8,200

A second child discount of $800 per student is offered for families with more than one child enrolled.

The following tuition discounts are also offered:

***Alumni discount for EHCS graduates – 10%

***Full-time active military discount – 25%

***Tuition payments received in full by August 1 will receive a 5% discount

Below, I have listed several events coming up:

Coming Home
Our basketball Coming Home game will be this Friday (1/25). The varsity teams will be playing Sewanee starting at 6:00 p.m. Please come early to enjoy our youngest chorus (2^nd – 3^rd grades) perform our national anthem prior to the game.

Open House
Please invite family and friends to attend the Admission's Open House on campus this Sunday (1/27) from 2:00-4:00. Help us grow our wonderful school community. Our families are our BEST resource for marketing the school to new people!

No School, Friday 2/1
Remember that we will not have school next Friday, February 1, due to all of those traveling to Knoxville. We wish them well and hope they can bring home some wins! Please contact Agnes Freudenthal if you have not already made arrangements for extended day care.

**Don’t forget to bring in Box Tops for Education. The deadline is March 1. We could really use your help, and we are challenging each class to bring in as many as possible!

Before I sign off this week, I would like to share something with you. I have gotten positive feedback each week after I share my different thoughts. I enjoy reading and finding things to share with my teachers and my basketball players. This week, before we played our arch rival, FRA, I read to the girls what you will find below. Then, at a faculty meeting I decided to discuss the same thing. We need to focus on the little things – the things we can directly control – because this truth can apply to each of us…

Take Care of the Little Things
"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves." "Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves." Most of you have heard that phrase before, right?!?! Did you ever stop to think about what it really means? What are the little things? What are the big things? And, how do the big things take care of themselves?

As an athlete, you need to focus on the "little things" the aspects of your game that you directly control. You have control over how you execute your offense and defense. You have control over your hustle, your speed, your drive, and your effort. You have control as you are positioning your body against your opponent. You have control over your attitude, your spirit, your passion, and your good sportsmanship.

The bigger things are not in your direct control. Don't concern yourself with the referees (or officials) or the way the other team is performing. You can't control the crowd, the coaches, or your teammates. Don't focus on these aspects. The bigger things will take care of themselves.

If you focus on the bigger things – the score, the calls, or the opponent, then your individual effort will suffer. Blocks will be missed, rebounds will be lost, turn-overs will happen. Keep your mind and body focused only on the items that you can control and the actions that you need to perform.

When you execute the little things to perfection, then the score and the victory will take care of themselves! The victory will happen. It will happen because each one of you has done your part. Your collective efforts will come together as a victory.

 

                                                                        -Mike Sellers (website)

We want snow...

Hello Parents,

We have had another tremendous week. Our students are back in the grove of things academically, but I know they were sad not to get any snow this week. We will continue to hope that Nashville will see some snow with these freezing cold temperatures.

 

Last Friday, we had Channel 4's snowbird come and speak to our Pre-k and Kindergarten students. If you click on this link,

https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/set=a.557468144263840.129304.169406016403390&type=3 you will find some pictures on Channel 4's Facebook page.
There are also pictures under the pre-k and kindergarten tab.

We have a Spirit Night next Thursday, January 24, at Chick-Fil-A in Smyrna! I hope you can bring your families to eat and spend some good fellowship time with you EHCS family! We appreciate your support! (Also, the cow from Chick-Fil-A will be visiting our friends on Wednesday afternoon.)

Just a reminder: due to the upcoming games in Knoxville and the number of students and faculty that will be leaving for that event, the administration has decided to dismiss school on Friday, February 1.  For those who will need child care, extended care will be available at a discounted rate of $25 for the day.  For more details, and to sign up for child care, please let Agnes Freudenthal (afreudenthal@ezellharding.com ) know your intent by Friday (1/25).

If you click on the “Reminder” tab, you will find the dates of specific events coming up to mark on your calendar!

Lastly, I wanted to share with you what I shared with my faculty this week. We need to raise our expectations within ourselves so we can encourage and help those around us to do the same. I love my EHCS family, and I want nothing but the best for each of you. Have a blessed weekend.

Raising Expectations

by: Ralph  Marston

You've done great. Now is your opporunity to do greater.

What you sincerely expect of yourself is what you end up doing. So raise the expectations that live at the center of your awareness.

You are capable of much, much more. So go ahead and expect much, much more.

Show yourself how much you believe in yourself and in what you can do. Expect great things, and your sincere expectations will surely and steadily pull you toward those great things.

Within you, there is enourmous untapped value. Raise your expectations, and allow more of that value to be shared with all of life.

Raise your expectations. And raise your whole world to a higher, more beautiful and fulfilled level.

Hello Wonderful Parents and Friends,

 

I have had lots of thoughts this past week, as our first semester is coming to an end. Before it does, we have the joy of the Christmas season all around us. This time of year, many Christians like to reflect on the real meaning of Christmas. In the words of Luke, Christmas is about good news of great joy for all the people…for to you is born a Savior.

 

There is a lot on my mind this holiday season, and I feel I must share my thoughts with you all. I have long believed that we must acknowledge what is killing us before we can know what will help and save us. Once we figure it out, we can see the big picture, and this time of year, the big picture is Jesus, God's son that was born to us.

 

So I am challenging you all to ask yourself, “What is killing me today?” Of course, some of our students’ first response may likely be “FINAL EXAMS! That’s what’s killing me today!!” Perhaps your anxiety is killing you, or your fear of failure. Perhaps what’s killing you is the idea that “real life” and the “real world” comes later and today’s actions don’t really count. Maybe it's your anger that you struggle to keep in check, or a deep insecurity that tells you you’re no good. Or perhaps what’s killing you is the feeling that you are completely out of control, that the world is conspiring against you, and that there is nothing you can do about it. (Come on now, we've all had this feeling for a minute.)

 

I imagine this out-of-control feeling was what was killing Mary and Joseph when they were told that the emperor’s census would force them to travel all the way back to Bethlehem. Traveling in the third trimester is painful enough; just imagine traveling by donkey. When the couple arrived in Bethlehem, what did they find? There was no room for them in the inn. All we have to do is imagine our connecting flight being cancelled, leaving us to spend Christmas Eve at BNA, to understand a small portion of how frustrated, and tired, and upset Mary and Joseph must have been. I imagine they felt completely out of control, and it was killing them.

 

These were the circumstances into which Jesus was born. The Christian birth narrative tells of God entering human life precisely at that moment when we realize that we are not enough, that we cannot do it all, that we are not in control, and that we cannot save ourselves. That’s when Jesus enters the picture – a beautiful, precious, newborn baby with his whole life ahead of him, born into all of this mess? Why? Well, perhaps to let us know that the mess is not all there is.

I needed to remind myself of this, because in three days my child, Laney, will be having surgery. Yes, it is a normal procedure that a lot of children have, with tonsils and adenoids being removed and tubes being placed in her ears, but she won’t understand what is happening. I think the biggest fear as a mom is watching your child be in pain or anticipating their pain and knowing you can’t remove it from them or even explain it to them. Laney is autistic, does not eat normal food, and unfortunately has a tendency to get dehydrated, so naturally, I am FREAKING OUT. The doctors are concerned and have anticipated problems that may occur and are keeping her overnight. Here is the thing: though I am uneasy about it, I know with complete certainty that God is in control. The birth of Jesus reminds me that God’s planning is perfect and just when it looked like our situation way beyond our control; our Savior was there to rescue us.

 

Luke invites us to reorient our focus and transform our lives around the saving hope that the darkness, the mess, and all that is killing us today, is not all there is. Christmas reminds all of us that there is something more. Christmas reminds us of the good news of great joy for all the people…for to us is born a Savior.

Now to this Savior, be all honor and glory, thanksgiving and power, now and forevermore. And we all said, “Amen.”

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Well, that was a lot to take in from me this week, so here is what you need to know for the last four half days of school.

·        Tomorrow: PK dismisses at 10:45 and K-4 at 11:00

          All students may wear a Christmas shirt instead of an EHCS T-shirt

·        Monday: Polor Express Day (Dismissal is same as above)

          Students may wear their pajamas to school

·        Tuesday and Wednesday: (Dismissal is the same as above)

          Students may wear jeans and an Ezell or Christmas themed T-shirt

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At this special time of year, may your home be filled with happiness and laughter where memories are made. And, stories will be passed down from generation to generation. Stories to amaze the children and make the adults smile. Good times, good memories and the love of family is one of the best stories that can be shared.

 

ü When we come back from break. I will add some photos of our wonderful production of "A Christmas Carol," our Holiday Recital, our PreK4 and K field trips.

A Christmas Carol...

Hello Parents,
I hope you are having a great week. Our students are counting down the days until Christmas and it's hard to imagine that we are only 19 days away. That means we only have 9 more school days left with several big events still to go.

This week we have had our book fair going on in the Elementary library. Tomorrow is the last morning to buy books, and the book fair will close down at 10:00 a.m. So come early and get your last-minute book shopping done!

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By popular demand, “donut day” is making a reappearance tomorrow:

This Friday (December 7) the varsity boys and girls basketball team, as well as the cheerleaders, will be selling Krispy Kreme Donuts. The girls basketball team will be located in the Eagles Nest, the cheerleaders will be in the middle school lobby, and the boys basketball team will be in the high school commons area. So come on out and get your breakfast at school on Friday. We have ordered a ton of donuts! Thank you in advance for helping support our basketball program!

Also this Friday, December 7, I would like to invite you all to our production of the play A Christmas Carol. Our 4^th – 6^th friends have practiced very hard in order to put on this show for family and friends. Please come out and show your support!

 Last Parents' Night Out will be on Saturday, December 8. The cheerleaders can watch your child from 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Contact Lisa Phillips at lphillips@ezellharding.com if you have any questions!

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On Monday, December 17, we will have our second annual Polar Express Day. The entire elementary will participate in this day. Each student will get to come to school in their pajamas, and we will convert the Eagles Nest into our own theatre. We will provide a drink and popcorn to all the students. It is a fun day for our elementary friends, and I know they are looking forward to it!

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Reminder of our holiday break schedule:

·        We have 1/2 days on December 14, 17, 18, & 19. Dismissal is at 11:00 a.m. (Extended care will be available.)

·        We are out of school December 20 – January 6. Classes resume on January 7.

·        Christmas Camp is available on December 20, 21, 27, & 28 and January 2, 3, & 4.

We hope these dates help you in preparing for the upcoming Christmas holiday!

 

Hello Parents,

Welcome back! I hope that each of you enjoyed your holiday and that it was time well spent with your loved ones. We only have a few short weeks until Christmas, and time always seems to fly by when we are having fun! Let's go ahead and look at all the activities and events coming up over the next couple of weeks.

First, this Friday (November 30) the varsity boys and girls basketball team, as well as, the cheerleaders will be selling Krispy Kreme Donuts. The girls basketball team will be located in the Eagles Nest, the cheerleaders will be in the middle school lobby, and the boys basketball team will be in the high school commons area. So come on out and get your breakfast at school on Friday. We have ordered a ton of donuts! Thank you in advance for helping support our basketball program!

 

Our next event is the Book Fair. Online purchasing is available at the following website:

https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/ehcs. It will be available starting 11/25 – 12/15. The book fair itself will be open next week at 7:30 a.m. On Wednesday, it will stay open until 5:00 p.m., and on Friday it closes early at 10:00 a.m. We still need volunteers, so please click the link if you can sign up to help: 2012 EHCS Book Fair Volunteer Spreadsheet.

** Also, this year’s theme is "All-Star" book fair. In order to get everyone excited about the upcoming fair, we are going to have a dress up day. On Friday, November 30, students may wear their favorite sports team jersey or shirt with jeans. Of course, EHCS attire can be a favorite sports team, as well!

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Here are some dates to put on your calendar:

ü  Sunday, December 2, we will have our Holiday Piano Recital at 2:00 p.m. in the Eagles Nest.

ü  Friday, December 7, our Fine Arts Academy is performing A Christmas Carol. Please come out and support our sweet friends at 7:00 p.m.

ü  Saturday, December 8, we will have our LAST Parents Night Out.

ü  Monday, December 17, we will have our annual movie and PJ day! More information to come. It will be an exciting day!

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The last thing I want to make mention of is our holiday break schedule.

o   We have 1/2 days on December 14, 17, 18, & 19. Dismissal is at 11:00 a.m. (Extended care will be available.)

o   We are out of school December 20 – January 6. Classes resume on January 7.

o   Christmas Camp is available on December 20, 21, 27, & 28 and January 2, 3, & 4.

 

We hope this helps you in preparing for the upcoming Christmas holiday!

Thanksgiving is almost here...

Hello Parents,

 

Before you head off on your Thanksgiving break, I would like to share with you a few thoughts of mine. Each and every one of you are special to me, and I am grateful you are here and a part of the EHCS family. There is nothing like a community that sticks together and shows the loving-kindness that you all show each day. What a tremendous blessing God has given us in allowing us to attend, work, and be in a Christian school. In saying all that, here are my Thanksgiving sentiments; take them for what they are worth! I love and appreciate you all!

 

A week from today, millions of Americans from every type of background will come together with family and friends to eat and count their many blessings. I have heard it said many times that to receive a gift and say, “thank you,” is one of the noblest things we can do. There is nothing small or trivial about it. To say “Thank you” is to acknowledge that we have been given something we did not earn and do not deserve. Happy is the person who understands that all of life is a gift from God and that life itself is the ultimate gift. This is why the Bible says, “In everything give thanks.” (I Thessalonians 5:18) When we can’t do anything else, we can always be grateful.

As one of the church songs says, “Count your many blessings; name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.” The surprise is not just in the outward material blessings of the past year. It is also in the times of pain and suffering, which seemed to be for no good purpose but turned out to be blessings in disguise. That, too, is the goodness and grace of God.

Thanksgiving is only seven days away, and we ought to be the most thankful people on the face of the earth. May our days be marked with humility, simplicity, and integrity. Let us be thankful not only for the things we have, but also for the things we no longer need to have. Let the people of God hope in the Lord, both now and forever. Have a blessed time off with friends and family. Don't forget what the holiday is all about, and make sure you thank the good Lord for his many blessings! I will miss you! HAPPY THANKSGIVING, FRIENDS!

 Can you all find me??

Now I would like to thank you for all that you brought in for the "Bare Necessities" drive! In the elementary, we had 5,667 articles of clothing, 2,328 cans of food, and three tents! Those numbers added up to a grand total of 8,348 items that will go to those in need in our community. We are teaching our children that they can also be a light to this community and make a difference in the lives of others. Thank you for cleaning out your closets and pantry for this very important service project. It's like I stated above, "There is nothing like a community that sticks together and shows the loving-kindness that you all show each day." You rock!!

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Today our 2^nd – grade friends led us in chapel! They did an outstanding job, and truly, there is nothing sweeter than seeing God work through them as they shared God's word to us this morning! Please check out the pictures under the "2nd - 4th" tab!

A Message from Mrs. Bebout:

 

Dear Parents,

Book Fair time is just around the corner. (December 3-7, with set up on November 30) As we begin making preparations, we know we will be able to count on many of you to lend us a helping hand. If you are willing to volunteer your time to work at the Book Fair, please click the link 2012 EHCS Book Fair Volunteer Spreadsheet and sign up for a time slot. I would appreciate parents of any student Pre-K3 through Seniors helping us! Books for children through adults will be available at the Book Fair. Even if you can't volunteer to help, we would love to see you shop at the fair that will be located in the elementary library. All profits will benefit the campus libraries!

 

Sincerely,

Peggy Bebout

Campus Librarian

 

P.S. This year’s theme is "All-Star" book fair. In order to get everyone excited about the upcoming fair, we are going to have a dress up day. On Friday, November 30, students may wear their favorite sports team jersey or shirt with jeans. Of course, EHCS attire can be a favorite sports team as well!

Kindergarten teachers would like share about their field trips:

Pow-Wow Write-Up:

Celebrating brotherhood, heritage, song and dance, the three kindergarten classes circled and danced and sang songs Tuesday during their annual Pow-Wow.

The children wore headbands, necklaces, and paper vests they made and also carried drums and tomahawks. With the drums they built themselves, the students added their own music to the pow wow. A great time was had by all.

Mansker’s Station Write Up:

Wednesday, November 14, Kindergarten visited Mansker's Fort, which is an authentic reconstruction of a 1779 frontier forted station. While at the fort, we experienced the lifestyles of early settlers through living history demonstrations.

Some more dates to keep in mind...

·        On December 7, our Fine Arts friends will put on the play a Christmas Carol.

·        On December 11, we will be having an annual Santa Sale in the Eagles Nest.