Moms' Time Notes - April 26, 2013

Christine R.

·       Thinking about Faith as our new name, we all need to keep the faith especially at this time of year. II Timothy 6:12, I Timothy 1:5, II Timothy4:7.  We choose a different lifestyle when we home school. It’s hard and a sacrifice but one that comes with many benefits.  It is so important to attend moms’ time, so that you may be encouraged that you aren’t alone in your struggles, and can persevere. 

·       Enrollment and re-enrollment for PSP for the 2013-2014 school year will close on June 15.  Tell your friends.

Advancement Night

Char M.

o   Char displayed the graduation gift, which was a lovely frame picture collage of all the 6^th, 8^th, and 12^th grade graduates. The cost of this gift is $15.  This gift is presented to the graduate on advancement night from his/her parents.  Please pay Char this week or next, $15 per graduate in your family.

o   Also, for everyone, there will be notes available to write to the graduates.  If you know a graduate, ever were their cubbie leader, awana, Sunday School teacher, etc.  please consider jotting down a note of encouragement on one of the papers on the moms’ table, near the mailboxes. Let’s fill their bags with fun!

Christine R.

o   Advancement night is not only for the graduates.

o   All students will participate in advancement night.  Students in every grade will be receiving a certificate and in the slide show. Many kids’ work will be exhibited and everyone will get to eat!

o   Moms need to be here at 9 a.m. on the morning of advancement night to help set up.

o   If you have not yet paid Lisa Aghishian for advancement night food, please do so ASAP.

Field Trips—Susan O.

·       Next week is the last week to sign up for Descanso Gardens. This field trip is free and will be Tuesday, May 14. (Note: Susan said Tuesday, May 16, and wanted to clarify the date of that Tuesday is actually May 14.)

Used Curriculum Sale—Christine R.

·       There is no charge for PSP families who wish to sell curriculum at the sale, but you must register in order to be able to sell.

·       PSP families will have registration priority until May 10. After that, PSP families will fall in line with other families waiting to sell at the fair.  Once it is full, there will be no more sellers.

·       You should have received a form to register as a seller in your mailbox. If you are interested in registering, place your registration in Christine’s  mailbox.

·       Sellers will set up at 8 a.m. the morning of the sale.

·       Sellers will need to purchase removable, white labels to put in the upper right hand corner of your sale items.

·       If you would like to volunteer to work the sale, you will get first dibs on the purchase of curriculum. You will have 45 minutes to purchase before the sale opens.

·       If you do work the sale, you cannot have your children with you.  For 7^th grade and older students, it may be possible to have some of them serve. However, any students who work the sale should be responsible and hard-working. See Christine for details.

·       If you commit to serve, you will need to here on Friday, 6/14 (you may bring your children) from 5-8 and on Saturday, 6/15 from 8-4 (without your children at any time before, during or after the sale). There will be a sign up sheet next week. If you sign up, remember you will need to stay until 4 on Saturday and may not leave early. You must have permission from your husband and child care arranged before signing up to help. 

Class Schedule for next year—Christine R.

·       We discussed a tentative class schedule for next year. This can always change. Classes are listed in no particular order:

K/1	2/3	4-6	7-8
Library	History Pockets	IEW Writing	IEW
50 states	Pre-Writing	Missions/Latin Roots	Worldview
PE	PE	Literature Co-op	Photography (1 sem.)
(Sibling Class)	Apologia	Gracious Girls	Gracious Girls
		Other (TBD)	Other (TBD)
			Other (TBD)

·       Older grades still really want PE, and we are brainstorming a way to possibly do this.

·       Cory G.’s husband is a computer professor and is willing to teach a computer class after lunch. This class would be offered opposite Gracious Girls. Ideally, everyone would have a laptop for this class.  Surveys will be mailed out this week to see if there is interest.

Other Announcements

·       Congratulations to the Laura E and family, who is expecting a new little one!  Laura Elias is requesting maternity clothes. Please let her know if you can help in this way.

·       Lorraine Z. is offering a free microwave. See her for details.

·       HSLDA—The PSP will be registering as a new group for HSLDA, in order for everyone to get a discount on her membership. There were forms in your mailbox to tag yourself as a member of this new group, so that Kristen can start the process and get the new ID number for Faith Christian School. Please turn your forms into Kristen’s box this week.  There is no fee to transfer your membership to FCS, and no charge now, just the form.

Choosing Gratitude, chapter 8—Lisa A.

Chapter 8 was full of stories about trials. As Christians, what is the difference in our lives about how we are responding to trials?

Lisa A. shared from John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Cancer. There is a list of ten ways to test and see if you are using your trial to glorify God.

1.     You will waste your trial if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.

2.     You will waste your trial if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.

3.     You will waste your trial if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.

4.     You will waste your trial if you refuse to think about death.

5.     You will waste your suffering if you think that “beating” the trial means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.

6.     You will waste your trial if you spend too much time reading about your trial and not enough time reading about God.

7.     You will waste your trial if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.

8.     You will waste your trial if you grieve as those who have no hope.

9.     You will waste your trial if you treat sin as casually as before.

10.  You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.

Moms' Time Notes - April 19, 2013

SAT testing:

·       Sunday night, there will be set up for SAT testing. If anyone is at evening church, please consider helping with the set up.

·       Konni will be bringing up dividers from the library to the classrooms.

o   Every other student will have a divider.

o   Collect dividers at the end of testing (on Tuesday), and bring them downstairs.

·       Room proctors should have received rosters.

·       If your child has a specific issue (an allergy, trouble sitting near a certain peer) or is particularly nervous, please email the child’s room proctor. Let the proctor know any information that would be helpful to the proctor.

·       Be on campus by 8:30 if you are a proctor.

·       Get to campus early in order to give your child a chance “to get the wiggles out.”

·       There will be six people assigned to the gym and lunch table. Three will be supervising the lunch tables, and three will be supervising the gym.

·       If you are leaving campus, check in and leave your cell number. Return plenty of time before your first child is scheduled to be finished.

·       Proctors should count test booklets when picking them up and turning them in. Pick up from Christine outside of Grace Grill.

·       Proctors and room helpers should supervise the students to make sure no one is especially messy with the bubbles. Try to fix what you can before leaving for the day.  Be proactive.  Any books that still need “cleaning up” you may work on at moms’ time on Friday.

·       If you are scheduled to be in the nursery, please arrive on time. Rachael will be the contact person on Monday, and Marina will be the contact person on Tuesday.

·       If you are working in the gym, you can keep your nursery child with you while you are working.

·       Only proctors and room helpers can put nursery children in the nursery after lunch.

·       You should feed your nursery child lunch during your scheduled lunch.

·       On Tuesday, there is no gym after lunch.

·       Have students wear their uniforms.

Advancement Night

·       In the moms’ room, there is a list to check off your name and an envelope where you can put $12 for advancement night food.

·       Julie e-mailed everyone regarding the instructions for the advancement night posters. These directions only apply to parents of 6^th, 8^th, and 12^th graders. Here is what she e-mailed:

6th graders:

* One poster board about 22in x 28in - please make this portrait not landscape (vertical not horizontal)

* Pictures - This can include with pictures that characterize who they are and what is important to them. This can just be pictures or like a scrapbook page and would be best if it had their name on it for those guests who don't know them.

* Please leave places at the top to allow for two hole punches so they can be hung on lattice...

* Please also keep in mind the red, white and blue theme….

8th/12th graders:

* One three-fold poster board to place on a table top.

* Pictures and name (the same guidelines as the 6th graders above)

* Please keep the red, white and blue theme in mind also

* There is a small amount of room in front of the three fold portion that students can display items that are important to them - for example, small trophy, favorite book, something they have made, etc…

These all should be brought to the day time rehearsal of Advancement Night (May 28).

Please remember that it takes some time to get the pictures printed and the layout done

·       On May 28, 9:00 a.m. everybody needs to be here and working to help get ready for advancement night.

·       On the days of SAT testing, there will be a table outside with a poster. On the poster, all moms and students should write their signature and what they are thankful for with a red or blue pen (also on the table). Supervise your child when he or she is doing this. This poster will be one of the decorations for advancement night.

·       Next week, we have table time and will be discussing chapter 8 of Choosing Gratitude.

o   Bring back your prayer request sheets filled out. They should have been in your mailboxes.

Next Year:

·       The leadership committee is the Mike and Susan O., Rick and Julie S., Ross and Kristen H. and Brian and Christine R. It includes both the husband and wives.

·       Applications are coming in. Registration fees go up after next Friday, April 26. Enrollment will be closing June 15. 

·       We have been talking a lot about the changes to PSP.  PSP will be an independent entity with no outside teachers or principal. PSP will have no outside record keeper or accountant.

·       PSP will continue seamlessly.

·       Dads will continue to be here each week.

·       Every mom needs to be at PSP from 8:30-12:30 every Friday. Friday is not the time for appointments and errands. You are here. Of course, there are exceptions for illness and emergencies, but as a rule, you are here and at moms’ time.  If there are extenuating circumstances, and you would like to appeal, there is a form available. The appeal needs to be made now. 

o   This is for security reasons. There will be no school nurse or school office.

o   This is for class reasons. Everyone needs to help so that all the class positions are covered.

o   This is for information reasons, so that everyone can hear about deadlines and requirements, without many repetitions and emails.

o   This is for ministry reasons.  Homeschooling is difficult.  We desire for moms to support one another with prayer, curriculum help, spiritual needs, and accountability.

o   Evaluate what is right for your family and whether you can make the commitment to PSP. Pray about it. Make sure this is where you can commit.

o   Moms will be in moms’ time from 8:30-12:30. Students will be in classes from 8:30-12:30. Babies will be in the nursery from 8:30-12:30.

·       If you are struggling, do not be struggling alone. Ask for help.

·       For service positions, if your child is sick and you cannot come, there will be an exchange system, where you can swap positions with another mom.

Surveys

·       We will be discussing the results of the surveys in further detail next week.

·       For the 50 states class (K-1), we still need a teacher or someone to organize a co-op. The class has already been designed, and Kim Draper will give you the binder.

·       Cinnamon will be organizing the sibling class after lunch. If you have a child in this class, you will take a month.

·       For PE, Rachael’s husband will have a K-1 and 2-3 class in the basement if the church gives us the OK to use the basement.

Misc.

·       The CHEA convention is coming up June 6, 7, and 8^th at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. This is a great way to see all types of curriculum and to actually be able to look at materials before ordering them. You can collect catalogs and write notes. The website is CHEAofCA.org.

·       If you have a child in 6^th grade or above, you should start thinking about high school now. If you are considering home schooling in high school start researching curriculum and requirements.  Take a look at The High School Handbook: Junior and Senior High School at Home by Mary Schofield.

·       You can sign up for the USS Iowa field trip until next Friday. Please note that the price has changed. It is now $7 per person. This includes students and adults. This will most likely be a self-guided tour.

Elections

·       Parents of students in the government class, please exhort your students not to joke about the election. They should not ask people who they voted for even in a joking manner. Thank you!

·       Final presidential election will occur next Friday.  Children 3^rd grade and above may vote before school or at recess.  Moms, please vote before 10:30, outside of Grace Grill. 

Moms' Time Notes - April 12, 2013

Announcements:

·       Dads’ fellowship night is Monday, April 15, from 7-9p.m. at the home of David C.

·       Advancement night—Lisa A. will be making all of the food for advancement night. In the past, everyone has had to bring food. Instead, everyone will be paying Lisa $12 to cover the cost of the food. Please place your money and check off your name on the appropriate sign up sheet.

·       It is mandatory for everyone to be available to help on Tuesday, May 28, for advancement night rehearsal and set up. Plan on having that day free.

·       Put registration forms in Christine R’s mailbox.

o   Make the checks payable to “Faith Christian School.”

o   There are two more Friday’s to sign up with the $50 enrollment fee. After that, the price will increase.

·       The registration number for HSLDA that is on the new enrollment form is incorrect. If you need to renew your HSLDA membership, wait for the new number.

·       Any moms who will have high school students in PSP next year must attend a mandatory high school meeting next week, April 19, at 8:30 a.m. in G135. If you are normally with students at this time, be sure to find coverage so that you can attend the meeting.

·       Please remember that the hospitality table is for the moms (and dads) only. Please do not allow your children to eat off the table.

·       Everyone should have received the SAT schedule in her mailbox.

o   Proctors should arrive by 8:30 a.m.

o   Proctors and room helpers will be on campus both Monday and Tuesday. All other moms will be helping on either Monday or Tuesday (see schedule in your mailbox).

o   If you are not assigned on a day, please check-in in the morning before leaving campus in case additional help is needed.

o   Before leaving campus, please sign out.  You will need to sign-out and leave a cell phone number where you can be reached.

o   The students will be dropped off and picked up at the gym and lunch by the room helpers.

o   If you are watching the students at gym or lunch, you will take your break and lunch when no one is scheduled to be there.

o   There will be one nursery.

§  Each day has two nursery schedules. One is from 8:30-11, and the other is from 11 to the end of the day.

§  If you have a child in the nursery, you will need to get your child out for lunch and feed him or her.

§  Please pack a snack for your nursery child.  Make sure the snack for the nursery is peanut free.

§  Rachael and Marina will be the contact people for the nursery.

o   Everyone should be parked no later than 8:45; all students should be lined up by 8:50.

o   On the Sunday evening before testing, the dads need to help with the set up of the classrooms.

o   Students must wear their uniforms. All regular PSP rules apply.

o   There will be no Grace Grill on the Monday of SAT testing, so everyone should pack a lunch for that day.

o   There will be Grace Grill that Tuesday for those who wish to purchase a lunch.

o   On Tuesday, no one may be in the gym after 1 p.m. Do not be late picking up your children. Arrive 15 minutes before your earliest child is scheduled to be done.

o   Please have your students bring the following:

§  healthy snacks and lunch,

§  2 sharpened # 2 pencils with soft erasers

§  scratch paper for math

§  a ruler with centimeters and inches

§  a book to read while others are finishing (no coloring)

§  calculators for 7^th grade and up

Speaker Emarie Britten “Practicing Hospitality”

Emarie was one of the founding members of Grace Community Church. She and her husband were present on the second Sunday 57 years ago. She has been married for 58 years, and she has two daughters and four grandchildren. She also has one great grandson.

Her husband founded the Center of Achievement at CSUN, which is a sports program for people with disabilities.  Her husband also founded and currently works with a non-profit serving people with disabilities and the elderly. One area of service she has been involved with is teaching a class for unequally yoked women. Emarie has also been a part of the Sojourners’ Women’s Fellowship and Every Woman’s Grace.  For about 30 years, EWG had elective classes for women.  Some of those classes were skills classes like hospitality and cooking. . Emarie directed the class on hospitality.

Hospitality became an annual EWG event and took place in the gym. There were seven large tables set up, and women brought everything from appetizers to desserts. Out of this came the Grace Church cookbook which featured the 450 best of the best recipes. Emarie was able to dedicate this cookbook to her mother. Past cookbooks had always been dedicated to a woman in the church. This was right before her mother developed dementia.  She had to stop organizing the hospitality events to care for her mother, so she was blessed to be able to dedicate the cookbook to her mother at this time.

Emarie spoke about the true, biblical definition of hospitality and why God’s Word commands it. True biblical hospitality involves reaching out to those you do not know. The purpose of biblical hospitality is serving others. Hospitality is not entertaining people. It is not trying to impress others. It is a service. Do not let pride stand in the way of being hospitable. Do not use the condition of your home, your social standing or your lack of material possessions as an excuse.  It is about showing people love, and you should not let your pride interfere with letting people into your home. We are serving people not things. Hospitality is a skill that you can learn and develop as you serve others.  Do not use the excuse that hospitality is not your “gift.”

Hospitality is not limited to the home. It could be making someone a meal. It could also be as simple as bringing someone cupcakes. If you know someone needs help, avoid saying, “Let me know if you need anything,” and then waiting for that person to ask.  A person in need will not ask for help.  Just show up.

Emarie provided us with a handout with some recipes and helpful hints.  Here are some of the practical hints.

·       Always have something quick and easy and ready to go in case someone drops in unexpectedly.

·       You will never have the time, so just schedule hospitality.

·       Have a “front porch test.” Does the front of my home look clean and inviting?

·       Watch how others perform hospitality. Cut out pictures, and save ideas.

·       Organize what you can do in advance.

·       Invite guests early.

·       Build hostess supplies.

·       Remember, “hospitality before pride.”

·       See if there are ways to make your home more comfortable and inviting.

·       Allow your guests to help.

·       Be flexible. Be prepared for the unexpected.

·       Hospitality plans begin and end with prayer.

Recommended book, Open Heart, Open Home by K. Mains

Bible verses: Gen. 18:4-8, Matt. 25:35, I Peter 4:9, Romans 12:13, Hebrews 13:2, Gal. 5:13, I John 1:7, II Tim. 3:16, II Cor. 9:7, Prov. 15:13