Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Technology and SAT Scores - All Good!



Do you know what ASP stands for?  What about Conestoga Christian’s average SAT scores?  Do you know what they are?  Without continued and intentional communication, we can easily “fall out of the loop” as to what is happening at Conestoga Christian. 

ASP stands for Accreditation by School Progress and is the protocol our school is following to keep our accreditation through the Association of Christian Schools International and Middle States Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges.  The ASP protocol asks our school to identify a project that will help our school move forward while maintaining the standards set through previous visits.  The project our school identified for our ASP protocol was technology.  The following link will allow you to see 3 things:
  1.  Our ASP Proposal 
  2.  ACSI Accrediting Team's Report
  3. Our Acceptance Letter from ACSI
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1eGQ58ITl4GT3JMTXdXa3pWVWs/view?usp=sharing

Please spend some time reading about our ASP project and then talk to teachers, students, and staff to hear what is being done on our campus . . . it is exciting!

Also exciting is what is happening in our high school.  John Storey, Regional Director for ACSI, recently sent out an article stating the average SAT scores nationwide.  ACSI reported in their November issue of CAPE:

The headlines in early October captured some of the story:  "2014 SAT Scores Remain Stagnant," "Student Performance Stalls on SAT."  They reflected what the College Board itself reported:  SAT scores for the 2014 crop of high school graduates were stubbornly stuck at levels "similar to other recent senior classes."

They also mentioned:

Mean SAT scores for public school seniors were 492 in reading, 478 in writing, and 501 in math.  Comparable scores for students in independent schools were 535, 542, and 580.  Meanwhile, students in religious schools scored 533, 527, and 537.

You may be wondering what Conestoga Christian average SAT scores were for 2014; well here they are:
  • Reading 576
  • Math 542
  • Writing 563
There are wonderful things happening at Conestoga Christian!  God is blessing us in many areas because we are seeking Him first in all areas – Matthew 6:33.

Just wanted to "Keep You in the Loop."

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Perspective

As I get ready to celebrate another Lord's day at church, I am reminded of the wonderful things happening in my life right now.  God has allowed me to be encouraged by other Christian schools, the students at our school, and the Christian influences around me.  Of course the most important encouragement I have is salvation through my Savior, Jesus Christ.  I am energized at the dawn of each new day because God sent Jesus to save me from my sin.  John 3:16 says that God sent His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.  I do believe in Him, and He gives me the strength to face each new day!  As Christ leads me, He shows me His love through the people He brings into my life every day; here is a glimpse of the people He has brought into my life recently:

  • Christian Schools.  I had the wonderful opportunity to serve on an  ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) accrediting team recently.  Our team went to an ACSI school that was renewing its accreditation.  This school has been in existence for 42 years, and the administrator of the school has been the administrator for every one of those 42 years!  When our team walked into the school and Dr. McKee gave us a tour, this wonderful, Christian man knew every student by name.  Because Dr. McKee loved his students and staff, he took the time to know each one; the school had 420 students and over 40 staff members - Dr. McKee KNEW each one by name.  Dr. McKee encouraged me!
  • CCS Students.  This past Thursday and Friday our school put on another fall drama, And A Child Shall Lead.  This drama depicted the life of children in a Nazi detention camp during WWII.  The topic is of course sobering, the storyline emotional, and our students phenomenal!  The sensitivity and inspiration of their acting brought a lump in my throat and tears to my eyes.  Janna Weiler (Director) and Celia Stratton (Student Director) brought the best out of our students.  God has truly blessed our school with wonderful talent; I praise Him that our students are able to use their talent for His glory and honor.  All the proceeds from the play, after expenses, went to support Zoe International.  Zoe International is a mission agency in Thailand ministering to children caught in child trafficking.
  • Friends and Family.  My church, our school, and my family continue to encourage and strengthen me.  My Christian brothers and sisters correct me, laugh with me, and love me through my weaknesses.  Proverbs 17:17 states that a friend loves at all times, and 18:24 shares that there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.  I am blessed to have people in my life that exemplify those verses!!  Just a few verses earlier in Proverbs 18, we also read that he who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord . . . again true for me.  Michelle is a blessing in my life beyond what words can tell.
I praise God for what He is doing in my life; my question for you - do you realize what He is doing in yours?  Are you taking time to "smell the roses" as they say, and see the blessings God has placed around you?  If the business of life has blocked some of your view, see Christ first and everything else will fall into place. :)

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Lancaster's Extraordinary Give



On Friday, November 21, the Lancaster County Community Foundation will once again host Lancaster’s largest online giving event.  The Lancaster County Community Foundation hosts this event to bless non-profit organizations in Lancaster County.  This online event is called the Extraordinary Give.  Please check out their website at: http://www.extragive.org/.

Conestoga Christian School was blessed to be a part of the Extraordinary Give in 2013. and we are once again participating in the Extraordinary Give on the 21st.  Last year our school was able to help purchase new playground equipment with money raised in the Give.  Here is how the Extraordinary Give works:
  • Friends, families, and businesses plan on donating to CCS on November 21, 2014.  Gifts can be as low as $25, but some gifts last year were as much as $1,000.  The gift doesn’t matter as long as you give . . . last year we raised over $12,000 in giving!
  • The Extraordinary Give begins at 12:00am on Friday, November 21, 2014 and all giving must be done online.  Why is it important to identify the start time of 12:00am?  That time is important because the FIRST 10 organizations that receive 50 gifts of $25 or more receive a FREE $1,000 from the Give!  CCS can receive a free $1,000 just for being 1 of those 10 organizations.
  • From 12:00am on November 21 until 12:00am on November 22 gifts can be given online.  Throughout the day sponsors of the Extraordinary Give randomly select organizations to receive free money, just like the $1,000 in free money described above.  You can check out all the incentives on the Extraordinary Give website (listed above).
  • Once the Give is over, all monies donated are tallied.  Last year there was over a million dollars donated to the Give by friends, families, and businesses of the 300 non-profits registered.  Once the total amounts of gifts are tallied, THE LANCASTER COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION KICKS IN AN ADDITIONAL $250,000!  Each organization receives a share of that $250,000 based on the donations received.
The Extraordinary Give is a part of CCS’s Annual Fund Drive . . . will you consider being a part of this year’s Give?  The more $25 gifts we receive the better the chance we will receive a free $1,000 gift from the Give.  Also, just as important as the $25 gift is the $1,000 gift – but only as the Lord leads.   Our goal for our Annual Fund drive is $70,000 this year, and remember all gifts are tax deductible.  Gifts given through the Extraordinary Give and gifts given directly to our office are tax deductible.  Please prayerfully consider giving to the Extraordinary Give this year and help us stretch our Annual Fund dollars by receiving FREE money from the Lancaster County Community Foundation.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me at ken.parris@conestogachristian.net or call me in the office at (610)286-0353 x406.