It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

This Thursday, families all over the tri-county area as well as across the nation will gather to give thanks for the many blessings God has bestowed upon our families and communities. At CCS we are thankful for the parents, students, and staff he has brought to our school and how we have been able to work together to learn and grow in knowledge and in our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

God has blessed us with quality and talented students. Two of our students who also attend Chester County Technical College High School  were named students of the quarter. Cyle Fulton in HVAC/Refrigeration Technology and Cayla Murphy in Cosmetology were selected in recognition of outstanding leadership, attitude, skills, and knowledge.

This Wednesday the weather services are forecasting snow. Fortunately, we are off that day as part of our Thanksgiving break. However, if we were in school and we had snow or ice, you would be informed of any school delays or closings by our automated RenWeb Parent Alert.

Information will also be available:

• By checking the CCS website after 6:10 am to see an updated CCS schedule.
• By calling CCS after 6:10 am to listen for an updated phone message about the CCS schedule.
• By watching WGAL.

When school is delayed, parents must also listen for an announcement of the plans of the school district of residence. If your public school district transports your child(ren), they will be transported to and from CCS on the public school district schedule.  When your school district closes or delays school and CCS does not, if possible, please arrange for your child(ren) to be at school on the CCS schedule.  If it is not possible to provide transportation, please call the school office to inform the school of your child’s absence.  When CCS delays school and your district does not, be assured that students will be supervised when they arrive.

Please carefully monitor all of the above for accurate information as changes may occur throughout the morning.

When there is a two-hour delay, classes begin at 10:10.  When there is a one-hour delay in the opening of school, classes begin at 9:10.

Early Dismissals:

1. If CCS decides to close early, and your district is on a normal schedule, students will be supervised until transportation arrives for them.
2. If your district announces an early dismissal, student drivers in that district will be dismissed along with the bus riders.
3. CCS will activate the automated phone call system.
4. CCS will change the CCS phone message to reflect any early dismissals by CCS and/or transporting districts.

When we return from Thanksgiving, it will be December, and we have several events on the calendar. On December 5 and 6 CCS will be hosting the Cougar Classic which kicks off our boys and girls varsity basketball season. The girls play at 7:00 pm and the boys at 8:30 pm on December 5.

Reports cards will be sent home December 9, and on December 12 our school has its annual Christmas Concert which features our choirs from grades PreK-12 and our school band.  The festivities begin at 7:00 pm at Hopewell Christian Fellowship. For more information visit our music conservatory website at http://conestogamusic.weebly.com/.

Finally on Friday morning, December 19, all grades will travel in mixed groups to visit and sing carols to the residents of various nursing homes in the area as we seek to share the message and love of our Savior come to earth.

Pizza Hut Coupon

In my last blog I indicated that a coupon would be attached, but due to technical difficulties it did not happen. It should be available to download here. This is an updated version of that blog.

On Friday, November 14, the 8th grade will have a fundraiser at the Morgantown Pizza Hut. Attached is an information sheet with coupons that you may use to benefit CCS when you make a purchase at Pizza Hut on that day between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. You can eat in, or you can order ahead and pick up your pizzas. Twenty percent of your purchases will go to the class. Just make sure you give Pizza Hut the coupon on the attached form. This fundraiser will help with the cost of the 8th grade Spruce Lake retreat. 

Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held this year on November 24 and 25. Look for an email soon with details about conferencing. Sign-up sheets will be available in the lobby from November 11-13. There will also be an option to sign up by submitting a form.  Keep a look out for more information in The Cougar Update as well as your email.

On November 19-21, our eleventh and twelfth grade students will be leaving campus and traveling to Refreshing Mountain Camp in Stevens, PA, for our annual Spiritual Life Retreat. Mr. John Cosgrove, youth leader at Crossway Church, will be sharing with our students from the scriptures. Mr. Greenly is organizing the retreat. Permission slips were given to students earlier this week.

On Friday, November 21, the ninth and tenth grade classes will be traveling to the biblical tabernacle reproduction in Lancaster to take a tour of the tabernacle as described in the Old Testament. Afterwards they will travel to a nearby rink for ice-skating. Permission slips were given to students yesterday.

Finally, please note that our Thanksgiving break is from Wednesday, November 26, until Monday, December 1. Students return to school on Tuesday, December 2.

What Did You Do In School Today?

How many times has this scenario happened in your home? “So, Boris, what did you do in school today?”  And then there is the response, “Nothing.” This is a ritual that I am sure has gone on for millennia in countries and cultures all over the world.  However, you do not have to be totally in the dark when it comes to your child’s schooling. You can be aware of what is going on in your child’s classes by checking out the lesson plans for each of your child’s subjects as found on RenWeb. I encourage you to check RenWeb every Monday to see what is happening in your child’s classes here at CCS. If you are having problems with your RenWeb, you may always contact our Director of Technology, Ginnie Lodge, at virginia.lodge@conestogachristian.net, and she will gladly assist you.

Remember to turn your clocks back this weekend so your children are not out at the bus stop too early or too early to school on Monday.

Starting November 1, students are no longer to wear shorts to school unless the forecast for Morgantown, PA, is 60 degrees Fahrenheit or above.

This Wednesday, November 5, at 8:25 a.m., we will have an all-school chapel led by our high school worship team and Mr. Parris.  Parents and grandparents are invited to attend. If you can’t make the chapel, we will be streaming this event, and you can watch it live or at a later time by going to http://hscu.be/e/384230 on the Internet.

This Thursday and Friday,  November 6 and 7, middle and high school students will perform And a Child Shall Lead for our fall drama at 7:00 p.m. each night.  Cost is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students. Students have been spending long hours rehearsing, and this promises to be an exceptional event. Come on out and enjoy a fine production and support the students. Tickets may be purchased at the door.

Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held this year on the November 24 and 25. Look for an email soon with details about conferencing . Sign-up sheets will be available in the lobby the week of November 10. There will also be an option to sign up by submitting a form.  Keep a look out for information in The Cougar Update as well as your email.

On November 19-21, our eleventh and twelfth grade students will be leaving campus and traveling to Refreshing Mountain Camp in Stevens, PA, for our annual Spiritual Life Retreat. Mr. John Cosgrove, youth leader at Crossway Church, will be sharing with our students from the scriptures. Mr. Greenly is organizing the retreat, and he will be in contact with you shortly about the cost and permission slips for the retreat.

On Friday, November 21, the ninth and tenth grade classes will be traveling to the biblical tabernacle reproduction in Lancaster to take a tour of the tabernacle as described in the Old Testament. Afterwards they will travel to a nearby rink for ice-skating. More information will follow in the future.

Finally, please note that our Thanksgiving break is from Wednesday, November 26, until Monday, December 1. Students return to school on Tuesday, December 2.

Mark Your Calendars

It’s hard to believe that we are almost through the month of October.  Before we blink, Thanksgiving will be upon us. But before the holiday arrives, there is much happening at CCS.

On Wednesday, November 5, at 8:25 a.m., we will have an all-school chapel led by our high school worship team and Mr. Parris.  Parents and grandparents are invited to attend.

On November 6 and 7, middle and high school students will perform And a Child Shall Lead for our fall play at 7:00 p.m. each night.  Cost is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students.

The week of November 10, CCS will be contacting parents about scheduling parent/teacher conferences which will be held on November 24 and 25. 

On November 19-21, our eleventh and twelfth grade students will be leaving campus and traveling to Refreshing Mountain Camp in Stevens, PA, for our annual Spiritual Life Retreat. Mr. John Cosgrove, youth leader at Crossway Church, will be sharing with our students from the scriptures. Mr. Greenly is organizing the retreat, and he will be in contact with you shortly about the cost and permission slips for the retreat.

On Friday, November 21, the ninth and tenth grade classes will be traveling to the biblical tabernacle reproduction in Lancaster to take a tour of the tabernacle as described in the Old Testament. Afterwards they will travel to a nearby rink for ice-skating. More information will follow in the future.

Finally, please note that our Thanksgiving break is from Wednesday, November 26, until Monday, December 1. Students return to school on Tuesday, December 2.

Auction Week Has Arrived!

High School

This week is a big week for the CCS community. The week of the chicken barbecue and country auction has finally arrived. Come on out and support the school. These two days are some of the most exciting days of the year, and there are great things to be sold and auctioned this year, not to mention great food. Below is some important information:

SCHEDULE of EVENTS for Friday, October 17

CHICKEN BBQ: 11am-7pm

HANDMADE CRAFTS: 11am-7pm

BUY IT NOW ITEMS: 11am-7pm

AUCTION PREVIEW: 11am-7pm
GIFT CERTIFICATES: noon-7pm

SCHEDULE of EVENTS for Saturday, October 18

AUCTION BEGINS: 9am

CLASS BASKETS: 10:45am

CAR: 12:30pm

QUILTS: 1:30pm

FOOD TENT: 8am-2pm

BREAKFAST: waffles, eggs, hash-browns, coffee, donuts.

LUNCH: pork BBQ, chicken corn soup, hamburgers, hot dogs,

french fries, soft pretzels, apple dumplings and MUCH MORE!

CHILDREN’S AREA: 10am-2pm

HANDMADE CRAFTS: 10am-2pm

Friday, October 17, is a half day for students, with dismissal at 11:30 a.m. Below are some instructions for pick-up:

Bus riders will be dismissed first and parents waiting for car riders are asked to wait in the Conestoga Mennonite Church parking lot.

• You are reminded to stay at Conestoga Mennonite Church until the last bus has left the CCS parking lot. Watch for the attendant to direct you when there is room in the school parking lot.
• Please plan to be patient; it may be 11:40 until cars are released from the church parking lot.
• As always, students with alternative pick up arrangements should bring a note to school. (NOTE:  Students from Pequea Valley and ELANCO districts who usually ride the bus will automatically line up with car riders. No note of explanation is necessary for them unless they will be riding with someone other than their parents.) Coatesville will pick up for half days this year.
• Be sure to share these directions with others who may be picking up your children that day.

As we prepare for the auction, school is still in session. Wednesday, October 15, grades 9-11 will be taking standardized tests in the morning (9th - Stanford Achievement Test, 10th & 11th - PSAT). In the afternoon, if the weather cooperates, students will participate in our annual powderpuff tournament starting at 12:50. Parents are invited to come out and view the competition. The rain date is Wednesday, October 22.

As always, if you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to contact me.

Randy Hepler

The Turbulent Teens

High school is often a turbulent time in a student’s life with the many changes that adolescence brings. Students are changing physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  Often this leads to difficulties or a crisis in their lives, which will manifest itself here at school. The faculty and staff want you to know that we are here for you and your children if difficulties or a crisis arises.  Your child should know that he/she may talk with any teacher.  If boys would rather speak with a man, they can speak with Mr. Greenly. He welcomes being able to come alongside the students here at CCS. If he is not available, Mr. Parris or I are available to assist them.  

If girls have a concern or issue for which they need to talk with an adult, but do not feel comfortable talking to a man, any of our female teachers are more than willing and available to talk with them.

As the school year continues, your child may come home and share with you something that happened in a class or in school that gives you concern. If it has to do with a specific class, please contact the teacher and share with him/her what your child has told you, so that the teacher can verify the information you have received. If it is something that has occurred in school in general, please contact me and I will investigate the concern. One of my former bosses once stated that “one’s perception is one’s reality.”  Often the perception our children have of what is going on in class or school is inaccurate. Scripture indicates that we should have a spirit of discernment, slow to judge and quick to listen, as we approach life’s circumstances.

On October 15, most of the high school students will be testing all morning.  The 9th grade students will be taking the Stanford Achievement Test, and the 10th and 11th grade students will be taking the PSAT. Seniors will not have to arrive at school until 10:30. When they arrive, they will report to the multi-purpose room where a class picture will be taken and they will be measured for graduation caps and gowns.  Students will have 5th period classes and lunch, followed by the high school's annual PowderPuff tournament.

Below are some important dates:

October 15     PSAT/Stanford Achievement Test - Grades 9-11, HS Powderpuff Tournament

October 17      CCS Chicken Barbecue

October 18      CCS Country Auction

Randy Hepler

Focus on Leadership

The focus of this week in the high school has been developing student leadership.  Last night we celebrated the induction of 10 new students into the National Honor Society. These students were inducted based upon the evidence of character, scholarship, leadership, and service. Check out some pictures from the induction at CCS’ Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/conestogachristianschool .

Today in chapel, our student chaplains, grades 9-12,  took us to the Scriptures imploring the high school students and faculty to encourage one another in words and deeds. They admonished students in their use of social media when posting things about others and explained the negative and positive impacts their posts can have.  The chaplains addressed sarcasm and how it can often be hurtful. They presented how a kind word or deed can make an everlasting difference in a person’s life. They spoke about how one’s attitudes and actions can either encourage or discourage others. It was a good reminder of what James wrote in regard to the tongue:

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Hebrews reminds us:  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Friday our chaplains, student council members, and NHS members will be traveling off campus to Truth and Grace Church to study leadership and develop a project that benefits and serves the high school student body at CCS. They will be gone all day but will return in time to catch the buses.

Note: Tomorrow is picture day. If you are planning on ordering pictures, don’t forget the ordering packets.

Note the upcoming events for the high school and CCS:

September 25        Picture Day

September 26         HS Leadership Retreat

October 15              PSAT/Stanford Achievement Test - Grades 9-11, HS Powderpuff

       Tournament

October 17              CCS Chicken Barbecue

October 18              CCS Country Auction

Finally, I encourage you to visit ParentsWeb regularly to check on your child’s grades and lesson plans. Often a teacher needs to change their plans due to having to adjust instruction because students are taking longer to grasp concepts than was planned.  Please, if you have any questions and concerns about a class, contact the teacher immediately.

Communication is Important

It’s hard to believe that we are over halfway through the month of September.  By now on ParentsWeb you should see some grades appearing in each of your child’s classes.  Under lesson plans you should be able to see what activities your child is doing in class as well as when they have homework, quizzes, tests, and projects due.  I encourage you and your child to check ParentsWeb daily.  If you do not yet have access or are having trouble accessing ParentsWeb, please contact our Director of Technology, Ginnie Lodge, at virginia.lodge@conestogachristian.net  and she will assist you.

One of the keys to your child’s success is communication. With ParentsWeb we are trying to provide you with information that will enable you to work and communicate with your child for his/her success. However, if you have any questions or concerns about a class, please contact your child’s teacher before contacting me or Mr. Parris about a classroom concern or issue. If after talking with the teacher you still have a concern, then contact me.

One bit of advice someone gave me in the past is if I have a major concern about something, I should not email but instead should call or set up an appointment. Often, emotions or assumptions can be read into emails that were not intended by the one writing the email.  With conversation, there is opportunity to hear tone of voice, see body language (if conferencing in person), ask questions, give feedback, and more quickly and easily resolve an issue.

Over the next month we have several things happening here at CCS. If you haven’t done so already, mark your calendars for the following events:

September 23   NHS Induction

September 24 See You at the Pole

September 25 Picture Day

September 26 HS Leadership Retreat

October 15 PSAT/Stanford Achievement Test - Grades 9-11

October 17 CCS Chicken Barbecue

October 18 CCS Country Auction

On September 23 our NHS induction will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the multipurpose room. Join us and celebrate with our new inductees.

On September 24 at 7:30 a.m. students and teachers from all grades will gather in the gym to participate in the annual See You at the Pole event to pray for our world, nation, community, and school.  Parents, grandparents, pastors, and youth leaders are invited to join us.  While we do not have a flagpole outside of CCS, we do display it in our HS building as a recognition of the blessings God has given us as citizens of the United States. However, we also recognize that for Christians, our ultimate and eternal citizenship is not of this world but is in His kingdom.

For the high school Leadership Retreat on September 26, student leaders (chaplains, NHS members, and Student Council members) will travel off campus to study leadership and develop a project that benefits and serves the high school student body at CCS.

On October 20, West-Mont Christian Academy in Pottstown, PA, is sponsoring a college fair for juniors and seniors. More than twenty colleges will be represented. Students who wish to attend should see Mr. Greenly to sign up.  There will be limited space for this event so sign up today!

Cell Phone Policy

Periodically, I will send out policy reminders in my blog. Here is a policy reminder now that we are well into the school year. Please note that:

Students in grades 9-12 may have their cell phones on during lunch and after school only. High school students may receive and send text messages during lunch and after school; however, during classroom instructional time all high school students must have their cell phones turned off - not just silenced. With teacher permission, students may use their cell phones.

After school starts we should only see and/or hear phones during lunch unless a student asks his/her teacher or a staff member for permission and it is granted.  Students do not have permission to use cell phones during breaks unless they have permission from their teacher or a staff member. After 2:39 p.m., they may then again use their phone.

Also, for safety's sake, students are expected not to use their phones when they are walking in the parking lot during dismissal.

If students are found using their phones at an inappropriate time or their phones are heard at an inappropriate time, they will be asked to turn over their cell phones and they will be given to me.  When a teacher or staff member ask students for their phones, students are expected to honor the request without argument or complaint.  If students have an issue in regards to the phones, they should discuss the issue with me when they see me later that day.

Failure to follow these expectations will result in restricted phone use and/or availability while on campus. It may also result in a parent conference being required in order for a student to receive his/her phone back.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding the school, please feel to contact me.

Randy Hepler

Five Days of School This Week!

Over the weekend, the CCS community received joyous news announcing the birth of Marcus David Garcia, the son of our MS and HS Spanish teacher, Mrs. Garcia. Marcus weighed in at a healthy 7 pounds 11 ounces. Congratulations to Mrs Garcia and her husband on the addition of Marcus to their family.

This past Friday, our high school students traveled to Berks Christian.  We will be seeking feedback from students concerning the trip but would also like your feedback as parents. Please anonymously share with us what you might have heard from your child in regards to the day by clicking on the link below:

HS Spiritual Emphasis Day Feedback

This week begins our first full week of school. In looking over ParentsWeb lesson plans, students are starting to have quizzes, tests, and some projects soon coming due. Remember that you can not only see your child's grades on RenWeb but also what they are doing in class as well as homework, quizzes, tests, and projects.

Later this month we have some exciting events happening:

September 23  NHS Induction

September 24 See You at the Pole

September 25 Picture Day

September 26 HS Leadership Retreat

On October 20th, West-Mont Christian Academy in Pottstown, PA, is sponsoring a college fair for juniors and seniors. There will be over twenty colleges present. Students who wish to attend should see Mr. Greenly to sign up.  There will be limited space for this event, so students should sign up today!

Finally, you may have heard recently about the spread of a new virus that seems to have started in the midwest and is heading east.  For your information there is a link below to an ABC news post about the virus.

New Mystery Virus

More information will follow in later blogs.  As always feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Entering Week 2

ENTERING WEEK 2

Not only are we entering week two of the school year, but we are entering the month of September and students should begin to get back into the routine of school. However, students may see the need to make schedule changes for which they should see Mr. Greenly, our new Director of Student Life, who is also serving as our high school guidance counselor.  Students have until next Wednesday, September 10, to make any schedule changes.

If you have any questions or concerns about any of your child’s classes, please contact his/her teachers. Our teachers are open and willing and want to be available to you to discuss your child and his/her classes. The easiest way to contact teachers is by e-mail.  You may find links to their e-mail addresses in ParentsWeb under the links for each of their classes.

As I mentioned in last week’s blog, this Friday, September 5, is Spiritual Emphasis Day.  The high school students will travel to Berks Christian for a Spiritual Emphasis Day with Tri-County Christian Schools (Berks, Conestoga, Westmont, and Covenant Christian will be joining us). The focus of the day is service and missions, encouraging students to serve in their communities and the world. The day will be similar to a college fair with individual charities, service  groups, and missions having booths or tables set up to present their organization. There will be a keynote speaker from Kensington which runs a mission out of one of the poorest sections of Philadelphia.

Students who are vocational, work study, or part-time students taking college courses should contact me to indicate whether or not they will be attending for the day.  If they choose not to attend, their absence will be excused.

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Mr. Greenly, CCS representative for the event, at jack.greenly@conestogachristian.net.

Last week our soccer team kicked off their season defeating both Hershey Christian and Johnstown Christian Schools. This week our JV and varsity volleyball teams kick off their season playing Berks Christian today at Berks with the JV starting at 4:00 p.m. and the varsity playing at 5:00 p.m. The varsity soccer team also plays at Berks at 4:00 pm. To see all of the teams’ schedules, go to  http://www.ccaconferencepa.org/g5-bin/client.cgi?G5genie=683&school_id=3.

Later this month we have some exciting events happening:

September 23 NHS Induction
September 24 See You at the Pole

September 25 Picture Day

September 26 HS Leadership Retreat

More information will follow in later blogs.  As always feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Randy Hepler