Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Conferences Next Week and More

The MS and HS blogs are the same this month, so, if you have a child in both schools, you only need to read one.

Parent/Teacher Conferences
Parent/teacher conferences are next week on November 23 & 24. Mrs. Lodge sent out instructions last Friday about how to sign up for conferences. If you did not receive that information, you may click here to download the instructions.


As you approach conferences with the teachers, if you have specific issues or concerns that you would like to discuss with any of them, I would recommend that you send them a brief email in regards to what you would like to discuss so they may be better prepared to address your concerns.


Also, if a teacher has several of your children in their classes, you may want to book two consecutive time slots to have adequate time to discuss your children.


The Value of Perseverance
As parent/teacher conferences approach, parents often reflect upon their children’s abilities, successes, failures, progress, as well as their futures, especially if they are graduating in a year or two. Questions often arise as to what determines or what can be done to facilitate growth and success. What research is beginning to show is that it is determination and perseverance through struggle (grit) that brings growth and success. In a short Ted Talk, former teacher and now psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth shares what research has shown. Click here to see her Ted Talk.


It is only natural that we as parents do not want to see our children under stress, in pain, or struggling in life. (We want the best for our children and want them to be happy.) For many of us, often our first reaction is to try and alleviate the pain and suffering or try to remove what is contributing to the stress or unhappiness whether it be in academics, sports, work, or other areas of life. However, in doing so, we may be unintentionally preventing our children from learning the value of struggle and perseverance and enabling a pattern of avoiding or giving up when struggle or suffering occurs.


The scriptures teach that God uses perseverance and suffering for our growth and sanctification. They also teach that Christians are to come alongside and support one another in perseverance and suffering:


More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5


And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9


Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12


Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing . . . . We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 & 14


Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.  Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. Ecclesiastes 4:10-12


Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2


As your children struggle with homework, projects, and material in various subjects or in a sport or performance, I encourage you to push them to persevere and continue to work at it. (We will do the same here at school.) If you can, guide them in working it through, but don’t do it for them. If you don’t know how to help them (after Algebra 1, I’m pretty useless for help in math), encourage them to see their teacher, coach, or director and arrange to get help after or before school, during lunch or a study hall, during Wednesday Workout, or at practice or rehearsal. Feel free to contact teachers with your concerns about how you can work together with the teacher, coach, or director to assist your child. If the teachers do not know your concerns, they cannot address them.


Our country is growing more and more hostile to Christians, and our children are likely to face more challenges to their faith than believers have in the past.  Our prayer is that their time at CCS will prepare them not only for college or future employment but for the challenges of life---the challenges they will face in this world and from the evil one as they are part of God’s calling to serve Him, fulfill the Great Commission, and establish His Kingdom.


Long Term Substitute Needed
Conestoga Christian is seeking a long-term substitute, preferably with a social studies or history background, for Mrs. Kolb who will be going on maternity leave in January for 9-12 weeks. If interested, please contact Ken Parris at 610-286-0353 or ken.parrris@conestogachristian.net for more information.


Upcoming Events
Nov. 20 Middle School Social
Nov. 23 End of Trimester 1
Nov. 23-24 Parent/Teacher Conferences
Nov. 24-Nov 30 Thanksgiving Break
Dec. 1 Trimester 2 Begins
Dec. 4-5 Cougar Classic
Dec. 10 TCS HS Christmas Concert
Dec. 17 ES/MS Christmas Program

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