Friday, April 18, 2014

Learning about the Power of the Cross

At The Frankfort Christian Academy, we believe that learning about and understanding the story of Jesus's Resurrection is a vital part of our students' education. All of our students have Bible class each day, but on the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, we do even more to highlight this pivotal piece of Biblical history. Our faculty have been taking the power of the cross into the classroom in a bigger way than usual this week. 

Let's take a look at how the Resurrection story has been front and center in our classrooms:


Mrs. Grimes's PK3 students (led by Ms. Howson while Mrs. Grimes is on maternity leave) acted out Jesus's Triumphal Entry of Palm Sunday by making palm branches and waving them as a student rode a substitute donkey (rolling chair) down the middle of the group. 

PK4 students in Mrs. Doolin's classroom made Resurrection Rolls on Wednesday! She says:  "We used crescent rolls and marshmallow and cinnamon and sugar. We used the crescent roll as the cloth and Jesus was the marshmallow. We wrapped him in it and sprinkled with the cinnamon and sugar as the perfume. Placed him in the tomb (oven) and waited. When we went to check on him he was gone! Or as my class said he melted away. They loved it and it was a great visual for them." You can make these at home too! 

Mrs. Cravens's PK4 class is making these Resurrection Books:  

Several classes, including Mrs. Doolin's PK4s and Mrs. Boyd's Kindergarten students will be making Resurrection Cookies! Make your own!

Mrs. Cull's 1st Grade students make these snacks every year when they talk about Jesus's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem:

Mrs. Perkins's 2nd Grade students took to the stage in Chapel services today to share the story of The Last Supper!

It has been a very special week here at TFCA and we wrapped it up with a Good Friday chapel service. Thank you, Andrew Eaton, for blessing our students, faculty, and staff with your powerful message!



Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Preparing for Standardized Testing Week

As a parent, what are some things you can do to help prepare your student for standardized tests?




1 -Encourage them. Tell them these are important, but they aren’t everything. They need to do their best, concentrate and check their answers. Pray with them each morning in the car before you drop them off at the door!

2 -Help them get a good night of sleep each night before testing. Eight to ten hours of sleep is ideal for students, even in middle school and high school.  

3 -Plan some vigorous activities after school. Their little brains will be mush after several hours of testing. Take a walk or bike ride as a family. Play soccer or flag football in the front yard. Shoot some baskets with their friends.  

4 - Work through the practice booklet teachers may send home the week before. Not all teachers give tests that look like standardized tests and students don’t always “fill in the bubble” on a regular basis. Just knowing what to expect on the test will ease some fears and make it seem more normal. Teachers will be doing this at school as well!

5 - Help your student kick off testing each day with a well-balanced breakfast. Foods rich in lean proteins will help sustain them. Oatmeal, eggs and lean meats are great. Pop-tarts and Fruity Pebbles are probably not the best “brain-food” to eat on mornings before testing.

6 - Pack healthy snacks for them to have mid-morning in their class. They will need something really good to recharge their brains! Trail mix, beef jerky, granola bars, nuts, fruit and veggies are all great ideas! Try to avoid high-sugar content foods that may give them an initial surge of energy and concentration, but then leave them feeling empty and grumpy.

7 - Celebrate at the end of the week. Plan a treat – a special event, a movie, an ice cream cone or Icee when you pick them up on Friday. Offer to bring in a treat for their class on Friday afternoon.  

Students with parents who are invested and involved in their education are more successful and will do well, not only on testing, but throughout their academic careers!

Carrie Beth Tigges
Assistant Principal & Guidance Counselor