Prepare Him Room...

Expectation.  Hope.  Waiting.  Patience.  Longing.  Wishing.  

 

The season of Advent and Christmas is upon us.  As a society, we don’t do waiting well.  We want instant gratification.  If someone doesn’t take off immediately at a green light, we honk our horns.  When we don’t get an immediate response to a text or email, we send another one.  We are the “microwave” generation, not the cook on the stove all day generation.  Yet, as Christians, we are waiting expectantly for the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  

In the same way, the Jewish people were waiting expectantly for their Messiah.  There had been silence.  They had turned away from God and rejected his teaching.  He withdrew from them.  Yet, he always intended to maintain his promises.  He WOULD send a Messiah.  It may not have been in the way they thought he would.  

A baby.  A manger.  A stable.  A star.  A girl.  A carpenter.  A promise.  

His story unfolded in a way that none had fathomed, yet all would come to hear.  Even then, it would be some thirty years before HIS son would be fully revealed.  Jesus came that night in a humble way, in a humble place.  His death was equally humbling.  He did not die with a huge celebration.  He died alongside criminals.  Yet, God’s promise still rang true.  His son took our sins.  He bore our shame.  He rose to life.  He ascended and now we find ourselves coming full circle.  Again, we wait.

We wait for His return.  We long for His coming.  We follow Him.  We serve Him.  We lean on Him.

If he says he is returning, we know he is returning.  We wait……expectantly.

As we prepare our hearts for this season, we as a school want to join you in Celebrating Advent with us.

Each week leading up to Christmas has a different theme.  We will focus on joy, peace, love and hope.  We will light the Advent candles each week in chapel and focus on that week’s theme.  The last chapel we will also light the Christ candle.  Traditionally, that is done on Christmas Eve, but we are not here on that day and still want to share the significance with our students.

There are many ideas for keeping the focus on Advent/Christ vs. the commercial aspect of the Christmas season.  I wanted to share a few ideas with you that our family has used over the years.  

·         Make a paper chain for Dec 1-25.  Write people or issues you want to pray for each night.  Another idea is to write the different names of Jesus with the scripture reference and look those up with your kids.  Here is an idea for this: http://www.spelloutloud.com/names-of-jesus-advent-chain.html

 

·         Consider a service idea for each day leading up to Christmas.  Here is a link to a blog with a free printable calendar of service for December:  http://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Random-Acts-of-Christmas-Kindness-Printable-Calendar-for-Kids.pdf

·         I wrap up books about Christmas and my boys take turns unwrapping a book each night from December 1-25.  I have done this since my oldest son’s first Christmas.  It is one more way to slow down the hustle and bustle, sit down and read with my children.

·         Another great idea is found here:  http://gracefilledmess.blogspot.com/2013/11/counting-days.html  You take the Jesus storybook Bible and read a specific part each night leading up to Christmas.

·         We will also have bookmarks that we will be sending home/giving to all of our students.  There are verses listed for each day of Advent you can read together as a family.  Consider reading them each day before you leave for work and school or around the dinner table each evening.  

However you celebrate, I pray you feel the excitement of anticipation of Christ’s return.

Blessing to you!

Carrie Beth Tigges, Principal

Turning On Auto Email Gradebook Progress Reports

Parents, we wanted to let you know about a nice feature that you can turn on in ParentsWeb! We have turned on Auto Email Gradebook Progress Reports for grades K-12, but before you begin receiving them, you'll need to set your preferences in Parents Web. When set to Daily or Weekly, you'll receive a daily or weekly email with an up-to-date progress report for your student(s).

Your preference is defaulted to Never, so here's how to change it to Daily or Weekly if you'd like (if you don't want progress report emails, you don't need to anything!):

Log in to ParentsWeb (if you've never done this before, see the previous blog post for step by step instructions!)

Click Web Forms from the School Information menu.

Click Family Demographic Form.

Click Custodial Parent Form next to your name.

Scroll down to the bottom section labeled Parent Preferences and select Weekly, Daily, or Never from the Auto Email Gradebook Progress Report drop-down box and then click Save.

Here's a video of me setting up my preferences, if you want to see it that way:


That's it! You'll begin receiving progress reports according to your preferences. If you use the RenWeb Home app, you can adjust this setting on the app (I just don't have a nifty video of the process). If you have any questions about this procedure, feel free to call the office and speak to me (Krista Dulaney) or send me an email:  dulaney@mytfca.org

Introducing RenWeb & ParentsWeb!

Introducing

 

We’re excited to announce the roll-out of our new school management system – RenWeb School Management Software. We’ve been working all summer on the process of setting up RenWeb’s ParentsWeb – a private and secure parents’ portal that will allow parents to see academic information specific to their children, while protecting their children’s information from others.

All you need is an Internet-capable computer or mobile device to view information such as:

Attendance Daily Grades Progress Reports Report Cards Transcripts Lesson Plans Discipline Homework

Missing Assignments School Calendar School Announcements Staff and School Directory Teacher Email Addresses Teacher Websites Web Surveys and Tests Other Useful School Information

Here are your instructions for getting up and running with your own ParentsWeb account:

• Click here or navigate to FrankfortChristian.org and click on ParentsWeb from the Quick Links section at the bottom of the page.
• Click Create new ParentsWeb account
• In the District Code box, type TF-KY
• Type your email address and click Create Account. IMPORTANT:  You MUST use the email address that we have on record for you in RenWeb, the email address where you receive official school correspondence. Without using this email address, RenWeb cannot link you to your family’s account. If you aren’t sure which email address we have on record, please give us a call!
• An email will be sent which includes a link to create your ParentsWeb login. The link is active for 6 hours only.

• Select the Click to Create your ParentsWeb login link.
• A web browser will display your Name and RenWeb Person ID.
• Type a User Name, Password, and Confirm the password. 

• Click Save User Name and/or Password.
  A message displays at the top of the browser, "User Name/Password successfully updated."

• You may now log in to ParentsWeb using your new User Name and Password.

ACCESSING PARENTSWEB

You have several options for accessing ParentsWeb:

• You may access the full site from a computer browser with easy links from TFCA’s website.
• You may also access a streamlined mobile version from a mobile device (smart phone or tablet), known as ParentsWeb Mobile, also using the links from TFCA’s website.
• You can also download the RenWeb Home app from the App Store (iOS devices) or the Google Play Store (Android devices). The RenWeb Home app is free to download, but there is a $4.99 annual subscription fee. This is not TFCA’s fee; we don’t get any money from it. Please note that this is optional; you are not required to use the app. The other access options above are excellent ways to use ParentsWeb. Here are some reasons why you may choose to use the RenWeb Home app:

o   Always stay logged into ParentsWeb, providing instant access

o   Navigate to your information faster

o   Communicate easier with other school parents and faculty through your smartphone’s integration with the School Directory, allowing you to Tap & Send emails or make phone calls instantly to directory listings

o   Import school calendar events and student homework assignments into your Personal Calendars

Note:  TFCA’s staff does not have access to your password! If you have forgotten your password, click Forgot Username/Password and enter TFCA’s District Code of TF-KY and your email address to reset your password.

We look forward to your participation. Together we can improve our children’s academic development and the communication between our school and your home. 

  

New Tips for Getting Back in the Groove!

It's that time of year again! School starts NEXT WEEK! Last year, Mrs. Tigges shared her tips for getting back into the school groove. This year, Mrs. Dulaney is sharing her favorite tips!

 Here are some more tips to prepare for the new school year to avoid stress and last minute panic:

• Start the day off right with pre-planned or pre-made breakfasts! You can go super-simple with this and put some dry cereal into a Ziploc baggie (even preschoolers can open a Ziploc!) or make up breakfast sandwiches or burritos and freeze for a few weeks' meals! Even breakfast breads, like cinnamon rolls, will keep in the freezer. I suggest investing in some nice, small glass containers with vented lids that can be placed in the microwave to warm up your sandwich. This week, I made up a set of 12 faux Egg McMuffins for about $7 and it'll last me more than two weeks!
• Routine, routine, routine! Children, especially young ones, thrive on routine! Set up a routine of what will be your morning schedule and stick to it! Our family uses a magnetic schedule system called Easy Daysies. My kids wake up and do their two simple chores (make the bed, feed or let out the dogs into the back yard) and check the schedule for the day. (A $1 dry erase board from Dollar Tree will also do the trick, though!) Establishing your routine for the school year and beginning it early will help make the transition a smooth one!
• Finish (or start!) your back to school shopping! Our school supply lists are available on our website but you might need to go shopping for new backpacks, lunch boxes, or uniform items! We invite you to stop by the Swap Shop before purchasing new uniforms - some items are new with tags! Avoid meltdowns by purchasing or making labels for your student's items - We have a set of Name Bubbles labels for both boys and they go on each lunch box, water bottle, pencil box, etc.
• Implement some simple First Day of School traditions to celebrate the start of a new year! Making memories with your family can be so fun and meaningful! Don't stress yourself out with this, but there are some fun back to school traditions you can start with your family that you and your kids will look forward to each year! Check out our Back To School Pinterest board for inspiration.

What is your family doing to prepare for the start of the new school year?

 

We're looking forward to partnering with your family for the 2014-15 school year. We are praying for all of you as we begin the new school year!

Krista Dulaney is our Director of School Relations and mom to two boys.  

Morning Arrival and Afternoon Departure Procedures

In order to optimize the safety and efficiency of our school's morning arrival and afternoon departure, our staff has worked hard this summer to come up with new procedures. We will be taking your feedback during the first weeks of school and reevaluate at Fall Break.

Morning Arrival

Afternoon Departure

Locker Tips for MS/HS Students

The countdown is officially ON for the start of the new school year -- less than a month to go! Over the next few weeks, we'll be releasing videos with information and tips for our students and parents. 

Here's the first of our videos, with helpful locker tips for our middle school and high school students!

Other links for MS/HS students:

• School Supply Lists
• Summer Reading

Funding the Future - Student Services Spotlight

As our school family is well aware, we are currently raising funds to implement or improve three areas of technology at The Frankfort Christian Academy. While these improvements would have a positive impact on all of our students (see what our teachers are saying!), there is one group of students that we would like to draw your attention to today, students who are involved in our Student Services program.

Mrs. Fitz-Gerald reads aloud many tests each week to students. Sometimes when there is a high need for test readers, other staff or volunteers are used to read tests. As our Student Services program grows, we will have an even greater need for learning and testing accommodations for our students. There are iPad apps that will help students take tests with audio recorded by teachers, staff, or volunteers. We can cut down the amount of reading and time by recording the tests once and it can be used multiple times by additional students.

"The mobile iPad cart would drastically change how we can accommodate our students that need verbal cues when testing. It would allow teachers the opportunity to record audio of tests for every student, then allow students to listen to the tests on an iPad file and work at their own pace as they complete each problem.  The audio would also allow them to tune-out any background noise and distractions so that they could completely focus on the tasks at hand."     Lindsay Barnes, MS/HS Math Teacher

To see this action, check out the app currently being tested in the Student Services department, Audio Exam. 


The Student Services Coordinator has purchased the $9.99 app on her iPad and coordinates with teachers to record the test on the Audio Exam Creator version. Once the test is recorded, students use a school iPad with the free Audio Exam Reader app installed. The test is timed and reads through each question at the student's chosen pace and their answers are recorded on the physical test.

This video takes you through exactly what it's like for a student to use Audio Exam Reader!


As you can see, having additional school iPads available through the mobile iPad lab would make a huge difference for our Student Services program and the students who are helped through it! Are you able to donate to support this project? Read more at FrankfortChristian.org/FundingTheFuture!

Funding the Future of TFCA

TFCA intends to implement the following new technology and improvements for our students:  a mobile iPad lab, new classroom technology, and improvements to our computer labs. These three projects will be supported through a new fundraising campaign, Funding the Future at TFCA, which is going on now! With the addition of these new tools, TFCA’s students will be better equipped to enter the 21^st century workforce and will put us on the cutting edge of classroom technology integration.

Our goal for this fundraiser is to raise $20,000 to fully fund these projects. Students have taken home brochures which explain each project and detail the specific items that we need to purchase in order to make these projects a reality. This will be our only spring fundraiser this year and to celebrate the success of the campaign, our students will have a Field Day at the end of school! We can’t wait to see how our students will be blessed through the financial support of our TFCA family and donors.

Here's what our teachers are saying about these projects:

"A mobile iPad lab would allow teachers to access a different dimension of learning opportunities right in their classrooms. Assessment of learning could be done through creative means such as videos and recordings. Engaging learning opportunities are abundant through the plethora of apps available for iPads. As the Student Services Coordinator and STEP Up teacher I can think of a multitude of ways I would utilize this type of mobile lab."     - Ruth Fitz-Gerald, Student Services Coordinator (Read more about how our Student Services program would be impacted by the addition of a mobile iPad lab!)

"I am so thankful for my iPad AND for my ENO board in my classroom, but I am unable to use them together.   If I want to use the iPad for a lesson I have to go to another room to use their Apple TV or borrow iPad from other teachers. I like to use my iPad for many different things. We use them to research information, educational games, centers, and apps that enhance the learning process or make it fun. It is difficult to do that with only one iPad in the room, so having access to multiple iPads and/or an Apple TV would be WONDERFUL!!"     Lori Anderson, 3rd Grade Teacher

"In my ideal world I would love to have 5 iPads to use during reading groups. This would allow the students to be able to each work on reading and phonics apps during groups and I could monitor their progress. Right now I have one I pass around and we take turns but this allows for dead time and  the other children can't see the app at the same time. I don't have an Apple TV so I can't reflect my iPad up for all to see. I would love to have one of those as well. My dream would to hang the Apple TV behind my reading table and they could each have their own iPad and I could assess them as they manipulate the app we are working on. They could record stories orally and we could publish them as a group. There are so many things I could do with a technology reading group area. I have an ENO board and that is excellent as well. I am blessed to have it but it cannot run iPad technology on it, only computer web sites."    Dawn Noble, Kindergarten Teacher

"A mobile iPad lab would be an amazing addition to my classroom!  6th graders could work on science and math apps to research,learn, and increase knowledge.  The parts of the human body would come to life before our very eyes."     Kendra Miller, MS Math & Science Teacher

"I have been a teacher for almost 17 years and each year it gets more difficult to capture the attention and imagination of my first graders. One way to grab them that never fails is to integrate technology into what we are learning. In my classroom we take turns using our 1 classroom iPad each day...not for one moment to I have to make sure the student using the iPad is engaged in our lesson. I can't imagine how much we could accomplish if I had access to a cart with a classroom set of iPads and could put one in each student's hand for some lessons!  

I have had an Apple TV box in my classroom since late fall and can not imagine life in the classroom without it! I use it daily to engage students in my lesson. From displaying awesome 3D illustrations of plant parts to simply practicing spelling words with to magnetic letters app it is a great tool to have in my toolbox. I hope through the Funding the Future campaign we can provide this amazing tool to all TFCA classrooms!"     Jennifer Cull, 1st Grade Teacher

Learn about the goals for each project and how to donate at FrankfortChristian.org/FundingTheFuture!

New Teachers/Positions for 2014-15!

To meet the needs of our students and our growing school we are excited to announce the addition of several new positions. 

First, Mrs. Linda Perkins has accepted our new Reading Specialist position and will be retiring from second grade. She has been such an amazing second grade teacher, and we our certain she will do an excellent job providing reading support to TFCA students. Second, we have hired Mrs. Pandora Morrow as our new second grade teacher, and we have hired Elise Fitzgerald as our new language arts/social studies teacher for middle school. Please read a message from each of our new teachers below!

Pandora Morrow - Second Grade Teacher

My name is Pandora Morrow and it is a pleasure for me to announce that I am the new second grade teacher here at TFCA. I received my Bachelor's degree in Early Elementary and an endorsement for Teaching English and Writing in middle grades from Northern Kentucky University. I received my Master's Degree in Teaching Reading and Writing all grades from Georgetown College. My Husband Bob and I have been married for sixteen years and have a daughter that attends TFCA. I am so excited about the upcoming year and look forward to working with you!

Elise Fitzgerald - Middle School Language Arts and Social Studies

My name is Elise Fitzgerald. I am originally from the small town of Grundy, Virginia, but recently married my wonderful husband in December and relocated to Frankfort. I have a bachelor's degree in middle grades education with emphasis areas in language arts and social studies and biblical studies from Kentucky Christian University. I left a full time ministry at Mountain Mission School in order to be with my husband in Frankfort. I am very excited about this new teaching opportunity. 

We are so thankful that God always seems to put the right people, in the right place, at the right time for our school!