COMMUNITYConnectionSummer 2016

Counting down the days to GRADUATION!

SPRINGHighlights

The Official Magazine of Strathroy Community Christian School

Grade 7 and 8 SupportEconomic Development

Also, Volunteering atthe Store = $$$ for Parents

Photo: Matthew Wilson Long Jumping at the Woodstock District Track and Field Day

Crossingthe Bridge

The Principal’s NoteBy Ken VanMinnen

on EarthIs He up To?

Many times this year the words I wrote in September about openly asking for God to “break” us to a certain extent

have become a reality. We prayed that we would be a faithful school community even if our circumstances would become more difficult. We have had our share of brokenness this year, in various capacities, but God’s promise remains. He is greater than all our hardship or sufferings as, providentially, this was our theme this year – “God Is Greater Than...”.

We have had years of blessings where it was ‘easy’ to praise God and be thankful. God has allowed this year to be a refining and purifying year where He is calling us to be faithful on a tougher trail. We have come to realize that when you ask the Holy Spirit to work in you, or your school, you need to be prepared for Him to do some major renovations. I’ll share with you a great quote from C.S. Lewis which embodies our school year beautifully because I believe He is doing great things because He wants to dwell with us! I’m excited that God is building a palace at SCCS!

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Blessings!

Ken VanMinnenPrincipal

The school year is winding down and it’s a great time to look back at how God has blessed SCCS over the last 10 months.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to say a sincere “Thank You” to our fantastic staff who do such a great job of transporting, teaching and supporting our kids! It’s such a blessing to know that our children are surrounded each day by awesome adults who really try to reflect the love of Christ through their work and relationships. Thanks also to our store staff and volunteers who work hard to make our tuition as low as possible. I also want to thank Mr. VanMinnen, Mr. Hakker and Mrs. Lubbers for the great work they do for the board on so many levels. We have a great team here!

This past year has brought with it some painful situations as well as great opportunities to see God’s faithfulness and love. Our community has been through family tragedies and relationship breakdowns as well as the joy of healed relationships and plenty of happy events. Through it all, we remain grateful to Jesus our Savior for His unfailing love and mercy.

Thanks to all of you who have supported our school community this past year with your concern, time and resources. I wish you God’s blessing and peace this summer!

On behalf of the Board,Rich Hamstra

Fun with FinanceThe Board’s Finance Development & Planning Committee is seeking a committee member for a three-year term. This committee is responsible for the oversight of the fundraising activities of the school. We meet approximately four times per year, and do the strategic thinking about why and how we raise funds for SCCS. Please contact Jacky Dieleman at dielemanjsccs@gmail.com for information!

The Board ReportBy Board Chair Rich Hamstra

WhatGod’s Faithfulnessin Action

Calendar

Strathroy Community Christian School7880 Walkers DriveStrathroy, ON N7G 3H4

519-245-1934office@sccs.ca principal@sccs.ca

www.sccs.ca

www.Facebook.com/StrathroyCommunityChristianSchool

Connect with us

June 15 Year-End Awards Assembly (9:00 a.m.)

June 17 Graduation (7:30 p.m.)

June 22 Last Day of School and Closing Chapel (noon dismissal)

Awards AssemblyWe will have our awards assembly on Wednesday, June 15 at 9:00 a.m. to hand out the citizenship award for each grade. A representative of the IODE will also give the most-improved award to one student in each grade. Finally, we find out which colour league has come out on top with the most points. Everyone is welcome to join us for this short assembly.

Graduation Is This FridaySCCS invites you to celebrate with the 2015–2016 graduates. We are thankful for another year during which God has blessed our school community. The graduation ceremony will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 17.

Strathroy Community Christian School is Unlike the RestHave you seen our new video? Check out www.sccs.ca/Video.php and see why students love SCCS. Do you love this school too? Share this video through email and social media. Together, we can help spread the blessings of SCCS.

Grandfriends’ Day was Grand!If you missed out, don’t worry – watch the black light show and The Fairy Tale Network videos on our Facebook page.

Strathroy Community Christian School has developed a long-term strategy to ensure that each of its students is given the best chance of achieving success.

In 2011, the SCCS board and school operations leaders approved and launched a proactive student support philosophy called the Bridge. It’s a way of thinking and it’s also a room – together the Bridge ensures that our 200+ students have strong foundations built on social and emotional support.

SCCS’s Bridge is spearheaded by one social worker, two resource teachers, four full-time educational assistants and three part-time educational assistants. They work with students, in cooperation with parents, teachers and our school principal, to troubleshoot learning obstacles. (Such as chaotic starts to the day because of anxiety over learning schedules and noisy bus rides.)

Bridge team members are assigned students to immediately and effectively change the dynamic of classroom learning. Staff has the ability and authority to act quickly to meet the cultural needs of the classroom and can follow up on student progress hourly throughout the day.

The Bridge room is an essential component to the program. It gives students a change of environment to physically, emotionally and psychologically separate themselves from classroom obstacles. In this setting, Bridge staff can better understand how individual students learn and can customize learning methods to support their needs.

The room’s creative space, which includes a couch, computers, and tables for games, opens for students before school begins and closes shortly after school ends. Here, students of all grade levels learn together and are offered a wide range of activities that help each of them in their own ways. They challenge themselves with board games, problem-solve tablet activities, write tests, play with Play-Doh, construct with Lego, complete puzzles and much more. The older students will often read to and engage in play with younger students.

Bridge staff is very deliberate about creating unique learning opportunities for students. If they can’t read well, they can use audio books. If they can hear well, staff use more sounds to communicate. If students have high anxiety about talking in front of their class, a Bridge team member records their speech, which is played for their teacher.

Through the support of the board, staff, parents and students, the Bridge has been a successful learning program to engage each student to celebrate their own uniqueness.

The BridgeEvery student should

have a good day

23rd Annual Golf Tournament for Christ-Centred Education a Success!With more than $10,000 raised at our 23rd annual golf tournament, held last Saturday at Widder Station Golf & Country Club, this golf event was certainly one of our best. THANK YOU to everyone who came out to golf and support Christ-centred education. THANK YOU also to the many sponsors (included below) who proudly have their names associated with this annual favourite event. Our school is truly blessed!

Gold SponsorsAkko Cement Finishers Ltd.

Hamstra Carpet OneBen Linker Roofing

Handy Haan ConstructionHolman’s Welding Ltd.

The MufflermanMt. Brydges Ford

Tru-Lin ConstructionVanderschaaf Countertops

Wes Baker & Sons Construction

Silver SponsorsBuesink Welding

Colledge Studios Ltd.Cors Motors

Dielco Industrial ContractorsDon Linker Roofing

Dynamic SignsGraphite MarketingH & N Tax Services

Huls Custom Homes Inc.Libro Credit Union

Quinlan Hemeryck Barnett PCRalph Bos Meats

Royal Lepage (Sue and Fred Bork)Tint King

Hole-in-One SponsorLarry MacDonald Chevrolet Buick GMC

HIGHLIGHTS

Kindergarten Students Visited the Mount Brydges Fire Station

Junior Kindergarten and Grade 7 Classes BroughtFood Donations to the Salvation Army Food Bank

Economic Development ProposalsPresented to MunicipalityThe Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc invited our Grade 7 and 8 classes to present their economic development projects in the Council Chamber.

Proposals included heritage, food and shop-local tours, and business enterprises such as transit service to London; an accessible playground; a retail mall and condominium development; drive-in theatre and roller rink; and a laser-tag complex. Senior municipal staff members were thoroughly impressed with the level of research and the quality of the presentations.

Celebration of LearningThe students of Strathroy Community Christian School invited their friends and family to an exciting evening that showcased their year of accomplishments.

The inaugural Celebration of Learning event took place on June 2 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Hundreds of visitors came out to see the wide variety of student-led activities taking place in the gym and individual classrooms.

Grade Eights Take Off on a Life of Adventure

Our Relay Teams Won First at the Woodstock District Track and Field Day

‘The Fairy Tale Network’ Play

Student Council 2015–2016

Grade 1 & 2 Class Trip

Grade 1 & 2 Class Trip

Field Trip to Hoogendoorn Farm

WE BELIEVE IN...

50% off tuition for new families in Grades 1-8subject to approval

Contact principal Ken VanMinnenat 519-245-1934 or principal@sccs.ca

If you want your children to have strong Christ-centred foundations,you’re invited to see the difference of SCCS.

7880 Walkers DriveStrathroy

www.SCCS.ca

• Christ-centred education• Caring, qualified teachers• A dynamic school community• Challenging students• Small class sizes• A focus on academic excellence• A modern facility with modern technologies• Arts and culture programming• Excellence in sports

COMMUNITYConnectionSummer 2016

Counting down the days to GRADUATION!

SPRINGHighlights

The Official Magazine of Strathroy Community Christian School

Grade 7 and 8 SupportEconomic Development

Also, Volunteering atthe Store = $$$ for Parents

Photo: Andrew Levitt set a new school record for high jump.

Crossingthe Bridge