The Principal's Perspective

SAY GOOD-BYE TO BLOGGER

2011-10-07T14:54:00.002-04:00

After a year and a half of blogging our school news through blogger, we have made the switch to a new website which includes a newsletter blog as one of its features. You can now stay on top of all of our Upper School news by logging into our website at www.fredericksburgchristian.com. The top stories will be displayed on your landing page, and you can access the full newsletter by clicking on "Academics" and then "Upper School." Thank you so much for visiting our newsletter here, and we hope you enjoy all the features of our new website!

MIDDLE SCHOOL "TRUTH" SHIRTS AVAILABLE SOON

2011-10-03T11:41:00.001-04:00

If you ordered a middle school "Truth" shirt, they should arrive sometime within the next week.

MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORMATION DAY IS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26TH

2011-10-03T11:40:00.001-04:00

Our middle school is starting to get ready for one of the big events of theschool year - Reformation Day! Students will come to school dressed as aReformation period (Middle Ages) character: king, queen, knight, peasant,princess, nun, monk or any other appropriate character from the period.

We need a tremendous amount of help from our parents to make this dayspecial. If you are willing to help, please fill out the volunteer form goinghome with middle schoolers this week or contact the school office. Plans forthe day are to have a medieval feast in the Great Hall, compete in chess orchecker competitions, creat a work of art, participate in festive gams, put onshort presentations and much more! Parents are needed to help prepare the meal,decorate, help with various activities and clean up.

Thank you for your help! We're looking forward to a great Reformation Day!

GET READY FOR FRUIT!

2011-09-30T15:30:00.001-04:00

The Fruit Sale is coming! From October 5th - 9th we will have our annual fruit sale to benefit Athletics. Be on the lookout for order forms that will go home next week.

STANDARDIZED TESTING NEXT WEEK

2011-09-30T10:57:00.001-04:00

The Upper School is scheduled for standardized testing Monday, October 3rd - Thursday, October 6th. Friday, October 7th is a make-up day for students who miss any part of the test.

Testing will take place in homerooms during the first two hours of the day. We strongly encourage all students to be here on time, to get a good night's sleep and to eat breakfast. We will spend the rest of the day on a delayed opening schedule which will give students time in all of their classes. It is possible that students will have light homework during the week.

Seniors are expected to be in school, on time Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday, Seniors will participate in an off-campus breakfast and will report to school by 10:10 a.m.

Thank you for your assistance in making standardize test week go smoothly!

FIFTH FRIDAY TOMORROW!

2011-09-29T16:38:00.001-04:00

We are excited about our first 5th Friday tomorrow, September 30th! Seniors get jeans days every Friday; 9th - 11th graders get to have jeans days the 1st and 3rd Fridays; but on 5th Fridays everyone gets a jeans day!

High schoolers - follow dress code guidelines. Middle schoolers can wear jeans (according to wardrobe guidelines) and regular uniform shirts. Middle schoolers who are in Intro to French or Intro to Spanish can wear the t-shirts they made in their classes instead of uniform shirts. Staff members get to break out their "See the Promise" t-shirts featuring our theme and logo for the year. Happy 5th Friday!

A GLIMPSE INSIDE

2011-09-28T13:43:00.003-04:00

High School

The National Prayer Event, “See You at the Pole” was emphasized today asHigh School students formed a large circle in the gym to pray for our nationand our leaders. After a time of worship, Pastor Denny Glusko and his wifeDiana came forward and called 18 students to the front. As everyone counted to10, Pastor Denny stated that every 10 seconds 18 people die. Every day, 155,000people die. He asked how many of those go to heaven. The Sermon on the Mountreminds us that the way to heaven is narrow. He asked,“Where would you be if noone shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with you?” He challenged students topress in to know the Savior so they can carry out Acts 1:8 and share Christwith a dying world.

MiddleSchool

Chapel began with worship,led by 8^thgrader Annie B. Students then discussed last week’s chapeland the year’s theme – “Got Truth? Absolutely!” Students recalled the name ofGod“Elohim” discussed last week and learned more about how that name revealsHim to be mighty, the Creator, a covenant maker, and one being, yet a plurality.

Our speaker at chapel todaywas evangelist Rashem Poudel of Nepal. Mr. Poudel was raised to be a Hindupriest in Nepal. At the age of 30 someone gave him a Bible. He read if forhimself and was saved. For the last 49 years he has shared the gospel messagewith the Nepalese people (mostly Hindu). When he started preaching there werearound 300 Christians in Nepal; there are now over one million. Mr. Poudel hasbeen imprisoned twenty-five times, a sum total of about five years, forpreaching the gospel. He’s had his legs broken (and miraculously healed) in anattempt to stop him from sharing God’s Word. He spent his time this morningencouraging the students to know God’s Word well. He had them read from Psalm119:99-100 which says, “I have more insight than all my teachers, for Imeditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for Iobey your precepts.” Students ended chapel by fielding questions to evangelistPoudel. What a blessing it was to hear from the “Billy Graham” of Nepal thismorning!

BLACKOUT FOR SPORTS!

2011-09-28T08:10:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow the entire Upper School is encouraged to participate in a blackout for our sports teams. Everyone in high school can wear black clothing items within dress code guidelines (no sweatpants; black jeans are permitted; Go Eagles t-shirts can be substituted for a black shirt). Middle schoolers are invited to wear black shirts within dress code guidelines or a Go Eagles t-shirt. We have a lot of teams participating in games tomorrow and want to let them know that we are behind them all the way - go green and black! Go Eagles!

NEW YORK CITY TRIP INTEREST MEETING

2011-09-27T15:41:00.002-04:00

Aninterest meeting for the NYC trip in April will be held Tuesday, October 4th at 6:00pm in Modular 2 at the Upper School Campus. At least one representative perfamily should try to attend. Cost, deadlines, and other details will bediscussed. Please email Dr. Barham at cbarham@fcschools.orgfor questions or if you are seriously interested but unable to attend.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP TREAT UPPER SCHOOL TEACHERS & STAFF TO LUNCH?

2011-09-27T13:16:00.004-04:00

Weare planning to have a special luncheon set up for the teachers and staff fourtimes this year – one per quarter. The dates are Friday, October 7,Tuesday, November 15, Friday, February 10 and Tuesday, April 24. If youare interested in providing an item for the luncheon, or helping with set up,serving or clean-up, please contact Mary Bock at (540)834-2245 or bockmw@msn.com. We are hoping for enoughvolunteers so that each would only need to help once, unless, of course, youwould like to do more. Thank you!

MIDDLE SCHOOL WINTER SPORTS TRY-OUTS

2011-09-26T13:25:00.002-04:00

Boys’ and Girls’ MS Basketball tryouts will beNovember 28, 29, and Dec. 1.

Girls’ MS Cheerleading Tryouts will be Nov.14, 15, and 17.

Locations are still TBD.

GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS AT VALUES VOTER SUMMIT! SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE!

2011-09-20T10:13:00.000-04:00

The 2011Values Voter Summit is just around the corner on October 7-9 in Washington,D.C., and we have some terrific student events happening! Are the studentsin your life attending? President Ronald Reagan rightly declared that, "Freedomis never more than one generation away from extinction." Our children,grandchildren and their friends are the emerging first line of defense in thebattle for the soul of our nation.

Studentregistration is $50; however, we have a limited number of studentscholarships still available! Students can apply at www.valuesvotersummit.org/students.

Thetheme for this year's student events is Our Turn to Lead: Why YoungConservatives Must Engage to Shape the Debate.

Thereare two student-specific sessions in addition to the general sessions(confirmed speakers include presidential hopefuls Michele Bachmann, HermanCain, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum along withSpeaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Reps. JimJordan of Ohio, Steve King of Iowa, talk-radio hosts Bill Bennettand Mark Levin and many more):

Fridaynight mixer and networking event with LilaRose, President of Live Action, who led undercoverinvestigations of Planned Parenthood. Students can enjoy free pizza as theynetwork with other like-minded young conservatives.

Saturdaybreakout session aboutcampus and national student activism with LilaRose; Jason Mattera, Editor of Human Events; and Tom Peters, a young blogger with CatholicVote.org.

We haveput a great effort into cultivating a more connected student community thisyear. We hope you will send the students in your life to the 2011 Values VoterSummit so they can be part of our growing student community. Please visit www.valuesvotersummit.orgfor more information.

Standing(Ephesians 6:13),

Tony Perkins
President

REGISTER NOW FOR GIRLS' CHEER CLINIC

2011-09-14T11:05:00.000-04:00

FCS will hold its annual cheerleading clinic on Friday, October 14th from 12:00 - 3:30 p.m. in the Lower School gym. Girls in kindergarten through 8th grade are invited to participate. The cost of the clinic is $30.00 and includes a t-shirt (you must register by October 6th in order to guarantee that your student will receive a t-shirt). Registration forms are available here. Complete the registration form and make checks payable to FCS with "Cheer Clinic" in the memo line. Forms and payments need to be directed to Mrs. Reinhardt.

UPCOMING COLLEGE VISITS

2011-09-14T09:45:00.000-04:00

The following schools will have representatives visiting FCS in the next few days:

October 19th - Saint Leo University (11:30 - 12:00)

DON'T MISS IMPORTANT ALERTS!

2011-09-09T11:40:00.001-04:00

We are pleased to report that all ofour new families have been added to the Honeywell Instant Alert System. Weapologize for the delay and appreciate your patience over the last few weeks.Please follow the instructions below to activate your account.

All returning families areencouraged to review their profiles at the beginning of each school year toensure it reflects the most current information.

Once again, FCS willuse the Honeywell Instant Alert System to notify families in the event of anunscheduled early dismissal, delay, or closing. Occasionally, the system willalso be used to relay other important school announcements. Since Honeywell isthe primary means used to convey important school information, it is vital forall school families to register with the system and keep their profilesup-to-date.

You may access theHoneywell site here. There is also a link under “Parent Links”on the FCS website.

All new families must register on the Honeywell site. Toregister, click“Parent” under the “New User? Sign Up Now!” heading. SelectVirginia/Fredericksburg Christian and enter your child’s name and date ofbirth. Finally, enter your name and set up your user-name and password. Youwill then be able enter your contact information. You may also manage the typesof alerts you wish to receive.

All returning families are asked to review their profiles at leastonce a year to ensure their information is up-to-date. This is especially importantif you have moved, changed jobs, changed email addresses, or obtained a newcell phone since you last checked your account. Parents are responsible formaintaining their Honeywell account, so please be sure to update your profileif your contact information changes. Returning families will use their ID andpassword from last year.

When there is uncertainty as to whether itwill be necessary to dismiss early due to weather, please be aware that campusoffices are not notified in advance of the Honeywell alert. The best wayfor you to ensure you receive the very latest information is to maintain yourHoneywell profile. Thank you for your assistance with this vitalcommunication tool.

MAKING CHANGE FOR STUDENTS

2011-09-07T10:50:00.000-04:00

If your student plans to make any cash purchases at school please make sure he or she has exact change or small bills. Since we've gone to a cashless kitchen, we do not have cash to make change for students. Thank you!

FCS POCKET CALENDARS ARE HERE!

2011-09-07T08:38:00.001-04:00

FCS pocket calendars are now available for $3.00 in the school office. The pocket calendars are the same as the full-sized school calendar except in a small, convenient purse/pocket-size. If you're interested in purchasing one of our pocket calendars, please stop in the school office.

FCS WILL OFFER THE PSAT ON SATURDAY, OCT 15TH FROM 7:45 – 11:00 A.M.

2011-09-02T13:46:00.000-04:00

The PSATis the best preparation for the SAT. Students who take the test in 11^thgrade and meet other program entry requirements may enter the National MeritScholarship Program. Also, any 10^th grader that is interestedin taking AP classes next year should take the PSAT. Signups are in theoffice beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 6^th. The $18 payment isrequired at signup to reserve your spot – only 80 spots available! Pleasemake checks out to FCS.

A NOTE ABOUT EMAILING...

2011-09-01T13:33:00.001-04:00

It is our goal to respond promptly to the questions and concerns of parents; however, emails from parents sometimes land in the junk mailboxes of our staff members. If you have not received a response from a staff member within 48 hours of sending an email, please call the school to follow up. Thank you!

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

2011-08-30T09:10:00.002-04:00

***From interaction with their peers to the instruction and correction that they receive at home, children interpret their experience from a worldview that seeks to answer their fundamental questions: Who am I? What do I exist for? Where can I find joy? We need to provide our children with a consistent, persuasive, biblical framework for understanding the world God has made and their place in it. Thus, Instructing a Child’s Heart is an essential companion to Shepherding a Child’s Heart. The instruction that you provide for them not only informs their mind; it is directed to persuading their hearts of the wisdom and truthfulness of God’s ways. Impress truth on the hearts of your children, not to control or manage them, but to point them to the greatest joy and happiness that they can experience—delighting in God. Dr. Tedd Tripp will be presenting the Instructing a Child’s Heart seminar on October 14-15, 2011, at Stafford Baptist Church. For additional information and registration, please visit www.cctcinc.org or call 804-358-1343. This seminar is sponsored by the Christian Counseling and Training Center, Inc. (see attached brochure if you want to attach it)

*** The BJ’s offer expires September 30, 2011. IMPORTANT: It does not matter when you last renewed, 15 months will be added to your current expiration date.

ATTENDANCE REMINDER

2011-08-29T13:21:00.000-04:00

If your student is going to be out for the day, please contact our attendance secretary, Mrs. Rutherford, by 9:00 a.m. if possible. You can reach Mrs. Rutherford by email at lrutherford@fcschools.org or by phone at 371-3852. Mrs. Rutherford will make phone calls home to parents of students who have been marked "unexcused absent" by midday.

WENDY'S HEISMAN SCHOLAR ATHLETE OPPORTUNITY FOR SENIORS

2011-08-22T14:36:00.000-04:00

From now until October 2, 2011, elegible seniors can apply to be a Wendy's Heisman Scholar Athlete. Details are provided at: www.WendysHeisman.com.

MICROSOFT OFFICE PROMOTION FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS

2011-08-17T13:12:00.000-04:00

Microsoft Office 2010 Back to School Promotion for your Schools Students, Teachers and Staff

Paragon Micro/EDU will once again be offering this promotion to all ACSI member schools. Over the past two years this program has saved member schools students, parents, teachers and staff over $2.1 Million Dollars!

We need your help to create awareness of this program to your school affinity by distributing this attached flyer.

Click Here To Download: ACSI Office 2010 Flyer

Watch this short video to learn more about this promotion!

Click Here to See Films

To learn more about this "Back to School" promotion, please contact me directly.

Rob Purcell

Director, Paragon Micro/EDU

847-719-8404

robp@paragonmicro.com

www.paragonmicro.com

ELECTRONICS POLICY

2011-08-17T09:34:00.001-04:00

No electronic devices including cell phones, mp3 players or gaming devices may be used in school or during school hours. If any electronic devices are brought to school, they need to be turned off and stowed away so that they cannot be seen or heard. If you need to call your student during the school day, please call the office. Any student caught using any of these devices will have it confiscated immediately and will have to report to the office. Phones are not to be used for taking pictures or as a video recorder.

Please do no jeopardize your student's conduct record and access to his or her cell phone by calling or texting during school hours.

BUS DRIVERS NEEDED!

2011-08-02T12:03:00.000-04:00

Our transportation department is seeking part-time school bus drivers for field trips and after hours sporting events. If you don't have a CDL, we will train. Please call Ben Cross at 540-735-1288 (business) or 540-903-6521 (cell) if you are interested or have any questions.

ORDER FCS SPIRITWEAR ONLINE

2010-11-03T09:05:00.003-04:00

Are you feeling the nip in the air? Time to pull out the coats and sweatshirts? Go to our NEW SPIRITWEAR STORE site and shop for you… and for your student! Additional items and color options are now available! Click on the link to our online store at: http://www.companycasuals.com/FredericksburgChristianSchool/start.jsp and shop from a large array of clothing and accessories - from polos to sweaters… sweatshirts to letter jackets - and much more!

PLEASE NOTE: Items that are wardrobe approved (for all ages) include the polo shirts and the sweatshirt with the FCS school logo. In addition, the cardigan sweaters (LSW280), and the ¼-zip sweatshirt (F253 and LST253) are approved. The FCS school logo is the acceptable logo on these items.

Please pay special attention to the colors that are approved for wardrobe wear (navy and white only). All outerwear that is removed in the building is also acceptable. If you are wondering about sizing, just click on the product measurements!

Payments will be made on-line directly to the vendor upon “check-out." FCS will receive a percentage of the purchase price. Items will be shipped directly to the customer (with shipping charges added) or may be picked up at NuWave Embroidery, 5933 Plank Road, Fredericksburg, VA (next to Chancellor Elementary.)