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Developing a Love for Foreign Missions

By lnorton on February 21, 2012 in

2011 SCA Missions Team

Sometimes God touches our lives in very dramatic ways and the effect can ripple into many others’ lives.     He did this to me some years ago on a mission trip to Jamaica, where He changed me radically in a number of ways.

The Christian life is really all about change, and as a high school teacher at SCA, He continues to change me and allows me to watch Him change others as well.    One of the greatest glimpses of His work in some of the high school students happened in a place called the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf in Knockpatrick, Mandeville, Jamaica, where a team of 11 spent eight days ministering to deaf children.   The nine students on this team,  as well as the two adults, were deeply affected by the obvious – poverty, beautiful scenery, cultural differences, and the children, who won their hearts.   But more deeply, God had placed each team member in a position of vulnerability and allowed each of us to respond to Him and His Word in a special way.

If you’ve ever been on a foreign mission trip, I’m sure you’re nodding in agreement right now.  Although the stated purpose of such an outreach is to minister to the foreign group, whether  through work projects, VBS, music outreach or evangelism, in reality the purpose is to see God work, up close and personal!  He never disappoints.

In 2011 we returned a second time to CCCD with a team of 29, and this year we have 32 on the team (so far!) – all wanting to experience something special.   Please pray with us that this special experience for each of us results in seeing God more centrally in every area of our lives, for the rest of our lives.   And pray, also, that God uses us to continue His transforming work in the lives of those around us.

 

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8th Grade to Washington D.C: Days 3 and 4

By meveritt on February 10, 2012 in

The past two days have been a whirlwind of experiences and historical sites. On Wednesday, we were able to tour to the White House in the morning. We spent the afternoon at the Newseum learning about the history of the News. It was a fun and interactive experience. Our bus drove through Embassy Row on our way to the National Cathedral. We ended out the day at some of the museums of the Smithsonian and an evening tour of monuments including WWII and Iwo Jima.

On Thursday morning, we climbed the hill at Arlington National Cemetery to see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown soldiers. Because we take this trip during low tourism season, we were the only ones at the guard changing. As we left, the officers invited us down to the area where the guards prepare and learned the amazing history of the changing of the guards. Our tour guide told us that this was the first time in all of his tours that a group had been invited back there. What a privilege! The students were very exited to ride the Metro to the Capitol. We toured the Capitol and also sat in the gallery of the House of Representatives. The most astounding visit was the Holocaust museum. The students were amazing representatives of SCA and our Lord as they discovered and learned of the atrocities of this dark time in our history. The day ended with a tour of more monuments such as Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, and Korean War Memorial.

We’re all very tired, but we are having a great time. We look forward to one more full day of exploring our nation’s capital.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

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Washington D.C. : Day Three

By meveritt on February 9, 2012 in

Our students had the honor today of visting the White House!  The students were able to see the formal downstairs rooms where many important historical decisions have been made. Everyone in the group was amazed by the beautiful architecture and historical significance for our country. Thank you Mrs. Skiles for planning this wonderful trip for everyone.

A Visit to the President's House

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NED was at SCA

By dhead on February 8, 2012 in

I am sure anyone with elementary aged children knows that NED was here in chapel. Each year, The NED Show motivates and inspires more than 2.2 million children.  NED teaches kids what it takes to become a champion at school and in life.  Mel, the yo-yo specialist, was fantastic!  She was so talented with the yo-yo and also inspired our students with the NED message – Never give up, Encourage others, and Do your best.  This unique character-building assembly combined a great message with humor and audience participation.  Ask your child if he or she can tell you what NED taught in elementary chapel.

Thank you to Mrs. Vorster and her volunteers for helping with the sale of the yo-yos.  SCA will receive a portion of the profit to use for student incentives.  Our fifth grade students also helped the younger students get started with their yo-yos.

What a fun way to learn vaulable character lessons that will last a lifetime!

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Washington D.C. Trip for 8th Grade : Day Two

By meveritt on February 8, 2012 in

Day 2 started out early with a stop at the Jamestown settlement. The students were able to watch live demonstrations of canoe making and musket firing. We also boarded one of the full size replica ships on which the settlers arrived . The students were also able to hear an explanation of how the settlers traversed the Atlantic ocean to get to the new world.  Everyone left with a great appreciation for our early American roots and the sacrifices that were made for freedom.

In the afternoon, the group spent three hours exploring Colonial Williamsburg. The weather was wonderful, and we were able to walk the town without our heavy jackets. The students sat in the seats of the first Capitol building in America as well as play games that colonial children would have played.  What an exciting way to learn history!

After a fun dinner with the group, we boarded our buses again and took a three hour journey to Washington D.C. The weather is much cooler, and we will definitely need to bundle up tomorrow. We’re excited to start our tour of D.C. tomorrow morning with a visit to the White House!!

 

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Washington D.C.Trip for 8th Grade: Day One

By meveritt on February 7, 2012 in

Monday, February 6- 10:00 pm
The 8th grade has made it successfully to Williamsburg, VA. Our bus ride was relatively uneventful with no traffic, bus problems, or detours. The buses made great time and everyone was all settled in their rooms by 10:00 pm. The students and chaperones are in great spirits. We’re ready to tackle Jamestown and Williamsburg tomorrow then onto DC in the evening.

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” My Life in AP”

By David Head on January 18, 2012 in

            My first contact with the College Board AP program came from a one-day workshop I attended at Purdue University in Indiana, along with colleagues from the math and science department. I immediately saw the value of the program and within a year was teaching a couple sections a year of AP English.

            What other program offers our students the chance to earn college credit while still in high school, and yet keeps them under the biblically-based philosophy of a Christian educator?

            Besides teaching AP I also took training at College Board Midwest in Chicago and became a consultant, leading workshops for public and private school teachers, including a one-week session at the Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities at Ball State University. Another great opportunity I had was to score AP English exam essays for several summers, learning insights which made me a better teacher, more able to share with my classes what the readers were looking for in student essays.

            Here at SCA we have been steadily growing our AP program, adding psychology, calculus, and American history. Our test scores have been very impressive. What does the future hold? Having top quality teachers and highly motivated students are the key factors to success, as I stated in an article I wrote for the Journal for Christian Educators (Winter, 2007. 22-25).As high school academic principal I know we have teachers who are very capable of teaching in various other subject fields for which AP courses and exams are offered by College Board.  The future for AP classes at SCA should be very strong!

Dr. David R. Head

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God’s Blessings for a New Year

By rduncan on January 10, 2012 in

GREAT VERSES FOR 2012!

I’ve been reading through the book of Psalms the past several weeks, and I came across some verses over the Christmas break that really blessed me. They are found in Psalm 65:11-13. The Bible says, “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness (abundance). They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.” What an encouraging passage of Scripture, as we enter a new year! They speak of the overall goodness of the Lord, but they also mention His continued blessings even in the challenging parts of our lives. Notice that the Psalmist uses the words “wilderness” and “valleys”.  Sometimes we face some dry and dark times in our spiritual lives, but even during these times, God can send us special blessings. The same holds true of a ministry as well. Ministries can go through wildernesses or valleys, too. I thank the Lord for His blessings upon our school in the year 2011. He blessed us with an increased enrollment of approximately 20 students, and He allowed us to see continued improvements in our overall program. Certainly, there will be challenges we face in 2012, but I’m glad to know we serve One who can send an abundance of blessings, even in the difficult times. Would you join me in praying that in the year 2012, Seffner Christian Academy will see an abundance of blessings from the Lord like we’ve never seen before? Would you pray with us that He will “crown this year with His goodness” on our behalf? I look forward to seeing what God has for SCA in the coming year.

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Your Road Map from your Guidance Counselor

By aallotta on January 9, 2012 in

Finishing what you Start

Many people set lofty resolutions at the beginning of each New Year.  While it is important to set goals for yourself, it is equally important to see that your goals are carried out.  It seems that we all have incredible drive and energy to START things; but that when it comes to finishing…well…you know as well as I do that by the end of January, many of our “starts” are left by the wayside. 

I encourage you, as we begin this New Year, to FINISH!  Finishing begins with setting reachable goals and working towards them with dedication.  I love the quote by C.D. Jackson, “Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings.”  There are a few things that I do to insure that my goals and dreams get finished and “land,” I hope you will find them helpful!

  1. Write It Down- Make a list of the goals you want to accomplish and post it somewhere that you will see it every single day!  I put mine on my bathroom mirror J.  Having a visual reminder of your goals every day will give you encouragement to keep going!
  2. Share It With Others- Post it on Facebook, tell a friend, Tweet it to the universe!  The more people who know about your goal, the more you will be held accountable!  These people can also be a great source of encouragement to you as you strive to reach your goals.
  3. Start Small, Finish Big- Take small steps toward your big goal.  Many times your big goal needs to be broken down into smaller achievable goals, give yourself TIME to get to the end!  You can’t run a marathon if you’ve never finished a mile.
  4. Reward Yourself- Achieving a goal is a BIG DEAL, plan out appropriate rewards along the way!   If your goal is straight A’s on your report card, treat yourself to an extra 30 minutes of doing whatever you most enjoy after you ace a test!

I know that you are capable of FINISHING this year, remember, God has given us each a plan and promises to direct our path, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

 Have a great 2nd Semester!

~Mrs. Allotta, School Counselor~

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WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT! – MISS Q MARRIES MR. U

By dhead on December 16, 2011 in

Did you know that there won’t be many times that you will see a “Q” without  a “U”?  Our kindergarten teachers have made sure that our students will never forget that fact.  On December 15th in the SCA cafeteria Miss Q married Mr. U.  There were many guests (students and parents) present.  The wedding party consisted of the bride and groom as well as a flower girl, bridesmaids and groomsmen.  Ms. Cheryl officiated the wedding.  After the ceremony that united those two letters forever, they had a reception with a beautiful cake and lovely favors.  Everyone enjoyed this unforgettable wedding experience!

What a fun way to learn letters, phonics, and reading!

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