Welcoming the Sunshine
At ECA, our vision is that school families Love God, Value Learning, and Serve Others.
April 16, 2023
If your yard is anything like mine, you are starting to see flowers starting to creep their way toward the warm, sunny skies. Bulbs have been hiding throughout the cold winter months, and with spring sunshine, a wave of color is about to bloom. It reminds me how God is eager to have his spirit renew our lives. As we celebrate sunnier days and warmer evenings, our hope is you will see this rebirth as a glimpse of God’s hope for his children.
This is what the LORD says to me: “I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. - Isaiah 18:4
No School Tomorrow, Monday, April 17
ECA teachers, along with all OR conference SDA school teachers, will be having an inservice day tomorrow. School will resume on Tuesday, April 18.
AG Program and Monthly Classroom Participation
Our classroom agriculture program will continue next week, Monday, April 24. The next classes to participate will be the students in grades K-2. They will be in class with Mr. Wyatt from 1:15-3:15. Make sure they have the necessary attire to spend two hours outside in an area filled with dirt and possible cold weather. Here is a schedule of when your child will be involved in the afternoon class:
Monday, April 24 - Grades K-2
Monday, May 1 - Grades 7&8
Students will be outside and working in a garden space. Plan now as you look at the schedule of dates. Boot and gloves should be worn. If boots are not available, students can bring an extra pair of old shoes, but please send a bag so they can be put in the bag and sent home until the next class rotation. Students who already have boots and gloves from the after-school program are all set.
If you have not signed up for the after-school program and would like to do that on a monthly basis, please call the office. The one-time fee of $50 covers all days of the week (M-Th) for all students in a family. There is also a $5 per day option. Just call the office to sign up.
Spring P/T Conferences
Most families in grades K-4 had P/T conferences following Spring Break. Now that teachers in grades 5-8 are back from the spring ECA mission trip and 8th grade class trip, we are scheduling conferences with Ms. Lidia and Mr. Gaylor. We are scheduling in-person meetings during the next two Fridays. Meetings will happen from 10:00 - 3:30. If you would like to schedule a phone meeting after school, that is an option too. Please call the school office to reserve a Friday slot if you would like that in-person meeting.
If you would like to arrange an after-school phone conference, please let the office know two options for a day and time preferences. After-school phone conferences would need to start at 5:30 to allow for after-school programs. Ms. Lidia and Mr. Gaylor will put these times into a working schedule and send out a phone conference schedule.
MAP Testing
Next week, students at ECA will be spending M-W mornings doing spring MAP testing. This will be our last standardized testing session for the year. Homework will be limited during those three days. Extra sleep, good breakfasts, and extra snacks can help students do their best during the week.
Spring K-4 Swimming Lessons
During the first two weeks of May, students in grades K-4 will be spending one hour per day at Willamalane Swim Center on 14th Street in Springfield. These swimming lessons are a free program for all students. We will be taking the bus from school, leaving around 9:45 in the morning. Swimming lessons are from 10:30 - 11:30. Students will return to school by 1:00.
Christian Counseling Available - Free Resources:
The NAD (North American Division of SDA) has recently shared new resources for children and teens that offer a safe and anonymous place to talk or text. Here is a news release from the NAD.
We’re excited to announce the launch of www.aruggedjourney.org our newest NAD site providing free online mentoring for guys. A Rugged Journey joins www.gorgeous2god.org (for young women) which has grown in its scope and ministry since its beginning in 2017.
These sites, along with their counterparts on social media, provide free help to our teens/young adults in a space they can ask questions without judgment or fear. The questions are answered by a team of dedicated Seventh-day Adventists at AIM on the campus of Andrews University.
In addition to the confidential Q & A, positive content is provided through videos, posts, etc.
www.gorgeous2god.org/ FB: gorgeous2god/ IG: @gorgeous2god
www.aruggedjourney.org/ FB: aruggedjourney/ IG: @aruggedjourney