Spring Blessings
At ECA, our vision is that school families Love God, Value Learning, and Serve Others.
March 19, 2023
If you have been keeping up with the news, you have seen the amazing turnaround for many reservoirs and snowpacks in the west. Earth’s storybook is filled with many different chapters, and this year’s weather patterns have been one for the record books. Isn’t it true that we can experience drought in our own lives? God is so eager to bless us with his love and offer us hope in the upcoming year. I hope the refreshing, renewing waters of spring can remind us all of the living spring that only God can give.
“For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.” - Isaiah 61:11
We Are Beginning Plans For Next Year - $50 family reenrollment fee
One of the things that happens at school behind the scenes during spring is making a budget for the upcoming school year. Because we are part of a large conference with many schools, we have to have voted school budgets by the end of the year. Staff contracts and program obligations are set in the spring for the upcoming year. What does this mean for you? Every school in the Oregon Conference has a reenrollment period. During this time, schools ask families to pay a reenrollment fee to reserve their spot for the upcoming year. This year’s deadline to reserve a spot at a discounted family fee of $50 is Friday, April 14. The following week, I meet with our school board and we need to have firm enrollment numbers for a presented budget on April 20. Families that reenroll after April 14 will be charged a reenrollment fee of $150. Plan now. You can call the school office to reserve your spot for next year and arrange for the $50 payment.
AG Program and Monthly Classroom Participation
Our classroom agriculture program will continue tomorrow, Monday, March 20. The next classes to participate will be the students in grades 5&6. 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, March 20 - Grades 5&6
Monday, April 10 - Grades 3&4
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.
There will be no AG Program for the first week of April
During Spring Break, students in grades 7&8 will be on a mission trip to Monterey Bay Academy in central California. The eight grade class will be staying a few days later for their class trip. Wyatt Johnson will be the male chaperone during that first week in April. The AG program will resume the following week on April 10.
Spring Break is only one week away! It’s Mission Trip Time!
ECA will start its Spring Break after this Thursday. School will resume on Monday, April 3. Please remember to keep our students in 7th & 8th grade in your prayers as they go to central California to work at a sister school, Monterey Bay Academy. We will be working on campus flood cleanup and doing painting and maintenance projects. Mr. Gaylor, Ms. Lidia, and several parents will be going along too. We are excited to put our school’s mission statement into action.
Spring P/T Conferences will be held the week following Spring Break
As a staff, we will be having our last staff meeting for the month of March this week. One of the things we will discuss is P/T conferences, especially P/T conferences for students in grades 5-8. Our eighth grade class will be staying over a few days for their class trip. Because of their late stay, Ms. Lidia will not be back in time for P/T conferences. More information will go out about P/T Conferences for students in grades 5-8 as we finalize plans. Students in grades K-4 will still be able to schedule P/T conferences with homeroom teachers on the 1/2 day Thursday and following Friday. There will be a signup sheet in the office. You can call the school office to arrange a conference time starting this Tuesday.
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
Announcements & Upcoming Events
March 23 - Last day of the 3rd quarter
March 24 - April 2 - Spring Break - Mission Trip for students in grades 7&8
April 1-5 - 8th Grade Class Trip - No AG Program this week
April 14 - 2024 school year reenrollment deadline for discounted family rate of $50.