A Thankful Heart
At ECA, our vision is that school families Love God, Value Learning, and Serve Others.
What can the Muppets teach us?
As the candles start to pile up on my birthday cake each year, I’m thankful for the close proximity of our local fire station. It also allows me the luxury of reminiscing to a time when there were only three networks on television: ABC, CBS, and NBC. For a child growing up in those days, Monday nights at 7:30 were something my classmates and I looked forward to every week. The Muppet Show would come on with all of its zany skits, music, and celebrities. Fast forward to the year 1992 and they once again worked their magic on a new generation with the movie “A Muppet Christmas Carol.”
We all know the story about how Ebeneezer Scrooge was able to have a changed heart. In fact, a song from the Christmas movie tells us he grew to have a thankful heart.
What is it about thankfulness that has such life-changing power? The Bible tells us that true happiness comes when we accept God’s plan in our lives. When we accept Jesus into our hearts, it is the beginning of a new life. - “Rejoice always! Pray continually! Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
And Speaking of Thankfulness…
The ECA staff and school would like to say a special thank you to our Home & School leaders and all of the volunteers who helped to make our Thanksgiving Meal a blessing for our school and community. We would also like to thank each family for sharing a small part to make such a large event possible. One of the incredible things to witness every year at school is the amazing community that is part of ECA. It is the volunteers who come and help in the classrooms: reading in the library, working in small groups, reading with students, helping students with math, helping out at STEAM time, helping in the lunchroom. It is the parents who give their time to help make programs happen: sharing music, time, planning, resources, volunteering for class functions and overnight excursions, and helping with financial contributions. Thank you to all of you. Because of you, our school community helps make a difference in the lives of students and families every day!
Thanksgiving Vacation begins this 1/2 day Wednesday.
Thanksgiving vacation will begin this Wednesday at 12:30. There will be NO AFTERSCHOOL on Wednesday. School will resume on Monday, Dec. 2.
Where Can You Read More About SBL? What are others saying?
DeWitt, Peter. “Standards-Based Learning: Why do Educators Make It So Complex?”
Education Week, 14 Oct. 2016, https://www.edweek.org/education/opinion-standards-
based-learning-why-do-educators-make-it-so-complex/2016/10. Accessed 2 March 2021.
Marzano, Robert. Transforming Classroom Grading. ASCD, 2000.
Payne, Beverly. “What is Personalized Education? Exploring the Concept of Personalized
Education or Personalized Learning.” Medium, 18 Feb. 2020, https://medium.com/age-
of-awareness/what-is-personalized-education-a39aaab5e260. Accessed 2 March 2021.
Reeves, Douglas B. “Leading to Change/Effective Grading Practices.” Educational Leadership,
vol. 65, number 5, 2008. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/
feb08/vol65/num05/Effective-Grading-Practices.aspx. Accessed 2 March 2021.
Schimmer, Tom. Grading from the Inside Out: Bringing Accuracy to Student Assessment
Through a Standards-based Mindset. Solution Tree Press, 2016.
Scriffiny, Patricia L., Seven Reasons for Standards-Based Grading. Educational Leadership, vol.
66, number 2, 2008. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/octo8/
vol66/num02/Seven_Reasons_for_Standards-Based_Grading.aspx. Accessed 2 March 2021.
Siler, Kayla M. and Quick, Angela. “How RTI is Making an Impact on K-12 Education in North
Carolina.” RTI International, https://www.rti.org/impact/competency-based-education-
and-project-based-learning-johnston-county-public-schools. Accessed 2 March, 2021.
Tomlinson, Ann, and McTighe, Jay. Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by
Design. ASCD, 2006.
Townsley, Matt. “What does the Research Say About Standards-Based grading?” Matt Townsley:
Education and Assessment/Grading Enthusiast, 14 Jan. 2016,
http://mctownsley.net/standards-based-grading-research/. Accessed 2 March 2016.
ECA FREE Holiday Gift Program for our Students (Again this year!)
One of our alumni high school students is operating a holiday gift “store” for her community service project again this year. The neat thing - the store is FREE to all students at ECA. What’s the catch? This is where we need your help parents. If you have items in your closets, under your bed, in the attic, etc. that have been loved but are ready for a new home, you have the opportunity to bring these items to the school office where they will be organized in our “holiday store” for our ECA students. Students will be able to come to the store before vacation begins, select a gift for parents, grandparents, or siblings and the gifts will be wrapped at school, ready to be taken home, and saved for Christmas morning. If every family is able to contribute a few items that are taking up space and ready for a new home, this will be an exciting program for everyone. If you have any wrapping paper you would like to donate, that is appreciated too. We will have updated information for you after Thanksgiving vacation.
AG Program - Monday’s Science Class
Our Monday AG classes will continue at the end of the month. Students will be outdoors doing a variety of things with Mr. Wyatt Johnson. Throughout the year, there may be a few rainy days. Boots and gloves are great things for working outdoors on Monday Science Days. Water bottles are great things to have outside too. Here is a schedule of the days and classes:
Monday, November 25 - Grades 5&6
Monday, December 2 - Grades 3&4
Hot lunch happens every Monday and Wednesday. Additionally, whenever we have a 1/2 Friday, hot lunch will be offered by our Home & School. You can click on the link below to order hot lunch for the week for your child. If you have more than one child, please click the link more than once and turn in one week’s submission for each child. There is a payment option that is included in the form.
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
Monday, November 25 - Grades 5&6 Ag Program
Wednesday, November 27 - 1/2 day - NO AFTERSCHOOL
Wednesday, Dec. 4 - Picture Retake Day