Final Thoughts from CCP for 2020-21 Families

Hi, All.  I’m sincerely sorry our school year got truncated yet AGAIN!  Arkel is doing an amazing job with the rebuild, and we’re getting all new floors as well (so 2s, fellowship hall, offices, etc.).  Which is good, because our 2s area needed some TLC paint-wise and flooring-wise.  So Praise the Lord!!  Lots of good has come from the flood!
If you are cleaning out this summer, we are looking for the following items (to replace what we lost):

  • Rugs (small and large:  some were 8’x10’ others were smaller 2’x3’ in our home living areas, etc.)
  • Bookshelves
  • Baby dolls, clothes, cradles
  • Books
  • Musical instruments, parachutes
  • Baskets
  • Play kitchens, train tables, etc. Wooden blocks

And if it’s possible for you to hold off on bringing them here until the classrooms are ready, that would be great!  If not, items can be deposited in the gym!  (I know when I clean out stuff I want it gone on the same day!)

I’m attaching an article that is worth a read.  (click HERE) This year I’m going to try to be more intentional in talking about CCP as a Christ-exalting, play-based, developmentally appropriate school because I want everyone to know what they’re signing up for!  Here’s an excerpt, but it’s totally worth clicking on and reading:

Pretend play is one of the crucial types of play in early childhood and a pretend store also encourages dress-up play and symbolic play (using items to represent other things).

Kids learn so many things when playing shop at home or school:

Again, click on the article and read!!

Finally, I hope you’re enjoying the lazy, hazy days of summer, reading good books, eating and drinking good stuff, spending time with family and friends…in short, getting recharged!  We never see Jesus hurrying in the New Testament.  Never.  That has stuck with me ever since I read The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.  His pace of life was slow:  he walked everywhere, took notice of people, was present in the moment with whomever he was speaking with, and got alone with His Father regularly.  If Jesus needed alone time, how much more do we???  Self-care has not been high on my list of priorities…but it’s gaining ground.  It’s one of the reasons we’re not doing 8 weeks of summer school (4 in June/4 in July).  We all need time to breathe…decompress…figure out what really matters, and have the energy to pursue those things.

Thank you for sharing your child(ren) with us this school year.  We are sending him/her home with lots of songs, Scripture, artwork, memories…and hopefully the deep-seated knowledge that Jesus loves them.  Forever.

Peace on your Tuesday,
Chris

Share the Love

Good afternoon, All.  Just a few things:

Registration went well!  We have a wait list in all age groups.
Scholastic flyers are going home this week. Deadline to order is Wednesday, February 24th. 

Happy Valentine’s Day (Sunday)…Happy Mardi Gras next week! CCP will be closed for the week and will reopen Monday, February 22nd.

In a book I’m reading:”Fear is a terrible reason to do anything. It isn’t a trustworthy motive and it doesn’t ever lead us to wholeness.”  And, “If folks don’t recognize God is good by watching His people, then we have tragically derailed.”

As Christians, we’re supposed to do everything from a place of faith, not fear. I try not to parent out of fear or direct out of fear or drive out of fear…but of course, I fail. That’s just one of the multitudinous reasons I need a Savior!

Found some great ideas in this article: Share the love on Valentine’s (one is to take chalk and walk your neighborhood with your kids, drawing hearts as you go!)

Peace on your households,
Chris

Reading to 2 and 3 Year Olds

I was talking with another teacher this afternoon about reading.  I’m sure you already know this, but the primary indicator of future academic success is READING!  This includes picture books, read alouds (at home and school), being surrounded by literature (think home library or bookshelves in various places in the home)…and MUCH of that happens at home.  Do we read at CCP?  Yes!  Do we teach about books at CCP?  Yes, I was in a class the other day in which the teacher was talking about the author, illustrator, etc. prior to reading the book aloud. 

Do we teach kids how to read?  Yes…this happens primarily in Kindergarten, but it BEGINS NOW.  2 and 3 year olds need to hear stories read aloud (they learn vocabulary, syntax, grammar, cadence….all through hearing stories being told!!).  They learn that there’s a beginning, a middle, and an end, and they become fascinated with the details of the story over time (it’s really good to read books over and over–if you want to hear Goodnight Moon, knock on my office window, and I’ll come out–I only read it every night for 11.5 years!!!!  I still start reciting it sometimes just to bring back those good ole grunt work days of 6 kids 10 and under!!!)
It’s NEVER to early to start reading aloud with your children.  I had let this slip as life got busy when I went back to work, but just recently I picked it back up with my 9 and 12 year old, and we read aloud most school nights (the Little House series is great for read alouds, but we started with Carolyn Keene’s The Secret at the Hermitage (she’s the author of the Nancy Drew series of books–and they’re OLD, but the language and dialogue is so rich!).  My kids loved the Hardy Boys series, Magic Tree House (when they were beginning to read), and Percy Jackson. 

If we can model reading (they have to see you devoting time to reading), read with them, and find something that holds their interest, we are setting them up for success in LIFE, not just in school.  Life-long readers are essentially life-long learners.

Go grab a book and start!  Or keep going!

Peace on your evening,
Chris

Brick Donations

Christ Covenant has launched our Gift Bricks fundraiser to support our 2021 New Playground Initiative. For $100 you can leave a lasting legacy at CCP with an engraved brick (or bricks!) that will be incorporated into the playground’s final design. The bricks make a great Christmas gift that won’t require a shelf or bin at your house, and it’s a gift that will be around for a long time!

If you’d like to support the playground in a different way (like sponsoring a piece equipment, sand or gravel pit, etc.), please contact Chris Shipley ([email protected])

Stop Stealing Time

A teacher just sent me this link:  https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/blog/lets-stop-stealing-time-from-children

It’s worth a read…and in case you don’t make it to the bottom, here’s the end: 

Do you want to know what kids want to do? They want to dawdle. They want to explore. They want to sniff the dandelions and squish mud between their toes. They want to laugh and they want to run. They want to read exciting books in your lap and then move on to reading exciting books in the space between two strong branches of a tree. They want expanses of time to satisfy their curiosities and to learn how to relate to themselves and to others. And do you know why they want to do these things? Because each of these things will contribute to their development in deep and untold ways. Children desperately need their childhood hours. Let’s give them some back!

– Peace on your evening,
Chris

2020 Memory Work

The children of CCP memorize Scripture and a short catechism during their daily morning meeting and weekly chapel times. This is what they worked on in 2020-2021.

Philippians 4:4-9

4Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!

5Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen–put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.

Galatians 5:22-23

22But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

New International Version (NIV, 1984)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

Catechism for Young Children

  1. Who made you? God
  2. What else did God make? All things
  3. Why did God make you and all things? For his own glory
  4. How can you glorify God? By loving him and doing what he commands
  5. Why should you glorify God? Because he made me and takes care of me
  6. Are there more gods than one? No, there is only one God
  7. In how many persons does this one God exist? In three persons
  8. What are they? The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
  9. What is God? God is a spirit and does not have a body like man
  10. Where is God? God is everywhere?
  11. Can you see God? No; I cannot see God, but he always sees me
  12. Does God know all things? Yes, nothing can be hidden from God
  13. Can God do all things? Yes, God can do all his holy will
  14. Where do you learn how to love and obey God? In the Bible alone
  15. Who wrote the Bible? Holy men who were taught by the Holy Spirit
  16. Who were our first parents? Adam and Eve
  17. Of what were our first parents made? God made the body of Adam out of the ground and formed Eve from the body of Adam
  18. What did God give Adam and Eve besides bodies? He gave them souls that could never die
  19. Do you have a soul as well as a body? Yes, I have a soul that can never die
  20. How do you know that you have a soul? The Bible tells me so
  21. In what condition did God make Adam and Eve? He made them holy and happy

2019 Memory Work

The children of CCP memorize Scripture and a short catechism during their daily morning meeting and weekly chapel times. This is what they worked on in 2019-2020.

Psalm 121  A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—

    where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—

    he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel

    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—

    the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,

    nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—

    he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and

     going both now and forevermore.

Philippians 4:4-9

4Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!

5Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen–put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.

Galatians 5:22-23

22But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

New International Version (NIV, 1984)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

Psalm 100

King James Version (KJV)

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Catechism 2019

We have begun working on a short kids’ catechism.  When you ask our kids the questions (Q1., Q2., etc.), they respond with the answer (A.)

Q1.  Who made you?     A.  God

Q2.  What else did God make?     A.  All things

Q3.  Why did God make you and all things?     A.  For his own glory

Q4.  How do you bring God glory?     A.  By loving him and doing what he commands

Q5.  Why should you bring God glory?     A.  Because he made me and takes care of me

Q6.  Are there more gods than one?     A.  No, there is only one God

Q7.  In how many persons does this one God exist?     A.  In three persons

Q8.  What are they?     A.  The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Q9.  What is God?     A.  God is a spirit and does not have a body like man

Q10.  Where is God?    A.  God is everywhere

Q11.  Can you see God?    A.  No; I cannot see God, but he always sees me

Q12.  Does God know all things?    A.  Yes, nothing can be hidden from God

Q13.  Can God do all things?    A.  Yes, God can do all his holy will

Q14.  Where do you learn how to love and obey God?    A.  In the Bible alone

Q15.  Who wrote the Bible?    A.  Holy men who were taught by the Holy Spirit

Q16.  Who were our first parents?  A.  Adam and Eve

Q17.  Of what were our first parents made?    A.  God made the body of Adam out of the ground and formed Eve from the body of Adam

Q18.  What did God give Adam and Eve besides bodies?    A.  He gave them souls that could never die

Q19.  Do you have a soul as well as a body?    A.  Yes, I have a soul that can never die

Q20.  How do you know that you have a soul?    A.  The Bible tells me so

Q21.  In what condition did God make Adam and Eve?    A.  He made them holy and happy