San Jose Christian School | August 31, 2015

Welcome to 2015-2016by: Mrs. Jennifer Thompson

It finally arrived! The first day of school! All of the anticipation and excitement arrived on campus, and classrooms were finally filled with the joy of students. School just does not feel like school without the students here. What a blessing to be together and begin our journey of living Inside Out. The first step in that journey is truly giving ourselves over to God and allowing Him to make us into who He created us to be. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” It would be great if we were all miraculously transformed and we never slid back into our sinful selves. Let’s be honest, though, even the most committed Christian doesn’t always live as if “the new has come.” We don’t always feel like a “new creation.” (With each passing day, I feel more like an OLD creation.) The joy of the Lord is not always as radiant as it should be. This is where we take the first step together. We can encourage each other to celebrate all Christ has done and to reflect that to others. We will all experience God’s grace, mercy, blessing, and peac, and let’s SHARE that this year.May our lives speak as loudly as our lips this year as we Love, Learn and Serve together from the inside out. It is going to be an amazing year!

The WAT is Coming!Saturday, October 3 will mark the 12th annual SJCS Walk-a-Thon. The funds raised at this amazing event go to support a wide range of student activities on campus. Our financial goal for this year’s event is $50K. Mark your calendars now for this fun-filled day. Want to help out? The WAT planning team is holding its first meeting on Tuesday 9/1 at 8:30am. Melissa Findley would love your help.

What: 10th Annual Walk-a-ThonWhen: Saturday, 10/3 (9am - 2pm)Where: SJCS Middle School Field

Attendance HotlineIf your student is not coming to school, please call (408)371-4815 before 9am to report the absence.

Board of Trustees News Superintendent Jenn Thompson and the Board of Trustees had their first meeting together on August 17. In that meeting, improvements and changes in the curriculum were noted. An update on our facilities was given as well, noting that cleanup and spruce-up efforts have had a positive effect on the campus. We praise God that our preschool is growing and that enrollment in the upper grades is very close to the target number we set of this school year. We prayed for God’s continued leading at SJCS and gave thanks for the gifted teachers and Christian families that He has brought to our community.

Tiger TracksThis Week at SJCS

Mon 8/31 Fall Sports Practice 3:15pm - 4:45pm (FFB 5pm)

Tues 9/1 WAT Planning Meeting8:30am | Auditorium

Fall Sports Practice 3:15pm - 4:45pm (FFB 5pm)

Wed 9/2 Fall Sports Practice 3:15pm - 4:45pm (FFB 5pm)

Thurs 9/3 Moms in Prayer 8:30am | Room 16

Fall Sports Practice 3:15pm - 4:45pm (FFB 5pm)

Fri 9/4 CPTA Kick Off Meeting8:30am | Auditorium

Room Parent Meeting9:30am | Auditorium

Advanced Dates

Mon 9/7 No School (Labor Day)Extended Care closed

9/10 MS BTS Night

9/23 Minimum Day

9/24-25 No Classes JK-8

Extended Care Open

10/3 SJCS Walk a Thon

TRAFFIC NEWSOn campus speed limit is 7 MPH. Think 7 for Safety. Signs are on the way to keep us all accountable to being safe on campus.Please be respectful to our neighbors and refrain from using their driveways for turn arounds.Remember that there are only right turns as you enter campus, NO U-TURNS.

Extended Care Contracts Due TodayPlease be sure to fill out an Extended Care Contract and turn it in to the office. It is essential that the Extended Care Director has all of the information from the form so we can properly staff and ensure the safety of the students. The form can be found in the office or online on our website under Quicklinks, Forms.

Classroom WebsitesRemember to visit your teacher’s classroom website. These sites will be the place for information about specific classes and will be taking the place of newsletters and homework emails. Students can use the websites to check for homework, find information about projects, and discover resources for enrichment or extra help. You can access the classroom sites in two ways: through our school website under the Quicklinks tab for classroom resources, or by typing the teacher’s first initial and last name after our website address (e.g.—www.sjchristian.org/jdenouden). Teachers will be adding more content throughout the year, so check back often for updates and pictures. And don’t forget to browse through some other teachers’ websites to get excited about next year!

Middle School SportsSeason Starts This WeekThe Fall sports season is underway at SJCS. That means it’s time for boys and girls XCountry, girls softball and boys flag football. The coaches are eager to get started with another great season of Tiger sports. Practices begin this week. Parents, please remember to complete all the required forms for your athletes.

Moms In Prayer (MIP)Come join us each Thursday, from 8:30am-9:30am in Room 16 to pray for SJCS and learn more about what Moms in Prayer is all about. No prayer expertise required. We are a group of moms, just like you and me, who come as we are, talk with God and continue to be amazed as we see God work. Feel free to send any questions, prayer requests and praise to sjcsmip@gmail.com. Hoping to see you this Thursday!

Order Scrip. Save Money.School is back in session, so it’s time to order Scrip! This simple program allows families to raise funds for SJCS and their own tuition while making everyday purchases. Own your own business? Get your supplies with Scrip and earn even more! Scrip order forms are on our website, and the first order is due by Thursday, September 3. Check out the revenue sharing policy for more information, and start buying Scrip today! If you have questions please contact Mrs. Phillips in the school office at (408) 371-7741 ext. 231.

Mentor Families NeededWe have been blessed with a recent influx of new families to SJCS, so we are in need of some additional mentor families to help welcome them. Parents of all age students are needed. This is a great way to show people what it means to be a part of the SJCS community. Mentor families can make a huge impact on our new families. Please contact the office to volunteer.

What is a Room Parent?If you are interested in helping your student’s class this year, a great way to do that is by being a room parent. Room parents can help coordinate schedules and communication amongst the families in a particular class, set up volunteer opportunities, and support teachers. Classes can have solo room parents, but this is a great job for a team as well. All classes PS - 8 need a room parent.

An informational meeting about room parenting is scheduled for Friday, 9/4 at 9:30am in the auditoirum. We look forward to seeing you there!

CPTA Kick Off MeetingCPTA Kick Off Meeting for all parents is scheduled for Friday, September 4th at 8:40am in the SJCS Auditorium - everyone is invited and encouraged to attend.

Topics for the meeting will include:Leadership PositionsUpcoming EventsNew Family AssimilationVolunteer Leads Needed:

Sports BoostersFront Sign ManagerCoffee Cart TeamCartridges for KidsEvent Promotions

For more information contact Jill Zapp, CPTA President cpta@sjchristian.org. We look forward to seeing you all there!

Tiger Tracks

Separation Anxiety

Having trouble leaving your child with the babysitter or at school and want to prepare her?  Here are some helpful hints from our Preschool Director to ease the process….

Develop a parting routine:  You can read her a quick story, then hug her and tell her you love her and

when you’ll be back, then put her into her teacher’s care, then say your standard parting phrase (“I love

you, you love me, have a great day and I’ll pick you up at three!”). Stick to your routine every day and resist the urge to either extend it or cut it short. It will help your child to know exactly what to expect.

Don’t give in to the temptation to sneak out. It will make her separation anxiety worse in the long run.

When she bursts into tears, say calmly “I know you don’t want me to leave, but I will be back right after

lunch. I will wave goodbye from outside. Miss Helen will take you to the window to wave.”  Then leave.

Resist the urge to run back and grab your crying child. It may take her weeks to start waving to you, but

you should always wave to her. Hide your own distress and signal that things are fine by being matter of

fact.

Help your child to understand what’s happening: Her language may be limited, but she still understands a great deal.  It will help her to cope if you reassure her by explaining what will happen.

Don’t stop with the separation; keep going and describe the fun she will have:

“First I will read you a story. Then I will say ‘See you later, Alligator!’ Then I will leave to go to work, and I

will wave goodbye and you and your teacher will wave goodbye to me, too. Then you and your teacher

and friends will have a lot of fun playing. All the kids will have snack. You will play outside, and you will

play with the play-doh, and then you will have lunch, and then I will be back right after lunch to pick you

up. Mommy always comes back.”

Tiger TracksSpecial Section of the Tiger Tracks for our Preschool “Tiger Cubs”

Check back here for more tips and announcements

about our wonderful Preschool!

Tiger TracksTeacher Tales

Check this section each week for exciting stories about teachers doing great things in the classrooms of San Jose Christian School.

Teacher of the Year--by Dave Intlekofer

Last year, Cecilia Coetsee was named SJCS’ teacher of the year.

I would like to tell you a little more about this honor. Each June at our end-of-the-year staff party, a very special award is given to an SJCS teacher. One of our school’s core values is Outstanding Teachers, and in 2012 the Wynbeek Award was established to honor exactly that.

Considerations and criteria for winning the award include the following:• Embodiment of the school mission and core values• Excellence in teaching and evidence of student learning• Integration of Biblical world view• Contribution to school culture and respect of peers• Consistency of high performance• Passion and enthusiasm for Christian education• Demonstrated leadership and service

Previous recipients of the award were Karen Wynbeek (the inaugural honoree for whom the award was named), Jennifer Baham, and Michelle Nibbelink. Mrs. Coetsee joins this excellent group of teachers as the fourth honoree.

Mrs. Coetsee exemplifies consistency, dependability, and being a team player. Her love for Christian education and especially for her students is seen in everything she does. Even more than that, her love for God emanates throughout her interactions with peers, students, and parents. She is a fabulous example, and she unfailingly puts the needs of others before her own. She demonstrates the epitome of proactive classroom management and has earned the respect and love of her students.

One quick example: this past year we had two intern teachers from the Netherlands observe our middle school for two weeks. When I talked to them on their third day about how things were going, they seemed shocked: “Kids are completely different here than in the Netherlands. Your students don’t misbehave at all! They respect their teacher.” I asked which class they had been observing, and they replied, “Mrs. Coetsee’s.” Enough said.

The Wynbeek award exists to honor excellence in teaching, but truly it is our community that is honored to have Mrs. Coetsee as part of it.