A story is told of a first-century rabbi walking home from synagogue where he had been studying.  Deep in thought about the scriptures, he missed a turn and found himself at the gate of a Roman fortress.  The voice of a guard boomed out, “Who are you?  Why are you here?”  The rabbi was so startled he failed to answer.  Once again the guard yelled, “Who are you?  Why are you here?”  This time the rabbi had a reply.  “How much are you paid to ask me these questions?”  “Two drachma,” the guard replied, to which the rabbi responded, “I’ll pay you double if you’ll stand outside my house and ask me those two questions every morning.”  The lesson, of course, is that knowing who we are and why we’re here is essential to living a rich and meaningful life.

It’s also essential to growing a rich and meaningful school life.  Thankfully, our mission is clear:  Twin Oaks Christian School glorifies God by nurturing spiritual development, academic excellence, and servant leadership in an environment where each child is known and loved.

These are not just words to post on our website–they represent a deep commitment we have to our community and to God to be a light for our students in this dark world.  Our mission is so important that we’ve taken steps to actively involve students in declaring it by instituting Mission Mondays.  During announcements each Monday, students and staff alike recite the Twin Oaks mission statement together, fostering a greater awareness of our purpose and inspiring a shared sense of belonging and responsibility.  I’m excited to invite students to embrace and embody our mission and look forward to seeing the fruit God will bear through this tradition.

Continue reading “From the Eagle’s Nest – Quarter 3 – 2024”

At Twin Oaks Christian School, we recognize the incredible importance of the teachers in our school community and consider them our strongest asset. Their incredible love for our students and dedication to teaching from a biblical worldview provides a strong foundation for our students. This year, our faculty and staff are diving deep into the book Beyond Biblical Integration by Roger Erdvig, to further develop their worldview and grow in their ability to immerse students in a biblical worldview throughout their whole day.

This book study with our faculty will propel us forward as a school community in living out our mission statement of glorifying God by nurturing spiritual development, academic excellence, and servant leadership in an environment where each student is known and loved. As Jeff Meyers of Summit Ministries says,

“Something exciting happens when we immerse ourselves in a biblical worldview. We realize that deep, biblical thinking is possible in every subject. We find that we can have the mind of Christ. So can our students. It will change all of us. In the past, Christians transformed science, education, the arts, healthcare, human rights, and more. It is time for a new era of innovation – and innovation starts with immersion.”

Staff will be equipped to go further than just teaching from a biblical worldview (often called biblical integration). We will be working to biblically shape the desires of our students, which will impact their actions while living in this world. While graduates of our school are too young to have a fully formed worldview, we can equip them to be aware of their own worldview and be able to process new life experiences in meaningful ways. Students will also be equipped with tools to help them navigate their growing worldview and continue developing that into their teenage years.

In addition to the ongoing monthly trainings and discussions, our faculty and staff will engage in a full-day Christian Deeper Learning workshop in February, in conjunction with this book. Please be praying for our staff as we work through these important concepts while seeking to strengthen our curriculum and programs of study at Twin Oaks Christian School in order to continue providing the best academic and faith foundation for tomorrow’s Christian leaders.

This morning, our 5th grade students had the opportunity to visit our Middle School program. They started the day in Robotics class, which was introduced this year in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.  After learning more about the Robotics program, they visited two other core classes. Students also met with Mrs. Cordray and some current 7th and 8th graders, where they were able to ask questions about anything Middle School-related. Capping off the day with a special lunch and Middle School t-shirts, our 5th graders seem excited for what is ahead next year!

For a few weeks now, we have been looking forward to sharing some good news with you! Twin Oaks recently completed a year-long re-accreditation process through Christian Schools International (CSI).  Accreditation provides accountability for the work we do to ensure the quality of our program and confirms to parents that their children are receiving an excellent Christian education.

Typically, we submit an annual report that demonstrates how we continue to meet the criteria for CSI accreditation.  However, every five years Twin Oaks Christian School undergoes a more intensive accreditation process that includes a year-long self-study and culminates in a 2 ½ day site visit by an independent team made up of a CSI regional director and other local Christian educators.  

At the end of this past March, this Site Visit Team was on campus in order to make observations and interview key stakeholders including teachers and staff, Board members, parents, students, and church staff.  The purpose of their visit was to establish that Twin Oaks Christian School meets the rigorous criteria for CSI accreditation status and to provide suggestions for ways the school can continue to grow as it lives out its mission.

Continue reading “Twin Oaks Completes Re-accreditation Process”

In this pilot program, our 7th and 8th grade students spent the first semester learning the ins and outs of building quality models. On December 10th, the afterschool Robotics Club had the opportunity to participate in the FIRST Lego League competition at Lutheran High School, among 28 other area schools.

The judges awarded our team a 2nd place trophy for their hard work on their innovation project, a great accomplishment for this new program at Twin Oaks Christian School. We look forward to seeing the continued progress and creativity our students exhibit in their Robotics classes and clubs!

One of our favorite traditions at Twin Oaks Christian School is the Thanksgiving Chapel and Feast, leading up to Thanksgiving Break.  The Kindergarten and 1^st grade classes lead Chapel together, followed by a delicious feast with Crew Groups. Both of these events provide an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to reflect on God’s goodness and thank Him as a school community.

During Chapel, the Kindergartners and First Graders recited scripture, sang songs thanking our good God, went through the “ABCs of Thanksgiving” and acted out a fun poem about turkey, corn, and mashed potatoes.  Many parents and other visitors joined us for this Chapel tradition.

After Chapel, we split into Crew Groups for lunch, which are small groups of Kindergarten through 8^th grade students who meet once a month during Chapel with their designated teacher.  The Crew Groups enjoyed spending time together during lunch, eating a traditional Thanksgiving meal prepared by our Hot Lunch team and volunteers.  The Middle School students helped serve and clean up as well.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Psalm 100:4

Happy Thanksgiving from Twin Oaks Christian School!

There’s an exciting new learning opportunity underway for the 7th and 8th grade students at Twin Oaks this fall with the launch of our inaugural year of Lego robotics!

The program is comprised of two components–a Thursday morning exploratory class involving all of our 7th and 8th grade students and a Thursday afterschool club for some of these same middle school students.  The dream of bringing a STEM program, such as robotics, to our middle school classes has become a reality. 

The program is being led jointly by TOCS middle school teachers Mrs. Traci Runge and Mrs. Janna Hickel and is being supported extensively through a partnership with Westminster’s Cyborg Cats robotics team through the involvement of three senior members of their team. These WCA seniors are donating their Faith in Action service hours to support the Thursday morning class and Cyborg Cats alumnus Carter Hickel is helping to lead the afterschool club. 

More info

During the Thursday morning class, students have been learning basic robotics construction and coding skills through a curriculum written by FIRST Robotics.  What contagious excitement swept through the robotics lab the day the students first made their robots light up and move!  FIRST Lego League designs a series of missions each school year around a central theme.  This year’s theme has to do with various sources of energy and their delivery to consumers. Once students have learned the basic robotics construction and coding skills through the class curriculum, FIRST asks them to design and build their own robots to complete the various missions on that year’s game field.  There is a considerable amount of strategy involved in choosing which of the missions to attempt to complete within the two-and-a-half-minute time limit for the game. 

While all of the students are working in peer groups to design, build, and code a robot, our afterschool club students will have the opportunity on December 10 to take their robot to a FIRST Lego League competition where they will compete against other middle school students from around our area for the opportunity to advance to a regional competition.  Through this program, our students are not only learning designing and coding skills but also how to work effectively as a team, how to strategize, and how to iterate a product to maximize its effectiveness and efficiency.  Watching talents and strengths that are not used and seen in a traditional middle school classroom shine through in our students in the robotics lab has been a rewarding experience for the teachers just as seeing moving robots has been an exciting one for our students.

By: Julie Cordray, Head of School

As I write, it’s snowing outside. Of course this isn’t the first of it. Starting in the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday morning, our streets and homes have been gradually covered in a thick coat of white. The flakes are so fine and fall so delicately that it’s hard to believe the way they’ve piled up! Have you ever noticed the tendency for small things, persisting over time, to make a big impact?

We’ve been working hard this year to make changes that, at first glance, may seem small but are moving us forward in our pursuit of excellence for the growth of your students and for the glory of God. At last month’s Annual Meeting, we shared areas of growth as they align with our strategic goals–the specific ways we intend to address key aspects of our mission. Following are some highlights –

Programmatic Distinction:

• Outdoor Learning: We have plans to convert the “little playground” area into a garden space for our students. Stay tuned for further developments!
• Middle School Drama Club: Meeting once a week for the rest of the year, this after school club will culminate in a full-scale production of Peter Pan.
• Robotics–We are exploring ways to introduce this STEM initiative schoolwide, perhaps with LEGO Leagues and/or in partnership with Boeing.

Academic Distinction:

• Defining “Academic Excellence”: We believe “academic excellence” involves each child meeting his or her full potential by participating in rigorous, relevant, and engaging learning activities, using high quality curriculum, taught by dedicated teachers from a biblical worldview. This definition will guide us as in our growth.
• Language Arts Curriculum Review: Our students must be strong readers and writers. Our review process is targeted and thorough to identify curriculum that is rigorous and engaging, adaptable, and vertically aligned.
• Refining Vertical Alignment: We are committed to ensuring that the skills and concepts covered in each grade dovetail with the ones coming before and after.

Christian Community:

• Partnering with Parents: You are an important part of the”3-legged stool” between home, school, and church. Listening sessions and surveys invite you to partner with us.
• Read-a-Thon: We’re taking a fresh approach to our spring fundraiser by choosing an event that’s fun and academic. Stay tuned for more details!
• Early Childhood: We are intentionally planning to incorporate students from Preschool-Grade 8 in cooperative learning and fellowship opportunities, such as Grandparents’ Day and Crew.

Institutional Viability:

• School Board: The School Board is diverse and strong with new members and committees.
• Salary Scale: We are studying ways to more competitively pay teachers to attract and retain high-quality staff.
• Accreditation: We are preparing for our next CSI review, which will help us evaluate our strengths and weaknesses and culminate in an on-site visit in spring of 2023.

Like a seemingly gentle snowfall, the collective impact of these initiatives may not be immediately evident. But as we steadily and persistently steward all that God has given us, we can expect him to bring forth an increase that will leave Twin Oaks Christian School heavy–not with snow–but good fruit. We will never stop striving to bring our very best for the students we love and serve. Thank you for partnering with us to glorify God by nurturing the children He has entrusted into our care.

Throughout the year, we will highlight one of our teachers or staff members in what has been deemed the “Friday Five.” These features will be published on Fridays and will include a brief summary about the teacher or staff member followed by five fun things that others may not know. This week’s Friday Five comes from our Middle School History and Science Teacher Miss. Raina Norman.

Norman joined Twin Oaks Christian School last year as the part-time Middle School science teacher. During that time, Norman built strong connections with her students and inspired a greater understanding and appreciation for science. Now she serves as the history and science teacher for the TOCS middle school program.

Norman graduated in 2018 from the University of Missouri – St. Louis with a psychology degree and recently earned her Master of Arts in teaching general science in Grades 5-9.

Five Unique Things about Miss Norman:

1. I am the oldest of seven children (Family picture from my sister Emma’s wedding this past July)
2. I have a hidden passion for acting/musical theater
3. I am OBSESSED with ‘The Parent Trap’ (1998 version). It always has been and likely always will be my favorite movie. It even inspired my Bachelor’s degree graduation cap.
4. My favorite place in the world is France! I visited France the summer after graduating High School and completely fell in love.
5. I enjoy making clay jewelry for my small business ‘Morning Grace Company’.

You may check out Raina’s clay jewelry store here!