From the Eagle’s Nest – September Newsletter

What a joy it has been to have students back in the building for the start of our new school year! All of the summer preparations finally paid off when we welcomed your children back to a community where they can excel in their learning, grow in their faith, and be celebrated for who God has created them to be. What a sweet time of fellowship and exciting time of learning we’ve had these past few weeks with our beloved Twin Oaks family.

Here are some of my top back-to school highlights:

• Greeting students on the first day with worship music, banners, and balloons!
• Starting the year off in the sanctuary together, worshiping the Lord during our opening
  chapel.
• Visiting individual classrooms and getting to know your children (and their favorite
  candy) by name–ask them about it 🙂
• Watching teachers work like crazy to make sure your children felt welcome and had meaningful learning activities to set the tone for a great year.
• Reading to our PreK friends during library time.

  

  

  

  

  

Coming back to school means coming up with a biblical theme to guide us throughout the year. As you may already know, this year’s theme verse is Romans 15:5-6: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” With so much division in our country, community, and even our churches, it seems right to focus on Jesus’ call to stand as one in our shared identity in Him, regardless of other differences we may have. As chaplain Matt Pannkuk so aptly put it, “What unites us in Christ is greater than what divides us in the world.” Inspired by this verse, we will reinforce this truth throughout the year with the motto, “One Heart, One Mind, One Voice.” Music teacher Bekah Marsh has already set these words to music and your children are currently learning the new song in music class. Ask them to sing it for you!

Back to school also means back to striving for growth in all we do. The Curriculum and Education committees are already hard at work to explore how we can more broadly and effectively apply a standard of academic excellence and spiritual nurture to our curriculum, policies, and practices. Please pray for the Lord to guide and direct as we seek to glorify Him and trust His leading in this endeavor. When we do the right things for the right reasons, God produces an abundant harvest of good fruit through our efforts. May this be true of us in ever-increasing measure, for the good of our students and the glory of our God.

Thank you for all you’ve done to make this such a fabulous start to the school year. Enjoy your Labor Day weekend and continue to seek the Lord in all things for your children as they get this new school year underway. He is always faithful.

By: Julie Cordray, Head of School