Homecoming 2009 - Hope to see you there!

Homecoming 2009 is here! This is the week the kids just LOVE - they have so much fun! And since the creation of the Student Activities Club (SAC), Homecoming has reached a whole new level.

Don't forget to plan for your dress days next week!

Monday, September 28th - Disney Character Day

Tuesday, September 29th - Create your own Super Hero

Wednesday, September 30th - Backwards and inside out day

Thursday, October 1st - Movie Character or Pop Star Day

Friday, October 2nd - Homecoming or High School Class Shirts


Check out our website for more details and a listing of the high-school only activities as well.
www.mandarinchristianschool.com (click on the Homecoming icon)

Don't miss the game on Friday night (10/2) at our very own stadium! 7:30pm

Go Eagles!

Volunteer Corner

Our MCS community includes and cannot function to our potential without the assistance of our hard-working volunteers.

I am relatively new to MCS. My oldest son began his journey last year as an MCS student in Mrs. Nichols kindergarten class. I was very interested in volunteering, partially because I was looking forward to working with others who were as focused on our children as I was, and partially so I could get a first-hand view of how my son was doing in his first year of “real” school. My first instinct was to ask my son’s teacher how I could help her. Like any of the teachers, Mrs. Nichols welcomed the extra help. And help she received in abundance. I think over the course of the year, I saw almost every parent help out at least once, any many multiple times. Needless to say, if you’re interested in volunteering, your child’s teacher is always a good place to start.

The Parent-Teacher Partnership (PTP) is another opportunity for volunteers to become involved with MCS. I admit, however, that last year I really didn’t have a good idea of what the PTP does or how I could help. I asked PTP President Diane Vernon to sit down with me and share more of what PTP is and how you can get involved. You can read Mrs. Vernon’s answers to my questions below.

At this point in the school year, I’m catching my breath. There are just so many exciting things for the 2009-2010 school year to talk about! I’ll have to cover other MCS activities, both on campus and off, in future blogs. Remember, I need your help to keep up with all that’s happening at our school. Please email me at esalek@comcast.net if you have an idea about a story or a student you think should be profiled. I look forward to hearing from you and sharing more about our school in the community.


Volunteering through the Parent-Teacher Partnership (PTP):
An Interview with PTP President Diane Vernon

Q: Describe what you think of when you think of an MCS volunteer.
A: I think of any and every parent of an MCS student, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even older siblings.

Q: What is PTP? What opportunities does it provide for parents to get involved?
A: We are the Parent-Teacher-Partnership. It's exactly as it sounds: parents partnering with teachers and staff of MCS to provide our children with the best education and educational experience that we possible can. It is the school working together with the families with a common goal of making MCS a great place for our kids to spend those five days a week.
Volunteering is a great way for parents to get involved in their kids' lives. It allows parents to get to know their children’s' classmates, the teachers and staff, and other parents. There are a lot of ways to get involved. The PTP organizes two major fundraisers a year, Turkey Fest and Auction. It takes many, many hands! Those are just two of our events. There are other ways to get involved on a smaller scale.

Q: If parents want to volunteer for PTP, who should they contact?
A: Karla Dyer at the front desk will always get a message to me. Better yet; come to one of our monthly meetings and tell the whole board! We will readily find a spot for whatever amount of time it is someone has to give. We value the 30 minute person as much as the one who can give more time. What we're really looking for are volunteers with a sincere interest in working for the good of the school.

Q: Why did you become a MCS volunteer?
A: I began volunteering at MCS because I am just crazy about my kids! I always want to be an involved parent. If something is important to my child, then it is immediately important to me. What's more important than the place our kids spend the bulk of their time? Volunteering at MCS is one way I can express my interest in my three children as well as be a part of improving their experiences. I also do this because I love the LORD. Volunteering at my children’s Christian school is a ministry for me. It's my part in making more and better disciples for Christ.

Q: Any other thoughts on volunteering at MCS?
A: Yes! We have a blast! Not all the time, not every second; but most of the time. I've made most of my best friends from serving with them on some committee or another. Sure, it's satisfying to see things come together, but it is joyful when you work toward something with a friend.

Thank you, Diane, for your time and all that you give to make MCS a wonderful place for our students.

Kick-off to the New Field of Dreams

We are so excited about the new MCS stadium. Yes, I said stadium!

Our principals Dave and Dawn Olender provided more details on our new facilities. Crews have been hard at work installing new stadium-style seating that will fit up to 700 screaming fans. The site has been upgraded to hold both a regulation football and soccer field, complete with goals and goal posts. Imagine how much fun it’s going to be to hold Homecoming activities and cheer on our teams at the Field of Dreams! “The new stadium creates a great space in which we can build our team spirit,” says Mr. Olender, “and provides us an opportunity to show how we can be both athletes or fans and still live out our Christian beliefs.”

Be sure to catch the first home game at our new stadium, scheduled for Friday, September 4, at 7:30 p.m. The full sports calendar can be accessed from our MCS website’s sports page at http://www.mandarinchristianschool.com/Athletics/sports. See you at the MCS Field of Dreams!

In His joy,
Melissa Salek
Jeremiah 29:11-14a

Welcome to the new MCS Blog!

Welcome to the new MCS blog...just in time for all the excitement of back to school organizing, shopping and planning!

It seems fitting to start the new school year learning about each other and what we have in store for this exciting new school year. I am a parent of a first grader, and am as anxious as you may be to get started. The purpose of this blog is to learn about each other in our school and help those outside of our school learn about how we work together in our community. We will be highlighting individuals and groups of students as they do community service projects, earn awards or other accomplishments, and demonstrate unique talents or interests. We will also be focusing on what’s going on around school, from building upgrades to new teachers, and from extracurricular activities to the energetic assistance provided by our parents and other volunteers. From time to time we'll share tips and thoughts on parenting, God's Word, and anything else God lays on our heart.

We need your help to keep this blog updated. We'd like to hear about how God is working in the lives of our students. If you know of an MCS student or volunteer whose activities or accomplishments are unique or outstanding, please forward an email to KLeSage@MandarinChristianSchool.com.

Keep checking back for updates to our blog as we plan to add new information on a regular basis. I am excited about all of the activities planned for this school year and the positive impact it will have on our students. I’m so thankful to be involved in a school in which we can not only learn about God’s Kingdom, we can also live out our faith in our daily interactions with our school and our community at large. I look forward to getting to know you better this school year.

-Melissa Salek, MCS mom