Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
November 2013
Table of Contents:
Lead Article ..............................................................................................Page 02
Current Events .........................................................................................Page 05
School Choice News ................................................................................Page 08
Member Benefits………………………………………………………….…...Page 10
RenWeb ………..………………………………………………………….…...Page 11
Accreditation Status .................................................................................Page 12
Activity Corner ..........................................................................................Page 13
This Month in History ...............................................................................Page 14
Famous Person .......................................................................................Page 15
Prayer Corner ..........................................................................................Page 17
Weekly Devotions ....................................................................................Page 18
Word of the Week ....................................................................................Page 18
ACTS Conferences ..................................................................................Page 19
Mark Your Calendar .................................................................................Page 20
ACTS Vision Statement ...........................................................................Page 21
Credits ......................................................................................................Page 22
1
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
Lead Article
Improve Your Relationship with the Principal
12 tips from a former principal to create and foster a strong relationship
with your school administrator.
By Trish Dolasinski
As a former school principal, I know how essential
it is for parent group leaders and the principal to
develop a good working relationship from the start.
When PTO leaders and the principal show that
they’re on the same team, they help build a sense
of team spirit in the school community that
encourages strong
home-school
relations, supports
student success, and
makes the school the
best it can be.
Building a positive
school environment
includes parents and
the school working
together. Although
the PTO leadership
and the principal might not always agree, both
should be committed to working together to
support students. The following steps will help you
develop a partnership with the principal and pave
the way for a positive school year.
Communicate Often
Communication is a vital part of any relationship,
but with busy schedules, regular conversations may
not happen if they’re not planned in advance. It’s a
good idea to email the school principal asking to
set up a weekly meeting, if possible. Ask whether
he would like you to schedule the meeting times
with him or through the school secretary. (Some
principals keep their own schedule, or share
calendars with secretaries.) You can show you
value the principal’s time by coming to the
meetings on time and bringing an outline of what
you would like to discuss. If you can send the
outline to the
principal the day
before, that’s even
better. Be prepared
to discuss events,
concerns, and parent
needs that affect
students, and take
notes.
Show You Care
A small gesture of
appreciation toward
school staff members can go a long way. Bringing
bagels for the office staff or remembering the
birthday of a cafeteria worker or custodian with
balloons or flowers from your garden says “we
appreciate you.” Although this may not seem
important, it shows that parents care and inspires
everyone to be the best they can be. As a principal,
I also appreciated the email, note, or phone call I
got from a parent leader indicating how excited
they were about the school year, or noting
something positive they experienced or observed
in the school building or grounds.
2
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
Be a Good Listener
Being a good communicator means using active
listening, as well. To understand decisions made by
the principal or district, it is important to ask
questions and listen to the rationale for the
decisions. For example, if the parent group offers
to buy electronic notebooks for the entire 5th
grade, but the principal does not respond
positively, ask questions to find out her concerns.
Keep the conversation going and share ideas about
how the parent group can best support the school.
This sets the tone and the expectation that a
reasonable resolution can be met. It also shows
students how adults can work together—what a
great example!
Stay Organized
Set the calendar of events for the year in advance,
making sure it aligns with the school and the
district calendar. Create agendas for meetings and
stay on task to show respect for everyone’s time
and energy. This includes the regular meetings
between the parent leaders and the principal as
well as meetings with the parent community.
Please do delegate! A sure way to burn out and
stress yourself and other parents is to try to do it
all yourself.
Have a Positive Attitude
It helps to maintain a positive demeanour and
attitude, even if you’re having a bad day. Building a
happy and productive school climate is beneficial
to students and adults alike and is the
responsibility of the entire school community. The
leadership sets the tone for parents and the school.
Be friendly and smile, smile, smile!
Help With Rumour Control
As a parent, teacher, and school principal, I know
that when an occasional rumour about the school
surfaces in neighbourhoods, it needs attention.
Often, it is a parent who first hears a negative
comment or rumour about a school matter at a ball
game or a party. Don’t be afraid to bring this up
with the principal. The sharing will allow the
principal the opportunity to determine how to deal
with the issue and dispel the rumour. This will not
only help to clear up misunderstandings, it will also
build the trust that is needed between you and the
principal.
Know the School
It is critical for parent leaders to be aware of school
goals as well as the vision and mission of the
school. This is especially important for the
president of the parent group as she directs the
goals, expenditures, events, and activities of the
organization. Purchasing new playground
equipment may sound like a wonderful idea, but if
it conflicts with district safety policies, insurance
requirements, or long-term planning, it can cause
dissent. It is safer to check with the principal before
making overt commitments.
Understand Policies
The student handbook may not be the most
exciting read, but please take the time to read the
school and district policies it contains. Ask
questions about those policies if they are not clear,
and be prepared to discuss them with other
parents if questions arise. Being informed helps
you fulfil your role as a leader. By helping other
parents understand the policies, you’ll help
minimize confusion and make it more likely that
parents will follow the policies.
Be Visible
Your physical presence in the school building or on
the grounds of the school campus is very valued.
Parents, teachers, and students should know who
3
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
you are and that parent leadership is positive and
engaging. If you are not able to be physically
present on a regular basis, talk with the principal
about having a monthly parent column in the
newsletter—one that shows a photo of the
president and board of the parent organization.
Shout out and praise the PTO!
Promote Volunteerism
As a school principal, I couldn’t get along without
parent volunteers to support the smooth daily
functioning of the school. Talk with the principal
about the school’s needs and how the parent
group can offer time and resources to support
student success. For example, if there are several
parents who want to volunteer in classrooms, be
prepared to offer suggestions on how a classroom
volunteer program might be organized and
implemented. Ideas that are well-thought-out have
a greater impact when delivered.
with the school to raise children to become strong
and caring adult citizens. Remember, it’s all about
the kids.
© 2013 School Family Media Inc. All Rights
Reserved © PTO Today www.ptotoday.com
http://www.ptotoday.com/pto-todayarticles/article/1360-12-tips-to-improve-yourrelationship-with-the-principal
Talk About Finances
Money is often a touchy subject. Talking with the
principal about how the parent group earns and
spends money can be particularly troublesome. To
minimize discontent in this area, be open about
financial accountability. Always present a written
financial report at monthly parent meetings,
showing responsibility for the funds that parents
provide through sales, contributions, and personal
efforts. This builds trust and also protects you and
the school from liability.
Put Students First
Every decision you make should be for the greater
good of the students. Together, the PTO should
develop a mission statement that emphasizes its
purpose, which should include supporting the
school in teaching and learning. Parents are the
first teachers of their children and share a vital role
4
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
Current Events
Concern Over Measles Rises as Vaccination Opt-Outs Increase
When it comes to health concerns parents have for their
children, measles probably isn’t the top disease that comes to
mind, as it has largely ceased to be a threat for most families.
However, due to the recent outbreaks and lack of
vaccines, concerns that kids will have to contend with
measles are on the rise.
According to Seth
Mnookin of the Boston
Globe, the number of
kids who entered
kindergarten in
Massachusetts last year
unvaccinated was 1,200
— double what it was a
decade ago. This is a
particularly concerning
number since measles is
unique in that it is the
most infectious microbe
in the world. It can live outside of the body for two hours and
it has a transmission rate of 90 percent.
Many parents are requesting exemptions from the vaccine in
fear that is causes autism. Much of the fear is based on
research that has been retracted or has been published in
non-peer-reviewed journals.
In the past year there were two unconnected cases of
measles in Massachusetts contained thanks to efforts by
state, local and hospital employees who checked the vaccine
status of anyone who could have come in contact with the
infected patients. Other parts of the country haven’t had the
same success in containing measles, though. The largest
outbreak in 15 years took place in Brooklyn, NY after a
teenager contracted the disease from a trip to the United
Kingdom and spread the disease to 58 other people before
the outbreak was contained.
Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
reported 159 total cases between January and August, which
puts 2013 on track to record the most domestic measles
infections since the disease was declared eliminated from the
United States in 2000.
This number sounds small
in a country of 313
million, but with fewer
people getting vaccinated
combined with the
infectious nature of the
disease, it is not hard to
imagine an epidemic
getting out of control.
You need only take a look
across the Atlantic to find
out how quickly measles
can spread out of control.
In 2007, there were just
44 infections in France, a country where vaccination is
recommended but not required. Over the next four years,
more than 20,000 additional cases were recorded. Nearly
5,000 of these patients required hospitalization, and 10 of
them died.
The lack of immunization is not only a health risk, but also
holds an economic impact. In a 2008 outbreak in San Diego
where 11 children were infected and 839 people were
exposed cost the public sector $124,517 — which equals
$10,000 per infection in taxpayer dollars.
- See more at:
http://www.educationnews.org/parenting/concern-overmeasles-rises-vaccination-opt-outsincrease/#sthash.kwG6pyGV.dpuf
5
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
Current Events
As Schools Focus on Bullying, Clarity Remains Elusive
Bullying and cyberbullying have entered the
conversation at nearly every school in the US —
but what do the terms actually mean? Researchers
are urging more
precise use of
the word
“bullying” as
many schools
and
communities
this month
launch fresh
campaigns for
National
Bullying
Prevention
Month.
Some researchers said the word “bullying” has
been misused and abused in the last few years. It
“too casually uttered about every hurt, slight and
fight, too frequently used in place of teasing or
fighting, and too often brought up before there’s
proof it happened,” writes Jamie Gumbrecht of
CNN News.
“By calling everything bullying, we’re actually
failing to recognize the seriousness of the
problem,” said Elizabeth Englander, a professor of
psychology and founder and director of the
Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at
Bridgewater State University. “It’s one of the
unfortunate side effects of doing an awareness
campaign … everyone wants to adopt it.”
According to
many educators
and social
scientists,
actual bullying
can be defined
as “intentional,
repetitive
abuse by a
powerful
person toward
a less powerful
target.” The
term has rippled through news reports of tragic
teen suicides in Connecticut, New York, Nova
Scotia and Britain.
It began a few years ago, as horrifying stories of
bullying hit the media and serious awareness
began to spread. Educators, lawmakers, parents
and children all tried to make sense of it, even as it
evolved with the latest social network. But along
the way, people sometimes confused bullying with
the unfortunate — but normal — moments of
angry, thoughtless or hurtful behavior.
Every parent, teacher and child knows the word
bullying, but not everyone defines it clearly.
6
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
According to the Education Commission of the
States, most states have bullying laws on the
books, but it is handled differently around the
country.
child as a bully or victim — a warning that reveals
the complexity of the topic, and the lack of
progress with simplifying it, even as schools add to
their anti-bullying efforts.
In New Hampshire’s law, bullying can be an act that
occurs only once, not necessarily multiple times in
a pattern. Several states have added provisions to
cover cyberbullying, bullying or harassment
through technology, which further complicates a
precise definition. Massachusetts and New Jersey
also have laws that detail how educators should
prevent, report and investigate bullying.
People should be diligent about how they use the
word bullying, Cohn-Vargas said, but that doesn’t
mean they should stop talking about it.
- See more at: http://www.educationnews.org/k12-schools/schools-focus-on-bullying-clarityremains-elusive/#sthash.VynEjgMP.dpuf
Say the word in almost any school these days, and
it will get a quick reaction. In many cases,
advocates said, that’s helpful. But sometimes,
when it’s not really bullying, kids miss out on a
chance to learn to cope with minor conflicts on
their own.
“The label ‘bullying’ is really incendiary,” Elizabeth
Englander said. “It ratchets everything up
emotionally. It makes it hard to really address,
rationally, what the best course of action is.” The
people hurt most by the overuse of “bullying,”
Englander said, are young people most desperate
for a solution — those in the midst of very real,
traumatic instances of bullying, students whose
pain might be overlooked in a crush of reported
cases.
Educators and teachers have found it difficult to
untangle the threads of a possible bullying case.
Becki Cohn-Vargas, an educator for more than two
decades, said it is not easy and simple to identify a
7
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
School Choice News
Public Schools Do Not Serve All Students
By James Shuls
One of the great myths in education today is that
public schools serve all students. Nothing could be
further from the truth. Nevertheless, opponents of
school choice make frequent use of this falsehood
in arguing against any
expenditure of public
money to help
disadvantaged students
attend private schools.
They argue: “If private
schools do not serve every
student, they should not
get tax dollars.” It is time to
set the record straight: individual schools —
whether public or private — do not serve all
students. Nor should they.
One prime example of a public school that does not
serve all students is Metro Academic and Classical
High School, a magnet school in the Saint Louis
Missouri Public School District. U.S. News & World
Report ranks Metro as the No. 1 public school in
the state, for good reason. Metro grads regularly
go on to top-tier universities and perform
exceptionally well on achievement tests.
There may be great things going on at Metro, but it
cannot be denied that part of the school’s success
is derived from its admissions process. To be
admitted, a student must score proficient or
advanced on the state MAP test. In 2013, nearly 14
percent of black eighth graders in Saint Louis
scored proficient or advanced. That means more
than 86 percent of black students in the Saint Louis
Public School District do
not meet the admissions
criteria for Metro.
The Saint Louis Public
School District has more
than 25 magnet schools.
Though most do not have
admission standards as
rigorous as those at Metro,
they typically do have some requirements. By
design, these admission standards keep students
out.
Though they may not have magnet schools or a
selective admissions process, other area districts
do have special schools designed to serve their
most disabled, disturbed, and/or disruptive
students.
In 1992, the Parkway School District opened Fern
Ridge High School. The school is designed to help
“tenth through twelfth grade students, including
those with disabilities, succeed when conventional
methods have failed.” Students who cannot make
it in the general population can be transferred to
8
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
Fern Ridge. In other words, individual Parkway high
schools do not serve all students.
Parkway is not alone in having a special school for
students with unique challenges. In 1957, the
Special School District (SSD) of Saint Louis County
was established. It “was the net result of years of
hard work and advocacy by parents of children
whose educational needs were not being met by
the existing public school system.” Today, the SSD
serves approximately 23,000 students through
services provided at district-run schools,
independent sites, and two technical high schools.
Area schools cannot serve these students by
themselves, they either contract with the SSD or
the students leave the traditional schools
altogether.
Other students with disabilities attend the Missouri
School for the Blind, the School for the Deaf, or use
the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program (MoVIP) at
home.
The bottom line is that individual schools do not
serve all students. That is a good thing. There are
great benefits that come from having highly
specialized schools that are skilled at educating
special students. Bright, gifted students are
challenged and receive a tremendous education at
Metro High. Students with special needs are
encouraged and given the tools to succeed at Fern
Ridge. By specializing, these schools are able to
provide students with a better education than they
might have received in a traditional school.
It is ridiculous to expect individual private schools
to serve all students when individual public schools
do not fulfill this task. Rather than place unrealistic
expectations on private schools, or public schools
for that matter, we should work to give every child
access to the school that is going to best meet their
needs. That may be a traditional district-run school,
a magnet school, a special school, a charter school,
and yes, even a private school.
Not every school will serve every student; but
through school choice, every student can be
served. As Milton Friedman once wrote, “The
injection of competition would do much to
promote a healthy variety of schools.” Isn’t that
what we really need — a healthy variety of schools
that can meet the unique needs of each of our
students?
- See more at:
http://www.educationnews.org/education-policyand-politics/james-shuls-public-schools-do-notserve-all-students/#sthash.6iyHncDV.dpuf
9

MEDICAL
INSURANCE
OPPORTUNITIES

EMPLOYEE
BENEFITS
PACKAGES
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”

EMPLOYEE
BACKGROUND
SCREENING
DISCOUNTS
Member
Benefits
As a member of ACTS, you’re recognized as
part of the world’s largest community of
Christian educators dedicated to providing a
Christ-centered education. By joining our
educational association, your school will
immediately be connected to resources
targeted to your unique needs, experts who
can help with your special challenges, and
peers to whom you can relate.
Helping You Achieve
Your Financial Goals
 5% Curriculum Discounts
with BJU Press
 Student Accident Insurance
 15% Achievement Test
Discounts at Pearson
 Administrative Software
Discounts Through
RenWeb
 Christian Tours Through
American Christian Tours
 35% off at School Specialty
 15% Office Depot Discount
 Financial Services with
Assemblies of God Credit
Union
 Biblical Health Care
Solutions Through Christian
Health Care Ministries
For the complete list of product and services please contact our
office.
CONTACT US
ACTS
P.O. Box 8437
Rockford IL 61126
P: 815-239-6673 | F: 815-977-5806
www.actsschools.org
[email protected]
10
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
Serving 3,000 Christian and
Private Schools
To learn more or request a FREE demonstration,
visit www.RenWeb.com or call 1-866-800-6593.
11
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
ACTS Accreditation Program Status
Congratulations to these schools that recently completed either
their ACTS initial accreditation, reaccreditation or advanced in the
accreditation process.
Accredited:
Ambleside School of san Angelo
Christopher J. Sloan
511 W. Harris Avenue
San Angelo, TX 76903
Effective: July 1, 2013
Candidate:
King’s Kids Learning Center
Director: Kendra Moore
6782 N. Orange Blossom Trail, Suite D15
Orlando, FL 32810
Effective: August 21, 2013
Applicant
Victory Preparatory School
Administrator: Michelle Mauro
110 Masters Dr.
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
Effective: August 7, 2013
12
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
Activity Corner
Frosted Chocolate Turkey Conecakes
Ingredients:











10 ice-cream cones (flat bottoms) - I actually found
that waffle bowls worked great, but you may not
need quite as many of these as they are a bit larger
than the regular cones.
1 cup all-purpose flour - I used white wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
In addition to the above ingredients which cover what you
need to make the basic Frosted Chocolate Conecakes in the
book, here is what you will need to turn these into adorable
turkeys.
 Chocolate icing
 Fish candies in a variety of colors
 Toothpicks
 Hershey's Simple Pleasures - or alternative round
chocolate candy such as mini Reece's Peanut Butter
cups, or even small round chocolate cookies.
 Candy eyeballs
 Wilton sparkle gel - yellow and red
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F. In the mixing bowl, stir
together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
2. In the saucepan, mix together butter (or margarine), water
and cocoa powder. Stir all the time. When the butter is
completely melted, remove from heat and combine with the
flour mixture in the bowl.
3. Use a big spoon and mix till everything is well blended.
4. Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla, then beat again for
another minute or two. Note: The mixing by hand was a little
tough for her so we broke out the beater.
5. Put the ice cream cones into a muffin tin, or a big baking
pan (we used a muffin tin). Pour the cake mixture into the ice
cream cones. Fill to about an inch from the top. Bake them
right away so the cones don't get soggy.
Once the cupcakes are cooled you can started decorating.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Begin by topping each conecake with chocolate
icing.
Place a round candy on top for the face.
Insert a skewer into each of the fish candies and
place them around the back side of the conecake like
feathers.
Put a little icing on the back of the candy eyeballs
and attach them to the candy face.
Using the yellow and red sparkle gel pipe on a beak
and wattle.
Because I used round waffle cups instead of flat-bottom
cones, I placed my turkey conecakes into silicone baking
cups to keep them upright for serving.
13
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
This Month in History...
November 1, 1979 – The US Federal government made a
$1.5 billion loan to Chrysler Corporation
November 2, 1898 – Cheerleading is started at the
University of Minnesota, with Johnny Campbell leading
the crowd in cheering on the football team.
November 3, 1898 – Panama declared itself independent
of Colombia following a revolt engineered by the US.
November 4, 1979 – About 500 young Iranian militants
stormed the US Embassy in Teheran, Iran, taking 90
hostages, including 52 Americans that they held captive
for 444 days.
November 5, 2012 – Widespread flooding in Nigeria kills
363 people and displaces 2.1 million.
November 6, 1860 – Abraham Lincoln elected as the 16th
US President and the first Republican, receiving 180 of
303 possible electoral votes and 40% of the popular vote.
November 7, 1885 – Canada’s first transcontinental
railway, the Canadian Pacific, was completed in British
Columbia
November 8, 1895 – X-Rays (electromagnetic rays) were
discovered by Wilhelm roentgen at the University of
Wuerzburg in Germany.
November 9, 1927 – Giant Panda Bears were discovered
in China.
November 10, 1951 – Direct dial telephone service is first
available in the US from coast-to-coast.
November 11, 1940 – Auto manufacturer, Willys
unveiled its General Purpose vehicle which became
known as the Jeep.
November 12, 1974 – The UN General Assembly
suspended South Africa over its policy of apartheid.
November 13, 1956 – The US Supreme Court ruled that
racial segregation on public buses was unconstitutional.
November 14, 1994 – The first paying passengers
traveled on the new rail service through the Channel
Tunnel linking England and France.
November 15, 1943 – During the Holocaust, Heinrich
Himmler ordered Gypsies and part-Gypsies to be sent to
Nazi concentration camps, estimated number killed is up
to 500,000.
November 16, 2000 – Bill Clinton becomes the first US
President to visit Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam
War.
November 17, 1800 – The US Congress held its 1st session
in Washington, DC, in an uncompleted Capitol building.
November 18, 1961 – President John F. Kennedy sent
18,000 military advisors to South Vietnam.
November 19, 1977 – Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
became the first Arab leader to visit Israel.
November 20, 1984 – McDonald’s Corporation made it
50 billionth hamburger.
November 21, 1989 – Law banning smoking on most
domestic air flights was signed by President George H. W.
Bush.
November 22, 1935 – Trans-Pacific airmail service began,
as the China Clipper took off from San Francisco,
reaching the Philippines 59 hours later.
November 23, 1963 – “Doctor Who,” the longestrunning British sci-fi series debuts in England.
November 24, 1835 – The Texas Rangers, a mounted
police force was authorized by the Texas Provisional
Government.
November 25, 1963 – Three days after his assassination,
President John F. Kennedy was buried with full military
honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
November 26, 1716 – The first lion was exhibited in
America in Boston, MA.
November 27, 1973 – The Senate voted 92 to 3 to
confirm Gerald R. Ford at the Vice President, replacing
Spiro Agnew, who had resigned the office.
November 28, 1905 – Irish political party Sinn Fein was
founded in Dublin by Arthur Griffith.
November 29, 1910. The first US patent for inventing the
traffic lights system was issued to Ernest Sirrine.
November 30, 1948 – Baseball’s Negro National League
disbands.
14
Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
Famous Person
C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis, or Jack Lewis, as he preferred to be
This Month
called, was born in Belfast, Ireland (now Northern
Ireland) on November 29, 1898. He was the second
son of Albert Lewis, a lawyer, and Flora Hamilton
Lewis. His older brother, Warren Hamilton Lewis,
who was known as Warnie, had
been born three years earlier in
1895.
Lewis's early childhood was
relatively happy and carefree.
In those days Northern Ireland
was not yet plagued by bitter
civil strife, and the Lewises
were comfortably off. The
family home, called Little Lea,
was a large, gabled house with
dark, narrow passages and an
overgrown garden, which
Warnie and Jack played in and
explored together. There was
also a library that was crammed
with books—two of Jack's
favorites were Treasure Island
by Robert Louis Stevenson and
The Secret Garden by Frances
Hodgson Burnett.
This somewhat idyllic boyhood came to an end for
Lewis when his mother became ill and died of
cancer in 1908. Barely a month after her death the
two boys were sent away from home to go to
boarding school in England.
Lewis hated the school, with its strict rules and
hard, unsympathetic headmaster, and he missed
terribly. Fortunately for him, the school
inBelfast
History...
closed in 1910, and he was able to return to
Ireland.
After a year, however, he was sent back to England
to study. This time, the
experience proved to be mostly
positive. As a teenager, Lewis
learned to love poetry,
especially the works of Virgil
and Homer. He also developed
an interest in modern
languages, mastering French,
German, and Italian.
In 1916 Lewis was accepted at
University College, the oldest
college (founded 1249) at
Oxford University. Oxford,
along with Cambridge
University, had been a leading
center of learning since the
Middle Ages. Soon after he
entered the University,
however, Lewis chose to
volunteer for active duty in
World War I, to serve in the British Army then
fighting in the muddy trenches of northern France.
Following the end of the war in 1918, Lewis
returned to Oxford, where he took up his studies
again with great enthusiasm. In 1925, after
graduating with first-class honors in Greek and
Latin Literature, Philosophy and Ancient History,
and English Literature, Lewis was elected to an
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“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
important teaching post in English at Magdalen
College, Oxford. He remained at Oxford for 29
years before becoming a professor of medieval and
renaissance literature at Magdalene College,
Cambridge, in 1955.
In addition to his teaching duties at the University,
Lewis began to publish books. His first major work,
The Pilgrim's Regress (1933), was about his own
spiritual journey to Christian faith. Other works
followed that won him acclaim not only as a writer
of books on religious subjects, but also as a writer
of academic works and popular novels. The
Allegory of Love (1936), which is still considered a
masterpiece today, was a history of love literature
from the early Middle Ages to Shakespeare's time;
Out of the Silent Planet (1938) was the first of a
trilogy of science fiction novels, the hero of which
is loosely modeled on Lewis's friend J.R.R. Tolkien,
author of the children's classic The Hobbit.
copies and are among the most beloved books of
classic children's literature.
After finishing the Narnia series, Lewis continued to
write on autobiographical and religious subjects,
but less prolifically. Mainly he was preoccupied
with the health crises of his wife, Joy Gresham,
whom he married in 1956 and who died of cancer
in 1960.
After her death, Lewis's own health deteriorated,
and in the summer of 1963 he resigned his post at
Cambridge. His death, which occurred on
November 22, 1963—the same day President
Kennedy was assassinated—was only quietly
noted. He is remembered, however, by readers the
world over, whom he has delighted and inspired
for generations.
Initially when Lewis turned to writing children's
books, his publisher and some of his friends tried to
dissuade him; they thought it would hurt his
reputation as writer of serious works. J.R.R. Tolkien
in particular criticized Lewis's first Narnia book, The
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He thought that
there were too many elements that clashed—a
Father Christmas and an evil witch, talking animals
and children. Thankfully, Lewis didn't listen to any
of them.
Following the publication of The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe in 1950, Lewis quickly wrote 6
more Narnia books, publishing the final one, The
Last Battle, in 1956. Although they were not well
received at first by critics and reviewers, the books
gained in popularity through word of mouth. The
Narnia books have since sold more than 100 million
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Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
Prayer Corner
1. Ben—Recovery from cancer
2. Wade—Healing from Sarcoidosis
3. Collette—Recovery from knee
surgery
4. Xavier—Overcome night-time fears
5. Blake—Recover from Stage 2
Hodgkin Lymphoma
6. Harriet—wasting away, unknown
reason, near death
7. David—Recovery from kidney
stones
8. Steph—Reconstructive surgery
9. Our military personnel and their
families
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Perspectives
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Word of the Week
Weekly Devotion
November 1—2, 2013
November 1—2, 2013
Bellygod: (BEL-ee god) Noun
Topic: Depression
Reference: Ps 55:22; Jon 2:2; John 14:1; Phil 4:6-7
1. One who takes great pleasure in eating; a
glutton.
November 3—9, 2013
Makebate: (MAYK-bayt) Noun
PRONUNCIATION:
1. One who incites quarrels.
November 3—9, 2013
Topic: Courage
Reference: Josh 1:9; Is 43:2-4; Rom 8:37-39; Phil
4:13
November 10—16, 2013
Topic: Anxiety
Reference: Ps 55:22; Prov 16:3; Phil 4:6-7; 1 Pet
5:7
November 10—16, 2013
November 17—23, 2013
Hobbledehoy: (HOB-uhl-dee-hoy) Noun
1. An awkward young fellow.
Topic: His Care
Reference: 2 Chro 16:9; Jer 31:33; Rom 8:32;
James 1:17;
November 17—23, 2013
November 24—30, 2013
Fustilarian: (fuhs-tuh-LAR-ee-uhn) Noun
1. A fat and slovenly person.
Topic: Forgiveness
Reference: 2 Chro 7:14; Is 55:7; Rom 4:7; Heb 8:12
November 24—30, 2013
Mumpsimus: (MUMP-suh-muhs) Noun
1. A view stubbornly held in spite of clear
evidence that it's wrong.
2. A person who holds such a view.
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Perspectives
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ACTS Conferences
ACTS South Central Regional Christian School Conference
November 14-15, 2013
Dallas, TX
Beth Bashinski
281-999-5107
ACTS East Coast Regional Christian School Conference
November 23-24, 2013
Christ Chapel Academy
Woodbridge, VA
Paul Miklich
703-670-3822
ACTS South East Regional Christian School Conference
February 6-7, 2014
Orlando, FL
Beth Bashinski/Margaret Hunt
281-999-5107/813-324-9526
ACTS Southeast Regional Preschool Conference
February 8, 2014
Orlando, FL
Beth Bashinski/Margaret Hunt
281-999-5107/813-324-9526
Northwest Ministry Conference
March 27-28, 2014
Redmond, WA
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Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
Mark Your Calendar
November
Daylight Savings Time Ends
Election Day
Veteran’s Day
ACTS South Central Regional Conference
America Recycle Day
ACTS East Coast Regional Christian School Conference
Thanksgiving Day
ACTS Office Closed
November 3
November 5
November 11
November 14-15
November 15
November 23-24
November 28
November 28-29
December
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
ACTS Office Closed
First Day of Winter
Christmas Day
New Year’s Eve
December 7
December 23-Jan 3
December 21
December 25
December 31
January
New Year’s Day
Epiphany
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
100th Day
January 1
January 6
January 20
In January
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Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
ACTS Mission, Vision, and Core Values
Vision:
Setting a new standard of Christ-centered academic excellence.
Mission:
Assisting Christian schools to realize the highest level of educational credibility.
Core Values: We are passionately committed to:
• A Biblical Worldview – modeling, teaching, and leading with actions and decisions that are
consistent with God’s Word.
• Integrity - demonstrating exemplary practices reflective of Christian ethics; with
accountability to Christ, our schools, and the educational community.
• Excellence – providing exceptional services for the certification and development of Christian
administrators and teachers, and pathways to the highest levels of accreditation for Christian
schools.
• Relationship – developing and sustaining a partnership with Christian Schools to enhance
their ministry through personal connection.
• Creativity – being proactive in the pursuit and development of innovative solutions to
benefit the growth and development of our organization and its member schools.
• Service – Purposing to approach current and prospective members by offering resources,
support, consulting, advice, and mentoring.
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Perspectives
“Setting a New Standard for Christ-Centered Academic Excellence.”
Perspectives is a monthly publication of the Association of Christian
Teachers and Schools and is distributed electronically, via e-mail, at the
beginning of each month. Past issues can be viewed online by visiting our
website atwww.actsschools.org.
ACTS Executive Director
R. Jay Nelson, Ph.D.
ACTS President
Greg Miller, B.S.
Chair of Accreditation
Steve Lindquist, M.A.
Director of Accreditation
Membership Services
Ike Stokes, M.A.S.
Executive Administrative Assistant
Amber Steder, B.S.
Contact Information:
P.O. Box 8437
P.O. Box 5003
Rockford, IL 61126 Springfield, MO 65801
P: (815) 239-6673 P: (417) 865-4290
F: (815) 977-5806 P: (407) 910-1240 (Florida)
ACTS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its programs.
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