Dear OCS Families and Friends,

Welcome back to school everyone!! Who would have thought that we would have so many snow days in a row, so it is great to be back in school once again. We are very excited about the month of February, as we have lots of great events planned here at the school. Please check out all of the activities here in our newsletter and in our OCS calendar, and contact the school if you have any questions.

Due to the unexpected inclement weather break from school, we will be sending home report cards on Monday, January 30th instead of on Thursday, January 26th. Please be sure to look at them, sign them and return them to the school next week as well. If you have any questions, please be sure to talk to your child's teacher.

We are very excited to announce that one of our parents, Nicole Bradstreet, has agreed to be our OCS cheerleading coach this season. So the cheerleading team will begin their practices on Monday, January 30th in the OCS gym from 3 to 4 pm. Please be sure to turn in your daughter's signed permission slip before then if you want her to participate. Practices will be on Mondays and Wednesdays until we begin having our basketball games, and a revised schedule including the games will be sent home probably by next week.

Our OCS auction is fast approaching on Feb. 11th, and we hope that everyone is buying and selling their tickets and making plans now to come to this exciting event. Doors open at 4:30 pm with dinner served at 6 pm. Tickets are $35/person, $60/couple, and $220 for a table of 8, so please turn in your ticket sheets as soon as possible as our goal is to have between 200 and 300 people in attendance this year.

This Friday, January 27th, Michigan State Trooper Voss will be bringing a canine unit to OCS for a brief presentation for all of our students. He will be here from 10:40 am to 11:10 am, and we want to thank him for including our school in his presentations.

Please join us in welcoming Laney Jakeway, our new second grade student, to OCS! Her parents are Jeff and Brook Jakeway of Wolverine, so please be sure to make them feel welcome when you see them in the hallway!

It is time to think about re-enrollment for your children for the 2012-2013 school year at Otsego Christian School. Your intention is important, as we use this information to determine such important items as the number of teachers, contracts, number of classrooms needed, quantities of books, furniture and supplies, etc. We will be sending out recommitment forms next week, so please be sure to turn those back into the office by Friday, Feb. 10. As an incentive, the children will receive a treat from the office when the recommitment forms are turned back in to the school.

Our actual registration will not begin until Monday, February 13th, when we want to offer you the first opportunity to ensure your child's place.  As you know, several of our classes have limited space and our enrollment is based on a first come basis.  To secure your child's spot, you will have to come in and sign a "Tuition contract" form and pay the necessary registration fee. On Monday, February 20, we will open up enrollment to the public for new enrollments.

OCS BOARD MEETING

The February OCS Board meeting will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 4 pm in the school library. We are moving it from Monday to Tuesday, because Monday is part our Winter break this year.

All of our preschool parents are invited to a "Preschool Tea" on Thursday, Feb. 23, from 8:20 to 9 am in the OCS Library. We will be having a nice spread, and you are welcome to bring your younger children as well. At 8:45 am, we will dismiss the preschoolers to their "switch" classes, so that they can see what the next grade up will be like. They will return to their "regular" classrooms at 9:45 am. 

PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN OPEN HOUSE

We will be having an Open House on Tuesday, Feb. 28, from 6:30 to 8 pm, for all of our Preschool and Kindergarten classes. Please invite your family and friends to come check out our awesome teachers, Mrs. Klay, Mrs. Burney and Mrs. Wagner and their classrooms that day. Refreshments will be provided along with important enrollment information!   

Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 17th from 9am to 2pm. If you have not been contacted by your child's teacher but would like to meet with them, please contact them directly to set up an appointment.

Please continue to pray for our school, and may the Lord bless each and every one of you with His peace, joy and love!

Most Sincerely,

Karla Hawkins
Otsego Christian School Administrator

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him," Colossians 3:17.  

Dear OCS Families and Friends,

Happy New Year 2012!! We pray that you have had a wonderful Christmas holiday together with family and friends. It has been nice to have the break, but we are now ready to see what God has in store for OCS and for all of us in this new year.

The snow day this week was a surprise, but it is also a good reminder that all of the Kindergarten through 12th grade children need to bring snow suits, boots, gloves and hats to school for outdoor recess. They will only be staying in if the temperature or wind chill factor is under 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Sledding is available for the Kindergartners on Mondays, on Tuesdays for the First graders, on Wednesdays for the Second graders and on Thursdays for the Third graders. They may bring a sled to leave at school or bring it back and forth on their assigned days, but please be sure to have your child's name on the sled.

The end of the second marking period is January 19th, so report cards will be sent home on Thursday, January 26th.

OCS Basketball and Cheerleading Season

Our 2012 OCS basketball and cheerleading season will begin on Monday, January 16th, and we will be sending home permission slips and more information at the beginning of next week. We are looking for someone to help us coach the 4th through 6th grade co-ed team as well as a cheerleading coach for our 1st grade on up girls cheerleading squad, so please contact the office if you are interested in helping us out.

Vision and Hearing Testing

Betty Steffes will be coming on Thursday, January 12 at 9 a.m. for our annual vision and hearing screenings. She will be testing the K4 and Kindergarten students' vision and hearing and then vision for the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th graders and hearing for the 2nd and 4th graders. We are also asking parents that if you have any special concerns, to please let us know in the office before she comes.

Box Tops

The Box Top program continues to be of great benefit to the school, as we have already received over $300 so far this year for turning them in. There is a nice special going on right now as well, if you buy any 10 or more Box Tops for Education products at Meijer (and Meijer only) during the month of January, and a coupon will print out at the register for 70 bonus box tops! You may turn the coupon and your Box Tops in to school in the drop box in the entry way.

Glen's Cash for Class Program

During the weeks of January 15, February 5, and February 19th, 2012, purchases made with your 'yes' card will automatically be credited to Otsego Christian School. You must link your card to the school, but at the end of March, OCS will receive a rebate check based on the percentage of all member's purchases.

SCRIP

We will be putting in our first SCRIP order of the new year on Monday, January 9th, by 9:30 a.m. This is a wonderful opportunity to save money on your child's tuition for next year as well as help the school at no additional cost to you. Please stop by the office for more information.

Auction

Our school auction is fast approaching on February 11th, and tickets are for sale in the school office for $30 per person or $230 for a table of eight. Our theme this year is "Filled With God's Wonder," and we already have some incredible items for our silent and live auctions. We also have a delicious catered dinner and dessert auction, with doors opening at 4:30 p.m. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we need everyone's participation if possible. The funds raised help to supplement the actual cost of educating each child, so please join us in making this the best event ever. We have sign-up sheets in front of the office if you would also like to help in any way.

OCS Yearbook

The 2011-2012 yearbook is coming together nicely, and we are very thankful to Farah Piehl for putting it together for us this year. She would like to ask everyone to go ahead and email her any good pictures you may have for the yearbook to farahpiehl@yahoo.com anytime through April.

May the Lord continue to bless you abundantly in all areas of your life, as we look forward to a GREAT 2012!!

In God's Service and Yours,

Karla Hawkins                                                                                                                                                                                       Otsego Christian School Administrator

December 9, 2010
 

Dear Parents of 7th graders and up:

Next week we have the Christmas play on Thursday (12/15) beginning at
6:30 pm at the E-free church. The students will need to arrive at E-free earlier than that to get prepared for their part.

Our class will be taking the entire afternoon on Thursday, December 15 as our Christmas party. I will provide pizzas and pop, students can bring any other snack they wish, and all parents are invited to join. The students will each be exchanging gifts with one other student with a maximum $10 value. They have already picked names.

The next day, Friday, we are scheduled to go to Aspen Ridge to minister and be with the seniors. We will need to transport 16 students and I can take 5 students in my vehicle. If anyone would be interested in driving please let me know as soon as you can.

May the Lord bless each family in a special way at this special time of the year when we celebrate the Lord’s birth!

May the Lord be praised,

James R. Johnson
Teacher
 

Dear OCS Parents and Guardians:

 It is so hard to believe that May has already arrived, and we only have five more weeks of school left before summer vacation! We do want to stop and thank God, though, for an awesome year, as He has been so good to us. It has been a year of incredible growth as well as a year of powerful testimonies of His faithfulness. We have 119 students at OCS right now, and we already have 123 enrolled or committing to being here next year. We also just heard this week that two of our teachers will be receiving grants from the Otsego County Community Foundation, so those will be a blessing to our school as well. God is so GOOD!

Our school Chapel Theme this year has been "Thumbs Up for Terrific Kids," and the children have been learning about how they can be even more "TERRIFIC" according to God's word. Our local pastors and worship leaders have been emphasizing the following key characteristics that are displayed on the sign in front of our school and are also being taught each day in the classrooms. These character traits are "Trustworthiness, Excellence, Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Faith, Involvement and Character."

On Wednesday, May 11, we will be having a special Chapel to honor our mothers for Mother's Day, so all of our OCS mothers are invited to come and enjoy that day's special celebration with us.

As a part of these teachings, our OCS children are also encouraged to do service projects in the community as well as exercising the Biblical "Fruit of the Spirit" whenever possible. Last month, the entire student body colored placemats for the New Life Pregnancy Center annual banquet, and we were thankful for the opportunity to serve another local Christian ministry. The 7th through 12th grade students also go monthly to Aspen Ridge Senior Center to minister to the elderly residents there, and we are a drop-off point for items to be given to our armed forces as well.

We now look forward to May, and there are a lot of activities and end-of-the-year field trips planned. Be sure to check the school calendar being sent home with the children this week or check out our website calendar at www.ocsgaylord.org for upcoming dates and events.

Teacher's Appreciation Week (May 2-6)

Here at OCS we love and appreciate our teachers very much, and we want to THANK them for all of their hard work and sacrifice for our students throughout the year. Please be sure to write them a note or do something special for them this week. They are truly a blessing to our school!!!

National Day of Prayer 

We are excited to announce that our school will be hosting this year's National Day of Prayer solemn assembly for Otsego County on Thursday, May 5, from Noon to 1 pm in our Matz Center. Everyone in the community is invited to come to the school at the same time as millions around the world are gathering to pray for our country, our state, our county, our schools, our churches and our families, and to seek God's will and purpose for our lives. This year's theme is "A Mighty Fortress is Our God", and the theme verse is "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust,'" Psalm 91:2. We will have our Kindergarten through 12th grade children from Otsego Christian School and St. Mary's Cathedral Schools participating in the solemn assembly, as well as several pastors leading the way in prayer. Praise and worship will be led by local Christian band ONLY9AM. Please have your child(ren) wear their OCS shirts that day, and join us if at all possible for this special time.

Students in Art Show

Several of our students' art work was recently chosen by our art teacher, Mrs. Kliewoneit, to be on display in the GCS Art Show at the Gaylord Community School Board office at 605 Elm St. from 9 to 4 (M-F) from April 25 through May 13. We are very proud of our OCS student's talents, and we hope that you will get a chance to check out their artwork.

 Culver's OCS Family Night

The Culver's restaurant here in Gaylord will be partnering with OCS on Thursday, May 12th to provide a Benefit Night for our school from 5 to 8 pm. Our school will receive 10% of the total sales during that time, so plan now to take the family out to dinner that day and enjoy a great meal as well as supporting the school. Hope to see you there!! 

 OCS Carnival

Our last fundraiser of the year begins this week with a letter-writing campaign for all of our families. Christian schools and colleges need extra funding to make up the difference between our tuition and the actual costs of educating each child, and sending out letters is one way to make up that difference. We are asking, therefore, that all of our OCS families send out 20 letters to family and friends by Monday, May 9th. This will help us end the school year on a strong note as well as help some of our families in need of tuition assistance for next year. As incentives, every child will receive a free beanie baby when the family turns in their letters to the office. Then the two students who raise the most money for the school will get their choice of a new bike or an I-pod donated by AmeriFirst Financial. The class that raises the most money will have a free pizza and movie party before the end of the year.

We are excited to announce that we will be having a HUGE Carnival here at the school on Saturday, May 21, from 10 to 2 for all of our children and families as well as for the community as a celebration event to wrap up the letter-writing campaign. We will be having lots of games and prizes and concessions to help us close out another awesome year at OCS! Put it on your calendar now to come and join us for all the fun!  

New Family Referrals & Registration

Most of our current families have already completed the enrollment process for their students for next year, but if you have not done so yet we ask that you stop by the office and pick up your Tuition Contract and pay the registration fee for next year so that we can reserve your child's spot. It also helps us in our planning process and in hiring new teachers for next year as well. Thank you!  

Also, we have a wonderful Family Referral program that will actually help reduce your tuition for next year if a family you refer comes to the school. Please stop by the office and pick up some additional information.  

New Zumbatomic Class

A new after-school ZumbAtomic class for boys and girls, ages 4-12, is now being offered on Mondays from 3 to 3:45 pm for the next four weeks with Julia Rupp. The cost is $30, so please stop by the office or call Julia at 303-898-8521 if you are interested and want to sign up.

Kindergarten Graduation

We are excited to announce that our Kindergarten graduation will take place on Thursday, May 26 from 6:30 to 7:30pm at the E-Free Church along with the K3 and K4 graduation celebration. This is a slight change from our original calendar, but we want to make it an extra special night for our youngest OCS students. As a result of this change, the last day for the Kindergarten students will be Friday, May 27. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the office.

OCS Graduation and Awards Ceremony

This year's First grade through 12th grade Awards Ceremony and Graduation program will take place on Thursday, June 2 at the E-Free Church beginning at 6:30pm. It promises to be a festive evening of honoring our students and celebrating their academic accomplishments. The last day of school is a half day on Friday, June 3, and we want to thank you for another great year!

Thank you all for being such wonderful parents and supporters of Otsego Christian School! Our Science Fair and Open House last week was a huge success, because of all of the great families we have here at the school. We especially want to thank everyone who made cookies for the event, as they were delicious!! May God bless you with an extra measure of His peace and joy during this upcoming busy month, and may we all keep our eyes on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

In God's Service and Yours,  

Karla Hawkins    

Otsego Christian School Administrator

"I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust,'" Psalm 91:2  

It Is Worth the Cost!

By Ken Smitherman, Former ACSI President, (retired 2009)

We are in the final weeks of the school year, and it is my hope and prayer that this school year has been a blessed one for you and your family, particularly as you reflect on the role of Christian schooling in the lives of your children. We are certainly living in economically, politically, and spiritually challenging days.

Many of you wrestle with harsh and frightening economic issues as you consider the coming school year. I urge you to contemplate the impact of the culture on our lives and in particular on the formative aspects of your children's lives. Consider prayerfully what resources you will bring to bear when you see the culture molding--subtly and brutally sometimes--the development of your children.

I need hardly mention the seductive power of the media as they fuel our minds to indulge in every want and desire--converting narcissistic wishes into seemingly essential pursuits. Consider further the influence of entertainment mockery as it grinds away to destroy many of the Christian values that followers of Christ hold as dear and essential. As we sense the impact of the media on mature adults, we can only imagine how it works on kids in their growing and developing years.

The nation was stunned recently when nine third graders in a Waycross, Georgia, elementary school were alleged to have put together a plot to knock out, handcuff, and stab their teacher in response to the teacher's discipline of a classmate. People in the field of psychiatry gave responses that ranged from utter disbelief to casual dismission. In an article headlined "3rd-Graders Plot Against Teacher Doubted," USA Today.com reported that "Dr. Louis Kraus, a child psychiatry expert at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said he doubts they would have actually attacked." One might have at least a slight concern about such a seemingly dismissive statement.

The brazen attack on faith-based stances, particularly those with their roots in the Christian faith, are astounding. Somewhere amid that noise and clamor, our national heritage--which has deep roots in Christianity--often languishes. Our court system has come to interpret separation of church and state to mean that faith-based thinking must be kept out of the public arena. In What's So Great About Christianity, Dinesh D'Souza addresses this matter by writing, "Somehow freedom for religious expression has become freedom from religious expression. Secularists want to empty the public square of religion and religious-based morality so they can monopolize the shared space of society with their own views. In the process they have made religious believers into second-class citizens" (2007, 53). And for some reason or other, too many of us have allowed that deception to become acceptable and even to prevail.

It is the intent of Christian schooling to support your family in a serious focus on developing your children's Christian worldview-intentionally working through every aspect of the school's curriculum and school life to develop Christ followers who are willing to stand against the negative influence of a powerful culture. It is worth the cost!

Reference:

D'Souza, Dinesh. 2007. What's So Great About Christianity. Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing

Dear OCS Parents and Guardians:

Welcome to April everyone!! It is hard to believe, but we are beginning a new month of school here at OCS.

We would definitely like to thank everyone who came to the Speech Meet this week. It is amazing to hear all of the Bible verses and poems our children have been learning throughout the year, and it is exciting to know that they are truly "hiding God's word in their hearts." I know we are all so proud of them!

Included in this newsletter is a great article about the value of Christian education, and I know that you will enjoy it. We also have a lot of reminders for you as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter each month, and we pray that you are blessed because of your association with OCS!

Train Up a Child: It Takes Much, Much Hard Work!                                                                          (by Ken Smitherman, retired President of ACSI)

As another school year draws to a close, it is my hope that you will pause to reflect on the crucial investment you have made in your children. Your choice of Christian schooling is one that warrants commendation and encouragement. Scripture commends your decision: "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" (Proverbs 22:6, NIV). No one doubts the significant role of education in the training of children, and an education imbued with biblical principles and inspired by teachers who not only are professionally prepared but are also followers of Christ adds a dimension and depth that will produce fruit. 

I continue to stress the importance of being alert to the unbelievable and vast competition for the hearts and minds of our children. The range of competition-from entertainment media to a culture immersed in serving self-continues to offer highly tantalizing portions of low-level values packaged deceptively and seductively. As parents you have much, much hard work to do. 

The notion of training up children in the way they should go is a directive that at times can seem absolutely overwhelming-after all, when is someone "trained up"? Best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell, in his most recent book, Outliers: The Story of Success, recounts the results of a study done in the early 1990s at Berlin's elite Academy of Music. Psychologist K. Anders Ericsson and two of Ericsson's colleagues questioned the school's violinists in an attempt to discover what sets apart those who have potential to become world-class soloists from those who may be considered merely "good" and those who are unlikely to ever play professionally (2008, 38-39). 

What Ericsson and his colleagues discovered was-and perhaps we are not surprised-that by age 20, those in the elite group were training intently, investing significantly more than 30 hours a week. The violinists in that group had each accumulated 10,000 hours of practice. Those categorized as merely "good" had each accumulated 8,000 hours, and those in the group exhibiting the least proficiency had each accumulated only slightly over 4,000 hours of practice (Gladwell 2008, 38-39). 

Gladwell writes the following:                                                                                                                                                         The striking thing about Ericsson's study is that he and his colleagues couldn't find any "naturals," musicians who floated effortlessly to the top while practicing a fraction of the time their peers did. Nor could they find any "grinds," people who worked harder than everyone else, yet just didn't have what it takes to break the top ranks. Their research suggests that once a musician has enough ability to get into a top music school, the thing that distinguishes one performer from another is how hard he or she works. That's it. And what's more, the people at the very top don't work just harder or even much harder than everyone else. They work much, much harder. (2008, 39; italics in original) 

In concluding comments regarding the study, Gladwell adds, "In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours" (2008, 40). 

Please understand clearly: I am not putting a determinate number of hours on what it takes to train up children or to become parents who possess true expertise. I do believe, though, that the illustration gives credibility to the analogy that just as honing a gift in the arts requires intense practice and training, so does the great work, or art, of training up our children. And to capitalize on the crucial hours spent in formal education that is from a faithbased, Christ-centered perspective brings the richest and highest level in the godly work of training we have been called to as parents. 

May you be richly blessed in your commitment to Christian schooling. 

(Reference: Gladwell, Malcolm. 2008. Outliers: The story of success. New York: Little, Brown and Company.) 

Important Reminders 

Turn in Basketball and Cheerleading Uniforms 

Parents, please be sure to turn in your child's clean basketball and cheerleading uniforms as soon as possible to the office. We are keeping track of them in the office, and we will not give out final report cards until they are returned. 

Arrival and Pickup Times 

This is a brief reminder that school begins at 8:10am for our Kindergarten through 12th grade students. The children should be dropped off at school no later than 8:05am, so that they can get to their classrooms and be ready to start their day at 8:10. Excessive tardiness is detrimental to your child's academic growth, and it is also disruptive to the teachers and the rest of the class. So please be prompt in dropping off and picking up your children as much as possible. 

Sick Children 

We ask that if your child is sick, that you please keep them home for at least 24 hours after their last symptoms disappear. We would really like to keep the other children from getting sick as well. Thank you for your cooperation with this. 

Martial Arts 

Mr. Cary Ford from the Wolverine Institute of Martial Arts continues to teach a class here at the school on Friday afternoons at 3 pm. Please be sure to check it out if you are interested, and parents remember that you can attend the classes free of charge. The cost for the students is $30 a month. There will not be class next week, though, during Spring Break or on Good Friday on April 22. 

Spring Break

Please note that the school will be closed next week, April 4-8, for Spring Break. We pray that everyone has a fun and enjoyable time together as a family. 

Science Fair and Open House 

We will be combining our 2011 OCS Science Fair with our all-school Open House on Thursday, April 28 from 6:30 to 8pm. The teachers will be sending information home with the children about the Science Fair after Spring Break, so that the children can begin working on their Science projects at that time. It is always fun to see the various experiments on exhibit that night.

National Day of Prayer

Although the National Day of Prayer is actually on Thursday, May 5th, we would like to ask you to go ahead and put it on your calendars now. We will be having a solemn assembly here at the school that day from noon to 1 pm, and we will have lots of visitors, pastors, and Christians come from around the county. We are excited to announce that our own OCS children will participate in the day's activities along with St. Mary's High School choir that will be joining us as well.

In God's Service and Yours,

Karla Hawkins                                                                                                                                       OCS Administrator

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

Dear OCS Families,

Happy Spring!! We definitely got a taste of spring last week, and we are very excited about some warmer weather for outside recess. However, we never know what northern Michigan will throw our way, as I've heard we have snow in the forecast for tomorrow night once again. Please be sure to send the appropriate attire for your child according to the weather each day.

We do have lots of wonderful things going on at OCS this month, so we want to keep everyone updated on all of the events. Be sure to note that our OCS Spring Break is the week of April 4-8, so we will not have school that week!

May God continue to bless you abundantly with His joy, peace and love throughout the rest of this month as well!

In God's Service and Yours,

Karla Hawkins

Otsego Christian School Administrator

Donuts for Dads & Dudes - March 23-24, 2011

We are inviting all dads or special dudes to come visit the school this Wednesday for the K3 (M/W) through 12th grade students to enjoy a donut and some coffee or juice with your child(ren) from 8:00 am to 8:30 am in the classroom. We will also have a special Chapel to honor the men from 8:30 am to 9:15 am for those that can stay a little longer. The children really look forward to this special day, and we would encourage all of you dads and dudes to come and enjoy some special quality time with your child(ren) as well. The T/Th K3 class will have their "Donuts for Dads & Dudes" on Thursday from 8:10 am to 8:30 am in the classroom.

OCS Team Pictures & Final Basketball Game of the Season - Thursday, March 24, 2011

We will be having our final basketball games of the season this Thursday, March 24 beginning at 6 pm at the E-Free Church gym. Team pictures for the basketball players and cheerleaders will be taken first at 6 pm, and then the students vs. parents/staff games will take place after that. We are still looking for parents who would be willing to play, so be sure to bring your workout clothes on Thursday and join in on the fun!!

End of Marking Period - Report Cards

Last Friday marked the end of the 3rd marking period here at OCS, so we are now officially in the 4th quarter of the school year. We are definitely in the home stretch of another incredible year, and report cards will be going home with our students this Thursday, March 24 in their BEAR books. Please be sure to talk to your child's teacher if you have any questions or concerns.

Speech Meet (K5-12th Grades) - Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Our own OCS Speech Meet will take place on Tuesday, March 29th from 6:30 pm to 8 pm here in the Matz Center for our Kindergarten through 12th grade students. The children have all been very busy memorizing Scripture and poems, and we can't wait to show off some of what they have been learning this year here at OCS! The younger children in Kindergarten through 3rd grade will go first beginning at 6:30 pm, and then we will take a short break before the 4th through 12th grade students begin their presentations. We will have the doors closed to the Matz Center to help avoid unnecessary distractions for the students during their presentations.

OCS Enrollment - Ongoing

Please be sure to stop by the school office to register your child for next year as soon as possible, as several of our classes are filling up quickly. To secure your child's spot, all you have to do is sign a tuition contract and pay the registration fee. Please call the office at 732-8333 or stop by if you have any additional questions. May God bless you always, as we partner together in your child(ren)'s education!

Dear OCS Families,

Happy March everyone!! As we begin a new month, we have so many praise reports to share with you about God's goodness to the school and to our families. Being a part of God's Kingdom is very exciting, and we definitely want to praise Him for all of the blessings.

Since our last updated newsletter in mid-February, we had a very successful Preschool Tea sponsored by our OCS PTF with over 80 in attendance. Several of our parents gave very touching testimonies about how OCS has blessed their families, and we were all encouraged. The preschool children were also able to do a classroom "switch" in order to experience the next grade up, which they enjoyed tremendously. We are planning on doing another "switch day" soon for our other grades, so that they can experience the next classroom up as well.

Then on Feb. 22, we kicked off our enrollment for the 2010-2011 school year, and we had our first Preschool and Kindergarten Open House of the season, we had over 19 families stop by and visit the school, and twelve of those were new families. We are very excited about welcoming them to OCS!!

During February, all of our 4th grade students were able to have eight free swimming lessons at the Sportsplex thanks to the Glen C. Catt Foundation, and the children really enjoyed themselves. One student shared with me how much he loved learning to swim, because now he wasn’t afraid to jump off the diving board. That is exciting!! We especially want to thank our parent volunteers--Deb Datema, the Thomas/Schoolcraft Family, and Karen Farina--for driving them to the Sportsplex for these lessons.  

Now March is upon us, and we are thankful, once again, for what God has in store. Please be sure to check out the school's monthly calendar that will go home with your children this week and the following activities as well.  

HELP NEEDED 

We are currently in need of some additional lunch/recess aides here at OCS. We could use someone for about an hour once a week from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. to help with serving lunch to the K5-3rd graders, and then going outside to help supervise them. Please call the school or stop by the office if you could help us on any day of the week but especially on Wednesdays.  

OCS BASKETBALL AND CHEERLEADING SEASON  

The 2011 OCS basketball and cheerleading season is definitely under way after our games last Friday vs. Ebenezer Christian School in Ellsworth. Even though our teams lost, everyone seemed to have a great time of fun and fellowship during the games. Please be sure to check your updated practice and game schedule that went home in the last few weeks, but some upcoming games include the following:  

Fri--Mar. 11 6 pm GAME vs. BEAR Basketball at the Community Center  

Fri--Mar. 18 6 pm GAME vs. BEAR Basketball at the Community Center  

Thurs--Mar. 24 6 pm GAME vs. Parents/OCS Staff at the E-Free Church (this is a change from last schedule)  

***Due to the additional numbers of basketball players and cheerleaders, we have had to purchase more uniforms for the students this year. If anyone is willing to donate to the school to help cover these costs, we would sure appreciate it.  

OCS SPIRIT WEEK  

During the week of March 14th through the 18th, we will be celebrating another exciting OCS Spirit Week throughout the school. The children are encouraged to show their school "spirit" and have some fun by dressing up according to the following schedule:  

Mon--Mar. 14 Beach Day  

Tues--Mar. 15 Pajama Day and RIF Day (see below)  

Wed--Mar. 16 Dress up as a Book Character  

Thurs--Mar. 17 Clash Day and St. Patrick's Day  

Fri--Mar. 18 Red and White Day  

OCS DESSERT THEATER UPDATE  

The Dessert Theater and indoor garage sale last Saturday at E-Free Church was a big success for the school, as we raised over $1,850 towards our Tuition Assistance fund. We sure appreciate everyone who attended or donated, and we especially want to thank Joshua and Julia Rupp for all of their hard work in coordinating the evening's activities as well as Chuck Peterson and the Proclaim Christian drama group for an amazing evening of entertainment and service. We also want to thank Sapphire Krist, Billy Fileccia and OnlyIXam for their performances as well.  

READING IS FUNDAMENTAL (RIF) DAY  

March is Reading Month, and here at OCS we will be continuing our Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) tradition on Tuesday, March 15 from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. with a school-wide reading extravaganza! We will all meet in the gym to hear a story and then divide up around the school into reading pairs for a little while after that. Then we will wrap up the morning's reading activities with 15 minutes of individual reading time with a special treat given to each child. Reading is so important at all ages, so we are excited about celebrating our own OCS RIF day once again this year.   

DONUTS FOR DADS AND DUDES 

Due to popular demand, we are bringing back this special day to celebrate the important men in our children's lives. All K3 (M/W) through 12th grade dads and special dudes are invited to come to school with their children on Wednesday, March 23 to share some cider or coffee and donuts with their children in the classroom from 8 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. Chapel begins at 8:25 a.m., and all of the guys are welcome to attend that with their child as well. The T/Th K3 dads are invited to come on Thursday, March 24 from 8:10 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. This special time is set up so that busy dads can just make a quick stop in their child's classroom to see what they do in the mornings, and spend a few quality minutes together before going on to their regular day at work. Dads and Dudes, be sure to come and hang out with your children, as they are worth it!  

OCS SPEECH MEET  

One of the highlights of the year for many of us, is that we get to see your children learn and grow so much during the school year, and this year is no exception. Every week the children get up and share in front of the other classes in Chapel a weekly memory verse or song that they have been learning in class. In order to showcase some of the incredible things the children have been learning this year, we are bringing back the OCS Speech Meet. It will take place on Tuesday, March 29th, here in the school Matz Center beginning at 6:30 p.m. We will have the Kindergarten through Third grade students reciting scriptures first until around 7:05 p.m. Then we will take a 10 minute break and begin the Fourth through 12th grade group and individual recitations until approximately 8 p.m. The children will be graded on their performances and are expected to attend. For many adults, public speaking is one of their major fears, but here at OCS we are trying to help our children overcome these fears at an early age through special events such as our Speech Meet.  

2011-2012 ENROLLMENT  

We are very excited to announce that our OCS enrollment for the 2011-2012 school year is now in full swing. Please be sure to come by the office, pay your child's registration fee, and sign a tuition contract as soon as possible to secure your child's spot for next year. As of right now, our K4 morning class is already full, and we are enrolling K4 afternoon spots. Our K3 classes are also filling up quickly.  

Please be sure to remember that Spring Break this year is the week of April 4-8 here at OCS!  

Thank you for being a part of the OCS family, and may God continue to bless you with His love and presence throughout this month!  

In God's Service and Yours,

Karla Hawkins Otsego Christian School Administrator

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me God or seen in me God, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."   Philippians 4:8

Otsego Christian School Association Inc.

Regular Board Meeting Minutes for February 28, 2011

Members Present: Paul Freeman, Dave Gahm, Dave Baragrey, Hannah Techel, Karla Hawkins

Call to Order: at 4:15pm, open in prayer with Paul Freeman

Quorum: Determined

Recognition of Visitors: by Paul Freeman

Open Forum: Steve Hawkins spoke on his concerns with OCS and the public school system

4:25pm:  Administrator’s Report: given by Karla Hawkins and received

Auction Update 27K Net as of 2/28/2011

Preschool Tea went well, over 80 in attendance including children

Open House 19 families came thru, preschool and kindergarten (12 new families)

1st Basketball game in Ellsworth/Registration is now open enrollment

Letter writing campaign to be scheduled in March/Dessert Theater

4:45pm Tuition Rates for 2011/12: motion to approve new tuition rates by Dave Gahm 4 ayes, 0 nos K5- thru 12th $3750.00 Increase of $250 K3 increase by $40 K4 increase $50

High School Update: Jim Johnson, looking into Bob Jones University Curriculum for next yr as a possibility.

Fundraising Update: given by Dave Baragrey/coupon book selling/carnival in May to project 5K

Letter writing campaign discussion

Financial Committee Update: given by Dave Gahm and received

Education Committee: Leigh Ann Klay, meeting next Tues 3/8/2011 update for next board meeting

5:45pm Approval of Minutes: motioned by Dave Gahm to approve January 17, 2011

Closing Prayer: given by Dave Gahm

Dear OCS Parents and Families:

We pray that everyone enjoyed this year's icy "Heart Day," and that you felt God's love in a special way! We were definitely surprised by the school cancellation yesterday, but we are trying to catch up on everything today.

We've had a lot of good news here at the school this month, and we wanted to share it with you. Our OCS auction was a huge success thanks to so many of you, and we want to let you know that the school grossed over $31,500 so far from the event. Thank you so much for selling tickets, for donating items and for your attendance. We also welcomed three more new students to our school, so we are continuing to grow by leaps and bounds.

As always, we have a lot of things going on around Otsego Christian School, so here are a few of the updates and changes in the school's schedule.

BASKETBALL

First of all, basketball practice has been canceled for this coming Thursday, Feb. 17th, because the E-Free Church will be using their gym that day for their monthly food distribution. Practices will resume on Monday, Feb. 21st. Our first game of the season, however, is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 25th at 6:30pm against Ebenezer Christian at the Ellsworth High School gym. We will be needing parent drivers to carpool over there that day, so please let us know if you can help us out. The plan is to meet here at the school at 5 pm to head over there in a caravan.

PRESCHOOL TEA

We will be hosting a Preschool Tea for all of our OCS preschool parents this Thursday, Feb. 17th from 8:20 to 9am in the school lunchroom. The preschool children will also be attending until 8:45am when they will be released to their "switch" classes for an hour. The K3 students will be visiting Mrs. Burney's K4 class, the K4 students will visit with Mrs. Wagner in her Kindergarten classroom, and the Kindergarten students will be staying with Mrs. Klay for that time as well. It promises to be a great day, and I know that the children always have fun visiting the next class up to see how things are done there.

OCS PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN OPEN HOUSE

We will be having an Open House on Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 6:30 to 8 pm for all of our Preschool and Kindergarten classes. Please invite your family and friends to come check out our awesome teachers, Mrs. Klay, Mrs. Burney, Mrs. Wagner and their classrooms that day. Refreshments will be provided along with important enrollment information!

MARTIAL ARTS CLASSES

The Martial Arts classes have been a huge success this month with over 25 students now signed up with Mr. Cary Ford, the instructor. Classes are meeting on Friday afternoons from 3 to 4pm in the OCS gym, including this Friday, Feb. 18th. The only time that class would be cancelled is if school is cancelled because of inclement weather.

FEBRUARY BOARD MEETING RESCHEDULED

The OCS Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 22 has been rescheduled to Monday, Feb. 28 at 4 pm in the school library because of our Open House that night. We look forward to seeing everyone come then.

BOB EVANS FUNDRAISER

We are excited to announce that we will be having another Bob Evans Fundraiser on Thursday, Feb. 24th. We will have flyers available at the school for you to take with you, and the school will receive 15% of each bill's total all day long.

We sure appreciate each one of you, and we pray that God will bless you abundantly in every way!

Most Sincerely,

Karla Hawkins

Otsego Christian School Administrator

Dear OCS Families,

Happy February to one and all! Here at OCS we pray that you are enjoying the beautiful winter wonderland and staying warm at the same time.

We are very excited about this new month, as we have lots of great events planned here at the school. Please check out all of the activities and contact the school if you have any questions.

The OCS board would like to invite everyone to our annual school auction that is fast approaching this Saturday, Feb. 5, at the E-Free Church. The theme this year is "But the Greatest of these is Love...," and we are celebrating our 21st anniversary of being a school. The doors open at 4:30 p.m. with a delicious catered dinner served at 6 p.m.

We sent home eight (8) tickets for you to sell to friends and family a few weeks ago, and we truly appreciate your help with this our largest fundraiser of the year. Tickets are $30 per ticket or a table of eight may be purchased for $220-a savings of $20! We have already sold over 208 tickets, and we are very excited about this special evening. We know we can achieve success with the involvement of all of our school families! Please do your best to sell all eight tickets. Our deadline was last week, so please turn in your money and/or unsold tickets back into the OCS office as soon as possible as we have to order the meals for the banquet.

As of today, we have over 200 items that have been donated to our school for the auction, and some of these items include:

• A pre-owned vehicle

• Hero membership to Treetops-includes unlimited golf/ski for 4 people for a year with cart included and much more ($4,600)

• A Chef's Table for six at the Otsego Club ($1,000)

• A chocolate Lab puppy (AKC) including training ($1,000)

• $1,000 of architectural services by Brad Butcher

• One week at Springhill Camp worth $500

• One-night stay at the Lilac Tree Hotel on Mackinac Island ($300)

• One bass guitar signed by Kutless and an electric guitar signed by Casting Crowns (Priceless)

• A flying color tour next fall in a Cessna 172 up to the Mackinac Bridge and through the Jordan River Valley

• Kris Gahm's Terrific Tuesday meals for 4-6 people for eight Tuesdays

• Two Playtimes at the Freeman Clubhouse

• A youth turkey hunt and youth doe hunt for either 2011 or 2012 ($750)

• $250 of services from Miller & Cook, CPA's

• Total Lawn Care-residential snow removal within5 miles of town (winter of 2011-2012)

• Flowers by Evelyn donated a $25 bouquet for 12 months that includes delivery and an auction night bouquet ($450)

• One family 3-day pass with Camping voucher for the Big Ticket Festival in June, 2011

• A flowering Crab Apple tree ($275)

• And a few surprises and much, much more!!

Preschool Tea Invitation K3, K4 and K5 Switch Day

All of our preschool parents are invited to a "Preschool Tea" on Thursday, Feb. 17th from 8:20 to 9 am in the OCS Library. We will be having a nice spread, and you are welcome to bring your children. At 8:45 am, we will dismiss the preschoolers to their "Switch" classes, so that they can see what the next grade up will be like. They will return to their "regular" classrooms at 9:45 am.

Preschool and Kindergarten Open House

We will be having an Open House on Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 6:30 to 8 pm for all of our Preschool and Kindergarten classes. Please invite your family and friends to come check out our awesome teachers, Mrs. Klay, Mrs. Burney and Mrs. Wagner and their classrooms that day. Refreshments will be provided along with important enrollment information!

OCS Open Enrollment

It is time to think about re-enrollment for your children for the 2011-2012 school year at Otsego Christian School. Your intention is important, as we use this information to determine such important items as the number of teachers, contracts, number of classrooms needed, quantities of books, furniture and supplies, etc. As an incentive, the children will receive a treat from the office when the recommitment forms that were sent home last week are turned in to the school. Please be sure to turn those back into the office by Monday, Feb. 7th.

Our actual registration will not begin until Tuesday, February 15th, when we want to offer you the first opportunity to ensure your child's place. As you know, several of our classes have limited space and our enrollment is based on a first come basis. To secure your child's spot, you will have to come in and fill out a registration form and pay the necessary registration fee. On Tuesday, February 22rd, we will open up enrollment to the public (this will be for new enrollments).

Your sacrifice and commitment to Christian education for your child is admired and appreciated.

OCS Board Meeting

The February OCS Board meeting will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 4 pm in the school library. We are moving it from Monday, Feb. 21 to Tuesday, Feb. 22 because Monday is part our Winter break this year.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 18th from 9am to 2pm for whoever feels like they would like an opportunity to talk to their child(s) teachers. Please contact the teachers directly to set up an appointment.

Bob Evans Fundraiser

The Bob Evans Restaurant will be hosting another OCS Benefit day for us on Thursday, Feb. 24 all day long. Flyers will be available in the office for you to take with you, so that the school can receive 15% of each family's bill for the visit. Thanks for supporting OCS as well as one of our local restaurants.

In God's Service and Yours,

Karla Hawkins

Otsego Christian School Administrator

Otsego Christian School Association, Inc.

Regular Board Meeting Minutes for January 17, 2011

Members Present: Paul Freeman, Dave Gahm, Dave Baragrey, Hannah Techel, Karla Hawkins

Call to Order: at 4:10pm by Paul Freeman

Quorum: Determined

Recognition of Visitors: by Paul Freeman

Agenda: Motion by Dave Gahm to approve the agenda. 4 Ayes, 0 Nos, Motion Carried

Open Forum: Devotion led by Pastor Steve Datema

5:05pm/Steve Hawkins spoke and shared his concerns and ideas for the school

Administrator's Report: given by Karla Hawkins and received

Sub-Committee Reports: fundraising report given by Dave Baragrey Ideas: BC Pizza Punch Cards/Fundfest at OCS in the spring, Dessert Theater/ Pierogi Fundraiser/Letter Writing Campaign/ Discussed Raffle/Steve Datema looking into it/Yuker Tournament. Need to do a main fall fundraiser

Auction 2011 Report: given by Dave Baragrey and received

Approval of Minutes: motioned by Paul Freeman to approve December 6th, 2010 Board meeting minutes. 4 ayes, 0 nos. Motion carried

Closing Prayer: given by Pastor Steve Datema 6:05pm

Happy New Year!! I pray that everyone had an enjoyable Christmas break together with loved ones and friends. It was definitely quiet around here during the holidays, but we are back into the full swing of things now and looking forward to all that God has in store for us in 2011!

   

Thank you so much to everyone who attended our Christmas program and also to those who gave so generously toward our staff bonuses! You were all a blessing, and we appreciate you very much!!

We are thrilled to announce that our OCS basketball season begins this coming Monday, Jan. 10th! Children in 3rd grade and up are invited to be on one of our two co-ed basketball teams. A "Parental Sports Permission Slip," a field trip permission slip (in case of an emergency) and the practice schedule were sent home this week.  Girls in 1st grade and up are also welcome to join our cheerleading team, but they will not begin practicing until Monday, Jan. 24th. We are still working on our game dates and times, but we will send that information home as soon as it is all worked out. Most, if not all, of our games will be "home" games, and we are only planning on scheduling one game per week with a total of five to six games for the season.

Mr. Johnson and Ms. Drenth have agreed to be our basketball coaches this year, and we are pleased to announce that Missy Harding has agreed to be our cheerleading coach once again as well. I know that they will all do a great job of coaching our students. 

Please note that if school is cancelled because of inclement weather, then the cheerleading/basketball practice or game for that day will also be cancelled.  

We are hoping to have concessions available at the E-Free games again this year, but if anyone is interested in helping out with that please let us know in the office.

We will also have T-shirts and hoodies available to order soon, so that everyone can support our OCS teams.

VISION AND HEARING TESTING 
Betty Steffes will be at the school on Monday morning, January 10th to do some vision and hearing testing for our Kindergarten through 12th grade students. She will contact parents if any problems are detected.

The second marking period ends on Friday, Jan. 14^th here at OCS, so report cards will be going home on Thursday, Jan. 20^th in your children's B.E.A.R. books. Please be sure to contact the office or your child's teacher if you have any questions.

The Bob Evans Restaurant here in town has generously offered to join us in providing a great fundraising opportunity for our school next Friday, Jan. 14th. They will donate 15% of everyone's total bill to the school all day long when you bring in a special flyer. This is a great opportunity to enjoy a nice meal out as well as support a local business and our school, and we encourage you to get as many people to eat at Bob Evans that day as possible.  We have just sent home the flyers with the students this week.

This is just a friendly reminder that our SCRIP program is in full swing, and it is a great way to earn extra funds for OCS as well as gain a tuition credit for your child for next school year at NO cost to you.  Sign in at www.shopwithscrip.com to order your gift cards for gas, groceries and other necessary items.  If you are new to the SCRIP program, you must utilize our enrollment code 1EFACDDL4549 when you log in at the above mentioned website.

Please place your orders anytime before each Monday morning at 10:00 a.m.  Recently the orders have been arriving at our school within 2 days.  If you have any questions, please contact the school at 732-8333. 

We are inviting all of our OCS families to be involved in this special event by attending, donating items, and/or by helping us to sell at least eight tickets for the auction to family members or friends, as it promises to be a wonderful evening of fun and great deals. This is our single largest fundraising event of the year, and our goal is to raise over $35,000. We know that we can achieve success with the involvement of all of our school families. Please do your best to sell all eight tickets. Our deadline is Thursday, Jan. 27^th, so please have your money and/or unsold tickets turned in to the office by that date. Please call the school at 732-8333 for more information or to pick up additional tickets.

We are also having an auction meeting Thursday, January 13^th at 3 pm in the school Library for anyone interested in helping with procuring donations, decorating, class masterpieces, promotions, set up, tear down or any other aspect of the auction. Please come if you can or contact Tiffany Lawrence, our auction chairman, at 370-5811 if you want to be involved. 

Some of you might not be aware of this, but Otsego Christian School has its own Facebook page.  Look us up and become a "Fan." It is a fun and interactive way to keep in touch with activities and current events at the school. We also try to post pictures on there sometimes as well, so come "Like" our page.

May God bless you with an incredible new year, as He presents us with new opportunities, challenges and blessings!

In God's Service and Yours,

Karla Hawkins
Otsego Christian School Administrator    

All proofs are available to view online on A & M's website, www.amphotographystudio.com.  Click on proofs, then Recent Photos - OCS 2010 Photos.