January 2013

Are We There Yet?

Coming back to school after the summer break has all the wonderful sentiments associated with new beginnings, clean slates, and fresh starts. Everyone is eager; students, teachers, and parents. Coming back to school after the Christmas break has all the sentiments associated with the second half of a long road trip. It’s harder to get back into the car, there is no rest stop just when I need one, and I want to have my next meal at the table using real plates and silverware rather than on the run because of one more away game!

This is why I love that the first full week after the break at TCS is homecoming week. Much creative energy is poured into a week of celebrating school spirit in the upper school and the games and activities are a boost to morale. During the basketball games on Friday night it was great to see the gymnasium so full with current and previous students and their parents. (I still marvel at that beautiful facility and God’s great kindness in providing it for us.)

This year a few colleges added to the celebrations as some posted results for early applicants ahead of the promised schedule. Five of the ten students who applied for early action at UVA learned that they have been accepted and a few more are deferred to hopefully be accepted later this spring. A beaming college advisor proudly reported that as the number of successful TCS alumni grows these former students are paving the way for our current students. Word is getting out that Trinity Christian School sends off students who have learned to work and think, who finish what they start, and who are ready to lead others. And that makes the long ride worth it!

December 2012

How Far Is Too Far?

At times, in our marketing materials, we have used the phrase, “62 zip codes, one great school.” It helped highlight that families drive from Mt. Vernon, Maryland, Gainesville, and even Front Royal to be part of TCS. Sometimes prospective parents wrestle with the thought of committing to commuting such distances. One of these families asked if a current TCS family from the same zip code might be willing to share some thoughts on its travels back and forth to TCS. What follows is an excerpt from the mother’s response.

The "commute" time may seem like a lot and be deemed negative, but it does afford several things good things:   mostly, a great time to talk with your child (unless he is sleeping!), but also a bit of time to glance over notes to prepare for a test (if needed)...to listen to music and relax before the school day begins...to pray together....to laugh together... whatever is best for your particular child on that particular day at that particular time.  You've got 30 minutes of uncluttered time with your child to be able to take advantage of.

As one who is watching her youngest zip through his junior year I can attest that any 30 minute ride that affords one-on-one time is becoming more and more precious.

Word Nerd

I have always enjoyed words; I make sure to fit in my daily quota as befits my gender but beyond that I find great pleasure in learning a new word that allows greater precision of expression or a more accurate representation. I am waiting for an opportunity to flaunt a good recent acquisition, “pervicacious” and am still surprised it does not find its roots in the Dutch language.

At times being a word nerd helps me in my role as Admission Director. It is useful to discuss the difference between common and normal and to highlight that contrary to the notion of many, these words are not interchangeable. It is helpful to remember that secular finds its root in the Latin saecularis, meaning of an age, thus showing with clarity why secular thinking, the thinking of a particular age, is so very different of Christian thinking as it seeks to think like God who reveals himself as one who does not change like shifting shadows but is the same yesterday, today and forever.

This year has afforded opportunities to explore with faculty as well as students that both by God's design (see for example 2 Cor 13:10) and according to etymology, someone in rightful authority is one who causes us to grow; how revolutionary!

I have at times pondered the miracle of God simply speaking things into existence and the way he speaks about himself in John; "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us"  - may you think about that Word most of all.