Dear Friends,
I attended the High School Spiritual Retreat on September 16-18 at Ponderosa Camp, part of the Mt. Hermon complex in the redwoods near Santa Cruz. It was fantastic! The core of the retreat was four worship seminars. Each seminar had two essential components, worship in song and worship around the Word. John Yoo, on staff at Berkeley Presbyterian, headed up the worship in song as the lead singer and guitarist of an impressive praise band from his church. Our own Mr. Hatch (teacher, art) was on piano and Alan Kim (senior) played drums. I wish that each parent could be a “fly on the wall” to observe and experience this unique and moving time of praise! I know you would be impressed. Darren Hsuing (pronounced shung), recent graduate from Westminster Seminary, spoke on HOPE. His delivery was complex, witty, and provocative.
Each day was tightly orchestrated with events. Staff and student leaders supervised team building games and activities. Meals were served in the cafeteria. Free time was short but sweet, including swimming, paint ball battles, and a ride on the zip line! Evening activities included a game of “capture the flag” and a bonfire. The bonfire was accompanied by student testimonials. Cabins had a chaperone and up to eight students. I enjoyed my cabin of boys.
The Spiritual Retreat not only serves to get our student body on the same page spiritually, it also serves to bond the students together as “family.” At the bonfire, student after student spoke of how CCCHS has provided acceptance, good friends that last a lifetime, and teachers that care…. WE ARE FAMILY! I learned a few other things at the retreat: Our kids can SING! Our teachers are awesome. Girls aren’t the only ones that talk until 1:30 a.m. And finally, stay on the trail! (Or pay the consequences…)
The Spiritual Retreat is a tradition at CCCS that is unique and special. I am honored to be part of it.
B.J. Huizenga
PS Thanks to Tara Gelston who managed and organized the experience. Thanks to the high school staff for two and a half 24 hour days of intense interaction with students. Thanks to Mr. Prouty and Mr. Finley who volunteered as “staff members” for the entire experience. Thanks to the student leadership that organized team building events. Thank God!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Safety
Dear Friends,
Don’t you love our school setting? There is a “feel” of safety in the neighborhood and school. However, the Jaycee Dugard story and recent reports of a “lurker” around area schools has everyone on “high alert.” How do we respond?
I love to see parents on campus helping in the classroom, supervising at recess, chaperoning on a field trip, driving to a sports event, and volunteering in so many ways. These are indicators of a strong school. In the interest of security, however, it is imperative that even parents follow policy and check in the office when coming on campus. Teachers are encouraged to remind any adult, parent or otherwise to “check in at the office.” This is a place for parents at times, but between the beginning and ending of school, anyone other than students or staff needs to check in and obtain a visitors badge.
This check in system does not apply to the morning drop off time when so many parents are on campus to start the day or during the pick up period at the end of the school day. During those times, there are administrators and teachers on duty to observe all comings and goings. Our extended day care staff also expects that any visitors will report to the day care room until the 6:00 p.m. closure.
We are serious about safety and have procedures for students and parents to promote a safe campus. These are our children! We won’t panic - but we will be vigilant! Thanks for your cooperation and support.
B.J. Huizenga
Don’t you love our school setting? There is a “feel” of safety in the neighborhood and school. However, the Jaycee Dugard story and recent reports of a “lurker” around area schools has everyone on “high alert.” How do we respond?
I love to see parents on campus helping in the classroom, supervising at recess, chaperoning on a field trip, driving to a sports event, and volunteering in so many ways. These are indicators of a strong school. In the interest of security, however, it is imperative that even parents follow policy and check in the office when coming on campus. Teachers are encouraged to remind any adult, parent or otherwise to “check in at the office.” This is a place for parents at times, but between the beginning and ending of school, anyone other than students or staff needs to check in and obtain a visitors badge.
This check in system does not apply to the morning drop off time when so many parents are on campus to start the day or during the pick up period at the end of the school day. During those times, there are administrators and teachers on duty to observe all comings and goings. Our extended day care staff also expects that any visitors will report to the day care room until the 6:00 p.m. closure.
We are serious about safety and have procedures for students and parents to promote a safe campus. These are our children! We won’t panic - but we will be vigilant! Thanks for your cooperation and support.
B.J. Huizenga
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Birds
Dear Friends,
Pat and I are empty nesters. Our son Ryan and daughter Emily left for college and we are without a child in the home for the first time in 26 years. Our last has flown the nest. The silence is deafening….
[moment...]
Okay, now that I’ve had a moment, have you noticed how often birds are used as metaphors for family situations? My kids have flown the coop. Emily is a free bird; or is she caged by college life? I can so vividly remember my wife’s nesting instinct before Emily was born, flittering here and there, preparing for the moment. We watched Emily grow from a duckling to a graceful swan soaring through school work and sports events. Now she’s gone. Will the homing instinct kick in?
But this is no time for brooding. Someone might say that my wife is no spring chicken – but that someone is cuckoo! This old bird still thinks she’s the cat’s meow! We’re together again like two love birds, rising from the gloom of an empty nest like phoenix from the ashes! Watch us fly!
B.J. “Blue Jay” Huizenga
PS Next week I promise to be serious, but for the time being, humor is what keeps me going.
Pat and I are empty nesters. Our son Ryan and daughter Emily left for college and we are without a child in the home for the first time in 26 years. Our last has flown the nest. The silence is deafening….
[moment...]
Okay, now that I’ve had a moment, have you noticed how often birds are used as metaphors for family situations? My kids have flown the coop. Emily is a free bird; or is she caged by college life? I can so vividly remember my wife’s nesting instinct before Emily was born, flittering here and there, preparing for the moment. We watched Emily grow from a duckling to a graceful swan soaring through school work and sports events. Now she’s gone. Will the homing instinct kick in?
But this is no time for brooding. Someone might say that my wife is no spring chicken – but that someone is cuckoo! This old bird still thinks she’s the cat’s meow! We’re together again like two love birds, rising from the gloom of an empty nest like phoenix from the ashes! Watch us fly!
B.J. “Blue Jay” Huizenga
PS Next week I promise to be serious, but for the time being, humor is what keeps me going.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Growing in Grace
Dear Friends,
You can read through our Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs) on our website. One of them is a hard to grasp:
CCCS graduates will be able to integrate faith and practice from a Christian world-life view as they…grow in their faith by…understanding what it means to grow in grace.
What does it mean to “grow in grace?” I seem to use the terms forgiveness, mercy, and grace interchangeably – but they are different. Forgiveness is cancelling a debt and releasing the person from guilt. Mercy is withholding judgment that is deserved. Grace is giving abundant blessing that is not deserved! We, Christians, experience grace through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Grace also means God’s sufficiency or fullness. II Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” II Corinthians 9:8 reads, “God is able to make all grace abound to you so that, in all things, at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work.”
Growing in Grace means to identify and experience the grace that God gives every day. We receive grace. It also means to tap into God’s grace in such a way that WE can show grace to those around us. We give grace.
Growing in Grace is our school theme this year. It is our hope that our students will come to understand what this means. We will use the following verses to help guide us along:
I Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
II Peter 1:5-8, 10 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love… For if you do these things, you will never fall…
B.J. Huizenga
PS Does grace have a special meaning for you? I’d love to hear about it!
You can read through our Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs) on our website. One of them is a hard to grasp:
CCCS graduates will be able to integrate faith and practice from a Christian world-life view as they…grow in their faith by…understanding what it means to grow in grace.
What does it mean to “grow in grace?” I seem to use the terms forgiveness, mercy, and grace interchangeably – but they are different. Forgiveness is cancelling a debt and releasing the person from guilt. Mercy is withholding judgment that is deserved. Grace is giving abundant blessing that is not deserved! We, Christians, experience grace through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Grace also means God’s sufficiency or fullness. II Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” II Corinthians 9:8 reads, “God is able to make all grace abound to you so that, in all things, at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work.”
Growing in Grace means to identify and experience the grace that God gives every day. We receive grace. It also means to tap into God’s grace in such a way that WE can show grace to those around us. We give grace.
Growing in Grace is our school theme this year. It is our hope that our students will come to understand what this means. We will use the following verses to help guide us along:
I Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
II Peter 1:5-8, 10 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love… For if you do these things, you will never fall…
B.J. Huizenga
PS Does grace have a special meaning for you? I’d love to hear about it!
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