Seeing Through the Fog
At ECA, our vision is that school families Love God, Value Learning, and Serve Others.
Keeping Our Eyes Focused!
Fall and winter weather contribute to foggy mornings and hard-to-see-the-road evenings. For many of us who have grown up in Oregon, it is the “normal” that comes with living in the Willamette Valley. I am reminded of the many times I drove across Snoqualmie Pass in Washington State during winter storms. Often, the snow was coming down so fast the road and markers were no where to be seen. You just followed the car in front of you and hoped for the best. Perhaps you have been in similar situations.
Life and school sometimes feels the same way. There is a swirl of work, school, homework, after-school activities, family, friends, and the list goes on and on. I am reminded of the Christian song “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” Just like we need to keep our eyes focused on the road, we need to keep our eyes focused on Jesus! The song ‘Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus’ was written in 1918 by Helen Lemmel. During her ninety-eight years, she wrote more than five hundred hymns, poems, and a children’s book. The song was inspired by a tract Helen read containing these words: “So then turn your eyes upon Him, look full into His face and you will find the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness.” The chorus of the song is a beautiful reminder that as we look to Jesus, as we reflect on who He is and what He has done for us, as we acknowledge who we are because of Jesus, then the things of earth truly will grow dim.
“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12:2
John Hopkins Institute for Educational Policy Survey
This week, students in grades 3-8 will be participating in the ECA School Culture Survey at school. Parents will also be receiving an email with a link to take the school survey. Additionally, staff and school board members will be taking the survey. Thank you for sharing your time and honest input so we can continue to make our school better and find ways to better serve our community.
November - Important Days are Coming Up
The month of November has a mixture of days that affect our normal school week. Additionally, our normal 1/2 day Friday will be on November 21 this month. Here is a list of modified school days this month:
Thursday, November 6 - 1/2 Day of school with afternoon set for P/T Conferences
Friday, November 7 - P/T Conferences
Tuesday November 11 - No School - Veterans’ Day
Friday, November 14 - Makeup 1/2 day of school - No After-school
Monday, November 17 - No School - Teacher Inservice Day
Friday, November 21 - ECA Annual Thanksgiving Potluck for school & church families
Wednesday, November 26 - 1/2 day of school to start the Thanksgiving Vacation.
Thursday, November 27 - No School - Thanksgiving Day
P/T Conferences This Thursday & Friday
Click Here to Sign Up
Every fall and spring, we schedule time for parents and teachers to get together for conferences. These fall meetings will be this week. Because we are needing to schedule time for all of our familes in two days, this Thursday will be a 1/2 day. School will be let at at 12:30. We will NOT be having an afterschool program on that day. P/T conferences will then begin at 2:00 and go into the evening. Conferences will resume the next day, Friday. If either of these days do not work for you, please contact your homeroom teacher to schedule a time.
The best way to sign up for a time is to click on the text above. You will be taken to a shared Google document where you can put in your family last name for a desired time. Here are the times you can sign up for:
Thursday 2-5 (9 blocks), 6-7:40 (5 blocks)
2:00 2:20 2:40 3:00 3:20 3:40 4:00 4:20 4:40 6:00 6:20 6:40 7:00 7:20 7:40
Friday 9-12 (9 blocks), 1-3 (6 blocks)
9:00 9:20 9:40 10:00 10:20 10:40 11:00 11:20 11:40 1:20 1:40 2:00 2:20 2:40
November 21 - ECA School Family Thanksgiving Meal
I know Thanksgiving seems a long way away, but ECA is getting ready for our annual ECA Family Thanksgiving Potluck. Know this - your family is invited to join us on Friday, November 21 to have lunch with your child and all of the other school families. Grandparents are invited too. We also invite families from our constituent churches.
Parents, as we plan for the school “potluck” we want to invite all of you for our early lunch on November 21. We will be having a 12:30 pickup on our monthly ½ day Friday. Our ECA school family Thanksgiving meal will begin at 11 am in the gym. Thank you especially to our Home & School, who is providing the main “kid-friendly” entrees. As school families, if we each do a small part, we will have plenty of food for everyone.
Please note: Our meal is vegetarian. Please do not send any foods containing meat. Also, please use disposable serving dishes, if possible, to speed up clean-up time.
Also, if you notice that a particular food item looks full, you can look at the bottom of the list for an “Other Ideas” list. Food contributions DO NOT have to be traditional Thanksgiving foods; kid-friendly food is always a hit with our elementary, tweens, and youth.
Here is a list of suggested classroom donations:
Grade K-2: Side Dishes
Examples: casseroles and warm side dishes, veggie/fruit platters, etc.
Grade 3/4: Salads (pre-made in a bowl please)
Examples: lettuce salad, pasta salad, potato salad, fruit salad, dressings, taco salad, 3-bean salad
Grade 5/6: Rolls & Bread/Cheese & cracker platters
Examples: bags of pre-made rolls, butter & jam, pre-made cheese & cracker plates, etc.
Grade 7/8: Desserts
Examples: cookies, pie, brownies, cupcakes, gluten-free and/or vegan options
OTHER ITEMS: kid-friendly choices please ☺
Examples: chips & dip or salsa, PB&J sandwich halves, bags of popcorn, drinks, etc.
AG Program - Monday’s Science Class
Our Monday AG Class will be for grades 5&6. Students will be outdoors doing a variety of things with Mr. Wyatt Johnson. Throughout the year, there may be a few rainy days. Boots and gloves are great things for working outdoors on Monday Science Days. Water bottles are great things to have outside too. Here is a schedule of the days and classes:
Monday, November 3 - Grades 5&6
Monday, November 10 - Grades 3&4
Monday, November 24 - Grades K-2
Hot Lunch for the Week
M 11/3: Mac and Cheese, steamed broccoli
W 11/5: Enchiladas
M 11/10: Spaghetti and breadsticks
W 11/12: French Toast and Hashbrowns
M 11/17: NO SCHOOL
W 11/19: Nachos
M 11/24: Sloppy joes and tots
W 11/26: NO HOT LUNCH 1/2 day
What Do the Words Mean in SBL?
Standards-Based Learning (SBL) - Standards Based Learning is an equity-based instructional framework that promotes consistency, clarity, and accuracy in how teachers provide high-quality educational experiences and supports students in moving toward grade level standards.
Standards-Based Grading (SBG) - The determination and reporting of mastery level during a reporting period on assessed Critical Concepts (knowledge and skills) using a Proficiency Scale and a Grading Scale.
Critical Concept - Critical Concepts are strategically grouped and prioritized standards by content area that establish a uniform, minimum expectation for end of course objectives that encompass both knowledge and competencies.
Rubric - An assessment tool developed for evaluating performance on a specific product, project, or task.
Proficiency Scale - A framework developed for a broad conceptual understanding of a Critical Concept. Each Critical Concept has a Proficiency Scale that helps to clearly define grade level standard and to show what progress looks like as students move towards the learning target. A Proficiency Scale is a tool that shows students and families the learning goals -- specifically, the grade level target (Level 3) and the pathway for mastery of a single concept or skill (i.e., Critical Concept).
Grading Scale/Conversion Scale - A grading scale is used to translate Proficiency Scale scores to grades during required reporting periods.
Mounting Evidence - A best practice in standards-based learning is to prioritize more recent evidence when translating scores to grades. Students are not expected to be at grade-level standard when they first start practicing a new skill or concept. Over time, however, student evidence should show growth toward proficiency. Prioritizing more recent evidence doesn't penalize students for initial attempts, but honors and celebrates their growth toward proficiency by the end of a reporting term.
Christian Counseling Available - Free Resources:
The NAD (North American Division of SDA) has recently shared new resources for children and teens that offer a safe and anonymous place to talk or text. Here is a news release from the NAD.
We’re excited to announce the launch of www.aruggedjourney.org our newest NAD site providing free online mentoring for guys. A Rugged Journey joins www.gorgeous2god.org (for young women) which has grown in its scope and ministry since its beginning in 2017.
These sites, along with their counterparts on social media, provide free help to our teens/young adults in a space they can ask questions without judgment or fear. The questions are answered by a team of dedicated Seventh-day Adventists at AIM on the campus of Andrews University.
In addition to the confidential Q & A, positive content is provided through videos, posts, etc.
www.gorgeous2god.org/ FB: gorgeous2god/ IG: @gorgeous2god
www.aruggedjourney.org/ FB: aruggedjourney/ IG: @aruggedjourney
Announcements & Upcoming Events
Sunday, November 2 - Daylight Saving’s Time - Fall back one hour
November 6, 7 - P/T Conferences
Tuesday, November 11 - No School - Veterans Day
Friday, November 14 -1/2 Day Friday - Makeup Day - No Afterschool
Monday, November 17 - No School - Teacher Inservice Day
Friday, November 21 - ECA Annual Thanksgiving Potluck
Wednesday, November 26 - 1/2 day of school
Thursday, November 27 - Thanksgiving - No School
