Hidden Beauty in the Details

 

At ECA, our vision is that school families Love God, Value Learning, and Serve Others.

Looking Closer and Seeing God’s Plan

This weekend, my wife and I got away for a couple of days. Clean, crisp air with clear, running water was a beautiful sight to see. Looking at the picture below you can see how beautiful the changing of the seasons can be. It is a testament to God’s purpose as we look at the changing of the seasons. As we sat there taking in the quiet beauty of the moment, we started to notice something equally beautiful, all around us. Their beauty also had a clear purpose. Fluttering and flittering all around us were hundreds of butterflies. As they stretched their wings and soaked up the sun, we saw the California Tortoiseshell butterflies proclaiming God’s goodness. The God we serve has sees the smallest details and puts purpose into every small piece. I’m so glad he does that in our lives.

“The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives..” - Psalm 37:23

No School Tomorrow, Monday October 29, but a Makeup 1/2 Day Friday

On Monday, September 29, ECA will have a no school day. Teachers have a Fall professional development day. We will make up this last Monday with an extra day of school on Friday, October 3. On 1/2 Makeup Fridays, there is no afterschool program. School will dismiss at 12:30.

No Hot Lunch This Week / Stay tuned for a revised October menu.

ECA will not be having hot lunch this week. There was an error posted on the hot lunch calendar showing hot lunch on Monday, September 29th. Since there is no school on Monday, there will be no hot lunch tomorrow. We will update you on hot lunch for the rest of the month as we learn more.

No Ag Class This Week.

Because there is no school tomorrow, our AG classes will resume next Monday from 1:15-3:15. Homeroom classrooms will participate on a rotating basis.

Fall Classes

October 6 - Grades K-2

October 13 - Grades 7&8

October 20 - Grades 5&6

October 27 - Grades 3&4

Fall MAP Testing is coming soon.

During the first week of October we will carry out our first session of yearly testing. Here is a little more information about the program:

Students in grades K-8, will have three days of testing in the morning hours from about 8:30-11:00. The three tests that your child will take are reading, ELA, and math. They will take one test each day. The results of this Fall testing will be shared with you at our P/T conference in early November. Each test is customized to your child’s ability to answer questions. Most tests take between 45 minutes - 1 1/2 hours. We are able to pause testing sessions so students will be taking breaks midway through the tests. If possible, this would be a great week for a little extra sleep, a good breakfast, and a readiness to do their best each of the three days M-W. Because some students may finish before others, please make sure your child has a book or reading material in case they finish before others. Because this testing will take place during our morning core teaching time, homeroom teachers may have altered teaching schedules for this week.

We will also have a makeup testing period on Thursday, October 9 in the middle of the day for students who may have missed a day or still need to finish a test. This first testing session will be one of three testing sessions we will use this year. We also do testing in January and late April. Home & School will be providing healthy snacks during each of the three days to keep energy and minds working. Thank you again Home & School.

Fall Festival in ONE week!

Getting family together is always fun. On Sunday, October 5 we will have a chance to get our extended school family and church families together at our annual ECA Fall Festival. This really is a fun way to start the Fall season. There will be game booths, a bounce house, food booths, and plenty of time to connect with friends. Plan now for a fun day.

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

  • Monday, September 29 - No School - Teacher Professional Development Day

  • Friday, October 3 - 1/2 Makeup Friday School Day

  • Sunday, October 5 - ECA Fall Festival

  • October 6-9 - Fall MAP Testing

  • TBA - K-2 Field Trip to Dorris Ranch

  • Monday, Oct. 20 - K-4 Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

 
Doug Gaylor