Welcome to the 2026 School Year!
At ECA, our vision is that school families Love God, Value Learning, and Serve Others.
Ready for New Adventures
This summer, my wife and I did something we have always wanted to do, but never got around to… ziplining. Our two-hour excursion included hiking up, ziplining down, hiking up, ziplining down, and then repeating a total of eight times. We started out on small platforms, but eventually worked our way up to a 3-story platform. Isn’t that how school works? Isn’t that how life works? We start small and continue to work into harder and harder challenges. Our days, weeks, and months are filled with a mix of workouts and rewards. As we start this year, I take comfort in knowing that God promises to go before us through the challenging times and celebrates our victories with us! Our prayer at ECA this year is that families will accept God’s promise to provide us a life full of adventure as we love God, value learning, and serve others all year long!
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” - Deuteronomy 31:8
Our Year Begins…
We started our school year last week with 42 students in grades K-8. Our K, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 homerooms were ready for a new wave of students for the new year. Together, along with our STEAM program, music program, AG program, and after-school program we are looking forward to a year filled with adventures!
School Staff Training
As a school, we focus on our school mission that our families love God, value learning, and serve others. We want every day to be filled with moments that happen in a safe, learning environment. Our staff are involved in training before school begins that covers several areas. We discuss our school mission, our plans for meeting academic goals, and how we can work towards helping our school community grow stronger. Here are some specific trainings / courses our staff have been trained in:
First Aid Certification
Concussion Awareness
Common Myths About Active Assailant Events
How to Recognize a Potential Attack is Imminent or Underway
Warning Signs and Pre-attack Indicators
Ways to Think About Threats
How to Protect Yourself and Others if An Attack Occurs
Sexual Harassment: Student Issues & Responses
Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Prevention
Child Abuse: Mandatory Reporting
Optional Parent Class Available to our School Families
As a parent of Emerald Christian Academy, our school’s conference Office of Education would like to extend the offer of SafeSchool online safety training programs to you. We have available Child Abuse and Concussion Safety Videos. This is optional for all parents. If you would like to participate, click on the link below for instructions to participate in these two free video courses. This requires a commitment of about 30 minutes but gives you valuable information that can help our school family be a safer place for everyone.
Upcoming Back-to-School Night / Evening Meal
This Thursday, September 4, we will be having our annual Back-to-School Night. This evening has two parts - an evening meal, and a school / classroom presentation time. Tami Waterson will be preparing an evening meal that will begin at 5:45 and go until 6:30. There is a charge for this meal. It will be a lasagna or mac & cheese entree with salad and bread. Proceeds will go to our school’s worthy student fund. Meal prices will reflect our hot lunch prices. Just like last year, meals can be charged to credit card accounts on file and can be ordered by following the hot lunch link.
Following the meal, our school presentation will begin in the gym at 6:30, move into the classrooms, and go until 7:50. We will introduce staff, share common school news in the gym starting at 6:30. At 6:40, we will break up into classroom sessions. There will be three sessions: 6:40-7:00, 7:05-7:25, and 7:30-7:50. During these sessions, you can visit homeroom teachers and get shared documents and information about how you can stay in touch this year. Teachers will repeat their sessions three times. If you have a younger child, you can go to your child’s earliest classroom presentation and be done for the evening. If you have children in more than one grade, this allows to you hear all of the classroom sessions.
Have you always wanted to get involved at school but didn’t know how? Stop by the Home & School Booth. They will share more about their plans for the year and how you can be a part of it. You can also find information about volunteering at school, in classrooms, or on field trips. Background checks are needed. This easy process involves following a link, providing some basic information, and watching a couple videos on child safety. This check is done by our supervising conference and maintains a safe campus for your children.
Would you like to wear the latest ECA school attire? We have school shirts & hoodies available for ordering / purchase. We have sizes for children and adults. All profits support our Home & School activities for the year.
Upcoming Bible Camp - Middle School Students
For returning families, you have probably heard about our school’s participation with Bible Camp at the Washington Family Ranch in Antelope, OR. This event is designed for students in our churches, schools, and home school families in Oregon in grades 7 & 8. Currently, we are planning on all of our students in grades 7&8 participating. There is no additional charge for this program. If you would like to make a donation to help offset the school expenses, that is appreciated. If you are able to make a donation to help offset the costs of the trip, that would help us have funds for more programs in the year. Donations for the trip do not need to be submitted by this week. As a school, we will pay in October for the September event.
Below, is a link to more information about the program and paperwork that must be filled out for children to attend. It has information about what is Bible Camp, when, where, etc. This program will happen Thursday, September 11 - Sunday, September 14. We will be taking a bus there with Mr. Gaylor and Ms. Lidia as chaperones. We will also need two volunteers who will be helping to work in the kitchen while our school is there.
There are TWO forms that need to be filled out: 1) OR conference Medical consent/release, 2) Young Life Camp Registration Form.
If you have any special dietary needs, please follow this link to let camp staff know before the camp begins.
Please click on the links below to download the required two forms. The third & fourth link is an information letter and packing list. NOTE: On the Young Life Form, it asks for the group or church name that will be attending. Please fill in “Oregon Conference - Junior High Bible Camp.” These forms need to be completed, signed, and returned to school before we leave on September 11. Forms can be printed out and returned to the 7/8 classroom or given to the school office.
Hot Lunch Begins This Week on Wednesday
Hot lunch will happen every Monday and Wednesday this year. Additionally, whenever we have a 1/2 Friday, hot lunch will be offered by our Home & School. You can click on the link below to order hot lunch for the week for your child. If you have more than one child, please click the link more than once and turn in one week’s submission for each child. There is a payment option that is included in the form.
Ag Class Will Begin Next Week, September 8.
We are excited to see our AG program grow this coming year. Mr. Wyatt will continue to teach AG classes every Monday from 1:15-3:15. Homeroom classrooms will participate on a rotating basis. Next week, our AG class will begin with grades 7&8 and then move down a homeroom classroom every following week. There will be a few times this year that there will be no school on Monday. On those days, AG Class will resume the following week. As you start to plan, remember that rubber boots and gloves are appropriate materials for AG Class. We do have racks for keeping boots safe. Labeling items with names helps keep things organized and safe!
September Classes
September 8 - Grades 7&8
September 15 - Grades 5&6
September 22 - Grades 3&4
Upcoming September Classroom Activities
Teachers are excited to start working with students both in the classroom and away from school. There are a few activities that will be happening in the weeks ahead. Look for more information from homeroom teachers and the weekly newsletter to keep you in the loop! Upcoming events will always be posted at the bottom of each newsletter.
September 11-14 - Grades 7-8 Bible Camp
Thursday, September 18 - ECA Track & Field Day
Thursday, September 25 - Grades 5-8 ASB trip to the Florence, Oregon for the day
TBA - K-2 Field Trip to Dorris Ranch
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
Thursday, September 14 - ECA Back-to-school-Night
Friday, September 12- ECA’s first 1/2 day Friday
Thursday, Sept. 11-Sunday, Sept. 14 - Bible Camp for 7th & 8th Grade students
Thursday, September 18 - ECA (on-campus during school hours) Track & Field Day
Thursday, September 25 - ASB (Grades 5-8) Beach trip to Florence and the Oregon Coast
TBA - K-2 Field Trip to Dorris Ranch
