Here On Purpose
At ECA, our vision is that school families Love God, Value Learning, and Serve Others.
Sharing Bible Camp With You
Our students in grades 7&8 were challenged with the message that we are all “here on purpose.” The speaker, Pastor Jay, reminded us through several Bible stories that we are sometimes not where we want to be in life. Perhaps we feel that we are to small to make a difference. We may be saying things like “I can make a difference when this or that happens.” Pastor Jay challenges us all to remember that God will use us every day if we let him, and his message reminds us that sometimes living according to God’s purpose in the little things prepares us for the bigger things God has in store for us.
“And we know that for those who love God, that is, for those who are called according to his purpose, all things are working together for good.” - Romans 8:28
Grades 5-8 Beach Trip Tomorrow, September 21
Students in grades 5-8 will be taking their first ASB trip to the Oregon coast tomorrow. We will be taking a school bus and spending the day in Florence and at Honeyman State Park. As parents, you are able to join us, but a background check is necessary if you would like to ride the bus and volunteer.
What to know:
Arrive at school: 8:00
Leave for the coast by bus: 8:20
Leave from the coast: 2:30
Return to school: 5:00
What to bring: Tomorrow’s weather forecast for Florence is a high of 61 with cloudy skies. Dress accordingly for our time in Old Town Florence. Students can bring money for shopping or treats in Old Town Florence. Students should plan on packing a lunch that does NOT have microwavable items. We will be eating at Honeyman State Park before we head to play on the dunes and splash in the water or play in the sand. Water bottle, shorts & shirts, one-piece suits, towels, sunscreen, flip-flops can all help make the day fun. Please plan a spare pair of clothes for the return ride. These are all things that will make our time at Honeyman State Park fun!
Home & School Parent Meeting this Wednesday
Becky Johnson is excited to get things going for the year with our Home & School. Here is a message she wanted to share for this week. “Please join us for our upcoming Home and School meeting on Wednesday, September 23rd at 4:00 PM in the library. We will start planning for our upcoming events and discuss ways families can be involved. We hope to see you there and look forward to connecting with our school families.”
We chose the 4:00 meeting time because it is so close to our pickup time. If you are interested in how just a few small moments of help by many can create a big year of fun memories, plan on checking in. If you are able to stay for the 4:00 meeting, your child can stay at afterschool at no cost for the day.
Fall MAP Testing is happening this Week Tuesday - Thursday
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 8:30-12:00. The testing times will vary according the the homerooms. 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 T-Th. 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 next week 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 Two Weeks
Getting family together is always fun. On Sunday, October 4 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.
Grades 1-6 Field Trip to Newport, Oregon
Students in grades 1-6 will be having a field trip to the Oregon Coast too! This will be in a little over one week, Tuesday, September 29. Here are a few things to know about this upcoming trip. As a school, there are two main activities that the school pays for program costs. For the students in grades 7&8, it is Bible Camp. For students in grades 1-4, it is swimming lesson in the winter. For our 6th grade students it is outdoor school in the winter. Do we do other field trips? Yes. Is there an additional cost for those activities? Yes.
Cost: The $40 charge per person / student covers trip expenses (minus sack lunch) for the day including a discounted admission for the harbor and ocean cruise. We understand that cost can be an issue. We want every child to participate and we do have some opportunities for fundraising to help with this trip. The school will pay the admission for all participants and then we will work to fund the trip through individual admission prices paid to the school, donations for the trip, and a later fundraising opportunity to fill in the missing pieces.
What happens on the ocean excursion? “Our welcoming staff and crew offer a true Oregon adventure for visitors from far and near. We are a family owned and operated business that showcases the Oregon Coast with seasoned captains having experience from the Bering Sea to San Francisco Harbor. Joined by a team of friendly naturalist guides, we provide a fun and exciting 2-hour sea life cruise that focus on Oregon wildlife aboard the deluxe 65ft DISCOVERY.
Depending on the time of year, we look for gray whales, harbor porpoise, seals, sea lions, pelicans, bald eagles, and an abundance of marine birds. Enjoy the incredible scenery of our bay, river, and coastline featuring the largest fishing fleet on the Oregon Coast, our historic bridge, two lighthouses, and fun activities for all ages!
Our cruise route varies depending on the ocean conditions. This way, we can provide a cruise that is safe and comfortable as well as an activity you can count on! If the ocean is calm, we will spend most of our time on it. If the ocean is rough, or the conditions change while you are our there, we have 6 miles of bay and river ways to explore!” - Taken from Marine Discovery Tours website.
What do you need to do right now? Tomorrow, a slip will go home that lets you share your families plans for the field trip. It will offer choices that will let us know how many will be going (students, sibling, parents) and options for planning for the admission price. Please return the slip on Tuesday, September 22.
Hot Lunch this Year at ECA
Hot lunch is on Wednesday this year. Meals for students in grades 1-2 are $5. For students in grades 3-8, meals are $6. Meals can be ordered and charged to your credit card that is on file. You can click on the hot lunch order link in the weekly newsletter, or can be ordered through the website in the student life tab.
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 21 - Grades 5-8 ASB trip to the Florence, Oregon for the day
Tuesday, September 22-Thursday, September 24 - MAP Testing
Monday, September 28 - ECA Track & Field Day
Tuesday, September 29 - Grades 1-6 Field Trip to Newport, Oregon - Marine Discovery Tours
