Last Month of Summer Vacation! As much as we are looking forward to school starting, it is with heavy heart that this year will begin without one of our aides. God decided it was time to take Mary Hickling home to be with Him in heaven. We will never know why, but we know her years here on Earth brought much joy to our preschool students, families, and church members. Her laughter and smile were always a bright spot of my visits to the preschool room. Please keep Dave and the kids in your prayers. Seeing Dave’s strong faith has reminded me of how important it is to have Lutheran Schools. We have great teachers and have great academic achievements, but it is the sharing of our faith and helping students share their faith that makes us different, and in my opinion, better.
Teachers will be reporting again mid month. We have some professional development days scheduled to kick off the school year. We look forward to start mapping out our curriculum and making changes where they are needed in order to benefit the students. We also will be trained on how to start using the iPads in the classrooms. Recently, I read a great blog post by Tim Elmore, who is a well-known educator and speaker. Nicki Drinane was able to listen to him speak at her SLED conference this past June, and I will get to hear him speak at the Lutheran Education Association Convocation. In his blog, he talks about how known computer technology heroes, such as Steve Jobs, were rejected many times by their employers because it was different than what the company was use to. Education can be that way too. We need to find ways that engage students in order to teach them the crucial elements. (http://growingleaders.com/blog/are-you-resistant-to-the-change-generation-iy-brings/)
Speaking of the LEA Convocation, I was asked to be part of their tech team to keep people involved with what is going on in the conference for those who couldn’t go to a certain sectional or had to stay at home. We will be using twitter and other social media services to keep people informed.
Lastly, a huge controversial topic has been circulating recently. Common Core Standards! Common Core Standards are nothing new. They have been around for a greater part of three years when Michigan Department of Education first adopted the standards. Many are concerned on how these standards can or will affect CTK. In simple terms, we will not be tied down by anything that will ever go against what we believe in or what the Bible says is true. Bruce Braun, Michigan District Superintendent of Schools, wrote a wonderful blog about how the Common Core Standards fit in with CTK and other Lutheran Schools. http://www.michigandistrict.org/blog/education/common-core-standards-à-la-carte-menu
May God continue to bless your Summer.
In God,
Daniel Burk and the CTK Staff
