Volleyball Awards Night

by Tom Navarrette, Athletic Director

Parents, siblings, fans, and volleyball players came together in the Eagle Cafetorium Monday night, October 29, to celebrate the achievements of the girls over the course of the 2012 season.

Members of the junior high girls volleyball team were recognized by Coach Navarrette, who talked about each of his players, pointing out the strengths of each young lady.  The Eagles JH competed in the A division of all games and tournaments; the 8th grade A team lost 3 contests all season, and the 7th grade A team lost only 2.  The Eagles were a very young team, with only four 8th graders and one 7th grader; the remainder of the players were in 6th grade. This season the 7A Most Improved Player was Caitlin Locket, and Most Valuable Player was Shelby Storms.  In 8A, the Most Improved Player was Sydney McManamay, and the Most Valuable Player was Heather Burdges.

 

Following the junior high players, the Varsity volleyball team was also recognized for their efforts and good sportsmanship during the fall season. Coach Campbell had each girl tell a story or two about the season; it was great fun for the audience to hear some "inside" stories that didn't always have to do with the game itself.  Coach praised the girls for their tough play throughout the season, and also mentioned that other schools took notice of the skill improvement of the Eagle Ladies.  The Eagle varsity girls are also a young team, with Carly Romnes the only senior .  Coach is looking forward to a great season next year.    Even though she would love to give all the girls special awards, Coach Campbell was limited to one in each category.  The Varsity Most Improved Player was Heather Burdges, and the Most Valuable Player for the 2012 season was Rebecca Pranger.
 
 
Congratulations, girls, on a great season of play, sportsmanship, and representing your school so well.  We are proud of you!

Coming This Week: Fall Family Night

All DPCA families are invited this coming Friday, November 2 to join in celebrating the end of the first quarter and God’s goodness to our school community through the fall. We’re having a simple chili supper beginning at 5:30 PM (right after P/T conferences wrap up), and then we have some family games and a dance with Mr. Randy Barnes planned.

Chili Supper and Games: 5:30 – 7:00

Dance and Dessert Contest: 7:00 – 8:00

We do need some help getting the meal together:  Could we have families bring supplies for the meal as follows?

1)            Last names A – B, 1 lb of ground beef, 1 box saltines

2)           Last names C-D, 2 large cans tomato sauce, 1 pkg small paper plates

3)           Last names G-L, 2 large cans diced tomatoes, 1 box saltines

4)           Last names M-O, 2 large cans chili beans, 1 bag Fritos

5)           Last names P-R, 2 large cans kidney beans, 1 bag Fritos

6)           Last names S, 1 pkg heavy paper plates, 1 pkg shredded cheese, 1 onion

7)           Last names T, 1 pkg paper bowls (that will hold chili), 1 pkg shredded cheese.

8)           Last names W-Z – 1 pkg paper/plastic cups, 1 pkg plastic silverware

9)           Everyone: Your favorite pie or cake to share.  We’re going to have the Best for Miles Around pie and cake contest, so if you have a special pie or cake you’d like to enter, be sure to let us know when you bring it in.

Please bring food items to school by the end of the school day Thursday, November 1.  Pies and cakes can be brought with you on Friday the 2nd. 

We're looking forward to a fun evening together with our school community, and hope everyone can come!

So that we can plan the food, please RSVP to the school office by Friday noon, November 2.  Thank you! 

Of Beavers and Pumpkins

What do beavers and pumpkins have in common?  Well, on the surface probably not too much, but the kindergarten class learned from Pastor Stanton Sikes in chapel today that beavers have unique roles in the ecosystem.  Did you know beaver dams enable about half of all the endangered species in North America to survive?  And that was just one of  many interesting facts about beavers that Pastor Stanton shared.  Why share about beavers in chapel?  Because Pastor Stanton was reminding us that God's "invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made..." (Romans 1:20) And, the God who made and gave beavers their purpose has also made and given us purpose: to love God and to love our neighbor. (Matthew 22:37-39)

And what does this have to do with pumpkins?  Beavers and pumpkins have this in common: God made them as He chose, according to the design He had for them, and in accordance with His purpose for them.  After chapel, the kindergarten class had fun estimating how many seeds would be in a pumpkin, and then opening some up to compare their estimates to reality.  Wow!  There are a lot of seeds in a pumpkin!

Whether it is beavers or pumpkins, (or the smiles on these faces)  God's divine nature and power can be clearly seen...

Current Events: October 24 to November 2

Several events are taking place at school over the next few days:

1) The 1st quarter ends Friday the 26th, so all work is due that day. Report cards will be sent out via Jupiter Grades for students in grades 7-12 on Wednesday the 31st, and via Thursday folders for grades K-6 on Thursday the 1st.

2) This coming Saturday and Sunday, October 27th and 28th, DPCA hosts the High Country Fine Arts Association's children's musical production Go West! Several DPCA students are in the cast.  For a delightful live show for the whole family, readers can take in the Saturday evening performance at 7:00 PM, or the Sunday matinee at 2:00 PM.

3) Volleyball Awards night will be Monday, October 29 in the school cafetorium.  Please note this is a date change.  The evening will begin at 7:00 PM following the first junior high basketball practice of the season. (Practice to begin right after school.)

4) Parent/Teacher Conferences are now being scheduled for Thursday and Friday, November 1 and 2. Parents are asked to please call the office to make an appointment.

5) Fall Family Night is November 2, after Parent/Teacher Conferences wrap up.  All parents and students are invited to join together for a chili supper, pie and cake contest, some fun friendly family competition, and a dance hosted by our own Randy Barnes!  Please watch for more information from the office...

ACSI Convention Encourages, Teaches

While students were out of school on Thursday and Friday the 18th and 19th, nearly all of the faculty and staff at DPCA attended the annual Association of Christian School International's Educator's Convention.  ACSI has changed the format of the convention in recent years; this year's convention was hosted in Ohio and simulcast to about 11,300 attendees at 81 sites around the country.  DPCA attended the satellite site at Colorado Springs Christian School.

The convention is designed to encourage and equip Christian school educators.  Sessions included thoughts on the vision and purpose of Christian schooling from Dr. Brian Simmons, president of ACSI; the characteristics and importance of effective teachers from Drs. Charlotte Danielson and James Stronge; and  a remarkable session with Dr. Barry Black, two-star U.S. admiral and now chaplain of the United States Senate, on the importance of his own Christian education, and his encouragement to parents to continue to invest in Christian education for their children.  Annette Breaux presented tips and pointers for effective classroom management, while Dr. Jeff Myers, president of Summit Ministries, presented on cultivating mentoring relationships. More inspirational sessions included Elisa Morgan, former president of MOPS International, presenting "She Did What She Could," an encouragement to follow Christ and walk with Him; Dr. Samson Makhado speaking of the explosive growth of Christian schooling in Africa and the exciting work that the Lord is doing on that continent; and finally, Dr. Wes Stafford, president of Compassion International, on the importance of one minute -- just a minute -- in a child's life.

Though the experience at Convention is a bit like trying to drink from a fire hose (there is so much to take in!), it proved again this year to be a refreshing and inspiring gathering for DPCA faculty and staff.  During Wednesday morning devotions this week we reflected on and shared some of our personal highlights from the two days, and agreed that each of us had learned much and been refreshed in our work with our students.  We also were reminded again what a blessing a Christ-centered education can be to students, and that though DPCA is remotely located, we are not alone - the Lord is working through literally hundreds of thousands of Christian educators, in millions of students' and families' lives around the world, through Christian schooling.  We were blessed to be able to attend the convention, and are blessed to have the privilege of "doing school" in a framework of Truth.

Junior High Copper Art

 Junior High students have been making copper tiles in art class the last couple of weeks.  Copper sheet is placed over a pattern and the student then uses a stylus to transfer the image to the copper.  Students can choose to leave the copper bright or "antique" it with steel wool.

The copper art project is a tradition in Mrs. Tritz's junior high art class.

Edible Plants Field Trip

Mr. Curro's Biology Class enjoyed a field trip to learn about edible plants in our local area Thursday, September 13.  Mr. Randy Barnes provided the instruction as the students learned a variety of plants whose berries, leaves, or roots are safe to eat.