Congratulations Michaiah!

Michaiah Mayton won 1st place in the First Grade Spelling Bee hosted by Avery Parsons Elementary!  Congratulations Michaiah - we're proud of you and your diligent effort to learn spelling and new words.  Well done!

Part of the 1st and 2nd grade class gathers round to celebrate Michaiah's spelling bee victory and trophy.

Celebrating God's Handiwork

The Bible says we are "fearfully and wonderfully made," (Psalm 139) and our recent Awards Chapels this month were a day for celebrating the hand-crafted uniqueness, gifting, and good stewardship of our students.

Each teacher in the Elementary Awards Chapel commended each child with a "Fruit of the Spirit" award recognizing a quality character trait that the student has exhibited in the classroom and throughout the school during the first semester.  Each student was also recognized for academic achievement or growth, and students who had perfect attendance or earned a place on the academic honor roll were recognized for those achievements as well.

Secondary Awards Chapel followed elementary with Junior High students each being recognized by Mrs. Tritz following a similar format: Mrs "T" acknowledged each student's academic and character strengths that she had observed through the first semester.

High school students' awards are structured a bit differently - each high school student receives a "Fan the Flame" award recognizing a God-given gift or talent that the high school staff has observed in the student.  The title comes from  2 Timothy 1:6-7, where Paul reminds Timothy to "fan into flame the gift of God," because "we have not been given a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline."  During the awards chapel, students were encouraged both to enjoy their particular talents and gifts, and to develop and cultivate them, to "fan into flame" the gifts and abilities with which the Lord has blessed them.

Academic awards are likewise done a little differently for high school students.  The grade of A at DPCA means that students have put significant effort into their learning and have been faithful in the stewardship of their studies, so students who earned an A in any class received academic recognition in that subject.  Teachers may also elect to give academic recognition to students who have made significant improvements in a class, or have demonstrated perseverance and consistent determined effort, and thus demonstrated their good stewardship in that manner as well.

Awards chapels give the staff at DPCA an opportunity to publicly affirm and encourage each of our students, and to simultaneously acknowledge that every gift and ability, and in fact our very lives, are gifts from God.  We're deeply grateful for each of our students and each of our families, and enjoyed having parents and grandparents join in the time of affirmation for our children this morning. One of our grandparents noted:

My wife and I have attended Awards Chapels many times for 20 years. These times are very special to us because they exhibit so much about Christian Education.

Each teacher prayerfully considers each child individually for an award that has a spiritual and moral component to it. We have watched as teachers cannot speak because of the impact a particular child has on them. As they search their heart for the words to say to describe the child’s characteristic, there is a “spiritual” moment of time when the room is quiet and the obvious contact between the teacher, the Spirit of God, and the student is center stage and time stands still. Hugs are allowed and tears freely flow. 

Characteristics such as compassion, perseverence, diligence, helpfulness, etc., are identified with appropriate scripture to compliment the selection. This is not in anyway about the student’s achievements for the school semester or period, but it is about recognized deep spiritual observation by the teacher. If you ever have the opportunity to observe one of these chapel times, you will be enriched. What a blessing to have this as a component of Christian Education.

- Dave and Elaine Macnab

A few pictures from the day are posted here; we also posted additional pictures on the DPCA Facebook page.  Hopefully the pictures and the short video below of Mr. Ritschard talking about senior Hawk White's Fan the Flame award will help our readers have a sense of the spirit of Awards Chapel.

Awards Chapel is held once each semester, with the spring semester chapel planned for May 22nd.

Joyful We Adore Thee

We LOVE being part of a school community where Jesus is honored as Redeemer, Helper, Counselor, Friend, and King.  What a privilege - and it is so fun to celebrate this central orientation of our school at Christmastime, with our students.  The annual Christmas program is just an expression of our daily desire to walk with the Lord and celebrate the children that the Lord has given us as families, and gives us the privilege to work with every day at school.

This year's Christmas program title was "Joyful We Adore Thee", and we pray that expression will be the hallmark of our lives this Christmas season - that with joy, great joy, we will adore the One who made us and redeems us!  A very Merry Christmas to us all!

Thank you to Mr. Barnes and all our students for a memorable and lovely evening of Christmas celebration!

A few more photos...  video clips are posted at DPCA's Facebook page.

Go Eagles!

More from Mr. Barnes' music class this week... Go Eagles!

Good Reviews from the Subs!

"Miss Kandice" Alkire fills in during Mr. Euler's math class

Substitute teachers don't always have an easy job - it can be a real challenge to step into a classroom full of students you may not know very well, take up another teacher's plans for the day, and ensure that meaningful instruction and activities take place in the regular teacher's absence.

Of course, having a substitute can be challenging for students as well, with changes in routine and perhaps expectations part of the "normal" when a substitute steps into the classroom.

DPCA is blessed with a group of great substitute teachers we call on when a regular teacher is sick or has other personal or professional needs away from the normal classroom schedule. Each time a substitute completes an assignment, he or she fills out a report sheet that includes opportunity for reporting how the day or class went.  Given the challenges of a classroom hour or day with a substitute teacher, one might expect that feedback from "subs" could be filled with angst about the day or about the student's behavior - but reports from substitutes at DPCA are most often filled with great reviews on the students and the atmosphere at school and in the classroom.  Here are typical feedback comments received from our DPCA substitute teachers:

We had an excellent morning. Diligent students - It was fun to discuss the pilgrims and Thanksgiving and prepare for chapel, in addition to regular studies.

I can really feel that the students are getting to know the Lord.  The students help each other and myself by making me feel welcome.

I had a great time. All the students were very respectful.

Encouraging, pleasant school to work in! Christian atmosphere which not only includes Bible class, pledges, prayer time and social issues, but the whole "mood" and culture of the school.

The kids were very respectful.

I had a very fun day! 

We're grateful for a great group of substitutes who make it possible for us to carry on when our teachers need to be absent for a time, and grateful too that the character of our students facilitates productive work and positive relationships when the "subs" come to work!

Cagers Victorious at Hyland

That blur is Keely moving fast on a break...

Sydney and Cailyn keep the pressure on a Lady Cougar

The DPCA Mens and Womens Basketball teams traveled to Westminster on Tuesday the 16^th to take on the Hyland Cougars. The evening began with the Lady Eagles taking the the court first against the Lady Cougars. Both teams got off to a slow start, with many shots taken and just not falling in.  By half-time the Eagles had earned a narrow 22-20 lead. The second half Keely Campbell bombed the Cougars with her long range shooting, paving the way for a commanding lead. Campbell ended the night with a game high 31 points, while Allison Dages scored 10, and Heather Burdges had 6. “ I'm very proud of these ladies for playing with great determination and great attitudes; they just continue to improve at team work,” said Coach Navarrette about his team's victory. A final score of 49-39 put the Lady Eagles at 3-1 for the season.

Noah shoots a lay-up

Nathan putting up his shot against pressure

The men's game also got off to a slow start for the Eagles, but ultimately the DPCA boys  won their match against the Cougars as well.  The game stayed close until the Eagles began pressuring the Cougar's offense, creating multiple turnovers.  Leading the scoring was Nathan Van Deel with 19 points. Noah Ritschard added 15, and Garrett O'Neal had 9 - all crucial three-pointers that each time helped to shift momentum toward the Eagles. The game wrapped up at 49-32, giving the men's team their first win of the season.

Fun in Music Class

Merry Christmas! Mr. Barnes has been having a good time with his music students the last couple of days making some fun musical videos...

Here are a couple of samples: