First of all, I need to really apologize for the long wait between posts here. Life got in the way, my involvement in the school is less than it used to be, and I have just become a bit more detached from the daily goings on. But I do need to get back at it and update you as to the latest happenings. I also have some photos of the amazing progress we have been making.
Summertime does not mean vacation at Union Center Christian School! We are so thankful for a year of learning and growth, but at the same time we are preparing for next year. Changes are happening inside and out. The long-awaited roof project has been fully funded, and metal is piled in the parking lot waiting to be installed.
Meanwhile inside the building, work crews have been busy in the south hallway. I was shocked at the progress that has been made, when I went to take these photos! I hadn’t been there for a while. Next year we plan to move junior high and high school to their own wing. Two classrooms are being completely renovated, with new windows as well as heating/air conditioning, and are well on their way to serving students. We have room for many more students, especially in those upper grades. Get your applications in early!
Because we got behind, let me mention a few highlights of this year. Students enjoyed honing their basketball and volleyball skills this spring. Mr. Aaron arranged a contest with Bethany Christian School from Kokomo. Even though our young teams didn’t win, they played hard and were good sports. The fellowship and camaraderie were fun to watch. Everyone enjoyed a meal together afterwards. An added benefit was meeting a cousin whose family has been associated with Bethany for many years.
In April the school held their first-ever program. Hundreds of parents, grandparents, and friends enjoyed the enthusiastic singing and poem recitations. Sarah Martin has been teaching both Music and Spanish, and that really enriches the student experience. The gym felt full, but according to my notes, at one of the first programs ever held here, there were 800 people in attendance! Hard to believe.
Another highlight of the past year was having students participate in a Read-a-Thon in February. Competition was stiff in the elementary classrooms, but Miss Jen’s class was the winner of the class pizza party, raising over $5000 just in their room! Altogether we had 30 readers, 49,082 pages read, and over $11,000 raised for school support. We celebrated everyone with a party after school and some nice prizes. A special thanks to local prize sponsors: Rise and Roll and Perfect Twist. Reading is such an important skill, and the enthusiasm of the many sponsors was an encouragement to these students as well.
End of the year field trips were enjoyed by all. The students also brightened a neighbor’s day when they walked down the road to take flowers and sing to a lady who was turning 95.
It certainly takes a team to make our school successful. The board puts in many unseen hours. Countless volunteers mow and paint and put in ceiling tile and proofread library books. The teachers look over their plans and come up with creative ideas every year. Thank you, faithful reader, for praying and contributing in many ways. Together we can help our students Learn for Life!
I do need to get back on track with teacher bios, but they are so busy! Maybe I can bug them this summer to get them done for me. Should we have any new teachers this fall, I will try to get them to contribute as well. Hopefully you haven’t all given up on these posts.
