Crossville Christian School

Thank you so much, parents and students, for helping us get back to school today even though Cumberland County is not having school today.  I didn’t think that we would have to use the new plan so soon.

 Although the weather report on my computer says only snow flurries today and tomorrow, I think it would be wise to come to school on a one-hour delay tomorrow, Thursday, February 18.  There is also a note going home with students today with the same information.

Again, thank you for your cooperation.

Julia Dean, Headmaster

Crossville Christian School will open one hour late on Wednesday, February 17, 2010. 

As our PTF meeting was cancelled due to the snow day, the make-up date for the PTF meeting will be Thursday, January 28 at 6:00 p.m.

PLEASE NOTE this is only the PTF meeting.  There will be no chili supper or class performance for this meeting.  Please see Ms. Anita if you have further questions.

Our regularly scheduled PTF meeting for February is Thursday, February 18^th where the 1^st and 2^nd grade classes will be performing with a spaghetti dinner to follow.

Thank you,

Sally Nash

PTF President

Please mark your calendars for the Dream Big Auction and Dinner Thursday, March 4^th; note there will be no PTF meeting in March due to the Dream Big Auction.

Thank you,

Sally Nash

PTF President

Crossville Christian School will open two hours late on Tuesday, January 5, 2010.  This delays the opening of school until 10:00 a.m.

Please remember that during the winter months, school may be cancelled, closed early, or delayed in opening depending on the weather.  Notes will be sent home if time permits.  If not, announcements may be heard on 102.5 radio or WBIR-TV Channel 10 Knoxville.

Thanks,

Julia Dean, Headmaster

Isn’t it great that we don’t have to say “Happy Holidays”?  It’s so wonderful that we can actually use the name of “Christ” in our greeting this time of year.

As I said in my column in the newsletter, this is my favorite time of year.  That is mostly true because my parents and their families always made it such a special time for me.  It was more than gifts - it was knowing that they all loved me.  It was listening to stories of past Christmases, singing familiar carols together, and standing in front of a roaring fire for most of the day.  It was sharing holiday recipes that had been in the family for many years; it was making those recipes with my mother or my aunts.  Long after the toys and other presents are forgotten, those precious activities live on in my memories.  I hope our CCS families are creating those memories for years to come.

If you’re looking for a wonderful opportunity to hear and see Christmas, Central Baptist Church is presenting its Living Christmas Tree in three performances next weekend.  Those times are Friday, December 11, at 7:00; Saturday, December 12, at 2:00; and Sunday, December 13, at 6:00.  This year’s program is called The Wonder of Christmas.  The children’s choirs will lead off each performance.

Next week will be a regular week at school with the older students attending “It’s a Wonderful Life” at the Cumberland County Playhouse on Tuesday.  I’m sure there are many Christmas activities going on in the classrooms - I’ve heard lots of singing already.  On Wednesday, December 16, we will be caroling at Wyndridge and Cumberland Ridge.  Friday, December 18, will be our last day before the Christmas Break; it will be a 10:00 dismissal day.  Please pick up your child on time that day because the staff will be leaving to have their Christmas luncheon shortly after the students are gone.

Our first day back after the Christmas Break will be Monday, January 4, 2010!  However, remember we will be heading into the time of year when weather sometimes interferes with our schedule.  Announcements will be made on local radio stations and Knoxville television stations if weather prevents us from coming to school.

My wish for all of you is a wonderful Christmas and a healthy, happy, and safe New Year.

 Julia Dean, Headmaster

Luke 2:11 - “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”.

Parents and Students,

This is just a reminder that next week will be a two-day week.  Our Thanksgiving break will be Wednesday, November 25, until Sunday, November 29.  I hope all of you have a safe, fun-filled Thanksgiving.  Thank you so much for all you do to make CCS the wonderful place that it is.

In Christ,

 Julia Dean, Headmaster

When I look at the calendar, I can’t believe that it’s the end of the first grading period.  Look for report cards to come home on Friday, October 23.  Parents, please remember that fall conferences are mandatory.  Hopefully, teachers and parents will share valuable information about how students are progressing both academically and behaviorally.  Everyone has to have input for this process to work.  As I walk into classrooms, I see so many great learning opportunities taking place; it makes me very proud to be part of this school.

We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the weather will cooperate to have our Fall Festival on Saturday, October 24, 11:00-2:00.  A final determination will be made on Thursday as to whether it’s a “go” or not.

November 5th will be our next PTF meeting with a turkey dinner to follow.  The 3rd/4th graders will be performing after the business meeting.  Sally Nash will be making an agenda for the meeting; one probable topic will be the float for the Crossville Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 5th.  Mrs. Selby is heading the effort to have a terrific float this year.

November will also bring one of my favorite Simple Gifts projects of the whole year.  That’s the shoeboxes that we fill for Samaritan’s Purse.  For those of you new to this effort, it is sponsored by the Billy Graham Crusade Organization and led by his son William Graham.  The goal is to take Christmas to as many children as possible in the world.  We ask students/families to fill a shoebox for a girl or boy (or both if you want).  Our shoeboxes are taken to Central Baptist Church to be delivered to the processing center in Atlanta.  One of our former board members, Ken Schrader, and his wife Nancy have even worked at a processing center.  From the processing centers the shoeboxes are sent worldwide.  I’ve seen video and still pictures of children receiving the shoeboxes, and they can really warm your heart!

Of course, we’ll be celebrating the Thanksgiving holidays with an extended break of Wednesday, November 25, until Sunday, November 29.  I hope all of you will plan something special with your families and friends.  Take time to reflect and be thankful for all the blessings you have in your lives.

Another activity that CCS enjoys is the Festival of Trees at First National Bank.  This is an opportunity for schools and civic organizations to decorate a tree for display during the holidays.  There is an open house at the bank on the Sunday that the trees go on display.  I am always amazed at the creativity of the groups doing the trees.

In December our Simple Gifts project is more people oriented than “stuff” oriented as we take the students to Wyndridge and Cumberland Ridge to sing Christmas carols.  The residents of both places always enjoy seeing the children, especially the smaller ones.  Our plan is to do this on Wednesday, December 16.

As I write this I can see bright sunshine (thankfully), but I know that there are gray, snowy days ahead.  I like to remind parents and students around this time of year that CCS follows the Cumberland County Schools in dismissal procedures for the wintery weather.  If Cumberland County dismisses or delays in beginning the school day, we follow their lead.  Announcements will be made on WBIR-TV in Knoxville and the local radio stations.  Depending on the timing of the bad weather, these announcements may occur either the evening before the school day or very early on the day in question.  Occasionally, bad weather will occur during the school day; this sometimes causes us to dismiss school early.  We also follow Cumberland County Schools in this situation.

In closing, on a personal note, for those of you who haven’t heard, I will be getting married on Saturday, November 7th, to James Earl Dean.  He has lived in Crossville for a long time, is a retired businessman and Mayor Pro Tem of Crossville.  He’s a wonderful man who I met at my church.  We are very excited and looking forward to beginning a new life together.  A big “thank you” to those of you who have already congratulated us.

God Bless all of you,

Julia Palumbo, Headmaster

 Colossians 3:14 - And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Parents and Friends,

If it ever stops raining, we may enjoy some beautiful fall weather!  Here at CCS we’re wishing for the crisp mornings and blue skies that signal the onset of autumn.  It’s always been my favorite season, especially here on the Cumberland Plateau.  I enjoy watching the leaves change colors, although I don’t like raking!

Things change here at school, too.  The teachers and students finally settle into the routine that they’ll follow for the school year.  The PreK children have stopped crying as they have learned what school is all about and that their parents really will be back “in a little while”.  Our older students are busy with homework and special projects.

October brings several events.  At our second PTF meeting on Thursday, October 1, we’ll be entertained by the 5th/6th graders with some memory work that will impress everyone who attends.  Til Helvenston will be sharing the results of last year’s survey.  There will also be a discussion of the upcoming fall festival (which was re-scheduled for October 24).  With this meeting we’ll start our dinners which are always a yummy treat.  October’s entree will be lasagna with various classes being responsible for salad, bread, drinks, or dessert.  Forms will be coming home to sign up for the dinner.

On Friday, October 2, CCS students and teachers will be going to Autumn Acres for the day (weather permitting).  This is usually the highlight of the fall for us.  Many of our parents attend this event.  Autumn Acres provides a lot of outdoor fun including a ride to the pumpking patch where the smallest students always select the largest pumpkins!  The mazes are a lot of fun and there are animals to visit!  Students will report directly to Autumn Acres and leave from there.  Parents who are staying with their child can stay as long as they wish; parents who are dropping off students and picking them up later need to arrive no later than 3:00 p.m.

Everyone is looking forward to Fall Break!  We’ll be out of school at our traditional time beginning with Columbus Day which is October 12; we’ll return to school on Monday, October 19.  If you plan on traveling, have a safe trip.  If you are staying around home, enjoy some of the activites nearby.

So far our attendance has been very good and we’re hoping that it continues.  We realize that the flu may eventually affect us, and I have asked the board about dismissing school due to illness.  Of course, this would be done as a last result.  What we are doing is being very careful to sanitize as much as we can and encourage the students and staff to wash hands frequently.  Please follow your own doctor’s recommendations as to flu immunizations for your children and yourselves.  I know I’ll be getting the regular flu shot, but I don’t qualify for the risk groups for the H1N1.

Finally, report cards for the first nine weeks will be sent home on Friday, October 23.  Don’t forget that fall conferences are required for all students.  These should be held at a time that is convenient for both the parents and the teacher.  It’s very important for the educational progress of students that everyone participate in these conferences.

Thank you so much for your continued support and interest in CCS.

In Christ,

Julia Palumbo, Headmaster

Colossians 3:17 - And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Believe it or not, it’s almost time to head back to CCS for another school year.  Where did the summer break go?  I know we’ve all been busy with various activites, including vacations to neat places.  That’s all about to end.

Next week, on Wednesday, August 12, we will have our student orientation day.  This will be an 8:00-10:00 a.m. day.  Thursday, August 13, and Friday, August 14, will be full days.

We have changed the time of Open House this year.  In the past, Open House was held as part of  the first PTF meeting in September.  This year we decided to have Open House on Thursday, August 13 at 6:00 p.m.  Parents will report to their child’s classroom to pick up the “back to school” packet.  While in the classroom the teacher will go over important information including the discipline plan, homework, projects, schedule, etc.  We think that it will work better to have this kind of information early on - not waiting almost a month.  For families with more than one child enrolled, it may be necessary to attend a session at each child’s classroom.  Ms. Anita has assembled the “back to school” packets and there is a lot of information in them; the packets will be handed out at Open House.  Please read over the papers in the packet  carefully and respond to anything that needs to be signed or returned to school.  You will notice something new in the Parent/Student Handbook.  This year we are asking parents to sign a sheet inside the handbook indicating that they have read the handbook.  Since the handbook contains so much useful information and can answer many parent questions, it is important that parents READ it, sign the sheet, and return the sheet to school.

On Saturday, August 15, we will have our Back to School Picnic on the grounds of the First Presbyterian Church across from CCS.  Each class has been given a food item to supply for the picnic.  The picnic will be from 11:00-2:00.  This is a great opportunity to meet and talk to other parents, teachers, administration, and board members.  Everyone enjoys this annual event.

Hopefully, this information will ease any concerns you have about the beginning of school.  Remember, this weekend is “tax free” weekend which can help when purchasing school supplies, clothing, computers, etc.  Finally, I look forward to seeing lots of smiling faces on August 12, as parents drop off children for a new school year; I hope the parents aren’t the only ones who’ll be smiling!

Love in Christ,

Julia Palumbo, Headmaster