“The Messenger”

Main Office:

403-254-6682

Principal

Stan Hielema

Vice Principal—Junior High

Michelle Duimel

Sports Coordinator

Mark Jonker

Development Officer

Laura Doornbosch

Curriculum Support

Cheryl Barnard

____________

Business Office

403-254-6716

Business Manager

John Unrau

Accounting Clerk

Colleen Geerlof

Facility Superintendent

James Richards

#100—295 Midpark Way SE,

Calgary, AB, T2Y 2X1

Phone: 403-254-6682

Fax: 403-254-9843

Website: www.tcskids.com

E-Mail: trinity@tcskids.com

Facebook: www.facebook/

tcskids

December 2012

School Theme for the Year “Your Part in God’s Story:” Colossians 1:16-17

"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many

parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ". 1Corinthians 12:12

Thank you to everyone who attended the Fall ACSCS Meeting, held on No-vember 15. It was a great time to come together and get updates on all of the exciting things that are taking place at TCS! It is very important to us that our Membership be informed and therefore, for those who were unable to attend, the following are some of the highlights from the agenda. For a complete copy of the Board’s presentation, please refer to the TCS website, under the resources tab. http://tcskids.celect.org/download-resources Administration Stan Hielema and Michelle Duimel provided updates on the transition to Pallis-er Regional Schools from an administrative perspective. They are encouraged by the level of support they have received and excited about new resources available to TCS. Michelle also shared an update on how God wonderfully provided the oppor-tunity for TCS to secure two boats for the SALTS program which will accom-modate our double grade nine classes coming up. Cheryl Barnard shared her “life story” and provided an overview of the ‘Teaching for Transformation’ curriculum, a program supported by the ACSCS Board, to continue to develop best practice in delivering Christian education. Transition We thank you for your support and prayers as we have transitioned to Palliser. At the Fall ACSCS Meeting, we detailed how the change impacts areas such as Society governance, roles, responsibilities, committee structures, etc. One area that will definitely not be impacted, however, is our commitment to the TCS Mission and Vision. In a recent review, other than one more edit, the Board felt the existing Mission Statement and Vision Statement continue to ex-press God’s purpose and direction for Trinity Christian School. At the ACSCS Meeting, the Board introduced John Unrau, our new Business Manager. You will see John’s profile in this issue of Messenger. Please stop by the Business Office to introduce yourself and welcome him to our community! Continued on next page……...

Welcome to

Trinity

Christian School!

Challenges and Opportunities One of the blessings of becoming an Alternative school under Palliser Regional Schools is the increased financial flexibility our Society has in planning for future growth. Palliser covers a significant part of the operating costs of TCS, i.e. teacher salaries. However, our Society is still financially responsible for providing and main-taining the facilities for our school. As was presented during the Board’s Financial Report, to make our Vision become a reality, , we have substantial challenges to deal with as we approach our next key milestone of August, 2015, when we are committed to purchase the second floor of Atrium VI We are planning information sessions in the new year where the ACSCS Board will provide further information on this matter and engage you, our ACSCS Members, in addressing the challenges ahead. We continue to see God’s provision and His hand in our journey. In the meantime, we would like to thank those of you who have participated in our Capital Campaign thus far [we are currently at 40% of our $2 million goal]. If you have not yet contributed, or are a new ACSCS Member, please contact Laura Doornbosch at laura.doornbosch@tcskids.com for information on how you can partic-ipate TCS Community At TCS, we are blessed by many parents who commit their time and talents, and this commitment is core to what makes the TCS Community special and unique. There are many volunteer opportunities available at the school [for example, the Develop-ment Committee and Facilities Committee are looking for new members]. Please contact Laura Doornbosch or an ACSCS Board member to discuss where you might use your gifts and identify a potential fit. As always, we encourage you to prayerfully consider how God would best direct your time and talents to fulfill His plans for Trinity Christian School. We look forward to hearing from you! In His Service, ACSCS Board of Directors

I am Kyla Brown, the new Family School Liaison Counselor and I am honored to be serving this community by helping children and families cope with difficulties they are having in their lives, either at home or at school. This is the beginning of my 5th year with Palliser Regional Schools, serving schools in this position. I spent the first 3 years at Master’s Academy and College and Glenmore Christian Academy. This last year I have been on maternity leave with the arrival of our first baby boy, Parker. Returning to work with Palliser after being away, I have been given the opportunity to work at Calgary Christian Elementary and Trinity Christian School and have been overwhelmed by the warm welcome I have received.

Prior to starting in the FSLC position with Palliser, I completed a Master’s of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy. Since then, I have been working towards becoming a licensed Psychologist. I have so enjoyed the role of working with students in this way and consider it such a privilege. Growing up I was very involved in my church, the experiences that I had there in youth leadership, outreach and missions gave me a passion for helping others. When making a decision about what career I would pursue, I knew this was a requirement. I am so blessed to have been able to fulfill that God given desire by serving students in this way. I will be at Trinity Christian School most often Tuesdays and Thursdays. Referral forms are available at the school office, or on the website. If you have any questions concerning the counselling services at TCS, or if you would like to refer your child, please contact me. My full bio is available online at www.tcskids.com

Kyla Brown R. Prov. Psych.

Family School Liaison Counsellor Trinity Christian School and Calgary Christian Elementary School

Ph:(403)519-1069 Email: kyla.brown@pallisersd.ab.ca

I am John Unrau and new to the Trinity

community. I have taken the position

of Business Manager at TCS, replac-

ing Reinette Otte. That might not

sound very interesting but, after my

first week I have come to realize that

this is a diverse position and I look for-

ward to being an active partner in that

role. Although my previous working

experience is primarily in profit oriented businesses, I do have a passion for education and how it impacts up-

coming students.

My wife Val, and I have been lifelong proponents of educating in a Christian setting, mostly at our local

church’s. Our involvement in our Winnipeg church came in many forms and when we moved to Calgary in

1999 we joined Bonavista Evangelical and got involved there as well. I have enjoyed the camaraderie of oth-

er individuals in the managing of the facilities, and participation in the finance activity at Bonavista.

My working experiences, mainly in a Controller position, captured activities in business management, full

cycle accounting and financing activities. The business management/facilities are of great interest to me in

completing my accounting requirements.

I am at TCS daily, and look forward to meeting many of you soon.

Small School, Big Banner

Trinity is the only 1J school to have won 3J volleyball zones. Our senior girl’s team

finished first in both league and zones.

Our season started with a game at Glenmore Christian Academy. An unnamed player

showed up without her shoes, forcing our only present coach back down the road, to our school.

Although this game began in chaos, we pulled off a victory. Unfortunately in our next game we

didn’t fare so well. We lost to Rundle College, our only loss in league play, whom we later downed

to win cities! Over the season, we became more consistent and strong. We finished our tourna-

ments with one 3rd, two 2nds, and peaked at the right time to win our final tournament in Three

Hills.

Though not undefeated, we still finished first going into playoffs. After two nail biting

matches, Trinity conquered our rival, Rundle College, providing us with our first banner and tak-

ing us to zones. The competition at zones forced us to play our ‘A’ game. Not dropping any games,

and with a pre-final jolt of caffeine provided by Mrs. Verhoeff, we triumphed over Strathcona

Tweedsmuir in the final, beating them in two games, and clinching the title as 3J zone champions.

We thank God for our success and injury free season.

Participating players: Ilne Barnard, Jenna Elmquist, Elizabeth Fogg, Annie Hielema, Mckenna

Howard, Hilary Howe, Sarah Janz, Rachel McDonald, Lexi Peart, Paige Taylor.

Grade 7 Girls Volleyball SeasonGrade 7 Girls Volleyball SeasonGrade 7 Girls Volleyball Season

This volleyball season was amazing! We got to experience having so much fun, not only practicing, but also playing games. Here are some highlights from the season:

Coaches

This year, our coach was Mr. G. He was one of the best coaches we could have ever asked for! He was always so encouraging and he kept pushing us to do our best. Unfortunate-ly, Mr. G could not attend the final tournament. However, we had some awesome substitutes to fill his spot. Ms. Schellenberg, Mr. Dykshoorn, Ms. Van Essen, and Mrs. McEwan all helped to lead us to the finals.

Playing the Games and Practices

While playing the games, there were a few really funny moments. For example, when Ava was about to serve, Mr. G. noticed her shoe laces were undone and made her tie them before serving while everyone was watching! Also when the ball came over the net, Carissa and Lydia were going for it. Carissa didn’t see Lydia and backed into her. They both fell over and lost the point.

Practices were also funny. Jayda was going up to practice spiking when a ball rolled under her feet. She landed on the ball and tripped.

Winning the Game

On our final game, it was down to the wire! We barely won the first set, however, we lost the second set. On the final set, the first team to make it to 15 points won the gold. All of us were extremely nervous and some of us couldn’t even move. But when we started playing, we all calmed down and did our best. And we end-ed up winning the gold!

Overall, it was an exciting season, but we couldn’t have done it without God. We will always remember what he has done for us!

1J Senior Boys Volleyball1J Senior Boys Volleyball1J Senior Boys Volleyball

The Trinity Christian School 1J Senior Boys volleyball team (featuring Eli McKitrick, Brett Janz, Jonah Barkey, Logan Betsworth, Aden Kepford, Kai Ravensbergen, Ethan Klein, Kai Bolton and Mason Logan) had an amazing season and grew together as a team, ending their season with a third place finish. Their coaches: Mrs. Betsworth and Ms. Kray taught the team to believe in themselves and accomplish their goals. As setter Eli M. said, “this year in volleyball was an amazing season with great coaches. If I had to sum it up with one word it would be: #yoloswag”. Judging from the attitude of the players, this season changed their thoughts about TCS athletics for the years to come. Good times were had and fun games were played. The players now move on to other sports, leaving great memories in their wake. -Eli McKitrick and Brett Janz

2B Boat Showcase

Grade 2B celebrated our “Boats and Buoyancy” science unit with a Boat Show-

case! Students used their knowledge about buoyancy and waterproof materials to

create models of cargo ships, sailboats, catamarans, and other real boats. We

shared our creations with T.C.S. and parents during our Celebration of Learning!

TCS grads continue

in their Volleyball

journey…...

Front row Micah Balisky,

Taylor Howe, Back Row,

Matthias Rayner and Mat-

thew Nudd - they are

starters on the EP Scar-

lett Sr. Volleyball Team

and finished 2nd in the

city. They participated in

the 4A Provincials last

weekend!

S.A.L.T.S 2013 Our current grade 8 students are fully immersed into their fundraising for their SALTS trip next fall. Here are a few ways you can join our grade 8 class as they prepare for their trip of a life time:

Looking for stocking stuffers? At the beginning of December S.A.L.T.S will be selling Trinity Eagles water bottles and Trinity Eagles temporary tattoos! Water bottles will be $7.00 each and temporary tattoos will be 2 for $1.00. More information shortly…….

Biweekly Bottle Drives Every second Friday morning (check the monthly calendar to ensure dates) the S.A.L.T.S crew will gladly take your bags of bottles as a donation to the 2013 S.A.L.T.S trip.

S.A.L.T.S 2012

Our grade nine students had a successful trip to the West Coast for our annu-al S.A.L.T.S (Sail and Life Training So-ciety) excur-sion this fall. This is an annual tradition for our grade nine stu-dents. It is a transformational life experience for them as they travel away from home, live on a tall ship for 5 days, experience the beauty of God’s creation, and build community with their class-mates.

Thank you for your support of our

Bake Sale. We are thrilled to an-

nounce that we raised $1,048-, and

had a lot of fun doing it.

S.A.L.T.S 2013

Dear Parents, The catalogue you have received from School Start is a new way to purchase items you may already be purchasing elsewhere. How it works:

Browse through this catalogue, or go to www.schoolstart.ca to browse our full line of products. Place your order online, or fill out the order form at the back of the catalogue and remit order form to the school. Online and paper orders must be placed by Dec 6

th, 2012

School Start will deliver the packages to the school the week of Dec 17, 2012. Your school will receive 10% back for every purchase.

If you have any questions, please contact School Start

info@schoolstart.ca Ph: 1-800-580-1868

Fax: 1-800-580-1890

Our Junior High Media Studies class is planning

a special Christmas themed dress-up day for Wednesday, December 12th for the whole school (Kindergarten through grade 9, and all staff). Stay tuned for more details…

The Auction Committee will be having their

kickoff meeting on Thursday, December

6th in the staffroom from 7— 8 pm. Please join us in choosing a theme, dis-cussing a caterer and assigning tasks.

VOLUNTEER

CORNER

Each month as needed, the Parent Action Committee (PAC) will highlight opportunities to

serve at our school. Some of these will involve service, which we call "Time & Talent", while

others involve goods, which we call "Treasures".

Please check below and consider getting involved. If you would like to respond to any of

these needs, please email the PAC at tcspac@tcskids.com unless otherwise noted.

Time & Talent

The PAC is currently looking for someone to serve as the Vice Chair to work closely with our

PAC Chair, Krystal Clements. Key duties include leading meetings in the absence of the

Chair and presenting the Budget report from the business office at meetings. The Vice Chair

attends all PAC meetings and supports PAC projects throughout the year. The minimum

term of service is the current school year and can be extended as desired.

Treasures

The PAC is in need of the following items:

three microwaves in good working order

several kettles in good working order

These will be used to allow multiple students to heat up their lunches at the same time and

decrease wait times for our students. Please email the PAC before dropping off these items.

Thank you for considering how you can serve.

Find out more about Teaching For Transformation

at: www.tcskids.com/curriculum

December 2010 Communication Tip of the Month

This month we would like to talk to you about toys. Whether you celebrate traditional Christ-

mas or not, you are no doubt being bombarded by toy ads on television and in the newspaper.

Your children are talking about toys and it is difficult to know which ones to consider given to-

day’s economic climate. Children often request (for birthdays or special occasions) the “latest

toys” which sometimes end up on a shelf. We would like to refer you to the web-site of the

Canadian Toy Testing Council – www.toy-testing.org.

This organization is a non-profit, voluntary agency that has been working for parents since

1952. Their web-site talks about Best Bets, Children’s Choice and Toys of the Year. It also

provides information on these various toy categories: active play; arts and crafts; bath, sand

and water play; construction toys; developmental toys; dolls, house and accessories; educational

toys; games; imaginative play; listening, playing, and viewing; puzzles; ride-on toys, wagons; sci-

ence and discovery; stuffed toys; wheel toys; and winter play. Each of these categories comes

with a description as to the function of that particular class of toys.

For example: Construction Toys – “Playing with a construction toy should improve dexterity, co

-ordination and perseverance, as well as stimulate the imagination and a sense of design…”

Whether you look at the information on this web-site or not, toys are valuable for developing

communication skills in children. Toys can be used to promote speech sound practice. As well,

toys can help improve such language skills as following directions, listening, comprehension, vis-

ual/auditory memory, sound play, vocabulary/concept development, imaginative play, and verbal

imitation. Of course one cannot forget about the social aspects of play such as turn-taking,

following rules, counting moves, winning/losing, sharing, understanding body language/facial ex-

pressions and making choices.

It has been said that “all play is educational. Through play children develop skills, values, atti-

tudes, tolerance and understanding. Toys are simply the equipment used by children in the pro-

cess. They act as catalysts for learning. However, one thing is certain: a toy will have no op-

portunity to be educational if is not also fun. Children need a balance between the challenge

of mastering new skills and the reassurance of being able to perform tasks easily…”

Remember – Parents can be the best toy in the room!

These tips brought to you by the South East Speech Language Service Team at the South Calgary

Health Centre – AHS.