Remember, Book Character Day ideas must be submitted to the classroom teacher for approval. Ideas may include Biblical, historical, or literary (classic or modern) characters. They can be from movies so long as the movie was originally a book.
N.B. When writing their clues or talking about their characters, students should refrain from sharing plot “spoilers” with those who have not yet read some of the books.
We have moved to a new phase in our fight against COVID-19: vaccination. As we look forward to more and more of our cities and states receiving the vaccine, we wish to remind you that the current guidelines will remain in place regardless of an individual’s vaccination status. At this point, it is unknown if a person can still be a carrier of the virus even while personally protected by the vaccine. For that reason, masks and social distancing will continue to be required. Anyone exposed to a person who tests positive to COVID-19 will still be required to quarantine for the necessary amount of time.
There is one more week left in this quarter; PERSEVERE! Even though our virtue focus will shift next quarter to the virtue of RESPONSIBILITY, we will not leave perseverance behind. Perseverance is needed to develop habits for all the other the virtues.
Thank you to everyone who joined the virtual audience for our school spelling bee on Wednesday. We wish to congratulate Justin M. for his first place finish as well as the runner-up, Sophia S. They are both eligible to compete in the regional bee which is scheduled for February 23.
Please remember to send your child with the appropriate outerwear and gear to stay warm during P.E. as well as recess. Mr. Fynewever-Muyskens will continue to hold outdoor P.E. throughout the winter so long as there isn’t rain or sub-zero temperatures/windchills (i.e., if students are out for recess, they are out for P.E.). Students must have a warm coat, winter hat, and gloves/mittens every day. Boots are necessary any day there is snow on the ground.
Next Friday is the end of the 2nd Quarter which means it’s also a Color Day! Students will be allowed to wear appropriate, non-uniform attire to school. Clothes must be neat and clean (no holes or stains) and weather-appropriate. Shirts must have sleeves. Students should wear P.E. shoes as time may be spent in the gym. Please contact the office if you have questions.
There is also a Bonus Color Day next Wednesday, January 20, for those who have kept all their “Oops” coupons. Eligible students will be notified by their teachers.
All students will take part in Chess Club which will meet during the last hour of the day on four Fridays: January 22, January 29, February 5, and February 12. Students will be dismissed at the regular time. Homeschool partners should contact their teacher if they would like to participate.
FAQs:
Do I need to bring a chess set to chess club?
Trinitas has purchased new chess sets to be used during chess club, so you do not bring a chess set.
I don’t know anything about chess! How will I participate?
Chess is a challenging game and one you will enjoy. You will enjoy it more if you take some time to learn about it now. Visit www.kidchess.com and learn a little bit each day or on the weekends.
Start by going to the LEARN CHESS tab and begin with SETTING UP. Remember, use the kidchess website by clicking on LEARN CHESS which is a free section with tutorials and games. Under LEARN CHESS, use the SKILL LEVEL tab to get guidance on your child’s level.
What if no one at home can play chess with me. How can I practice?
Play practice games here: http://www.kidchess.com/play-chess/ezchess/. Use the LEARN CHESS tab to learn the basics or review the basics of the game.
Am I too young to play chess?
All of our students can learn to play chess. Using the www.kidchess.com website is one way to help teach your child the basics ahead of time. Play games using only the pawns at first.
Will Chess Club be different this year due to COVID-19 guidelines and protocols?
Yes, Chess Club pairings and games will be kept within each classroom. We look forward to next year when we can connect all the grades in Chess Club once again! Our older students enjoy playing against the younger students and vice versa.
Glory to God! We have reached our goal for this year’s annual fund drive. Enough donations poured in during the last week of December that we met our matching challenge grant and the amount needed for our $70,000 fund goal.
From all of the students, staff, and board members, thank you for your generosity, your partnership, and your prayers!
We recently began a series on the three R’s of education. In this Classical Christian Education Corner, we continue our discussion of Reading. In our last post, we looked briefly at Who should read, and Why, When, Where, and What to read. Now we turn to the question of How we should read. A classical answer to this question is: thoughtfully, deeply, and widely.
The idea can be illustrated with a contrast. When we started Trinitas, Accelerated Reader (AR) was a popular reading program in many schools. Students read from AR’s library of pre-classified or ranked books. They choose books in their “zone of proximal development,” i.e., books that are not too hard nor too easy. When they finish reading, they take short multiple-choice quizzes to earn points and rewards. It is an efficient and simple system. Its name, Accelerated Reader, is revealing of its goal. Trinitas began our Thoughtful Reader Book Club (TR) with intentional contrast to AR. We felt that racing through books to earn points and rewards may produce accelerated readers, but we worried it would not produce thoughtful readers. So, our book club encourages students to read from a list of classic good and great books on their own and with their families. Together, we dive into one of the books for activities and discussions of deeper themes. (We sent home information about this year’s Thoughtful Reader Book Club just before Christmas. It’s not too late to join!)
2020 was certainly a year for PERSEVERANCE. We continue this virtue focus as we begin 2021. In the first chapter of 2 Peter, we are told that in order for our faith to bear fruit, we must grow in virtue. Then St. Peter provides a beautiful progression made possible through the power of the Holy Spirit: “Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” May the faith in your homes grow in all these ways and blossom in mutual affection and love in 2021.
