School News

Winter is the perfect time to curl up with a good book. We are pleased to announce the return of Thoughtful Reader Book Club. Now is the time to set a reading goal and get started! Please see the information that went home with students earlier this week which included this year’s selections.

Grades K-2: Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne
Grades 3/4 and 5/6: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Grades 7/8: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Our discussion groups will meet during the school day on Friday, February 28. Please note this is later than previous years, so students have even more time to read.

Discussion guides will be emailed during the break.

We were blessed on Wednesday morning by Fr. Andrew Honore’s chapel message about SELF-DISCIPLINE. Ask your child about how Fr. Andrew learned habits of self-discipline in the U.S. Navy before becoming a priest. Also ask your child what assignment he gave everyone to start each day. (Christmas break may be a good time to work on forming some new habits!) Fr. Andrew also reminded us that as we seek to “run the race” like St. Paul, we are not alone. May you and your families be blessed this Advent, Christmas, and New Year by the presence of fellow runners in the Christian life.

Thanks to our 7th and 8th grade Latin students for presenting their Latin at Lunchtime Nativity play today! Fabula optima!

Dollar-for-dollar match ends this month!

We have received $13,790 in gifts which equals $27,580 counting the dollar-for-dollar match. We still need $42,420 to meet this year’s goal, but half of that amount could be raised through the matching funds! So the amount that will get us to our goal is $21,210. The remaining matching funds expire at the end of this month! Every gift counts! To donate to our annual fund drive, please click here.

Worth remembering: You aren’t selling (or buying!) candy bars.

Most schools raise funds by selling goods, products, or services. This practice can place undue pressure on families to reach a substantial sales goal. That goal is, of course, inflated well above the school’s actual need because profits are shared with the company providing the goods. Not so at Trinitas. Every dollar given goes directly to the Christian classical education your child receives, and you haven’t been pressured to sell or buy a thing.

All students will take part in Chess Club which will take place at 2:05 p.m. on four Fridays: January 10, January 24, February 7, and February 21. Students will be dismissed at the regular time. Homeschool students are welcome and should contact their teacher if they will be participating.

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. Use kidchess 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 I be playing against someone who can play at my level?
Staff and parent volunteers will be matching up partners based on level not age. Competitive students will have a chance to ‘move up the chess ladder’ and compete in higher level play.

On Monday morning, Protect Young Eyes founder Chris McKenna spoke to Trinitas 5th-8th grade students with an honest and engaging message on technology use. He stressed the fact that nowhere in our lives are good and bad so close together as they are on the internet. He encouraged our students to remember their identity in Christ and the gift of each new day as they seek to love God and others with their digital habits. Mr. McKenna also gave an inspirational talk to parents Monday evening. He provided much to think about and act on, especially as we practice the virtue of SELF-DISCIPLINE this month.

We look forward to welcoming Fr. Andrew Honore as our chapel guest on December 18. Please join us that morning at 8:00 a.m.!

Recommended readings* to read and discuss together:

Grades K-4:
Please (24)
Table Rules for Little Folk (42)
The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs (47)
The Golden Touch (63)

Grades 5-8:
Intro to Self-discipline (21)
King Canute on the Seashore (67)
Phaeton (69)
George Washington’s Rules of Civility (74)

*Readings can be found in The Book of Virtues, ed. William J. Bennett. Copies can be found on Amazon Smile.

“Try This” ideas for families:

One: Practice self-discipline with technology. Have a family tech-free time each evening or a tech-free day each week.

Two: Be self-disciplined in what you say. When you are tempted to say something negative about someone else, don’t say it, or say something positive instead.

Three: Practice self-discipline with your stuff. As Christmas approaches, now is a good time to give some of your things away to a charity.

Four: Talk together as a family about what SELF-DISCIPLINE is/looks like and come up with your own idea about how to practice it.

Protect Young Eyes founder Chris McKenna spoke to Trinitas 5th-8th grade students this morning with an honest and engaging message on technology use. He stressed the fact that nowhere in our lives are good and bad so close together as on the internet. He encouraged our students to remember their identity in Christ and the gift of each new day as they seek to love God and others with their digital habits. If you have a 5th-8th grader, ask what three truths he/she learned today. It was an inspirational talk! Plan to come at 6:30 tonight to hear the important message Mr. McKenna has for parents.

After one week, we are 15% of the way to our goal!

In the first week, we have received $5,500 in donations toward our annual fund goal of $70,000. With the dollar-for-dollar match, we have $11,000 of the $70,000 we aim to raise this year. With $29,500 of matching funds still available, what could you do to support Christian classical education? We have additional annual fund flyers on the table outside the office. If you know someone who would be willing to partner with us in support of Christian classical education, please take one.

Worth remembering: No additional fees

No additional fees are charged for books, field trips, student memberships (e.g., Junior Classical League), standardized testing, or special events (e.g., Young Authors, Backpacking Trip). Aside from meals and uniforms, tuition is the only bill families receive for the entire year. That is not the case at most other private schools.