Congratulations to this week's Heroes Jan and Dianne. We hope you enjoy your up-close parking spot.
A Note to Jan Bryant, Middle School English Teacher:
There's a lady on staff who quietly does her job and never expects any credit. She works hard because she constantly remembers she's "working for the Lord" (Col 3:23). She routinely pushes herself out of her comfort zone and stretches herself as a professional. She sets a good example for her scholars about having a growth mindset. Who is this amazing lady? It's Jan Bryan, of course! Jan is a hero because she pours herself into her craft and always looks for ways to be better. She constantly tries new things, and when they work out, she gives credit to God. If something new flops, she decides to learn from it. When she speaks about her students, it's always with an excitement for what they are learning and how they are showing growth. The longer you talk to her about her class, the more excited she gets. Jan is a breath of fresh air. She could easily sit on her heels and keep doing things the way she's always done them, but that's not her style. She's not only a hero for her students, she's a great teammate. She leads 6th grade by being an excellent example of Christ in all things. She is a true servant-leader, always behind the scenes, making others look good. Let's hear it for this week's hero, Jan Bryant
A Note to Dianne McVay, Sr. Admin. Assistant to Head of School & Elementary Principal
Dianne, you are an incredible blessing to everyone on campus. Your willingness to serve our staff, students, and community is much appreciated! Today we celebrate YOU on your BIRTHDAY and as our Elementary Hero. Enjoy your parking spot next week. I am beyond blessed to work with you! Thank you for sharing your gifts and talents with the entire MCS community!
Dianne, You have worn so many hats this year and are always so willing to help in any way possible You have such a gracious heart and serve humbly and generously. When I needed a last minute sub, you took care of it with no questions asked! You are a "go-to" gal for many and we don't know what we would do without you! Love, Jenna Van Leer
We appreciate Diane so much! Dianne has a servant's heart and shows willingness each day. She makes our school run smoothly and keeps us all on track. She answers every question or request with a smile and patience. Thank you Dianne for your joyful spirit and dedication to MCS! Love, The Fourth Grade Team
From the Admissions Department
Sibling Applications for 2019-2010 OPEN!
Applications are now open for the 2019-2020 school year for siblings of current MCS students! We give priority to our current families applying for new siblings, and space is most limited in TK, Kindergarten, and 7th grade. Apply today! Please contact Ashlee Cowell [email protected] or Gisela Roufs [email protected] in the Admissions Department with any questions.
3 Announcements from Mr. Moore
Join us in praying for $5M in pledges by March 15, 2019!
Contact MCS Advancement with any questions: 714.437.1700, ext. 243.
This past Monday was our (3rd annual) Difference Maker Chapel, and our featured guest speaker in elementary was Kim Bagramian, co-founder of Project Giving Light. Elementary students got to hear about the great work that Project Giving Light does with at risk and homeless children. Project Giving Light hosts birthday parties every month in 3 locations for these children, bringing hope and joy into their lives. They also help maintain a food pantry that serves at risk families in Orange County, host Christmas parties, conduct shoe drives to help replenish school shoes for at risk youth, and coordinate an annual backpack and school supply drive. Mrs. Bagramian shared that they feel overwhelmed by the favor God has shown them to now have three sites to do their ministry, and that it is immeasurably more than they could have hoped to be a part of. He has taught them that the most important thing is to be obedient and trust that He will make each next step clear.
It was a special moment to honor THE BAGRAMIAN FAMILY as 2019 Difference Makers and present them with our Difference Maker award.
If you are interested in learning more about Project Giving Light, or getting connected with volunteering opportunities, visit their website at http://projectgivinglight.com.
Looking Ahead
Parents Invited to Upcoming March Music Informances
TK Music Informance
Tuesday, March 19th, at 9AM
K & 1st Grade Music Informance
Thursday, March 28th, at 9AM
INFORMANCE: "A performance intended to be both educational and entertaining."
en.OxfordDictionaries.com
Elementary Talent Show - Friday, April 5th
Spring Celebration and Auction: Friday, April 12th
HALF DAY OF SCHOOL: ASP Closes at 3PM
If you are interested in being part of the 2019 Auction Volunteer Team, please email Barbara O'Brian at [email protected]. This is a great opportunity to get to know fellow MCS Parents.
Global Opportunities
MCS Parents Invited to Host Students from Zhuhai, China
The MCS Middle School is once again excited to host 34 7th & 8th grade students from Wenyuan Middle School in Zhuhai, China. Last year this was a highlight as our students and staff enjoyed interacting and sharing Jesus with new friends from far away and our host families reported excitement for the experiences they had in their home. This year we have gone back through the feedback to create even better conditions for everyone to be successful.
The students will arrive on Sunday, January 27th, at 4:00 pm and will leave on Saturday, February 2nd, at 8:00 am.
We are looking for families who would like to host two males or two females in their home for the 6 nights.
Why Does MCS Do This?
Given my experiences in China, it is clear to me that an opportunity for MCS to host Middle School students for a short period of time would yield eternal benefits in these areas:
The opportunity to share Christ's Love with those who may not have heard of Him.
The opportunity for our students to have interactions with students just like them who live a world away.
The opportunity to further expose our students to cultural diversity.
We want to build upon the success of our first year of hosting.
Details of Interest
Most of the students have been learning English since 1st grade. They are also savvy on translation apps.
These students are very excited to see what life is like in an American school and home.
We will once again have Cultural Experience Coordinators. They will be available at anytime for guidance and will provide you with resources and training before the students arrive.
We will be providing conversation starters and details from the day for the dinner table, etc. We will also provide guidance on how to integrate Jesus into the discussion.
Because the in-home arrangements will be by gender, the students can stay in the same room and may prefer that.
Host homes will receive $50 per night per child to help with costs associated with having more people in the home.
Host families will receive the students at a Beach Bonfire Party on Sunday, January 27th, from 4:00 pm - 6:00pm.
One night during the week, MCS will host a Bowling get together for host families and any others who want to attend.
If you would like to be considered as a host family, please
CLICK HERE to sign up. We are also working to provide a communication opportunity between the two families before the students arrive.
This is an exciting opportunity for MCS, our families and the students from China. Please join me in praying over this experience and that His Glory is revealed in mighty ways!
Eight members of our MCS Staff have committed to a Faith Adventure to Glory Glory Center in Torbeck, Haiti during Ski Week in February. Glory Glory Center is a Mariners Church funded orphanage for 55 children (since 2010) and is now in the middle of a construction project to build a premier private school with an anticipated opening of Fall 2019. I have been working alongside of the Core Haiti Ministry Team at Mariners Church for a few years (two onsite visits) and have vision for our AMAZING MCS Staff to help this new staff with Professional Development. This trip will serve as an exploration visit to formulate relationships with the community (Glory Glory Center Staff and Children as well as the local schools), develop strategic planning around Professional Development and gather information to bring back to our MCS Staff to consider this ministry as our next MCS Global Outreach partner.
Below you will find individual team member pages. Click in to see their stories of why they feel God is calling them to embark on this Faith Adventure.
There have been recent changes to school entry immunization requirements that go into effect July 1, 2019. We are sharing these changes with you so that you may work with your child's healthcare provider to make sure your child is vaccinated (California Code of Regulations Title 17, Division 1, Chapter 4.) There has been the addition of a second Varicella vaccine requirement for entry into elementary school at Transitional Kindergarten (TK)/Kindergarten (K) and/or seventh grade, administered by a licensed California Healthcare Practitioner.
Grade Number of Doses Required of Each Immunization
TK/K-12 Admission
4 Polio
5 DTaP
3 Hep B
2 MMR
2 Varicella
7th-12th Grade
1 Tdap
7th Grade Advancement
2 Varicella
1 Tdap
California schools are required by law to check the immunization records for all new student admissions at TK/Kindergarten through 12th grade and all students advancing to 7th grade before entry. Students meeting all immunization requirements will be unconditionally admitted to school. Students may also be unconditionally admitted if they have a permanent medical exception in accordance with Section 6051. Your child may receive the necessary vaccines from his/her primary care practitioner or pharmacy. It is important to get your child vaccinated early so there will be no issue with school entry. Please make sure you bring your child's vaccine record to the school so it may be on file. Should you have questions, please contact the MCS Health office or your child's health care provider.
Choice Lunch
Please remember to order Choice Lunch for your student(s) for January and February. Thanks so much!
www.choicelunch.com.
All Lost and Found Items Donated the Last School Day of the Month
Please note that lost and found items will be donated at the end of the school day on Thursday, January 31st. Please take a moment to look for your lost items periodically.
Volunteers Needed!
Looking for a great way to volunteer that can fit your schedule? Lost and found distribution would love your help. There are lots of items wanting to find their owners! Please contact Jen Crowell at
[email protected] for more information.
Happy Birthday & Spirit Rock Fun!
Happy Birthday Christian. Cool rock design! Advice for you Christian from a Starfish: "Seas the day. Be shore of yourself. Catch a wave. Don't get carried away. Don't be shellfish. Avoid pier pressure. Make friends not anemones. Reach for the stars." from the internet.
If you would like to share you rock design and special person in E-News, please email a photo to [email protected]. Thank you!
January
Robin Walker 1/1
Sue Celek 1/2
Keven Kroehler 1/3
Troy Moore 1/5
Vanessa Gentry 1/11
Mirranda Parks 1/11
Jennifer Crowell 1/12
Kristin Knecth 1/12
Brandy Sick 1/14
Dianne McVay 1/16
Melissa Pena 1/18
Sarah Kim 1/20
Lynda Lynch 1/21
Allison Skelly 1/22
Kelly Han 1/24
Trang Nguyen 1/31
February
Kristen Chandler 2/2
Lisa Collier 2/9
Amy Green 2/27
Jan Bryant 2/28
This list is provided to you by our Parent Teacher Fellowship.
Middle School E-Newsletter
H I S
"The earth is [His] and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." Psalm 24:1 NIV
01.18.19
Difference Maker Chapel
This past Monday was our (3rd annual) Difference Maker Chapel, and our featured guest speaker in middle school chapel was Randy Barth, founder of Shalimar Learning Center and co-founder and CEO of Think Together. Middle School students sat in on an interview with Mrs. Bray, Mrs. Harrison and Mr. Barth. Mr. Barth shared that he learned of the need for an after school program in the Shalimar neighborhood when there was a gang shooting 25+ years ago and three mothers from that neighborhood joined together to begin to advocate for the community to "take back their neighborhood." Randy read that article and felt compelled to help them. He shared that one of the most powerful lessons in the last 25 years is to LISTEN to what is truly needed. The mothers shared that they needed a safe place for their children to do their homework after school since the majority of families were juggling multiple jobs. They initially considered renting a space a few blocks away, and these moms shared that their kids would have to navigate their way across gang lines and past multiple drug dealers to get there. This led to The Shalimar Learning Center being established in a 3 bedroom apartment right on the street. On their first day of opening, they had over 100 students show up at the center. He also shared that the ripple effect of starting the learning center on that street has completely changed that neighborhood, as police began to patrol the area more often, they closed off the two ends of the street to prohibit drug dealers from driving the loop and being able to quickly park and sell drugs, the city began to enforce code and monitor the landlords that were not taking care of the apartment buildings, and they even put in a pocket park on the street. The center has become a model for launching other programs all across the state (500 after school centers are now operated under the Think Together umbrella). 400,000 students have been served through Think Together's programs.
Mr. Barth shared that 400 students from the Shalimar Learning Center alone have gone on to college as the first individuals in their family to not only complete high school, but also the first to graduate from college. It was incredible to hear his story, and hear him humbly share that as a former stock broker, he would never have imagined that he would get to be a part of such a wonderful adventure. He said YES to the first nudge from God when he read that newspaper article, and God has faithfully led him on a journey in transforming education and learning to advocate for at risk communities. Our students were encouraged to pay attention to the places God may be calling them to be agents of change and hope.
What a privilege for our students to meet the man whom God used to create the Think Together building we use during our MCS visits to the Shalimar neighborhood! It was a special moment to honor Randy Barth as one of our 2019 Difference Makers and present him with our Difference Maker award.
Our next Shalimar visit is on February 8th! The lunchtime planning meetings for that visit will be on 1/31 and 2/7 and are mandatory for students who want to attend. We are looking forward to continuing to cultivate our connections with the Shalimar Learning Center with these visits.
January Share2Wear (Share 1/22 - Wear 1/23)
Our January Share2Wear event next week is one that that will bless both people locally in our MCS community and globally in Haiti! Mr. Moore is leading a team of MCS staff on a missions project to Haiti during Ski Week. During that week, our staff will use the gifts and talents that the Lord has blessed them with to further train and equip teachers in Haiti to help them to be effective educators God is calling them to be. We are so excited for the stories that our teachers will return with, and we can't wait to hear how God will move! Our Share2Wear this month will go toward supporting our middle school teachers attending that trip and the mission of our MCS team in Haiti!
On Tuesday, 1/22, students will "share" 1 or more dollars to go towards the cost of Mrs. Thurston's and Mr. Spurgin's trip to Haiti! We are encouraging our students to be generous givers to teachers who pour so much into our community. If students share on Tuesday, they get to participate in the wear portion on Wednesday!
On Wednesday, 1/23, those who have "shared" will be allowed to "wear" Cozy Day attire! Sweatshirts, sweatpants, Uggs, athletic attire, yoga pants or leggings (with a top that passes fingertips), pajamas that fall under dress code guidelines, robes, and cozy day accessories are permitted. Students may not wear slippers or onesies of any kind.
Middle School Only: January What's4Lunch Orders DUE Sunday (1/20) at 11:45PM
Our January
What's4Lunch? Wednesday is taking place on Wednesday, 1/23/19, and the restaurant is
Chick-Fil-A! Students can select either an Original Chicken Sandwich meal or a Grilled Chicken Wrap meal. Both meals cost $8 and come with chips, a cookie, and a bottle of water. Please
CLICK HERE to sign your middle school child up.
As usual, if you have a middle school student with a big appetite, you are welcome to purchase them more than one meal.
**Note - Signups close Sunday, 1/20/19, at 11:45 pm.**
Middle School Finals & Early Dismissal January 24th & 25th
Semester finals will be conducted on Thursday, January 24th, and Friday, January 25th. Due to finals,
middle school students will be dismissed at 11:00 on both days.
ASP is not available for middle school these days.
REGARDING LUNCH (PRE-ORDERED by Middle School Parents)
Grandparents and Special Friends have been instructed on the invitation to contact you (the parent) about purchasing and coordinating lunch. The TK-Burgers online order link (for parents) is as follows:
marinerscs.org/tot-feb2019. February 12th TK Burgers Lunch orders must be placed
no later than 02/07. Late orders will not be accepted. Please note, TK Burgers orders will not be accepted for elementary students as this event is exclusively for our middle school students and their guests.
Click here for a copy of the original communication that was sent from Mrs. Harrison.
To view the winter athletic practice and game schedules,
click here.
COME OUT AND CHEER ON YOUR LIONS!
There are no home games this coming week. Look for home games listed in the next e-newsletter.
MCS Parents Invited to Host Students from Zhuhai, China
The MCS Middle School is once again excited to host 34 7th & 8th grade students from Wenyuan Middle School in Zhuhai, China. Last year this was a highlight as our students and staff enjoyed interacting and sharing Jesus with new friends from far away and our host families reported excitement for the experiences they had in their home. This year we have gone back through the feedback to create even better conditions for everyone to be successful.
The students will arrive on Sunday, January 27th, at 4:00 pm and will leave on Saturday, February 2nd, at 8:00 am.
We are looking for families who would like to host two males or two females in their home for the 6 nights.
Why Does MCS Do This?
Given my experiences in China, it is clear to me that an opportunity for MCS to host Middle School students for a short period of time would yield eternal benefits in these areas:
The opportunity to share Christ's Love with those who may not have heard of Him.
The opportunity for our students to have interactions with students just like them who live a world away.
The opportunity to further expose our students to cultural diversity.
We want to build upon the success of our first year of hosting.
Details of Interest
Most of the students have been learning English since 1st grade. They are also savvy on translation apps.
These students are very excited to see what life is like in an American school and home.
We will once again have Cultural Experience Coordinators. They will be available at anytime for guidance and will provide you with resources and training before the students arrive.
We will be providing conversation starters and details from the day for the dinner table, etc. We will also provide guidance on how to integrate Jesus into the discussion.
Because the in-home arrangements will be by gender, the students can stay in the same room and may prefer that.
Host homes will receive $50 per night per child to help with costs associated with having more people in the home.
Host families will receive the students at a Beach Bonfire Party on Sunday, January 27th, from 4:00 pm - 6:00pm.
One night during the week, MCS will host a Bowling get together for host families and any others who want to attend.
If you would like to be considered as a host family, please
CLICK HERE. We are also working to provide a communication opportunity between the two families before the students arrive.
This is an exciting opportunity for MCS, our families and the students from China. Please join me in praying over this experience and that His Glory is revealed in mighty ways!
RTwelve - Women of Newport Coffee - Tue, February 26th
RTwelve - Women of Newport Beach is hosting an informational coffee on Tuesday, February 26th, at 9:30 am.
Come learn about our organization and the membership process for the Class of 2023! RTwelve is a Christian non-profit service organization for high school students in grades 9-12. The four-year program uses Romans 12 to provide a platform for Christian mothers and daughters to SERVE together, GROW in faith, and LEAD with courageous character. Learn more at www.rtwelve.org. For invitation details, please email Zanna Donaho at [email protected].
Newport Harbor High School:Fireside Chat with Dr. Boulton: Wednesday, January 30th, from 7:00-8:30PM. This is a Parents Only Event. Contact
[email protected] or 949.646.1556, ext. 1
Pacifica Christian High School Open House Event - Saturday, January 19, 2-4 PM
Pacifica invites MCS middle-schoolers and their families to join us for Open House, where you will have the opportunity to:
* Understand how our mission & vision equip young people to think and live well
* Hear about life at Pacifica from our student ambassadors
* Learn about our academic, art & athletic programs
* Meet our faculty, staff & parent ambassadors
Click here to register for an upcoming Open House Event or schedule your visit
here. Contact Sarah Parsons, Director of Admissions, with questions at
[email protected].
Early College High School:ECHS Information Night will be held on January 30, 2019 from 6:30-7:30PM in the multi-purpose room. Call 714.424.7990 for details. Located at:
2990 Mesa Verde Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
Orange Lutheran High School: An Invitation to Attend OLu OPEN HOUSE: Monday, January 28th. Click here to RSVP. Discover the Orange Lutheran difference! Speak with students, hear from our Head of School and Principal and learn more about our academics, athletics, arts, and extracurricular programs. You're invited to Orange Lutheran's production of "The Diary of Anne Frank" 1/18/19). Click for details.
School will be closed on Monday, January 21st in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
February
