March 2024

In this issue, articles from:

Becky Callaway, Lower School Principal

Daniel Kempf, Middle School Principal

Dan Knudsen, High School Principal

Summer Reading Assignments -

Justification and Ways to Manage the Workload

Becky Callaway, Lower School Principal

Over the next weeks, as we approach the end of yet another successful school year, established Prince families know to be on the lookout for the announcement of summer reading assignments for their students, and new families have been informed that an assignment will be forthcoming. Occasionally, parents and more frequently students, will ask why this is a requirement that we maintain of our students. In the name of “best practices,” it is good to review the rationale for this stance from time to time.

As the ability to read is the key that unlocks the doors of learning, no matter the topic or field of study, the nuts and bolts of the skill are of utmost importance in the early years of one’s formal education journey. Statistics show that children who read four or more books over the summer fare better on reading comprehension tests in the fall than their peers who read one or no books over the summer. In addition to stabilizing the learning of the school year, reading over the summer also is said to foster social-emotional development as children discover the “joy of stories.” And when the good habits of childhood become defining character traits in later years, it increases the likelihood that a person will achieve the goal of becoming a “life-long learner” (one whose self-motivated education continues well beyond his or her formal school years).

With wholesome activities like swim team, traveling, sleepovers, endless post-season baseball tournaments, and the like filling a family’s summer schedule, it can be easy to let the days and weeks fly by with the good intentions of “last spring” falling fall to the wayside. But while life is still in the groove of daily routines and order, I encourage you to consider a plan whereby you and your student will incorporate the benefits of reading for enjoyment into your schedule—throughout the summer. The following suggestions can kickstart and sustain your family’s summertime reading regimen.

1. Have your child join your local public library’s summer reading program. This has historically been a community staple to incentivize children to read from their endless supply of good books during the summer. (Disclaimer: Please thoroughly investigate the activities sponsored by your local public library to ensure that its programs do not undermine moral standards and family values.)

2. Guide your child to develop a habit of reading a few minutes daily, ideally at the same time of day. Bedtime reading is the perfect way to end a busy day. It calms the body and the brain and prepares one for a deep and restful night’s sleep. Studies confirm that reading as an end-of-day activity trumps anything powered electronically, as the blue light waves emitted from electronic screens of all types trick the brain into thinking it is daytime, which stimulates, rather than relaxes, the mind. Late day screen time interferes with the natural circadian rhythms which control sound sleep. (For more information on the importance of quality sleep nightly, please see the book Sleep Smarter, by Shawn Stevenson {available on Audible and through Amazon}, Audible Studios on Brilliance Audio, 2016.)

3. When traveling, let your child select audio book versions of favorite stories to listen to either through headphones, earbuds, or your vehicle’s sound system. These books can be titles that you also have in actual book format, with which your child can follow along, or it can be books that are above your child’s independent reading level which are of good literary value. This helps your child develop his or her listening, as well as oral reading skills, both of which are critically important in the school setting.

4. Participate with your child in his or her reading. “You read/I read” is a good way to help reluctant children dive into books without being intimidated or becoming impatient if it is hard to maintain concentration. You be the one to start by reading aloud the first portion (a paragraph, a page, or a chapter) to “prime the pump,” and then let your child read just enough that he or she doesn’t become frustrated or tired. Work up to where you are sharing the reading of the book 50/50. This is a technique I used with each of my children, which to my dismay, were all reluctant readers when they were of school age. We continued this practice of shared reading with school literary assignments, for pure enjoyment, as they got older. (Fun fact: As adults, each of my children look back on this activity as one of their fondest memories from their youth!)

5. Make a game of it! Sites like Etsy offer numerous inexpensive summer reading activities and games that encourage students to dive in with gusto. Many of the site’s shops offer board games, suggested lists, bingo games, and book hunts (to name a few), all of which incentivize students to read on their own and for fun during summer vacation.

Finally, understand that the sky is the limit! Good books are everywhere! Developing the habit and love of reading is attainable for everyone. So, Mom and Dad, I hope that you will commit to weaving some daily reading into your family’s summer plans. It’s so easy to do, and the benefits pay dividends for a lifetime!

Opportunity or Obligation - Making the Most of Middle School



Daniel Kempf, Middle School Principal

Middle school creates a new opportunity for students at Prince to participate in more after-school athletics, plays, and their first accelerated and honors classes. With those opportunities, parents often begin to “encourage” their students to participate and excel in each endeavor.

The University of Georgia published a study analyzing the impact of after-school activities including homework, tutoring, music lessons, athletic practices, and leisure activities. The research concluded that the last hour analyzed of each day of the study had a net negative effect on cognitive and non-cognitive skills. The application from this secular research applied to a scriptural-based discipleship model is this: the opportunities offered in middle school need to be chosen intentionally and evaluated appropriately. Beneficial activities can become harmful activities if the child is overscheduled and does not have adequate margin for rest, sleep, and child-appropriate recreation. 

With spring break approaching, some parents and students are not thinking about the next school year; rather they are counting down the days to the end of the school year with summer plans in mind. Some are excited to experience all that middle school has to offer. Some are moving to a different stage of middle school where opportunities that may have been missed, may now be achieved. You may be planning which sport to participate in, which fine arts event to pursue, and have a goal of academic success resulting in admission to the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). These can be great goals, but I want to remind parents that it is important to have a specific philosophy and goal in mind when making scheduling decisions for your students. Prioritize opportunities and activities that your students will enjoy and are beneficial to them. 

There are many ideas and philosophies regarding how your student’s and family’s time should be invested. Can your student take lessons for an instrument, be in gymnastics or travel sports, maintain straight A’s, have healthy relationships, have meals with your family, cultivate a relationship with the Lord, both privately and corporately, with grand expectations of excellence in the schedule parents allow them to have?  

So how do you guide your middle schooler to make wise choices of what to pursue with so many new opportunities available to them? Here are a few ideas to consider:

1. It is beneficial to be well-rounded.

The mission statement at Prince contains four pillars: scripturally based discipleship and excellence in academics, athletics, and fine arts. It is my belief that there is immense value to students having exposure and gaining an appreciation for each of these areas that provide distinctly different skills and benefits. Many parents are already considering the pressure in a competitive college admissions process that desires students who are “well rounded”. I would encourage you to think beyond college admittance and think about the type of person you want your student to be. Many students miss valuable experiences, even as a passive participant or observer, because they “don’t like music” or “are not good at sports”.  My desire is that Prince parents will encourage students to develop an appreciation for each of our pillars, and when students desire, further pursue specific skills related to their areas of interest. 

2. Allow students to cultivate their own passions.

As a basketball player in my youth, my instinct as a parent was to encourage my son to be a basketball player. As a volleyball coach, I would love for my daughter to play volleyball. As someone who plays the guitar, I desire my students to play an instrument. After years of being an administrator, our family made the decision to offer opportunities and allow our children to make choices and develop passions on their own. There is a temptation to “push your children” to be their best, which is the responsibility of parents. The danger that I have observed is that often students are doing things “because their parents want them to” or feel pressure to achieve a certain level because of parental expectations. A 2023 article on athlete burnout found that “younger athletes”, those not yet in high school athletics, are most impacted by their parents' motivation toward their athletics. Parents who are focused on mastery of skills and growth rather than the outcome or status of their student are less likely to cause burnout or “ill-being” vs. “well-being”, which is what we hope will come from sports participation or other after-school activities. Participation in a co-curricular activity can enhance the well-being of our students. Those of us leading students can and should strive to be a contributor to that well-being. 

3. Adjust expectations based on the number of activities.  

We want our children to be the best. I desire success for my own children and the students whom I lead in our middle school. My advice to parents is to consider your expectations for your student and the “ill-being” that could result from your expectations of them. My philosophy and practice when communicating to students I coach and lead is “what is required and expected of the student is their best effort and a desire to improve”. This does not consider points scored, starting position achieved, scholarship offers received, or the lead role. 

When considering the obligation to be involved in “everything” versus the opportunity to develop a well-rounded student, I want to encourage you to guide students to try a variety of opportunities in middle school for the purpose of being a well-rounded individual. If that is the goal, some of the added benefits (college acceptance or a starting/ lead position) may come along with it. More importantly, we will have students who are pursuing opportunities they love instead of feeling obligated to participate and excel to meet external expectations.  

Sources: 

Carolina Caetano, Gregorio Caetano, Eric Nielsen, Are children spending too much time on enrichment activities?, Economics of Education Review, Volume 98, 2024 



Christine M. Habeeb, Jordan Barbee, Thomas D. Raedeke, Association of parent, coach, and peer motivational climate with high school athlete burnout and engagement: Comparing mediation and moderation models, Psychology of Sport and Exercise, Volume 68, 2023 

The Path to College: How To Enjoy High School

While Fully Trusting the Lord for What’s Next

Dan Knudsen, High School Principal

Every time I interview a prospective family with a rising freshman, I remind them that once they start high school, the goal is to graduate. Graduation may not be the hardest task the student will ever accomplish, but it is important. And whether the student chooses college or a different path, these four years are often some of life’s most memorable and most difficult - challenging our walk with the Lord as we seek His plan for whatever is next.

The path to college for high school students involves many aspects that combine to create a strong resume such as good grades, rigor of classes, and being well-rounded with co-curricular activities in school as well as community and church involvement. The journey also includes looking at colleges based on size, public/private, cost, majors, and other family priorities. Keeping up with all this along with the daily pressures of high school, can become difficult for many students.

I loved my high school years and want the same for all our students at Prince. Unfortunately, so many get tangled up in the “stuff” thrown at them that they struggle to know how to seek God’s plan for the “What’s next?” in their lives.

Finding a core group of friends is important for every student. Rather than navigating all this alone, friends are a great way for students to work through this stress together. They can provide camaraderie, encouragement, and challenge as well as offer a place to share burdens and hurts. When the support of friends combines with the support students receive at home, they have a strong chance of navigating high school stresses successfully.

The most freeing truth for students to understand at this time in life is the fact that the Lord is more concerned with who they are than where they go to college. When the Bible speaks of God’s will for our lives it is first concerned with us having a personal relationship with Jesus and then having our character conformed to His image.

Colossians 1 describes the knowledge of God’s will as leading us to live a life worthy of Him and bearing fruit. So, when students focus on who they are becoming in Christ, rather than making the “right” college decision, God promises to guide them where they should go (Psalms 25: 9,10 and 32:8; Proverbs 3:5,6). This allows them to enjoy their high school experience while fully trusting the Lord for what’s next.