Dawn R. Deem Stephens

We’ve spent several months investigating the educational aspects of students using personal electronic mediums. (ipads and/or tablets). We’ve been studying the compatibilities of these devices with various on line curriculum companies and the benefits and risks they would bring to our school.

It was presented to our school board on Tuesday evening and the church deacon board tonight that the next year, Central Christian Academy will launch a pilot program that provides every sixth grade student with their own Kindle Fire. 

The following is a list of benefits these devices will provide for our students and school:

• The ability to complete inductive studies of Scripture across different translations and concordances from one device
• Access to online textbooks. Eliminating the expense of obsolete hardcover books. Plus, increasing the ability to use hard-to-find or out-of-print books.
• Use of e-books allows instantaneous, highlighting, note taking, and locating of select passages.
• Information can easily be translated to audio format differentiating information to different learning styles and disabilities.
• Ability to create in class blogs to help further guide instruction and create better critical thinkers by promoting analysis though book discussion.
• Access to Discovery Education and other supplemental materials online to complete test, quizzes, assignments, and projects diminishing the use of excess paper and textbooks. Also, allowing uploading of assignments eliminating loss.
• Ease of communication via email, calendar, and agenda applications.
• Meets and surpasses technology integration standards.
• Access to educational access to reinforce, remediate, and enrich skills taught in class. Many applications have the ability to be monitored by the teacher to ensure extra study is being completed when needed.
• Sets Central Christian Academy apart from all other area schools.

We are excited to see the potential this pilot program has and the impact it will make on our unique and distinctive curriculum. One thing is for sure, It is a great time to be a student at CCA!

I want to wish CCA families & friends a very Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year.

2011 has been a great year for Central Christian Academy. We began this year with a 25% increase in enrollment from 2010.  Our teachers continue to impress with me their knowledge, skills, and endless effort at creating the best school in our area.  I still sit in awe of all that God is doing in and through each of us. It has been such a blessing to get to know each of you better and grow spiritually with you.

As we look ahead to 2012, I want to share with you some of the goals I presented to the teachers yesterday at our staff meeting. We have plans to:

1. Grow closer to Christ so we will be ready to handle the things that come our way both personally and professionally.
2. Participate in a new Bible study by Jennie Allen. – There will be classes for everyone and you are all invited to join us on Wednesday evenings at 7pm during Awanas
3. In February we will gain further training at the Creation Museum in KY and the HRACS convention.
4. Host some very impressive Literacy Events
5. Score amazingly on our Terra Nova tests – May 7-11
6. Planning some fun and exciting STEM lessons
7. Have another successful Book Fair: April 18- 25 and bring in Christian Author, Jenny Cote to get our children excited about Christian books and teach them how to be better writers.

In February, we will begin our re-enrollment campaign for next year and I will be revealing to you a way that our Saints tile program can reduce the cost of your child’s tuition for next year. I look forward to adding the 2012 student tiles to the wall too and unveiling it again the Academy Awards on May 31.

We have such exciting things coming up in 2012. It is going to be a very happy new year!

Two years ago I wrote a blog about Haiti and the coloring book project that God had placed me in. This was before the earthquake. We updated the blog and shared a video last year.  Finally….these books are in the hands of the children in Baptiste, Haiti. The original 2500 books we printed stayed in the Operation Blessing Warehouse in Port-au-prince for nearly 2 years. Between the earthquake, cholera breakout and civil unrest due to the elections. The doctors and the Operation Blessing team had many setbacks. This entire process has given me an opportunity to grow patience and faithfulness. God works on His own time table for sure. Sometimes things move slower than I’d like and other times I just feel overwhelmed by how fast He has moved. The picture with the children holding the books says it all. It is an awesome feeling to know that God used me.

As Little Pot always says, “I am so happy the potter is using me.”

It fascinates me how the same evidences in science can lead to two completely different views of Truth. Without a Biblical basis, our “science” can come to the wrong conclusions. 

I spent most of my day today trying to revise the 5th grade science SOLs and ended up refuting them. (At least 5.7)
This SOL states:
The student will investigate and understand how Earth’s surface is constantly changing.
Key concepts include
a) identification of rock types;
b) the rock cycle and how transformations between rocks occur;
c) Earth history and fossil evidence;
d) the basic structure of Earth’s interior;
e) changes in Earth’s crust due to plate tectonics;
f) weathering, erosion, and deposition; and
g) human impact.

You can see the full SOLs for 5th grade Science here:
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/2010/k-6/stds_science5.pdf

They may seem innocent enough until you realize the teaching behind these objectives. It is entirely unbiblical. Biblically we can cover the same topics. But we will come to a completely different result and scientific reasoning behind these changes. The students at Central Christian Academy will be learning geological facts that will lead them to six evidences for the Genesis Flood. Answers in Genesis is one of the main sources we will use to teach these evidences and explain how Earth’s history, fossil evidence, and even plate tectonics are all recorded for us in the Bible.

Our 5.7 Science objective reads:
a) identification of rock types;
b) the rock cycle and how transformations between rocks occur;
c) Earth history and the six main geologic evidences for the Genesis flood

1. Fossils of sea creatures high above sea level
2. Rapid burial of plants and animals
3. Rapidly deposited sediment layers spread across vast areas
4. Sediment transported long distances
5. Rapid or no erosion between strata
6. Many strata laid down in rapid succession
And
e) changes in Earth’s crust due to plate tectonics;( www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v2/n4/geologic-evidences-part-one )

Students will learn the motion of the earth’s crust is accepted by uniformitarian and creationist scientists alike. The difference lies in the time frame over which the movement has happened. Current seafloor spreading, magnetic reversals recorded in the seafloor crust, similar rocks and fossils across ocean basins, and the puzzle-like fit of continents are evidences that appear to be explainable in slow-and-uniform terms over billions of years. However, these evidences can be better explained by the rapid and catastrophic movement of the plates during the Flood. Computer modeling has shown that the continents could have separated in a matter of weeks—millions of years are not required. The key is the runaway catastrophic rate of sinking of the pre-Flood ocean floor crust after it broke up. Additionally, the catastrophic plate tectonics model provides a mechanism for the rainfall during the Flood and the presence of fossilized marine creatures atop mountains and rock layers spread across the continents. ( www.answersingenesis.org/articles/ee2/plate-tectonics )

The continents were originally grouped together known as Pangea. The Bible suggests the seperation happened at Creation (Gen. 1:9-10) about 6,000 years ago and again during the Flood about 4,300 years ago (Gen. 7:11-12), while secular scientists believe this happened twice over the last 800 or so million years of earth history.

Our students won’t be able to pass an SOL test on this objective but that is something to be thankful for. They will know Truth as the Bible presents it. Not a scientific theory that our world claims is proof to the geological phenomenas.

Our full curriculum guides for every grade are available here.

Most of the time, we were able to revise the SOLs so they stem from Biblical Truth. In this case, we felt our revising was actually refuting.

If we put our kids in the public school system, we have to know what they are being taught as fact is not. and there are answers to these observations that they will never be given.

Is all ambition good?

Do you want your child’s teacher to be ambitous?

Do you want your child to learn ambition?

          The leader’s challenge as explained in Chapter one of Spiritual Leadership by Henry and Richard Blackaby, (2001) addresses the current trends of technology, globalization and diversity (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2001 pp. 8-10). These issues affect my current leadership position as well. As the principal of Central I see how these trends are relevant to education and the decisions that I face. Blackaby and Blackaby also discuss Leadership in politics, business, the church, and the home (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2001 pp. 11-17). All these areas need strong leaders. These leaders should also be spiritual leaders. The authors question if there is a difference between secular leadership and spiritual leadership (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2001 p. 17). They explain how many spiritual institutions have embraced secular ideas of leadership, while secular leaders are discovering Biblical principles are needed for effective leadership.

            Chapter one addresses the issue of ambition. Great leaders in history were driven by ambition. The authors state that if a Christian leader’s “purpose is to invest in their one life as wisely as possible for the advancement of God’s purposes on earth, than ambition is a good and useful force in a leader’s life” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2001 p. 26). I work at making sure my ambition is in line with that purpose. I realize that God has placed me in the position of principal of a particular Christian school only so that I can advance His purposes on earth. However, deciphering the specific plans to accomplish His purposes in the complex issues facing education is my biggest challenge. I know that God only provides answers as we need them. His word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path (The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Psalm 119:105). He does not illuminate the future for me. Therefore, I must daily be in His word and seek His advice so that my ambitious nature stays in line with His daily directions. Only then is my ambition fruitful!

Inside the principal’s office, it seems time has gone by at ”God Speed”.  It was a year ago that I met with God and agreed to become the principal of Central Christian Academy. I was uncertain of what was ahead of me, but I had realized that God liked putting me in positions where I was forced to rely on Him for wisdom and strength. Therefore, I accepted the position.

At that time, friends and family wished me …”godspeed”. The dictionary defines godspeed as, “Good fortune; success (used as a wish to a person starting on a journey, a new venture, etc.).” 

Seemed a very fitting wish then. However, “God speed” is what I was given and it is more than just good fortune and success.

I remember moving into this office while the students were on spring break last year at this time. I had no idea what to bring to a principal’s office or what I would find. I never spent much time in one as a student (thankfully) – and even as a teacher I tried to avoid being in one since it housed my boss. 

So that very first day at CCA I came in carrying  ”Little Pot” -(Those of you who do not know, Little Pot is a painted flower pot who represents the main character of The Little Pot. It travels with me to author events and represents a great deal about my willingness to be obedient to “The Potter” and bear His fruit. (Reading the book will help that make more sense.)

Regardless, that day, Little Pot and I, (who were both feeling quite empty inside) sat in the middle of the office floor asking God once again to fill us. (Eph 3:19)

Those of you that know the story of The Little Pot also know, however, that Little Pot is only full when it is growing fruit. I knew that by placing me in CCA, God was giving me another amazing opportunity for fruit to sprout through my life.

It is now one year later …. and fruit is growing at “God speed”. Little pot is not just full  – It is overflowing! And, I truly have a hard time keeping up with what the Holy Spirit is doing at CCA. Nine of our students and one parent received Christ as their savior this past year. Five were just baptized this morning. We have had countless opportunities to share with other parents and students the relationship that Christ wants to have with each of them.

We built a curriculum that is based on the fruit of the Spirit and creates an environment in which students are encouraged to show the characteristics of that fruit every day. God has blessed us with gifted and creative teachers. He continues to bring us new students and families causing our enrollment to  increase every month.

I am trying desperately to keep up with God. I cannot believe a year has passed. I am rejoicing at the work He has done and  am grateful to the CCA families who have embraced the changes this past year.

For those of you waiting on God to do something in your life, I want to encourage you to get prepared in every way you can.  There comes a time when the waiting ends and His answers and fruit grow at “God speed” - a pace beyond our own human ability.  Be ready, because when it comes, it will require you to be filled with the Spirit every day and move at “God speed”!

Today in my office I saw a new debate rising among educators. – PLATOONING

You need to be aware of it and what it means.

Here is where I stand.

Platooning is the next big discussion happening in public schools. It is all about departmentalizing subject matter and teachers in the elem. grades. Children as young as 6 years of age could be changing classes with teachers in specific subject matter. It’s all for the purpose of meeting test scores. I have huge concerns about this method of teaching. I know that curriculum has become more rigourous through the years and our students have much more they must master at younger and younger ages. – But, what are they giving up to do this? The benefits of a self contained classroom are huge both socially and academically. A younger child benefits from having the same teacher throughout the entire day. At a time when families are not as consistent and children sometimes share 2 homes, it complicates their lives even more to come to a school and not have that one loving teacher who can guide them through their day. Curriculum needs to be integrated as well. Life doesn’t seperate skills out for each of. We do a job or experience subject matter in the real world all together. By plattoning or departmentalizing subjects our students don’t gain an understanding of how math and reading skills go together. Self contained classrooms allow more opportunities for integrated learning. It is interesting to me that 20 years ago the public schools were the ones who fostered integrated learning and the private Christian schools departmentalized subjects. Now public schools are departmentalizing under the term “platooning” so that they can teach material younger by more “expert” teachers and ultimately achieve test scores. Being over a small Christian school, we will remain self contained. Yes, partly for budget purposes - But more so, becasue I believe that subject matter needs to be integrated together and teaching isn’t just covering that subject matter. It is also nuturing a child and building a safe environment of a trusted student / teacher relationship.
That is why Central Christian Academy exists. We don’t just add a Bible class to the curriculum. We integrate Bible teaching into every subject. Just as we expect you to do in your daily lives. And the same goes with all the other subjects. Integrating subjects into daily activities and learning. If you would like to read more about platooning here is a link to an article posted for the Harvard Graduate School of Education. http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/426

Feel free to leave your comments below as well. I am sure the discussion will continue.

By the way - the egg in the picture is for
Little Pot's egg hunt this month on facebook

Today’s Fruit Pot book is called,

MY BODY BELONGS TO ME

April is child abuse prevention month. I met Jill on line through Social networking and got a chance to talk with her last year at the Book Expo in New York. She was just releasing this book that helps parents teach their children about sexual abuse. Jill is an attorney in New York and has had to handle a great deal of these cases. Therefore, she knows all too well about how this horrible crime can creep into our homes. Moms and Dads, it is an issue that we have to address with our kids and this book can make doing so much easier.  I wanted it to be our fruit pot book this month because we have ignored this topic with children for far too long.  It’s time we stop making excuses to why they haven’t talked with our kids about it. Watch this video, buy the book, and read it with your kids!

The very first Fruit of the Spirit listed in Gal. is Love. We need to show Love to everyone. So this valentines day,

save the image above and print as many copies as you need to share with everyone you know.

Have a wonderful Valentines Day!

When I talked about the idea of teaching according to God’s word in the last article, it was pointed out to me by a proof reader that I may have gotten ahead of myself. How? Before we can begin to teach subjects according to God’s word, our children need to see how important it is to us in a real way. How can this be done? First, do we actually use God’s Word coupled with our relationship with Him as the primary tool in making decisions in our lives? Is this consistent enough that our children see this is real to us?

This brings about the second way that our children can see that God’s Word is real. When we make a decision according to God’s Word, this often will bring an attack from the enemy in one form or another. Have our children been able to watch this process and see the victory that God brings in our lives? Look at Exodus 10:2. Moses is told to follow God through a series of attacks against His people by Pharaoh, but God says that this is an opportunity for their children to see God move. They are to then tell their children and grandchildren about these things.

Do you have a number of testimonies of God moving on your behalf because you obeyed Him? If our children have observed this over their young lives, any advice that we give to trust in the Lord will not ring hollow, but will really become an encouragement to them. This is the setting in which God speaks his command in Deuteronomy 6. It is that setting that prompts children to ask questions about God and the things of God. That is why it is important to have time for our children when these “teaching moments” occur.

Now, when we begin to talk with them concerning God’s view of science or history, they can believe what we tell them, because they have seen God move in our lives. When we tell them that God created the world in seven literal days, they understand. They have seen God work miracles for their parents. So the idea of God creating so much in such a short time is no big deal to them. If we show them that man and dinosaurs lived on the earth at the same time (Job 40:18 – 41:34), and we show them the scientific proof that the evolutionists have suppressed, they will believe the Word. They have watched you believe God’s word with clear results, so they know that God does what His Word says.

Now, let us take a look at a few more of the scientific facts in the Bible. For example, it is clear from history that as late as 1492 AD, most Europeans believed that the earth was flat. Columbus is credited with the final disproving of that “fact”. Did you know that the Bible stated that the world is round over 2,000 years earlier? Look at Isaiah 40:22. Some of the newer translations and transliterations change this verse so that it is politically correct. But the KJV, NKJV, NAS and NIV get it right. If you look at the second part of this verse, it says that God stretches out the heavens. Astronomers have recently discovered that the galaxies are constantly expanding outward!

In the Bible, there is no mention of rain until the flood. There are several mentions of dew and the “fountains of the deep”, which we know today to be underground springs and aquifers. Western Kansas lives off the aquifers, because there is insufficient water above the ground with which to grow crops. The Bible does not mention snow before the flood, nor does it mention deserts. Why? Many scientists now understand that there was a canopy around the earth, as the Bible describes. It gave the earth a constant temperature, protected us from UV rays, and made rain unnecessary. This canopy would also create a more dense oxygen content in the atmosphere. These conditions would promote a longer, healthier life and much quicker healing of the body. The Answers in Genesis web site has a lot of information on this subject.

If evolution is true, then Genesis is false. Since Jesus quotes extensively from Genesis, it has to be true. If God created the earth, as the Bible states, then it is easy to see that suffering and death did not occur until Adam and Eve sinned. However, evolution requires death from the beginning in order for the evolutionary process to occur. That contradicts the Bible. It also makes salvation impossible. How can God save us when He is powerless to create through supernatural means? How can He heal today if He is powerless to create through supernatural means? Armed with the Bible’s science facts, it becomes much easier to explain how walking in God’s righteousness will promote our spiritual and physical health and well being.

I think that we can begin to see how important it is to live our faith so that we can teach our children in a believable manner the love and power of God. The Bible says that in the last days, there will be many deceptions and false teachers. We are in those last days. It is time to start teaching our children in a way that counts – for all eternity. Maybe we can encourage now one another to spend more time in diligent study to learn what God has to say in the area of science.