Thanks Again! June 17th, 2013

As another year wraps up I want to take the opportunity to thank our school community.  Last year you had made my family feel welcomed into a new normal.   This past year the community has continued to welcome us and I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to serve at Dundas Calvin Christian School this year.  I thank you, the parents, for entrusting your children, our students, to us each day.  We work with the students in various capacities and this school is richly blessed by the students and their contribution.  Thank you for having your children continue to be a part of serving God and the community through our school.  I would also like to thank the students for all of their work and commitment throughout their learning.  I would like to thank them for using their gifts to make contributions to the school community and culture.     I also want to thank the teachers and staff for their hard work, dedication, and professionalism as they live out their passions of faith, education, and teaching children at our school. I also thank the larger, supporting community who shares the vision of Christian education and finds multiple ways to uphold our organization.  Finally, I would like to thank our Heavenly Father for his faithfulness and provision for our school for this year and the 50 years before this one, to Him be all the glory, and honour and praise, for ever.   God Bless you all and have a great summer. Lord willing, I hope to see you around next year.  ~Mr. Bouwers 

Clothes for Summer June 10, 2013

As this is the last full week of school it is a good time to pause and reflect on the year.  We have experienced the undulations we see each year; there were the ups and downs, highs and lows, and everything in between.  We have been living and learning this year and, at times, learning how to live.  Colossians 3 discusses living as those made alive in Christ.  Teaching from a Christ-centered perspective we care a great deal about the content our students learn.  We help our students discern the worldview that the content supports and equip them for the next steps in learning, from Kindergarten to Grade 8.  We know that preparing them academically for the next step is only part of our calling.  We want students to be prepared physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually for the next steps as well.   Colossians 3 has been home base for how we discuss the character we want to see in our students and the culture we hope to see forming throughout the interactions at school.  Our flesh is weak and unable to sustain us so we must put our trust elsewhere.  I will take some time to paraphrase this passage for our students and the graduating class of 2013.  This passage gives us a vision for living.

Sons and daughters of God, shed what needs to be shed.  Let die the things in our flesh that we dwell on and magnify.  Chisel out of your lives rage and anger, talking behind peoples back, language that is dirty and filthy, and lying to save your skin.  Be a new person in Christ, who is in all, and grow in maturity to reflect the image of Him. Let others see your identity in Christ in you as you put on the garments of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Support and sustain each other living a grace filled life, giving and receiving forgiveness.  And over all of these wonderful things put on love which holds it all together.

Learning in context June 3, 2013

I remember my class trip to Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg, Ontario.  I distinctly remember walking through the dusty village and learning about washing clothes on the wash board and churning butter. It was a hot day and I was hoping we could go for a swim but that was not in the cards. I remember my trip in grade 2 to the Veterinary Clinic as well as my trip to the Hersey factory in Smith Falls, Ontario.  I think I can remember almost every field trip I have been on, even the ones as a teacher.   These are some of the things that stick with students for a lifetime, the experiences they have on a field trip seems to embed itself differently in a student.  Field trips provide the students with the opportunity to contextualize learning and students are able to quickly attach what they learn to the proper framework.   It exposes them to learning experiences that cannot be replicated in the classroom.  It creates a rich context for the different topics and provides them with learning that is visual, auditory and hands on.  Field trips can also provide students with service learning opportunities that help us show the love of Christ.  These trips can also provide community building opportunities to establish a relational foundation in the class or community.  This coming week there are numerous field trips that provide multiple opportunities to learn in various ways.  It is another avenue of learning that aids us in providing a quality, Christ-centered education, to develop the gifts of God’s children and prepare them for a life of leadership and contribution in service to the King.  Can you remember any of your field trips?