800 Juliana Drive, Woodstock, Ontario

Phone: 519-539-1492

     

March 2017

Spring

Spring!

    Last Monday was the first day of spring! Did you celebrate? Does this mean the end of snow days? Students are enjoying being unencumbered by boots, snow pants and bulky winter coats as they climb, run, chase, and skip outdoors. Spring at WCS means, among other events, Springfest (aka the Bazaar). If you have not attended, pack up the family on Saturday morning, come have breakfast served by the teachers (the purple shirt crew), play in the games area, purchase baked goods, plants, and other tasty or lovely items. For lunch, enjoy your choice of ethnic foods from the menu provided. And then there's the auction and the drama and banter of that portion of the day. 
    Springfest has a long history for Woodstock Christian School. I attended as a child. Yes, I did. And yes, I was once a child. What do I remember most? The treats. The candy. The crowds. Probably most astounding was the fact that my father would give each of the siblings a twenty dollar bill and tell us to spend it all. (Remember this was several decades ago and twenty was a really big deal!) I remember the fancy cakes in the decorating contest and who could forget the famous 'grab barrel'?  Come to Springfest. It's not just about raising funds. It's about connecting with people. It's about conversation, making memories, and having fun. It's about community. See you there!

                            C. Verbeek, Principal

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God's Greatness

God’s Greatness revealed through Speech and Poetry

    If I were to ask a student how God’s greatness is revealed to them through speech and/or poetry, I would receive a wide eyed look of fear and witness a physical body slumping.  That student would immediately be thinking “No way!  It can’t be that time of year.”  The dreaded speech writing and poetry memorization of second term!
    The gift of language and communication is a tool we use as believers to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others.   Mark 16:15  “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation’.”  The gift of language and communication is a tool we use to create and sustain community and fellowship with believers.  Phil 1:5,6  “because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.  I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ.”  The gift of language and communication allows us to praise and worship God.  Rom 15:6  “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
    Writing and memorizing a speech is a long and arduous task!  Students are asked to think of an interesting subject and write about it. Students take God’s gifts of experiences, reflection and knowledge to develop a story that is worthy of sharing.  Students employ God’s gifts of memorization and courage to present their speeches to familiar and unfamiliar audiences.  What may begin as a laborious task, ends with an experience of acquiring a deeper experience of what is in, and of, God’s vast creation.  As believers, we learn more about different aspects of God’s character, imagination and creativity.  In this knowledge, we are blessed with a deeper understanding of God’s greatness.
                            Mrs. Racicot

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Marisa-Testimonial

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for man. For the Lord will reward you. Christ is the real Master you serve.” My name is Marisa de Vries. I’m a grade eight student at Woodstock Christian School, and have been attending WCS since Senior Kindergarten. I really like this bible verse from Colossians because I know that I am doing my best to serve God.

This school holds countless memories for me. I have formed relationships with teachers who care, amazing friends and classmates, and I enjoy the privilege of a Christian community and education every day. I am taught by Christian teachers who teach me about God and share their journey with Christ. I’m surrounded by a community that serves God. I have classmates that are on a journey with Christ just like me. I have peers who support me and peers who I can support.

I like to learn about God through all of the subjects I learn at school, and use the talents God has given me to honor Him through sports events, choirs, and electives. Every day, as classmates, we are challenged by our teachers to encourage, build others up, be kind, and set a good example to our community. Most importantly we are all called to serve and live for God to the best of our abilities.

 

At our school we have leadership teams, these are ways that the students can serve God by helping our teachers and community. Students have the opportunity to deliver lunches to classrooms on pizza and sub days, or help the primary teachers get their students ready to go outside, we can also help Mrs. Koopman in the office and so much more.

 

Our school also reaches out to the surrounding community. The grade eight class takes a monthly visit to Caressant Care to play games with the seniors there, and visit them. We also plant trees with an environment program. This gives us an opportunity to be stewards of God’s creation.

Woodstock Christian School is a great school. I have loved the opportunity to attend to a Christian School. This school has been a stepping stone in my journey with Christ. Every teacher and every classmate has helped me take the next step of faith.

-Marisa deVries, Grade 8, WCS

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Poetry and Why We Need It

Poetry and Why We Need It

There are innumerable ways to define poetry. Samuel Taylor Coleridge famously said that poetry is "the best words in the best order." Poetry is often identified visually by the blank space left on the page when the poem is printed in lines, but not necessarily. Poetry can have rhythm and rhyme, or not. It can be properly punctuated, or not. It can be fun or serious and is to be enjoyed in a different manner than other writing.

From an article about why we need poetry in schools…

Poetry helps us know each other and build community. When read aloud, poetry is rhythm and music and sounds and beats. Young students feel the rhythms, get curious about what the sounds mean, and perhaps want to create their own. It's the most kinesthetic of all literature. It's physical and full-bodied and activates your heart and soul. Poetry opens venues for speaking and listening, also important areas of language learning. Poetry builds resilience in kids and adults; it fosters social and emotional learning. A well-crafted phrase or two in a poem can help us see an experience in an entirely new way. Find the poems that wake you up, find the poems that make you feel joy or sadness or delight. Find those poems that communicate with the deepest parts of your being and welcome them in.

(Sources: edutopia.org, webexhibits.org, poetrysoup.com)

 

Sea-Wash (by Carl Sandburg)

 THE SEA-WASH never ends.
 The sea-wash repeats, repeats.
Only old songs? Is that all the sea knows? 

  Only the old strong songs? 

  Is that all?

The sea-wash repeats, repeats.

 

A Limerick (Anonymous)

There once was a young lady named bright
Whose speed was much faster than light
She set out one day
In a relative way
And returned on the previous night.

 

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