Westlake Christian Academy

Grayslake kindergarten, elementary, junior high and high school academy providing Christian families with private academic education.

(847) 548-6209   275 South Lake Street Grayslake, IL

Archives for November 2016

Why School

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Who even thought of this crazy idea called “school”? It’s an amazing amount of work. Assignments, projects, drama (on stage and off), papers to grade, kids to drive, events to plan and attend. Blood, sweat, and tears are an almost every day occurrence. Ask Mr. T, he’ll tell you about middle school’s desperate need for regular showers and quality deodorant. (Axe doesn’t count). Either we have a good reason for all this or we’re just nuts. So, why school?

img_1426Thankfully, there are good reasons. One very good reason is that God made all of us to be kings and queens. In the very beginning when God spoke and the world burst into existence, God also formed humanity and commanded them, “rule!”, “reign!”, and “Have dominion over the birds, and the sea, and the land.” School is like a kingdom training ground where we work the muscles of our minds, bodies and hearts. Our Creator calls us as his little governors to say along with him, let there be light, beauty, and order. We are called to give shape to the chaos of numbers and letters; to form paint into portraits; to turn brass, wire, wood, diaphragms, and air into the Hallelujah Chorus. We are the keepers of the earth and of one another. The little kings under the King of Kings.

Still, some of us might feel like our work doesn’t accomplish very much. It’s not hard to know that our world is broken. That we ourselves are bent. That the flood of sin and chaos constantly threatens to undo even our best efforts. Why school then? Is it really worth the struggle? Education might be worthless except that God himself says, “I will complete the work I began in you.” (Phil 1:6) Over and over again God reassures us that our labor in him is not in vain because as we are working, living, and striving he works behind all of it. What Christ accomplished on the cross was more than just forgiveness of sins. He made a promise that one day everything will be right. Why school? We work, and study and strive because Jesus “is making all things new!” (Rev 21:5)

- Andrew Metzger
Junior High Social Studies

Out of the Mouths of Pilgrims

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This week, as I focus on mentally preparing for Thanksgiving, I found myself in a delicious conversation with Mrs. Anna Taylor who has been teaching first grade here for the last 13 years. She was telling me about a wonderful unit on the Pilgrim’s Journey to America on the Mayflower.

This multidisciplinary unit involves: reading about pilgrims, journaling about their journeys, illustrating the voyage, creating Wampum bead necklaces, writing Thanksgiving comparative papers, and playing a Native American stick game that involves mathematical concepts. Mrs. Taylor shared that they have even been playing Pilgrims on the playground at recess! Needless to say, I was very impressed.

Inspired as I was, what affected me the most in our conversation was hearing the purity in Mrs. Taylor’s thankful heart. She told me that she was wandering her room, giving encouragement to the kids on the quality of their journals, (a pretty routine practice). When she said, “Oh, that’s lovely,” to one student, the little girl (Ellie Adkins) stood up with a look of bewildered appreciation.

“Thank you SO much Mrs. Taylor,” she said excitedly, amazed that HER art and work was praised.

Mrs. Taylor then told me that she was led to pause, as God lavished her with a sense of love and rapt appreciation for these little lives she has the blessing to teach. Her revelation made me think of Henry David Thoreau who once said, “I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.”

This Thanksgiving, I pray that our hearts reflect the same love and thankfulness as Anna Taylor’s. I pray that we find joy in ordinary circumstances, and that our joy will transform our lives into continuous moments of thankfulness.

Here are just a few precious comments from Mrs. Taylor’s little Pilgrims. I hope they bring you smiles, and make you (like me) ever-so-thankful, for teachers like Mrs. Taylor, and places like Westlake.

Out of the Mouths of Pilgrims:
* “I would be sad to be a pilgrim, because more than half of them died on the trip, and my grandpa died, and I know I felt sad.”
* “My favorite part so far is when they landed in America because I’d be excited to GET OFF THE SHIP!”
* “I liked the picture that showed the lady covering her eyes, because she was embarrassed that the Native Americans didn’t have much clothes on. I would be embarrassed too!”
* “I liked when they made a new friend that could speak their language!” (Squanto)
* “My favorite part was when they all became friends.”
* “I liked the part about building houses because I like construction!”

- Raquel Harris
Fifth Grade Teacher

Westlake Dad’s Volleyball

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Every Third Monday of the Month — 7:30- 9:30 — Westlake Gym

Come join a group of Dads who meet once a month to play volleyball and hang out. One of our Westlake dads, Jeff Nieze, coordinates the events, so if you have any questions please reach out to him via email.

 

 

The Hidden Pirates

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Quickly and stealthily and dressed in black, they walk carefully across the stage, avoiding any obstacles in their way. One grabs a bench and silently maneuvers it off the stage. Others wait backstage, ready to position new props into place. This is all done in a matter of minutes, the audience never knowing the identity of the diligent workers. The lights on stage come back up, the stage has been transformed, and the show continues.

Just last weekend, Westlake Christian Academy presented The Pirates of Penzance. If you attended one of the three performances, I know you would agree that our student body possesses incredible talent. The directors Paula Coombe and Jeannie Ptasienski, along with the student actors, worked hard to create an outstanding production. What many people do not know, however, is that the play also gives other students opportunities to use their God-given gifts, just not in ways that are seen by everyone.

To put on play like The Pirates of Penzance requires a myriad of volunteers to use their abilities behind the scenes. Many students were here a couple of hours before the performance to help with hair and make-up. Student volunteers were on hand to run the sounds and lights. Others worked to assemble the stage and to paint the backdrops. Parents coordinated meals for the cast and crew and helped with costumes and props.

One student in particular I’d like to highlight is senior Carlos Gil. Carlos has been dedicated to the drama department for four years now. Most people, however, would never know how involved this young man is. For his four years of high school, Carlos has worked behind the scenes, moving props, getting the stage ready for each performance, fixing things last minute, covering windows, and being on hand for anything that needed to be done. In working backstage with Carlos over the years, it has been obvious to me that he has the spiritual gift of helping and service. Carlos exemplifies what Paul wrote to the church of Corinth when he said “God has placed in the church… gifts of… helping…”. (1 Corinthians 12:28) It is such an encouragement to see Carlos using his God-given gift to help other Christians. When asked why he enjoys working backstage, Carlos replied “Because it is important work that we do and it is a lot of fun.” He doesn’t mind that most people will never know all the hours that he has put into the production, he just enjoys using his gift.

Another student who worked diligently during the play was junior Angela Wintering. Angela worked closely with Mrs. Sandy Slota to get the costumes in order and then check them back in at the end of each night. Again, this was work that nobody would notice. When asked about her role in the production, Angela said “I liked being involved in the play even if I wasn’t on stage. I had to be organized, but I enjoyed it.” During the week of the play, Angela came early and stayed until the end of each night. Angela’s gifts of order and detail were well utilized during the play.

One of the many reasons I love Westlake Christian Academy is because students have numerous opportunities to use their gifts for the Lord. Even students with less obvious gifts can use their talents to serve. We are training our students to help in different ways so they can serve the Lord later in life and even now. Each of our students is unique and it is an incredible thing to see each student using his or her abilities to contribute to all areas of the school.

- Andrea Snow
Senior High English Teacher

Westlake is the New School of Choice

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I always think it’s dumb when I hear people say something is “the new” something else. Like, “Pink is the new black,” or “30 is the new 40.” It never makes any sense to me. However, I will concede that while I don’t believe in re-naming things that still exist … there is a trend in education to recycle old ideas and call them new. One of the biggest fads is called “Makerspace.” It is the idea of creating a communal space where people are able to use: tools, materials, education and technology to create projects. Forgive me, but isn’t that just called school?

American author Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “We are students of words: we are shut up in schools, and colleges, and recitation -rooms, for ten or fifteen years, and come out at last with a bag of wind, a memory of words, and do not know a thing.” And you know what? In some schools, in some classrooms, I would agree. But not here at Westlake. From my experience (both inside and outside) I have observed that Westlake is not a bandwagon school, but a branch of Christ-centered, wholistic, deep-thinking, problem-solving educators, educating with hands-on, minds-active, multi-intelligent-driven activities and lessons. Technology is infused applicably, and crayons, scissors, and paper-based projects are equally balanced to reach every learner, every day. This is not a buzz-word, fad-forward place of learning … this is an institution dedicated to expressing Christ through wisdom, action, and intelligence.

Just a few weeks ago, Mrs. Ptasienski, the 4th grade teacher here, had her students create an animal-themed book report that took the shape of their creature. Besides the hands-on element, there was study they were required to research, there were verbal speech deliveries, written-facts of various categories, and question and answer sessions that prompted higher level thinking. Mrs. Ptasienski herself said, “I couldn’t believe how much I learned!” Students needed to literally tap into almost every facet of what might now be needed in a Makerspace situation. I think Westlake is famous for this. For joining old and new ideas, blending and forming them into something beautiful for your child’s educational experience.

So I ask you to consider telling your friends, your church, your neighbors all about Westlake, about the kind of one-on-one quality projects and lessons that infuse Biblical understanding into real-world application of knowledge. What might it take to have Westlake make more space for more kids to enjoy this kind of quality education? Who knows? Maybe we can even start our own new buzz phrase … Westlake is the new School of choice.

Yours,

Raquel Harris
5th Grade Teacher

Town Hall Meeting

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This Event Has Been Cancelled Due to Lack Of Interest - Please Email The Board With Any Questions

Monday, November 28 - 7pm

As some of you may have heard in our open board meeting a few weeks ago, improving communication was an area of opportunity for our academy. Communication with the Board, teachers, and staff were all mentioned as areas for development.

As a Board, we want to make sure that we:

  • as a community, share ideas on how to improve our academy
  • hear what are the positive aspects of Westlake that should never change
  • hear parental concerns
  • ensure that we are all working together to make Westlake the best it can be for our students.

The first step in any improvement process is to gather input from all stakeholders on these four mentioned areas. We would like to collect this information through an open forum / town hall meeting with Westlake parents that will be facilitated by former WCA parent, Peter Worrall. Both Peter and his wife, Kelli, currently teach at Moody Bible Institute. Beyond being a self-described Westlake supporter, Peter gives much of his own time working with churches and schools in the Chicagoland and southern Wisconsin area. They have two children Daryl (8) and Amelia (5) who previously attended Westlake.

We are asking people to submit their questions, comments, and ideas through this page prior to our meeting. There will also be opportunities for you to submit questions during our meeting time. As a Board and Administration, we will answer what we can directly or follow up with all parents on issues we need to research in greater detail before responding. This will be a discussion driven event and there will not be any presentations. Below are some examples of questions we may want to talk about to get things started.

  1. How do you prefer to get your communications regarding school updates and events?
    1. Website updates
    2. Group text messages
    3. All-school email
    4. Personal calls
    5. Combination of methods (indicate)
    6. Other (indicate)
  1. What do you think we can do to improve volunteer participation in the academy? (This includes classroom, Parents Association, willingness to provide feedback, increase event attendance and so on.)
  1. What is something Westlake could do that would improve your child’s overall spiritual and/or academic experience at Westlake?
  1. What is something Westlake should never stop doing or change and why?

We will get through as many topics as we can in an hour and half. Any topics we do not get to will be addressed in the next town hall meeting or via email posting. Child care will be provided by our high school students for a donation to their mission trip. Please sign-up below and indicate if you will need childcare.

We have good momentum! Especially considering our recent accreditation status. However, we must all work together to continue the forward progress of our school. Your attendance is respectfully requested so please do what you can to have at least one adult from your family present. We hope to see you there!

Sincerely, your fellow parents on the WCA Board of Trustees

For additional information, please email the WCA Board at [email protected]

 

Town Hall Meeting Details:

When: Monday, November 28th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Where: WCA Cafeteria

 

Please register here to attend the Town Hall Meeting:

 

It’s the small stuff

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I have gone to many different schools throughout my 23 years of living, all ranging from private to public. All of the schools I have gone to had over 300 students. The only small school I had ever attended was Saint Rose of Lima for kindergarten because it’s location was close to my babysitter. I may not know a lot, but I would like to tell you why I think Westlake is such an amazing school.

Ella Nicholas on her way to 4th period

Ella Nicholas on her way to 4th period

My brother and sister attend Westlake and when I first walked into one of their classroom parties, I was shocked that each class was small enough to have one classroom with the same students. I was used to having 3 or 4 different classes per grade, so there were about 60 students in each grade. But, I think it’s amazing that students will get to graduate with friends that they have gotten to know and become great friends with. I wish I had gone to a small school. A small Bible-believing school. At Westlake, the teachers care. They really, truly care about their students. They strive to give them the best education they can, and the best part? Their love for Jesus shines in their teaching.

Some of my experiences in public school were great. I did have some great teachers. I went to a catholic high school as well, and to be honest, the only difference between the two schools was that I had to go to mass once a month and we did some type of prayer before class. I didn’t receive the authenticity of my teachers until I had gone to college. I think it’s so important for others to understand that allowing your children to attend a school like Westlake, is probably one of the best things you could do for them. The integration of Christ into education is so important.

Liam ready to race

There are things that I wish I could erase from public school; the bullying, foul language that I learned at a VERY early age and the absence of Christ. I once handed out church tracks to all of my classmates in third grade. My teacher collected them all and told me, “You can’t hand out things about God,” straight to my face. My wonderful mother then stepped in and handled the situation. Then in fifth grade, one of my other friends decided to “play a joke on me” and pretend that her family was a family filled with witch craft; when I decided to tell her about Christ she told me she was kidding. That’s not a funny joke! I’m not trying to say that public school is horrible, I just wish I had gone to a school like Westlake where Christ is the center of everything. I want to take back all of those horrible things and I can, honestly bet that my early education and outlook on the things I learned, would completely be different. In 6th grade, I was taught that the Ziggurat (a type of Mesopotamian temple) was built taller than the Tower of Babel. It was a lie laid out in plain sight in my Social Studies book.

Even though I never attended Westlake, I genuinely appreciate it and I am very happy that my brother and sister will gain the best, Christ-centered education. I thank the Lord that they will not experience half of the things I did while at other schools. I truly believe that this school is here for the furthering of the kingdom and that is something that you can’t get in a lot of places.

-Shelby Nicholas, big sister

The Message of Reconciliation

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

In my 25 years of teaching children, it just might be an understatement to say that I have had many opportunities to engage in the ministry of reconciliation. The need for reconciliation is the same no matter where or who I teach. However, it has been only the past eight years that I have been able to do it openly and with the freedom of full expression. Being a teacher at Westlake Christian Academy has allowed me to freely pray with my students and bring the Word of God into all aspects of my relationships with my students and our daily lives without restriction. Blessings upon blessings!

A few weeks ago, I had a very real opportunity to bring the ministry of reconciliation to a couple of students in my class. It all started with an email from a mom. “Mrs. Coombe, my son is upset about something that happened at school. Can we come in and speak with you?” My heart sank at the thought that one of our new students was struggling enough for his mom to get into contact with me. I immediately started to pray for my student, for his mom, and for the other boy who was involved.

When “Peter” and him mom and I met together the next morning, he shared with me that a boy whom he thought was his friend had said a couple of hurtful things to him. As he shared his heart with me I was again in prayer for wisdom and sensitivity. “Lord, please help me to infuse the gospel into this situation.” I explained to “Peter” and his mom the way I would like to handle things and they agreed.

As the school day started, I asked “Chris” to join me in the hallway. As I started to explain the situation, “Chris” immediately hung his head and admitted that he had said what was reported. I asked him if he would have been hurt if someone had said that to him and he agreed that he would. I asked him if he’d like to apologize to “Peter” and he immediately responded with a yes. As he apologized to “Peter” tears started rolling down his face. I asked him if he was crying because he thought he was in trouble, and he shook his head in a no. Was it because he felt bad that he had hurt his friend? He nodded his head yes this time.

God provided an opportunity to explain that we all sin and we all say hurtful things sometimes. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We all deserve punishment and death. What a wonderful thing it is to have salvation and forgiveness through our Savior Jesus. We are able to love and forgive each other because God has loved and forgiven us. We are given an endless number of chances with God, and it is a blessing to give many, many chances to each other. We experienced a sweet time of reconciliation, prayer, and forgiveness together.

Our God is a God of reconciliation. He passes this ministry of reconciliation on to us through the power of the Holy Spirit. I praise God that He has led me to be a part of a school that honors and encourages this ministry

- Paula Coombe
6th Grade Teacher

Administrator Update: October 31, 2016

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This past week I received a letter from the accreditation commission announcing that we now are officially fully accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) for a regular five-year term, ending December 31, 2021. Included with the letter was the remark that the regional accrediting commission of AdvancED was notified of the ACSI decision, and that body will finalize their determination in December (a formality), which will result in our having dual accreditation at that time. This is very good news!

Accreditation may be unclear to some of our parents, so I have an article about it discussing the process and the benefits involved. In short, accreditation status provides families a measure of assurance concerning Westlake’s program, that it is recognized and being assessed for standards, performance, integrity, and quality. This was a rigorous process over the past 2-3 years, and it puts in place a continuous program of internal and external review with an eye toward improvement in all areas.

Let me now present a challenge which has grown out of our commitment to shared values, specifically that we value a diverse student body. No doubt you are aware that, in order to make the Westlake experience available to as many Christian families as possible, regardless of socio-economic standing, we have a generous tuition assistance program. That program is funded in large part through the gifts which come in during our annual Tuition Assistance campaign, something you will hear about shortly from our development office. This year we experienced an unusual increase in the amount of assistance we have had to award to needy families. While we rejoice in every student God sends our way, this increase has resulted in a significant burden to our budget, the acute impact of which is being felt earlier than we anticipated.

I am asking our entire school family to keep this matter before the Lord, praying that our additional needs will be met. He has been faithful to this ministry in the past, so we must believe in His goodness to us now as well. While you are praying, consider what He might lay upon your heart to contribute as well. It has been some time since I have approached our families specifically about our financial need, and it is critical right now.

Westlake is a strong, vibrant ministry doing vital kingdom work. Thank you for your continued support in every way: prayer, tuition, donations, promotion in your community, and volunteering. We are all working together for Him.

Blessings,

Michael Healan, EdD
Administrator

275 South Lake Street
Grayslake, IL 60030
(847) 548-6209