High School International Mission Trip

Spring is in the air, or at least it was temporarily. Unfortunately, a small cold snap occurred and threw everyone for a loop. However, it did not keep students from focusing on a very critical aspect of the year, Spring Break. While most of us think about destinations such as the beach, Disney-world, or the mountains, a small contingent of the SBEC family prepared for the International Biblical Studies class’ annual mission trip. This year the class traveled in March to beautiful Costa Rica.

During this school year, the students studied about missions, researched economic, cultural, and social aspects of Costa Rica, finished their preparations for the trip, and raised their own funds for the short-term mission trip. Suddenly the time came for 22 students and 5 staff members to board a plane for Costa Rica.

It is so difficult to explain the impact God had on the lives of our students and the many people of all ages to whom they ministered in Costa Rica. Many of the students were changed spiritually forever. Suffice it to say, this trip was covered in prayer and God worked through the students in many different ways. He gets all the glory for the seeds that were sown on this mission trip.

In a recent chapel, a number of the students shared with the student body first about the people they met on the trip. Further, they shared about what they did on the trip, what God taught them, and how they were challenged spiritually. It was so encouraging to hear each of the students explain how God utilized them to spread the gospel despite their inadequacies and stretched them so they would depend only on Him.

We thank the SBEC Board of Trustees, the administration, faculty, and staff for keeping the vision of short-term missions so active and alive for our students.

Robert Belue,

Assistant High school Administrator

Professional Growth

SBEC holds dual accreditation from the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).  Both of these accrediting agencies require that all faculty and administrators engage in ongoing professional development.  Professional development generally refers to ongoing learning opportunities that educators participate in either within the school environment, at outside workshops or courses offered through a local university.  According to the standards set forth by the accreditation agencies, our faculty and administrators at SBEC are required to accumulate 20-25 hours of professional development each year and 120 hours over a five year period.

Each year, a committee comprised of both elementary and high school faculty members meet with SBEC administrators to plan for the professional development activities for the following school year.  The committee members are charged to seek input from their respective divisions and put together a package of activities that address the interest and needs of the entire faculty as they engage in the development activities during the coming year. Listed below are samples of the activities that our faculty members have participated in over the past several years:

• Technology training in various areas provided by our technology department
• Visiting other schools to observe teachers and the curriculum they use
• An elementary reading workshop for our teachers provided by an outside consultant
• Various college courses taken by faculty members to renew certification
• Attending workshops provided by local, state and regional associations
• Participating in a webinar on “Long-Term Memory” provided by Dr. Judy Willis
• Training in the use of CPR and an AED
• Workshops, webinars, and training on “How to deal with bullying” in schools
• High School science and math departments attend their regional association conferences
• Our new teachers attending the ACSI Christian school conference
• Our entire faculty and staff attending a one day Christian school Consortium
• Workshop on “How To Create A Classroom Blog”

David Fox

Elementary Principal

      

Reenrollment Time!

First semester is over and it is time to prepare for the 2013-2014 school year.  January 9th through February 8th is our priority reenrollment time when current parents have the opportunity to secure their child’s placement for the next school year before the applications for new students are considered for enrollment. Last year, almost 90% of all students reenrolled during the priority reenrollment period.

As parents evaluate the return on the investment they are making in the education of their children, they look for evidence to justify their choice of a Christ-centered, college preparatory education. SBEC strives to make a difference in every aspect of school life – from the classroom to the playing field.  Our students’ academic performances exceed national and state averages and students are prepared for the rigorous academic requirements of colleges, universities, and vocational programs. For example, fourteen of our students received a score of at least 30 on every part of the recent ACT and seven of our students have been named national merit finalists over the past 3 years. In addition, our students are rooted in biblical truth establishing a firm foundation for their future.

We are aware of the benefits that parents desire when making the choice of schools for their children. In providing those benefits, we are constantly seeking ways to improve our school security, academic offerings, athletics, band and theatre programs, and the opportunities for student leadership in our extracurricular activities. As a result, SBEC provides the following mission-driven benefits to our families:

·         Secure environment

·         Strong academics

·         Biblical worldview

·         Qualified and attentive faculty

·         Variety of extracurricular activities

·         Full athletic programs for students

·         Excellent fine arts program

·         Chapel and spiritual emphasis programs

·         Mission and outreach opportunities

Communication with our families is very important.  We provide several ways for parents to stay informed about activities within the school. The weekly newsletter “IN TOUCH with our Parents” keeps families informed on upcoming events and reports on the successes of past events. Many teachers have classroom blogs through which parents can see homework assignments and receive information on different events and other happenings in their student’s classroom. “Edline” provides grades on line for students in grades 5-12 that may be checked daily. Teachers have an email option for parents to communicate directly with them. The SBEC website offers parents information concerning activities at the school, athletic schedules, theatre events, and news articles about our students. Lastly, our school newsletter “Trojan Spirit” is made available to all families.

In the spring of 2012, we introduced our online re-enrollment program, so parents would not need to complete multiple forms by hand. Current parents will be emailed a link for each child with information pre-populated. Parents must review the information and make changes and submit the form back to the Admissions Office. To complete the re-enrollment process, the re-enrollment fee must be sent to the Admissions Office.

As we look toward the 2013-2014 school year, we are excited to see what God has in store for our students as we begin our 41st year of distinctive Christian education.

Sheila Sheron

Director of Admissions

December at SBEC

December is a busy month at SBEC as students, parents, and teachers join to celebrate the Christmas season, and remember the birth of the Christ child.

The choral department began the celebration on December 1 with a “Madrigal Feast,” a fundraising event staged with colorful drapery and renaissance costumes and decorations in the main lobby. Donors ate a three course meal and were entertained by members of the high school choir and theatre department. In early December, members of the Junior High Student Council collected money to deliver “Candy Grams” to students and faculty. This is a unique fund raising way to show appreciation for other students and teachers.

During the first week of December, the school’s Christmas card, was mailed. It was designed this year by senior Erin Pentecost.

On December 7, almost 200 students in Pre K, Junior K and Senior K presented the annual Kindergarten Christmas program, entitled “Keep Christmas With You,” to parents, grandparents, relatives, and friends.

Pre K Students Sing with Joy.

The high school fine arts chapel, consisting of choral and instrumental music together with dramatic presentations, is scheduled for December 12.

 

The home mission class has led the school in securing almost 1,200 toys and money donations for children who live in the inner city area of Nashville. The members of the class will take semester exams early so they can leave on their mission trip on December 12, present the gospel to families in the inner city, deliver the gifts to the children at a Jesus Birthday party, and perform some designated service projects.

On December 13, the Parent Teacher Student Fellowship (PTSF) will prepare a special Christmas Brunch to honor and thank teachers and staff. On Friday, December 14, before school starts, the 5^th and 6^th grade choir will sing Christmas carols in the main lobby to students and parents.

Our Christmas break begins on Wednesday, December 19. After celebrating Christmas with their families, our varsity basketball teams will play in the Magnolia Heights Christmas Classic Tournament.

Although there are many activities happening this month at SBEC, it is our hope that everyone will celebrate the birth of the savior on that silent night so long ago and will experience the joy and peace that only He can bring.

George Carnall

Director of  Development









  





ELEMENTARY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Our SBEC Elementary Division is off to a great start for the 2012-2013 school year.  In addition to the academic offerings that are provided to our students during the school day, many of our students in grades five and six are involved in our afterschool extracurricular sports activities such as football, cross country, volleyball, and cheerleading.  Others in grades JK-6 are involved in our intramural soccer program or in the afterschool recreational activity programs such as chess, kidsart, karate, gymnastics, pom poms, piano lessons and computer explorers.  In all of the above mentioned activities, some 425 of our students in the Elementary Division stay after school at least one afternoon per week to participate in an extracurricular activity.  Participation in these special  activities allows our students the opportunity to develop   specific activity related skills as well as life skills such as self-confidence, sportsmanship, time management, team work, responsibility and reliability.  I would like to thank Sherri Howard, our Elementary Athletic Director and Tammy Sousan, the Director of our After School Childcare programs for making it possible for these special activities to be offered to our students.   

David Fox

Elementary Principal

A Word From Our President

  The 2012-2013 school year is well underway.  As with previous years we are already asking ourselves where the time went.  The much anticipated first few days of school are now in the past and the transition from August to September is complete.  Soon it will be fall break and before you know it the 2012-2013 school year will be drawing to a close. As people often say, “Time does pass much too quickly”. I believe this is why God reminds us to, “Walk in wisdom…and redeem the time” (Colossians 4:5).

  For the past forty years at SBEC it has been our prayer that we would be wise in redeeming the time during which we are privileged to work with each student entrusted to our care. As with any school, sometimes we are blessed with several years of impact, other times it is much less. Regardless of the time allowed we must not lose sight of the window of opportunity we have.

  There are times I like to walk through Trojan Hall and in the main lobby to view the composites of previous classes. While looking at the pictures I will see certain graduates and will remember when they were a student. Often times, I will think, “I wonder how they are doing now”. We are blessed with the privilege to follow the lives of many alumni as they have stayed in contact with the school or remained in the local area, some as SBEC parents, even some as faculty. (I am always interested in their perspective now as opposed to when they were students.) But there are others that either move away or we lose contact with them for various reasons. It is those graduates that we have not heard from in several years that causes us to wonder how they are doing and causes us to reflect on “what type of influence were we able to have?” Did we redeem the time?

  I trust whenever that question is asked we can answer in the affirmative without hesitation. Whether it is as a parent, teacher, spouse, friend, employee, believer, etc., we are given a window of opportunity for influence. Let’s take heed to the challenge found in Colossians that we be wise for time does pass much too quickly. May God bless you with a great school year.

David Manley,
SBEC President