Where the time went

“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.” No, this is not a typo or a misprint. These are the words that I used to introduce the first administrator’s blog for the 2012-2013 school year. Now it is my privilege to write the final blog for the year. I thought it interesting that when I opened the file in my Word documents, the first thing that caught my attention were the words in italics. Now, ten months later, the question regarding the passage of time that opened the first blog is again being echoed by teachers, parents, and students. (Well, maybe not as much from students.)

While reflecting back over the current school year, I discovered there were good days and there were difficult days. Is that not usually the case? There were life experiences that we did not anticipate when school started, and there were events that we hoped would occur that did not. As the old saying goes, “such is life.” Yet, when considering the fast pace and uncertainty that is synonymous with life, there are two verses that immediately come to mind. The first is Ephesians 5:15, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.” In a world where we constantly ask, “Where has the time gone?” we need to be intentional about making wise use of the time we have. Time is a gift that passes much too quickly. Secondly, Hebrews 13:8 tells us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” In the midst of an ever-changing, uncertain world, it is so comforting to know that we serve a Savior that remains constant, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

So, as we close out the 2012-2013 school year, let me encourage each of you to savor the gift of time that you have received, be wise in how you invest it, and take comfort in the fact though life is ever-changing, you can have confidence in the never-changing consistency found in the person of Jesus Christ.

Enjoy your time away from school this summer, because when August comes, you will be wondering where the time went.

D. Manley

What Is Important?

What sets SBEC apart is not what we do but how we do what we do. SBEC meets the same accreditation standards as all public schools. Accreditation committees look to see if a school is pursuing their mission statement and, if so, are they doing it with academic rigor. Our mission statement consists of our students being Christ-centered, knowing and honoring Jesus Christ, growing in knowledge and wisdom, and reaching their God-given potential and is the standard of everything we do here at SBEC. Anyone associated with SBEC for a few months will attest to the academic rigor. However, our students are not only fulfilling the mission statement in academics but our athletic teams practice hard and play hard, not to win accolades for themselves but to show that competition can be done in a Christ like manner. Our musical production of Singin’ in the Rain demonstrates that wholesome entertainment can be done well and recognized for excellence. Our classes, while developing our student’s academic skills, are places where God and Jesus are familiar topics in the discussion. Everything we do points to God. It’s the how we do what we do that is important.

February was a very active month for the high school with basketball taking center court as both the boys and girls basketball teams advanced to the regionals. The Lady Trojans even went all the way to the state tournament. Also in February, our award winning drama department put on yet another amazing musical production of Singin’ in the Rain which included an actual rain shower on stage.

In addition to the extra-curricular activities it was also time for re-enrollment. SBEC is blessed each year as parents decide to again partner with us in the education of their sons and daughters. It is a responsibility we take very seriously and strive to improve each year.

SBEC grieves the loss of our elementary assistant principal, Cathy Laster. After a long bout with brain cancer, Cathy was called away from the trials of this world to the joys of heaven. Cathy Laster epitomized an SBEC faculty member for she loved God, loved her family, and loved the students. We shall miss her.

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