Congratulations to this week's Heroes Julie Hellriegel and Ellyn Gibo! We hope you enjoy your up-close parking spot.
A Note to Julie Hellriegel, Alumni Relations Director/Advancement:
It should be no surprise to anyone who works with her, but I imagine most of us don't truly know what she does. Over the last 30+ years we have graduated some fine young men and women, and they go on to do some pretty amazing things. We have graduates who are teachers, pastors, doctors, lawyers, soldiers, business owners, philanthropists, Olympic and professional athletes, and of course, moms and dads. Who keeps us connected to those graduates? Julie. How does she do it? She works constantly to update our database, she reaches out to alumni and their families, she organizes reunions, cultivates relationships, and she keeps our Alumni Heritage Scholarship alive and thriving. Julie is a behind-the-scenes champion who never looks for credit. She also doesn't ever get the credit she deserves! She's the definition of a humble servant of Christ.
If you didn't get a chance to see her during the filming of the NBC segment for Olympian Carlo Valdes, she made that event go off without a hitch. She created a really cool gold box which is being hand delivered to Carlo in Korea, by his mother. She created a banner all of our students and teachers signed. When Wendy Valdes saw the box, all the notes, and the banner Julie had our students write, she broke down in tears of gratitude. She mentioned how special MCS is to Carlo and the entire Valdes family. This opportunity was for Carlo because we want him to know the MCS family loves and supports him. But, Julie also provided the opportunity for our current students to be encouragers, to be a supportive community, to be connected with their brother in Christ on the world stage. This was because of the relationships that she intentionally builds on behalf of MCS. This was her vision and her heart which is so aligned to God's heart!
Thank you Julie for allowing God to use your gifts and talents to enrich and bless our school. When I think of you, I recall the words of Jesus, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21). Thank you for all of your hard work and for how you reflect the love of Christ in all you do!
A Note to Ellyn Gibo, 3rd Grade Teacher:
"Ellyn, Thank you so much for partnering with me on the Elementary ASB. Your input and help make it successful."
Upcoming Events & Activities
The Future's So Bright Celebration | March 23rd
Parents in Prayer Meets Weekly on Monday | 8:15AM
Olympian and MCS Alumni | Carlo Valdes
Re-Enrollment | Due February 23rd
New Summer Program Parent Meeting | March 1st
Elementary Read Across America Day | March 2nd
Elementary Parent Introduction Meeting for LION'S Pact | March 8th
Yearbook Photo Contest 4th-8th | Due March 16th
Support Your MCS Lions
| Winter Sports
No School - Mid-Winter Break February 19th-23rd
Enjoy your week and you'll want to make sure and watch the Olympics (see below).
School resumes on February 26th.
Big News for MCS Alumni!
Olympian MCS Alumni Carlo Valdes
Olympian bobsledder Carlo Valdes, featured here in one of our
#MCS30 stories, is preparing to step onto the world stage in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games!
Join us in praying for Carlo and his team, and cheering on Team USA! Carlo is competing in the 4-man, and those bobsled games are slated for February 24.
Last week, NBC News visited MCS to film and interview our students as they put together a special care package for Carlo, to be hand delivered by Carlo's Mom in Korea. Connect with Carlo on social media at @carlovaldes_USA. And keep an eye out on NBC News for shout-outs about Carlo's K-8 alma mater Mariners Christian School! Stay tuned on
MCS Instagram next week to find out the scheduled date and time for the NBC news segment to air.
The McClellan Family: An MCS Legacy
If you have not yet had a chance to read the latest #MCS30 Story about the legacy of the McClellan Family at Mariners Christian School, please view the story here.
It is such an honor to feature three generations of MCS Legacy.
2018-2019 MCS Students Re-Enrollment due Friday (2/23)
January 23 through February 23rd is re-enrollment month for current TK-7th grade students. Log on to
RenWeb, click the Family Information dropdown menu, then click on re-enrollment. Contact Ashlee Cowell at
[email protected] with questions.
Financial aid applications for the 2018/19 school year will be accepted now through March 1st, 2018. Visit
www.factstuitionaid.com to complete an application and to submit supporting documents. If you have questions, feel free to contact the MCS business office.
All Parents Invited to Hear About Our New Summer Program on March 1st
All MCS parents are invited to hear about our New MCS Summer Program with Galileo on Thursday, March 1st, at 8:151AM in the auditorium. As communicated earlier, we have developed a partnership with Galileo Innovation Camps for MCS students and the Orange County community during the summer of 2018. These camps will be held on our campus from June 25th through August 3rd for TK-5th and 6th-8th grades. MCS has found a partnership with Galileo that not only aligns with our Innovation, Design Thinking Process and Maker Culture, but prioritizes safety on campus and the unique needs of each student at their core.
You're Invited to Enjoy Coffee
& Meet the Galileo Team
Thursday, March 1st
8:15AM
MCS Auditorium
no need to RSVP
The Galileo team will be available to answer all of your questions about their summer programs at the meeting. If you have questions about the program in advance of the meeting, please do not hesitate to contact Barbara O'Brian at [email protected].
To register for the program, view the Galileo block below or click here to view the letter that was sent from Mr. Moore and Mrs. O 'Brian earlier today.
Elementary Read Across America March 2nd
We are excited to launch another year of celebrating National Read Across America Day in elementary school on Friday, March 2nd.
Students will participate in Power Hour and Character Dress in addition to other class-specific reading activities during the day.
Character Dress Day: Students are invited to dress up as their favorite character in a book of their choice (fiction or non-fiction). They must also bring their chosen book to school from home, or borrow a book from MCS to represent their character dress choice. If students choose not to participate, they are required to wear their school uniform on this day -this is not a free dress day but a themed dress day.
Power Hour: This time is designated during the school day to read in class! Please look for communication from your teacher to see how each grade plans on making this day special.
Our goal is to continue to build passionate readers at MCS and advance literacy. If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact your child's classroom teacher. Thank you.
Note: Students are invited to also bring in a gently used book to donate to the March Difference Maker project on Read Across America Day (3/2). Please see block below.
March Difference Maker Service Option - BOOK DRIVE
Our students are invited to participate in a BOOK DRIVE as the Difference Maker project in March!
Elementary students are invited to bring in gently used books on Read Across America Day (March 2nd)!
Middle School students are invited to bring in gently used books as their Share2Wear item on March 20th!
There will be a box located outside of the classrooms for students to drop their book donations.
Elementary Parent Meeting March 8th
Introducing "LION's Pact"
Elementary Parents are invited to join the administration, teachers, and parent committee on March 8th to hear about their collaborative efforts to launch the "LION'S Pact" for our elementary students.
The meeting will be held in the auditorium on Thursday, March 8th, at 8:15AM. You do not need to RSVP but we hope to see you there!
The mission of LION'S Pact is to implement a schoolwide program where teachers, parents, and students can build a school culture that honors God through inclusivity, peer respect, and compassion. The goal is for students to practice and learn conflict resolution and social negotiation skills, understand the difference between peer conflict and bullying, and practice forgiveness as we live out our faith and seek God's wisdom. We are dedicated to working together as a community to create a school culture where students agree to live by the LION'S Pact (Listen, Include, Ownership, Notice, and Support).
Yearbook Photo Contest for 4th-8th Grade Due March 16th
Photo Contest Representing "joyFULL" for 4th-8th Grade Students
Who: 4th - 8th grade students
What: Yearbook Photo Contest - students may submit up to two photos that represent this year's theme of "joyFULL" for the chance to be featured in our "Photo Contest" yearbook page
Why: We want to encourage students to use photography to capture what they think "joyFULL" means and represents for them
Where: Students can submit their photos by emailing them to the yearbook staff at [email protected]
When: Students are encouraged to start taking pictures over mid-winter break, and all photos must be submitted by March 16th
How: Students can take any style of photo they would like - pictures of people, nature, objects or items -whatever inspires them and represents our theme of "joyFULL"
Rules:
Students may not take photos at school (no student should have cameras or phones with them during school)
Students may submit photos of people as long as their dress follows school guidelines and they have asked permission
Editing is allowed, but any photos submitted must be the student's own work
Students may submit old photos (photos they took a few months ago/years ago), as long as they are their own original work
A team of teachers will judge all of the submitted photos, and they will choose winners from both elementary and middle school. We're looking at choosing 5 elementary winners and 5 middle school winners, but we may adjust numbers based on submissions.
We are excited to have 4th and 5th grade participate in this contest, and we hope our students feel encouraged and inspired to try to something new and play a role in filling our yearbook with joyFULL pictures!
Galileo Summer Quest Overview + Early Registration by FEB 28th Incentive
Galileo mixes summer day camp fun with hands-on, STEAM-inspired projects in fields from science and engineering to the visual and culinary arts. Supported by the boundless energy of the best staff around, Galileo campers grow with us from TK through 8th grade, emerging as confident creators ready to express themselves fearlessly, lead boldly and turn their ideas into reality. We call them Galileo Innovators, and they will change the world.
Camp Galileo (TK-5th grades): Six sessions offered June 25th-August 3rd, Monday-Friday from 9AM-3PM with extended care offered from 8AM-6PM.
Galileo Summer Quest (entering 5th-8th grades): Campers choose a different subject every week, creating go-karts, gourmet confections, robot pets and more in one of 12 majors.
Note: $100 off referral fee!
Enroll by February 28th to save $25 per week. Optional extended care and healthy lunch. Learn more at
www.galileo-camps.com or 800-854-3684.
If you have questions, please contact Barbara O'Brian at
[email protected]. Thank you!
Choice Lunch
Please remember to order Choice Lunch for your student(s) for the remainder of February. Thanks so much!
www.choicelunch.com.
7:00-7:30AM Carpool Walk-in Gate CLOSED (see details)
For safety reasons, the walk-in gate will be closed
from 7:00-7:30AM during morning carpool. However, a staff member will be inside the gate and he/she will open the gate to greet your child. When dropping off your child(ren)
between 7:00AM and 7:30AM, please wait for your child to be greeted by a staff member. Thank you!
Attention Alumni Parents!
If your graduate is currently a senior in high school, he/she is warmly invited to apply for the
2018 Alumni Heritage College Scholarship. This fund is made possible by the generous donations of our very own dedicated faculty and staff! Applications are
due March 29.
For those of you who do not already receive the automatic emails from Lands' End, we wanted to let you know that they are having a mid-year refresh sale now through February 20th. The promo code is: LESUFRIEND and the PIN number is: 3093. For more details, click here.
Happy Shopping and Saving!
Stories
A Special Note from Reggie Biancalani
During the last week of January, I had the opportunity to attend an incredible Institute at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University. The Project's ideas are foundational to literacy instruction across the globe with the goal to help students become avid and skilled readers, writer, and inquireres. I would like to share with you a few highlight from my week, along with some exciting new practices and experiences that you will see implemented at MCS.
Click here for a copy of the letter I recently sent. Feel free to contact me at
[email protected] if you have questions.
Elementary LION's Pact Chapel
Our second Lion's Pact chapel for elementary students had an Olympics Theme. The 5th Grade Worship Band led our opening songs and the 5th grade ASB presented a "Friendship Rap" to give tools to help foster good relationships. Mrs. Meyer, Second Grade Teacher, shared pictures of Lion's Pact initiatives she spotted cropping up all around.
With the Olympic Rings in the background, Mrs. Meyer talked about the importance of support and communication in Olympic team events. She mentioned MCS Alum, Carlo Valdes, as part of the 2018 USA Bobsled Team as an illustration. Then our teachers participated in our own MCS Olympic event of Team Skiing! Enjoy the pictures from this fun chapel!
LOVE Never Fails - Celebrating Valentine's Day at MCS
Thoughts From the Heart...A LOVEly Success!
Our students and families shared an abundance of love by purchasing Thoughts From The Heart for family and friends. We were blown away by the kind words that students wrote for one another - it is a testament to the culture of kindness and affirmation here at MCS! We are thrilled to donate the proceeds of $1460 from the TFTH sales to Cases of Love
www.casesoflove.com.
Elementary Valentine's Day Spirit Assembly
5th grade ASB members planned a fantastic and FUN spirit assembly for our Elementary school students on Valentine's day. Highlights included a donut-eating contest for the teachers, a grade level "Cupid's Arrow" competition, and the announcement of the Fruit of the Spirit Card winners! Way to go, ASB leaders!
Sharing the LOVE of Christ on Valentine's Da!
Not only did our students enjoy Valentine's parties and treats on Wednesday, but they were given the opportunity to create encouraging notes during their Valentine's Day parties for people dealing with sickness or who are health care professionals.
TK & K Celebrate the 100th Day of School!
The 100th Day of School: We are 100 days smarter, we licked 100 licks of a Tootsie Pop, We did 100 exercices, we dotted 100 gum balls, we made a 100 fruit loop necklace, we sorted 100 snacks and ate them, we used Qtips to paint 100 dots, we stacked 100 cups, we wrote our name for 100 second....and the list goes on and on.
Happy Birthday & Spirit Rock Fun
Happy Birthday!
February
Kristen Chandler 2/2
Lisa Collier 2/9
Amy Green 2/27
Jan Bryant 2/28
March
Jenรฉ Streeter 3/4
Angie Nakamoto 3/19
Karri Meyer 3/21
Bing Liu 3/21
Barbara O'Brian 3/24
Kimberly Wilson 3/26
Sarah Lunsford 3/26
This list is provided to you by our Parent Teacher Fellowship.
Spirit Rock - Celebrating the MCS Family
Thank you Chase for blessing the MCS family on Valentine's Day and for sharing your love with your siblings Blake and Gage and your friends. May God bless you for blessing others. You made us smile! :)
Happy 9th Birthday Vivian! We hope you had a special day in the Lord and we wish you much success in in your Water Polo career!
We also wanted to wish Sophia a belated February 10th Happy Birthday! We sure enjoyed seeing you in the talent show!
Please email a photo of your special rock design and person to [email protected] so that we can feature them weekly.
Thank you to our Parent Teacher Fellowship for providing this opportunity to celebrate milestones in the lives of the MCS Family. If you have not yet had the chance to sign up to paint the rock, please view the calendar and sign up at this
link. There are a few spots left.
Middle School E-Newsletter
JoyFULL
"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
Monday's chapel was a special opportunity to recognize students for academic excellence and Christ-like character. The Academic Excellence awards were given to students who demonstrated exemplary performance in Bible, Math, English, Science, History, or Spanish. The award recipients included:
Spanish
English
History
7: Isabella Garza
8: Chloe Kim
Online Spanish:
7: Sydney Paidosh
8: Elise Fan
6: Ashley Bradford
7: Amelia Trautman
8: Joey Swan
8 Honors: Abigail Tsai
6: Talia Proctor
7: Hudson Wooten
8: Rachel Boaitay
Math
Science
Bible
6: Ella Vaughan
6: Callen Bray
7: Kaixin Yin
7: Lina Kim
7: Barrett McGuire
8: Ty Caffarelli
8: Alex Park
8: Kailey Lew
8: Noah Bahadoor
6: Dylan Shaw
7: Sydney Shelton
8: Katie Thies
6: Harry Bagramian
6: Abby Thies
7: Micheal Beekman
7: Sara Hammond
8: Evan MacElwee
8: Sheya Lavin
Quarterly Lion Pride Award
6th Grade
Lilly Thurston
Jimmy Lavin
Evan Hong
Dylann Choi
7th Grade
Selah Steinle
Sofia Mottessi
Ethan Wisdom
Zeke Choi
8th Grade
Emily Scott
Kelly Cardiff
Rylee Harrington
Leila Bahnsen
CORRECTION: Learning Center - New Tutoring Hours
The Learning Center is now offering homework help during lunch Tuesday-Friday and after school Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Our goal is to support students and their academic goals in organization, time management, test preparation, and homework help. We want to teach students strategies that will help them achieve success in both their academic careers and for the rest of their lives beyond MCS. Below are the available times. No need to sign up in advance.
Monday: After school from 3:00-3:30
Tuesday: Bring your lunch and meet us in the Learning Center at lunch.
Wednesday: Bring your lunch and meet us in the Learning Center at lunch or after school from 3:00-3:30.
Thursday: Bring your lunch and meet us in the Learning Center at lunch or after school from 3:00-3:30.
Friday: Bring your lunch and meet us in the Learning Center at lunch.
Please note that there is no Lego Club this year (the blurb was accidentally added in the original 2-16 E-News) and these are the correct hours for the Learning Center.
March Difference Maker Service Option - BOOK DRIVE
Our students are invited to participate in a BOOK DRIVE as the Difference Maker project in March!
Middle School students are invited to bring in gently used books as their Share2Wear item on March 20th! There will be a box located outside of the classrooms for students to drop their book donations.
Look for more details about the Share2Wear opportunity in the March E-Newsletter.
Yearbook Photo Contest for 4th-8th Grade Students
Photo Contest Representing "joyFULL" for 4th-8th Grade Students
Who: 4th - 8th grade students
What: Yearbook Photo Contest - students may submit up to two photos that represent this year's theme of "joyFULL" for the chance to be featured in our "Photo Contest" yearbook page
Why: We want to encourage students to use photography to capture what they think "joyFULL" means and represents for them
Where: Students can submit their photos by emailing them to the yearbook staff at [email protected]
When: Students are encouraged to start taking pictures over mid-winter break, and all photos must be submitted by March 16th
How: Students can take any style of photo they would like - pictures of people, nature, objects or items -whatever inspires them and represents our theme of "joyFULL"
Rules:
Students may not take photos at school (no student should have cameras or phones with them during school)
Students may submit photos of people as long as their dress follows school guidelines and they have asked permission
Editing is allowed, but any photos submitted must be the student's own work
Students may submit old photos (photos they took a few months ago/years ago), as long as they are their own original work
A team of teachers will judge all of the submitted photos, and they will choose winners from both elementary and middle school. We're looking at choosing 5 elementary winners and 5 middle school winners, but we may adjust numbers based on submissions.
We are excited to have 4th and 5th grade participate in this contest, and we hope our students feel encouraged and inspired to try to something new and play a role in filling our yearbook with joyFULL pictures!
We invite everyone to come out and support our MCS LIONS at their upcoming winter home games. It's always fun to hear your peers and family cheer you on!
GIRLS'
VOLLEYBALL HOME GAMES
BOYS'
BASKETBALL HOME GAMES
Tue (2/27) 3:15: 6th Black vs. Huntington Christian
Wed (2/28) 3:15: 6th Black vs. Harbor Day
Thu (3/1) 3:15: 6th Black vs. Eastside
For a list of all games (off campus and on campus) and practice schedules, click here.
"The righteous are bold as a LION." Proverbs 28:1
7:00-7:30AM Carpool Walk-in Gate CLOSED (see details)
For safety reasons, the walk-in gate will be closed
from 7:00-7:30AM during morning carpool. However, a staff member will be inside the gate and he/she will open the gate to greet your child. When dropping off your child(ren)
between 7:00AM and 7:30AM, please wait for your child to be greeted by a staff member. Thank you!
Choice Lunch
Please remember to order Choice Lunch for your student(s) for the remainder of February. Thanks so much! www.choicelunch.com.
Attention Moms of 8th Grade Daughters!
RTwelve is hosting an informational coffee on Tuesday, February 27th, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Please contact Karin Lombardo
[email protected] for invitation details.
RTwelve Inc., (formerly known as Young Women of Vision) is a Christian non-profit service organization for students in grades 9-12. The organization uses Romans 12 to provide a platform for Christian Mothers & Daughters to SERVE TOGETHER, GROW in faith, and LEAD with courageous character.
An Invitation to Pacifica Christian Athletic Interest Night - Wednesday (2/28):
We work hard. We play hard. We play to win. We value the unparalleled experience of being part of a competitive team with a common goal. With Over 85% of Pacifica Students participating in 15 different sports, Pacifica's Athletic Department strives to develop men and women of strong moral character. We believe in creating an environment in which each student-athlete will be challenged to develop his or her mental and moral faculties, alongside his or her physical skills. Don't miss our Opening Presentation at 6pm in the Triton Event Center, followed by a special opportunity to meet our extraordinary coaches and athletics department staff.
Join us on Wednesday, February 28, from 6:00pm-7:30pm, to learn more about Pacifica Christian Athletics, our philosophy, core values and the incredible impact our programs have on your students life. You will also have the opportunity to meet with Pacifica Christian's coaching staff, faculty, and administration. You can sign up at this
link.
Click here for invitation flyer.
You can also learn more about Pacifica Christian Athletics at
Pacificaathletics.org. If you have any questions, please email Director of Athletics & Student Life Brandon Gonzalez at
[email protected]. For Admissions information, view their website at:
www.pacificaoc.org Questions, email
[email protected]
Fireside Chat with Newport Harbor High School Principal Sean Boulton February 28th: Now that you've toured Newport Harbor High do you have more questions? Feel free to ask Principal Sean Boulton and hear personal experiences from a panel of parents and students at our 2nd Annual FIRESIDE CHAT on Wednesday, February 28, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the home of Natalie and Todd Pickup, 31 Cape Andover Newport Beach, 92660. Desserts, Wine & Coffee. RSVP to Diana Long
[email protected] or 949-274-6051 (Adults only...no students).
SAVE THE DATE! Extracurricular Information Night on Monday, February 26, from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.: Crean Lutheran is hosting an information night about the various extracurricular opportunities for students. Meet program leaders and coaches and learn about athletics, arts, academic programs, clubs, and more! Complimentary IN-N-OUT and shirts for the first 150 students.
Click here to register or visit:
https://www.clshs.org/
Orange Lutheran High School: Fo
r details about OLu Admissions, click here.
Brethren Christian High School Preview: Preview Night for Brethren Christian High School is February 15th.
Click for details.
An Invitation from Crean Lutheran High School: On Wednesday, February 21, The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence will be presenting to parents on the topic of 'Tobacco and e-Cigarettes: Use, Abuse and Prevention'. The use of e-cigarettes is a rising trend among teenagers. Prayerfully, by providing factual information and useful tools to identify and prevent this temptation, we will be able to work together to shepherd our students to make the best possible choices. If you would like to attend the parent presentation, please click here to RSVP. The presentation begins at 6:00 p.m. and will take place in room 207a on campus. The CLHS Student Services Team will also be available after the presentation to field any follow up questions. We look forward to seeing you at this upcoming informational evening!
Enjoy your week and you'll want to make sure and watch the Olympics (see below). 
Last week, NBC News visited MCS to film and interview our students as they put together a special care package for Carlo, to be hand delivered by Carlo's Mom in Korea. Connect with Carlo on social media at @carlovaldes_USA. And keep an eye out on NBC News for shout-outs about Carlo's K-8 alma mater Mariners Christian School! Stay tuned on
Character Dress Day
During the last week of January, I had the opportunity to attend an incredible Institute at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University. The Project's ideas are foundational to literacy instruction across the globe with the goal to help students become avid and skilled readers, writer, and inquireres. I would like to share with you a few highlight from my week, along with some exciting new practices and experiences that you will see implemented at MCS.
Kristen Chandler 2/2
Jenรฉ Streeter 3/4
Thank you to our Parent Teacher Fellowship for providing this opportunity to celebrate milestones in the lives of the MCS Family. If you have not yet had the chance to sign up to paint the rock, please view the calendar and sign up at this
An Invitation to Pacifica Christian Athletic Interest Night - Wednesday (2/28):
