In Today's Newsletter



Upcoming Events:
 
Feb 15 - Teacher Work Day - No School
Feb 18 - President's Day - No School
Feb 19 - Parent/Teacher Conference Day - No School
Feb 28 - Re-Enrollment Begins

Glimpse from Mrs. Obbink:     Tear-filled Eyes

When I saw her, her eyes were filled to the brim with tears. The kind of tears that dripped one at a time and slid quietly and profoundly down her face. Soon the heartbreaking tears were alternatively paired with small sobs. In her hand, she clutched a piece of treasured paper. It was easy to see that the paper was loved because of the deep wrinkles, the smudged print, and the colorful hearts.
Why the tears? A sob revealed that it was a sliver. Her first sliver. As we talked about what to do, her other hand clutched the paper even more dearly. What enchantment did this paper hold? After the tears were wiped away and the Snoopy band aid was gently placed, I asked if I could see her mystery paper. To my surprise, it was a thank you note addressed to her and written by her beloved teacher. She said, "My teacher gave it to me, and I love her."



Well loved! She was responding to the love and support that she receives at school from her teacher, Mrs. Hughes.

Why is this moment so special? It reminded me of two things. First, that it is a privilege to work alongside of Mrs. Hughes. She exemplifies the love of Christ. She is always cheerful and full of love. She is supportive, hardworking, and dedicated to God and sharing His profound love. Her sense of humor makes her fun to be around! Many of our current and former students look up to and have fond memories of their time at MCS with Mrs. Hughes.

This same sweet girl brought flowers today for her teacher. "Because Mrs. Hughes' favorite friend died." (More about Miss Mary next week.)

Secondly, this sweet child, her lovely teacher, and the note reminded me of the words in 1 John 3:1-3 - " See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" Embracing these words and emulating the example above, I want to encourage each of us that our Bibles need to look like her note . Deep wrinkles from years of reading. Little notes like colorful hearts that dot the pages and remind us of God's goodness and mercy. And when our hearts ache, God's Word can hold every tear. God's words comfort, encourage, remind, and clarify what is important. Thank you, Mrs. Hughes and Emersyn, for this reminder. Great is His faithfulness!


AUCTION INVITATIONS
Watch for your auction invitation in your mailbox this week!  Receiving your RSVP as soon as possible helps us greatly with auction planning.  Thank you!
OPEN HOUSE
Open house for the Preschool/PreK & Kindergarten is scheduled for Fri., Mar. 8; 9 am - 12 pm. Invite your friends! Invitation cards are available at the office if you know of anyone who is interested.  This is a great opportunity for prospective & current families to visit.
COLD WEATHER ALERT
As temperatures are expected to stay very cold for a while, please be aware that students will still go outside for recess and P.E.  Please send appropriate cold-weather gear to keep your children comfortable - warm coats, hats, gloves, boots.  Thank you!

If you feel the road conditions are too dangerous to drive in, we understand, just give us a call.
CONFERENCE APPOINTMENTS
Your Parent-Teacher Conference appointment times are being emailed to you today.  Please take a moment to reply with your confirmation or to request a different time if necessary.  Conferences are being held Tues., February 19th.   (Reminder - school is in session on February 14.)
GOT TOOLS?
We need some shelving for our office cabinet.  The material would need to be picked up and cut to size.  If you can help, please contact Mindy in the office.  Thanks!
SERVICE HOURS FOR REGISTRATION
Hours must be worked and logged by Friday, Feb. 22nd to count toward your Service Hours discount at re-enrollment (Feb. 28th).
LOVE AND LOGIC - WHAT IS EMPATHY?
Those familiar with Love and Logic know that empathy... sincere empathy... frames the approach. It's the hub around which the entire approach revolves. When we precede consequences with a sincere dose of compassion and concern, we increase the odds that the child will view their poor decision as the "bad guy" while continuing to perceive us as the "good guy."
 
Examples:
 
  
"I love you. This is so sad. When you guys argue and fight in the car it really drains my energy. One of the ways you can replace this energy is by working together to clean the bathrooms. Will you have that completed by bedtime or by noon tomorrow?"

"I know you love to play videos games. The sad thing is that I don't feel like I can trust you with the computer right now. What do you think you can do to rebuild this trust?"
 
When we can provide sincere empathy first, is it far more likely they'll learn responsibility rather than resentment? Does this also affect our stress level, by enabling us to avoid toxic anger, lectures, threats, frustration, and anger? Does it allow us to parent... or provide discipline in our classroom... without feeling guilty?
 
Sincere empathy opens the heart and mind to learning.
 
It enables us to lay our heads on our pillows each night
without harboring regret over how we treated others.
 
While empathy is powerful, many of us struggle with applying it in consistent ways. Because I can relate to this from a personal perspective, I've spent the last two decades grappling with deep questions over why this is the case. Might some of these challenges have to do with forgetting what empathy truly is and is not?
 
  Empathy
is about a sincere desire to understand another's feelings.
It's not a flippant, "I know how you feel" or "I'm so sorry."
  Empathy 
is an honest message of caring.
It's not about manipulating or instilling guilt.
  Empathy 
is about maintaining emotional boundaries while showing concern.
It's not about making the other person's problem our own.
  Empathy 
is about modeling confidence and strength.
It's not about demonstrating weakness.
  Empathy 
is about forgiving others... and ourselves.
It's not about trying to be perfect.
 
The first and primary rule of Love and Logic involves taking good care of ourselves so we can remain positive role models. As we pursue our desire to become ever more loving and effective parents or educators, does it make sense that doing so involves extending empathy to ourselves?
 
Dr. Charles Fay
FREE & EASY WAYS TO HELP OUR SCHOOL
Matching Employer Funds - Many larger employers offer matching funds when their employees donate to the school through their portals. Check with your employer to see what they may offer!

General Mills Box Tops For Education - Save Box Tops from all participating products. Please drop off accumulated Box Tops in the school office.

Fred Meyer Rewards - Go to www.fredmeyer.com, click on  "Rewards," choose Community Rewards from the drop-down menu and follow the instructions to link your card. If you have already designated MCS as your Community Reward, please take a minute and check if it is still active. (The community reward must be renewed yearly.) 

AmazonSmile - Go to Amazon Smile for more information and instructions to register. 

My Coke Rewards - Save the lids from bottles and the codes on the inside of 12 or 24 packs of Coke products. Bring the accumulated lids & codes to the school office.

Together for the Kingdom - Drop off clothing and reusable household items in our collection bin. For more information regarding the non-profit: www.togetherforthekingdom.com.