Who teaches at LCES?

When I am asked what makes a Christian school distinct and unique by someone not familiar with LCES or Christian schooling in general, one of my first responses is the teaching staff that spends 1000 hours of time with their child each school year. While we are blessed with a fantastic facility, teachers at our school are the backbone of our institution being able to deliver quality, Christian education that fulfills its vision to “educate children, equipping them for a life of faithful, Christian discipleship.”



Our teachers work from a deep sense of vocational calling. They believe that teaching is not only a
rewarding means by which to earn a living, they believe that God has specifically called and
equipped them to work in His kingdom in this way. They live in the unique space professionally of
having both the freedom and responsibility to live out their faith in the midst of that calling as they
teach.

Here are some details regarding the LCES staff that you may not already know:

-we have a team of approximately half full time teachers and half part-time teachers (less than
100%) who work together as a diversely talented team

-the average teaching experience for our teachers is 15.9 years, with a blend of newer and more
veteran teachers

-teachers are involved in professional development throughout the year, and frequently attend learning experience in the summer months to hone their craft of Christian teaching

-all of our teachers are graduates of a teacher’s education program at a variety of different universi-
ties and have teacher certification in the form of Christian School Teacher’s Certificate and/or their
Ontario College of Teachers Certificate of Qualifications

-every teacher takes turn leading a school-wide chapel throughout the year
-beyond classroom teaching, all of our staff take on responsibilities like coaching, event organizing,
safety duties, LIT (Leaders in Training), leadership in a provincial teacher’s association and much
more

-each full time teacher spends more than 80 hours outside the school supervising children through-
out the year

Praise God for the provision of a dynamic group of committed working professional ready to pace
alongside our students on their journey of discovery and learning along the road of faith.

Where would we be without them?                                                                                    

 SJ

Thinking Forward

Commit your work unto the Lord, and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3

Even though it may feel like the Christmas tree only went down a few days ago and the first day of school in September of the 54^th year of LCES is a long way off, the reality is that we are already launching into planning mode. Equipping God’s children to live a life based on biblical wisdom and active service in His kingdom will carry on in September.  As an organization, we trust that our faithful God will provide – both now as we plan and then when we see those plans come to reality.

Here is what you can do as a participant in that process:

Pray. Join us in seeking the Lord’s call for us as a school as we get organized for another year. We do believe it is our task to be wise, prudent, and diligent, and yet we also know we need to remain open the Spirit’s prompting to direct us to follow in faithfulness. Pray for clarity and conviction for school leadership to make key choices and set a path forward.  

Talk. Your experience speaks powerfully to others who might be more open to the conversation about Christian schooling as an option than you might think. Telling the stories of our school to others is important. Our open house events and enrollment efforts are made more powerful by parents who talk up the school. The more you do it, the easier it becomes!

Get involved. The cycle of leadership terms on the board and sub-committees has people ending and starting times of service constantly.  Prayerfully consider if perhaps you might be called to use your gifts and talents in support of the school in this important way. 

Communicate. It cannot be emphasized enough that part of getting our school adequately prepared is having the most accurate data possible. As parents you should have received a request to pass on your intentions for next year. The more timely and honest your answers to those questions are, the more effective we are as we organize a budget, arrange staffing, and consider class composition as the planning stages unfold.

For our school,  SJ

Comfort for hard times

"He guides me along the right paths for his names's sake." Psalm 23:3

On a warm autumn day, I found a pair of gloves. Snowmobile gloves actually, for sale for only a $1 at a garage sale though they were apparently never used. The need for air-conditioning and a cool drink was much more apparent that day compared to the need for gloves guaranteed for -20 or colder. My hands were sweating as I put them on. Nevertheless, I bought them and placed them where my cold hands would reach for them when winter first appeared.

Those gloves have been a source of immense help to me in the last number of months already as I shovel snow, go out on yard duty, or move about in the deep freeze of winter. They are the best pair I have ever owned. Tasks are made more possible, bearable and even comfortable by their addition to my life. I now count them as vital part of being prepared to face whatever the day brings.

I’ve been reminded in the last week that scripture functions for us in the same way. Many of the words of comfort, direction, and meaning from God’s Word are read first (and much more often) in circumstances of normal routine and peaceful life before they are pulled out in time of strife and anguish.  Much like the gloves that were added to my life more for the future rather than the present – we do well to wear in to our soul the familiar groves of scripture that will come to the surface by God’s prompting when adversity or trials blindside us.

Preparing our students in this way is a key part of what we do here at LCES. God’s Word is opened frequently, in all subjects and circumstances. Psalm 23 was the focus of this morning’s chapel as everyone present was challenged to lean in on these words to console us, orient us, and renew us. Much like a sheep that has every possible need met in the shepherd whose voice alone is a source of comfort, God’s Word is a “lamp for [our] feet, and a light for [our] path” – even on the darkest of days.

Grace, peace, and comfort to us all. SJ

Where does a new year put us?

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”  Psalm 91:!

Future LCES students born in this new year will be grade eight graduates in 2029. We are just as close to 2030 as we are 2000. One hundred years ago this year Einstein laid out his newly discovered theory of relativity, and 200 years ago Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo. Estimates point to Canada’s population pushing past 36 million this year  and the  world population will reach 7.3 billion by the time we see 2016.

A frequent tradition in my childhood home that I recall well was reading Psalms 90 & 91 shortly before and after midnight on New Year’s Eve.  All board games, movies, and everything stopped for these two chapters with a prayer in between as the bells tolled midnight. While I may have preferred then that it be left out, I now count those times as foundational in learning how to view God and time. These bookends of wisdom remind us not to be swept up in the immediacy of believing that only the short period of time behind and before us matter and that anything can happen.  God existed before mountains were created (90:2) and will protect us and “with long life” he will satisfy us. (90:16).

This new year will take LCES further along the road of faith and ask us to respond to events that may be a surprise to us, but not to God.  We will see needs arise; God promises he will meet all of them. We will see moments of joy; God rejoices in our delight in him and his world. We will face adversity; God promises he will be there.  We will seek out his will; God promises he will lead and guide us. We will cry out; God promises to hear us and answer.

Welcome back to  “Walking in the Way of Love” in January.                 SJ

P.S. Check out our grade four class modelling New Year's resolutions this morning in the first 2015 chapel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUT45aNORUI&feature=youtu.be