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Eagle News March 26- April 9, 2021

By: Dan Hammar|Date: Mar 27, 2021|Tags: Uncategorized

EagleNewsletterBanner3-27-2021

ALL SCHOOL NEWS

PCA Staff Spotlight

Mrs. Linda Sumner
Plymouth Christian Academy is very blessed to have wonderful, hard working staff members that give over and above year after year and are consistently going the extra mile for our students. One such member is Mrs. Linda Sumner, our beloved School Librarian. Whether she is organizing the library, reading stories to children, pushing a library cart full of books all the way across campus for the lower elementary students, Mrs. Sumner continues to spread her love for students, reading, and PCA, and we are so thankful for her!!
She is married to her husband Ron, and they have 5 children and 17 grandchildren. Linda began working in the PCA library in 1993 with Jan Walter as the Librarian. Later, she worked with Tami Fontaine as the Librarian for 10 years. She has also worked in the lunchroom, where she helped establish the hot lunch program and ordered pizza once a week, a tradition that has continued to the present! She loves that her own children graduated from PCA and went on to do very well at the college level. Some of her grandchildren have also attended PCA. In her free time, Mrs. Sumner loves to be at home or travel with her children and grandchildren. They have seen some wonderful sights and made such fun memories together.
She enjoys the opportunity to impact children here at PCA and help them develop a love of reading. It is her true joy to walk through campus and hear students yell out, “Hi, Mrs. Sumner!” We are so blessed to have her here at PCA! Thank you for your many years of service to PCA and our families!

Featuring Fine Arts

Elementary Spring Concert
We are so looking forward to our spring concert “Godsquad.” The sixth graders have been working to prepare the play and all of the elementary students have been learning great songs that point us to the truth of God’s Word. Although the exact date for filming has not yet been decided, please note what the students will be wearing.
All students from Begindergarten through the sixth grade will be asked to wear a short-sleeved dress code shirt (Begindergarteners will wear a plain shirt, short-sleeved) in a spring color (white, yellow, light blue, bright blue, pink, light green, lime green, tan, etc) and khaki colored pants with dark socks. This is for the singing portion of the concert. The sixth grade will have special outfits for filming the acting portion of the concert.
Fearless and bold, this musical highlights the full Armor of God, with lyrics that we pray will instill, deep in the hearts of your kids, the meaning and profound truth of Ephesians 6:10-17.

Phantom of the Opera

Tickets for the Phantom of the Opera go live soon. Mark your calendar for March 26th! Ticketing is limited and we look forward to seeing you all there.
A few things to note:
  • Seating will be divided by General and Student/Senior pricing. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic we will not be offering VIP seating. Instead, we will do our best to accommodate all parents as we can. We understand how important this show is for so many of you and we promise to do our very best in seating assignments.
  • Seating assignment information will not be available until the night of due to ticket sales. You will be ushered to your seat after health screenings.
  • Masks are required. Anyone refusing to wear a mask, wearing a mask below their nose, or wearing a mask on their chin, will be asked to leave promptly.
  • There will be a list of protocols and procedures emailed to all ticket holders and posted around the narthex/auditorium. Anyone refusing to follow protocols will be asked to leave promptly.
  • Ticketing is VERY limited. 200 tickets can be purchased for each event. This will allow adequate distancing for families and friends.
We will be offering the following dates:
Thursday, April 22nd at 7 PM – Performance; Friday, April 23rd at 7 PM – Performance;
Saturday, April 24th at 2 PM – Performance
– AND –
Friday, April 30th at 7 PM – Performance; Saturday, May 1 at 2 PM – Performance
You can access tickets here:

Men’s Prayer Breakfast

Coffee cup and coffee beans on table
“For where two or three come together in my name, there I am among them.” (Matthew 18:20).
Please join us on Fridays; iHop Restaurant Conference Room (Sheldon Road between Warren & Ford), 7:30-8:30am. Dates: 4/16, 5/14, 6/4
NEWS YOU CAN USE!
Kroger Community Rewards
Are you a Kroger shopper? Did you know you can name PCA as the recipient for Kroger Community Awards, earning money for our school each time you shop?
It’s easy and no cost to you. Simply go to www.kroger.com, and sign in with your Frequent Shopper card number. Then, under “my account,” select Community Rewards, and choose Plymouth Christian Academy (organization # PJ183). Thank you for your support!
Shop with SCRIP and Save
SCRIP is a fund-raising tool for schools, but PCA is unique in that we apply any rebates you earn directly against your tuition account. It’s a great way to fundraise for your own tuition account!
Simply sign up with SCRIP using our school enrollment code. Contact Laura Imlach for details: laura.imlach@plymouthchristian.org or 734-459-3505 x3156.

Tuition Update

Just a reminder that, under our new Continuous Enrollment program, your child’s enrollment for next year is guaranteed! Please see the information for Continuous Enrollment below. If your plans have changed, you must fill out an Intent to Withdraw form before April 30, 2021, or you will be responsible for 10% of tuition.
The tuition rates for 2021-22 have been approved by the Board of Regents and Board of Trustees. For the second year in a row, tuition is the same for grades preschool through 6th grade. For grades 7-12, there was a 3% increase for tuition. We continue to thank the Lord for His faithfulness in provision for our families! Remember, current families are eligible for Variable Tuition by filling out the Variable Tuition application (found in your FACTS account or on our website) before April 17, 2021.
Tuition agreements for 2021-22 will be sent the first week of April. If you have questions about Variable Tuition, or would like to change your tuition payment plan for the 2021-22 school year, please be sure to contact the Tuition Office (Laura Imlach): laura.imlach@plymouthchristian.org or 734-459-3505 x 3156.
Q: How does Continuous Enrollment work?
A: You will be part of the PCA community unless you tell us otherwise, and your child’s spot in their class will be secure until graduation.
Q: What if things change for our family?
A: You will have until April 30th to fill out the Intent to Withdraw form, simply notifying the school and face absolutely no penalty. The form is found on our website under Parent Resources (other forms).
Q: Are there any deadlines to be aware of?
A: Families will be responsible for 10% of tuition after the April 30th deadline. For major life changes/unique circumstances resulting in withdrawal after the deadline, Superintendent and Regent Board approval is required to waive the 10% tuition fee.
We work hard to plan and prepare for students to return each year and we want to invest these tuition dollars wisely so we can provide the quality Christ-centered education you have come to know and love at PCA. We know you’ll appreciate the simple process Continuous Enrollment provides.
For questions about Continuous Enrollment, please connect with Leanne Windle (leanne.windle@plymouthchristian.org or 734-459-3505×3190)

Health & Safety

Daily Health Screening for Students & Staff

ELEMENTARY NEWS

March is Reading Month – Daily 5 at PCA!

Students in Grades K-6 at PCA are using the Daily 5 Framework for teaching Reading and Writing. The purpose of Daily 5 is to structure literacy time in order to increase student independence and bring about a classroom that hums productive and engaged learners. Daily 5 consists of teaching students in 5 areas: Read to Self, Read with Someone, Work on Writing, Listen to Reading, and Word Work. Teachers rotate through these 5 areas of literacy throughout the week and can work with students individually or with small groups. Pictured here is Mrs. Houson teaching about Text Structure during her 2nd grade, Daily 5 small group time. Also pictured are some of Mrs. Romisch’s Kindergarten students sharpening their reading and writing skills during independent work time.  It is our desire to develop lifelong learners who love reading and can, in turn, develop a love reading God’s Word!
Elementary Chapel News The Micah 6:8 Cup Challenge
This past week, Mr. Batson issued a friendly challenge to students to memorize our school’s theme verse for the year: Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” With the verse pasted on the cups, the challenge was to see which group could stack the cups the fastest in this fun principal versus student challenge. Click here to watch the video and find out who the winner was! Mr. Batson will be challenging new students each week, so stay tuned!
ElementaryChapelChallenge3-26-2021

Springtime, Easter, and Rebirth!

Walking around campus at PCA, we are noticing the promise of rebirth and springtime; the children happily playing outside, enjoying the warmer temperatures and sunshine, a beautiful chalk drawing reminding us of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the beauty of God’s creation in the flowers blooming outside each classroom window. We are so thankful that our students have been in the classroom face-to-face since August. Praise God for His blessings on our school! We pray that this Easter will be a time of rest, reflection and thankfulness for the rebirth God has given to each of us through his Son, Jesus Christ! Enjoy your Spring Break and Easter with your families!  “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds, we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

SECONDARY NEWS

JUNIOR/SENIOR BANQUET

Prom is happening Thursday, May 6th. It will be at Silver Shores Waterfront  in Wyandotte, Michigan. Please reserve your spot and pay online. The link will be out shortly. Registration closes April 19th. Cost is $75 which includes buffet dinner, dessert and activities.

Generation of Technology Series

YouTube
A Google-owned video-sharing website with a corresponding app for smartphones.
Pros: YouTube can be an amazing platform for kids to learn and get creative. There are myriad videos dedicated to helping children understand complex issues in school as well as exploring their own creative interests. Many of these videos are clean, wholesome and engaging for kids of all ages. And if you want to set some boundaries for your children, YouTube also allows parents to place a few restrictions on what their kids watch. In addition, YouTube has created a place for children to admire those who are just like them, instead of only idolizing celebrities.
Cons: While kids might follow people that are “just like them,” that doesn’t mean they share the same worldview or beliefs as your family. YouTube is also filled with inappropriate content ranging from vulgar language and violence to drug use and sexually charged activity. It is one of the most free-range sites in that your children can watch pretty much anything they want, if left unsupervised. And though YouTube technically has content standards regarding explicit imagery, it doesn’t take long on the site to realize that those standards aren’t applied consistently. (Especially when it comes to racy, money-making videos by popular musicians.) And the comments section on YouTube can be just as sticky, as users are able to leave hurtful, hateful posts.
Trend: YouTube isn’t just a place where kids passively consume information, at least, not anymore. Young users are now creating YouTube Channels where they’re able to post videos that interest them, in the hopes of gaining an audience. If parents want to disable the comments section on their child’s channel, they can learn to do so here.
Instagram
A Facebook-owned video and photo sharing app.
Pros: Users can privately message friends as well as edit, post and share videos and photos on their personal feed. They also have access to Instagram Stories, where they can post pictures and videos for 24 hours. Users can customize their privacy settings and control who sees their content. Users can utilize hashtags (to personalize) and geotags (to show location) when posting content.
Cons: Just as privately messaging friends can be good, it can also be harmful. Friends of users are able to screenshot their content (without notification) and share it privately with others, even if the other users are not friends of your child. Additionally, users can utilize the search engine and see a variety of clips, videos and photos from other accounts, some of which contain vulgar language, inappropriate material and pornographic images.
Trend: A trend that many professionals and adults are seeing with Instagram is an increase in depression and anxiety. Instagram allows users to post their “best life,” and oftentimes the “best” version is an unrealistic picture that distorts reality. Additionally, FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is another contributor to increased anxiety levels among teens.
Snapchat
A privately owned, multi-media messaging app.
Pros: Snapchat has a variety of filters that allows users to get creative with their pictures. Because there’s no “Like” button, as with Instagram, teens often feel less pressure to portray a perfect or perfectly filtered life on Snapchat.
Cons: Teens are able to post Stories (videos and photos) that last only 24 hours. This can eliminate accountability, allowing teens to post whatever they choose for a short window of time. Unless, of course, a fellow follower chooses to save an image to his or her personal device before it disappears. Similarly, teens are also able to send direct message words and images which last anywhere from one to 10 seconds, depending on a user’s settings, and then they disappear—a feature that’s garnered plenty of publicity for tempting teens to post stuff that they might not have otherwise. Perhaps the most disturbing content on Snapchat is the ability to “Discover” any content you want, from pornographic images and videos to vulgar language and violence.
Trend: A snap streak is when users send messages back and forth with a friend for consecutive days.
TiKTok
A social media platform where users can discover, create and share short videos.
Pros: Users are able to post 15-second recorded videos of themselves (often singing or dancing). Many kids use this app as a way to post goofy videos of songs they enjoy and share them with friends. Although the app is set to public by default, there are privacy settings that parents can put into place.
Cons: On iTunes, this app is marketed for ages 12 and up. In reality, this is an app that can be accessed by children of all ages as it’s fairly simple to create an account. Users are able to post any sort of 15-second video they want—thus many videos might include borderline pornographic images as well as pics of young girls and boys dancing suggestively and dressing provocatively. Users are also able to post private contact information (and provocative messages/images) in their profile. In addition, an account is public by default, and parents should be aware that other users can see videos whether they have an account or not.
Trend: This app has been identified a hotspot for predators because anyone can direct message your child, asking for inappropriate content and sending inappropriate content as well.
Tune in next week for more!

EAGLE FINE ARTS

FINE ARTS PATRON

Thank you so much to those of you who have responded with donations to the PCA Fine Arts Patron Program.
Your support ensures that we can continue to provide quality fine arts programs to students at Plymouth Christian.
It is not too late to donate! Please see click on the “Become A Fine Arts Patron TODAY!” button at the right to visit out website.
Platinum Patron; Alicia Allen, Martha Koppin
Silver Patron; Lyndy McGregor, Nicole Shelton, Gina and Brian Zasadny
,Bronze Patron: Dwayne Barker, Christophe Buchler, Robin and Jeff McHugh, Robert Dotson
Purple Patron; Rodney and Kara Corwin, Keri Mueller

EAGLE ATHLETICS

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Executive Order 2020-180 specifies that athletes must wear a face covering for all sports practices and contests except for cross country and tennis. This includes all off-season training for baseball and softball as well. If you do not have a mask, you cannot participate. If you are involved in any of our sports and have questions, please contact your coach. Please note that spectators are still limited to two per player for all games at this time. All home games in the Butler Gymnasium will be live-streamed at NFHSnetwork.com.
Athletic Website & Schedule Alerts
Please follow our athletic website, www.plymouthchristianeagles.com, where you can view scores, schedules, articles and team/sport-specific updates. Enjoy keeping up on PCA sports! When you are on our PCA Eagles Home Page, be sure to sign up for VNN Alerts for your team. Click on ‘Sign Up For Alerts’ located just above the purple banner on the upper right side of our PCA Eagles home page or click on this link https://alerts.getvnn.com/#/profile/alerts. Remember to check your student’s online game schedule frequently as changes often occur during their season.
Physicals & Forms
If you have a student that is interested in participating in a PCA sport, he or she must have a current, MHSAA physical and our Sports Participation form on file in the Athletic Office BEFORE they can participate in tryouts, practices, or games. Forms are online at our school website HERE (scroll to the athletic tab), in the Secondary Office, and Athletic Office. A physical dated April 15, 2020 or after is considered a current physical and is good for the current school year until April 15, 2021. NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, if your student had a current physical for the 2019-20 school year, (dated 04-15-2019 or after) the MHSAA is allowing that physical to be valid for this school year. If this applies to your student, you must complete the 2020-21 MHSAA Sports Health Questionnaire and turn it into the Athletic Dept.
Athletic Team Practice/Game
If the practice or game is not taking place right after school (starting by 3:20pm), students must report to the Study Table room, or be meeting with their teacher, in order to remain on campus. Thank you for your help with this.

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