ums journal 11-12 school year issue 2
DESCRIPTION
UMS Journal 11-12 School Year Issue 2TRANSCRIPT
UMSJournal2011-12 School Year • Issue 2
Celebrating University-Model Schools and Families®
HowGod
and Barry SwitzerFulfilled a Little Girl’sDream
2011-12 School Year • Issue 2Volume II
Published bimonthly by
Hudson Jones Publications, LLCHouston, Texas • Tulsa, Oklahoma
281-602-5400
DIrector of ADVertISIngJo Anne Hudson
eDItorDaron Jones
ADVertISIng SAleSAaron Ferguson
Entire contents ©2012, all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part, without written permission of Hudson Jones Publications, LLC, is prohibited. The publisher accepts no responsibility for content of any advertisements solicited and/or printed herein, including any liability arising out of any claims for infringement of any intellectual property rights, patents, trademarks, trade dress and/or copyrights; nor any liability for the text, misrepresentations, false or misleading statements, illustrations, such being the sole responsibility of the advertisers. All advertisers agree to defend, indemnify and hold the publisher harmless from all claims or suits regarding any advertisements. Due to printing and ink variances, the publisher does not guarantee exact color matching. Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. Readers’ views are solicited. Publisher reserves the right to publish, in whole or in part, any materials or correspondence received from outside parties. Publisher assumes no responsi-bility for unsolicited material.
SuBScrIPtIonS Arefree In tHe uSA
Email your contact information to [email protected]. Subscriptions outside the USA are $50 per year.
Periodical postage paid in Houston, Texas.
POSTMASTER SEnd AddRESS chAngES TO:UMS JOURNAL
Circulation Manager27270 Jimmy Ln
Conroe, TX 77385
www.umsjournal.com
HJP
Barbara Nicholson Freeman, M.Ed.Executive DirectorNational Association of University-Mod-el Schools®Arlington, Texaswww.naums.net
Bob CreeAdministratorCommunity Christian SchoolWestfield, Massachusettswww.ccsfamily.org
Terri TurleyAdministratorOaktree AcademyVirginia Beach, Virginiawww.oaktreeacademy.org
Aaron WeastAdministratorLogos Preparatory AcademySugar Land, Texaswww.logosprep.com
Audra MayExecutive DirectorLegacy Preparatory Christian AcademyThe Woodlands, Texaswww.legacypca.org
Andrea HoweyDirector of Events & MarketingNational Association of University-Model Schools®Arlington, Texaswww.naums.net
Barbara Van WartNAUMS Board of DirectorsNational Association of University-Mod-el Schools®Arlington, Texaswww.naums.net
Editorial Advisory Board
2011-12 School Year • Issue 22 www.umsjournal.com
11-122011-12 School Year, Issue 2
3character Witnesses for christThe Whole umS missionBy Barbara Freeman, M.Ed.,NAUMS Executive Director
4Brooklyn Allison’s european AdventureBy Maynard NordmoeRiver’s Edge Christian Academy
7A unique missionlccS to oversee umS and traditional campusBy Mark CotéLancaster County Christian School
11An unlikely realityThe Inspiring Story of Wylie PrepBy Sara Killian and Lori Reuthinger
9c-tours caters to umS Student groupsBy Francisco GarciaCommunity Christian School
14Spotlight on collegesDallas Baptist universityuniversity of the Southwestcharis Bible college
Follow us on
@umsjournal
13great expectationsStudent Bonding at cornerstone PrepWords by Catherine-Ann Marlow (10th grade)Photos by Hannah Gurniewicz (11th grade)
If someone were to ask you the vision for your school, what would be your response? I can think of many answers, but the one we most
often hear is that we want our school to equip and empower parents to raise their children to be college worthy, character witnesses of Christ for the next generation.
This is the vision of the University-Model School®, but are we successful? How do we know, can we measure our success in accom-plishing this vision?
The college worthy part of the vision is the simplest to evaluate---there are many measurable characteristics of a school that will determine its success in helping parents prepare college wor-thy students. Student performance is measured in many ways---from classroom assessment to school accreditation. This is the easy part, this is the objective part.
But how do we know that our students are becoming or will become character witnesses of Christ, that they will truly be Christ’s disciples, not just now---but always? The answer to this question lies in the hearts and actions of our students. Do they love the Lord their God with all their hearts, with all their souls, and with all their minds? Do they love their neighbors as they love themselves?” (Matthew 22:37-39)
What are the activities in your school that will
equip parents to partner with educators to teach students to love the Lord their God this way---to love their neighbors as they love themselves?
A school can have the highest quality aca-demic program in the world, the most successful athletic program, but if parents and educators fail to teach their students how to love God and their neighbors as themselves, they have failed to achieve the second part of the vision---the most important part---the reason the University-Model School exists!
On Tuesday morning, April 3, 2012, most people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area got up as usual and reported to work or school, many to University-Model Schools, for there are ten of these schools in this area. No one expected 15 tornadoes to hit around lunch time that day, two of which left unbelievable devastation in their paths. Yet, miraculously no one was killed!
On Easter Sunday following the tornadoes, members of St. Barnabas United Method-ist Church stood or sat on the lawn as they worshipped and praised Jesus just days after a tornado gutted their church near Grace Prepara-tory Academy in Arlington, Texas. Students in that school, including my seven-year-old grandson, had sought refuge in the hallway of Grace Prep, covering their heads as this particular tornado moved into the area. The school was not hit.
How do we react to unexpected events of this type? How do we react to an unexpected diagnoses of cancer, of sudden, tragic death? The answer lies in our hearts, our love for God, and our love for His people. As adults, how will our students react to these events?
On this same Easter morning, Associate Pas-tor Mike Rodden of St. Barnabas told the people in attendance outside the church, “Life on earth is unpredictable. There are challenges, and there are hardships.” That same day, the headlines of the Star Telegram newspaper proclaimed the words of one of the members of the church, “The darkness of the past week holds no power.” As Christians, we can all say that the darkness of the past or any of the difficulties or challenges of life hold no power. It is our faith in Christ that sees us through; it is our love for God, our love for His people that sees us through.
How do we instill this same faith and love in our children, how do we teach them to love God above all things, how do we teach them to love their neighbors as themselves–how do we teach them to be disciples of Christ? I believe we can accomplish this vision, not only through witness-ing to our children, imparting our own faith and
values, but also in teaching them to love others and to feed God’s sheep by reaching out to the world around them.
Many schools take important steps in partner-ship with parents to teach their students how to reach out to others; they frequently sponsor mission trips, get their students involved in Bible study, in community and church ministries, and in a variety of activities created to make a differ-ence for others---to make a difference for Christ’s kingdom.
Rarely, however, do we see a nine-year-old student impact the world around her by raising $25,000 to build a school for orphans in Uganda. She has now expanded her dream by setting a goal of $60,000 to build a village in Uganda that will serve as an outreach program to the com-munity. When others see our love for them, they see the love of Jesus.
Many have joined Natasha Leininger of Sum-mit Christian School, a UMS near San Antonio, Texas; many are now taking part in this new dream to build a village. I wonder if your students would like to be part of this dream. Will taking part help teach them how to love God and His people? An email about this outreach ministry and mission was sent to your school on March 6. Watch for another one soon.
There are thousands of Christian schools in our country and around the world. Do they all teach their children to love God and His people? Most would say they do, but are the results per-manent? George Barna’s research tells us they are not. Over eighty percent of Christian young people leave their faith when they enter college.
At the beginning of this school year, I stated in another article that the University-Model School® can change this statistic, but it will take all of us working together in unity to partner with parents to prepare character witnesses of Christ who are fully equipped to defend their faith and to teach others the love of God and how to feed His sheep.
There were three major reasons the University-Model School® was founded. The most important reason was (and is) The Great Commission. Are we equipping our students to go into the world to share the good news of Jesus Christ, are we instilling a desire for missions within the heart of every student? If so, we can be assured that our students will love the Lord their God with all their hearts, with all their souls, and with all their minds–and they will love their neighbors as themselves. UMS
Email Barbara at [email protected].
32011-12 School Year • Issue 2 www.umsjournal.com
Character Witnesses for ChristIs Your School Achieving the whole UMS vision?
a word from the executive director
By Barbara Freeman, M.Ed.Executive DirectorNational Association of University-Model Schools®www.naums.net
By Maynard NordmoeAdministrator
River’s EdgeChristian Academy
Knoxville, TNriversedgeca.com
How God, Barry Switzer, and a Little Hard Work Sent a Sixth Grader with Cystic Fibrosis on the Trip of a Lifetime
Brooklyn Allison’s European Adventure
Grandma Sheri, Krista, Brooklyn, and Aunt Kandi at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
52011-12 School Year • Issue 2 www.umsjournal.com
Pictures can be dangerous. I shared a photo from Pompeii in a History class from a student tour some years ago in which a number of high school
students stood straddling one of those ancient streets on a pedestrian crossing. I asked if anyone would like to go there. The response was immediate and unanimous. Our History teacher, Mrs. Burnette, was intrigued as well.
And so began the dream of taking a group of students from River’s Edge Christian Academy on our first ever tour of Europe.
Our plans were over a year in the making and the announcement went out. We were going! Student excitement was no problem. They eagerly took the bait home, only to run into the reality of the expense of it all and the state of family finances.
One student in particular was bitten by the idea of traveling to Rome, Paris, and London, and with some apprehension brought the idea home to her parents. The sixth-grader, Brooklyn Allison, has some very supportive and loving parents who would have been thrilled to send her.
But Brooklyn has cystic fibrosis, a particularly nasty disease, and her parents have been continually strapped for years just to keep her in medicine through numerous surgeries and treatments.
Sending Brooklyn would have been difficult enough, but her illness, complicated further by recently developed diabetes, would have required her mom to go along to nurse her and administer daily treatments.
It was out of the question.Brooklyn is a child of faith, however,
and something in her prompted her to ask anyway. Her mom’s heart was touched and a bit broken as she told her there was just no money to do that sort of thing.
“If I raised the money could I go?” Brooklyn asked. It was one of those heart-rending questions spoken out of innocent faith that was impossible to resist.
“Well, of course.” What else could a mother say?
Of Clay and LondonBrooklyn set about immediately with
a smile and a confidence that only God could impart. Her dad suggested she make and sell some miniature crèche sets out of modeling clay that she had made once for a school project.
I had my doubts until I saw one. They were irresistible, even at $25 a set. Brooklyn’s spare time was soon totally absorbed in making these sets as the orders
started to roll in. Still, mom and dad could only shake
their heads when they did the math: 7000 divided by 25 meant hundreds of these little sales.
Brooklyn was undaunted, however, and forged ahead as if it was a done deal. There were some 16-hour days of clay modeling, but she never missed any of those initial trip payments.
As she started school, her market at home was drying up. At this point, the portion of the Rome to Paris trip still seemed within reach, but the extension to London was clearly thought impossible.
Secretly though, London was her dream.
Brooklyn then made a call to her extended family back home in Oklahoma. Grandma Mary picked up the phone and started taking orders, and Grandpa Rusty agreed to mention it a few friends.
Thus began an unbelievable chain of events.
Barry WHO?One of her grandfather’s friends was the
local sheriff, who took a sincere interest in Brooklyn’s project, much to both of their surprise. A veteran of many fundraisers, Sheriff Lester brought together a number of people for an evening event where one of Brooklyn’s crèche sets was auctioned off for hundreds of dollars.
Within weeks of these wheels being set in motion, a family trip home to Oklahoma brought the usual family reunion, but also a phone call from Sheriff Lester. He wanted to take Brooklyn and her mom for a ride. He would not tell them the purpose or destination, but apprehension gave way to trust as they agreed.
After several stops around town to visit various individuals who had been touched by Brooklyn’s quest, they left town and headed out into the countryside. Eventually they turned in the driveway of an immense estate.
Coming to the door to welcome them was none other than Mr. Barry Switzer, of Oklahoma Sooners and Dallas Cowboys fame. It turns out that he was at the local
country club one day and happened to overhear a conversation about a little girl who wanted to go to Europe and was raising money all by herself. He wanted to meet her.
And so there they were, face to face, with Brooklyn wearing her usual
irrepressible smile. Introductions were made and Brooklyn told him about her mission.
Somewhere between the smile and the story, he found her innocence captivating. He asked her if she knew who he was. She had to admit that she did not. He asked her if she was going to London. “No, it’s my dream, but we just don’t have enough money for that. My medicines are so expensive.”
“Lester, let’s make that happen,” Mr. Switzer told the sheriff.
He asked if she wanted anything signed. She remembered a small football and picture she was bringing home to her friend, Landon. “He doesn’t talk to me much, but he always looks out for me at school.” He signed it with an order to take good care of Brooklyn.
One of the crèche sets was also produced and given to Mr. Switzer. He wasn’t quite sure what to do with this trophy among all the others, but he took it with a studied smile.
Overcoming HurdlesWith the Lord’s Hand
Even though the dream was now becoming a reality, her mom and dad were also forced to think seriously of all the consequences that such a trip would entail. There were medicines to order, daily treatments to continue, and doctors!
Oh, the doctors. Would they warn so seriously against
the dangers of such a trip as to make it
Brooklyn and friends as the Fab Four in London, her
dream destination.
2011-12 School Year • Issue 26 www.umsjournal.com
look like they were gambling with their daughter’s life?
Fortunately, they saw this time of her life as probably the best time to go if she was ever going to take such a journey. Cystic fibrosis only gets worse with time. It was now or possibly never.
Then there were any number of hurdles to overcome, with things like airport security, breathing treatments on airplanes, diabetic-friendly food in a foreign country, and potentially exhausting tour walks.
One by one, the questions were answered and things moved ahead.
Two days before leaving, however, they discovered that she would have to secure a battery-powered breathing treatment machine. Voltage converters would not work with all her regular equipment. An all-day search about town revealed that there was no such animal available, even if you could pay full price.
About 8 p.m. that night, the phone rang. Someone had heard about the need and volunteered to give her a battery-powered unit they had. It was not only timely but free; just another miracle among many that continued to show God’s hand of blessing.
On March 15th, Brooklyn Allison and her mom, Krista, along with Aunt Kandi and Mimi Sherry, left for Rome, Italy. It was a dramatic moment showing God’s attentiveness to a little girl’s prayers. Miraculously, that suitcase full of medicines, hypodermic needles, and wired
devices went through security without fail. Brooklyn smiled her way across Italy,
endured the daily walking, traveled overnight to Paris on a rollicking railroad ride, made it to the top of the Eiffel Tower, traveled on to England, and toured the great sights of London.
No complaints, no lagging behind, and no problems. I wish we all could have said the same. After we fell into our late-night beds after a full day of touring, Brooklyn had to stay up yet another two hours every night to do her breathing treatments. And yet, we saw nothing but a bright eyed little girl every morning brimming with gratefulness.
A Life Lesson from GodI have heard of some Christian schools
who will not take students suffering from cystic fibrosis because of the many days they miss with their recurring surgeries and other absences.
We don’t see it that way. Brooklyn is a gift to us teaching our
students about real life; how to bear adversity day by day with the joy of the Lord ever reflected in her countenance and smile.
And now, she has taught us more about prayer and the God who hears than any sermon any of us could have given. I have never left her hospital room without being reminded that “greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world.”
Brooklyn once gave me a little photo
frame with a smiling giraffe. It says, “When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show it that you have a thousand reasons to smile.” She added in her own hand, “This is what I live by. This reminds me of you. Love, Brooklyn.”
It is surely the most treasured student gift I have ever received and surely the most undeserved compliment. May I do even half as well. UMS
Trista, Mikaela, Zach, and Brooklyn.
The River’s Edge group prepares to board a train.
72011-12 School Year • Issue 2 www.umsjournal.com
Beginning this fall, Lancaster County Christian School will run two campuses, one traditional and the other UMS. In this exclusive interview, Head of School Mark J. Coté explains this unique plan. Youcan contact Mark via email at [email protected].
Give us a brief history of Lancaster County Christian School to this point. It arose through a merger of two well-known Christian schools in your area, correct? How did you discover the University-Model School?Lancaster Christian School and Living Word Academy existed for over 80 years combined before merging in 2010. The coming together of these two schools was motivated by the vision of cooperation within the Christian school community to provide stronger support to our families through our educational program and increased opportunities. The merger was an amazing process of God going before the leadership of both schools with this vision and in the implementation of creating a new school: Lancaster County Christian School.
As the new school opened its doors, the administration and board began to seek God for a better and more biblical way to educate our children. This quest spanned from deeper understanding of the background of the Hebrew culture to emerging trends in 21st century education. It also included intentional conversations with ministry and education leaders from around the country, and even outside of the country.
Two key truths came into focus during this journey. The first one was the importance of the teacher-student relationship, acknowledging the primacy of parental influence and responsibility. Second, the end of such education is the mission of God’s kingdom as reflected in the commissions throughout the story in Scripture (Gen 1:26-28; 12:1-3; Matt 28:18-20).
Improvements have been made in the LCCS traditional program along these lines. Also during this process, we discovered the University-Model School. After
A Unique Experiment
Sean Freund and Mark Coté.
2011-12 School Year • Issue 28 www.umsjournal.com
much prayer, investigation, and reflection, the board and administration decided that the UMS vision and design could be a great blessing to families in Lancaster County. There was unanimous and enthusiastic approval for adding a UMS program to LCCS.
Your plan is to convert one of your two campuses to a UMS beginning this fall. This is a unique strategy. How did it come about, and why did you choose this route?Part of the original vision for LCCS was not to simply form a new school, but also to develop a Christian school system in Lancaster County, beginning with the combination of the two original schools and their campuses.
This vision now includes the idea of offering different models of education to our parents in order to accomplish our mission of Living Education: LCCS graduates followers of Jesus Christ who are skilled in biblical scholarship and its integration into academics, the arts, athletics, and community; who are prepared for their vocation and higher education; and who reflect His image in life.
There are many families at LCCS for whom the traditional Christian school model fits well. There are also families, both within the school and especially from the broader community, that desire another avenue for parental influence in their children’s lives. University-Model Schooling provides the gift of time to these parents.
The current plan is to transition the LCCS programs so that in five years there will be a traditional Pre-K-12 campus and a UMS K-12 campus. The separate campuses allow each program to have its own flavor while being close enough in proximity to combine for stronger extracurricular opportunities.
What has been the reaction of your student families so far? Will you be able to retain a good portion of your current students?The LCCS community has been very energized by the announcement of launching a UMS program. By broadening the options available to families, we hope to both retain and gain more families going into next year. There are some for whom the UMS is a better fit, so those families will move from the traditional to the UMS program. Other families have applauded the new option while remaining committed to the traditional program for their students. Others are anticipating the expansion into the secondary grades. We are delighted for the opportunity to
partner with new families because of the addition of this program.
Have you already started to attract new families after your UMS announcement?Yes, our Director of Admissions is receiving new inquiries about the UMS program. Some have been quite enthusiastic about the new opportunity. The word is still getting out, so we hope to hear from many more families. In March, we introduced the LCCS UMS in a community-wide event, with Dr. John Turner as our guest speaker.
What research have you done on the UMS educational model and NAUMS? Since learning about NAUMS last summer, the board and administration have been actively learning more about the model and the organization. We have all read Dr. Turner’s helpful book, Character-Driven College Preparation. We have also placed numerous phone calls to NAUMS leaders and school officials throughout the country. We have contacted these schools with many questions and were very impressed with the helpful and clear responses that we
received. In addition, this February some of the administrators visited two schools and the NAUMS office and leadership in Texas as well as Oak Tree Academy in Virginia. The latter visit included some official training conducted by NAUMS administrators.
What is the best advice you’ve been given on this UMS journey so far?The strong advice we have received includes encouragement to continue to pray and seek after God for the vision to implement this program. It is very easy to slip into operational details, but our focus remained on the Lord for the vision, and the details are coming together very well.
What will be the schedule for the UMS program?The UMS K-2 will meet in the central classroom three days and the satellite classroom two days
(kindergarten will have two satellite days). Grades 3-6 will meet in the central classroom three days and satellite classroom two days.
Will you start out with extracurriculars such as athletics, music, etc., or add those later?The traditional program may also help our UMS program to have components such as music, art, Spanish, and physical education. How many and how often these classes will meet will depend on the scheduling. UMS students can participate in band, choir, and orchestra. Sixth-grade students can also choose to be involved in middle school sports and fine arts activities. We also plan to establish an excellent Bible curriculum in the UMS as well as continue one in the traditional model. The curriculum will focus on helping students understand the whole story of scripture as a basis for solid biblical study and application.
What are the background of your school management?I have a Master of Divinity in Practical Theology from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. I am currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry through Regent. I came to the school ten years ago as the full-time high school Bible teacher, and am now in my sixth year as head of school.
Sean Freund, the West Lampeter Campus Principal, which will become the UMS campus, has a Master of Science in Christian Education from Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit, PA. He came to the school seven years ago as a middle school teacher and became a principal the following year.
Sharon Brobst, the Leola Campus Principal, will continue with the traditional program. She is in her eighth year as principal here at LCCS. Prior to entering administration she taught foreign languages for 19 years. She
holds a Master of Education in Educational Administration from Keene State College in Keene, NH. She also is a doctoral candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at Liberty University. Her dissertation is a causal-comparative study of college readiness indicators of UMS seniors and traditional,
comprehensive Christian school seniors.
How is your relationship with NAUMS?We want to express our deep gratitude for the incredible support we have received from NAUMS during this process. From Barbara Freeman and her staff to Dr. John Turner and all the school officials who have shared their time and wisdom, we have been greatly blessed. Specifically, we have experienced their servant-hearts and humility. The professionalism and educational expertise has also been impressive. The vision of the model speaks for itself because it is based on the design of the family growing and being a blessing to other families through the means of education. We have already been enriched through this fellowship, and we look forward to serving together in this kingdom ministry. UMS
LCCS’s West Lampeter campus.
The Leola campus.
92011-12 School Year • Issue 2 www.umsjournal.com
I remember my high school Italian teacher, Mr. DiVenuto. I had been placed in his class by mistake, but I asked to stay there because the class looked interesting to me. Three years later,
I considered myself pretty fluent in the language, even though I very rarely got any homework done and did not do very good in tests. How could this have been?
As I reflect back at that time, I am remembering how Mr. DiVenuto treated me as if I were his own son. When I was in my senior year, I left school for about two weeks and could have probably dropped out. When I came back, Mr. DiVenuto saw me in the hallways and slapped me square in the face. Then he hugged me and told me not to do that again. That was the first time I ever had an adult figure I could respect and see as a role model. I respected him and could not let him down.
My First Trip to ItalyThe year I graduated from high school, I worked a job at the post
office during Christmas to pay for my first trip to Italy. I traveled for 10 days through the eastern coast of Sicily and absolutely fell in love with the culture, food and people.
I was a part of a group tour, and unofficially became the tour leader as I spoke Italian fluently. Our tour leader did not. It was hard work but I remember thinking, I could do this for a living one day. Mr. DiVenuto handed me the contact information for a tour operator company I should call to work for, but I was too young.
About a year later, I began hanging around with the wrong crowd and my life was quickly becoming worthless. I turned to alcohol and drugs and I was looking forward to that more than I did my studies.
I couldn’t turn to God because he was nonexistent to me. One night I had decided I was going to end my life. The lifestyle I
was living was depressing and worthless. I phoned some friends that evening, including one who was a Christian. He invited me over to hang out and before I left, he asked if he could pray for me. “Sure” I said. It was that evening that I prayed for the first time and had a real one-to-one conversation with Jesus.
My life has never been the same since that night.
Christ-centered tours (C-tours)Today, I currently teach at Community Christian School, a UMS
school in Springfield, Massachusetts, with my wife Michelle. Before teaching here, I worked closely with Mr. DiVenuto, who took me under his wing as a younger teacher.
Three years after that, I began working for C-tours, inc. a Christ-
centered tour operator company. We have a one-year-old daughter named Francesca. She is named after Mr. DiVenuto’s five-month old daughter who passed away of SIDS 11 years ago.
C-tours, inc. offers group tour packages for high school history, language, art and even music classes such as choirs, orchestras, ensembles and even bands. We strive to ultimately enhance our traveller’s relationship with Christ. Hence C-tours (Christ-centered tours).
Because a tour leader is very familiar with his or her group’s interests and focal points in an area of study, working closely together with a tour leader is essential. This is why we find it important for us to come to know and establish a relationship with our tour leaders to be able to understand the needs and emphasis of their group.
It is through these details that we are then able to customize a unique tour package to fit the group’s needs in the areas of finances, accommodations, places to visit, and ultimately their walk with God.
Customized Tours for UMSA UMS teacher has many different advantages for travel with
C-tours, such as the flexibility to travel according to your schedule. As a UMS school, you might be allowed to travel during a country’s off season, thus saving on finances.
Another great advantage is the fact that as a UMS teacher, I understand the needs and perspective that a UMS teacher has and can better tailor the best available package.
Your customized tour will include a tour escort who is with the group the entire time they are visiting the country and works closely together with the tour leader to improve the visit during travel. It will also include the following so as to alleviate the added stress on the tour leader while on tour:
• Local guides who are knowledgable in a specific town or city.• Two meals daily. Drinks other than water are not included.• Private first class motorcoach transportation while on tour.• Centrally located hotels. • Travel Insurance. • Gratuities to escort, guides and drivers.C-tours will also manage finances and payment due dates unless
otherwise specified. The only things students will have to worry about while on tour will be their essentials, spending money and their passports.
C-tours strives to make the UMS student tour experience seamless, safe, and truly centered around Christ. UMS
By Francisco GarciaC-tours, Inc. andCommunity Christian School of Springfield, Mass.
C-tours Caters to UMS Student Groups
C-tours can help your UMS customize a student trip overseas.
®
C
Pre-Conference Workshops July 24, 2012
National Conference July 25-27, 2012
You are cordially invited to join the University-Model School® family for the National Association of University-Model Schools® Tenth Annual National Conference, scheduled July 25-27, 2012, in Fort Worth, Texas! Framed by the theme Celebrating the University-Model School®, we hope you will join us as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the national UMS ministry and movement!
Conference information & registration available at
www.naums.net. 103 North 1st Street • Midlothian, TX 76065 • (972) 525-7005 • Toll Free (888) 485-8525 www.regonline.com/NAUMS • [email protected] • www.naums.net
10th Annual NAUMS National Conference Conference Location
The Riley Center Fort Worth, Texas
Dr. Rob Rienow Visionary Family Ministries
Teresa Moon Institute for Cultural
Communicators
Conference Keynote Speakers include Dr. Rob Rienow, Founder of Visionary Family Ministries, Teresa Moon, Director of the Institute for Cultural Communicators, and Dr. Kathy Koch, President of Celebrate Kids, Inc.
Breakout sessions will feature a wide range of topics including:
● Christian Education: One Administrator’s Perspective ● Process of Biblical Integration ● Seven Laws of Teaching ● Development Strategies for Your School ● Empowered Student Ministries & Student Life ● Cutting Edge Technology for Schools ● Parenting from the Inside-Out ● Establishing Tuition & a Balanced Budget in the UMS ● Latin in the Classical School ● Student Admission/Family Interview ● Socratic Method of Work: Discussion Based Classrooms ● Components of a Kingdom Education
… and many more!
elebrating
112011-12 School Year • Issue 2 www.umsjournal.com
Eleven years ago we would never have dreamed that Wylie Preparatory Academy would be where it is today. Situated on just
over 14 acres outside Wylie, Texas, “Skyview” is home to 262 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Nestled among the hundreds of pecan trees and gently rolling hills, sits a 5,000-square-foot, two-story administrative house and 11 class-room buildings. A new football field, tennis court, and sand volleyball court round out our beautiful campus.
Wylie Prep’s history began in 2000, when several families started on an unlikely journey to look for an alternative form of education for their children. The families stumbled upon the parent-based education model now known as UMS at Grace Preparatory Academy in Arlington. They immediately felt the Lord’s calling to open this type of school.
Wylie, Texas, is a small, tight-knit commu-nity dedicated to the public school system. The families were met with many closed doors and puzzled reactions as to why they would seek any-thing different. The families prayed through the trials, and in 2001, Wylie Preparatory Academy opened its doors for the inaugural school year with 67 students in grades 1st-6th.
The early years of Wylie Prep involved growth as well as growing pains. First Baptist Church in Wylie was the only organization that agreed to house our school. In consideration of the church’s primary ministry, the school remained entirely mobile and as invisible as pos-sible for 10 years.
The Lord’s faithfulness, as well as the dedica-tion and flexibility of our families and teachers, enabled Wylie Prep to grow and prosper despite the ongoing challenges of being a portable school. Over the years, Wylie Prep saw many changes in staff, students, and programs, but remained true to the calling of this unlikely way of educating children.
As time went on and the school grew, the school’s leadership began to see God’s hand leading us to something different. We experi-enced small but steady growth for several years and finally plateaued around 180 students, which
was a comfortable and content place to be.However, First Baptist was also experiencing
a period of growth and needed to renovate some of the areas we were using as offices. We sud-denly found ourselves with the unlikely necessity of securing 500-1,000 square feet of office space.
The board and administration pursued many opportunities, but all were too expensive or not logistically feasible. City codes had a devastat-ing financial impact on anything inside the city limits that made it unfeasible to renovate any existing structure, and building from scratch was financially impossible. We prayerfully persevered, and God led us to an opportunity that we now affectionately call Skyview.
In the summer of 2009, in what seemed to be the unlikeliest of unlikely options, we toured a house and residential property that sits just outside the city limits. In fact, three sides of the property are the city limit line.
We immediately fell in love with the trees and the house, but we wondered how it could ever become a school. Knowing we were on an urgent time schedule, we began to pray about the logis-tics and finances of making Skyview a reality.
Then we were approached by the property owner and given a financial option that made it more attainable. We purchased the property in August of 2009 and began the process of con-verting the house into a school.
After many volunteer hours by our families, the Skyview campus officially opened in January 2010 to our 7th-12th grades, while the 1st-6th grades remained at First Baptist Church.
Even though this was a huge blessing, it was not without its trials. The school was physically divided on two campuses with families and teach-ers having to travel back and forth, sometimes several times daily.
The leadership worked to foster and maintain unity so that the physical separation did not hin-der the vision of the school. At the same time, our administrative team and faculty spent many hours pursuing accreditation.
We achieved accreditation in the spring of 2010, which greatly strengthened our credibility within the community. Interest in Wylie Prep and
student enrollment continued to increase despite the year and a half that we were operating on separate campuses.
The original goal was to have all students at the Skyview campus by January 2011, but it soon became clear that it was our time frame and not the Lord’s. By early spring, the leadership and families of Wylie Prep committed to do whatever it took to begin the 2011 school year unified at Skyview.
When we committed to do whatever it took, we had no idea what unlikely opportunities would come our way. There was so much to be done and not much time or money to do it! We needed classrooms, a parking lot, a lunchroom, and bath-rooms, not to mention sidewalks, desks, white boards, bookshelves….a seemingly endless list.
We worked and prayed, and God began to bless in very practical and tangible ways. We pur-chased modular buildings at a reduced rate, large trailer loads of furniture for pennies, and truck loads of dirt-cheap dirt.
Several contractors donated their services, and another offered a reduced rate on concrete for our sidewalks. The groundwork needed for our football field was donated, as were the furnish-ings from the entire eighth floor (approximately 75 offices) of an office building in Dallas, which pro-vided us with file cabinets, desks, an entire library shelving system, white boards, desk chairs and whatever else we could fit in an 18-wheel trailer with the manpower we had to carry it. Another school even donated a big yellow school bus!
Our faith was strengthened repeatedly as our needs were met right before our eyes. Countless hours were spent in the record-breaking Texas heat tearing down an existing barn and green-house, hauling in and spreading dirt, tearing down and building new walls in the modular buildings, cleaning out and sorting through the donated furniture, transforming a classroom building into a bathroom building, and trenching and running septic and electrical lines.
All the while, new families were calling to find out more about our school, coming to informa-tional meetings, and registering their students. Without the massive volunteer efforts of Wylie
An Unlikely
RealitySara Killian and
Lori Reuthinger tell the incredible and inspiring
story of how Wylie Prep found its own home
Photos courtesy of Moriah Garcia, Wylie
Prep Class of 2013.
2011-12 School Year • Issue 212 www.umsjournal.com
Prep’s family and friends, we could not have real-ized our unlikely goal of opening the 2011 school year with grades K-12 at the Skyview campus.
August 22, 2011, the first day of school at Skyview as a unified school on our own campus, was a day filled with joy, gratitude, and thanks-giving for all that the Lord had accomplished. It was far beyond what we had dreamed, hoped, or planned!
The year of school on our new campus was filled with an air of excitement and the pleasure and relief of having a place to call home. Our teachers and students have relished in the reality of details like windows, real student desks, stu-dent-sized chairs, bulletin boards, bookshelves, and the opportunity to foster learning on our peaceful and beautiful campus, without having to disappear on the weekends!
As we look back on the unlikely journey that has brought Wylie Prep to this point, it is easy to see the Lord’s provision through trials and periods of testing. We look to the future with confidence knowing that the Lord will continue to work in and through us as we continue to pursue the unlikely reality of His calling. UMS
THE AUTHORSSara Killian is the
Wylie Prep’s Lower School Director. Lori Reuthinger is one of the founders of Wylie Prep and teaches first grade. To find out more, visit WyliePrep.com.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sis-ters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”–James 1:2-4
132011-12 School Year • Issue 2 www.umsjournal.com
Cautiously, you peek over the edge. At 60 feet, your friends seem miniscule. Tangled in ropes, you look out into the horizon. You are encompassed by
picturesque trees, mountains, and a pond 80 feet below. Your friends surround you with encouraging applause for conquering the Tower. You are on the Tower at Camp Highland. After zipping down 800 feet of wire, you land at the bottom and begin your hike back up towards the Tower.
The beauty of creation is everywhere. This is what senior high students at Cornerstone
Preparatory Academy in Acworth, Georgia, experience during the annual Fall retreat at Camp Highland. Located near Carters Lake in historic Ellijay, GA, students have been attending retreats there since 2005.
There have been many changes at Camp Highland. The first year the student slept on tarp-covered raised platforms and there were outhouses. Now there are great cabins with a nice bathhouse and students certainly enjoy the upgrade.
According to Kyle Hamilton, Cornerstone Secondary Principal & Program Support Dean, “Camp Highland trips were started to challenge, grow, and inspire our students. Camp Highland combines both spiritual and personal growth. It takes our students outside of their comfort zone with the challenging high ropes course. They engage in team building activities that cause the students to rely on each other to accomplish these tasks. The 24 hours at Camp Highland provides a time to connect with God and our peers without the distractions of the world.”
Students leave in the morning and return the follow-ing school day. While there the students experience a wide range of activities during their short stay. Allowing Cornerstone students to be out of the classroom and inter-act with one another is invaluable.
Back at Camp Highland, at the top of the Tower, a group discussion is held by students and camp leaders to talk about the day’s events and what everyone has learned. Applications are made between the physical struggle of rock climbing and the spiritual struggles of a Christian life.
These events are not secluded to the Tower at Camp Highland, though; applications are created whether at the High Ropes Course or at the Low Ropes Course with the Climbing Wall.
The High Ropes Course is a mid-air ropes course that peaks at 60 feet, with several obstacles that students have to overcome. The obstacles range from a bridge with missing planks and swinging trapezes. Many students believe that the course is worth the time taken to complete it.
“My favorite part would be the high ropes because you have to have enough faith to get up there, and once you get up there, it’s terrifying, but then you have enough faith in the ropes that you know you are going to make it through,”
said Weston Staggs, a sophomore. The Climbing Wall, unlike the Ropes Course, is on
the ground. The Climbing Wall reaches about 15 feet into the air, but without ropes, it is impossible to climb. Unless, of course, you have friends to help you climb up the wall.
“The Climbing Wall was intimidating at first, but the more people climbed up the wall, the more it was appar-ent that through teamwork, anyone could scale the wall,” said junior Catherine-Ann Marlow.
However, not all of the activities are struc-tured. At night, the field comes to life with football games, capture-the-flag games, and the scent of marshmallows roasting over a fire. Paul Wilson, sophomore, said, “I enjoy hanging around the camp fire.”
Beyond the amazing activities, Camp Highland still has more to offer. It offers the opportunity for fellowship. Students are with their class-mates from dawn to dusk, whether in the cabins, on the ropes, or at worship.
Brandon Nolan, CPA Secondary Activities Dean, taught this year about standing up for your faith in a faithless world, centering around the theme of GR8 Expectations. After the short sermon, the students were invited into a time of worship led by their fellow students.
All of Camp Highland’s facilities and activities are ultimately focused on one subject: creating lifelong friendships between students. Like the fire that burns at night during the capture-the-flag game, Camp Highland is equipped to keep the fire alive between friends.
According to sophomore Emily Webb, “Through Camp Highland I’ve been able to bond with others by being adventurous, both literally and spiritually.”
Friends support, encourage, and laugh with one another in the crisp Georgia air. And the bus rides home are filled with more than just laughter, singing, and a few snores; they are filled with friendships and fires that will never die out. UMS
THE AUTHORSPhotojournalist Hannah gurniewicz is completing her
sophomore year at CPA. She is Yearbook Photo Editor, an FCA Huddle Leader, a member of the Leadership Team, and on the CPA Swim Team.
Writer catherine-Ann marlow is com-pleting her junior year. She is the Elementary Editor of the Yearbook, a member of the National Honor Society, the Drama Club, and a member of the Leadership Team.
Words by Catherine-Ann Marlow (10th grade)Photos by Hannah Gurniewicz (11th grade)
Cornerstone Preparatory Academy, Georgia
student corner
GreatExpectations
2011-12 School Year • Issue 214 www.umsjournal.com
To be a servant leader, Christ taught and modeled that you must first be willing to serve others. This concept of servant leadership is at the heart of everything you
will do at Dallas Baptist University. You will read about it, see it modeled, and learn to live it out through service-learning projects, mission opportunities, and leadership experiences. Our goal in teaching servant leadership is to equip Christian leaders who have the ability to transform the lives of others for the glory of God.
Faith is woven into all aspects of a DBU Christ-centered education. Each class provides an opportunity for you to learn within a biblical framework. Join classmates in exploring many philosophies and viewpoints, comparing them with Christian truths, while pursuing your academic study. DBU’s mission of integrating faith and learning is to develop servant leaders ready to impact the world for Christ in whatever field God calls.
At DBU, you will receive a quality education that will pre-pare you to excel in your calling. DBU students have a higher rate of acceptance to medical school (twice the state average) and our education students enjoy one of the top ranked teach-er education programs in the state (in the top 4 state-wide by the National Center for Teacher Quality). Furthermore, you will not find DBU faculty so consumed by research that they don’t place students first. Their focus is on the individual: mentoring, advising, counseling, and guiding each student through the college experience and beyond.
Dallas is often called the International Gateway for com-merce, with more than 5,000 corporations headquartered here. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is also home to a vast array of churches and service organizations. This environment gives students unparalleled opportunities for internships and service-learning experiences — all this, while enjoying the small-town feel of the DBU campus community.
Dallas Baptist University offers a total of 68 undergraduate degrees including select teacher certification and pre-profes-sional programs. DBU also offers 18 accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s degrees which include Accounting, Christian Studies (Applied Ministry), Education, Kinesiology, Management and Music Business.
Since the establishment of the National Association of University-Model Schools, nearly 30 students from University-Model Schools have chosen to attend Dallas Baptist University for a Christ-centered higher education. Janette Eubanks, a current DBU student and 2009 graduate of Grace Preparatory Academy in Arlington, Texas, says, “The structure of Grace Prep required a lot of academic self-discipline which prepared me for the academic demands of college. Grace Prep also helped me realize that it was important for me to attend a uni-versity that emphasized my spiritual growth. This is something that the Lord is continually cultivating in me at DBU.”
For more visit WhyDBU.com or contact Undergraduate Admissions at 214.333.5360 or [email protected]. UMS
DallasBaptistUniversity
spotlight on colleges
PATRIOT FACTS• Total Enrollment: 5,545• Average class size: 15• Incoming undergraduate students receiving scholarships: 82%• Medical school acceptance rate: 70%• Named one of America’s Best Christian Colleges• Five-time recipient - President’s Honor Roll for Community Service• Varsity athletic programs include NCAA Division I men’s baseball, NCAA Division II men’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country/track, golf, tennis, as well as women’s soccer and volleyball, which compete in the Heartland Conference. DBU is also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association. The University spon-sors club sports in hockey, cheerleading, swimming, bass fishing, and drill team• Annual Tuition and Fees: $19,800 (before financial aid application)
152011-12 School Year • Issue 2 www.umsjournal.com
spotlight on colleges
By Laurie Dean, Director of Development Operationsand Melissa Mitchell, MSE, Sr. Online Program AdvisorUniversity of the Southwest
www.usw.edu
Servant Leadership – Faith – Responsibility – Initiative. These are the hallmarks of the University of the
Southwest educational experience. Philosophies imparted in the classroom not only affect individual students, but they also have an impact on our homes, our businesses, our communities, and our government. At University of the Southwest, we believe that a comprehensive education built on this foundation not only equips students to make a living, but also prepares them for life.
Founded in 1962, University of the Southwest has served the educational needs of southeastern New Mexico and West Texas for nearly half a century. Independently supported and governed, University of the Southwest is fully accredited by the North Central Association’s Higher Learning commission and is a member of the Council of Independent Colleges and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. In fact, University of the Southwest is the only accredited Christ-centered university in New Mexico.
University of the Southwest’s mission statement is a reflection of basic foundational values. For the men and women called to serve at University of the Southwest, our mission is much more than an ideology – it is a way of life. It is a blueprint that mandates how instruction is provided, how the University’s business is man-aged, and how students are regarded.
Grounded in Christian faith, University of the Southwest welcomes people from the broad spectrum of faith traditions. Not seeking doctrinal uniformity, the campus community honors freedom of thought and expression and encourages the demonstration of faith in acts of service. While pursuing excellence, University of the Southwest is committed to operating inde-pendently and responsibly. As a community of initiative, University of the Southwest challenges graduates to become enterprising members of our society by advocating for and participating in the productive commerce of free enterprise and the constitutional privilege of self-government.
With a student to faculty ratio of 12:1, indi-vidualized instruction is the rule, not the excep-
tion. The University’s highly qualified faculty and staff care equally about the development of the person and the academic progress of the student.
When considering University of the Southwest, it is important to recognize how closely the mission statement correlates with the mission of the University-Model Schools® with respect to growing children of faith into adults who take an active role in the world around them. Students from University-Models
Schools® enter the world of higher educa-tion looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that a school like University of the Southwest can provide. The UMS design encourages the same faith, initiative, responsi-bility and servant leadership that University of the Southwest seeks in their students. This syn-chronization of values can provide continuity for students as they branch out from the familiarity of home and high school and seek to grow in all aspects of their life and education.
As students look to University of the South-west for their academic pursuits, they will find that University of the Southwest provides strong academic programs at the bachelor’s level. Undergraduate students may take coursework both on campus and through the internet. Some of the most popular programs include psychol-ogy, education, business, criminal justice, and biology/pre-med.
Additionally, several of these high-interest fields (criminal justice, business, psychology) can be completed entirely or mostly online, if this option better suits the student’s needs. Along with exemplary academics, University of the Southwest offers a variety of extracurricular activities for those students who choose to live on campus: athletics, speech/debate, SIFE (Stu-dents in Free Enterprise), campus ministry and a thriving student life program.
For UMS administrators and teachers, Uni-versity of the Southwest also offers a variety of graduate programs, which are offered entirely online with no on-campus requirements. The School of Education offers eight (8) specializa-tions for the Master’s of Science in Education degree:
• Curriculum & Instruction• Curriculum & Instruction: Bilingual• Curriculum & Instruction: TESOL (Teach-
ing English to Speakers of Other Languages)• Educational Administration• Special Education• Early Childhood Education• School Counseling• Mental Health Counseling (cur-
rently ranked #2 on The Best Col-lege’s list of the Top Online Counsel-ing Programs in the Nation).
These specializations allow edu-cators to engage in continuing edu-cation while focusing on those topics that are relevant to their classrooms and their lives. Each program will culminate in an internship or com-prehensive exam, in which students will demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have learned during the program.
Should a UMS teacher need or want to obtain a teaching license along with the mas-ter’s degree, University of the Southwest also offers a number of post-baccalaureate licensure programs, which will provide students with the education courses needed to apply for state licensure in one of the following areas: Elemen-tary, Secondary, Elementary/Secondary, Special Education, or Special Education for Licensed Teachers. The beauty of these programs lies in the fact that students will be able to put their coursework into practice as they continue to teach, and students can complete their intern teaching in their own current classrooms. Addi-tionally, the coursework for the post-baccalau-reate licensure plans overlaps greatly with the Master’s degree plans, so students can pursue both a teaching license and master’s degree simultaneously!
In addition to the extensive education programs, University of the Southwest offers a Master’s of Business Administration degree with a variety of specializations, including Account-ing, Finance, Marketing, Strategic Management, and Research, as well as a Self-Designed option. The best feature of these MBA programs is the executive format; with the exception of the Research track, the MBA programs are non-thesis programs in which students complete a capstone course in lieu of a thesis. UMS
University of the Southwest
University of the Southwest is a Christ-centered educational community dedicated to developing men and women for a lifetime of servant leadership by emphasizingindividual faith, responsibility, and initiative.
2011-12 School Year • Issue 216 www.umsjournal.com
Charis Bible College of Colorado is a two year Bible and ministry training college offering third year internships in ministry, worship, business and media. Founded by international Bible teacher,
Andrew Wommack, Charis Bible College (CBC) is all about people! Focused on educating the body of Christ about who God is and who He is in His saints, CBC is equipping the saints for the work of the ministry, training disciples to go out and share the Gospel with the rest of the world in the way God has uniquely called each individual to do it.
Every believer is called to be a minister of Christ; some are called to pastor, some to evangelize, some to prophesy, but we are all, as believers, called to go forth and make disciples! We at CBC believe effective ministry can only happen when we understand who God is and what our relation-ship is with Him. Once we understand the grace and love of God and our identity in Him, we can make an effortless impact in our world!
The first-year Bible Training Program includes course work on Rela-tionship with God, Basics of Righteousness, Receiving from God, and Old
Testament Survey to name a few. The curriculum was designed to give students a solid biblical foundation with an emphasis on faith, grace and walking with the Holy Ghost through the work of the cross and resurrec-tion of Jesus Christ.
In addition to classes, first-year students are required to volunteer 25 hours each term (3 months) in practical ministry either in a local church, Andrew Wommack Ministries, Charis Bible College, or other CBC-approved ministries. There are many opportunities to serve depending on your interests, talents, and availability. Colorado Springs is home to over a hundred ministries that provide great opportunities for learning!
Where the first-year sets your foundation in the Word, the second-year Practical Ministry Training builds upon it with courses aimed at teaching you to share what you have learned with the world! The emphasis is on learning by doing. Second-year courses such as New Testament Survey, Ministry of Excellence, Discipleship Evangelism, and Making of a Minister further progress your training. In addition to regular classes, students also engage in foreign based mission trips and Inter-Action Groups (IAGs) – small workshops designed to help you fine tune and practice skills such as public speaking, preparing teachings, prayer, etc.
Upon graduation, students are eligible to enroll in specialized Ministry, Business, Media and Worship training through CBC’s third-year Internship. Not everyone is called to be a pastor, or missionary; these individualized programs were specifically designed to promote the gospel beyond the pulpit!
You have the opportunity to watch live teaching at CBC each week by visiting www.charisbiblecollege.org, or come visit us in person at the Colorado Springs campus! Located at the foot of majestic Pikes Peak and the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs has a small-town feel, but with all the conveniences of a big city. Fantastic skiing and snowboarding are just a short drive away and places like historic Old Colorado City, the Garden of the Gods and Cave of the Winds, are within minutes of campus. Colorado Springs boasts 300 days a year of blue skies and moderate tem-peratures. The beauty of Colorado and the powerful teaching of the Word at CBC—what could be better?
For more information on Charis, email [email protected] or call 719.635.6029. UMS
Charis Bible CollegeChange Your Life, Change the World!
spotlight on colleges
