Dear CCS family,

In Ephesians 2:8-9 it says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” This is a significant reminder of how much we need a Savior and that only by His grace we are saved. Thank you, Jesus, for your unending grace. As we begin the season of Advent let us remember the real reason that God sent His son for us and His unending grace and love.

In this issue of the “Soaring Eagle” you will find important upcoming events. CCS also likes to recognize students for their achievements academically and athletically. God has blessed our students with many gifts and talents.

Please prayerfully consider making a year-end donation to CCS towards student scholarships.

In Christ,

Lisa Strom

A Letter from the Principal

Special points of interest: Grandparents Day Summit Youth Conference Speaker Jake Gronsky Backyard Bash highlights Youth leadership opportunities Graduation information PSEO information

A Note From the Guidance Counselor Autumn is upon us! If your life is anything like mine, it is speeding by like a freight train on a midnight run. In the midst of the chaos, I often forget to verbalize wishes and become frustrated when expectations are not met. Much to my surprise, when I do take the time (I don’t think I have) to share my hopes and dreams with others, it is amazing to watch God’s work come alive. We as Christians LOVE to help one another, whether it’s by making a referral to a needed service, helping find a piece of meaningful scripture to pray over, or simply bringing coffee to a coworker the morning of a busy day.

I would encourage you to take a moment to ask your children about their hopes and desires. What has God put on their heart that you can help foster or come to fruition? What questions do they have that we could work together to answer? What opportunities could be taken advantage of to improve their chances of success in the future? A simple question could lead to big answers!

Best wishes this Holiday Season, Becky Sarsland

Mission Statement:

To provide a firm foundation of Truth,

Knowledge, and Virtue for a lifetime

of service to God and man.

Core Values: Truth

Knowledge

Virtue

Community

The Soaring Eagle Volume 2, Issue 1, WINTER 2018

Pictured: Levi Lundgren, Karl Chapin &

Raegan O’Toole

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Special Speakers Share Their Love of Jesus On Wednesday, April 18th, our elementary and high school students were blessed with special speakers Hosea Nelson Kyasooka and his wife Sarah from Grace Fellowship Church in Kampala, Uganda as well as Paul and Mary Elmhorst from Uttermost Ministries.

The message was well-received by the students, and ours halls have remained filled with the songs of praise of a unique beat and tempo, expanding the message long past the physical presence of the speakers.

Volume 1, Issue 1

Grandparents Day

Watching the students light up as they met with their grandparents for the day was heartwarming. As busy as it was with activities such as the book fair and living wax museum, the time spent together left a lasting impression on our students. Thank you to all the grand-parents who took time out of their busy schedules to make a memorable day for our students. Please join us on Friday, May 3rd, 2019 at CCS for this year’s Grandparents Day!

Community Christian School was proud to graduate six seniors in June. Caleb Elmhorst, Elisabeth Holth, Isaiah Jergenson, Abigail Mulder, Genna Scott and Cody Strom procured heartfelt senior speeches, and Valedictorian Abigail shared an additional speech during the program. Each student has a unique story and path before them, and we wish them the best as they continue their journey to adulthood.

High School Graduation

The Soaring Eagle

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Spring Fine Arts

Congratulations to our Boys Golf team! They placed second at Sections as a team last spring. Brett Reid won 1st Individual with a final score of 141. Greg Reid tied for 5th.

Brett moved on to place 3rd at the state golf meet. We are so thankful for our coaches, Chris Bennett and Chris Reid, for all the time and dedication they have spent with our golfers.

Congrats to our high school co-op track students. Genna Scott, Grace Lindgren,

Anneka Olsen and Levi Lundgren (not

pictured) all received varsity letters and Genna received MVP! Levi Lundgren also lettered

and received MVP in Cross Country, way to go!

Spring Sports Awards

Summit Summer Camp

in Colorado This summer a group of CCS and Willmar area students were able to travel to the Summit Youth Conference in Colorado. This twelve day experience helps students discover how to approach questions about life, faith and what really matters. If interested for next summer, check out their website at https://www.summit.org. (Also, a special thank you to the adult volunteers who drove two vehicles of eager teens down and back!)

The 2018 Fine Arts Night highlighted the multiple talents within our school. Instrumental soloists, vocal perform-ers, and a variety of art mediums were on display. The students and directors worked hard and also delivered fantastic band and choir concerts later in the spring. Tuesday, April 23rd, 2019 is our next scheduled Fine Arts Night—we hope to see you there!

Right: Monster Inc. paper mache creations by some of our high school students.

CCS students were blessed to hear former St. Louis Cardinals player and current author, Jake Gronsky, share his part in the making of “A Short Season: Faith, Family, and a Boy’s Love of Baseball.” His story is one of struggle, prosperity and faith. Students were not only encouraged in their walk of faith, they were also able to ask candid questions which Mr. Gronsky answered eloquently and honestly.

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Jake Gronsky

We would like to give a special thank you to all the volunteers who gave their time and talents in order for CCS to host our first-ever prom! The students participated in a Grand March and then enjoyed an evening at Stonewall Farms, complete with dinner and dancing. We are thankful that our students participated with such dignity, grace and eloquence.

Right: Elisabeth Holth, Abigail Mulder, Genna Scott, Eva Damhof and Raegan O’Toole

Prom 2018: A Black Tie Gala

Camp Shamineau

Our middle and high school students participated in an overnight youth retreat at Camp Shamineau, located in the beautiful woods of Motley, Minnesota in September. Students participated in Bible studies, ropes courses, leadership and team building exercises. Eva Damhof states, “The best part of camp for me is mentoring and spending time with the younger kids.”

The Soaring Eagle

Left: Winners of our first annual go-kart races Elliott Klein, Mitchell Heidecker & Taya Nelson

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The Families to the Front event was an incredible day of growth and encouragement for the whole family. Special guests included John Godwin and Justin Martin from Duck Dynasty, Christian illusionist and comedian Don Townsend, and Compassion International artist and author Danny Oertli. Breakout sessions ranged in topics from Social Media to Signs of Depression.

Above: John Godwin and Justin Martin pictured with Lisa, David and Grace Strom

Families to the Front

Backyard Bash

CCS Auction and Family Carnival Our spring fundraiser was a success! Thank you to everyone who donated time and/or items and participated in the activities surrounding these events. We couldn’t have done it without you.

The auction and carnival started with a delicious breakfast. The silent auction and carnival games had something for everyone; the halls were busy with face painting, the big gym was packed with carnival games, the small gym showcased a variety of items for sale, and we even had a Mighty Jump outside. The fun-filled day wrapped up during lunch with a live auction.

This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, April 27th. We hope to see you there!

Right: Christian Moist enjoying the Mighty Jump

The annual Backyard Bash was another great opportunity for our CCS families to come together and share an evening of food and fun. The kids played yard games, everyone shared a dish in the potluck, and the go-kart races entertained. If you missed it this year, we would love to see you at this year’s Backyard Bash on Thursday, May 9th, 2019.

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The Student Senate elections were held recently, and the results were close! Congratulations to the following-

6th- Gabbie Bollig 7th- Myah Johnson 8th- Will Chapin 9th- Vera Bailey

10th- Anneka Olsen 11th- Grace Lindgren & Raegan O’Toole

12th- Thomas Bonnema & Zac Patock

This was such a close race and we are proud of everyone that ran.

Student Council

Pictured: Grace Lindgren, Raegan O’Toole,

Thomas Bonnema, and Zac Patock

Band and Choir Concerts The fall band concert held earlier this month featured our middle and high school bands and it was a delight to all those in attendance. Thank you to all the students who worked so hard to put on such a great experience this early in the year! “Sounds of the Season” was held on Nov. 29th. Our 6th and 7th grade choir and the Eagle Choir welcomed in the true REASON for this SEASON. Starting in March, our high school students will have the opportunity to compete regionally in both band and vocal contests. Good luck to the students who have already begun making the effort to excel in these areas!

Homecoming

The fall soccer and volleyball CAL tournament kicked off our 6-12th grade homecoming week with theme dress up days and a fun pep rally. The week ended with a Homecoming dance at Stonewall Farms which includes the homeschool association.

Pictured is our 10th graders dressed up as characters from the show The Office. They also won the TP Teacher race.

The Soaring Eagle

The boys soccer and girls volleyball seasons are wrapping up. The boys placed fourth at the CAL Soccer Tournament, ending their season strong. The girls placed sixth at their tournament. With the support of the parents, the students and coaches worked hard to reach this level of play. Well done!

Left: The JV girls volleyball team

Right: Special congratulations to Sophia Bollig for her selection into the CAL All-Tournament Team. This selection is based on votes from tour-nament coaches.

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Fall Sports

Personal Leadership, Group Leadership, and Leadership for Society.

Each year CCS is able to send a student free of charge to this excellent program. Congratulations to Madison Elmhorst for being chosen as this years HOBY representative.

The Hugh O-Brian Youth Leadership’s flagship program, the State Leadership Seminar, empowers high school sophomores to develop their leadership talents to become the leaders of their community. The seminar curriculum is based on the Social Change Model of Leadership and develops leadership from three perspectives:

“This is a fantastic learning opportunity. It really showed me how to be a leader and how to do it with people I don’t totally agree with. Everyone should go for the weekend!” ~Karl Chapin, CCS 2018 HOBY Attendee

Winter Sports Basketball season has started! The girls and boys basketball teams began practice November 12th with high hopes of placing well in the CAL tournament in March. Our teams have placed well in the past, and we look forward to a positive and enriching season for all—fans, coaches and players alike!

HOBY Opportunity

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Students in grades 9-12 must complete ten hours of approved service each year in order to receive their diploma. This can be an awesome opportunity to explore their God-given gifts when volunteer hours revolve around the student’s natural interests and

talents.

If your child loves younger children, serving in the church nursery may be a blessing. If your child loves animals, helping a neighbor on their farm or caring for pets at a shelter may be a better use of their talents. If a student is mechanically inclined, finding a patient adult to guide the child in helping fix vehicles for those going through a tough time can touch the lives of many to come. Many of your child’s talents may also translate to helping at school—a great way to leave a lasting fingerprint on the future of the school!

Community Service Hours

FROM THE NURSE’S OFFICE… HOW TO TELL A COLD FROM THE FLU – The common cold and flu are caused by different viruses but can have some similar symptoms, making them tough to tell apart.

COLDS: Usual symptoms include stuffy or runny nose, sore throat and sneezing. Coughs are hacking and productive. It’s unusual to have fever, chills, headaches and body aches.

FLU: Fever is usually present, along with chills, headache and moderate-to-severe body aches and tiredness. Symptoms can come on rapidly, within three to six hours. Coughs are dry and unproductive. Sore throats can be present.

Please do not send your child to school if any of the following signs or symptoms are present or have been present in the past 24 hours:

Elevated temperature (100° or greater) Vomiting, nausea, or severe abdominal pain Repeated diarrhea Pus-like discharge from the nose or eyes Suspected and untreated impetigo, scabies or lice Health care providers diagnosis of other “contagious” illness (may require doctor’s note

of when to return to school) Please contact the office if you are not sure if your child is well enough to attend school. Also, when notifying the office of an ill child, please include what they are ill with.

Parents: Ryan and Cherry Future plans: “Get my generals done at Ridgewater, then hopefully go to NDSU for engineering.”

Favorite Bible verse and why: Genesis 34: “Because big brothers should protect their sisters!”

Activities: Snowboarding, woodworking, STEM What he loves most about CCS: “We have great teachers who teach clearly and effectively.”

Favorite Memory So Far: A class activity in “What I Wish I Knew at 18”

Senior Spotlight: Karl Olsen

The Soaring Eagle

Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) al lows Minnesota high school juniors and seniors to enroll in participating Minnesota colleges with college tuition, fees, and books all paid for by the MN Department of E d u c a t i o n . S t u d e n t s successfully completing PSEO courses earn credit toward high school graduation and also college credit. PSEO credits are accepted at most

colleges and universities, public and private. Students should verify that PSEO credits are accepted at the college they are attending after high school graduation. New PSEO paperwork is required for each semester, even two consecutive semesters in the same year.

Guidelines: Students must gain CCS administrative approval if interested in

Spring 2019 PSEO Courses. C C S s t u d e n t m u s t also meet the enrollment requirements of the post secondary institution. Grades become part of the student’s permanent transcript and will be used to determine GPA and honor roll. Students are permitted to take on-line and on campus courses from private and state colleges and universities. More information available from the office.

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Graduation Requirements

Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO)

Physical Education: 1 credit

Foreign Language: 1 credit

Health: 0.5 credit

Financial Peace: 0.5 credit

Electives: 5.5 credits

Total: 26 credits

Honors Diploma: Same as standard plus one extra credit in Math and one extra credit in Foreign Language.

Total: 28 credits

Standard diploma: Bible: 4 credits

English: 4 credits

Social Studies: 3.5 credits

Mathematics: 3 credits

Science: 3 credits

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Yearbooks for Sale Head to www.jostens.com to reserve your copy today!

40th Anniversary Celebration The Hall of Fame Banquet was a great opportunity to celebrate CCS. We were able to honor the founding fathers and induct them into our Hall of Fame; Fory Vanden Einde, Merlin Klein-huizen, John Terwisscha, Norman Duininck and Robert Goris. We celebrated the faithfulness of God over the past forty years and heard inspiring stories of how the foundation of this school was laid. God has blessed us continually with excellent staff, teachers and students all with hearts for the Lord and a willingness to go above and beyond to continue God’s work in our building and throughout our community.

Ladies Leaving Legacy It was a Saturday to remember! Over 200 ladies came to enjoy a lovely brunch, beautiful table settings, live worship, engaging make-and-takes, plenty of vendors and wonderful speakers. Our speakers encouraged those who attended to be mindful of the legacy we are leaving the next generation and how God is at work through us. The money raised during the event will be used for PE equipment as well as sound system needs in the small gym. The ladies of CCS joined together and created a wonderful event for our community.

The Soaring Eagle Page 11

Finals Schedule January 14: Study Day January 15: Study Day January 16: Ski Day grades 5-8, Chanhassen grades 9-12 January 17: Finals Day 1 January 18: Finals Day 2, early release grades 6-12

Emergency School Closing When it is necessary to call of school due to weather related conditions, you will be notified through School Reach. You can also tune in to local radio and television broadcasts for school closing information. We will normally follow the lead of the Willmar Public School due to bus-sing considerations. However, make sure that you follow directions specifically for CCS. Partici-pating Stations: Fox 9, Kare 11, WCCO-TV, KBHZ 91.9, KSTP, KWLM/Q102/K100, K-95/KDJS97.3, KKLN 94.1

Homework Homework for students who have been absent may be found by accessing your child’s Sycamore account. If homework needs to be sent home, please make arrangements with your child’s teacher(s) to be picked up after school between 3:00 and 3:30pm. Thank you.

The Sound of Music The many talents of our students will be showcased beautiful-ly with the production of “The Sound of Music.” This real life story of the Von Trapp family singers is sure to be heartwarm-ing. The production is set to be shown at the Barn Theater the weekend of March 15th, 2019. We hope you get a chance to see the classic musical and support our cast!

Community Christian School 1300 SW 19th Ave.

Willmar, MN 56201 Phone: (320) 235-0592

Website: www.willmarccs.com

Facebook: Community Christian School of Willmar

Twitter: @willmarccs