After a lot of preparation, lower school students at Mount Paran Christian School now hear the charming call of dozens of baby bluebird hatchlings around the 68-acre school campus. February was bluebird month in Georgia, when the brilliantly-hued Eastern Bluebird began the process of seeking nesting spots and crafting its signature cup-shaped nest in anticipation of warmer weather. MPCS students are now front-and-center this spring, supporting the bluebirds and witnessing the entire hatching process.

Be always humble, gentle, and patient. Show your love by being tolerant with one another. Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together.
— Ephesians 4:2-3

After a bleak winter, the cheerful, sunny yellow of daffodil blossoms are a sure sign that spring is upon us. On the Mount Paran Christian School campus, more than one thousand such reminders sprout each year. The blossoms have special meaning for preschool and lower school students at MPCS, with the daffodils serving as a reminder to love and respect others. As part of the WingTips “Innovation in Education'' series, which explores best practices for teaching and learning through real-world examples, read on to discover how planting daffodils teaches the youngest of learners empathy.

Parents - it’s decision time. You’ve explored the educational opportunities available for your child(ren) – from the local public school, to online, homeschool, or charter schools – and have winnowed your choices to a list of independent schools. You’ve read blogs about how to choose the best private school for your family and have further narrowed your focus to a Christian school to align with your family values. So, where do you go from here? Why should Mount Paran Christian School - the largest private Christian school in Cobb county - be at the top of your school choice list? Read on for first-hand experiences from current students and why parents chose Mount Paran Christian School for their children’s education.

In September 2019, the Mount Paran Christian School community embarked upon a comprehensive, community-wide strategic planning process meant to engage all stakeholders, solicit feedback, ask bold questions, and create a plan to guide all decisions and goals in the ensuing five years. 

The board of trustees, head of school, faculty, staff, parents, students, and alumni examined and then affirmed or adjusted the mission, vision, and core values of MPCS to ensure all new strategic initiatives met missional specifications. The result is “Elevate: The 2021-2026 Strategic Plan for MPCS.”
 

 

Which sports legend is responsible for once saying,
“Hank Aaron is the only man I idolize more than myself”? 

What holiday did professor Dr. Maulana Karenga create?

Who became the first black woman millionaire and
invented hair care products for black women?

These questions represent but a few of the many thousands of historical and modern-day facts that middle school students study as part of the annual Black History Bowl — an academic quiz-bowl competition run by the Kennesaw Teen Center. Middle school students who participate with the Mount Paran Christian School Black History Bowl team dedicate their time to learning facts such as these.

How does a growing high school — with 450 students learning in a space originally designed for just 250 — plan for a building expansion that captures the imagination of its community, while also implementing thoughtful design to prepare students for a 21st-century education? Mount Paran Christian School asked this very question as the school undertook the seemingly insurmountable task of creating a new, purposeful educational facility that would house radical spaces to learn, test, collaborate, and grow. The process for designing the new Murray Innovation Center was itself an unconventional exercise, with key takeaways that other schools and organizations might not consider before embarking upon large-scale initiatives.

Moms love and need to connect, whether it’s enjoying a cup of coffee and a long talk, sharing nuggets of broken conversation between chasing toddlers at the park, or just quickly chatting on the phone. There is something almost sacred about the wisdom and encouragement shared and gained when moms spend time together. We need one another's support as we raise our children together.

"The beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace is more precious than diamonds or silver or gold."

What is this collective friction we are feeling? Why do we find ourselves caught in growing disharmony? We are hungry, no, starving! Starving for inspiring leadership that moves us forward, together. Each January, our nation celebrates the life and legacy of the great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., arguably the most peace-loving man in American history. Dr. King, above all else, honored God through his actions and by his leadership, while audaciously pursuing justice for all. His eloquent wisdom has a renewed relevance concerning our current state of affairs. 

In this blog series, WingTips has explored how the practices of truth telling, gratitude, and promise keeping create strong, sustainable communities. Successfully implementing these three actions in tandem leads to meaningful relationships and impacts the broader practice of hospitality. Author Christine Pohl describes hospitality in her book, Living Into Community: Cultivating Practices That Sustain Us, as recognizing the needs of others, while being open to their ideas and contributions, ultimately leaving those we meet feeling valued and with a sense of belonging. What this looks like in actuality is the topic at hand.

You’re only as good as your word. 

Pinky promise? 

I’m telling you the truth, I swear!

Making - and breaking - promises is commonplace, a daily occurrence. Promises are made often and easily broken, leading us to a culture that is jaded when it comes to promise keeping. As author Christine Pohl explores in her book, Living Into Community: Cultivating Practices That Sustain Us, making and keeping promises is central to a person’s character and identity. Why, then, is it so easy for so many to make a flippant promise and then later break their word? What does this relative ease with promise-breaking say about society? How can we function as successful, thriving communities if we cannot keep our promises? 

Thanksgiving is upon us, and with it comes thoughts of turkey, pumpkin pies, and an abundance of gratitude. This is the season of thankfulness. We are reminded every November to count our blessings. So, how can we carry an attitude of gratitude with us throughout the year?

In the second part of the Living Into Community blog series, we explore author Christine Pohl's insights into how gratitude plays a significant role in community-building and what embracing gratitude looks like on the MPCS campus on a daily basis.

One of the hallmarks of being a part of the Mount Paran Christian School family is that ours is a commUNITY - emphasis on unity. We are spiritual brothers and sisters, one in the body of Christ. But, what does a strong community look like? Why do we, as both a school and as a society, seek community? How can we ensure that we are the tightly-knit family we, at MPCS, proclaim to be? And, how can others learn from our experiences in community-building?

In 2026 - just six short years from now - America will celebrate its 250^th anniversary. Though celebration is sure to come at this anniversary, right now our country is facing political unrest and uncertainty. Yet, this is nothing new for America. In fact, the formation of our “new republic” was anything but certain. The idea that a democracy would work - that a single leader elected by the people would relinquish power peaceably - was unfathomable. And, yet, thanks to the vision of the Founding Fathers, America’s democratic “experiment” has been successful for the last two-and-a-half centuries.

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

The 2020 election is quickly approaching. As political discourse and debate begin to consume the public’s consciousness, Christians should ask, “How does faith influence political participation, allegiance, and decisions?” 

Real classroom innovation at Mount Paran Christian School starts from within; from the open hearts and minds of the teachers, students, parents, and school leadership. Never has this been more true than during the 2020 academic year, when the coronavirus pandemic put the innovative practices of MPCS to the test.

The summer of 2020 has certainly been one for the history books. From social distancing and uncertainty about the future, to calls for racial justice and reconciliation, 2020 has taken an emotional toll on much of our country. After too many months apart, the Mount Paran Christian School family rejoices in finally reuniting on campus for the start of a new academic year. As we do so, our school family brings great hope for the future, trusting in the One who knows all and who has a plan for us.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” —Jeremiah 29:11