Mount Paran Christian School teenagers are using the power of the written word to influence and encourage others in their faith. For over a decade, students in select English and Creative Writing courses at MPCS have embraced the challenge to write devotional articles for a Christian teen magazine. Upper Room Ministries’ Devozine, written by teens for teens, has an online and print readership of almost 200,000 this twentieth year of publication. Whether for group Bible studies or private meditation, students can access daily devotionals on their website at www.devozine.org.

While the beginning of a new year causes me to look forward with excited anticipation of what God has planned for MPCS, it also allows me to reflect on the people who have brought us to this moment in time. A school is best defined by the people who commit long-term to the mission of a place; those who share in both the growing pains and struggles that naturally come with the educational adventure, as well as the joys and rewards of seeing a mission advanced and student lives transformed.

The struggle is real. When asked about the top frustrations created by the challenge of guiding their children through thirteen years of school, parents listed these roadblocks related to their child's homework and study habits: no organization, lack of work ethic, procrastination, and failure to accept responsiblity. For many families, these challenges cause frustration, tears, and disappointment.

Dramaturgy in American Literature Classes   

MPCS junior, Jimmy Jennings as Jo March? Classmate, Noah Rymut as Beth? Such interesting casting may have occurred in MPCS American Literature classes this semester. Long and sentimental, yet loved by many, the novel Little Women is seldom read in the classroom. However, when the Mount Paran Christian School drama department announced a plan to produce the musical version of the play, a cross-curricular project was born.

One of the most prominent questions in education today is how can we properly prepare our students for the world of the 21st century. MPCS leadership is answering this question in many ways. As an institution striving for academic excellence and best practices for student learning and retention, MPCS has placed a large emphasis on teacher training. While we expect our children to learn curriculum, it is equally important that our staff be continual learners themselves. 

In today’s culture, information is readily accessible on laptops or digital devices. It’s time for library media centers to make a change from the information age to the imagination age. 

Individually, music, art, and STEAM classes in the MPCS lower school bring excitement and smiles to the faces of our students who thrive in these creative, hands-on environments. Add in a collaborative project that moves through all three classrooms, and the energy becomes contagious.

MPCS has launched into high-tech, collaborative learning in middle school with the introduction of the Connected Learning Program. Personal learning devices and digitalized curriculum directly support our goal to create an environment that equips students to think skillfully and innovatively with greater opportunities to expand real-world application beyond classroom walls.

BRAD SMITH (from 2017 blog, republished for the 2024 eclipse)

"This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being." — Isaac Newton, General Scholium to the Principia Mathematica, 1713

As many in America prepare for the impending total eclipse taking place on Monday afternoon, the phenomenon provides an opportunity for more than just an education in science and astronomy. It is a chance to focus on the wondrous Creator who has set in motion even the unperceived features of our universe.

Ellis Island. Bees. Computers. Bats. What could these possibly have in common? They are the winning ideas proposed to MPCS administration for the inaugural year of the Innovation in Teaching Grant. Funds raised each year from the PTF auction are typically used for classroom needs and technology. However, this year a unique approach to the use of these funds was established. PTF contributed $10,500 toward “innovation grants.”

Innovation. We hear and see it often. It’s the latest buzz word in the field of education. What does this mean for Mount Paran Christian School? And more specifically, is STEAM truly beneficial for our younger learners?

Some of the most profound and enlightening experiences a student can have in high school involve authentic encounters with industry professionals. On rare occasions, a partner-in-education extends its influence far beyond a surface effect — and the results for students can be life-altering. One such opportunity has unfolded for the students in the Concepts of Engineering class at Mount Paran Christian School.

What's new in middle school science? STEAM collaboration and research through interdisciplinary subjects. Not only are MPCS students grasping difficult concepts in mathematics and physical science, they are having fun while doing it. 

Through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math

In Kathleen Cushman’s book entitled Fires in the Mind, from the perspective of learners she explores what inspires, what engages, and what leads to the development of exceptional mastery. At Mount Paran Christian School, similar explorations dominate our conversations with students and faculty. Specifically, we continue to reflect on the following: 

CO-WRITTEN BY KRISTY DODSON

The lower school at Mount Paran Christian School is always a fun and busy place, but this past spring it was especially exciting in second grade. The second grade teachers along with the help of Lower School Head, Dr. Davis, embarked on a six-week pilot program to introduce project-based learning to their students. 

 

When you think of Boy Scouts, what comes to your mind? Uniforms? Tents and camping? Pinewood derby-racing? Most likely, some common thoughts would be about young men learning to be responsible citizens, or learning service or other moral values. In fact, the Scout Law reads: “A Scout is: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.”