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The quality of arts in the metro Atlanta area is some of the best in the country. How, then, does a school separate itself uniquely from the rest? The answer for Mount Paran Christian School lies in the mission of the school and how it is lived out through the arts program. While most schools focus on students developing their skills to serve their personal performance goals, MPCS goes a step further, infusing the idea that God gives us gifts to be used to glorify Him. Faculty make all the difference in helping students understand that we bring glory to God when we love others as He loves us and to act as servant-leaders through the use of artistic gifts and skills.   ![MS drama class girls](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/hs-fs/hubfs/MS%20drama%20class%20girls.jpg?width=844&name=MS%20drama%20class%20girls.jpg) [![From the Teacher's Desk: 4 Tips to Capture the Minds of Your Students](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/hubfs/AP%20biology%20students%20working.jpg)](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/4-tips-to-capture-students-attention) ## [From the Teacher's Desk: 4 Tips to Capture the Minds of Your Students](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/4-tips-to-capture-students-attention) September 07, 2022 *Excellence* as a measure of quality in education is difficult to quantify. But, one might recognize it when setting foot into Dr. Bonnie Stephens’ high school science classroom at Mount Paran Christian School. Dr. Stephens, who received a B.S. in Applied Biology from Georgia Tech and a Ph.D. in Biology from Georgia State University, is known to enliven content for her classes. Here, she shares how she brings learning to life for her students.   ![AP biology students working](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AP%20biology%20students%20working.jpg?width=844&name=AP%20biology%20students%20working.jpg) [![5 Tips for Making the Middle to High School Transition](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/hubfs/Middle%20school%20students%20group.jpg)](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/5-tips-for-middle-to-high-school-transition) ## [5 Tips for Making the Middle to High School Transition](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/5-tips-for-middle-to-high-school-transition) August 24, 2022 While parents may shed a few tears when their kindergartener heads off to the first day of school, for students, the biggest transition in learning comes much later. Students often find that the move from middle school to high school is especially daunting. These rising freshmen are full of hopes and dreams, as well as fears and freedom. Here are five tips that can help any rising freshman make for a smooth transition into the high school years.   ![Middle school students group](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Middle%20school%20students%20group.jpg?width=844&name=Middle%20school%20students%20group.jpg) [![From the Teacher's Desk: What Families Should Expect](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/hubfs/IMGL6247.jpg)](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/from-the-teachers-desk-what-families-should-expect) ## [From the Teacher's Desk: What Families Should Expect](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/from-the-teachers-desk-what-families-should-expect) August 12, 2022 Between preschool and their senior year of high school, children grow, learn, and develop at an astounding rate. When families entrust their children to schools to partner in shaping the worldview of these future citizens, it is essential that the relationship between home and school be one of open communication and true partnership.    We all enter relationships with our own set of expectations, based on our personal experiences and values. The learning process requires effort from both the teacher and the student. What follows is a guide from the leaders at Mount Paran Christian School to help families navigate expectations from teachers, and vice versa, all with the ultimate aim to ensure the best possible outcomes for students.   ![IMGL6247](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IMGL6247.jpg?width=844&name=IMGL6247.jpg) [![Innovation in Education: How to Teach Children to Love Learning](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/hubfs/HS%20robotics%20girls.jpg)](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/how-to-teach-children-to-love-learning) ## [Innovation in Education: How to Teach Children to Love Learning](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/how-to-teach-children-to-love-learning) July 27, 2022 Learning is exceedingly complex. It is both highly personal and highly social. For educators tasked with facilitating and supporting learning, doing it, not just well but with excellence, requires a healthy dose of both art and science. And, while much is understood about the conditions and practices that support learning, facilitating learning that is durable, adaptive, inspiring, and innovative is a daily challenge for educators and schools. Moreover, creating school learning environments where students develop robust knowledge and skills is only the beginning. If students leave school today without the dispositions and skills to support lifelong, self-directed learning, they will not be equipped to tackle the challenges thrust upon them by an ever-changing world.    So, while learning is complex, let’s take a moment to examine one of the key drivers of school-based learning – the teacher’s ability to create learning cultures of excellence in which students and educators are highly engaged with one another, with rich ideas and robust thinking and creating. Blessed with highly-skilled faculty, examples of high-engagement learning cultures at Mount Paran Christian School abound across all school grade divisions.    ![HS robotics girls](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/hs-fs/hubfs/HS%20robotics%20girls.jpg?width=881&name=HS%20robotics%20girls.jpg) [1](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/topic/teaching-excellence/page/1) ## *WingTips* Welcome to *WingTips*, a Mount Paran Christian School Blog. The MPCS Blog features many independent school contributors and thought-leaders. ### Subscribe Here! --- --- #### Learn More About MPCS ### Recommended Series #### PRIVATE SCHOOL PRIMER: - [How School Choice Programs Increase Educational Opportunities for Families ](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/how-school-choice-programs-increase-educational-opportunities-for-families) - [5 Tips for Making the Middle to High School Transition](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/5-tips-for-middle-to-high-school-transition)  - [What Families Should Expect ](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/from-the-teachers-desk-what-families-should-expect) - [2 Most Important Things to Consider When Choosing a Preschool ](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/2-most-important-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-preschool) - [4 Benefits of Choosing a K-12 School for Life ](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/4-benefits-choosing-k12-independent-school) - [3 Reasons Why I Believe in Christian Schools ](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/3-reasons-why-i-believe-in-christian-schools) - [7 Tips for Affording a Private School Education ](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/7-tips-for-affording-a-private-school-education) - [4 Reasons We Chose Mount Paran Christian School ](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/4-reasons-we-chose-mount-paran-christian-school) - [How to Choose the Best Private School for Your Family](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/how-to-choose-the-best-private-school-for-your-family) - [4 Methods to Meet Every Learner Where They Are](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/4-methods-to-meet-every-learner-where-they-are) #### PARENTEd. TALKS: - [Helping Students Boost Their Brain Capacity for Success](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/helping-students-boost-their-brain-capacity-for-success) - [Teaching Children Fiscal Responsibility](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/teaching-children-fiscal-responsibility) - [Tips for Parents to Help Teens Avoid Drugs and Alcohol](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/parented-tips-parents-help-teens-avoid-drugs-alcohol) - [Excelling in the Midst of Adversity](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/excelling-in-midst-of-adversity) - [3 Tips for Navigating the Hidden Dangers of Social Media](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/parented-3-tips-navigating-hidden-dangers-social-media) - [The Blessing of a B Minus](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/parented-wendy-mogel-blessing-of-a-b-minus) - [Real Talk for Moms](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/parented-real-talk-for-moms) #### COLLEGE SERIES: - [Finding the Right Fit - An Individualized Approach to College Counseling](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/finding-the-right-fit) - [ParentEd.: Here’s What You Need to Know About College Admissions](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-college-admissions) - [To Save or Not to Save: 529 Plans are the Question](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/private-school-529) - [College Admissions: A Marathon, Not a Sprint](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/college-admissions-a-marathon-not-a-sprint) #### FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK: - [The Importance of Play](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/the-importance-of-play) - [What Families Should Expect ](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/from-the-teachers-desk-what-families-should-expect) - [Play is Learning Through the Arts ](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/play-is-learning-through-the-arts) - [4 Tips to Capture the Minds of Your Students ](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/4-tips-to-capture-students-attention) #### CHRISTIAN LIFE: - [What is a Covenant School?](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/what-is-a-covenant-school) - [Seeing Through a New Lens: A Biblical Worldview](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/biblical-worldview) - [Faith and Intellect as One](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/faith-and-intellect-as-one) - [Philosophy of Belonging: 4 Tips for Fostering a Diverse Culture ](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/4-tips-fostering-diverse-culture) - [Innovation in Education: Teaching Cultural Awareness](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/innovations-in-education-teaching-cultural-awareness) - [A Call to Brotherhood: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Wisdom for Today](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/call-to-brotherhood-mlk-wisdom-for-today) - [CommUNITY: How Do We Love One Another?](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/how-to-love-one-another) - [Campaign for CommUNITY](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/campaign-for-community) - [How to Raise Empathetic Children in Today’s Culture](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/how-to-raise-empathetic-children-in-todays-culture) - [Imageo Dei: Why Diversity Matters](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/imago-dei-why-diversity-matters) - [Praying for Their Future](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/praying-for-their-future) *Providing academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment, Mount Paran Christian School unites with home and church to prepare servant-leaders to honor God, love others, and walk in Truth.* shield\_divider.png ![](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/topic/two_column_files/c1qytvpcecnqjrq3jmik.webp) best-of-cobb-footer.png [![Best of COBB Winner](https://blog.mtparanschool.com/topic/two_column_files/ti9kmypqeyitndjq73rh.webp)](https://info.mtparanschool.com/best-private-school-in-cobb-county) #### Mount Paran Christian School 1275 Stanley Road NW Kennesaw, GA 30152 P: (470) 250-0008 [Google Maps](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GTD8r1s5SeQuPtGW6) - 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