MACSA Vice President

The MACSA Executive Committee is please to announce the election of Dr. James Smock to the position of Vice President effective July 1, 2010.   See below for Dr. Smock's bio.

Dr. Smock has been elected to a 3-year term and at the conclusion of the 3-year VP term will "step up" and assume the role of MACSA President. The committee would like to thank Dr. Timothy Sierer (The Christian Academy ~ Brookhaven, PA) for his years of service to MACSA as Vice President and then as President.

Please pray for Dr. Smock as he moves into this new role with MACSA. In addition, please pray for the members of the MACSA Executive Committee and the MACSA Program Committee as they work to finalize plans for the 2010-2011 school year and begin long-term planning for the future of MACSA. Please feel free to contact any member of the MACSA Executive Committee with any questions, concerns or suggestions you have regarding MACSA. You input is appreciated! 

MACSA Executive Committee Serving Schools that Serve the Savior

President: Mrs. Barbara Williams           
(Lehigh Christian Academy ~ Allentown, PA)
Vice President: Dr. James Smock           
(West Mont Christian Academy ~ Pottstown, PA)
Convention Director: Dr. Don Dawes           
(Open Door Christian Academy ~ Fort Washington, PA)
Treasurer: Mr. Jim Hurst           
(Lehigh Valley Christian High School ~ Catasauqua, PA)
Activities Director: Mrs. Deborah Hyde           
(Individual MACSA member)
Secretary: Mrs. Marie Young           
(Aston, PA)
Executive Director: Mrs. Nancy R. DeHaan
(Salem, NJ)


Dr. James N. Smock has been the Administrator of West-Mont Christian Academy in Pottstown, PA since 1987. He earned his B.S. at Lancaster Bible College in 1978, his Masters at Millersville State University in 1981, and his Doctorate at Nova Southeastern University in 1995. He holds certification with PA and ACSI at the Superintendant level. He was high school teacher/principal/administrator at Ephrata Bible Fellowship Academy from 1976-1981. He was in private counseling practice from 1981 to 1989 and has been in Christian education at West-Mont Christian Academy since 1987. He is married and has three girls and two boys, and 6 grandchildren.

New Year's Resolutions

By Dan Beerens

Originally posted on Nurturing Faith ~ the blog of Christian Schools International

The best time of the year for resolutions is January 1. True? Not really in education! Many of you are wrapping up the school year and some of you are already “childless” and roaming around in a mostly empty building. While you wrap up the year, many of you are already in planning mode for next year. Given our agricultural/cultural schedule of summer months without students, let me encourage you to take some time to reflect and resolve.

• What went well and not so well this year that I hope to change in the fall?
• What did I want to work on but could not take the time for or get to in the crush of the year?
• What could I do proactively so that I will feel calmer when I get into the busyness of the fall schedule?
• How will I strengthen the weakest aspects of my work? For teachers it may be finding better learning activities for a less than stellar unit, for principals it may be putting together a classroom visitation schedule that is more realistic and committing to it.
• How will I pursue professional passions that allow me to bring unique benefits to my school or system?
• How will I recharge my spiritual tank? Will I take more time to refresh my interior life?
• Maybe summer is a good time for you to take a minute and reassess what you are doing in terms of your chosen work. Do you still feel called? Are you still passionate about what you are doing? Are you still eager to learn more about your discipline and life?

Is it a perfect time to catch up on reading the Nurturing Faith blogs you have missed this year? (Actually principals tell me they read the blog more in the summer than the school year!)

Have a great summer! I will see some of you at the CSI convention and others at your school for staff development. Nurturing Faith will take a summer hiatus now and begin again in the fall.

Click here to see the original post and to search the blog archives for some good summer reading!

Let Us Consider . . .

Dr. Timothy Sierer, MACSA President
Headmaster, The Christian Academy (Brookhaven, PA)

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24 

Clearly, we live in a society where the concept of encouraging one another and building each other up is foreign. To many the order of the day is not how I can build up others but rather how do I elevate myself above those around me. That attitude so prevalent in today’s culture is in direct disobedience to our theme verse found in Hebrews. Serving as an encourager to others is a trait that not only goes against the thinking of our present day culture but the very fabric of our sinful nature.

In each of our schools, we attempt to instruct our students in the daily application of this verse in their lives. We believe that our students can have a huge impact on their surroundings for the cause of Christ if they allow this verse to shape their interactions with others. Sadly, we are sending the Class of 2010 into a culture where the foremost concern is for self even at the expense of others. It is our desire that as these graduates leave our secure surroundings, they will become a beacon to an unsaved world through the demonstration of Christ’s love in their daily lives. 

As the Class of 2010 prepares to graduate, those who profess the name of Jesus can step out confidently into the next phase of their lives. They can step out knowing they have been equipped academically, but more importantly, they have been equipped with the tools to stand boldly for the cause of Christ. Provided they have fully yielded themselves to His will, they can also boldly step out knowing that He will direct their footsteps in the future.

As another school year draws to a close, let us all purpose in our hearts to: 1) Praise God for the gifts and abilities He has bestowed on our students and 2) Pray that He will use the lives of these ‘new’ alumni not only to touch those around them but also to bring glory to Him. Thank you for your commitment to pray for our new graduates as they leave our schools and embark on the next stage of life’s journey. 

On a personal note as my term as President comes to an end, I want to thank you for the privilege of serving in this capacity for the past three years. It has been a pleasure to serve MACSA in this way and to hear of how God is continuing to use our organization to reach future generations for Him. As Mrs. Williams takes over the leadership role I know you will provide her with the same level of support and encouragement you have given me. May God richly bless each of you with a restful summer as we look forward to serving our students in the 2010-2011 school year.

Ending Well?

Originally posted on Nurturing Faith (Christian Schools International)

It’s nearing the end of the school year and time for the annual award distributions. We hand out certificates, trophies, and compile lists of achievements in almost any and every category. Whether in the early grades or at graduation, we seek to point out accomplishments of students. I am guessing that if we could sit down and talk for a few minutes, dear reader, that we would share some mixed feelings about this end of year ritual.

This is an area of our school life that poses potentially large risks to our mission. It is an area that goes largely unexamined and one where we quickly adopt the practices of other schools. It is what we get excited about that speaks the loudest message to our students. I am concerned that sometimes what we do in awards assemblies may actually contradict the kinds of thoughtful work that we have done throughout many previous months and years.

I don’t have the answer to this, but am providing some questions below that might be useful in generating conversations within faculties.

Click here to read the list of questions and to leave a comment.  Please feel free to leave a comment on this blog, too.

Listen Slowly

Chuck Swindoll, chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary, tells of a time when he had allowed the ‘busyness’ and demands of his life to interfere with his relationships with his wife and children.  All of their interaction was rushed, to the point where he was treating them rudely.  After yet another rushed meal one night, his young daughter blurted out that she had something important to tell him and she’d do it really fast.   Ashamed at her unintentional rebuke, Swindoll assured her that she didn’t have to rush - she could talk to him slowly.  ‘Then listen slowly,’ she replied.

As you approach the ‘busyness’ of the end of the year . . .

• Administrators . . . are you listening slowly to your teachers?
• Teachers . . . are you listening slowly to your students and parents? 
• All of us . . . are we listening slowly to God?

If not, try the following:

• practice being a good listener
• learn to hear the voice of God
• listen with your heart as well as your ears
• give God your full attention when you pray
• realize that your students feel valued when you  listen to them
• recognize the way God listens to you
• understand that hearing God requires obeying him as well

School/church/home partnering that encourages discipleship – a model that is working!

Originally posted on "Nurturing Faith" - a blog of Christian Schools International
Click here for the Nurturing Faith blog.

How to best partner with churches has been a true conundrum for CSI Christian schools in recent years.

Cultural changes and shifts in church membership,  coupled with students coming from a broadening number and variety of churches, have left schools confused about how to keep the home – school – church triangle intact, or even functioning at all. At the 2007 CSI membership convention we attempted to highlight the issue and make some progress on the issue of our common connection – the faith development of the students we share.

To read the rest of the article, click here . . .

Attention: Music Teachers ~ MACSA Music Day ~ Friday, April 30

It's NOT TOO LATE to register and attend.
Please FAX your registration form to Lehigh Christian Academy (610-776-1417) and bring your payment on the day of the event.

MACSA Music Day

Friday, April 30, 2010

8:45 am – 3:00 pm

This day is a GREAT day for Music Teachers, but is also VERY BENEFICIAL for Early Ed and Elem Ed Classroom teachers desiring to incorporate more music in the context of the regular classroom!  Consider attending!

Lehigh Christian Academy

1151 S. Cedar Crest Boulevard

Allentown, PA 18103

610-776-7301

$25 per person
includes lunch

Click HERE for Information Flyer and Registration Form (MACSA website)

8:45     Registration and Refreshments

9:15     Devotional for Music Teachers

9:30     Breakout Session I

·         Using Folk Dance to Have Fun and Build Musical Readiness

·         Starting Up a Piano Lab

10:35   Breakout Session II

·         Tiny Voices, Joyful Noises: Structure in your Early Childhood Music Class

·         A Director's Guide to the Elementary Choir Rehearsal

11:35   Lunch and Networking

1:00     Breakout Session III

·         Making Music Reading Fun in the Elementary Classroom

·         Music Education and the Special Needs Child, Adaptation and Modification

2:05     Breakout Session IV

·         Music Assessment

·         Maximizing the Time in your Middle or High School Choir Rehearsal

Presenters include:

Dr. David Shockey - Professor of Voice and Choral Conducting (PBU)
Dr. Debbie Lynn Wolf - Professor of Music Education (PBU)
Andrew Owens - Music Teacher
Paul F. Reese III - Teacher, Organist and Music Director
Abigail Peace - Board Certified Music Therapist
Kelly Leibensperger - Music Teacher