TRUSTING THROUGH TRAGEDY

As we journey through life there are many opportunities for us to experience the need to trust. We trust that the chair will hold us when we sit down. We trust the car will start when we turn it on. We trust that the sun will rise each morning. We trust in many things, but ultimately our trust must be founded in God. When our trust is founded in the one who is “trustworthy” life’s challenges take on a different meaning. 

This past week our family experienced an emotional and unexpected journey. Our oldest son, who is an ICS Alum (c/o 2016), is a Cadet at West Point Military Academy in New York. He was home for our youngest son’s 2019 graduation from ICS and headed back to WP for field training. Thursday morning we received a text that said, “I am OK. There has been an accident.” As a parent that is not something, you want to read as an opening to a text. Our son’s squad was heading out to the field for a mapping exercise when the transport vehicle they were traveling in rolled, injuring 20 cadets and 2 soldiers. Tragically, one of the Cadets was killed, class of 2020 and member of the WP wrestling team. Our son and 3 others of his team, fortunately, were not on the truck. They were told to wait because there was “no room,” the truck was full. If they had put all of them on, they would have been standing in the aisle when the truck rolled. We praise God for his safety and are heartbroken for the Cadet’s family who lost their son. 

It seems so senseless for a soon to be a young officer in the United States Army to lose his life during a training event, yet the Cadets train and put their lives at risk as they prepare to lead others to defend our country. The risk is just as real during training as it is on the field. So, where does trust come in? What if our son had been standing in the aisle as the truck rolled and lost his life along with others on his team? Could I trust that God was in control then? I pray I never have to face that situation, but I do have the assurance and hope that he has a personal relationship with Jesus. As believers we can trust that for those who have accepted Christ we will be reunited one day in glory with the Lord. 

A dear friend reminded my husband and I, that 2,000 years ago there was “no room” for us on the cross. In our place, Jesus took our sins and was crucified so that we could have eternal life with him in heaven. Because of his sacrifice, we can have life. He took our place so that we did not have to experience death, eternal separation from him. Have you trusted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? Your place was taken by the One who paid it all. He died and rose again and gave us victory over death. I am thankful that my son is safe not only physically, but spiritually. The greatest gift we can give our children is introducing them to the Lord. Knowing that they are safe in Him allows us to trust that whatever comes our way, God is in control. 

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” – John 3:17 

Written by Jequita Lee, ICS Art and Dance

TOP 5 REASONS WHY BEING A MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE IS IMPORTANT

“Are my kids doing enough? Are my kids doing too much? What about college… Doesn’t my kid need to focus on the sport they excel at the most in order to get a scholarship?” There has been much said on both sides of the issue of the multi-sport athlete. There are coaches who would encourage an athlete to only participate in a single sport (usually the one they coach) year-round. There are parents who feel like the kid needs a break and should only participate in one sport. There’s the kid who wants to do it all. What is the “right way?” I have a few things I’d like to bring out in the open and at the end you can determine where you stand for yourself. 

It is a fascinating thing that this topic was never really discussed when I was growing up. There seems to be a shift that has happened between my generation and the new millennials as it pertains to “play.” What I mean is that we played differently than kids do today. When I was growing up we played outside. We played basketball, football, baseball, soccer, street hockey, and four square. We climbed trees. We had relay races. We “hopped fences” with loose dogs to retrieve balls that had gone over. We ran from stray pit bulls in route to the neighborhood park.

There was an understood reality that you played whatever everyone else was playing and you actually tried to be good enough to win. We didn’t need it to be an official game on a team because we were getting out of it what has proven to be beneficial for us that day. This form of play developed in us a competitive attitude that carried over into whatever field we ended up exploring. The benefits that we actually experienced parallel to what studies have shown. The bottom line is, the multi-sport athlete (MSA) is the way to go. 

Here are the TOP 5 REASONS WHY BEING A MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE IS IMPORTANT:

1. Injuries

One of the reasons why I endorse this philosophy is that MSA’s tend to get injured less often. Playing a single sport year-round forces athletes to use the same muscle groups and movements repeatedly. Studies have shown that strengthening different muscle groups through multiple sports is healthier. There was a study conducted that looked at NBA first round draft picks. It examined how many of them played a single sport in high school versus those who played multiple sports. The result was that players who played multiple sports were less likely to be injured than the single sport athlete. 

2. Competitors

I’ve also learned that college coaches are actually more interested in players who play multiple sports because they have more of a tendency to always compete. Coaches like Jim Harbaugh (University of Michigan) and Urban Meyer (former Ohio State coach) are two among many coaches who only recruit MSA. Harbaugh actually has his recruits play dodgeball, field baseballs, and play soccer at his camps. He says that “youngsters aren’t playing multiple sports as they once did, so you like to test them that way.”

3. Versatility

Multi-sport athletes are often more versatile and more capable of picking up new skills than those who play one sport. They usually can adjust to different positions faster and more effectively. Many recruits are asked to change their position when they arrive to college particularly for football. This has proven to be beneficial for players in that they usually achieve very high accolades personally and their versatility follows them to the pros where they’ll be asked to change positions again. 

4. Growth

Another benefit of the MSA is that they have more potential for improvement. When athletes play one sport, they run the risk of reaching their “ceiling” much faster than the MSA. The reason is because when you’re an MSA, you are forced to stop playing a sport when the season is over. This means you wouldn’t train for an entire year; leaving you with more room to grow and improve. One of my favorite things to tell athletes is this: “NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE ABILITY TO GET BETTER!” You can always improve and playing multiple sports will ensure that you have to work at it. 

5. Coachability

Another factor to consider is that MSA’s have the potential to be more coachable than their single sport counterparts. This reality is an extreme benefit and probably got my attention more than any other. Every sport is different and typically requires a certain style of coach for each one. For example, my coaching style probably won’t work for golf. I remember playing for Coach Rick Majerus and how difficult it was on so many levels. I remember wanting to quit and thinking, “this is not worth it.” Fast-forward to today and I realize that since playing for Rick, I have been able to play for any coach and work for any boss! He prepared me to deal with any type of personality and style. 

This blog clearly lands on one side of the argument and I’m not naïve enough to say that this line of thinking doesn’t come with some valid push back, but I ascribe to the philosophy of the MSA and have adopted it as part of our athletics philosophy and value system at Intermountain Christian School. Here is how it reads:

“We value our multi-sport athletic approach. We believe there is great value in our athletes participating in multiple sports and are committed to encourage and integrate this philosophy into our school’s culture.  With this approach, our athletes are able to gain different kinds of skills they can apply from one sport to the next. This approach has also proven to enhance hand-eye coordination, balance, endurance, explosion, communication, and athletic agility. The athlete is also able to avoid injuries from overuse.”

Written by: Tim Drisdom, Athletic Director at Intermountain Christian School

Sources: 

USA Today

High School Sports

Jamie Duffek, NCSA

"5 Reasons"

Michelle Smith EspnW.com

The Michigan Daily

2016

"5 Reasons College Coaches Love to Recruit Multi-Sport Athletes"

WHAT DOES WOMEN'S SOCCER HAVE TO DO WITH BUILDING GOOD CHARACTER?

ICS Women’s Soccer Team doing Team Devotions before the State Final game

When you stare at the cost of Private Christian Education and then shift your gaze upon the value instead, you lose sight of the “it’s too expensive” conversation and what gets put into focus instead is, “we can’t afford not to invest in this.” Sometimes it is easy to be distracted by the ease of public or charter school education and often times the value of Private Christian Education is lost in translation, not clear and not expressed or shared about. I am a new mom to ICS and eventually became employed by the school as well and if I’m honest, I knew I wanted a Private Christian school for my children, but I wasn’t clear about how far I was willing to go financially or otherwise to keep them there.

Until now.

I was privileged to witness the training session of our 2nd in State Women’s Soccer team a week ago, and I initially went to just get the lo down on the success of the program and didn’t expect to be convinced further into the mindset of, “we can’t afford not to invest in this.” Now, you must know, initially this blog post was going to report what made the ICS Women’s Soccer Team so successful: what drills they ran, how many sprints they ran, what their line-up offered, and a synopsis of the coaching philosophy. But as I stood there watching the training, listening in on the conversations being had, and even jumping in on a few of the drills, the story of success had little to do with the talent on the pitch (although there was plenty of that)! The story of success had to do almost entirely with the team’s “why.”

The program has three coaches: Trent Hawes, Matt Brown, and Robert Buckley and as I interviewed two of the three coaches, Matt Brown and Robert Buckley, I learned (as I furiously jotted notes down) about the vision they have for the team and I was left thinking, “man alive, I wish my former soccer coaches had vision like these guys!” But the fact is, they didn’t. Well, they did, but the vision had little to do with me as a whole and only to do with my position as the center midfielder on the field. I played soccer year round from age 5 through College in Oregon, and I can tell you for certain that my days playing were full of wins and losses, injuries and surgeries, but I never had coaches like Trent Hawes, Matt Brown, or Robert Buckley, speak truth and life and character-building ideals like these:

Why: We exist to build women of good character. The definition of good is Jesus.

What: We win soccer games.  We train to win.  We expect to win games. 

The “Why” always precedes the “What.” That is it. That is the secret to the Intermountain Christian School Women’s Soccer Program. The coaching staff cares about the what, but “without the why, what is the point?” This is what the coaching staff and players alike hold tight to:

Below are the TOP 4 life and character-building ideals I believe set the program apart from most (if not all) others:

1. Commitment

• Be on time: If you don’t train, you don’t game. It’s a matter of honor and respect to care enough about the other (fellow players and coaches) to value their time.

  • The team once started 9 players for a game to hold true to the standard as 9 players were the only players who were on time.

2. Personal responsibility.

• Independence: training and games (equipment, drills, set up, clean up)

• Leadership: captains lead (with referees and teammates)

  • Respect: no yelling at refs or other fans

• High expectations: on the field, in the classroom, and with relationships

  • “Are you keeping the bar high?”

  • 2019 is 9th year in a row that either the valedictorian or salutatorian are also soccer players.

3. Feedback is a gift.

• Proverbs 27:6

  • Speaking up and having hard conversations

• Creates trust

  • Speaking what is true in a trusted environment

• Raises the bar of excellence

  • Performance is expected to be high in training

4. Investing in relationships.

•  Coaches: straight shooters

• Friendships: clarity in relationships, non-toxic

 As we stood there after all the women had left training, the two coaches went on to say, “Every one stops playing ball. And what is left? Honor and character. And that is why we build women of good character. People cannot win in life without good character and soccer is a vehicle to achieve the vision articulated in our “why.” What they do is win soccer games, but the why is where the bigger vision for life lies.

I wasn’t clear about how far I was willing to go financially or otherwise to keep my children at Intermountain Christian School, but now I am. The value far out-weighs the cost, and I am committed and honored to have the choice to partner with the Intermountain Christian School community in whom places the highest value on my children and building their character!

Congratulations to our second in state Intermountain Christian School Women’s Soccer team!!

Written by Rachel Larson, ICS Mom

TOP 4 WAYS TO BEAT THE SUMMER SLUMP

Almost twenty years ago I met Andrew Pudewa, founder of the Institute for Excellence in Writing. Since my first introduction to Pudewa’s belief in writing, I’ve been one of his biggest fans. He states, “The auditory environment will have a greater impact on the way children speak and write then on anything we ever do educationally.” Embrace the previous statement and make this summer a game changer for your family. Turn the lifestyle you live today into a “reading culture” lifestyle for tomorrow. Make a daily effort to breathe in the simple statement above. Be attentive to what your child is hearing. Allow the truth Mr. Pudewa shares infuse into your home’s atmosphere. After all, God calls us to be attentive to what goes into our brain, and hence into our heart. His gift of hearing “packs a powerful paycheck.”

1. HEAR TOGETHER

Gather the family together and hear “story” read aloud.  As a busy parent, who hopes to create a reading culture for your family, you might need to multi-task while read-aloud is happening. Instead of being the voice reading the story, allow an audible device (car, Audible App or CD player) to play that part. While prepping for dinner, folding laundry or driving to dance class, you, along with your children, will have the opportunity to hear exceptional vocabulary and the templates of beautiful language patterns.

2. PLANT THE SEEDS FOR GREAT CONVERSATION

The auditory environment you create will work its magic more deeply than anything else you can do academically. Here’s the kicker though. Take this seriously and you’ll not only serve your children academically, but you’ll also plant the seeds that will lead to great conversations. Story will give you the nourishing soil in which characters come alive.  Your family will connect with intimate friends, whom you soon love and admire. Without leaving the house you’ll travel to wonderful places together and experience history in ways that will penetrate your skin and become a part of who you are. And all of this combined will be a magnet pulling you into great conversations you would otherwise not be blessed with.

3. MEMORIZE TOGETHER

When it comes to competent communicators, speaking is the other side of listening. Hearing reliably correct syntax and sophisticated language patterns is powerful, but memorizing eloquent language is ultimately better. Encourage the memorization of poetry because it provides an unusual and formal way of speaking which children might not hear otherwise. They’ll hear and then be required to speak in a unique form of communication. Also, excerpts of great speeches from years past provide useful and powerful communication patterns and language templates. Scripture and songs also serve the purpose of accessing powerful language patterns and vocabulary. Grab some friends and form a poetry club and create the stage for a future Intermountain Christian School Champion Speech and Debate team. These simple acts will help your student become a more competent communicator.

4. LET THEM SEE THE JOY OF READING

Sarah McKenzie, author of The Read Aloud Family, clearly, confidently and consistently encourages the entertainment factor when it comes to reading. If your children are going to become avid readers, the people they love, admire and count on must also be people who read for the mere joy and entertainment found in reading. Before going to bed at night, ask yourself, “Did I enjoy ‘story’ today? Along with my children, did I enjoy time with a book today?” Children, who grow up in families where adults clearly love reading, follow suit and define themselves as readers. Viewing reading as their “family culture” they recognize the joy story provides. In their world, it makes complete sense that story is a daily event “their people,” the people they love and admire, do every day.

NOT CONVINCED IN THE POWER OF STORY YET? READ ON…

This should be enough to convince you, but there is more. Providing an environment such as this will supply a reservoir of eloquent language patterns for your child to use when called upon to write. Good writing is good communication. Make certain your child is immersed in language-rich soil, encourage his or her listening, speaking, reading and thinking in an environment which will boost his ability to write in years to come. Louis L’Amour, a western author says, “A writer’s brain is like a magician’s hat, you can’t get something out of it unless you put something into it first.” Be intent on providing quality literature during your daily read-aloud time. We do not become fluent through “small talk” and we certainly don’t hear it in the form of today’s media choices. We find it in quality literature.

Even if listening, reading, and writing is the only goals you reach for this summer, your child would benefit greatly. But that’s just the surface stuff. Underneath listening, reading, and writing glistens the gem of clear, unobstructed thinking. If we want our children to think well, they must be given the opportunity to ask themselves questions. Practicing listening, practicing reading, and practicing writing gives your child the opportunity to ask insightful, searching questions. We do it on the run, we do it without knowing but every time we listen to “story,” read “story,” and write “story,” we are inevitably asking ourselves questions which lead to constructive thinking.

I’m now twenty years deeper into my passion for language arts and am more committed than ever to share my love of reading and writing with children. It is my hope this message will impact your life as well. If it does, I’m fairly certain your children will respond one day with a “thank you.” I had a mother who read to me, where she opened the door to the love of reading that I have long-embraced. She carved out time for me to read, made wise decisions for each gift of a book and encouraged me to read to others. My mother showed me and helped me understand the power of story.

Here at Intermountain Christian School, we are all about community, and in order to foster that value, we would love to glean any wisdom on any book titles, applications, or authors from our readers! Please comment below!

Written by Shelly Davidson, ICS Librarian

TOP 3 WAYS TO SURVIVE HIGH SCHOOL PARENTING

Well, the time has finally arrived and my baby is about to fly the coop. She will graduate this week and head to a land far away...Alabama. My husband and I are incredibly proud of her. It has been a long road from the days when she would throw her shoes at the back of my head in our minivan, buck so I couldn’t buckle her into her car seat, and pitch fits monumental enough that visitors at Old Faithful begged me to take her back to the hotel. True Story. So what changed and how did we arrive here at this point with all three children still alive and relatively normal? How did we make it through the 12 total years of raising high school students?

 Here are the top 3 ways we survived high school parenting:

 1. OFFERING THEM UP

I distinctly remember the day that I was studying God’s Word and reading about Abraham offering Isaac up to the altar of the Lord. I was so struck and realized that God was asking me to do the exact same thing with my then high school aged son. We were having a rough time. He was wanting to do his own thing. He thought he knew more than we did...about everything. We weren’t thrilled with the choices he was making, and yet the Lord clearly told me, “Offer him up. Leave him to me. Put him on my altar. I’ve got him. I love him far more than you ever could.” It was tough and I struggled but did what I felt God was leading me to do.
Did things change dramatically? No. Did everything end up sunshine and roses? No. But I trust God implicitly and He showed me through that experience that He is faithful and good. We are now 8 years post high school graduation and we have continued to encounter bumps, lots of them. But I am sure that God has the BEST plan for our son.

 2. BEING AVAILABLE AND FLEXIBLE

With our youngest, I can remember driving down the road when she was a toddler. We were having a particularly bad day. She had ripped the matching bow from her hair and threw it at me. She was talking incessantly in gibberish which I could not understand and I sat at a stoplight and just cried. I thought about how much longer I would have to endure this child and I would I count the days, the months, the years, but now I would give anything to have that time back. As we near the end of our baby’s high school career, I am more and more aware of time and I have literally put other things on hold so that I can spend time with her. And I’m talking stupid bits of time...running to the grocery store at all hours of the night with her so I can just talk with her, laugh with her and be with her. When she wants to just sit and watch Netflix, I do it. When she snuggles with me on the couch, I savor it. Time is passing quickly and it won’t slow down, so treasure every moment.

 3. LOVING THROUGH DISAPPOINTMENTS

Little kids, little problems; big kids, big problems. Truer words have never been spoken. As a toddler, problems are pretty insignificant. They can be exhausting for the parent, but they’re usually pretty innocuous and as our children reached high school age, it was pretty apparent that their issues were becoming more important, with more opportunity for character-building. How would our child’s character grow when he had a sport-ending injury? How could we help him see the big picture and the plan God may have for him? How could we love him well? Heart-wrenching events such as this make a Mama’s heart ache and yet, pointing the child to Christ, the Sustainer of our faith, is a good start. Hearing their disappointment and helping them to see the bigger picture and loving them and being available to listen goes a long way. Disappointments will happen. God’s Word promises it. How we walk through the disappointment develops our child’s character, and ultimately our child’s character should be one of our prime concerns.

The Clement Family

My husband and I have done none of this perfectly. As a matter of fact, as I look back, I think we messed up a lot. I wish we could have some do-overs. And yet, in this beautiful mess of life, I think God uses it all...the bumps, the bruises, the mistakes. He takes our broken parenting and holds our children in the palm of his hand and walks the journey with them. So, don’t stress, don’t beat yourself up...God’s got you and he’s got your child.

And one additional blessing...although our baby is graduating, we have the incredible honor and privilege to be guardians of a fourth child, a junior in high school. So as much as I am sad about our baby graduating, I get to do this one more year! God truly is good!

By Leslie Clement, Mom of a Senior at Intermountain Christian School

The Teacher Effect

Let’s take a trip together- traveling into your memory-mind’s eye. Do you see whose face appears when I ask who was your favorite teacher? Did you take it back to your kindergarten days with his/hers undoubtedly kind smile, or perhaps that one awesome basketball coach who pushed you harder than any other during sophomore year? Do you have him or her in your mind? Now hold on to the feeling- not the image of their face, but the feeling they left in your heart which you are revisiting now- The peace you received during that rough personal time, the laughter bubbling up because they had a killer sense of humor, or the immense pride you feel in yourself at this moment because you know your life could have turned sideways if they had not crossed your path at that exact moment they did. Welcome to the teacher effect.

I would argue that whether you were a total school-loving, high-performing nerd to the max (like myself) or the kid who couldn’t wait to bust through the doors of your school for the last time and never look back (like my husband)- No matter where you stand on the grading scale, there was that one teacher who you had and currently have this undeniable fondness for. For me, it was my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Greer. She was the eldest teacher I ever had, and my goodness gracious her strict disposition was palpable, but she had this effect on me throughout the remainder of my schooling days that set the tone for my drive toward achievement. I was drawn to her teaching style- her almost military-like standard of focus really hit a note for me and to this day I still sing her praises (obviously).

Let’s return. We’re here watching our children make their own relationships, evaluations and memories with teachers of their own. A greater sense of appreciation has hit us as we see from the parenting perspective how each teacher molds, uplifts and pushes them to greatness better than we can ourselves. This year alone, I never knew how monstrously impatient I could be until attempting (ahem, *failing*) to help my son learn to read. That is, until Mrs. Brown came along to take the reins with a calm confidence, followed with Mrs. Veldhuis coming in with the assist (like a perfectly timed “alley-oop”) in “Reading Intervention.” With months of frustration internally building and often times spilling over at my son’s expense, he came home from school one day, sat himself at the counter and began to read me a book as I prepped dinner. Slowly and all at once, my kindergartner was reading and I wasn’t sitting next to him painfully going through each. and. every. word with him. HALLELUJAH! Something clicked for him in that classroom, at the side of his teachers, that spurred a realization to greater achievement than I was able to. As a parent, welcome to the teacher effect.

Being on the outside looking in to a life building within and around your children is one of the hardest realities of becoming a parent. But, man oh man, when I see the beauty through pain, the accomplishments through hardships, and the blessings through steadfastness, I experience that same calm confidence that Mrs. Brown had brought to the table. The stronghold of control in making sure my kids are okay easily slips away. I have the calm confidence in the molding of their minds and characters because of their teachers.

They are cared for.

They are loved.

They are heard.

They are stretched and challenged.

They are held to a higher standard.

They are becoming who they are in large part due to their teachers.

3 John 1:4

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in

the truth.”

Remember that teacher in your memory-mind’s eye? The good work he or she has done in your own life is the same good work your son or daughter’s teacher is doing right this very moment. The teacher effect is generational. I encourage you, do not hold back your tongue in thankfulness for those men and women who show up displaying God’s goodness in your kids’ lives. May the position of gratitude in your heart be expressed outwardly toward them today. If she were still alive today, I would track down Mrs. Greer and thank her for instilling a love of learning in my life, for giving me a king-size Snickers bar when I finally mastered my times tables and for keeping me in line when I was easily distracted by my crazy friends. Go thank a teacher today and let him or her know that their impact is tangible, life-bringing and ever so important.

Comment below who your favorite teachers were and share on Facebook!

Written by Erica Smith, ICS Mom

Expanding Opportunities

“We are not computers so how can we teach students to do things that computers can’t do?

The answer?

We need to teach students how to think, how to engage, how to take concepts further, how to do research, and how to use more of their brain.

A traditional approach to teaching has the tendency to limit our reach on the students who may not fall in line with the middle-of-the-road expectations. And that is why Katy McCombs is so passionate about Gifted and Talented Education; because of the reach for all the students, below, at, and above the average learning level.

Katy McCombs has been with ICS for two years and will receive her Master’s in Gifted and Talented Education in December of 2019. Her presence at ICS and in the classroom with our students is of immense benefit in that, as the students grow, they will reap tremendous reward to impact the world around them. In the 2019-2020 school year, ICS will be implementing a pilot program utilizing the gifted and talented approach to teaching. This program will expand opportunities for children, benefiting every student, even the ones that in the traditional classroom would be identified as “falling behind.” The benefits are clear and we look forward to the impact this approach to learning will have on our students.

Here are 5 WAYS THAT THE GIFTED AND TALENTED APPROACH BENEFITS STUDENTS:

1.       DIFFERENTIATION -  Gifted and talented education emphasizes variety - teaching which takes into account student’s abilities and interests. Using differentiation is taking a broader approach to learning. Differentiating between content, processes, the learning environment, and product creation brings different opportunities and perspectives to students.

2. INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING - Gifted education means teachers meet students where they are and then push them to learn more. Making a path for the learner to follow means that the teacher has an idea of where the students can go if properly led. Gifted and talented students can be motivated by making a new learning discovery that is further than where they might naturally go on their own.

3. ADAPTABLE, BUT STRUCTURED

The gifted and talented learning journey is intended to take students deeper into more complex thinking.  Walking up the path of Bloom’s Taxonomy and reaching across the Levels in Webb’s Depth of Knowledge is how deeper, more complex learning takes place. When combining these methods, it has the added benefit of preparing students for the kind of questions asked in standardized testing. Yet at the same time, students and teachers must remain flexible in their studies. If teachers have the knowledge to adapt their lessons to optimize student engagement, it ensures all the students have a better learning experience. Adaptable teaching reaches more students.

4.  PROJECT-BASED AND PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING

This is where students learn how to think through a situation and reach a solution. These group projects promote teamwork, reward “out of the box” thinking, and help students to connect what might seem like disparate ideas. Problem and project-based learning lends itself to working through real-world scenarios that have real-life opportunities connected to them. This is a great place to be innovative!

5. GOING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM - Students need to be introduced to enriching outside resources. We want to think past the end of the school day, school year, and school career of a student and look forward to what’s ahead. Gifted students have big potential for having highly-influential roles careers, and they need to be introduced to possibilities in the world and challenged by witnessing excellence around them. The world needs our gifted students to reach their full potential to be Christ-like and wise influencers.

We want all of our students to shine and thrive! There’s no shame in being smart or being good at something and we want our students to be engaged, not bored. We also need to be vigilant to the responsibility of God-given talents, because like the age-old saying goes, “If they don’t use it, they lose it.” Mrs. McCombs and ICS are strong advocates of every student and we look forward to how the Gifted and Talented Education pilot program coming up in 2019-2020 will better serve our student body. We are proud to have such a forward-thinking faculty member as a part of our ICS family and we look forward to all that the ICS students will reap from what has already been and will continue to be sown into their lives.

Click on the links below to read through the fantastic resources on Gifted and Talented Education:

http://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources/frequently-asked-questions-about-gifted-education  

http://nagc.org/resources-publications/gifted-education-practices

https://www.sengifted.org/post/competing-with-myths-about-the-social-and-emotional-development-of-gifted-students  

http://www.davidsongifted.org/Search-Database/entry/A10017  

Athletics is not just sport, it’s an experience...

Why should we consider athletics an experience, not just sport?   

"Athletics are really the foundation of how kids' attitudes are formed and shaped. And that has to work with the coach and the parents." -Herm Edwards (works with the Positive Coaching Alliance- PCA)

I’ve played competitive sports for 40 years - in high school, college, and men's leagues. Participating in sports is one of the greatest joys of my life. I’ve also coached competitive youth sports for seven years; mostly soccer but also basketball and flag football. When we play sports, we are satisfying a deep human need, which is part competition, part ego, part physical exertion, and part relationship.

As a player, a coach, and possibly more importantly, as a parent, I have come to highly value both wins and losses in athletics. It is essential that we teach our kids to compete at a high level and to win when possible, but teaching our kids how to lose is equally important. The best way to teach our kids how to lose, is to be a good example and model for them as parents and adults.

In athletics, winning and losing are both essential in developing the character of our boys and girls. When I coach, I teach all the kids that we are practicing and playing to win because winning is more fun and something we should strive to achieve, however, it is possible to win and not be satisfied and lose and be satisfied.  

It’s NOT possible to lose and be satisfied!

Au contraire mon Ami. I have participated in many losses as a player as well as a coach and parent where I felt satisfied with my team's effort. It is when we don't give up, show respect, and continue to be a good sport throughout the game, and it is when we’re up against a good or superior team, that I have, yes, felt bummed, but still felt satisfied.  A loss in athletics is an opportunity to use a methodology called ELM (effort, learning, and mistakes) found in my favorite resource on positive and successful coaching: Positive Coaching Alliance. Coaches use this framework during practice and games, and parents can use it during games and most importantly, on the ride home.

Parents, coaches and players should ask these 3 questions after each game

1. How was our effort?  

2. Did we learn anything?

3. Did we successfully move on from our own and our teammate's mistakes?

On the flip side, it is possible to win and be dissatisfied. Using ELM as a guide, if the effort was low and/or teammates were critical of each other or the opposite team during a game, one can certainly leave the game dissatisfied after a win. Winning is obviously easier, but teaching kids how to win and how to learn from winning is a real opportunity that is sometimes lost.

Winning and losing are both an important part of the sports experience. Some like to say that there are only “winners and learners.” Losing stinks, but as adults, we should know that it is ok sometimes, even when the loss is not deserved, or the team didn’t put in the effort, or the ever painful event where the referees were either subpar or showed signs of bias. During my years of playing sports whether at a high competitive level or just for fun, both the losing and winning provided me with a wealth of experience that have deeply influenced my life and the successes I have achieved.

We have lost and will loose again

Please join me in looking at athletics as an experience that is able to teach our kids in both winning and losing, and allow our kids the opportunity to lose with grace and respect. My hope is that during the next game, when your team is losing or your kid isn’t playing up to their potential, just celebrate for a moment the lesson being learned and the elevated character being developed. Just for a moment.

“As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart.” Proverbs 27:19

Drew Little is a tech-founder, entrepreneur, coach, Dad at ICS, blogger and executive life coach.  

Grace > Striving

Post by Rachel Larson, of The Well Place

I am a mom of three little ones, and I haven’t even seen the trenches of preteen years or — I assume the more challenging — teen years, and yet I see my daily pitfalls as a mom that need so desperately to be covered by the hand of the Father. I can try to control the process, take the bull by the horns, and act like I can muscle (which really is more like stumbling) through it, or I can speak what is true.

The truth is that I, as a parent, am much more effective when I am found humbly at the feet of Jesus. When I am weak, He is made strong. When we run ourselves ragged, relentlessly striving and stubborn to do it all and be it all without Jesus and His grace, what happens? I know what happens for me — I hit that wall of “I’ve got nothing left to give,” and “I’m too exhausted to ‘adult’ right now,” which eventually leads to, “I’m a bad mom” or “I’m messing this up.” But, as soon as we can translate the shame of the stubborn “mom (or dad) boss” lifestyle, and melt into humility, somehow God’s grace overwhelms and picks up the pieces of where we fall short.

The other night, my husband and I had put the kids to bed and were sitting across from each other on the couch, exhausted. No phones on, no tv on, no actual conversation going on, just sitting and staring; exhausted. I finally snapped out of it, and confessed my feeling of disconnect with our kids, of feeling like the voice I had been using with them was not speaking life but discouragement, and that I felt like I was failing in this season of motherhood.

THIS WAS THE WALL.

I had been striving, pushing, pressing, and running from one parenting decision to the next. I found myself discipling one child, disciplining another, and changing diaper after diaper in that ruthless Groundhog Day lifestyle over and over again until this moment. Exhausted. Weak. Lonely. And this wasn’t the first time (obviously). All the while, the gift of Jesus walked beside me and all I had to do was reach out and hold His hand of grace.

My weakness gets swallowed up by His sea of grace. Every single time. As soon as I get off of the roller coaster ride that says I’m not enough, I need to push harder, do more and be better, it is almost like I get bucked off by the impending need for humility. It is humility that says I fall short and I cannot do it alone. It is in humility that sheds light brighter and brighter still on the glory that is God’s gift of grace.

 I have yelled at my kids (gasp), I get distracted by housework or my phone, I am inconsistent with discipline, and sometimes I even feed them oatmeal for dinner. And all of these (and much more) find me in a spiral of beating myself up to only find myself choosing the option to just try harder. But what if I embraced and actually believed what it says in 2 Corinthians 12:9-11:

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”

What I have noticed and experienced in my own life is that when I humble myself to say “I just haven’t been cutting it, His grace seems to cover it, and is actually (like it says) sufficient. Parenting, no matter if we are in the depths of the terrible twos or throws of 13, is hard. And arguably still, the most challenging responsibility of our lifetime.

Why are we choosing to muscle through, when the gift of God’s sufficient grace is offered to us in our boasted weakness? Instead of stubbornly striving, walking out our parenthood in our own strength, and schlepping through the muck alone, let us grasp on to the hand of grace that Jesus is holding out for us. Let’s confess with our mouths first that we desperately need Jesus and His grace to wash over our families, our agendas, our children and our parenthood. And then let’s watch the hand of grace bring clarity and peace and direction, hope and a future worth having.

Hopes for a 1A state title for Intermountain Christian hinge upon two sharpshooting juniors, and the role players who benefit

By Alex Vejar of the Salt Lake Tribune

 · Published: January 5 
Updated: January 06, 2019

Cottonwood Heights • Earlier in the season, Brayden Stoddard had the night of his life.

It was early December during a slate of preseason basketball at Intermountain Christian High School, and the Lions were playing Draper APA. Stoddard, a junior guard with a streaky shooting stroke, found himself in an unusual situation after making his first three attempts from the 3-point line.

For a player who admits he usually gets off to slow starts, Stoddard, even in the moment, was a bit surprised.

“This never happens,” Stoddard thought.

His evening continued much like it started, and Stoddard ended up scoring 41 points and making 12 3-pointers in 28 attempts, a 43 percent clip that would make even some NBA players jealous. His 12 triples tied a state record, and his 28 tries broke another one. That same day, Stoddard also lit up the junior varsity game, scoring 53 points.

Stoddard is part of an offensive one-two punch at the 1A Intermountain Christian, which has a 7-3 overall record going into Tuesday’s matchup against Wendover, the top 1A school in the state. Stoddard and fellow junior Caleb Koski — a first-year transfer from Roy High School — each average 4.7 made 3-pointers per game, which is tied for first in the state and 12th in the country.

Stoddard — sitting in the team’s weight room while decked out in an all-black ensemble of a tank, shorts, tights, Nikes and a hairband — said he and Koski frequently check the statistics to see which player is ranked where. But the relationship between them has been more symbiotic than competitive.

“We want to make our team win no matter what,” Stoddard said. “And if that means that I have give him the ball every single time and he has 50 points, or if I have 41 points, then as long as we win it doesn’t matter.”

Case in point: Stoddard’s December wonder emporium of 3s. The Draper APA defense schemed to double-team Koski the entire game, leaving Stoddard wide open. And he kept making them pay.

Stoddard would have broken the state record that night had it not been for a pair of traveling violations called against the Lions that came directly before a made 3.

“He was mad about that,” said Koski, who is the team’s leading scorer averaging nearly 31 points per game.

Intermountain Christian’s offense is designed to get Stoddard and Koski the ball as often as possible, head coach Tim Drisdom said. Essentially, they have the green light. There is no shot they are not allowed to take when they want to take it.

But that kind of freedom comes with caveats.

“I rely on those guys a lot,” Drisdom said. “With that freedom comes a lot of responsibility.”

Read Full Article Here

6 Reasons Preschool is Good for Your Child

We at Intermountain Christian School know we have a great preschool program but many do not understand the value and worth in sending their 3 and 4 year olds to a structured, academic setting. Here at ICS we offer a program that nurtures and loves children of this preschool age, allowing them to flourish and grow. Our program also offers many benefits from teaching the ABCs and early math skills to developing their social and emotional skills. Read more....

By Marija Ristic

Equipped, Inspired and Thriving!

Academically, ICS gave me tools to make the transition to college classes seamless. In college, the responsibility falls more upon the student to understand expectations and keep track of due dates. As I progressed through high school, my teachers were intentional about encouraging me to become an autonomous learner who pushed myself to do my best, and because of this I was not intimidated when I saw that same mentality used in my college courses. The small class size I was accustomed to at ICS also made me comfortable in one-on-one interactions with my teachers, which was invaluable as I began to interact individually with my professors. Connecting with professors is essential to doing well in college class. They are the ones you consult with if you are struggling with the material and are also the ones who could recommend you for on-campus jobs, resume-building experiences, or future internships. ICS made me comfortable talking with my educators, which proved to be especially helpful as I got involved on campus.

While the academic preparation was very useful, I most noticed that ICS shaped me for the better concerning social life. ICS involved me in small groups, mentorships, and Christ-centered community through all twelve years I attended. Coming to college, I realized that this familiarity and solidarity in Christ was what I missed most. I am so thankful that I knew what a healthy body of believers looked like so I could find and create a similar type of uplifting and life giving community in my new home. My background at ICS grounded me in my faith so that when I was tested by the temptations and loneliness of first semester, I was able to persevere, knowing that God was with me and wanted me to thrive at George Fox University as well. 

I love the fun-filled, 24/7 craziness of college life! It is truly a thrilling time in life where school, home-life, and friendships all happen simultaneously. But not a week goes by when I do no gladly reminisce over the community 800 miles away that shaped me into who I am — a beloved daughter of God and a capable student, Cana Buckley.

By Cana Buckley

Not Unto Us: Unsung Servants at ICS

Behind the scenes of ICS, faithful women and men labor each school day in loving service to their Savior and the school. The unsung nature of their lives echoes the words of the psalmist,
“Not unto us Lord, not unto us, but to your name be the glory!” Psalm 115:1

These selfless servants play key roles at the school including secretarial, reception, organization, finance, marketing, admissions, maintenance, technology, and special projects.

What do operational team members do? They make it easy for faculty and staff to educate their students. They implement the vision of the principals and head of school. They meet the practical needs of 55 staff members, 340 students, and over 200 families.

But what do they really do?
They tirelessly coordinate hot lunch and parent-teacher conferences, while answering phones, and comforting a sick or injured child, ALL AT ONCE!

They faithfully note the weekly MS and HS student birthdays and ball games, schedule daily subs, and email report cards out on time.

They carefully calculate tuition, needs-based assistance spreadsheets, and bank deposits, then graciously answer any and all monthly billing questions.

They creatively design snazzy MAROON Lion T-shirts and keep the website and school-wide announcements up-to-date and on point.

They joyfully introduce the school to new families and patiently walk with them each step of the way as new students apply and enroll.

They dutifully book soccer fields and basketball gyms, corral the myriad of school activities and events into a usable master calendar, keep score at games, and schedule buses to get all the students safely to their various destinations right on time.

They meticulously set-up Surface Pros and Chromebooks, reconnect printers, align projectors, maintain wireless networks, and troubleshoot equipment errors.

They amazingly pull off memorable events like Annual Fund Celebration and Day of Service, rarely missing a detail.

They humbly plunge clogged toilets, change burnt out light bulbs, and setup and tear down the cafeteria and gym for chapel, lunch, and basketball games.

Whew - it’s a lot of work to help a school operate!

While these servants may often go UNNOTICED, let's hope they never go UNAPPRECIATED.

How thankful we are to God that ICS can offer an exemplary education because of their tireless work, their joyful smiles, and their constant example of faithful lives serving the God they love!

By Matt Parker