Cicero once wrote, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but also the parent of all others.” 

Dr. George Sweeting, chancellor of Moody Bible Institute, stated: “When you are thankful, you see God’s love and goodness. Your eyes are wide open to His judgments. You are receptive to His will. Unthankfulness, by contrast, blinds the eyes. An unthankful person may not even know that God is in the picture. An unthankful nation is no better. An unthankful nation is an unthinking nation, and its people are in mortal danger. America’s deepest problems come from blindness to the goodness and power of God. These are products of unthankfulness.” 

Both men are absolutely correct! Thankfulness is the pulsating core of all virtue which opens our eyes to God’s provisions.

Albeit the calendar does not indicate this time of year as late November, a spirit of thanksgiving to Almighty God is not limited to one season. This attitude is a daily expression to our Father for all of His blessings. So as we, the SCS community, stride down the home stretch at the close of this school year, let us reflect and meditate on God’s incredible grace, goodness, and blessings.

We thank God-

For Safety - Countless miles traveled on daily bus routes, sports trips, and various activities-some of these on hazardous winter roads!

For Activities (both focused and fun) - Throughout the year, outside of athletics, the students participate in so many opportunities: retreats, banquets, chapels, service ventures, class trips, Close-Up, Career Shadowing, Student Council challenges and games, and pep rallies.

For Academics - Knowledge about God’s wonderful and marvelous creation is imparted consistently as the students learn about the intricacies of this beautiful and stunning world He has placed us in to uphold and maintain.

For Christian Fellowship

For teaching Godliness, righteousness, and striving for Holy Living.

The list of God’s blessings continues on and on… 

The point is obvious. We need to stop, remember, reflect, and thank our Heavenly Father for His gracious blessings every day, every week, every season, and at the close of our school year. Go with God’s blessings!

GO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE!

In Jesus’ Name,
Dean Wagenaar

When it comes to Sunnyside Christian School, I feel like I have a unique perspective. In 1985, I walked through its doors as a Kindergartener. So many things are still the same as that day in 1985. I played tag on that same wooden playground equipment and got blisters from those same monkey bars. I drank from the same (now very little) drinking fountains, and the flags are still flying from the same pole.

And I think it’s great that many of my teachers are still teaching today. Mrs. Elenbaas taught me first grade, Mrs. Martinez taught third (although she will always be Miss Vis to me), Mrs. Bos taught fourth, Mr. D taught sixth (and he’s still showing Ben Hur), Miss Clark taught math in Jr. High, and Mr. Smeenk was eighth grade homeroom. Mr. Kaptein was my principal through all of those years except maybe two. I didn’t see much of him.

I also walked that solo hallway at Sunnyside Christian High. Although much is the same there, the only teachers who are still there are Mr. Wagenaar and Mr. Sylling. And of course, Mrs. Schilperoort is still keeping the books in her little office!

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, and I’ve found myself thinking a lot about those teachers that are still here teaching and about those who have left. Every school year for the past many years, they’ve walked the same hallways, taught the same lessons, decorated the same walls, supervised the same playground, and heard the same excuses about late homework.

However, each year they’ve greeted new faces, thought of new ways to present the same lessons, decorated the hallways with new talent, encouraged new abilities, and thought of new ways to support the struggling student.

My unique perspective continues because I’ve been working for Sunnyside Christian School for over three years now. My past teachers are now my colleagues. I go to staff meetings, eat snacks in the teacher’s lounge and go into the principal’s office on a regular basis.

And my appreciation for these teachers has grown because I get to see behind the scenes. I see the thought processes of planning a year of learning, the efforts of putting on programs and chapels, and the emotions of truly caring for their students.

Now that my children are walking the halls at SCS, my unique perspective has come full circle. The hallways are still long for them. The drinking fountain is still almost too tall, and the toilets are a little loud. The playground is exciting, and talking to Mr. Dykstra and any older student is a highlight of their day.

As my years out of SCS grow, as my employment here continues, and as my children work their way through each classroom, my appreciation for the teachers grows.

I can leave my children with them because I trust them completely. I know they will love my children even when they’re naughty. I know that they will teach them about Jesus’ love and sacrifice and will encourage them to develop their relationship with Him. And I know that these teachers love Jesus enough to teach each subject through the lens of our Christian faith.

So to each teacher that has touched lives at Sunnyside Christian or Sunnyside Christian High, thank you.

It’s that time of the year again when we receive multiple phone calls from new parents asking about Sunnyside Christian School. Soon it will be registration time for the existing parents as well. With that thought in mind it made me reflect on why we invest in quality Christian education. Here are my top 5 reasons that paying tuition is worth every dime:

1. Christ–centered - Every subject is taught in light of God’s Word. Christian education is way more than chapels, prayers at the start of the day, or even the Bible curriculum. At SCS we want our students to understand that whatever we do we do it to honor and glorify God. So science, history, drama, math, etc are taught from a Christian perspective. The way we play baseball or act in drama class all of life is to bring God glory. We have the assurance that all aspects of school – academics, discipline, social interactions – are from a Christ-centered approach.
    
2. Prayer - Teachers and staff pray for your child and with your child. They take this privilege very seriously. It’s reassuring and even comforting to know that the staff at SCS spends time in prayer for our kids.
    
3. Home-School-Church - I know you heard me say a thousand times how we want the church, home, and school to work together. It’s comforting to know as parents that the values I have set at home are being reinforced at school. The Bible stories taught at church are the same Bible stories discussed in the classroom. 
    
4. Excellence - Yes, Sunnyside Christian School is tough and we (teachers, coaches, etc) expect excellence. Sometimes it may seem like we expect too much, or the assignments are too difficult, but in the long run SCS will prepare every student for their next opportunity. Consistently, when I go back and talk with SCS graduates I hear over and over again how thankful they are that SCS prepared them well for college. 
    
5. Unity - While there is a lot of diversity within the Christian community, we have Christ as the center which provides unity for our school. We are proud of the diversity within our school, but our strength is in our unity.