Christmas Season Update from Superintendent, Mr. Bell

CSY Association and Friends,

As we reconvene at school post our Thanksgiving break and embark on preparing our hearts and households for the upcoming Christmas festivities, I am reminded of the profound gratitude I hold for CSY and the immense privilege I have in serving you and your loved ones. Just this morning, my spirits were lifted witnessing a group of high school students congregating in our foyer, readying themselves to partake in community service at a local senior living facility. This act of service epitomizes our core mission and purpose: "equipping students through academic rigor and unwavering Biblical truth to impact the world for Christ."

In the spirit of the Christmas Season and in honor of the commemoration of the birth of our Savior, I wish to propose a priceless gift that we can bestow upon our children, one that has the potential to influence them for eternity, as well as generations to come. This invaluable gift will require nothing more than your time but has been proven to shape your child's heart and faith. This gift is the practice of family devotions.

Parents play an indispensable role in nurturing their children's faith, achieved through meaningful conversations, incorporating spiritual disciplines and routines, and serving as role models of faith. According to a recent study by ASCI (Flourishing Faith Index), families that engage in communal prayer and Bible reading consistently report heightened levels of positive parent-child relationships. The research highlights three key truths about families who engage in regular family devotions: 

- Children exhibit greater openness in discussing matters of faith with their parents.

- Both children and parents perceive that they spend quality time together.

- Parents feel more equipped to engage in conversations with their children on any topic.

As we often emphasize during our initial family interviews, we believe that the school, church, and home form a triad akin to a three-legged stool. When the beliefs, fundamental values, and practices from all three entities are closely aligned, the social, emotional, and spiritual development of the child is more robustly supported. For further information on this subject and to access the findings of recent studies on family devotions, please refer to the following link: https://www.acsi.org/docs/default-source/website-publishing/research/wp2024-03.pdf

Upcoming Events:

- December 3-6: PTK Christmas Shoppe

- December 12: K-12 Coffee Talk with Mr. Bell, 8:30-9:30 am

- December 13: 4th/5th Grade and Middle/Upper School Christmas Concerts, 6:00 pm

- December 14: K-1st Grade Christmas Concerts, 1:00 pm

- December 14: 2-3rd Grade Christmas Concerts, 3:00 pm

- December 18: All School Christmas Chapel - December 23-January 3: Christmas Break

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and abundant blessings,

Andrew Bell

Superintendent/CEO