UPDATE – AS OF 4/20/10, we started by passing out $1160; ended with $5842! Kingdom Assignment 2010 runs February 1 – 28, 2010! It has been five years since we first started the February Kingdom Assignment journey. Last June, we were blessed to be one of several ministries highlighted in Anaheim at the Well Done Awards, The ceremony was hosted by the pastor and his wife who started the first Kingdom Assignment at the church in California and wrote a book – The Kingdom Assignment by Denny and Leesa Bellesi.

Our six year total is NOW $50,756!

LETTER TO PARENTS: On February 1st, we will be handing out five dollars to every student, including PK! (Some thought they were too young, but many of them have done very well.) Wait a minute, a private school giving away money? Well, there is a little more to this opportunity. 

Parents – I need you to do a little homework:

1. Read the “Parable of the Talents” in Mathew 25:14-30.

2. If you think giving $5 away is strange, take a look at a Pastor who gave 100 members of his church $100 each at www.kingdomassignment.com

3. When you take a look at that – take a look at what happened in the lives of those who were changed by Christ!

Let me stress to every family, as we do each year, if you choose not to participate all you need to do is return the five dollars – no questions asked! If you choose to accept this mission, you will help us continue the legacy of helping students attend FMCS. In Once you do your homework, you’ll understand the “investment” that we will be making in our school! During this past week, I spoke to our students in chapel to explain to them what we are doing:

Our rules: 
A) Realize that the money is God’s and not theirs; Pray to find a way to multiply your “talent” ($5.00); and time frame: They have the month of February and then they will have to return their “talent(s)” on March 1^st .

B) Students will be raising money to help us with our financial aid fund. Each year, we supplement the financial aid account in our budget. I would like to see our students begin to help others – great concept! As a result of this assignment, our students will be learning to help others and take pride in the school that they have been blessed to be a part of each year. They may also begin to see what God can do through them if they are obedient to His call.

How can my child “multiply their talent”? If you look through the binder in the middle school office or if you go to our website, you’ll see the great ideas that families used last year for their Kingdom Assignment. February is a great time to raise money at Super Bowl events, Valentines Day, and The Edison Parade.  You can begin by telling those outside of our school, “Hey, our Principal sent money home with my child today!” You will be surprised how many people want to know what is going on and how they can help! (Students MAY NOT sell items or raise money during school hours on campus) 

Start first by praying with your children – then let’s see what God will do! All of our financial aid families say “THANK YOU!”

In His Service,

Mel Mitchell, Principal

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2010
- Used the $5 to buy window cleaner, washed car windows at a tennis match – made $32
- Brothers had a “swim-a-thon – 5 miles swimming total and made $500
- “This expereince was wonderful and I’m now calling to have my Pastor involve our church in this wonderful journey” – parent comment
- Used the $5 to pay for Ebay listing, sold items on that site and Craig’s List – made $100 (”and enjoy less clutter in our house”)
- Ran the Edison 5K – made $37.50 (from pledges and a garage sale as well); other students sold drinks at the parade and made $32
- Washed white mailboxes in our neighborhood – sisters made $15 each
- Did chores, bake sales, sold goodie bags, garage sale, made Valentine cookies; sold candles, laundry soap, candy bars, muffins, Christain t-shirts, mow lawns, pizza, hot chocolate, and more!

Would you like to find out what is taught in each grade level at FMCS? do you want to see how we are working on aligning with our state’s standards? Welcome to our new “curriculum map” website provided by Rubicon Atlas.

BEFORE YOU GO THE SITE: FMCS teachers have been working very hard for many years uploading and updating information for each subject and each grade level. Not every subject and level is complete…yet. (Overall as a school, Bible will appear in 2011; teachers are still working on other subject areas) This will never be a finished product – it is ALWAYS updating every year if we want to provide the best for your children.

Please be sure to read the directions so that you understand these are not lessons plans, they are maps that will help you see the road to learning at FMCS – the content, skills, and the very important, faith integration,  that takes place. FMCS would like to thank former Principal, Shelton Gwaltney and Assistant Principal, Denise Encarnacion – they helped us get this process started in 2004.

Benefits of Mapping (From the Rubicon Atlas Site)

Atlas allows educators to look through the macro lens at a student’s learning experience and build on what students have learned in previous years to prepare them for future classes and achievement.

Using Atlas, curricular information can be assembled and used by curriculum decision makers to:

• Determine what is taught, as it actually occurs in the classroom.
• Understand how students are being taught.
• Make appropriate, immediate modifications to the curriculum.
• Determine “why” certain performance results have been achieved.

Atlas can also allow parents a larger view of what their children are experiencing in the classroom and the requirements needed to excel. It has the capability to enable community leaders and board members to see how schools are planning students’ educational careers and what support is needed to ensure success.

TO GO TO THE FMCS PUBLIC SITE, CLICK HERE

The Learning Resource Program at Fort Myers Christian School is designed to assist students who are enrolled in K-8 and struggle academically. We will work with the student, teachers, and parents to provide academic support for students who have been professionally diagnosed and have an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) or 504 Plan for the following:

• Mild Learning Disabilities

• Dyslexia

•ADD/ADHD with academic difficulties

We understand that children have different learning styles, strengths and weaknesses which can inhibit their best efforts to succeed academically. The Learning Resource Program will be a place students can get specific help in math, reading, spelling, language, writing and study skills as well as address certain processing problems that may block optimum achievement through explicit, systematic and researched based teaching strategies and materials.

For more information, click on our brochure: learningresourcebrochure_final

FMCS has been blessed with an excellent library on the second floor of the Children’s Center. This library contains books for elementary and middle school students. During the course of the year, we two Book Fairs! Please feel free to visit when you are on the campus! Click here to link to the library site.

Walsworth Publishing Company Award

The Walsworth Publishing Company has awarded the 2008-2009 Fort Myers Christian School yearbook staff one of the company’s most distinguished awards. The 2009 edition of the FMCS “Talon” yearbook will be included in the Walsworth Publishing Company’s Gallery of Excellence. The Gallery of Excellence is a national showcase of the best yearbooks published by Walsworth. Only a small percentage of the company’s yearbooks receive this honor. (This marks two years in a row!)

Walsworth company representatives use Gallery of Excellence yearbooks nationwide as high-quality examples, loaned to schools as idea generators, and are often displayed at regional, state, and national conventions and workshops. Gallery books are selected based on how well they provide thorough coverage of the school year with intriguing stories, superior photography and innovative design.

Accelerated Reader Program (AR program)

This national program encourages students to read! To find out more information about the AR program, go to http://www.renlearn.com/ar/ | Complete list of AR Quizzes | List of goals and prizes for K-5 for 09-10

Microsoft Word – AR Incentives 09-10

Second Quarter winners – AR Party 2nd quarter

Third Quarter winners: AR Parties 3rd Quarter

Fourth quarter winners: AR PARTY ATTENDEES4th quarter

2009-10 students with 200 points or more: Avery Praxaya, Rebecca Moran, Malyia Madden, Leyton Harrington, Ricky Dean, Alanna Dukas, Celina Interbartolo, Olivia Cook, Jennifer Lavorgna, Cheyanne Miller and Blair Colbert.

Congratulations: SCHOOL RECORD, SET IN 2009-2010: Blair Colbert beats Zachary Liebetreu (515.5) – NEW RECORD, 594.6 PTS.!

This year’s party dates: (1:30 pm in the Children’s Center Cafteria)

► October 21, 22, 2009

► January 20, 21, 2010

► March 24, 25, 2010

► May 19, 20, 2010

We have been blessed for over 25 years with great students and families that have been a part of Fort Myers Christian School (FMCS). We are looking for alumni that can help us with this information page and we are always looking for praise report news on our former students. If you can help us, feel free to contact us.

Jan 27, 2009
School history made: For the first time, your chapel offerings are helping support a former FMCS graduate who is on the mission field – Mr. Nolan Tarantino. THANK YOU! Check out the video at http://whereintheworldarethetarantinos.com/downloads/fmcs.mov

September 2008
Matt Caldwell, class of 1995, is running for the District 27 senate seat for the state of Florida. You can visit his website at http://www.votecaldwell.org/ “I

September, 2006
Congratulations to class of 2005, Kelsie Krohn and 2006, Lane Joslin who made the homecoming court at ECS this year!

September, 2006
Congratulations to Courtney Creamer, Class of 2003, Cape Coral Breeze Female Athlete of the Week, volleyball for Ida Baker High School

 June, 2006
Congratulations those alumni selected as salutatorian or valedictorian of their graduating high school classes: Barbara Fischer (SFCA), Ryan Kelly (SFCA) and Arianne Williams (Ft. Myers High School)

Class of 1986
The official reunion website link is http://www.fmcsclassof86.com/ (Thank-you Frank Wanicka)

November, 2005
Ty Turner, Class of 2002, voted Homecoming King at ECS!

October 2005
Congratulations to two of our 2005 graduates: Kelsie Krohn was selected for the Homecoming Court at ECS. Trey Yeatter has been voted freshman Class President at North Fort Myers High!

September 2005
Our prayers go out to 2001 graduate, Aimee Dube, who is serving the Lord on the mission field in Quito, Ecuador! She is helping in a school office and working with children.

August 2005
Andrew Richter, Class of 2001, has entered the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

August 15, 2005:
I have been married 16 years. I live in Mobile, Alabama now. My husband is a full time Associate Pastor/Minister of Music of a church of about 800. We love it. I am doing exactly what I put in the yearbook. I am a real estate Paralegal. How often does that happen?
I just wanted to say Hello. I hope all is well. My son who is in the 9th grade this year is going to a christian private school. I told him that I would not trade my expierence for the world.
Have a great year. God Bless!

Former student Stacy Kilgore (Hilyer)

►Eighth grade Mexico Missions Trip: due to the current violence in Juarez, Mexico, the location of the trip was moved to Corpus Christi, Tx for the  first time since 1991. information on the 2011 Missions Trip to Corpus Christi, Texas. Dates are March 30 – April 5, 2011.

Parent handouts: (please click to download and print)

introduction letter corpus 2011

fundraiser letter samples (only a sample; you will have to customize it for your name and trip)

Important Dates

►Kingdom Assignment – begins February 1st each year! In 2009, the school received an award from the founders, Denny and Leesa Bellesi.  Students and families raising money for our financial aide program in a unique way – over $50,000 in 6 years! Read about this project and the award by clicking this link – The Kingdom Assignment

►Community Service is a requirement for our 6th, 7th and 8th graders. During the first semester of the 08-09 school year, you would have seen our students serving in churches, at the Sanibel Coastal Clean-Up, Edison-Ford Estates, animal shelters, bell ringers for the Salvation Army, tutoring other students, soup kitchens, Harry Chapin Food Bank, homeless shelter, babysitting, Boy Scouts, helping an injured Veteran, wrapping presents, and helping organizations that provide Christmas gifts for the needy. 

►Mission 25:40 – our award winning outreach program was recognized by the Association of Christian Schools International (ASCI) as an Exemplary Program! Mission 25:40

►Salvation Army Can Food Drive – FMCS has been the number one K-8 and Private school in Lee County the last two years – 2501 in 2006; 4506 in 2007.  NEW: FMCS was once again the number one private elementary school in Lee County!

►Africa Well Project: In conjunction with Pastor Dave Richards of Kidztown, we helped raise money to build a well in Africa for those needing water – click here

►Operation Christmas Child: over the last five years, FMCS families have contributed over 1500 Christmas shoeboxes around the world thru Samaritans Purse. In June of 06, Jacob Edwards (a fifth grader at FMCS) was surprised to receive a letter from a child from India. Here is what was said in the letter:

May 2007

Good friend,

Hello, My name is Jaison from india. I am 14 years old. Thank-you very much for your lovely Christmas gifts through Samaritans Purse. Thanks for your love and sacrifice towards me. I would love to be your friend if you wish it would be for me a great joy and pride to become your friend. Please write me in detail about you.

►Weekly Chapel Offerings:

Two children sponsored thru Latin American Childcare

88.7 WAY-FM – Christian hit radio’s ministry to SW Florida (FM 88.7)

Missionaries – former FMCS employees Betty Baxter (Paraguay), Alumni Nolan Tarantino (Belgium)

As part of our commitment to the strongest academic program possible, we endeavor to utilize the best curriculum available. When possible, Christian publishers are used, but in some cases other types of curriculum are better in development and quality.  The following list gives the publishers of the texts for our classes:

Middle School Curriculum – Grades 6-8 (subject to change)
 

*Electives include yearbook, drama, computer, teacher aide, study hall, Photoshop, chorus and art.
* Each middle school student is required to have a New International Version (NIV) Bible.

More program highlights:

Curriculum Textbooks
 

 IN THE NEWS IN FINE ARTS:

- May 15, 2010 – The FMCS middle school chorus, under the direction of Mrs. Dorothy Yorty, just took first place in their division at today’s choral competition at Universal Studios.

- May 26, 2010 – from Mrs. Sinex, Art Teacher: sixth grader, Elijah Benzon received an honorable mention for his “Leave the Scene Clean” contest entry.  Of the 1,900 pieces of artwork submitted for the contest, one first place and three honorable mention winners were selected for each grade level.  Students will receive their awards at the Annual Gala Award Ceremony on September 27, 2010.  Congratulations to Elijah!