COVID-19 Response: An Update from the Principal

Dear Academy Parents,

I hope you are doing well and amidst this time of “social distancing” that you are finding real joy with your children. The Academy Online kicks off April 6th and both faculty and staff are busy doing all that needs to happen to ensure the same quality programming you’d expect from our school, online.

The Academy Online will continue to offer the same holistic, innovative approach to education that you have become accustomed to at the Academy. Through our online platforms students will be able to interact with their teachers and classmates during the quarter. The flexibility of the program makes it so that if your student is unable to attend ‘live’ one day, the recording is made available for them to view later! Teacher feedback and interaction will also be readily available for all levels, so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed to make sense of what your students are learning, and they can get the professional attention they need. 

The following is from Headmaster Garner:

“The global impact of COVID 19 has with it an unpredictable element that makes it difficult to determine when we could resume any gathering of more than 10 people (as nationally advised). However, it is currently our plan to keep all end of the year programming such as spirit week, field day, student performance night, the formal banquet, etc. It is even possible that if things change, the last couple weeks of school could be on campus. Again, we will have to wait and see. At this moment we are not able to guarantee anything related to our physical gathering. What we can guarantee is that we will keep doing what is best for our children through our exciting online format - attending to their academic and also social needs during this unique time in our national history.”

I agree with Headmaster Garner, we are all doing what we believe will be the best for our students at this specific moment in history. I truly believe that the Lord has uniquely set us up for a time such as this to continue providing excellent education to our children in this state of emergency. I look forward to this next season of the Academy for G.O.D…Online!

We love you all.

Principal Alex Castro

"I lift up my eyes to the hills— 

from where will my help come? 

My help comes from the Lord, 

who made heaven and earth. 

He will not let your foot be moved; 

he who keeps you will not slumber. 

He who keeps Israel 

will neither slumber nor sleep. 

The Lord is your keeper; 

the Lord is your shade at your right hand." 

- Psalm 121:1–8

Split or Steal?! A Lesson in Generosity

During one of my recent Beginnings classes, I led a game called “SPLIT or STEAL” to create an opportunity for students to engage with “Law 8: Don’t take what doesn’t belong to you” (in real time). The game was an opportunity to decide if they wanted to share (“split”) or take a prize (“steal”) from their partner. Such is a very real decision that most of us unknowingly make daily.

Now you may say, “I do not decide each day whether or not I should steal.” However, as I'm teaching my students, I encourage you to not stay at the simplistic definition of not "taking an object that is the property of another". Instead, we're examining how stealing can go beyond that.

Elementary students play “SPLIT or STEAL” as an opportunity to consider another classmate’s preference or need.

In class, we discussed how they can take their friend's opportunity to learn away by shouting out answers instead of raising their hands. They also learned they could take a special celebration moment away by choosing to “one-up” a friend or be jealous and quiet when their peer may receive an award, praise, or DOJO points.

I pray this simple game continues to resonate with my students this year as they interact with their classmates. I hope we can continue to examine ways we could be tempted to "take" and rather respond with ways we can give generously to one another whether through praise, a helping hand, or a listening ear.

Education That Sticks

Written by Ms. Rebekah Davis, Specifics Level Lead Teacher

It is the hope of every educator that the lessons students learn at school stick with them and serve them well in life. Luke Loeffler is one student where that is certainly the case!

In 2018, Luke’s class raised the funds for this portable chicken tractor, which allowed their class pets to be moved from bed to bed in the Academy garden, fertilizing the soil with their manure. Not long after they received 6 chickens at just 2 days old!

In the fall of 2018, Luke’s homeroom class (10 yr. olds) undertook a project of raising chickens. They researched chicken care, fundraised for the necessary supplies and equipment, and finally welcomed 6 fuzzy yellow chicks into the corner of the Academy STEM room. All that school year, Luke and his classmates were responsible for the chickens’ care. They gathered scraps from school lunches for chicken feed, and when the chicks were mature enough to transfer outside, the students were responsible for daily letting them out of their coop and making sure the chickens had clean water and fresh bedding. 

“When our class chickens were younger, I learned how to take care of the chickens and how to hold them properly so they wouldn’t freak out. I learned about basic care of several animals that semester,” says Luke, now 11. “It helped me a lot and taught me what to do before I got them on my own.”

Luke's parents today say they trusted that he was capable of caring for their family chickens because of his class experience!

This year, Luke’s family decided to start their own project of raising hens for fresh eggs! “We thought it would be a fun family project and great to get fresh eggs every day. It also helps my little sister get over her fear of animals.” Luke says with a grin. His family ordered 11 chicks, and just a few weeks ago, the mature hens began laying their first eggs. 

“Now we get about 8-10 eggs a day, because they don’t all lay every single day,” Luke says knowledgeably. “One of my jobs is to make sure they have enough food and water each day. It’s very important that when they’re laying eggs the chickens have a good amount of food and water, otherwise their energy can’t go to producing eggs.”

These days Luke is responsible for feeding, watering, locking the chickens up at night to protect them from predators, and daily gathering their eggs!

His mother, Lyssa Loeffler, says that Luke was empowered through his school project of raising chickens. “It was a wonderful experience.  I loved how the kids took responsibility for the chickens as a class and all the while receiving training in the responsibilities. It was definitely a positive experience for Luke, and when we started talking about getting chickens Luke really enjoyed being the expert on the topic!”

We are so thrilled to see students like Luke taking what he’s gained from school and putting it into practice at home, growing confident in animal husbandry, and contributing to the nourishment of his family!

The Adolescent Brain

Written by Jr High Teacher, Mrs. Rachel Hartnell

If you are the parent or teacher of a Jr High student, at some point you may have asked yourself, “Has this child lost their mind?” Adolescents are notoriously emotional, impulsive, and rebellious: a perceived recipe for disaster. As I have developed as a teacher, I’m learning to see these characteristics as a new opportunity for learning. The truth is, they ARE ACTUALLY LOSING THEIR MINDS! 

Teamwork and collaboration, which involve decision-making and emotional development, are skills that Jr High students are learning throughout their curriculum.

According to The Power of the Adolescent Brain by Thomas Armstrong (1), the teenage mind is working through the process of becoming more efficient, and in doing so, is deleting unnecessary gray matter in the prefrontal lobe. This causes the impulsive decision-making that is often perceived as rebellious and emotional. According to Strong, this developmental move is vital to give youth the courage and drive to break free from the parental nest and enter into adulthood. We can either fight against it and tell youth they are just hormonal or we could guide them in how to become discerning, independent decision makers. With my students, I am choosing the latter. 

So, what does this mean for a teenager? Although they seem emotional, impulsive, and rebellious, they are also becoming self-aware, social beings with creative, independent thoughts. Academy teachers strive to help them understand how their brain functions so they can navigate good decision making. For example, instead of telling a student they're a rebellious teen, I explain that their brain is preparing to make decisions on their own because they are preparing to enter adulthood. Then I give them facilitated opportunities to make choices so they learn how to apply God’s word in their decision making. They are given choices in what they want to learn about, choices in how they will complete homework, sometimes they create their own rubrics for grading an assignment, and even have an opportunity to grade themselves. We then discuss the outcome of their decisions, if it fulfills the intended purpose, or how different decisions would have better fulfilled their intended outcome. 

Recently, my students were given the task of holding one another accountable to complete homework, implement the scripture of the week, lead small group discussions, and maintain spiritual conversation in the classroom. They created their own rubrics to evaluate how well they and their classmates were completing these tasks according to what they have learned in the Word. Then, they got to meet with one another and discuss how their evaluation of themselves compared with their classmates. This allowed them to take responsibility for classroom expectations through discussion, implementation, and evaluation. This also challenged them to continuously consider the needs of their class and how to meet those needs as a team.

Teens desperately want independence, to feel heard, and to believe that others see them as valuable. As a teacher, I structure my classroom and assignments in a way that my students feel their voice is valued while also teaching them how to make discerning decisions, and I’m encouraged by their response in the process!

(1) Armstrong, Thomas. The Power of the Adolescent Brain:Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students.  Alexandria: ASCD, 2016.

An Update on our El Salvador Team

For several months Academy students have been preparing to be a part of a 58-person mission to El Salvador. Participants from the Academy for G.O.D., the Institute for G.O.D., and G.O.D. Latin America have been preparing to facilitate the annual SLAM Youth Bible Conference, the “Club de Niños” after school program, teach ESL at the village school, and perform various development projects.

Academy Principal, Alex Castro, facilitates team-building exercises for students during their layover in Houston airport.

On Wednesday, two groups began their journey to El Salvador. The initial group, including some core leaders, landed. Incidentally, the other was not allowed to fly. The President of El Salvador issued a quarantine for his country and restricted all incoming flights at the very moment the second group was boarding their plane. We’re thankful for the way the Lord has guided our Academy team. At this time, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in El Salvador.

The 46 who had to endure 24 plus hours of delays have handled the situation amazingly well. Leaders said they were fighting back tears as they watched these young people maintain positive attitudes, spending much of their time at the airport in worship and prayer, inspiring other stranded passengers, some of which joined in.

During their airport layover, students engaged opportunities for prayer and worship and demonstrated exemplary character despite challenging circumstances.

As for the team of 12 who made it into El Salvador, they are doing well. This group includes some of G.O.D. International’s most experienced development workers in Latin America. They’re taking all necessary precautions to keep safe, faithfully assessing the plans they believe God gave the overall team to implement, and have chosen to remain in El Salvador to carry out the mission.

We thank God for his protection and guidance. We’re grateful for the prayers and kindness given by parents, spouses, and friends. Please join us in prayer for the remaining group of 12 who have chosen to fulfill the objectives of the trip with a significantly smaller team, including 5 junior high and high school students.

If you’d like to donate to this courageous team’s efforts, please do so below.