Morning Star Academy News Teaching Truth|Training Disciples|Transforming the Community
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May, 2021 1426 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf, IA 52722 563.359.5700•www.morningstaracademy.org Morning Star Academy News Teaching Truth|Training Disciples|Transforming the Community Headmaster Notes - Annual Association Meeting The Morning Star Academy Annual Association meeting is scheduled for May 20th at 6:30 pm at Morning Star Academy. We are looking forward to an enjoyable meeting with a lot to share. Here is what you can anticipate: Election and Re-election of board members We are thrilled to introduce and recommend to the Association vote, two new board Dates to Note: members: • Parents, Brian Jacob and Sara Miller • May 7 - Lunch on the In the coming days you will learn more about them in anticipation of the Annual meeting. Lawn & Spirit Day • May 20 - Morning Star We are also happy to recommend re-election of: Academy Association • Marianna VonMuenster for a 2nd term and Anna Carrington who in April, filled a Annual Meeting, 6:30pm long-open vacancy and is seeking outright her own term. • May 22 - Graduation, Again, in the coming days you will learn more about them in anticipation of the meeting. 10am @ Northridge Comm. Church Financial Report and Headmaster’s Report Chad Raeside, treasurer, will share with the Association the financial state of the school. • May 26 - Field Day - 1st -6th grade Rob Spykstra, Headmaster, will share highlights with the Association from the 2020-2021 school year and turn our attention to the future putting a spotlight on our re-accreditation • May 27 - Kindergarten status. Graduation, KAM - 9am, KPM-10am Pam Rohde’s story • May 27 - Last Day of The Board has asked Pam Rohde to share where God is leading her and her family in the School, Awards Assembly 2021-2022 school year. Sadly (and happily) the Rohde family will not be at MSA next year. in the Great Hall You can read a summary of her story in this newsletter, but come hear the fuller, livelier • May 28 - Teacher In- version. Service, 8am-12pm Board Report: Highlights Marianna VonMuenster, president, intends to lay out some highlights of the school year with a focus on the master planning process. Masterplan Update Legat Architects are eager to share with the Association their discoveries and recommendation for our site. Although the master plan process isn’t completed we are far enough along to give you an exciting taste of the possibilities for our current location. Because we hope for a strong and encouraging turnout we are asking the Association members -- 2020-2021 parents of enrolled students -- to let us know here. Looking forward to an enjoyable evening, Rob Spykstra, Headmaster PAGE 2 MORNING STAR ACADEMY NEWS The Rohde Adventure If you haven’t yet heard, Pam Rohde will not be at Morning Star Academy for the 2021-2022 school year. We asked Pam to give a quick summary of how God is moving. Come to the Annual Association meeting to hear the fuller version. From Pam Rohde: An entry in my prayer journal from eighteen months ago reads simply, “edification, peace, readiness, expectancy.” A year of praying for these four things led us further out of our backyard than we expected. In December I applied for, and in March I accepted, a spot in a postgraduate program at Saint Andrews University in Scotland. While my role at MSA is posted (as a year-long position) online, it’s not because God is calling us away from Morning Star. It’s because we discern that He’s calling us to a season of growth and equipping. While we’re at Saint Andrews, I’ll be studying with the Logos Institute for Analytic and Exegetical Theology. This is a collection of students and world-class faculty wrestling with big ideas in the fields of theology, philosophy, and biblical studies. In an era that disengages biblical theology from other academic disciplines, the Logos Institute - much like the classical education movement - seeks to restore theology to her rightful place as the “queen of the sciences.” John Piper writes: “The task of all Christian scholarship - not just biblical studies - is to study reality as a manifesta- tion of God’s glory, to speak and write about it with accuracy, and to savor the beauty of God in it, and to make it serve the good of man. It is an abdication of scholarship when Christians do academic work with little reference to God. If all the universe and everything in it exist by the design of an infinite, personal God, to make his manifold glory known and loved, then to treat any subject without reference to God’s glory is not scholarship but insurrec- tion.” My goal is to return to MSA in the fall of 2022 with immediate application to my classroom: bringing greater depth, sharpened knowledge, and increased scope for bringing the Christian worldview perspective to life in the hearts of students. My prayer is that this will help equip students for fruitful living as life-long learners and disciples in God’s world. If they want to receive email updates to pray us through our transition, please email me at: [email protected]. Revising 2nd Round Financial Aid Deadline We were pleased to offer the first round of financial aid on May 1st in the form of scholarships and direct financial aid. The deadline for the second round of financial aid is normally May 1st. However, due to the IRS’s tax deadline to May 17th and considering that FACTS and Heart of Iowa Scholarships applications depend upon the filing of 1040 tax documents, we’ve extended the deadline for the second round to May 18th. We look forward to coming alongside our families in making their budgetary decisions to attend Morning Star Academy. The goal is to make those 2nd round decisions known by June 4th (if not earlier). MORNING STAR ACADEMY NEWS PAGE 3 The Senior Class of Morning Star Academy announces its Commencement Exercises Saturday morning, May twenty-second Two Thousand Twenty One ten o’clock North Ridge Community Church 1700 Blackhawk Trail Road, Eldridge, IA Families Only due to Limited Seating Graduation Parties The following seniors would like to invite everyone to their graduation parties: Elijah Brady: Saturday, May 22, Fireside Christian Church, 507 Park View Dr., Eldridge, IA from 2-5 p.m. Isabel Simpson: Saturday, May 22, Isabel’s home, 1909 15th Street, Moline, IL from 4-7 p.m. Adia Giza & Faith Littig: Friday, May 28, Wildwood Church, 18717 Hubbard Road, East Moline, IL from 4-8 p.m. Eliana Parks: Saturday, May 29, Eliana’s home, 3330 34th Street, Rock Island, IL from 11-2 p.m. John McClure: Saturday, May 29, John’s home, 2303 Parkway Drive, Port Byron, IL from 12-3 p.m. Awards Assembly 6th through 11th grade Awards Assembly will be in the Great Hall on Wednesday, May 19th. Students only! 1st through 5th grade Awards Assembly will be in the Great Hall on Thursday, May 27th. Students only! MSA Yearbook Time to order your 2020-2021 MSA yearbook! Yearbooks are priced at $30 each this year, with discounts offered for additional copies per family. Questions may be directed to Beth Tipsword at: [email protected]. Turn in your completed order form and pay- ment to the business Office by Friday, May 14th. Last chance to submit photos is Sunday, June 6th. Thank you for your help in making lasting memories this year for our students! PAGE 4 MORNING STAR ACADEMY NEWS PTP News Another school year is coming to a close. Thank you to all who have helped the MSA PTP this year. Your time, energy and dedication is appreciated! We do have a few events yet in May and June so our year is not quite over. Moms In Prayer Group meets weekly for one hour on Fridays at 8:15. Younger children are welcome to attend with you. Come as you are! Contact Janeen Mack or Marianna VonMuenster with any questions. For more information about Moms In Prayer International, visit momsinprayer.org May 7th will be Lunch on the Lawn. Come enjoy lunch with your child during their normal lunch break. The rain date for this event is May 14th. June 5th is All School Workday from 8-Noon. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend. Also, don't forget to show your teachers one last time just how much you appreciate all that they have done for your chil- dren this year! MSA teachers work hard to shape the hearts and minds of our children and are always so blessed and en- couraged by your thanks and recognition of the time and energy they pour in to their students. Again, thank you for all of your support and help throughout this school year. Have a wonderful, relaxing summer, and we look forward to working with you again next year! Sincerely, Morning Star PTP A Note of Thanks The faculty and staff want to thank the PTP for all the delicious food you have so generously bestowed on us through- out this school year. Each and every time you brought us food, whether during conferences, in-service, or at the staff appreciation lunch, the presentation was lovely and the food was fabulous! Also, a big thank-you to all the parents who coordinated and contributed to the Wishing Tree this year. We’ve been granted our wishes, and your gifts have been an encouragement! 2021-2022 School Year Unpack Your Backpack: Monday, August 30 First Day of School: Tuesday, August 31 MORNING STAR ACADEMY NEWS PAGE 5 Scrip Earn Tuition Credits with our Rebate Program Summer fun and back-to-school shopping are just around the corner! Remember, when you choose to shop using our Scrip program, you can earn money towards your family’s tuition bill! Morning Star allows families to keep 90% of the rebate amounts they earn, passing the savings on to you quarterly so that you will get a break on your very next tuition pay- ment.