DMCS Family Message Issue 12

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DMCS FAMILY MESSAGE
Issue # 12
February 2001

"Consider the message and understand the vision." Daniel 9:23

The "Message" is published by the Administration and Board of Directors, Des Moines Christian School.
Enjoy it and pass it along to a friend. There is "More to Come."

The most recent Message was published in the summer of 2000. So much has happened in the school and Association since then!
Excitement is building at Des Moines Christian School. We invite you to celebrate the blessings of God in our own lives and in the life of our school.
Let’s consider a short list of the exciting events which have already occurred at DMCS during the 2000-2001 school year!

AUGUST-FEBRUARY

A new superintendent and secondary principal are getting their legs underneath them in learning about the school, its distinctives, and promises for the future.

SEPTEMBER-FEBRUARY

Chapels have been engaging for elementary and secondary students alike. We continue to emphasize academic excellence and spiritual growth at our school
The school has raised about a third of the $10,000 necessary for the building of a church in Uganda, Africa.

SEPTEMBER:

The secondary students and school staff re-charged spiritually at the Spiritual Emphasis Retreat in September. Jess Settles was the featured speaker at the Assembly of God campground in Boone.
Our first annual golf marathon did even better than we had hoped, bringing in over $30,000 in support for DMCS. Fourteen golfers played 100 holes each in nearly perfect weather at River Valley Golf course in Adel.

OCTOBER:

Homecoming activities involved a large number of our K- 12 families. Who doesn’t love a parade and feasting on a barbeque cook-out? The senior-parent flag football game, our first-ever game played at Timberline, "under the lights" was enjoyed by all, except game-casually Susan Grundmeier who has been red-shirted until the 2003-2004 season! Mrs. Anita Behrens, English teacher, even kissed a pig!
Grandparents Day was again a rousing success in the First Federated Church sanctuary. Mary Kay Hoogerwerf oversaw the production, "Father Knows Best," which involved every single elementary school student. An estimated 800+ grandparents and parents attended.
ITED scores for ninth, tenth, and eleventh graders in October, 2000 were outstanding. For instance, consider a comparison between DMCS students and the rest of the students in Iowa:

Composite ITED Percentiles

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A Composite score in the 99th percentile means that DMCS students scored higher than 99% of the students in Iowa.

NOVEMBER:

The annual DMCS Banquet was fantastic. God's Holy Spirit moved among us, and many new families have become interested in Des Moines Christian School as a result. Over 500 freinds of Des Moines Christain attended, and over $110,000 was raised as a result of Banquet activities.

DECEMBER:

Elementary school students and their families joyfully participated in a project to emphasize the importance of sharing, in creating a large quantity of Christmas shoeboxes for needy children.
School families spread the joy of Christmas giving, in generously donating clothing to the homeless and needy of Des Moines.
Mr. Tegeler directed a wonderful Christmas production for the school community. Two From Galilee drew large crowds on two nights of production. The Axtells even cast a live horse in the play!
The DMCS jazz band ensemble, under the direction of Chad Parker, placed first in the SCIBA Jazz Fest, qualifying our 3-time state champion jazz band for a trip to the 2001 Iowa Jazz Championships in April!

DECEMBER-APRIL:

The Board commissioned a feasibility study, and Don Vander Stoep and Associates are advising the Board and administration on the development of a capital campaign to raise funds needed to complete the Timberline classroom project and meet other school needs.

DECEMBER-JANUARY:

The Christmas/year-end letter raised over $18,000 to date.

JANUARY:

The Board approved contracting with Mike Simonson and Associates to create more definitive architectural plans for the Timberline classroom project as soon as the money is donated for those services.
Thanks to the large crowd of people who roared enthusiastically and supported the seniors in their efforts to raise money for their senior trip in the annual senior-staff basketball game! The staff asserts they defeated the seniors, in an amazing last-second turnaround, thanks to Paul Nelson, official scorekeeper! The seniors contest the point count. It is reported that a recount and even a hand-count of the points are underway, under the able leadership of our own "Hanging-Chad" Schneider. And, how about the efforts of those staff cheerleaders!
We are implementing the goal of coordinating prayer partners between elementary and secondary students. They meet twice a month to share requests and pray for each other’s needs.

Enrollment is up in 2000-2001, and we anticipate further increases in enrollment for 2001-2002. At publication of this issue of the Message, 632 K-12 students are enrolled at DMCS (up from 582 in 1999-2000).

Enrollment.gif (10572 bytes)

The budget for school year 2001-2002 was approved unanimously by the Board on January 30, 2001! Julia Veenstra, Business Manager, continues to provide tremendous leadership in overseeing a very solid financial state for Des Moines Christian School. According to Mrs. Sheryl VanWeelden, our most experienced staff veteran of the budget approval process, the unity and timing (January!) of this budget approval is unprecedented!

FEBRUARY:

Spirit Week was February 5-9. We prayed for great enthusiasm and spiritual renewal.
Many families and friends of DMCS came in from the cold for an evening of Fun in the Sun at the "Timberline Beach." Our first annual auction brought in nearly $9000 with some friendly bidding competition.
Alumni came home to DMCS for the 2nd annual alumni reception after the big game against friendly rival, Grandview Baptist. The Development Office and Alumni Committee are working to get e-mail addresses for all alumni (we’re about one-third complete!) and have opened an e-mail address for communication with DMCS at dmcsalumni@aol.com. We have also set up an alumni page on our website, www.dmcs.org for alumni news and information.
Is Dr. Stouffer usually this stuck-up? The Big Blue Bash was a Big Success as students showed their parents how to win at games, and Dr. Stouffer was successfully duct-taped to the wall. During and after the incident, he was his usual cheerful, energetic self!!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

FEBRUARY:

A series of informational meetings have been scheduled to review the case booklet for the proposed Building on Solid Rock campaign for Timberline. General meetings are open to anyone in the Association during parent-teacher conferences at DMCS on Tuesday, February 13th (4:30-5:30 p.m.) and Thursday, February 15th (7:00-8:00 p.m.) in room 1245 of the Franklin Campus.
It’s time to think about next year. Enrollment opens for school families on February 26!

FEBRUARY-MAY:

We are continuing the prayer chain that began last summer to give God the praise and cover the needs of DMCS in prayer. All parents are encouraged to be part of the prayer ministry for DMCS. If you would like to receive e-mailed prayer requests and commit to pray one day per week, contact Spiritual Life Committee Chairman Stephen Darnielle at dmcs.board@home.com

MARCH:

We look forward with great anticipation to the production of Little Women on March 9th. David Harris, English and speech instructor, will be directing this classic piece of literature.
Once the results of the feasibility study are determined, Don Vander Stoep and Associates will advise DMCS in developing the Building on Solid Rock fund-raising campaign for the Timberline classroom project.

There’s more to come! The momentum is building. We definitely sense God working in the hearts of our people, and we are unabashedly excited about the future! Come along. Join the fun. It should continue to be an exhilarating ride!