Step Up For Students: Your Ticket to Private School Education

For most, the mental image of private Christian education might include wealthy patron, people who drive expensive cars, and students with trust funds. While that may be the case for some (and there’s nothing wrong with that), most of our students and their parents don’t live that way.

Don’t assume an excellent private education is out of your reach simply because you’re not wealthy. There are many scholarship opportunities, and one very important one is Florida’s Step Up for Students scholarships.

According to their website, “Step Up for Students is a state-approved nonprofit scholarship funding organization that helps administer two scholarships for Florida school children: the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program (FTC) for low-income families and the Gardiner Scholarship (PLSA) for children with certain special needs.”

Step Up for Students was dreamed up by founder John Kirtley, who began the Children’s Scholarship Fund of Tampa Bay. After legislation supported the ability of parents to use these scholarships to place their children in better schools, we have what we now know as Step Up for Students.

It’s an incredible organization that gives to those who need it most. Step-Up For Students writes, “A state-commissioned researcher has determined that scholarship students “tend to be among the lowest-performing students in their prior school, regardless of the performance level of their public school.” Lakeside Christian School welcomes students such as these, and uses evidence-based best practices to accelerate learning and brighten their futures. Within months, many of our new Step Up students are performing above grade-level in a rigorous academic program. More and more parents are using the Step Up for Students scholarship and taking charge of their children’s education and their future.

These scholarships can change your child’s life and Lakeside Christian offers a safe learning environment and a quality education to all regardless of income or status. Read more about the Step Up for Students scholarships and its partnership with Lakeside Christian School here. Consider giving your child a fair shot at an excellent education and college preparation. Now is the time to apply as new funds typically run quickly. Step Up For Students works on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply today, and then call Lakeside Christian School! We’re looking forward to your call.

Worldview

Nothing defines a school as much as worldview. Worldview is essentially the lens through which one views the world. It is from this worldview that all decisions are made, and it is behind every purpose and action.

At Lakeside Christian School, while we place tremendous importance on academics and preparing each student for college, we place greater value on the principles on which we base our worldview: God’s inspired Word as found in the Bible.

Here are just some of the beliefs that shape our worldview at Lakeside Christian School:

1. Each student has value: Each person is made in God’s image and therefore has value. God has created each person individually, with strengths and weaknesses unique to them. At Lakeside Christian School, we strive to amplify strengths and improve weaknesses (Eph. 2:10, Gen. 1:27)
2. Each student is in need of the Savior: Everyone is born a sinner and desperately in need of a Savior. God is Holy and Just, demanding that all who sin pay the ultimate penalty. Our sin is a spiritual crime against God’s Holy law which requires our absolute perfection to it’s standards. But God offers us forgiveness through His Son, Jesus Christ, who died as a substitute in our place to pay the price for our sins, a cost beyond our ability to pay. That’s the gospel, and we want each of our students to understand it and trust that through the perfect sinless life, substitutionary death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has provided a way for all to receive eternal life. We daily pray that many of our students would turn to Jesus for everlasting life (Rom. 3:23, Rom. 6:23, 1 Cor. 15:3, Eph. 2:8-9).
3. It is our responsibility to teach and train our students: God’s Word is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. We strive to use the Word as the foundation of all of our teaching (2 Tim. 3:16. Deut. 11:19).
4. We must always do our best: God has created us with massive potential and has a plan for each person. We must not grow weary in doing good (Gal. 6:9,2 Tim. 2:15).
5. We do all we do for the glory of God: We love because He first loved us, and we strive for excellence that He might be honored (1 Cor. 10:31, 1 John 4:19, John 3:30).

Because of our worldview, science is taught from the understanding that God created the world in six literal days. Math is taught with the knowledge that God is orderly and has created his world to be orderly. Language Arts is taught with an understanding that God gave use the ability to communicate so that we could communicate His love to others. History is taught with the realization that there is nothing new under the sun, and man will follow the same patterns again and again.  While many points of view are taught, we emphasize that the biblical view is truth.

In a world where so few believe in absolute truth, we provide an anchor for our students: the truth of the Word of God.

Whether or not you believe in the Word of God, you can trust that a worldview anchored in God’s Word will ensure that we treat your child with respect, teach them with love, and strive for excellence. If you’d like to read more about our worldview, read our statement of faith, philosophy of education, and value & mission statement here. Call Lakeside Christian School today to schedule your free tour and find out more about what we believe!

Complementary Technology

We’re nearing the end of our list of things on which Lakeside Christian School  focuses in order to prepare our students for college. At this time, we’ll focus on our complementary technology. Every school has some variety of technology, and some will claim theirs is cutting edge. But cutting edge and expense do not automatically prepare students for college. If this were true, every student with the newest, most expensive tablet would be adequately prepared for college or career. These are the ways in which LCS is preparing students using technology:

1. Interactive-Adaptive (IA) software: we use PEG, Ascend, and Mindplay to both close academic gaps and propel students ahead in writing, reading, and math. All three are technology that supports mastery learning. Cali Swango of Destination Knowledge has this to say about Lakeside Christian School’s use of this software:”Lakeside Christian has become a model site for implementing two of the most powerful programs I support in Florida; Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach and Ascend Math. Both programs are utilized in dedicated computer labs, with knowledgeable lab managers, which over time have become experts on both programs.  The resources and time devoted by both school administration and the team that supports these implementations, have driven exceptional results in both reading and math gains for the students at Lakeside. I’d like to give you some information about each program and the results experienced by the students and educational team at Lakeside Christian. Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach improves students’ reading performance by assessing reading abilities, developing an individual student syllabus, differentiating instruction, and providing mastery-based activities to address reading gaps in Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Grammar & Meaning, Vocabulary and Fluency & Comprehension. MVRC is effective with students of all ages and in disparate categories, including: English Language Learners, bilingual education, and special education. MVRC is an ideal intervention for students reading significantly below grade level, as well as those students who are just beginning to develop reading skills. MVRC instruction is based on each student’s diagnostic testing, creating an individualized study path for each student. The diagnostic tests, progress monitoring results, and student performance results determine lesson assignment and automatically adapt the intensity of the intervention. What the student needs is what the student automatically gets! Lakeside Christian’s Model– Mindplay VRC was implemented at Lakeside in February of 2013. At the beginning of each school year, each student at Lakeside undergoes a comprehensive reading assessment, to determine who is in danger of reading failure. Students in need of intensive reading intervention are assigned dedicated time on Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach each day.  The intervention lab manger reviews data daily to determine if additional one on one support is needed, using supplemental activities that enrich the effectiveness of this powerful reading intervention.  To-date this school year, the effect of this powerful model has resulted in a 30% reduction in critical students reading 2 or more years below grade level, and a 20% rise in students meeting or exceeding their end of year reading goal for their current grade level, within the identified at-risk population of readers.Ascend Math is an award winning Kindergarten through Algebra I Math Intervention Program, which combines continuous assessment, automated differentiated instruction and video tutorials to quickly and efficiently fill in students’ math skill gaps. To do so, Ascend Math uses multiple modalities of instruction including offline worksheets, simulations, videos and practice problems. Students begin by taking a Level Recommendation Test, which places each student at his or her lowest level where skill gaps exist. Then through a series of pre-assessments, students test out of known material and are only assigned content they individually need. As students become more proficient in their math skills, they are automatically moved up through each grade level of math content, ultimately reaching or exceeding their grade level goals. Ascend is appropriate for all learners, including special education students and English Language Learners.

   

    

    

   Lakeside Christian’s Model- Ascend Math was first implemented at Lakeside in August of 2012. At that time Ascend was only being used with select students who needed math intervention. The implementation of Ascend expanded after a year to include ALL students who are enrolled at Lakeside Christian. Students spend a minimum of 2 hours each week in the dedicated Ascend Math computer lab, with struggling students receiving an additional 1.5 hours of remediation. Student use is supported by upper and lower school lab managers, who work with students one on one as needed, and monitor reports and student progress daily. This strong implementation has resulted in profound gains for the students at Lakeside, with many now working on content multiple grade levels above their actual grade level. So far this school year, 70% of the students at Lakeside Christian have mastered a full grade level of math content, with 20% of students mastering 2 or more grade levels to-date. In previous school years, students have mastered up to 6 years of math content in a single year. Due to gains like this Lakeside Christian has been named an Ascend Math Model site for 3 years running, and has been a runner up for the national Ascend Math Gold Medal for superior implementation and gains.”

    

2. Interactive teacher- student management system: we use Moodle. This system allows teachers to set up quizzes, tests, projects, forums, and post information in one spot, and for students to access this information and respond. Some of our teachers weigh in on the usefulness of this system:
   “Moodle is a tool that helps our students prepare for college because there is a push in higher education to put more instruction online. At Lakeside we use Moodle to prepare students for this type of learning by providing them a resource to acclimate them with the technology. Our students benefit from being prepared for college and ready to deal with a collaborative learning environment.”

   “I use Moodle to help my students know when homework is due…I make sure that all of my lessons are posted on Moodle and try to ensure that my completed lessons are also on Moodle so that if students are gone from class, they can make up their notes from what we’ve done in class.  I also post homework answers on Moodle so students can check their work. These things help prepare students for college by giving them opportunities to take charge of their learning. Students must take the initiative to go to Moodle to print out notes if it will help them learn.  They must also take the initiative to check their work to make sure they are completing homework correctly.  Ensuring that students are taking ownership of their learning is imperative to student success.”

   “I use Moodle for posting class resources, weekly homework assignments, and assessments.  Moodle is helpful to hold the students accountable for their work, putting the responsibility on them for: turning work in on time or making it up (time stamped), seeing assessment results immediately, and locating study materials.  It creates a “no excuse” policy for not writing down the homework or forgetting a book at school because Moodle is my virtual classroom.”

3. Infrastructure: before one can implement a 1:1 device to student ratio program, one must have the infrastructure to support it. That means there must be a robust wi-fi system with security. As we have witnessed, other schools may have iPad carts and all the devices they need for a 1:1 program, but without the proper infrastructure, the wi-fi will be spotty at best, therefore limiting the use of these devices and rendering them useless at times! We have both the proper bandwith needed to support our Chromebook laptop carts, and the security to protect the devices and (more importantly) the students.
4. Laptop carts: we have these in areas where our IA software is used most. The Chromebooks get daily usage and for things that are supporting mastery learning. For example: the middle school language arts class frequently uses these carts for the PEG software. Students have access to Chromebooks without ever leaving the room.
5. Students are allowed to bring their own Chromebooks and laptops from home. We do not allow iPads and tablets because Chromebooks and laptops are much easier to work with, have all the appropriate programs, and encourage improved typing skills. Chromebooks in particular are reliable, cost-effective internet devices.

All of these areas of technology complement each other and create a supportive web of technology under each student. The actual devices provide for the software and management systems to work together and prepare students for the next phase of life!

If your child’s school does not have this complementary technology, or if you’d like to learn more about it, please schedule a free tour of Lakeside Christian School today!

PEG Writing: Exciting News!

Last year, Lakeside Christian School added an intuitive-adaptive technology (PEG) to help middle school students come up to speed and meet the more rigorous writing requirements of high school. This technology is a part of a closed loop educational system when it is blended and congruent with the curriculum and standards. On its own, it’s capable of improvement for each student. But when put in the hands of a competent instructor, the results can be exceptional!

We have one such instructor that has taken the PEG technology and has made it come alive for her students, causing real change and improvement. Lindsay Anderson, our middle school Language Arts teacher, was selected for PEG’s March’s Spotlight on Teachers.

Ms. Anderson shares some of the joy in using PEG with her middle school students:

“Initially, my students would groan when I mentioned PEG.  (Naturally, it forced them to revise and edit their own writing.)  After a few projects on PEG, their opinions genuinely changed.  The students are often eager to start the writing process, and not-so patiently wait to press submit to see their improved score.”

Even the students have good things to say about PEG:

“A pro about peg writing is that it tells you all these grammar mistakes that you made. On top of peg telling you what you did wrong it gives you interactive lessons on how to fix the mistakes.”

“I am glad we have PEG, because it advances my skills, and helps me grow in writing.”

“My experience on peg has been amazing. It has taught me so many different skills. I like the way it gives you a score.. And when you see that score it gives you a push of confidence. This is a tremendous program for students who want to get better in their writing.”

Follow this link to read PEG’s own post about Ms. Anderson and her brilliant use of PEG in her classroom. We’re proud to have such educators in our school, using such productive technology!

Here, Ms. Anderson’s class presents some of what they’ve learned in their PEG class.

Ms. Anderson is one of the many talented, passionate educators at LCS!

If you’d like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School and the programs we use to make a difference, call and schedule a free tour today!

Effective Educators

The next item on the list of things on which LCS focuses in order to prepare students for college and career is:

Effective Educators.

There is currently a shortage of teachers. There are fewer students studying to become teachers. There are more seasoned teachers leaving the profession for a variety of reasons: low pay, changes in policy and curriculum, classroom behavior issues, etc. And there are many teachers who quit the profession after just a few years. The pool of educators is small, and the pool of excellent, effective educators is even smaller. LCS recognizes the vast importance of hiring only the most effective educators.

Teaching is a difficult job, but a most important one. These educators will see your child five days a week for ten months. Elementary teachers will spend seven hours a day with your child, five days a week, for ten months. For this reason alone, the character of a teacher must be above reproach and the kind you would want influencing your child for roughly 1400 hours a year. Beyond that is the importance of the teacher’s ability to teach the curriculum effectively, producing results in each student’s learning.

LCS chooses teachers who have been properly trained for their area of education. Their expertise is essential for the success of each student. The teachers are also ACSI certified, and continue to build on their own education in order to prosper their students.

Without teachers who are willing to use the curriculum correctly and show flexibility in their own concepts of education in order to meet the needs of their students, there will be few positive results. The educators at LCS are not only willing to do whatever it takes to help eliminate academic gaps and propel each student forward, they are also willing to use the curriculum in the ways that have been proven to produce results. They work diligently independently, and effectively as a team of educators as well.

In order to be this effective, the teachers must also have a lifestyle that aligns with God’s Word. Without that, their effectiveness diminishes. They must not only preach God’s Word, but live it as well, effectively displaying the gospel daily for each student. Each teacher speaks from and helps shape for the students a biblical worldview. It is these things that makes the LCS educator truly effective in the lives of their students.

If you would like to hear more about LCS’s effective educators and perhaps meet some of them, please schedule a free tour today.

Best- Practice Instruction

best- practice instruction.

Closed-Loop Instructional Process

The school year began with 63% of elementary students scoring on or above grade level.

The school year ended with 85% of elementary students scoring on or above grade level.

The school year began with 37% of elementary students with un-mastered skills below grade level.

The school year ended with 15% of elementary students with un-mastered skills below grade level, and those had closed all prior gaps in just months.

Leap Year

What would you do with an extra 24 hours?

Sleep? Run errands? Work?

This year is a leap year. We get a whole extra 24 hours more than we do in a normal year. Sure, most of us have to go about our daily routine on February 29th. But the fact remains that we are given an extra day.

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”– Psalm 90:12

Can you make those extra 24 hours count for something? Consider doing, in those hours, what you might do if they were your last 24 hours.

Tell your children you love them and hold them tight.

Share the gospel with those who need to hear the good news.

Listen carefully to those who confide in you.

Laugh and smile.

Tell stories.

Appreciate the little things.

Watch the sunrise and sunset.

Eat good food.

Write letters to the ones you love.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. What important, meaningful thing could you do with your 24 hours? Be inspired to do it. Number your days and make them count… and make the most of your bonus day.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

“We love because he first loved us.”– I John 4:19

This is what drives our mission at Lakeside Christian School.

We know what love is because God is love, and God’s character is revealed in His Word, the Bible. In all that we do as believers, educators, and administrators, we seek to imitate God’s character, for His glory.

I Corinthians 13:1-7 paints a beautiful picture of true, biblical, godly love:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

As we approach Valentine’s Day, a day dedicated to the idea of love, we hope you will meditate on the One who loved so well that He gave His life.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”– John 15:13

This is real, true love. While the hearts, romance, chocolate, and flowers are lovely, this is what real love is. We pray you’ll know it and feel it on this Valentine’s Day.

Aligned Curriculum

Next on our list of things on which Lakeside Christian School focuses in order to prepare our students for college and career is

Aligned Curriculum.

Another name for aligned curriculum is coherent curriculum. According to edglossary.org, aligned curriculum “refers to an academic program that is (1) well organized and purposefully designed to facilitate learning, (2) free of academic gaps and needless repetitions, and (3) aligned across lessons, courses, subject areas, and grade levels.”

Simply put, an academic program with aligned curriculum would be one in which all assessments, lessons, instructions, tests, assignments, textbooks, and the like are matched in such a way as to meet standards and cohere as a whole. The purpose of this is that the students’ knowledge builds on itself naturally and doesn’t repeat unnecessarily.

When teachers work together within a school “using developmentally appropriate and well-defined learning expectations (source),” students will have a better chance at eliminating and/or closing academic gaps, therefore becoming more college prepared.

This makes sense, especially when you understand that there can be a four-year gap in academics between the best and worst state standards. This means a senior in one state might find himself at the academic level of a freshman in another state. Consistency is important.

Beyond consistency within the school is alignment to education standards that measure college readiness at grade level. Lakeside Christian School has therefore aligned with ACT Aspire testing. College and career readiness standards are their basis for measuring student improvement (grades 3-10). Aspire tests grade-level knowledge as defined by the standards of the largest states in the US.

ACT Aspire provides three types of tests: classroom assessments, interim assessments, and summative assessments. All three work together to provide insight into each student’s progress and readiness, which then guides instruction.

Why is this so important? It’s important because our goal is to work from day one to help your child become college and career ready. One way we do that is through aligned curriculum with ACT Aspire.

“ACT solutions are explicitly designed and empirically validated to assess student progress toward college and career readiness” (source).

No other organization can link student test scores and actual post-high school performance, plus the ability to then determine what must be learned to be ready for college. Our alignment with the evidence-based ACT Aspire Benchmark testing gives students, parents, and teachers the information they need to determine the right educational path and possible interventions needed to prepare them for college and career. There is no guessing or hoping; there is no pulling for grades high enough to simply graduate; instead, each student is given the opportunity to become truly prepared for life after high school.

For more information about ACT ASPIRE, please visit their website. Consider scheduling a free tour with Lakeside Christian School. We’d love to show you how ACT Aspire works, and what makes LCS different from other schools.

source

College Visit and Application Tips

Taking a break from our list of important classroom elements, let’s take a moment to focus on our seniors. ‘Tis the season for college visits and applications. Deciding on the right college can be a daunting task, but with some organization and a game plan, it doesn’t have to be.

At this point, seniors don’t have to know exactly what they want to major in and exactly where they need to go. But they do need a plan. Consider these questions:

1. Am I interested in a trade or a career that requires more schooling?
   • Start here, because if a trade interests you, you’ll want to start pursuing the trade school route rather than applying to colleges that will only offer careers that don’t interest you. If you decide to attend college, move on to the next question.
2. Do I want to go away to college or stay nearby?
   • If you want to stay nearby, do a Google search and make a list of the colleges within the radius of home, and go from there. Note if you want to board at school or commute. If you are open to a college that may be in another state, make a list of the colleges that interest you, and why.
   • Narrow your list to about 5 or so colleges that interest you for whatever reasons are important to you.
3. Do I want to take my general electives while I live at home first, and then go away?
   • One option that may save money is to take your general electives while living at home for the first couple of years, and then move onto the college of your choice. This option is a good idea for the senior who really cannot decide on a major, the senior who would like to save money, and the senior who may be placed on a waiting list for the college of their choice.
4. How do I plan on paying for college?
   • This is a family discussion. Discuss how much money, if any, is provided by parents, and if you will work while attending college.
   • Look into scholarships. Florida offers many scholarships, and often individual colleges offer scholarships as well. Find and apply for as many as you can. This can easily be done in a Google search.
   • Look into financial aid with each college.
   • Look into where you might apply for loans once you have been accepted to the college of your choice.
5. What are some careers that interest me?
   • Examine the majors offered at each college, and determine which interest you. Thoroughly research what is required to get your degree and the kinds of careers that major will allow.
   • Speak with individuals who have taken that career path, to get a realistic idea of what that career and the college work is like.
6. What are my strengths as a student and an individual?
   • College applications require you to know yourself well. You essentially must show your best self to each college. You should not lie, or even stretch the truth. However, they don’t know you, so you must present yourself in the best possible light. Make a list of your strengths.
   • Google resume qualities and characteristics. That may help you with verbiage.
   • Make a list of the clubs, organizations, service, leadership, volunteering, extra-curriculars, etc. you were involved in during your high school career. Think about what each of these things says about you as a person.
7. What are my long-term goals?
   • Imagine what you want your life to look like when you’re 40. Work backwards from there to help you decide on a college and a major.
8. Do I know what each school is like?
   • If a college has made your short list of about 5 schools, visit it. You can’t make an informed decision without stepping foot on campus. Each college should offer tours to prospective students. Be sure to do this long before applications are due.
   • Ask questions. Make a list of all the questions you have, and be sure to ask them. The more informed you are, the better you can decide if you want to apply.
   • Try, to the best of your ability, to imagine what life would be like in each school. Chances are you’ll get a good feel for life on campus, and you should be honest with yourself if you are comfortable in that environment.
9. Who are my references?
   • Accumulate references: people who will speak well of you and recommend you to the college to which you’re applying. Think of teachers, youth leaders, organization leaders, and bosses in particular. These should be people who can accurately describe your character and qualities.
10. What are the requirements for applications?
    • Carefully read what each college requires for applications. Some will require test scores, application fees, references, and even essays.
    • Take note of when applications are due. Make an effort to send in your applications long before the deadline.

With these ten tips in mind, you’re off and running in your quest to find the right college for you. Don’t stress, just get started!

Lakeside Christian School wishes our seniors the best as they plan their futures. Our prayer for them is that they will “trust in the Lord with all [their] heart and lean not on [their] own understanding. In all [their] ways acknowledge him, and he will make [their] paths straight.”- Proverbs 3:5-6