Last Monday I sat in Mrs. Huinink Buiter office and heard those dreaded words...  "Mrs. Racicot it is time for your professional assessment. For the month of January, I will be observing and assessing your teaching performance at Woodstock Christian School.” Immediately I asked God for Mrs. Huinink Buiter to be in a good mood for the month of January. Once I began to breathe again, I had an impulse to run to my classroom spruce up my bulletin boards, wash the chalkboards and write the proper date on it, and add the forgotten details to my lesson plans.
The thought of being assessed and evaluated is never pleasant but the exercise of being assessed is  necessary. As educators at Woodstock Christian School we are responsible to deliver a  high quality of education that satisfies the standards of Ontario's Ministry of Education and the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools. We are to work each day with our students challenging them with learning concepts, inspiring them with learning discoveries and developing critical thinking skills for a successful and productive life of work and service in society.
As Christian educators at WCS, God has placed us in a unique position with His children. Ephesians 4:11-16 tells us: "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”
As I work in God's community of believers at WCS, Mrs. Huinink Buiter's assessment of me is important. I am a 'joint' in the body of Christ and I must be 'working properly' in order for God to work through me to cause growth (and learning) for our students.
Mrs. L. Racicot

Buses arrived safely at school this morning- thank you bus drivers!!! Students and teachers are all happily working in their classrooms. We look forward to a great day!

Gerry Huinink's bus is having problems and will not start (too cold!). Parents on this route are asked to bring their children to school this morning.

We ARE running our buses and the school is open today! Please be patient as the buses may be a little bit behind schedule. 

NEW YEAR 2014
The clock strikes 12:00 and 2014 begins. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! A new beginning, a new time lies ahead. I begin the new year with questions…. What will this year bring? What will God have me do this year? What will happen in the lives of my husband, my children and my grandchildren?
How will WCS live this year? What kinds of joys and challenges (and perhaps sorrows) will we as school community experience in 2014?
ROOTED IN LOVE - that's Christ's love for us that we are rooted in. And He has promised us this: The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deut. 31:8) As we live into every day of 2014, we move ahead with God before us. Wherever we go, we know God was there first and is waiting for us. We are never out of God's reach! He goes before us leading, guiding, preparing the path for us to walk and summoning us to follow Him. With this assurance we step forward with confidence knowing that all will be well!
Bernice Huinink-Buiter

Due to the severe weather and road conditions, the buses will not be running and the school will be closed again today!  Another SNOW DAY!!!!

Due to the severe winter storm conditions, buses will not be picking up students today and the school will not be open. Enjoy the SNOW DAY! 

WCS has been filled with the wonderful smells of cookies and goodies being baked for the neighbours of our school. Each class has been given the task of spreading Christmas cheer to area businesses; this may be in the form of a special card created, a Christmas carol sung, or some goodies to share. Gr. 7 even created office decor! Junior Kindergarten crossed the road today and visited Steve's Automotive to deliver cookies, a card and a carol. Both the class and the receiving business were delighted with the visit as we wished them a merry Christmas!

Good News!! We have been able to reschedule skating for Friday, January 10 from 12:15-2:05! The JK-3 and 8's will skate from 12:15-1:10 and Grade 4-8 students will skate from 1:10-2:05.

Due to the freezing rain warnings for this area, buses will not be picking up students today and the school will not be open. Enjoy your Christmas vacation!

Christmas is a wonderful time of year where we remember the birth of the baby Jesus and celebrate by giving and receiving gifts. This year, grades 1–3 will, once again, have the opportunity to see how different countries around the world celebrate Christmas. As we look at three different countries (Brazil, Australia, and Greece), we will be given the opportunity to see how different cultures are impacted and affected by the birth of our Saviour. Last year, for example, we learned that in Thailand, only about ten percent of the population is Christian and because of this, Christmas is barely remembered. We are excited as we get ready to gear up to "travel” around the world and experience the glory of Christ in different ways. 
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
E. Schuster

With a barrage of information flooding our students daily (sometimes hourly), the teaching of critical literacy has become crucial. When do we start teaching critical literacy?  How do we teach this skill?  Between the ages 3-7, children develop the onset of meta-linguistic awareness, meaning they realize that people don't always mean exactly what they say.  (i.e." I am too busy to do that" really means that I don't want to do that at this time.) So, this is a great age to begin the navigation through literacy and to teach some guiding questions. In our Christian school, this is even more important.  We strive to teach our children to be aware of what is going on around them and to be discerning leaders.