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Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
3 John 2
Dear Parents,
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, a book that discusses the potential negative social and emotional impacts to children who are growing up in the phone-based childhood of the last two decades. Although these impacts are serious and problematic, he does not describe the dilemma and stop there. The book discusses many opportunities that parents, schools, and societies at large can take to help children back to discovering the benefits of a play-based childhood.
Among his suggestions, Haidt recommends no smartphone ownership before high school, no social media before age 16, and far more unsupervised play. I recognize that the first two suggestions are difficult to change if smartphones and social media are already in use. However, there are many resources available now for parents who wish to learn more and take back some control over their children’s use of technology.
One of the apps I recommend is from Chris McKenna, a former youth ministry director and consultant, who founded Protect Young Eyes, an online (and app) safety resource for families. This resource alone provides many different ideas for how parents can protect their children from the pitfalls of smartphones and social media.
At CCA, we are dedicated to making our school environment phone-free through grade 8 and classroom-restricted in high school. Additionally, we believe in the power of play for children. Most WA schools allow only 30 minutes of play per day regardless of age. At Concordia, our students have play times that range from 40-75 minutes total throughout the day (depending on age) with the most time dedicated to grades K-5.
While this time is not unsupervised, it is unstructured with lots of choice. Our children are free to invent games, negotiate rules of play, and resolve issues. If they need an adult to step in, we are present but still involve our students in healthy conflict resolution. This has proven to be a key ingredient for how children grow up learning to effectively navigate their world.
We consider it a privilege to partner with you. Call or email anytime you have a question or concern.
In Christ,
Sherrie Gibelyou
253-389-0349
CCA parent and pastor Taeler Morgan has offered to lead a parent book club for this book! While Taeler and her husband have been committed to protecting their kids with mindful tech practices, they found this book was helpful in solidifying their comittment to delay smartphones and limit screen time.
Please email Sherrie Gibelyou if you are interested in this opportunity!
Please join us for Pizza / Bingo Night on Friday, October 11, 2024, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the school gym. This is a family fun night full of good food, bingo games, and lots of prizes. An RSVP is required so we can provide enough food and bingo seats.
Note: Students must be accompanied by an adult to attend the event.
Please click the following links to RSVP and/or volunteer to help at the event:
Prizes
We are accepting the following new or gently used items for prizes: toys, games, books, household goods/decor, and sports memorabilia. Please bring all donations to the K-8 office by October 9.
If you have a question about acceptable donations, please contact Kathy Turner at kathy.turner@ccatacoma.org.
One of our CCA parents, Nicollette Roe, is hosting the Tacoma Children’s Business Fair, an event designed to inspire and empower young entrepreneurs. At this one-day event, children ages 5-16 have the opportunity to launch their business ventures for a day and get real-world experience being a CEO / Executive Director / Business Owner or Operator. This event is entirely-youth led.
CCA fifth-grader, Cora, will be there launching her “Zero Waste Trace” nonprofit where she organizes neighborhood clean-ups and showcases what that work entails. She will teach shoppers at her booth how to keep the earth clean and allow them to purchase her services to organize a clean-up in their neighborhood for just the cost of supplies (garbage bags and a dump-run fee).
The Children’s Business Fair provides students the opportunity to create and showcase their own businesses, developing valuable entrepreneur skills, money-management skills, communication skills, and receiving a boost of confidence in the process!
The fair is scheduled for Saturday, November 16 at the Waterfront Market at Ruston, 12-3pm. Click the link or scan the QR code above for more info.
Wednesday, October 2
Pastor Appreciation Chapel + Brunch, LR
8:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday, October 9
PSAT – Grades 9-11,
12:00 p.m. Dismissal
Grade 12, NO SCHOOL
FT: Gr. 5 to Fort Nisqually 12:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Friday, October 11
K-8 Pizza/Bingo – Gym
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 16 – Friday, October 18
NO SCHOOL – NW District Educators Conference
Tuesday, October 22
HS National Honor Society Induction, LR
6:30-7:30 p.m.
FT: HS Ambassadors to Sunset Christian Preschool, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Friday, October 25
Picture Retake Day
FT: Kindergarten to Knutson Farms
9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Vision Builders Dinner, Steilacoom Town Hall, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 31
FT: Bowling, Gr. 3, 4, 5
9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Gr. 6, 7, 8
12:15 – 2:45 p.m.
Friday, November 1
MS – Halloween Gala, LR, 5 – 7 p.m.
HIGH SCHOOLMonday, September 30
HS VB vs Chief Leschi
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 1
HS Soccer vs Cedar Park @ Evergreen Playfields, 3:45 – 5:15 p.m.
HS VB @ Quilcene
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 3
HS VB vs. Summit Atlas @ Cascade MS, Seattle, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Monday, October 7
HS Soccer vs Crosspoint
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
HS VB vs. Rainier Christian
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Tuesday, October 1
MS Cross Country Meet @ Lincoln Park, West Seattle, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m.
Wednesday, October 2
MS Soccer @ Zion Lutheran
3:45 – 5:15 p.m.
Thursday, October 3
MS VB @ Northwest Christian,
3:45 – 5:15 p.m.
Monday, October 7
MS VB @ Hope,
3:45 – 5:15 p.m.