January 26, 2018

“Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.”

Romans 15:7

      Self-image is a common buzzword in schools today.  Parents and educators are concerned about how a child views himself.  We may question whether a Christian views this concept differently from those who do not know Christ.

While we commonly hear that we should accept ourselves as we are, this concept is different from the Bible’s teachings that we as Christians are accepted because of Christ’s shed blood.  That salvation gives us the acceptance we will find nowhere else.

John 1:12 teaches, “As many as received [Jesus Christ], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”  Those of us who claim the Name of Jesus Christ are the sons and daughters of God and are co-heirs with Him to the infinite fortune God promises as an inheritance.

In John 15:15 Jesus calls His followers His friends.  It is a truly awesome thought that we are the friend of the One who spoke the universe into existence with only His voice.  He is not some impersonal, distant ruler, but rather the “friend that sticketh closer than a brother” of Proverbs 18:24.

Romans 8:1 teaches us that “there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”  While we may worry about getting in some trouble at work or with our families, it is liberating to know that God, as the great Judge, will never condemn us.  He has already given the victory, and we must only lay claim to it.

When we discuss our self-esteem, it is easy to find ways we can make ourselves feel better, and all of us enjoy receiving complements.  All of those words are really empty, and we know that deep down.  We are depraved and fallen.

Rejoice today in the salvation in Jesus Christ.  Because of His death, burial, and resurrection, we can enjoy a self-image covered in His righteousness so that our natural nature is replaced by Jesus’ own nature.  The moment we were born again, we were given the best self-image ever, a picture of Jesus Christ Himself!

Latham Christian Academy joins families, churches, and private schools across the country in celebrating school choice and reminding our political leaders of the right each parent should have to make the educational decisions for their own children.  President Trump issued a proclamation recognizing January 21-27 as National School Choice Week.

We encourage you to read his entire statement online. As he stated that “our students deserve more than a paper diploma,” we join with the President and “honor those dedicated educators, administrators, and State and local lawmakers, who promote student-focused academic options for all families, as we increase educational freedom for all Americans.”  Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos stated, “We need to give parents empowerment and choices to choose the right school, the right education, for all of their children.”

School choice does not receive widespread recognition in New York State, but it is our hope that our local, state, and national political leaders will increasingly share our conviction that parents deserve the right to select the best school for their children.

Latham Christian Academy does not accept any federal, state, or local school funds of any kind, but we do encourage our parents to make use of programs available to them.

As part of this National School Choice Week, our students assembled this morning to take a special all-school picture together.

Starting in mid-February, we will be sending home information on re-enrolling for the 2018-19 school year.  All families wishing to send their children back to LCA in Fall 2018 must complete the re-enrollment process.

We hope you have found the program of LCA to be an encouragement as we partner with our parents to see God’s best in the lives of each student here.  It is our prayer that God will lead you to return this fall and continue to be a part of the ministry here.

The Senior Class will, once again, be selling “Candy-grams” to all of you who want to express your love and appreciation for someone special in your life!  They will be delivering your message and “4 chocolate kisses” to those special people for you on Wednesday, February 14, 2018.  If you prefer, you may purchase a beautiful, long-stemmed rose to surprise a special friend! (Maybe have your child order one for his/her teacher!!) Please send in the order form and money by Monday, February 12.

Prices:  Candy-gram                $  .50

Long-stemmed Rose     $2.50

Rose with candy-gram  $3.00

We will be sending order forms home with your child during the week before.  Thank you for supporting our Senior Class and their efforts to raise funds for their Senior Trip.

In the next few days, we will be sending home more information on our annual Spirit Week, a fun time to celebrate being a student at Latham Christian Academy by dressing up and participating in special activities throughout the week.

Please note on our school calendar that LCA will be closed for our annual winter break February 19-23.  School will resume on Monday, February 26.

If you are currently receiving special education services from the North Colonie school district, or if you feel you may request services in the coming year, please see Mr. Fry.  There is a June 1 deadline for the request.

If your family is planning to use public school busing services to LCA in the coming school year for children entering kindergarten (K5) through 12^th grades, you must notify your district’s transportation office no later than April 1.  This is a hard deadline and requests made after this date will likely not be honored by your district.

We have some districts’ request forms available in our school office.  Please see Mrs. Kettlewood with any questions.

It can be surprising how quickly our children grow over the course of a school year.  Uniforms that fit them well in September may now be too small.  Please remember that our girls’ jumpers and skirts must cover their knees.  If your daughter’s uniform has become too short, please be sure to stop by our uniform supplier in Albany and pick up a new one.

Jan. 29 – 4:30 – Home Boys’ Basketball vs. King’s

Jan. 30 – 4:00 – Away Boys’ Basketball vs. Faith

Jan. 31 – 8:30 AM – Missionary to Myanmar (3^rd-12^th)

Feb. 1 – Senior Lunch – Sloppy Joes

Feb. 2 – 4:30 – Away Basketball vs. King’s

Feb. 6 – 5:00 – Away Basketball vs. Mountainside

Feb. 8 – Senior Lunch – Chicken Strips

Feb. 9 – Home Girls’ Basketball vs. King’s