Talon Times

Following reports that multiple cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the state of North Carolina, the administration at WCS wants to make you aware of measures we are taking to avoid an outbreak of any airborne illnesses among our school family. We are committed to following guidance from local, state, and federal health experts for both K-12 schools and child care centers in our response to COVID-19. In an effort to keep families and staff informed, WCS has released the following updates as of March 13 at 3:00 pm.

As recommendations from state and federal health officials are changing rapidly, WCS will continue revisiting the plans we have in place to ensure they remain aligned with the most current guidelines for schools and the public. You will receive an update every afternoon as we make changes to our plans based on the most current guidelines.

Updated schedules

Kindergarten-12th grade:

At this time, there are no plans to close school for the Coronavirus outbreak. However, we are following recommendations of the Wayne County Health Department, the governor’s office, and the CDC concerning school closures. We have been developing a contingency plan to put in place in the event that it is recommended by the health department that we do not hold classes on campus. Our plan at this time is to switch to a distance-learning model of school in which we focus on only the core subjects of English, science, math, and social studies.

You can help us prepare for this contingency by making sure that you, as parents, have a login to RenWeb. In the event that we close, all assignments and lessons will be shared through RenWeb for students to complete. If you do not have a login to RenWeb, please contact Hayley Burt at hburt@waynechristian.org as soon as possible. Middle school and high school students have been given login information for RenWeb so that they are also able to access assignments. Students have been advised to take all of the books for their core subjects home every night so that we are prepared for distance learning in the event the health department makes a recommendation to close before school opens the next day.

If the health department makes a recommendation to close school, the decision will be announced to you via text, phone call, and email. We will communicate further details of our distance-learning plan with you via email at that time.

Child Care and Preschool:

At this time, there are no plans to close the child care center for the Coronavirus outbreak. However, we are following recommendations of the Wayne County Health Department, the governor’s office, and the CDC concerning daycare closures. Should the recommendation be made to close the child care and preschool, we will communicate with you via text, phone, and email.

Extended Care

At this time, extended care will operate on normal schedule.

Athletics

The North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association has suspended all interscholastic sports until further notice. Teams may practice on Friday, March 13, and a decision about further practice in the coming weeks will be made over the weekend.

Field Trips/Competitions/School-related travel

All scheduled field trips, competition trips, and other school-related travel have been suspended until further notice.

School-sponsored Events and Programs

We are considering the possibility of rescheduling school-wide events and programs that will bring crowds onto our campus. You will be informed of these schedule changes as they are made.

What we are doing

• Disinfecting regularly throughout the day and after school.
• High Standards Cleaning does janitorial work every evening.
• High Standards Cleaning has done additional disinfecting/sanitizing each weekend for the last three weeks and will continue to do so throughout the school year
• Implemented additional visits to the restroom during the school day for elementary and middle school students to wash their hands. High school students are washing their hands in between every class.

Reminders

• Students need to remain home from school if they are vomiting, having diarrhea, or running a fever of 100 degrees or higher.
• Students need to remain home for a full 24 hours after they stop vomiting, stop having diarrhea, or begin running a normal temperature without taking a fever reducing medication, such as Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil).
• Students need to remain home if they have a bad cold and a thick nasal discharge that is an abnormal color with constant coughing, sneezing or lung congestion.
• In the event you or your child develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or difficulty breathing, and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, please refer to the following link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
• Parents should encourage children to regularly wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
  • Hand sanitizer should only be used when soap and water are not available.
• Parents should encourage their child to cough into their sleeves/elbows and not touch their nose, mouth or eyes.
• Parents should have current contact numbers on file at school and in RenWeb to ensure you can be contacted if needed.

The website for the Wayne County Health Department provides additional information about COVID-19 and preventive measures that can be taken.

Just before Christmas break, Mrs. Ford and I had the opportunity to meet with two prospective families that are considering Wayne Christian School. I’ve always enjoyed meeting new families and sharing with them our story. It gives me an opportunity to share with new families all the great things that we do at Wayne Christian School. 

During one of our meetings, Mrs. Ford said something that really resonated with me – “We’re not perfect.” It reminded me of a quote from one of my favorite movies, “Remember the Titans”:

No, it ain’t Coach. With all due respect, uh, you demanded more of us. You demanded perfection. Now, I ain’t saying that I’m perfect, ’cause I’m not. And I ain’t gonna never be. None of us are. But we have won every single game we have played till now. So this team is perfect. We stepped out on that field that way tonight. And, uh, if it’s all the same to you, Coach Boone, that’s how we want to leave it.

Julius Campbell was correct, he wasn’t perfect and no one on his team was perfect. But collectively, as a team – together, they had a perfect record. In the same way, I am not perfect, no one on our administration is perfect, none of our teachers are perfect, and none of our students are perfect. However, we serve a God who is perfect. Working together, we are able to achieve our mission to partner with parents and churches in the education of children, from a Biblical worldview, to impact their world for Christ – and I think we do a pretty good job at it.

As we enter the second semester of the school year, I invite you to join me in praying for our school, our staff, and students. Pray specifically that our teachers will get the rest they need to best serve our students. Pray that we will have a great second semester of school. Pray that God will continue to send new families to Wayne Christian School. 

Mr. Miranda

From Shelly Anderson, assistant upper school principal

Why do we have a special chapel for Christmas?   Let me tell you why. For four years under the leadership of Dr. Shook, we were reminded weekly that our middle name is Christian.  Therefore why would we not celebrate our Lord and Savior’s birth? It is the time we as a school family can come together and join voices to sing of the birth of Christ.  

Each year we have different grades participate by singing a song, playing handbells, leading in worship, sharing the Christmas story, presenting the nativity.  What a way to share the gospel. There are several favorites that come to mind. The year that Pastor Bill Rose read to the K-5 students stands out in my mind. The students and teachers enjoyed the book The Night before Jesus Came.  Another year that is near and dear to my heart was my son’s senior year when he was Joseph in the Nativity. The year that I lead the handbells for second grade scared me. I was a nervous wreck because I had never lead bells. Thankfully,  I can count. I think the best laugh came from last year’s Christmas Chapel as the teachers acted out the Twelve Days of Christmas. Students and staff really didn’t know what to expect, but when the song started, so did the laughter. It was a great day.  Mr. McCary has lead traditional carols for years. The students love seeing his animated direction. For the past few years the praise band has done an outstanding job blending the traditional and contemporary style of songs. 

So, why do I love our Christmas Chapel?  I am reminded of what an awesome sacrifice was made for me.  The love that God has for each of us to send His Son to this sinful world to save sinners like me and you.  Yes, we talk about Jesus and His love for us daily, but it is different to celebrate His birth. Without His birth, we can’t get to the rest of His story.  This is a time that students and speakers get to share the gospel for those who may not attend church, but they will go see their kids and grandchildren perform.  We may never know the lives, hearts, that are changed due to these special chapels. My prayer for this Christmas season is that we all stop and remember the true meaning of Christmas.  I pray that we take the time to share the good news of Christ’s birth with someone by word or deed.