Dear High School Parents,

Welcome back to a new school year! I am so grateful for the wonderful group of parents at NCHS. This year’s theme verse for the students is the same as last year. Oh how our hearts need to hear the grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ again and again! It is essential not only for salvation, but also for growth in our relationship with Him. Romans 7:21-25a reads:

“So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (ESV)

Paul speaks to a kind of “civil war” that occurs in every Christian. There is a battle between the sin nature and the Holy Spirit who dwells in those who believe. Helping teens understand this dynamic and how to rely on the grace of Jesus in this battle is very important. In chapels this year, we will be focusing on how to live the Christian life. So often we discuss what to believe and why to believe it; students often ask us how they can be growing in their relationship with Jesus. We will explore some of the spiritual disciplines, including prayer, Scripture study, service, confession, and worship. These disciplines do not earn God’s favor, but rather expose us to His grace so that He can do the work in us. Caught in this inner struggle, teens need to understand that a stronger will power is not what is needed, but rather an intentional commitment to practice the disciplines which allow God to work on the heart. This is what educators call spiritual formation. We would be doing our students a disservice if they were not instructed on the basics of human responsibility in the spiritual growth process before leaving NCHS. Commit to praying for the administration, teachers, and students this year—especially regarding our spiritual formation programs (chapel, Bible class, small groups, service-learning).

Last year we celebrated boys and girls Virginia state championships in basketball (a 1st for any high school in Virginia), our first Ambassador term, and a third return missions trip to Nicaragua. This coming year, we will enter into a block schedule, allowing for band and chorus to be held during the school day, but also allowing for strengthening of critical thinking and problem solving skills needed for the development of a biblical worldview. We have added journalism, finance, and lifetime fitness courses, as well a dual credit opportunity through TCC in writing. And as always, our wonderfully dedicated teachers will do their very best to ensure your child’s success.

Please check out the master calendar on the website for important parent events at the start of the school year including 9th grade parent orientation (Aug 17), new family orientation (Aug 19), and high school visitation night (Aug 31).

In Christ,

Joel T. Uecker, M.A.
HS Principal
Ext. 201

Dear Middle School Parents,  

Welcome to a new school year! Can you believe that we are so close to embarking on another leg of our journey together? I am looking forward to deepening our partnership and relationships this year in order to help develop a sense of community among our Norfolk Christian families.

We have so many exciting things in store for this year. We will see the continuation of interest groups on chapel days and many opportunities for our students to participate in community service. We are adding a small group Bible study once a month in lieu of large group chapel. We will be relying on the youth leaders from our represented churches to lead these. If the youth leader at your church would like to join us, please have him/her email me. Character development and leadership principles will continue to be embedded into our Bible curriculum as well as other subjects. The idea of leadership will be the focus of chapel and small groups for the first semester. Ambassadorship will be the focus for second semester. The result is we will have large group chapel twice a month, small group Bible once a month, and community service one a month.

We have chosen a core concept for each grade level this year based on Norfolk Christian’s Core Values. These will serve as common threads throughout all of the subject areas and in examining leadership. They are as follows:

6th Grade: Stewardship Luke 12:42-43, 1 Peter 4:10-11

• Recognize our responsibility to care for God’s creation
• Give of time, resources, and talents
• Exercise compassion, mercy, and grace
• Practice wise decision-making

7th Grade: Relationship Matthew 22:37-39, John 15: 1-13

• Maintain a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
• Walk in the knowledge of His grace
• Be active disciples
• Remain in fellowship with the community of Christ

8th Grade: Truth Romans 11:36, Psalm 119:142, 160, John 8:32

• Recognize God as creator and sustainer
• Acknowledge that all truth has its foundation in God’s Word
• Pursue knowledge and wisdom and get understanding
• Desire academic excellence
• Be life-long learners

The verse chosen for the Middle School this year comes from chapter four in 1 Timothy. In this chapter, we are told how to be worthy servants of Jesus Christ, so we may lead others to Christ through our words and actions.

Passage 1 Timothy 4:12:
Let no one despise or think less of you because of your youth, but be an example (pattern) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.

I anticipate God doing amazing things this year through each one of our students. Please join me in a commitment to pray that others will see Christ in each one of our students as they have opportunity to reflect Him throughout the year. Pray that they will show love to one another, remain pure in their testimony, and choose wisely in their speech and conduct. Pray that the presence of God is evident here on campus and wherever we may go to serve our community or represent our school.

We have been able to keep our interest groups in tact for this coming year. This is a time for our students to pursue some interests outside of academics next year. We will be having the students meet in interest groups for forty five minutes every Wednesday except community service days, so they may explore their interests and build relationships with their peers. We are going to rely on teachers and parent volunteers to help make this opportunity possible. If you have a hobby or an interest that you would like to share with the students, please contact me as soon as possible. I would like to have someone willing to support Destination Imagination, the Stock Market game, writer’s workshop, chess, LEGO league, or whatever else might be of interest to you. Please email me if you are interested in leading an interest group.

Friday will be our designated jeans day. Every Friday, your child may bring in $1 for jeans and/or $1 for a dress down shirt.

Each grade level will be going on a class retreat this year. Please set aside the week of May 16th for your child to be out of town. 6th graders will take a trip to DC on Monday and Tuesday. As is NCMS tradition, 7th graders will go to RRR for the week. 8th graders will go to Sandbridge. You will remember that the cost of the regular field trips and retreats was included in your tuition, with the exception of the 8th grade retreat. We will collect money for a deposit and then a final balance after school begins.

I pray the remaining days of your summer will be joyful and provide peace and rest. I am looking forward to seeing your child in August and consider it my humble privilege to serve you as Middle School Principal. I am only a phone call or email away. Please feel free to contact me at any time with ideas or concerns you may have.

Blessings,

Aimee Phillips, M.Ed.
423-5770
Middle School Principal
Director of Gifted Education
Science Curriculum Coordinator
Professional Development Coordinator
Norfolk Christian Schools