Vol. 7, Issue 20, January 27, 2012

NRCA Mission Statement:
North Raleigh Christian Academy is a community Christian school assisting families by providing excellence in academics, fine arts, and athletics, while instilling Biblical principles in students' lives that they might impact their society for Christ.

Vision Statement:
North Raleigh Christian Academy stands as a lighthouse to those seeking a Christ-centered place of excellence with a loving and caring environment where students can launch into adult life equipped with the character and skills to navigate successfully for God's service.

HEADLINE NEWS

Chemistry Club
By: Tori Schubert and Emily Iffland, Shield Writers

NRCA introduced the Chemistry Club this school year.  Led by Mrs. Cindy McInnis and Mr. Jamie Parker, the club currently has 63 members. Students elected officers to oversee the club meetings. The president is Kenan Michaels, vice president is Kelsey Weekman, and secretary is Mikaela Sullivan. This year’s focus is on food chemistry, and students have done several experiments with food. Also, several members took part in the Global Water Project in the fall. They tested the water in the Neuse River behind the school. McInnis said, “I am very excited about what the future holds [for this club].”

On April 21, Chemistry Club students will team together to offer a night of science to the elementary students of NRCA. There will be several different group and individual experiments exploring many areas of science. Sulllivan, a junior, said, “[I’m] looking forward to the science night because I think it will be a time for elementary students to bond with the high schoolers and expand their scientific knowledge while having fun. Chem club will bridge the gap and join together the science programs of NRCA.”

ALL SCHOOL NEWS

Monday, January 30
Chocolate Sale Begins

Tuesday, January 24
K5 100 Day Celebration
After School Cafe - 3:00-4:15 pm (SLC)

Wednesday, February 1
FCA - 12:30 pm (SLC)

Thursday, February 2
After School Cafe - 3:00-4:15 pm (SLC)

Friday, February 3
Class of 2007 Reunion

Saturday, February 4
Alumni Weekend
NRCA Talent Show - FAC


_______________________

"Moms in Touch" prayer ministry is now "Moms in Prayer"
For 28 years, moms have been gathering around the world to pray for their children and schools as a part of Moms in Touch. As of January, 2012, this ministry formally changed its name to "Moms in Prayer". The name clearly and simply says what we do. We pray! It brings simplicity and clarity to the mission and vision, and the word "prayer" gives unity to our Moms in Prayer groups around the world since it is more easily translated into other languages.

Our school's Moms in Prayer group meets each Wednesday morning in the Student Life Center from 8-9am. All moms are welcome to join us any week. Feel free to contact Leigh Berrier (cberrier002@nc.rr.com or at 556-2321) for more information.

Standardized Tests for K5 - 9th Grade
This year, ACSI is launching its first year in partnership with CTB/McGraw-Hill to provide ACSI-member schools with the TerraNova 3 standardized test. North Raleigh Christian Academy has decided to offer the TerraNova 3 test to our students in Kindergarten through 9th grade as our standardized test for the year in place of the Stanford Achievement Ten test. TerraNova 3 is a nationally recognized test and is used widely by many states and school districts. It is based on a national consensus curriculum and will provide the complete battery of tests in all academic areas, including a Bible assessment subtest.

Testing will take place the week of March 26-30, 2012. The TerraNova 3 test results will be distributed in the same manner as they have been in the past. Elementary students will receive their results with their final year-end report cards, and middle and high school students may pick up their results at their Awards Ceremony at the end of the year.

World's Finest Chocolate Bars
The kick off date for this fundraiser is January 27th. This is for students in grades 9th– 12th interested in raising funds for their optional senior Europe trip. There is a 5 case maximum during the first week of the candy sale, January 27th to February 3rd. Additional cases are available on a first come basis beginning Monday, February 6th. No cases can be returned! Money (CHECKS ONLY) made out to NRCA at $50.00/case due February 21st and 22nd. Please write the student's name and grade on memo line. If you have any questions please email Sandy Waugaman at pittrn83@att.net.

Individual Senior Cap & Gown Pictures - February 6
All seniors will have their pictures taken in their caps and gowns on Monday, February 6th. Please make every effort to be in attendance on this day. Caps and gowns will be provided for you and no money is needed that day.  Boys must have a WHITE dress shirt and a TIE and be clean-shaven. Girls must wear a collarless light-colored shirt. The shirt or collar cannot show in the picture. Hair and make-up preparations need to be done ahead of time.

Parents
The Parent Volunteer Association (PVA) coordinates and provides parent volunteer services that help serve our NRCA community.  We are currently seeking to fill Officer, Committee Chair, and Grade Level Coordinator positions for the 2012-2013 school year.   As NRCA parents, you are members of the PVA!  Whether you are an existing parent, a new parent or considering volunteering for the first time, we have a wonderful mentor and support system in each area.  There is a place for you!
The PVA hopes you will prayerfully consider serving in one of our many positions listed below.  Should you feel led to volunteer, please email Susan Smith, susanrsmith@embarqmail.com, which position(s), in preference order, you are interested in by Friday, February 3rd 2012. 
Anyone currently serving in any of these positions must resubmit their name for consideration next year.  In the event multiple people submit their names for the same position, a lottery system will be used and the name chosen will be notified.  The description for each position can be found at this link: http://www.nrcaknights.com/pva.
The available positions are as follows:
President
Vice President – Elementary
Vice President - MS/HS
Secretary
Treasurer
After School Cafe
Thanksgiving Buffet
Spring Appreciation Buffet
Armory
Back to School Reception
Book Fair
Hospitality Closet
New Family Welcome
New Parent Coffee
Retail and Redemption
School Supply Packs
Kindergarten Grade Level Coordinator
1st Grade Level Coordinator
2nd Grade Level Coordinator
3rd Grade Level Coordinator
4th Grade Level Coordinator
5th Grade Level Coordinator
6th Grade Level Coordinator
7th Grade Level Coordinator
8th Grade Level Coordinator
9th Grade Level Coordinator
10th Grade Level Coordinator
11th Grade Level Coordinator
12th Grade Level Coordinator

Booster Club Volunteers Needed
We need 5 volunteers to work concessions during intermission for the spring plays.  If you are interested please contact Helen Lundie .

Show Times
Thursday, March 22, 2012 – 7pm
Friday, March 23, 2012 – 7pm
Saturday, March 24, 2012 – 1pm & 7pm
Thursday, March 29, 2012 – 7pm
Friday, March 30, 2012 – 7pm
Saturday, March 31, 2012 – 1pm & 7pm

Interested in being a Substitute teacher at NRCA?
There will be an information meeting for anyone interested in being a substitute teacher at NRCA on April 3rd, at 7PM in the Media Center.

This meeting is a requirement for becoming a sub at NRCA. Please bring with you a completed application found under employment on our website.

NRCA Cares

Harrison McKinion, NRCA 4th Grader
Harrison was diagnosed with Leukemia on December 9 and has been undergoing treatment. Click the link below to follow Harrison's progress.
http://www.stevemckinion.com/page/3/

Kathe Wimberly, mother of NRCA Junior Matthew Wimberly
I've been an insulin?-?dependent diabetic since 1983. Due to the nature of the disease, kidneys as well as other organs, are impacted and will decline in function. 
Read more at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kathewimberly

Elementary Character Trait - January
Loyalty: A Spiritual Reinforcement
The goal of this lesson is to teach children to be attentive to God and others, to follow instructions or directions and to have a teachable attitude.
Loyalty

FINE ARTS

Piano Festival
Attention all piano students in grades 3-12 and their parents! NRCA will be hosting the Piano Festival on Friday, March 9, 2012. The festival is a piano competition, during which each participant prepares two pieces of music and performs them for a judge. If you would like to participate in the festival and you do not take piano lessons from the NRCA piano faculty, please request participation forms and more information about the festival from Kristen Walthall at kwalthal@nrcaknights.com or 573-1686.

Open to all students!

Any student at NRCA is welcome to be a part of this night. Artwork displayed at the show will be prejudged by an objective jury and 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & Honorable Mention Awards will be given. First place winners from this show will be entered in the ACSI Art Festival Competition hosted at NRCA on March 9, 2012. All artwork must be matted (no frames please) and turned in to the Art Department by February 3, 2012.

Any artwork can be submitted (painting, drawings, sculpture, etc). Matts can be purchased at any art and supply store. Students can enter a piece done in class or outside of class. All artwork needs to be done 100% by the student. Please write the student's name, grade and homeroom teacher on the back of the matt.

If you have any questions please contact the Art Teachers:
Mrs. Pecore
Mrs. Minguez

ATHLETICS

See Dyna Cal for all game listings

Fall Sports All Conference and All State Winners
All Conference
Cross Country - Gabby Wilberding, Chase Shermer, Tyler Hatton, Grant Rodgers, and Ryan Speers
Boys Soccer - Alex Sloan & Andrew Allen
Girls Tennis - Betsy Zurawell
Girls Golf - Kim Bryan
Volleyball - Janna Brown & Britni Johnson (Player of the Year)
Football - 1st Team - Austin Nagy, John Cook, Charlie Davisson, Abdul Sesay & Alex Sloan, 2nd Team - Matt Earman & Josiah Ewart

All State
Girls Tennis - Betsy Zurawel
Volleyball - Britni Johnson
Football - Austin Nagy & John Cook
Soccer - Alex Sloan

SCORES

MS A Team Girls Basketball
NRCA 24 Franklin 32
NRCA 40 East Wake Academy 9

MS A Team Boys Basketball
NRCA 34 Franklin Academy 42
NRCA 50 Cresset Christian 41
NRCA 31 East Wake 25

MS B Team Girls Basketball
NRCA 24 St. David's 6
NRCA 33 Cary Christian 11
NRCA 18 Cressett Christian 11

MS B Team Boys Basketball
NRCA 36 St. David's 24
NRCA 36 Cary Christian 32

JV Girls Basketball
NRCA 32 Ravenscroft 23

Wrestling
We FINALLY had our very first home wrestling match last Friday!  Knowing that our scheduled opponent (St. David's) had only one wrestler, I wanted our fans to see a more exciting match than 13 forfeits and one actual match.  So, I contacted some nearby teams and Garner H.S. agreed to bring over a full squad.  The stands were packed and our guys were more than ready to show what they've been working so hard at over the last two months.  The Knights came out full force and pinned down a convincing 48-22 victory in front of the home crowd!  Co-captains, Jake Strong and Aaron Mitchell, led the way with pins of 56 seconds and 1:25 respectively.  Russ Smith, Caleb Andrews, and Jules Drew also pinned their opponents and Nick Hahn added an exciting 18-15 win.  The Knights capped off the night with a 72-0 shutout win over St. David's when Russ Smith won by pin.  The Knights wrestlers improved to 9-10 overall.  Individually, Aaron Mitchell remains unbeaten at 17-0, while Jake Strong is 17-3.  Additionally, both are currently ranked 3rd in the state in their weight classes.  Thanks the support last Friday, North Raleigh!

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School Name: North Raleigh Christian Academ
Your Password: 060331

ALUMNI

Alumni Events for 2011-2012

Class of 2007 5 Year Reunion
The 5 Year Reunion for the Class of 2007 is Friday, February 3, 2012 at the Angus Barn.  Invitations have been mailed and registration is open.  If you did not receive your invitation or an email with the registration information please contact me at 919-573-1630 or nlykins@nrcaknights.com.

Alumni Weekend
I hope you are making plans to attend Alumni Weekend on Saturday, February 4, 2012. We look forward to your visit, watching you compete with one another in dodge ball and basketball and then enjoying a nice lunch together! In order to plan accordingly I need you to register for these events at http://nrcareunionandalumniweekend.eventbrite.com/.

High School Gym
11:00 a.m. – Dodge Ball Game
12:00 p.m. - Men's Basketball Game
1:00 p.m. - Lunch from Moe's Southwest Grill

Andrew Poucher, Class of 2008
Once again I am requesting prayer for Andrew.  He and his fellow Marines have left for Afghanistan.  They could be there until the Fall.  They are part of a NATO deployment and have been in San Diego since early fall preparing and studying and training.  Andrew has "learned" five different Middle Eastern languages in order to assist in the training of the Afghan Army trainers.  This is their mission ... to ensure that the Afghan Army trainers are ready and able to train their men and women for military readiness.  My understanding is that the Marines will observe the Afghan trainers and then provide feedback and assistance.  Andrew will be (for the time being) at Camp Blackhorse, which is east of Kabul (the capital).  The base has been there for years and is well established (it is even on Google Earth!).  This does not mean there is no danger; it just means he is not standing guard out in the middle of nowhere.  We are hoping he has electricity and running water and maybe even occasional internet access!  Please pray for his safety, his health, his protection, and his Spiritual strength.   His internet access might be limited, but if you want to try emailing him, you can use his yahoo  address:  poucherad@yahoo.com  If you would like to mail him a card or letter, please feel free.  He said he did not need any packages at this time, but would let me know if that changed. 

Cpl Poucher Andrew D
CFC ROTA 6
Camp Blackhorse
APO AE 09320

School Core Value
Operational Integrity
The school's day-to-day operational practices are a consistent model of integrity, efficiency, and accountability. Ends priorities of biblical values are consistently implemented as the school; (1) Reflects the high road to policy development and accountability in Board governance, (2) Manages people resources ethically and justly, (3) Manages and monitors school finances with integrity and disclosure, (4) Conducts straightforward and Christ-like relations with the government and its agencies, (5) Creates ethical, clear, and open strategies in business, development, marketing, and personnel, (6) Conducts fair and consistent classroom management, (7) Reflects honesty, openness, and fairness in parent relations, (8) Maintains high academic standards with internal and external evaluation, and (9) Initiates a plan of consistent evaluation and assessment for continuous improvement.

Staff Core Value
Kingdom Education
Kingdom Education is a life-long, Bible-based, Christ-centered process of leading a child to Christ, building a child up in Christ, and equipping a child to serve Christ. We believe that God has ordained three basis institutions--the church, the family, and the government--for the benefit of all humankind. The family exists to propagate the race and to provide a safe and secure haven in which to nurture, teach, and love the younger generation. The church exists to minister to individuals and families by sharing the love of God and the message of repentance and salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. The government exists to maintain cultural equilibrium and to provide a framework for social order. The Christian school serves as a bridge in uniting these institutions within the community in the fulfillment of Kingdom Education (Deut. 6:7-9). Kingdom Education is a campaign for righteousness. This campaign into which we are called is as straightforward as the Gospel itself. Our goals are: to bring people to Christ; to deepen the walk of those who have been nominal believers; to clearly introduce the doctrines of His Lordship, sin, repentance, forgiveness, and justification by faith to those who don't know God or those who only know Him as a 'Friend' and Creator; to point everyone to the resurrection and to judgment in the next world; to encourage young people and their parents to live by His standard of holiness and obedience to the Lord; to encourage intensive scriptural study and application of His Word to all areas of life; to motivate the people of God to practical actions in their communities and our nation in defense of righteousness; and to inspire those who are working at NRCA to love one another in a way that is pleasing to Him and displays to all the love of Christ. Let Kingdom Education burn within the hearts of every member of NRCA, and let it take root in each office, class, program, and activity of this ministry.