Mrs. Landi-Coleman has graciously agreed to offer this class to WCA students on a weekly basis.  If your child is interested, please email tfreeman@wcamarco.com for more information. 

"Sorry  I'm not dressed more appropriately.", he said.  "All of my good clothes are packed away and all I have left is the gear I am going to take on my next journey."  

As it turns out, Glenn has spent quite a bit of time in his kayak.  He recently paddled The Everglades, The Inside Passage, and Glacier Bay.  In fact, Glenn managed to solo paddle over 2,000 miles of water in 2009. His accomplishments are inspiring and the lessons he has learned are, on some plane, applicable to all WCA students.

When Glenn isn't on the water, he travels from venue to venue sharing his experience.  His desire is to stand in front of as many classrooms as possible, presenting his dynamic slideshow, and engaging students.  His stories help students understand concepts such as the ebb and flow of tides, the delicate relationship between human development and the natural environment, survival skills, hard work, and determination.  Much of what the students learn from Glenn's slideshow will stick in their minds longer than anything they have read in a textbook.

The high school and middle school students at WCA will be following along as Glenn goes face to face with his next challenge: a journey up the Atlantic Coast.  He will be leaving from Key West this week and spending the next 10 months travelling up the East Coast and into the St. Lawrence Seaway.  In fact, Glenn has promised to stay in contact with students as he traveled and will even take photographs of landmarks the students find online and post them to his blog.  This is a rare opportunity for these students to take part in a real-time learning experience.  

For more information on Glenn and his travels, please visit http://www.oneoceanproject.com

--Mr. Freeman

"What do you smell?", he asked as he gently pulled the lid from a medium-sized, round, plastic container.  The students were immediately overwhelmed as the scent of rubbing alcohol filled the room.  Dr. Coleman called one of the students to assist him as he reached inside the container.  "For the next hour, we are going to discuss the human brain.", Dr. Coleman stated as he pulled a real specimen from the container.  

So, for the next hour, Dr. Coleman took the WCA students on a tour of humanity using an actual human brain as a guide. They discussed human thought, the ability to reason, why some people are artistic, or mathematic, and much more.  During each discussion, Dr. Coleman showed the students the physical location where a particular brain activity takes place.  He taught them where their sense of smell comes from, how they are able to walk and talk at the same time, and why the Egyptians thought the seat of the soul was located in the brain.  At each stage of the discussion, Dr. Coleman posed questions that     caused the students to think more intently about the functions of the brain.  Everyone was engaged and actively participating in this thought provoking activity.  Many of the students even accepted Dr. Coleman's offer to hold the brain using the gloves he provided.  

I believe that one of the greatest advantages we have at WCA is the flexibility of our curriculum.  Due to the nature of our program, we have the ability to take a detour from the usual routine to gain hands-on experience.  Many students were able to achieve a higher level of learning as they moved from analysis to synthesis and evaluation.  This is a direct result of Dr. Coleman's teaching style.  In many ways, he taught the students how to think about the brain rather than simply presenting them with information.

The student of WCA would like to extend their sincere appreciation to Dr. Coleman for volunteering his time and knowledge.  We look forward to working with him again in the future!   

Dr. Coleman uses the human brain to teach a lesson to WCA high school and middle school students.

Summary:  There is no school this Monday, January 25.  School will be in session on Monday, April 5 to make up for the missed day.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but the situation is out of our control.  Please call Mr. Freeman at 394-5412 with any questions. 

Report cards were distributed this week and should be signed and returned by Friday, January 22.  Please call the school at (239)394-5412 with any questions.

The Oasis Counseling Center is located on the campus of Winterberry Christian Academy and the Family Church of Marco Island.  Terry Hoskins is the director of the center and also serves as the guidance counselor for WCA students.  It is a privilege for us to have a Biblical Counseling Center so easily accessible and Mr. Hoskins has had a positive influence on many of our students.  The following article is taken from The Southwest Florida Health and Wellness Magazine.

Successful Goal Setting for 2010

by Terry Hoskins, Director of Oasis Counseling Center  

What are the goals you made for 2010? They say that by the time you read this article many of the goals you determined to stick with have already been broken. Some of the goals you made for the New Year might have been: lose weight, play more and work less, get  finances in order, read the Bible consistently, find a church home, and pray daily. These goals do not sound too difficult, it’s not like we are trying to win a Nobel Peace Prize, or climb Mount Everest, or even train for a marathon, yet most of us will fail on reaching our goals. It is not too late to re-evaluate your goals for this year and plan for how you will achieve them this time around.  

Who is at the center of your life? Is it God or is it something else? You may wonder how you know? What are you committed too? What influences the decisions you make? Because...Every decision we make is an act of worship. We either make decisions to worship God or worship something else! We can begin to see who or what is important to us by the decisions we make. For example, if I told you I played high school basketball, you would assume that I went to practice, worked out, and played games. If I told you I didn’t practice, workout, or even play games, then you would conclude I wasn’t on a team. The truth is our decisions reveal what is at the center of our lives. I had to commit and make a conscious decision to become a basketball player. My daily decisions will effect which goals I meet. If I am committed to God then I will set goals that will honor and glorify Him. God’s Word tells us to, “seek first His (God’s) Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33, NIV) 

Why is it so hard to accomplish our goals? 

1. I can do it myself!

The question we must ask ourselves is, who am I depending on? Do I depend on myself, spouse, brother, sister, best friend, or God? God’s Word says, “In his heart a man plans his course but Lord determines his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9, NIV) God’s Word clearly tells us that we may make plans or goals, but it is God who guides us. We get ourselves in trouble when we try to help God out because we don’t see our goals  coming to fruition fast enough. God’s Word says, “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength.”  (Jeremiah 17:5a, NIV) Reaching my goals do not often occur when I am trying to depend on myself because it further grows my self-promotion instead of God’s glory. God says we are cursed when we depend on ourselves to accomplish our goals. "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.” (Jeremiah 17:7, NIV) God blesses those who trust in Him instead of self.   
 
 2. Habits are part of the human condition

The second reason it is hard to accomplish our goals is because we must learn to change! Change is hard for us because we are creatures of habit. God in His infinite wisdom created us with the ability to learn processes through repetition where we can then form habits. Once we learn new processes and practice them over time, they become second nature for us. Some examples could be; tying your shoes, taking a bath, driving a car, or even learning your position at work. Habits in and of themselves are a good thing because day to day task become second nature. To form a new habit that will bring glory to God is to seek God’s help in the process. It means stopping certain ways of thinking and acting and starting new ones.  

3. Good Intentions do not Necessarily lead to Actions!

God’s Word says, “do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22, NIV) God’s Word tells us that we have to listen and be obedient to God’s truths. The same thing is true with the goals we make. Unless I begin to work on them with real action, nothing will happen! For example, I can decide that I will love my wife more this year, and realize that that it will please God, and it will make our marriage sing, but unless I act on my intentions nothing will happen. The same old habit patterns will continue, until I begin to specifically change the ways I interact with my wife on a daily basis. Good intentions with out action is nothing more than wishful thinking.    

The yearbook committee has chosen Josten's as the printing company for the 2009 - 2010 yearbook. Each member of the committee has had the opportunity to research prices, meet with representatives, evaluate sample material, and provide input into the decision making process.  The team is currently working to establish a theme, choose a cover, and develop spreads for the many activities WCA students participate in.   This promises to be a very special book as it is the first yearbook in WCA history!  

The video productions crew will be responsible for creating morning announcements, informational and promotional videos, and special projects.  Video productions team members are currently working to improve their video editing skills using Windows Movie Maker and Apple I Movie.  The team plans to start morning announcements on Monday, January 18.  These announcements will include the lunch menu, weather, current events, school news, and interviews from people in the community.  If you are interested in being included in the WCA morning announcements, please contact Mr. Freeman at 239.394.5412.  

--Mr. Freeman  

As I reflect upon 2009, I am amazed at how many positive changes we have seen at WCA.  Our enrollment doubled as we began the 2009-2010 school year, and with the new students came many new opportunities.  Each student brings new knowledge and experiences to the table and helps enrich the lives of all who attend here.  

As a result of our growth, WCA entered into a partnership with the Marco Island Parks and Recreation Department and officially launched a brand new sailing program.  Thirteen WCA students participated as members of our inaugural sailing team.  As the program moves forward, this team will have the opportunity to race competitively against local schools.

Many students have gotten involved in groups that meet throughout the week.  Our student worship team, yearbook committee, and ladies Bible study groups continue to grow.  It is exciting to see the students begin to take ownership of their school.  Our goal is to prepare WCA students to be positive, contributing citizens.  Each opportunity they have to exercise leadership helps push them in a direction that will impact the rest of their lives. 

Although 2009 has ended, we have some exciting events to look forward to this year.  A few of our plans include a swamp walk, trips to a television and radio station, spring sports, parent nights, banquets, and our first graduation!  Keep an eye on our academic calendar for updates as these events get closer.  

 --Mr. Freeman