Dear Parents,

Charlotte Mason defines education as an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life, and a Science of Relations. The teachers and I visited Red Mountain Community School in Birmingham, Alabama earlier this month and were able to see the embodiment of ‘Atmosphere’ in their school. We have come away with many ideas of how to enhance the Atmosphere at Crossroads. We intend to make small improvements along the way in our classrooms by incorporating natural elements, student-made work, and making our school more warm and inviting.

Something that our teachers already do well is living out the atmosphere Miss Mason wrote about, which is to love and attend to each individual child. I hope you are experiencing the beauty of an environment where your child is cherished and appreciated as an individual and is challenged to do his or her best for the Lord’s honor and glory.

You are all invited to chapel next Thursday morning to welcome a special guest. Mischa Yoo has invited her dear friend Dr. Tredennick (click for his bio) to join us. It is such an honor to have an internationally acclaimed conductor and musician visit our humble halls. Mrs. Yoo explained to our students this morning that though Dr. Tredennick’s credentials are impressive, he is most known for his love of the Lord and his praise for Him through music and his testimony. We hope that you will join us and make him feel welcome. A special thank you to Mrs. Yoo for putting us on his whirlwind tour while he visits the U.S. from London.

“Everything worthwhile is hard.” I often paraphrase Theodore Roosevelt when speaking to my children about things they don’t feel like doing. I remember reciting it to myself on the way to church last Sunday and on the way to Prayer and Share on Tuesday night. I have found that the greatest blessings come from the things that I am least inclined to do when the moment arises. It’s hard to be at Prayer and Share from 5:30 to 9:30, but it is always a sweet time of fellowship and an opportunity to lift up our children to the Lord who knows their hearts and their needs. I was so blessed by helping the 8th Graders babysit the youngest of our Crossroads family. The Lord knew I needed a distraction from the work of my office to see the value of what we do each day. It takes time to develop relationships, and P & S is one of the ways we invest that time at CCS. So many prayers are answered and relationships formed through the simple act of meeting and sharing with one another. Please make it a priority to be here for this special time each month. It will become a blessing to your family as you see God move in the lives of your children and in individual lives where parents dare to share their challenges with one another and pray over them.

November is a full month with lots of activity. As I shared on your P & S Agenda: We are only three weeks away from Thanksgiving Break. Equally surprising is that there are only 28 regular school days until Christmas Break, so every moment counts as we approach the end of the semester. This time of year, I often must remind myself to slow down and enjoy the moments instead of letting things get in the way of my thankfulness for the things that truly matter. Please join me in praying for our staff and students to truly enjoy this season of thanksgiving and the celebration of our Lord’s birth.

Our Thanksgiving Play and Feast is a special time to come together for fellowship and developing relationships. We would like for you to invite friends who might consider CCS as an option for their family in the future, or others with whom you’d like to share our community. We are so thankful that God has provided this special community and we’d like to share what He’s doing here at Crossroads. Please provide an estimated number of guests to your Classroom Coordinator and final numbers by November 5th. We will enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal together and are looking forward to making memories as we share in the Lord’s bounty with friends and family.

This site is a work in progress, but please go ahead and bookmark it for quick access so you can stay up to date on the many things happening at Crossroads. Thank you for sharing your family with us! It is a joy and a privilege to serve Him at CCS.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Winslett