It’s hard to believe that the first day of high school is just 3 weeks away, followed a few days later by the first day for elementary students.  As I think about the coming school year I am filled with excitement about God’s perfect provision.  Every year, the summer is a time where our school finances are extremely limited.  We just don’t receive as much monthly tuition money in the summer.  At the same time, we need to use the summer months to repair and maintain our beautiful historic building.  The combination is always a challenge.  However, this summer I have been so blessed to see how God continues to meet our needs, and often not in the ways we expect.

Building Upgrades

We were so blessed by the “Serve Your City” volunteers last week from Christ Church and Casa de Oracion who deep cleaned the building, cleaned up the landscaping, and filled holes in the parking lot.  What a blessing! Please join me in thanking the many volunteers who saved us countless dollars by donating their time and effort.  

Air Conditioning

On Monday, as I was beginning to write this update, a Westlake parent stopped by to drop off four air conditioners for the rooms that did not receive air conditioners last summer.  Our students will be so blessed when they return in August to find comfortable classrooms.  This will make the educational experience at Westlake even better.  Make no mistake, God is at work improving our school’s facilities!

Playground Project

God continues to provide resources for the playground project.  On Friday, we were able to order a new swing set, thanks to additional donations from some generous people.  It will be installed before the first day of elementary school, thanks to additional volunteers from Kids Around the World. I am so humbled by their efforts to make sure we have a safe and fun area for our students to play. 

Research shows that today’s children do not get enough time for unstructured play. We are so thankful for the new play equipment that will allow us to continue to make this a priority for our elementary students!

Enrollment

God keeps sending us new students!  We currently have a full Kindergarten class with a waiting list.  At the same time, our Pre-Kindergarten class is filling quickly. If you know someone who is considering Westlake’s PreK program, please encourage them to apply now as we only have a few spots left! 

Please invite people to visit our daytime, interactive Early Learning Center Open House this Friday from 3:00 - 4:00 pm, to meet the teachers and learn more about our Pre-Kindergarten and PreSchool classes. Help us spread the news by sharing this event on Facebook to let people know the specific details.

Staffing

Although we don’t have a signed contract yet, God has brought us the perfect person to teach elementary music.  I can’t wait to introduce her to you as soon as we have all the details worked out.  She is going to be such a blessing to our elementary students and to the entire school program. 

I am also thankful that Mrs. Tiffany Alm has agreed to manage the lunchroom again.  We thought we needed to find a replacement, but she recently contacted us to say that she would like to continue to bless Westlake in this area.  At the same time, we are in the process of working out the details regarding the custodial position and an aide for our full Kindergarten class.

Our Needs

As I mentioned before, the summertime is usually a financial challenge for Westlake. From my perspective, financial resources are one of our school’s greatest weaknesses.  However, it is in our greatest weakness that we get to experience the overwhelming reality of God’s strength. 

Many of you know that at this time five years ago, I was finishing my last chemo treatment after a long battle with cancer.  That was probably the weakest moment of my entire life!  I was so tired and physically weak during the spring and summer of 2014.  It was also the season of my life when I experienced God’s strength like never before.  He provided meals for my family, transportation and childcare for my kids, people to clean my house, and even people who landscaped my yard.  

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Please join me in praying that God would show us his strength and faithfulness as we enter this new school year.  Pray that as we stand firm in our efforts to train the next generation of disciples, God would work in ways we don’t expect or can’t imagine to meet our financial needs. 

If you or someone you know would like to contribute to the ministry of Westlake, please contact me or invite them to make a donation.   I am so thankful for all of you who support Westlake Christian Academy.

Give Thanks

While I am tempted to focus on our many needs, God has been teaching me this summer to instead focus on all that he has provided.  Westlake is a dynamic school that offers a high-quality Christian education.  God has blessed us with fantastic teachers, committed families, and community support.  Visitors often comment on the unique atmosphere and wonder what makes Westlake so special.  We have so much to be grateful for!

Let’s thank God for all that he is doing here at this school.

Prepared to Serve