Congratulations to the Des Moines Christian Jazz Band, under the direction of Chad Parker, for placing 2^nd out of 7 bands in Class 2A at the District Jazz Festival on Saturday, December 10th.  Outstanding Soloist awards went to junior Keegan Shay on guitar and senior Rachel Hansen on flute.  Placing second automatically qualifies the band for the State Championships in April.  The DMC Jazz Band has qualified for state all but three times since 1992, while winning state titles in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2004.

Check out the photographs of DMC library buddies in this week's online Des Moines Register. 

Praise the Lord that we are enhancing our security and safety at DMC as a result of a donor's generosity!  Beginning in January, Early Education parents will access that area of the building with fobs, since the location will be locked-down completely.  Also, we will begin limiting access to both the Secondary area and Elementary area by containing traffic to the handicapped-accessible door only at 9:00 a.m.  That way, the bad guys who don't know our building access well can be limited in their access.  (Please do not share this plan with others -- for the safety of your children.)  Coaches, P.E. teachers, and Secondary music instructors will also be limited by fobs and asked not to block open the brown doors near the trophy cases.  Thank you for learning our new "flight patterns" in the school.  Limiting access means greater safety for your children!

Hearing tests will be performed for all four- and five-year-old students on Wednesday, January 4^th and Kindergarten through 5th grade students on January 5th and 6th.  This is a screening process and does not identify all hearing or ear problems.  Students who do not pass this screening may receive further hearing tests by the Heartland AEA audiologist.  Parents will be notified about the results of the hearing tests, if their child does NOT pass the test.  If you DO NOT wish your child to participate in the screening program, please notify the classroom teacher or Robin Fynaardt, DMC School Nurse at 252-2488. 

Immediate Opening for Part-Time Lunchroom Server: The DMCS kitchen needs a lunchroom server on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Regular hours are 10:15 a.m. until 1:45 p.m.  If you are interested in serving one or more days, please submit your application to Julia Veenstra, Business Manager.  Applications can be found on our website under "Employment."

Join the Annual Food Drive at DMCS to Benefit Hope Ministries!   Boxes for your non-perishable food items are located under the bulletin boards in our Multi-Purpose Room. The last day to bring your food items will be Tuesday morning, December 20^th.  Hope Ministries indicated the need is great and can use any non-perishables. The most desired items follow:

• Canned vegetables (corn or peas, especially)
• Canned fruit
• Cereal
• Powdered lemonade or fruit punch drink mixes

Our elementary guidance counselor, Amy Wilson, is gathering information on who would be interested in attending Divorce Care for Kids (DC4K). This opportunity was offered last year as an after-school program, and, with enough interest, the group will be available again this year on Monday afternoons. This program is designed for kids 5-12 years old who have been through a divorce either recently or in the past. If you would like more information on DC4K, you can contact Mrs. Wilson at 252-2485, or check out the website.

Mrs. Kostek has received information on the Iowa Engineering Society Scholarship.  You must be a senior and intend to study engineering at either ISU or the University of Iowa to be eligible.  Stop in the Secondary Guidance Office for more information.

Burger King is sponsoring the BK Scholars Program. Burger King employees and their children are eligible to apply.  See the flyer posted on the Secondary Guidance bulletin board, or contact Mrs. Kostek for more information.  The deadline is January 10, 2012.

Mrs. Kostek has received information regarding the Iowa National Guard Officers Auxiliary Scholarship. If you are a child/stepchild of an Iowa National Guard member - either currently serving, retired, or a deceased retiree - you are eligible for scholarship application. Stop in the Secondary Guidance Office for your application.

Mrs. Kostek has received information on the U.S. Bank Scholarship Program.  Interested seniors and college undergraduates can apply online at www.usbank.com/scholarship.

Welcome to winter! We are so excited to continue in the work of preparing students for healthy relationships and equipping parents/guardians to teach their children through The Great Relationship Experience activities this month. Please visit the website today to check out the supplementary content for December. And don't forget, past months' material is available year round for your convenience. Please feel free to call or email with any questions and thank you again for investing in your children's future relationships today!
 

One of our favorite chapel speakers, Pastor Brian Bopp, First Assembly of God Church in Des Moines, spoke to the Elementary students, staff, and parents on Wednesday, December 14, 2011. If you would like to read my summary notes of the chapel, ""Know and Use Your Gifts from God!" please click here.

Upcoming Chapels:

PLEASE LEAD! Don't let the media and talking heads tell you how to vote! Iowans have the opportunity to have a great voice in the selection of the President in 2012, beginning with the caucuses in January.  Even if you "don't like politics," we each have a civic duty to be exert a positive influence in our government "of the people,  by the people, for the people."  By attending your local precinct caucus, you can speak, vote, and influence the process with the values that are important to you.  Learn more about how to attend your caucus at one of the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition caucus training events: 

• 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 20th at Walnut Creek Church, 900 64^th St, Windsor Heights
• 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec 28th at Iowa Right to Life Committee Office, 1500 Illinois, Des Moines
• 7:00 p.m. Thursday, December 29th at IRLC Office