November 10, 2014

Dear WOGA Families,

As we approach Thanksgiving, I thought it was a good time for me to say “thank you” for placing trust in Word of God Academy to educate your children. I believe that Kingdom Education requires the efforts of the parents, the church and the school to be effective. Chrissy and I thank God for the parents and families He has called and planted at WOGA.

I would like to share with you some important convictions and the direction of Word of God Academy.

First of all, please let me assure you with everything in me that Word of God Academy [WOGA] will remain "Christ-centered" while offering "academic excellence." It is the conviction of my heart that Christ be preeminent in everything that we do at Word of God Ministries and WOGA. I pray that year after year we discover more ways to strengthen these pillars.

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James A. McMenisPresident

Ed HearronHeadmaster

Dr. Linda Ruth BassMiddle/High School Principal

Cathy Jiles Asst Principal of Curriculum & Instruction

Word of God Academy“Academic Excellence in a Christ-centered Environment”

318.687.9003wogacademy.org

Convictions for the FutureI would like to share with you some important convictions and the direction of Word of God Academy.

“Academic excellence” and a “Christ-centered environment” are the two pillars of the vision and mission statement of WOGA. Both of these rest on the foundation of Kingdom Education: a foundation of the Lordship of Jesus, His Word, His Spirit and His purpose in our lives. I pray that we are never satisfied that we have reached the pinnacle of either. We must always strive to see how we can further advance Christ, His Word and divine will from day to day, never growing complacent or content. The task of providing a school that can offer both is a challenging one, but I believe that it is absolutely achievable!

It is the conviction of my heart to provide a school where faith and truth are implemented in all subject matter: every grade, class and subject. Bible should be implemented in every subject and class. This year we took a step forward in this vision. Before this school year began, my wife and I brought in Dr. Christian Overman, who is the Founding Director of Research and Development of "The Biblical Worldview Institute." He spent an entire day offering our faculty tools, materials and resources to secure faith and truth in every grade, class and subject. He taught our teachers in this workshop, "Making the Connections," on how to advance the Kingdom of God in every subject. "Making the Connections" trains educators to integrate Biblical truths into all subjects and every grade level using a practical lesson design methodology. This workshop equips teachers to design and implement lesson plans incorporating biblical worldview components with any subject matter, at any grade level.

The "Making the Connections" course provided our teachers the ability to:

• Define “worldview” and the critical role of “biblical worldview integration” in Christian education

• Recognize five components of all world-views: God, Creation, Humanity, Moral Order, and Purpose

• See how smaller “pieces ”are interpreted in light of “larger wholes.” • Make connections by understanding how the Christian educator helps students to see

all academic subjects in light of the biblical view of God, Creation, Humanity, Moral Order, and Purpose

• Understand that true biblical worldview integration is not just “making associations” with Bible verses, or creating “object lessons”, and

• Experience guided practice in constructing an integrated lesson plan using the BWI Planner

Our Word of God Academy teachers’ lesson plans have a component for documentation of proof that what we learned in this workshop is being applied in each classroom. Our lesson plans stipulate whether the lesson addresses God, Creation, Humanity, Moral Order, and/or Purpose. Further, a scripture is required for each lesson.

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A Biblical Worldview

November 10, 2014

Our administration and teachers were taught the importance of shaping a Biblical Worldview in the classroom and given amazing tools to achieve that vision. We have and will remain proactive in advancing Christ-centered education. God has sent us amazing individuals who have a conviction of Kingdom Education for the purpose at hand.

To further secure our classrooms for Christ, we have hired a "Curriculum Review Specialist.” This individual was responsible for writing and implementing a Christian Curriculum at the public university she attended (which is still being used to date) and has a knowledge and conviction that compliments this task. We are excited about her joining our staff! Her first assignment is to review all materials that WOGA is using in its curriculum. She will flag any material that might contradict a "Biblical worldview.” She will examine current curriculum as well as assist us in researching other faith-based options as we begin to build a format for developing our own curriculum.

Mr. Hearron and I have always discussed the importance of thinking outside of the box to provide the best curriculum possible for our students. Under the supervision of Dr. Bass, Assistant Headmaster and Principal of Middle High School, and Mrs. Cathy Jiles, Assistant Principal of Elementary and Coordinator of Instruction and Curriculum, we have begun to write our own, Biblically-sound curriculum. I felt led of the Lord since the beginning that WOGA needed to write its own curriculum, and that it would become a tool for Christian schools throughout the nation and abroad. This is already underway. WOGA will publish its own curriculum that will be both safe, faith-based and excellent. In the meantime, I am working closely with administration to be sure our vision is being carried out in the classroom. WOGA will actively advance the vision of Kingdom Education, unwaveringly!

Last week, after reviewing our science textbooks, a decision was made to order a new science curriculum for all grade levels (K-10). This curriculum will replace the secular version adopted in previous years. We are ever-laboring to improve upon what is offered at WOGA and nothing is of greater importance to me than our remaining "Christ-centered" in every class and subject. 

Please know that I, nor any of the present leaders or Board of WOGA, are advocates of "Common Core." With that being said, there is a lot of confusion when it comes to this topic. Common Core is a set of math and English Language Arts standards for K-12 students to reach by the end of each grade level. Before our state adopted CCSS, the State of Louisiana used "GLE" [Grade Level Expectations]. This was the standard from 2004-2010. Before that the standard was “Comprehensive Curriculum (1997-98). Forty-three states have voluntarily adopted Common Core. The 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act forbids the Federal government from intervening in school curriculum development.

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WOGA Curriculum

Educational standards are the learning goals for what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. WOGA administrators are currently working on establishing our own independent standards that we will make available to all existing and potential parents. These standards will satisfy and exceed any state-level standard; meaning that our students won't fall beneath the bar of a public education, but will exceed it. We are formulating the WOGA Scope and Sequence for each K-12 course that is or will be taught at the school. Thus, I believe that we will offer our own scope and sequence for each grade level without ever having to say that we will achieve or adopt a state-sponsored standard. This was never an issue until CCSS became the standard. The board voted, in our November 2014 meeting, to remove the CCSS (state) standard from our student handbooks. Though CCSS presents a standard for math and English Language Arts, it does not control its content. Despite what standards CCSS may convey, WOGA will not implement the CCSS standard into its classes. This was made official with a Board decision made just this month. WOGA, the Board nor our administrators endorse or support the CCSS standard, and it will not be a part of our future going forward - period.

When the government, under the stimulus package, released 4.35 billion dollars under the banner of "Race to the Top," states lined up to gain their share of funding. The money was offered on a point system and for those who adopted the CCSS or higher standard, points were given that aided in the grant. States needed 485 points and CCSS adoption offered 40 points toward the needed total. With this much money and over forty states participating, textbook publishing companies quickly began to seize the opportunity. They began to print and publish books branded "Common Core" to signify those books would satisfy the newly adopted standards. I have in my possession two textbooks printed before and after CCSS. The only difference in the content of these books is that the latest copy has "Common Core" stamped on the front. Even the cover is exactly the same as it was before CCSS.

To ensure that our reading program includes Bible, purity, faith and Christian character development in the classroom as well as to be certain that we control the content of our reading, WOGA has implemented two programs:

• To continue to impart godly character into our students and build a culture of Christ-likeness at WOGA, we adopted “Required Christian Reading”. Every class reads one Biblical worldview, character-building book each nine weeks. There are class sets of these books located in the Library. Teachers use their own methods of discussion, reports and projects to make this an interactive program. This is an opportunity to further our vision of a Christ-centered environment in the hearts of our students! 

• To partner with the teachers in making sure that all novels that are read are in line with our Biblical worldview convictions, WOGA has a “Literature Review Committee”. This committee thoroughly reviews each novel the teachers plan to

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November 10, 2014

have their students read. The committee then verifies that the information in the book falls within WOGA’s Literature Policy and has wholesome, age-appropriate content. 

Word of God Academy is a private Christian PK-10 school which chooses not to receive any federal, state, parish, and city funding. Therefore, there can be no mandates on our school to follow any program of study or curricula. Throughout America’s history, teachers have had the academic freedom to choose sources that are used to teach a lesson of study. For example, if a teacher is teaching short stories, he/she will choose the best short stories that align with the school’s vision and mission statements. These short stories can come from various sources. Teachers are skilled and proficient in choosing the best things for their lessons. We do not live in a time today where teachers begin on page 1 and finish the book. Therefore, our teachers choose the best sources (not one textbook) and develop an excellent lesson that teaches any concept so that our students do not have a narrowed perspective from one textbook or source. Traditionally, standards convey only the what, and the teachers determine the how and the resources. WOGA is addressing standards that our teachers should teach while seeking to provide the best, faith-based, academic resources.

We have already begun to interview teachers for the 2014-15 school year. We have amped-up our interview process. I was recently told by an applicant, "I knew you were serious by the number and type of questions you ask on the application." We are seeking men and women of faith and conviction when it comes to offering Kingdom Education. One recent applicant began to cry at the end of the interview. She shared, "I want to be here so bad, my heart breaks at the idea I won't have

the opportunity to serve here next year." There is an ever-increasing pool of applicants that love God, love children and want to use their calling, gifts and talents to advance "Academic Excellence in a Christ-centered Environment." The secularization of our public schools is driving out teachers of the Christian faith due to the intolerance of Christ in the public system. We will not stop praying and pursuing the very best for WOGA. Because we are adding an 11th grade next year, we will need more teachers. We have already scheduled interviews with teachers who have a strong conviction of Christian education.

I am excited about the future and the vision of this academy coming to fruition! As Habakkuk 2:1-4 declares, "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry" We are ever-learning, praying and seeking His will. I am confident that the Lord's hand is on this academy and the enemy is threatened! This school exists to bring Jesus glory and to raise up an army of leaders who will secure the next generation for the Kingdom of God!

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The Future

With the conviction of Kingdom Education before us, we will raise up future community and national leaders, pastors, missionaries, teachers, legislators, judges, doctors, business-owners and servant-minded men and women who will use their lives, seats of influence, both locally and abroad, to advance truth, wisdom, purity, faith and the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God!

In closing, let me thank you again for placing trust in Word of God Academy to educate your children. What an honor we share to build and plant something in the earth that will benefit lives for generations to come. We are not merely managing a school, we are building one! We often use laying bricks as a way to illustrate building this academy. We need the wisdom of the Master Builder to lay each brick with precision. We will continue to seek Him for guidance and trust that the finished work will bring Him glory!

Thank you for your love, your support and most of all, your prayers! We ask God daily to grant us the wisdom and strength we need to know His will and to perform it.  For the cause of His Kingdom,

Pastor James A. McMenis

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