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What's New at New Covenant -Current Events
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New Covenant Grad headed for the White House
Luke Sharrett (class of 07) has won an internship to serve at the White Housephotography office this summer. Luke is currently a freshmen photojournalism major at Western Kentucky University. The internship will consist of cataloging and editing the myriad of photographs taken daily by the President’s photographer. Luke applied for the internship in January and provided his resume and portfolio of work. Mrs. Bush’s photographer was particularly impressed with a night shot of a Norfolk-Southern engine idling under a full moon at the Kemper Street station. Luke’s work has also caught the attention of Norfolk Southern’s Photography Office and he is preparing to apply for a fall internship with the company.Luke has also worked for Western Kentucky’s College Heights Herald newspaper as a staff photographer. He has had many opportunities to shoot a variety of campus and sport ingevents, most recently the NCAA WKU women’s basketball championship at Stanford. Luke is the youngest son of the Rev’d Mike and Janice Sharrett. Mrs. Sharrett is an instructor in New Covenant’s fifth and sixth grades. New Covenant School Board Welcomes Dr. Vigen Guroian The New Covenant School board held its winter retreat on Saturday, February 2. Each year this retreat provides board members opportunity to host guests who address issues of relevance in classical, Christian education. Dr. Guroian lives in Culpepper, Virginia and is a Professor of Theology at Loyola College in Baltimore, Md. Dr. Guroian has authored or edited ten books and contributed more than one hundred and fifty articles to books, journals, magazines, and newspapers. His book, Tending the Heart of Virtue: How Classic Stories Awaken a Child’s Moral Imagination, published in 1998, received national attention in newspapers and on radio, including NPR’s “Talk of the Nation,” and “The Mark Steiner Show.” Dr. Guroian is the son of an Armenian family, and a member of the Eastern Orthodox communion. He enjoys gardening and has written two books of Christian meditations on the subject: Inheriting Paradise and The Fragrance of God. Dr. Gurorian also addressed the faculty on Friday evening, February 1. January, 2008 - Accreditation Achieved New Covenant Schools welcomed the new year with full accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Council Accreditation and School Improvement. The process actually started more than two years ago when the school's Committee on Accreditation began its work. "Truth be told I started this process ten years ago when I arrived at New Covenant. It shouldn't take that long, but we wanted to be sure that we met or exceeded all of the standards," says John Heaton, the Headmaster. The committee, led by instructors Lance Collins and Kathryn Martin, put together a complete process in which all the stakeholders in the school could participate. They conducted surveys, analyzed data with parent focus groups and published the results to the parent community. The end result has been the completion of an improvement plan that meshes with the board's own strategic plan. The school received the highest possible rating ("Exemplary") on its success in communicating its mission to board members, parents and students. It received designations of "Operational" in all other areas. Local coverage in the News & Advance is found here. November 20, 2007 - New Covenant Schools Students Help Feed Hungry Children On Tuesday, November 20th, New Covenant Schools students worked to feed the hungry in impoverished nations around the world as a part of its annual Thanksgiving celebration. More than 30,000 people die of hunger-related causes every day - that’s more than 10 million people each year. While many may question whether we have the power to help at all, the good news is that we can do something about it. Partnering with Stop Hunger Now’s Operation Sharehouse program, students in grades K - 12 participated in packaging 21,072 dehydrated meals that are high in protein. These meals are used in disaster stricken areas and in lunch programs in schools and orphanages worldwide. Organized by Kim Smith, president of the New Covenant Schools Association, students, faculty and parent volunteers worked on assembly lines to package the meals in a two- hour period. “We are thrilled to give our students this opportunity for Christian service that also provides a tangible, educational experience with the subject of hunger and will increase their understanding of global issues," said Smith. Each meal consists of a rice-soy mixture that includes dehydrated vegetables, flavoring and 21 essential vitamins and minerals. The meals are easy to transport and can be stored for up to five years. A single meal costs just 20 cents to produce and package. The New Covenant Schools Association contributed the funds necessary for the students to be able to participate in this service event. Generations Day, November 2, 2007 Hundreds of parents and grandparents joined students for Generations Day, an annual event at New Covenant that brings families together from across the country. Nearly a dozen states were represented including Alaska. "It's a testimony to strength of our community," said Headmaster John Heaton. "Our school is like a big family." Phyllis Workman (top right), a grandmother of three New Covenant Students, addressed the assembly that gathered to dedicate the completion of a new classroom wing. "I've been associated with New Covenant since it began 17 years ago," she said. "I can't tell you what a blessing it has been in the life our family." Mrs. Workman's oldest grandaughter, Katie, is a senior this year. New Covenant recognized Mrs. Workman for her leadership of the Growing in Grace and Knowledge Campaign that has raised about $987,000 in cash and pledges for the school's expansion. Beowulf Night - October 12, 2007 Students in grades 7-12 gathered in the woods behind the school on Friday, October 12 for an experience with poetry in the oral tradition. Each student was assigned at least 20 lines of the epic poem, Beowulf, and and took turns reciting their parts around a campfire with torchlight. The project was developed and organized by the faculty led by third-year English Instructor, Erin Linton. "Before books were cheap and people could read, this is how stories were passed on to generations," Miss Linton said. Students also enjoyed a "barbaric" feast of venison, chicken and bread, along with hot cider. Many parents joined the festivities which took about two and a half hours to complete, including intermissions for desserts. Many students embelished their recitations with costumes and dramatic flair. Blessing of the Animals - October 5, 2007 New Covenant School Occupies Phase II in Fall Term, 2007 The student body of New Covenant Schools has occupied anew classroom wing as the term began on September 4th. A growing student body - nearly 335 students in grades K-12, is using the space, which houses most of the Grammar School. The classrooms are spacious, about one third larger than current rooms, which have been taken over by the Upper School students. "The older students move around more and don't require extra space in the classroom for reading circles like younger children do," said Mrs. Patterson, Grammar School Principal. "Instruction in several parts of the curriculum will improve as a result of larger rooms." Students in grades 7-12 enjoy a new student a student lounge, more hall space and greater access to the gymnasium. "It's not the last thing we're going to build," said John Heaton, Headmaster, " but these classrooms will take us well into the future as we approach our goal of about 450 students. |
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  Dr.Vigen Guroian, Ph.D., Professor of Theology and Ethics Loyola College joins board for Winter Retreat, 2008  Kathryn Martin, Middle School Instructor  Lance Collins, History Stop Hunger Now  Students and faculty worked in shifts on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to package 21,072 meals that will be shipped overseas to alleviate hunger in areas stricken by war or famine.  Parents and Grandparents join our students for Generations Day  Students take turns reciting around the fire.  Headmaster Rev. John Heaton blesses the family dog. Celebrating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful |
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