School Announcements
Thursday November 20, 2008 Greetings! Welcome to another fun and enriching day of learning.
PRAYER
Prayer is an important part of life at New Hope Homeschool.
Each morning,
just before the school day begins, the teachers join together for prayer.
We remember our students, parents, administration, staff, and teachers,
asking for the Holy Spirit to guide and bless in general, as well as lifting
up particular concerns.
It doesn't stop there, however. Keeping in mind Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians
5: 17 to “pray continually,” I encourage the teachers to maintain
a spirit of prayer throughout the day.
A few years ago in a Bible study, we discussed this very idea. One of the
participants felt put off by Paul's command, however, which also has been
translated, “pray without ceasing.” “What am I supposed
to do,” this person asked, “think about Jesus Christ all day
long?” Actually, that was exactly the point! This isn't a burdensome
command. Rather, it is a great privilege for Christians to have access to
the Throne of New Hope Homeschool all day long, to bring all of our concerns to God, and
best of all, to maintain a spirit of praise and thanksgiving for His many
blessings to us.
Please join your teachers and the staff here in praying daily that we would
follow the Lord closely and be a special blessing in God's kingdom. And
if you have prayer concerns that you would like us to remember as we gather
together, please feel free to share them with me.
Wednesday November 19, 2008
PLAGIARISM
Several of the teachers have told me recently of their concern regarding
the high number of assignments they receive in which New Hope Homeschool students have
plagiarized. According to The Student Handbook:
Plagiarism is the intentional failure to acknowledge the source of information
used in academic work. Whether the borrowed information is reworked into
the student's own phraseology, or copied directly, it must be acknowledged
in a footnote, endnote, or quotations according to the directions of the
instructor.
A number of students have simply been cutting and pasting information from
other sources, including on-line texts and web sites, into the Free Response
boxes without realizing how seriously dishonest this is. In fact, in some
cases parents have been assisting their students in doing this! I choose
to believe that this is being done out of ignorance of the rules and the
nature of plagiarism, rather than malice because as Christians, we are to
strive towards honest lives. Plagiarism is stealing because you are taking
what belongs to someone else and claiming it as your own.
One of the major academic skills that all students must learn is how to
explain concepts in their own words. When they do use other people's work,
they must learn how to properly acknowledge the source of that work. In
recent months, some distinguished writers and historians have been in the
news for their failure to do so, and their actions have greatly tarnished,
if not ruined, their reputations.
Plagiarism at New Hope Homeschool will result in academic discipline. If it is a first
offense, the work must be resubmitted and the grade received, be no higher
than a 65. If it is a second offense, the normal consequence is a suspension.
(Sometimes we adjust these punishments to fit a given situation.) So please,
be careful, and with your parents' and your teachers' guidance, avoid plagiarism.
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter
2:9 (NKJV)
Important Reminders for all
students:
-
When completing Multiple Choice or Fill in the
Blank assignments, PLEASE DO NOT hit enter until you have finished! If you
do, the computer reads all your remaining answers as incorrect!
-
For Free Responses, you can revise or change
your response as many times as you wish until your teacher has graded it.
This assignment cannot be reset!
"I
am always thinking of the Lord; and because He is so near, I never need to
stumble or to fall. Heart, body, and soul are filled with joy." Psalm
16:8-9, TLB.
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