MPCS Head of School

RENEWED AS WE REUNITE

July 23, 2021

Dear MPCS Family:

I trust you are all having a wonderful, restful, and enjoyable summer. Team Wiens traveled to Montana this summer and enjoyed time in Glacier National Park Big Sky and Yellowstone National Park. We hiked, white-water rafted, and even went on a hot air balloon ride. We also got to see black bears, Grizzlies, elk, wolves, eagles, and a host of other wild animals. Sadly, I did not see a moose, which was a goal for me on this trip. All in all, we had such a good time together as a family viewing the amazing creation of our great God.

My prayer for you all this summer is that you will have used your time away from the hustle and bustle of the school year to grow closer as families and to continue developing the sustaining relationships with Christ that is second to no other relationship. As we head into the school year, we plan to renew our focus on that sustaining relationship with Jesus and challenge all members of the MPCS community to seek God first, above all other things in life.

We are hoping and praying that we can begin the school year as close to “normal” (though we are not exactly sure that that means in the year 2021) as possible. We continue to wait on the Georgia Department of Public Health to provide us with our guidelines for the coming school year. As we do receive these guidelines, we will share them with you so that you will be well prepared in advance of opening day. Please carefully read below about health safety and sanitization planned for this year.

Coming via your mailbox this month is the new issue of Wingspan magazine! Be sure to read about the COVID-year that was and how we stayed true to our core value of being "Learning-Focused."

On a different note, I know many of you have noticed the incredible progress being made on the new Murray Innovation Center addition to the high school. We are on track to open this building at the start of the second semester this year, which will be incredibly exciting! Likewise, when you return in August, the Murray Arts Center will have had a visual arts wing renovation completed on the ground floor, and Dozier Hall will have had many upgrades, including new carpet throughout, fresh paint, multiple new rooms, a new counseling office suite, and new offices built for our faculty and staff to utilize. Read more about that progress below. With so much taking place on campus this summer, you'll want to read more details in the Construction Corner.

Now, as we head into the final few weeks of summer break, please enjoy, be safe, and take advantage of this time to fully rejuvenate before the school year begins. Then, on August 9, please join us for the Back-2-School Bash that will have us worshiping together and enjoying music from the Mumford Family, eating great food from food trucks, and simply enjoying the fact that we can all be back together on campus again — relishing the relationships that we have established over many years together.

I cannot wait to see you all in a few weeks. Enjoy the end of summer, and see you at the "Bash"!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Timothy P. Wiens, Ed.D.

Health Safety and Sanitization

Heading into the school year, MPCS will not mandate COVID-19 vaccinations. However, understand that guidelines may require certain steps for those who are not vaccinated and who come in close contact with another person who has contracted COVID-19. For those who have been vaccinated, it appears there will be no contact tracing or time away from campus, even if coming in contact with someone infected with the virus.

Currently, we do not foresee mandating mask-wearing, though we respect everyone’s decision to wear – or not wear – a mask. Our position on this issue is that it is not a political statement one way or another, but rather a health choice that is made after considering the benefits and the drawbacks of whatever choice is made. We will also ask that you respect whatever decision others within (and outside of) our community make, as they only want what is best for their families and themselves.

As it pertains to COVID-19 sanitization, we will keep each of our successful protections in place. We will mitigate risks by continuing to require frequent handwashing and supplying hand sanitizing stations throughout campus. MPCS operations will also continue with daily and quarterly classroom sanitization protocols. This involves wiping of surfaces, daily fogging in each learning space, upgrading and cleaning filters, and air purification in buildings through our fully-installed Synexis system.

We will physically-distance when it is possible, though this is difficult with our growing population of students and staff. However, we plan to bring our community back on campus, to hold indoor and outdoor activities as we have in the past, and to worship together joyfully and frequently. We plan to re-establish the community feel that makes Mount Paran, Mount Paran. We plan to gather, love, and rejoice in the fact that we have been created for relationships and celebrate this ideal as often as possible.

THANK YOU for taking a few minutes to visit the Mount Paran Christian School website. MPCS is a special place, as I am sure you will see throughout the pages of this site. Founded in 1976, Mount Paran Christian School serves families from the greater Atlanta area, seeking to develop servant-leaders who will honor God, love others, and walk in Truth.

As you will learn, MPCS stands out in several ways:

We are distinctly Christian and pleased to partner with families and churches in the development of the minds and hearts of students.
Our students are spectacular! They are scholars. They are athletes. They are artists. Driven to succeed inside and outside of the classroom, our graduates have become college professors, Major League Baseball players, and Broadway performers. They are also committed fathers, mothers, and Christians. They are influencing countless sectors throughout the world.
Our faculty are the heart of all we do. They are committed intellectuals, researchers, and practitioners. Above all, they love students, their subject matter, and God and are committed to the success of every student.
Our programs – academic, athletic, and artistic – prepare students to flourish and to excel in college and the workplace, for a lifetime of impact for all of eternity.
Our campus and facilities are unparalleled. MPCS is home to world-class academic, arts, and athletic facilities.

I encourage you to come for a visit, arrange a tour, and witness all the exciting things happening on campus and within the lives of our students. We look forward to serving you and toward the possibility of you joining the MPCS family!

WingTips is an MPCS blog presented by Dr. Tim Wiens. Read "Why Independent School," as well as other Christian educational thought-leadership in recent articles, guest student posts, and blog series.

“It is the role of the Christian school to join with the family, church, and community and to provide young people with a superior education, preparing the total person—mind, body, and spirit—for life and service in a diverse and changing world.”

- Dr. Timothy P. Wiens, Head of School

From the Head of School

RENEWED AS WE REUNITE

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