Kirk Day School

Cultural Idols - Identity

In this week’s podcast, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey begin a mini series on cultural idols ingrained in our culture. This conversation is based off of a talk given by Michael Keller, a pastor in New York City at Redeemer Lincoln Square where he shares about five cultural idols (identity, freedom, happiness, power and history) and how they interact with our identity as Christians.

Today, the focus is "identity" and the concept that, "you have to be true to yourself.” They give some examples from culture where you can see this and discuss potential side effects of this mentality on our mental and emotional health. Finally, they talk about our identity as Christians and the biblical framework for understanding who we are in Christ. 

"Placed for a Purpose" - Interview with Chris and Elizabeth McKinney

In today's world, most of us don’t know our neighbors. And even if we do know them, we may not know how to talk to them about our faith or grow in our relationship with them.

In this week's podcast, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey have a conversation with Chris and Elizabeth McKinney, Co-Authors of a new book titled, "Placed for a Purpose," and staff members at The Crossing Church in Columbia, MO. The McKinney's talk about their mission and work to provide Christians with the proper framework to be good neighbors who "live missionally where God has placed them."

Visit https://www.placedforapurpose.com/ for more information.

Purchase Book Here: https://www.amazon.com/Placed-Purpose-Sustainable-Next-Door-Neighbors/dp/0578736489/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=placed+for+a+purpose+mckinney&qid=1601251651&sprefix=placed+&sr=8-2

 

The October Blues

It's that time of year again. The days are getting colder. Your favorite pumpkin flavored foods are back in stores... And you’re discovering that your kids seem less motivated and more agitated. Yes, along with all the lovely parts of fall, another not-so-lovely phenomenon might hit your kids: The October Blues.

In this podcast, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey talk about the October Blues — a few weeks during the month where you might notice a change in your child’s mood or behavior. They share some reasons for this change as well as some added complexities this year due to the pandemic. To conclude, they offer a few suggestions to manage the October Blues and enjoy the blessings of fall. 

Becoming a Lifelong Learner Part II - Interview with Steve Spencer

This week, we continue our mini series on equipping students to be lifelong followers of Christ by interviewing missionary, Steve Spencer. Steve and his wife, Mary, have spent 30 years on the mission field in Africa and call St. Louis home when they are on furlough from the mission field. All eight of their children have attended Kirk Day School. During the podcast, Steve shares his experience and passion for sharing the Gospel through higher education and stories about the impact of Christian education around the world. 

 

Becoming a Lifelong Learner Part I - Interview with Jody Kouzes

This week on the podcast, KDS Librarian Jody Kouzes joins Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey. She shares her perspective on the importance of reading, what she loves most about reading and tips to help your students become more avid readers. In addition, she talks about the process of curating the library and selecting books that fulfill the mission and vision of KDS. She also shares some of her own favorite books for children and adults.

 

 

 

Book Review: The Emotionally Healthy Church

Over the summer, the entire KDS faculty read "The Emotionally Healthy Church" by Peter Scazzero, which focuses on 6 key principles of emotionally healthy ministries. Scazzero implores us to recognize and process the emotions we experience in life and explore how those emotions impact our ability to lead. On this week’s podcast, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey share some of their insights from reading the book and discuss how it influences their work at KDS. 

COVID-19 Update

The Kirk Day School community has successfully made it through the first three weeks of the school year with zero positive COVID-19 cases. In this week's podcast, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey look back at the past few weeks and share more about some health and safety protocols at KDS. Later, they discuss new statistics that are informing the KDS Administration's decisions and a few predictions they have for this school year.

  

Back To School

On our first podcast since coming back from summer break, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey give parents an update regarding the start of the new school year. They talk about what is going well and the areas where they see room for growth in the midst of so many changes due to COVID-19. In addition, they share some helpful ideas and objectives to keep in mind as we continue on throughout this year. 

 

On Distance Learning with KDS Faculty

In this week's podcast, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey interview three KDS teachers (Mrs. Engel, Mrs. Bowman, and Mrs. McCracken) to chat with them about various aspects of distance learning. Each of these educators share a different viewpoint on the joy, sadness, and uniqueness that this shift in learning has brought to our educational paradigm. 

How To Have "The Talk"

First, a disclaimer. This episode has mature content. We recommend parents listen to the podcast before deciding if they want to share it with their kids. Our intention in having a conversation about sex and sexuality is to help equip parents to have this conversation with their kids. 

Possibly the most challenging conversation to have with your child is on topic of sex and sexuality. It is a loaded conversation. It can make us feel uncomfortable. We know the importance of teaching and shepherding our kids in their view of sex and sexuality but can struggle with what to say and when to say it.

This is a re-release of a podcast we recorded last year with Mollie Pfuetze where she shares some tips on how to have “the talk” with your kids. She challenges parents to broaden their scope of the conversation past “the birds and the bees” to include a healthy view of their body. She shares about tangible ways parents can model of their kids healthy relationships between the opposite sex. Most importantly, she discusses ways to normalize and celebrate the way God created sex and sexuality.

Helpful Resources:

Books -
God's Design for Sex Series, 4 Books, By: Stan and Brenna Jones

God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies, By Justin and Lindsey A. Holcomb

I Said No! A Kid-to-kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private, By Kimberly King and Zack King

 Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today's Young Kids, By Kristen A. Jenson M.A. and Dr. Gail A. Poyner

Generation Z Unfiltered by Tim Elmore

The Period Book, by Karen Gravelle and Jennifer Gravelle

The Talk: 7 Lessons to Introduce Your Child to Biblical Sexuality, By Luke Gilkerson 

 The Ultimate Guys' Body Book: Not-So-Stupid Questions About Your Body, By Walt Larimore MD

 The Ultimate Girls' Body Book: Not-So-Silly Questions About Your Body, By Walt Larimore MD, MD Amaryllis Sanchez Wohlever

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