Weekly Message

Pink and red hearts dot the landscape of this week around ICA and, indeed, probably every store and many public places you happen to visit.  I’ve been thinking about hearts in regard to our students at ICA. As the principal I often get to interact with students when their actions are less than expected.  Usually, I will have a conversation with the student and often, subsequently, their parents with the goal of changing the student’s future behavior. 
Like cupid, my aim is always the heart.  Often there is something out of order in the heart that has led to the undesirable behavior.  Punishment can lead to behavior modification, but only when I take the time to find the source of the behavior and speak truth with a healthy dose of love, and yes, sometimes consequences,  is heart change possible.  Behavior modification never lasts.  It’s like trying to hold a beach ball under water; it will re-surface.  Heart change is long-lasting because the motivation for the behavior is exposed and corrected.  Of course there are many impediments to exposing the motivation, but it is always my hope and goal.
Solomon, the “wisest man who ever lived” wrote us to:
“Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.”  Proverbs 4:23
Many times, sin is a result of failure to guard our own hearts.  Many times our children’s sin is a result of our failure to guard their hearts.   We are their guardians.  It is our responsibility to guard their hearts. 
Certainly, there are many things from which we can’t protect their hearts, but there is a boatload of heart dangers from which we can protect them.
The heart-destroyer that is particularly on my mind this week, as I’ve been having discussions with both teachers and parents on the topic, is misuse of technology.  If your student has unfettered access to technology, you are expecting them to guard their own heart, a job for which they are not yet qualified. 
Technology offers a covering for unhealthy conversations, viewing of pornography, video “games” and other damaging images in addition to all manner of other dark content that is shaping the lives and hearts of students whose parents allow it.  There are dangers in surfing the web, texting, video games, Instagram, Snapchat (especially Snapchat) and of course Facebook (though most of the younger generation has largely abandoned FB to their parents).
Many parents are not aware, or if they are aware don’t know what to do to shine a light on the things students may be doing in secret.  In many cases, our kids make us dizzy with their understanding of the cyber-world. 
I would like to help you out! 

• First of all – engage in the conversation.  Talk about internet dangers zones with your student.  Ask them what they’ve seen or heard that’s inappropriate.  Let them know that you want to help them guard their heart by being involved in their use of technology.  Do it with lots of love and grace. 
• Set boundaries – there are an endless number of protections you can put on devices.  Find out what they are and provide accountability for your student.
• Educate yourself – we are planning to have Chris Peabody , an Island County detective/deputy  who is also extremely knowledgeable on the topic of internet safety, come to ICA to give an evening presentation for parents and older students in the next month or so (date TBA).  Please plan to attend.  He has so much knowledge and wisdom on this topic.  I know you’ll find this helpful.  Invite anyone who will come!

You love your children so much that you are sacrificing financially to send them to a school like ICA.   I know you are parents who care!  So when you give your child their valentine full of candy this week, be reminded of your role as the guardian of their heart. 
The details for this week are in the attached PDF.  Hope you’ll take a look!
Happy heart week!
Brenda