Mondays with Mike: Campus Wonders

Hi PCA families, I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful July weather. I certainly am and it’s great to be back in some of the rhythms of the seacoast and I’ve been out on campus a lot.

Today, I want to focus on the beauty and amazing impact that our campus grounds have to shape our community, your kids, our families, our learning, our growth, and just some of the things that I’ve seen. I’ve been on campus a lot over the last few days. I’ll tell you more about it in a little bit and just some things that are changing for this coming year that I’m looking forward to.

But first, let me give you a highlight of what I saw just a few minutes ago. I was out on campus, going through the wood line and I heard peals of joy and laughter. It was Nick Watson and the summer camp staff with many of the Eagle Camp kids, playing water games, and having a great time. It’s just so good to see all these kids out somewhere laying on their towels, just soaking up the sun under some of the crabapple trees. Others are playing different types of relay and competition games, but just the joy of being outside in God’s creation. Amanda Dobson and Nick Watson, particularly in the summer camp, Eagle Camp staff have done a marvelous job on campus, off campus, but especially in the woods and at the waterfront with Seven Rivers paddling. It’s so cool to see these adventurous kids, your kids, swimming, paddleboarding, and kayaking in the Bellamy River right off the PCA dock. Just amazing.

I also saw Mrs. Indra Edmonds, one of our fifth-grade teachers, working on cultivating oysters along the Bellamy River. This project, led by Jessi Graustein, the head of our science department, aims to cultivate the habitat in the salt marshes that line the Bellamy River. Indra and other teachers are researching what it takes to help cultivate oysters and plan to integrate your kids into learning about this. This is amazing, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity.

Some of my recent treks on campus–the colored pins represent the new land nav course (I was out checking the lanes today); the waterfront is obvious; yes, the grave marker is there for a reason, too (although not on the school property). The pink line represents much of the new cross country course.

A few weeks ago in June, I had the privilege of taking out our four-wheeler with our cross-country coaches, Keith Teeter and Justin Malone. They’ve charted out a new cross-country course that maximizes access and views of the Bellamy River. They’ve cut new paths and utilized new woodland property. This new course will be great for our runners and guests, offering beautiful spots around campus. Josh Gronblom, our facilities manager, has worked with an arborist to take down some of the trees that are dying along the way to keep paths safe.

Jessi Graustein and her students will be monitoring the invasive bittersweet vine to preserve our woodland. Integrating God’s creation into our campus and learning is really cool. On the practical side, with the new land, we’ve created more overflow parking and repainted some line stripes to make peak arrival and dismissal times more manageable.

Derek Summers has been utilizing the campus for voluntary practices for volleyball, soccer, and basketball, with a special interest in middle school sports. We’ve carved out a new practice space for soccer teams, which will be ready for the fall season.

I’ve been out on campus, walking, running, praying, and soaking in the beauty of God’s creation. I recently put in a six-point basic orienteering course, introducing students to basic land navigation skills. Our campus is large and diverse enough for these adventures, and it’s great to see our kids already out there exploring and playing.

It’s been a busy summer on campus, with beautiful gardens thanks to volunteers and Josh’s team. I hope you’re enjoying your summer, whether staying put, traveling, or connecting with family. I look forward to seeing you back on campus in a little over five weeks. God bless you, and I will talk to you next week here with Mondays with Mike. Take care.