McAlder Blog

The beginning of a new school year always brings a special kind of excitement: the fresh notebooks and sharpened pencils, the chatter filling classrooms, the laughter on the playground, and the joy of welcoming our students and families back into our school community. But even more than that, it is a time for us to pause and remember the calling God has placed on each of our lives.

Our district-wide spiritual theme this year is “Called for a Purpose.” As a staff, we spent time reflecting on what that means for us—not only as teachers, but also as Christ-followers walking in God’s purpose.

In preparation for this school year, our team asked two important questions together:

What seeds has God planted in me?

What kind of soil do I want to cultivate this year?

These questions helped us look beyond lesson plans and classroom decorations, reminding us that God is the true gardener of our lives. His Word tells us in Ephesians 3:17 that we are to be “rooted and established in love.” Just as seeds need healthy soil to grow, we also want our classrooms to be places where love, grace, and encouragement are the foundation. Our prayer is that every child feels deeply known, valued, and celebrated as the image bearers of Christ.  

As a symbol of this reflection, each staff member planted a flower bulb and prayed over our students, our families, and the year ahead. Just as bulbs lie hidden for a time before bursting forth into life, we trust that God is at work in unseen ways, preparing each of us to grow in His timing. While we wait in anticipation for these bulbs to bloom into a beautiful garden of flowers in the spring, we also wait expectantly for the ways God will cause growth in our students and in our school community throughout the year.

I'm thrilled to partner with the McAlder staff, families, and community as your principal, and I can't wait to see all that God will do IN and THROUGH each of us this school year.  

For Christ and His Kingdom,  

Wendy Blocher, M.Ed.