Insights
Three Cs of Summer- Competency, Character and Connection
As the school year comes to an end, I hope that you and your family will take time to celebrate the excellent ways God has been at work in your child’s life. How has he grown in competency? How has she developed her character? What new connections have been made? In what ways has your child come to understand his or her place in God’s Grand Narrative?
If students remember only one thing from our discussions of God’s Excellent Story this year, I hope it is this: there is a story, a grand-redemptive story, and each of us has a role in it. We live between redemption and restoration, and we are called to lead others toward redemption while doing our part to restore what is broken.
Here are four essential questions we must each ask as we engage with the world:
What is good that I can promote, celebrate, and preserve?
What is missing that I can contribute?
What is evil that I can stop?
What is broken that I can restore?
Summer is a wonderful time to reflect on and wrestle with these questions in age-appropriate ways.
While summer brings a welcome break, it is not a time to waste. There are 81 days between the last final exam and the first day of school. That time will pass quickly, so I encourage you to continue intentional growth in the three Cs: competency, character, and connection.
Competency: Without practice, students may experience learning loss, particularly in math and reading. However, consistent engagement during the summer can prevent this, and even lead to growth. Math practice can increase retention, boost confidence, and reduce anxiety. Reading enhances vocabulary, cognitive development, empathy, and critical thinking. In addition to the summer packets provided by Logos Prep, many local programs are available to support summer learning.
Character: Competency without character can be dangerous. As C.S. Lewis wisely observed, “Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.” Take time this summer to nurture your child’s character. What virtues will help them walk upright in the coming season? Select one or two traits to focus on intentionally, and help your child grow in those areas.
Connection: Summer offers a unique opportunity to deepen relationships. Find moments to connect not only through activities, but through simple, meaningful time together. Make space for connection with family, with God, and with the beauty of creation. These are worthy goals for any summer.
However you spend these 81 days, spend them with intention. Summer is a gift, a chapter in God’s Excellent Story for you and your family.
It has been a joy and a privilege to partner with you this school year. We look forward to what lies ahead, and you remain in our thoughts, hearts, and prayers.
Happy Summer 2025!
Tammy McIlvoy
Head of School
Logos Preparatory Academy
Excellent Play
And the streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing.” Zechariah 8:5
Growing up, I would play outside until the street lights came on. I would ride my fancy yellow bike that had tassels on the handlebars through the neighborhood and cut through the park to go get a blue slurpee from Kmart. I had an awesome childhood. Often I think, how could I have done that at such a young age? I would never let my own children do that at that young of age, but it was a different time and it was a small town. Everyone knew everyone and the community looked out for each other. The streets were safe to play.
When I originally Googled the verse from Zechariah, I ran across a statement that the verse was about how there will be no cars in Heaven. First, I don’t recommend Googling to understand passages from the Bible. Second, the prophet Zechariah was creating a picture of a community that would be safe–safe for children to play in the streets, safe play without fear. The verse is not about cars in heaven, but the prophet is painting a vision of the future with safety, peace, and play.
This summer as your family makes plans, I hope you include time to play. As parents, we should create a space where kids feel safe to play. Children, even big high school students, learn by playing. For our children to play, we often need to protect their time and schedule for them to play. Don't have such a long to-do list that every minute is structured. This summer, build blanket forts, make mudpies, ride bikes, build lego towers, create messy art, giggle, and laugh. Play.
Leah Rabb
Elementary Education Principal
Logos Preparatory Academy
Excellent Play
We’re coming up on the 10th anniversary of one of the first times I realized just how special Logos Prep could be. At the end of the 2014-2015 school year, the Logos Prep baseball team (then competing in 3A!) had a magical run to the state title game.
However, as happens frequently with TAPPS, a scheduling issue arose. The state title game happened to be scheduled just a few hours before another big event: graduation.
A LOT of us made the trek to the field to cheer on the team and to ultimately be there to support them when the final score didn’t go our way. I won’t say they lost, because to paraphrase Michael Jordan, you don’t lose…you just run out of time. Another inning or two and Lubbock Christian would have been on the ropes, I have no doubt. But that wasn’t the amazing thing. Over the last decade we’ve won a lot of games, run out of time in a few more, and always had incredible support. No, the amazing thing was what followed.
Those boys showed up to graduation with heavy hearts, but you never would have known it. (I have a memory of them actually arriving and wearing their gowns over their baseball uniforms and silver medals, but I can’t find any photographic evidence.) They celebrated graduation, they lifted each other up, and they exemplified “excellent play” in an incredibly unique way.
See, excellent play cannot always be about winning. It must be about something more, something that transcends the scoreboard. Being a part of a community that cheers each other on, that celebrates “success” with a definition that goes beyond results, and that puts excellence as Christlikeness…that’s pretty amazing, a thing that sets us apart and therefore defines us as holy. I pray that as we head into summer you are all able to play hard and play well, whatever that may look like for your family. But more than that, I hope that play is excellent because Christ is glorified in every aspect of your lives!
Dr. Jason Henderson
Secondary Education Principal
Logos Preparatory Academy
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