New School Year Begins!
A new school year has begun at Bear Valley and we have a new class of freshmen. On August 8, 12 new students and their families started their two-year journey here at Bear Valley. Their classes this quarter are: Acts 1, Homiletics 1, Research Strategies, Matthew, and English Composition. They will also have one short course (one week of intense instruction) on Personal Evangelism.
I am once again teaching English Composition this year, but I decided that I would completely overhaul the course after last year. I wasn’t really satisfied with the first effort so I decided to go in a different direction this year. Instead of focusing on making sure students could tell the difference between an adjective and an adverb (admittedly a pet peeve of mine), I wanted the course to focus on writing, this year. I guess you could say that after majoring in English last year, we’re majoring in Composition this time around.
I am also teaching on Monday nights in the wives’ program. This is my first time to teach the wives and I am loving it. I’m teaching The Godhead this quarter. I joked with the ladies that I prefer to teach them over their husbands because it doesn’t cost me as much in red ink pens when I grade their papers.
My new job as Dean of Academics has kept me busy this Summer in working with Denny Petrillo on getting the class schedules ready, as well as, reviewing all the syllabi for the courses of the entire program to make sure they met with the expectations and requirements of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. I appreciate so much the cooperation of the faculty here at Bear Valley in making my job and my transition into it, easier.
This past weekend most of our staff, both from Denver and our extension staff from around the country, met in the foothills above Denver for our annual staff retreat. As usual, it was an exciting and uplifting time, hearing reports on all our extensions schools, which now number 23!
Once again, I am so thankful to all of you who support us both financially and prayerfully. It is such a blessing to be involved in a work like this. Almost every day I consciously think this thought: I am so glad just to be able to be associated with the men and women of this place and to have just a small part in this work. I hope you know that you have a part in it, as well. Last night, it was announced that in just one of our extension schools, since 2011, there have been 1,400 baptisms by the students and faculty. You just cannot help but be excited to a part of something like that. Thank you all so much for being a part!!
God bless,
Donnie Bate