We still have room for twenty-five more attendees at the Teachers Conference to be held October 16-18, 2009. If you or someone you know is interested in attending we encourage you to register soon. Online registration is available via our website on the Teachers Conference page. A downloadable registration form is also linked on the page. You can mail payment for the $25 registration fee or pay online. Our on-campus lodging is nearly full, but we have several spaces left for men. We have also finalized the session titles and list them on the detailed schedule on the Teachers Conference page.

Mennonite School Services, a ministry of Faith Builders Resource Group, invites teachers to a weekend conference on October 16-18, 2009. Melvin Lehman will present four keynote addresses on the theme “Preparing 21st-Century Students.” The weekend also includes workshop sessions, focused times of small-group interaction, and recreation.

More information is available on the Teachers Conference page. Online registration is available via our website. A downloadable registration form is also linked on the page. You can mail payment for the $25 registration fee or pay online.

We hope to see you this October!

[podcast]http://www.fbep.org/audio/climbing-mt-everest-the-future-of-mennonite-education.mp3[/podcast]

In this lecture Steven Brubaker identifies four intermediate camps on the path for Mennonite schools to become “much more.” This presentation is part one in a series of six lectures in the album “Building Effective Schools: A Vision for Mennonite Schools,” available from Christian Learning Resource. This particular lecture was delivered October 21, 2006, at a weekend event for teachers. Steven Brubaker is an instructor at Faith Builders Training Institute, a ministry of Faith Builders Educational Programs in Guys Mills, Pennsylvania. The text of this lecture is also available as a PDF document at www.fbep.org.

These podcasts are provided free of charge. If you appreciate this service, please consider supporting it by donating to Faith Builders. Thank you!

On Friday-Sunday, October 10-12, 2008, Faith Builders is offering a weekend of relaxation, refreshment, and interaction with other teachers.  We invite school administrators and committed teachers to this weekend of connecting and networking.  We plan to offer times of focused interaction for administrators who attend.  This retreat provides an opportunity for teachers and administrators to refresh their vision, renew their energy, and develop relationships with other teachers.

Location: This retreat will be held at the Castle, an old stone mansion built at the turn of the century by a wealthy oilman and US senator, in Franklin, PA. Set in the mountains overlooking the Allegheny River, the Castle is an unforgettable setting for reflection and renewal.

• Staff: The weekend will be hosted by the staff of Faith Builders Christian School and Mennonite School Services: Gerald Miller, Amos Stoltzfus, Javan Bender, Sharon Yoder, Esther Bean, Anna Zehr, Vivian Mast, Steven Brubaker, and Matthew Mast.
• Purpose: To provide a context for renewal of energy and vision as teachers.
• Highlights: Relaxed interaction, group discussions, short presentations, brainstorming sessions, delightful meals, recreation, and more.

The retreat will cost $199 per person attending the event ($149 for spouses), including two nights’ stay, meals, and other retreat expenses.  Teachers with more experience will receive higher priority.  The retreat is limited to 45 teachers (not including spouses).  You may download the application below.  Please mail your application to Faith Builders, ATTN: Teacher Retreat, PO Box 127, Guys Mills, PA 16327, or fax to 814-789-3396.

We have also enabled online registration for this event!

The FB newsletter is on its way to the printer!  Some of the items included in Issue 85 are as follows:

• “The New Conservatives” by Melvin B. Lehman
• Teacher Retreat
• Technology Colloquy
• Winter Term Info
• Western Man Study Tour

Those on the FB mailing list will receive their copy in a few weeks.  You can read the online version here (PDF, 613 KB).

Faith Builders is offering a weekend of relaxation, refreshment, and networking with other teachers October 12-14. We are inviting teachers who have taught 5 years or more to a weekend of connecting with other long-term teachers. 

• Location: Laurelville Mennonite Center in Mount Pleasant, PA, southeast of Pittsburgh.
• Staff: The weekend will be hosted by the faculty, staff, and administration of Faith Builders Christian School – Gerald Miller, Sharon Yoder, Anna Zehr, Vivian Mast, Melvin Lehman, Esther Bean, Amos Stoltzfus, Javan Bender, Steven Brubaker, John Coblentz, Matthew Mast
• Purpose: To provide a context for renewal of energy and vision as teachers.
• Included: Relaxed interaction, group discussions, short presentations, brainstorming sessions, delightful meals, recreation, more.

The retreat will cost $199 per person attending the event ($149 for spouses), including two nights’ stay, meals, and other retreat expenses. Teachers with more experience will receive higher priority. The retreat is limited to 45 teachers (not including spouses). The application is now available here (DOC, 58 KB; PDF, 56 KB), or you may call the office for an application. You may mail or fax your application to the FB office. See contact information.

More information here.

The highest point on earth.  Mt. Everest.  To climb to that summit has captivated the hearts and plans and pocketbooks of hundreds of adventurers over the years.  One of these people is Jon Krakauer—journalist, outdoorsman, and climber.  When Outside magazine gave him the opportunity to join a group attempting to scale the mountain, he said he answered yes without pausing to catch his breath.

The rest of Steven Brubaker’s article “Climbing Mt. Everest: The Future of Mennonite Education” is available for download here (PDF, 93KB).

There is now more information on schedule and confirmed workshops on the October Teacher Workshops page.  If you are interested in attending that event, please register by calling our main office.

If you would like to read the latest newsletter (Fall 2006, Issue 81), you may download and view or print the PDF version here (PDF, 805 KB).  Inside this issue:

• “Western Civilization and the Kingdom of God” Part 2
• Teacher Workshops 2006
• Winter Term 2007
• Student Complex–Phase II

Our Winter Term brochure is also nearing completion.  Watch this blog for its release!

Our Teacher Workshops weekend is quickly approaching.  I have posted workshop titles & presenters at http://www.fbep.org/events/teacher_workshops.html and will continue to update as we have several workshops to confirm.  Plan now to attend this weekend for teachers on October 21-22, 2006!