Delay Switch Mechanism

A few weeks ago many of us dads gathered for Dad’s Boot Camp. I shared a rapid “workshop” that I usually give in a 2-hour slot. The workshop illustrates the 35 various things that are going during and after a parent or teacher disciplines a child/teen.

One of those “principles” I call the Delay Switch Mechanism. Here is a short article that illustrates the principle.

Have you ever seen the The Lion King? It is the story of a young cub going through life lessons and then eventually he becomes the Lion King. A few years ago Angie and I had the honor of seeing the musical on Broadway with the Class of 2007. It was great!!

One scene depicts a moment when the father (Lion King) must discipline his young lion, Simba. The young cub was told by his father to stay away from the elephant bones graveyard, but he disobeyed. Worse than that, he took his little lioness girlfriend to the forbidden area. His father does not delay in rebuking his reckless son, and he explained in full detail why it was wrong. There was no relativism. The action was wrong. The young lion cub had made a mistake. But does the father stop there?

No. The scene fades and some moments pass, and the father talks about lineage, generational responsibility and duty. And, then it gets quiet. The next scene brought tears to my eyes.

The father, treating sin as far away as the East is to the West, begins to wrestle playfully with his son. They tumble in a field, laugh, and enjoy a “man-young man” reconnection. That is what I call a well-crafted Delay Switch Mechanism. If you do it too soon after the rebuke, the child’s attention is not gained. Wait a little while, and be subtle.

We adults often find ourselves in the situation of confronting a young person. But we must let the sin and rebuke fade into the background. The rebuked child needs a reconnection; even if it is a pat on the back a few hours later. Getting overly verbal in the “reconnection” deadens the spirit of the action. The reconnection communicates to the child, 

“Our connection supersedes the disciplinary moment from earlier today. Maybe you were punished and that is beyond my thoughts now. I have NOT withdrawn my intimate love for you. Now, let’s move on together in this journey of life.”

• October 26th – Report Cards come home. Check your child’s backpack for your copy of the first term Report Cards. Please send your child’s teacher a quick email to let them know you received it.
• October 28th – 3rd Grade Parent Talk with the Head of Grammar School, Mrs. Howell. Join us in Squires Hall from 1:00 – 2:30pm.
• October 29th – 5th Grade Group Pictures, Individual Make-ups and Retakes. Check the 5th grade webpage for specific times for your child’s class. Purchase of Grammar School photos is by approval. In a few weeks we will send your class picture home with your student. Return payment if you would like to purchase it – return the picture if you do not want to purchase it. No order forms needed for the Grammar Class photos. Chapel Uniform for Pictures! (*See below for more information regarding pictures).
• October 30th – Kinder, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 6th Grade Group Pictures, Individual Make-ups and Retakes (check your child’s webpage for specific times for each class). Chapel Uniform for Pictures! Purchase of Grammar School photos is by approval. In a few weeks we will send your class picture home with your student. Return payment if you would like to purchase it – return the picture if you do not want to purchase it. No order forms needed for the Grammar Class photos. (*See below for more information regarding pictures).

*LIFETOUCH – helpful hints for Grammar School Parents

• Chapel Uniforms for 5th on Thursday the 29th and Kinder, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th on Friday the 30th.
• Time - Please avoid scheduling out of school appointments this morning as we want every student to be present for the Class Photo (check your webpage for specific times).
• Make-Ups-Please be sure if your student missed the original Individual Picture Day or any NEW students have their picture made at the Retake Camera or they will not have a photo in the Yearbook.
• Retakes-Student needs to bring the original Picture Package with them when they go to have the retake done and return it to the photographer. This is their "ticket" for a retake.

FYI, if you did NOT order photos at the September sitting but like the photo of your student’s Safe Card (Security ID card), you may call Lifetouch at the phone number on the card and place an order and avoid Retakes.

Second Annual Punt, Pass and Kick Competition
October 23rd - Mark your calendars for the Second Annual Punt, Pass and Kick competition to be held at halftime of the varsity football game. Winners from each event in grades 1-4 will be announced at halftime of the game and Finalists from each event in 5th and 6th grades will compete at halftime.
More details to follow. Questions? Email Coach Tucker at etucker@regents-austin.com.

• You should have received an email regarding Lifetouch information on group photos Thursday, October 29th.
• Lifetouch will be on campus the morning of Thursday October 29th taking Class Photos for 7th-12th Grade, and Retakes of Individual Photos. Please avoid scheduling out of school appointments this morning as we want every student to be present for the Class Photo.
• Make-Ups- Please be sure if your student missed the original Individual Picture Day or for any NEW students - have their picture made at the Retake Camera or they will not have a photo in the Yearbook.
• Retakes - Student needs to bring the original Picture Package on Thursday October 29th and return it to the photographer. This is their "ticket" for a retake.
• FYI, if you did NOT order photos at the September sitting but like the photo of your student’s Safe Card (Security ID card), you may call Lifetouch at the phone number on the card and place an order and avoid Retakes.
• Lastly, unlike the Individual Photos, Lifetouch can receive late payment for Group Photos. If you forget payment on Thursday October 29th, you have 3 days to get it to the School of Rhetoric or Logic Office that is Mrs. Vaughn or Mrs. Benigno NOT the School Receptionist.

The Optional 8th Grade Star Party
Saturday, October 24th from 9:00pm – midnight at the Bowen Ranch. For more information please contact Staci Holstine at saholstine@me.com.

Class Pictures
Class picture schedule was emailed home Wednesday. Please check your email for complete information. Your Class Photos picture form are Pre-purchase ONLY this year for $12. If you wish to purchase your student's class picture, return the order form your student is bringing home with payment Thursday morning, October 29th to Mrs. Vaughn’s office.

SOR Parent Discussion
Friday, October 16th from 8:15-9:15am in Squires Hall (main bldg) – We will have a Rhetoric Parent Discussion with Craig Doerksen. Come join us to talk about the challenges of parenting teenagers. This week our topic will be 'Car Keys, Curfews, and the question of Trust -- parenting kids as they're eyeing the door.' Hope you will come to share your questions, insights and conversation.

Winter Sports Parent Meeting
Parents of 9th-12th Soccer and Parents of 6th-12th Basketball:
Tuesday, October 27th in the main gym - 6:30-7:30pm. Please plan to attend this important parent meeting. The meeting will cover topics such as:

• Tryout and playing time philosophy
• AIPL league information
• Gym usage for practices and games
• Athletic Handbook overview
• How to champion your son/daughter into a successful season

Speech Team
Congratulations to the SOR Speech students for their excellent showing at the Celtic Invitational Speech Tournament on October 17th. Regan Opel and Justin Lambert placed 1st in Duet Improvisation, Justin placed 2nd in Original Oratory and 6th in Impromptu Speaking, and Regan placed 4th in Original Oratory and 5th in Oral Interpretation of Prose. Well done, Regan and Justin!

College Conversation with Karen Taylor
Rarely do I note our students' outstanding activities because they all do such a variety of extra-curriculars. However, one student's summer job must be commended here. Ross McBee, class of 2010 and National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist, had a rare opportunity to work for the Navy in a paid internship this summer and has just been notified that his work will be published. Ross was hired by the Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific: SPAWAR PAC. His team worked on Micro Arial Vehicles, MAVs, a valuable emerging disruptive technology for the war fighter and first responders. Because it is most efficient to test such technologies on computers as opposed to field testing, Ross came up with an alternative to field testing procedures using free and/or open source software. Ross took a free open source simulator called “Flight Gear,” redesigned a camera model and built a system to export screen captures and corresponding in-game telemetry and combine the two using a data embedding protocol.

Ross will help present the paper at the Conference of the American Society of Computer Engineers in Hawaii, March 2010.

On Community Service: I am often asked, "How much community service is enough?" There is no single answer. Community service is an important part of the holistic application. Colleges will ask, "Did this student contribute meaningfully to a cause bigger than herself?" Student service needs to come from the heart and be sacrificial, i.e. some students serve homeless breakfasts at 4:30am! RSA has many ministerium opportunities. Parents are asked to support these events, but students are responsible for signing up or initiating their own ideas. Please contact Mrs. Pittman to see how you can support our ministerium projects apittman@regents-austin.com. Parent support is always welcome and needed.

Reminder: The UT Austin application NEW deadline is December 15, 2009.

An outstanding documentary on the student perspective of college applications, as shown at the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) National Conference in Baltimore: In 500 Words or Less: A Documentary About the Other Side of Admissions.

Football Game of the Century
Friday, October 23rd, 7:00pm kickoff. If you are in need of a fun family night with your kids, then come to this home game. We face the perennial power and district foe, Waco Reicher Cougars.

We won the state title in 2006. In 2007, they defeated us in the state semi-finals and then won the state title. Last year in 2008, Reicher defeated us in the state championship game. By God’s grace, Reicher and Regents have been the two teams to beat over the last several years and the rivalry has become intense and fun. Tomorrow night, they come to Regents. It will be one of, if not the, biggest games ever played here at Regents. The atmosphere will be fun and exciting and you’ll get to watch some high quality football.

Friday Game Parking
Because Friday night's game is the biggest football game of the season,  we are anticipating that parking will be a challenge.  Waco-Reicher is expected to have a large number of fans in attendance, and of course Regents families will be there in force.  Please consider carpooling with another family if possible.  The west field will be open for parking – please park snugly with the other cars – in the neighborhood of 3 feet.  Also, please observe the areas designated “No Parking” as we want to be considerate of our neighbors.  Thank you and Go Knights!

Lady Knights Take District Title
Congratulations to the Lady Knights volleyball team! They successfully completed their District season with a 14-0 record. They begin their play-off quest this Saturday, October 24th  in the Regents gym. Please come out and support the Lady Knights to be a contender in the Elite Eight teams for 3A TAPPS volleyball. STATE shirts go on sale next Friday, October 30th during lunch.

Congratulations to Lady Knights
1st Team All-District-Emily Welch (MVP), Joanie Benigno, Morgan Dunn, Caroline Walters; 2nd Team All-District- Sarah Knop and Meredith Nagel; Honorable Mention-Avery Osborn and Kendal Terreson.

Open House for K-12
November 5th at 7:00pm in the gym is our annual K-12 Open House for Prospective Families. Regents families are our best resource for new students. Let us know if you have friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, or fellow church members that you would like to introduce to Regents. We will personally mail them an invitation. Email their contact information to sfaulk@regents-austin.com. If you would like to have an invitation to personally hand to someone, let Sara Faulk know that as well and she’ll send home some invitations with your student. Please partner with us in prayer for like-minded families.

Poinsettias! Help the Junior Class
The junior class has been working hard selling beautiful florist quality poinsettia plants to raise money to pay for their Senior Prom as well as give a portion to the Big Heart Orphanage in Reynosa, Mexico. Plants can be ordered (and the junior of your choice credited) by completing an order form available at both the receptionist desk in the Academic building and Mrs. Vaughn’s desk in the Rhetoric building; or ordering online with a credit card at www.regentsschool.com/greenery.

The cost is $14.00 per poinsettia. Orders and checks can be returned to the student or placed in the poinsettia order boxes located at the reception desks in the Academic building and the Rhetoric building. Company and church orders are of tremendous help—and individual juniors can still be credited. To place corporate orders or to have your questions answered; call Susan McFarland, Junior Class Fundraising Chair, at 288-6471. The poinsettias will be delivered on Monday after Thanksgiving, November 30th, in perfect time for the holiday decorating and gift-giving season.

RSNC – Go Green Christmas
Go Green this Christmas for the Science and Nature Center. It's easier than ever to buy your Christmas greenery on line at www.regentsschool.com/greenery or in person for local pick up (on 11/30) or long distance delivery. What a great gift... the smell of Christmas! Good for business giving too. Since no trees were cut down to make these products, you can go green in more than one way. Contact Carolyn Leach, 423-8151 or Judy Grigsby, 750-7130 with any questions. Sale ends November 13th.

A Regents Thanksgiving
Thursday evening, November 19th
A Regents Thanksgiving is about families helping families in need. We hope everyone has received their invitation for this upcoming event and will join us as we preserve the Regents vision of community at this gala event. Remember, the Gala date is quickly approaching so please register online as soon as possible at http://www.regentsschool.com/gala09. Also, we’re still accepting donations, so please be creative and offer up any item or service that would be a fun addition to our auction. For example, we have a Cooking Class highlighting Middle Eastern Cuisine, Pizza for a year from a local Regents favorite Pizzeria, or for the Longhorn fan in the family, a signed football by Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley!

Bids for the adorable “Yorkie” puppy began on Monday. Please prayerfully consider if this precious puppy would be a great addition to your family. Parents may bid during afternoon pickup and throughout each day at the front desk. This pre-auction prize will be awarded to the highest bidder during half time at this Friday’s home game. Go Knights!

Volunteer Receptionists Needed
We need more volunteers at the Grammar School reception desk. The receptionist answers the phone, checks students in and out and signs in all visitors. The shifts are from 8-11:30am and 11:30-3:00pm. This is a fun job and great way to meet new families. If you have some time, we would love to show you how it works. Please contact Lori Duncan at loretta59@yahoo.com.

6th-8th Grade Basketball Tryouts
6th -8th grade boys and girls will have basketball tryouts the week of November 9th. 6th grade boys and girls will be Monday, November 9th and Wednesday, November 11th from 6:00-7:30 pm. 7th/8th boys and girls will be Tuesday, November 10th (4:00-6:00 pm) and Thursday, November 12th (6:15-7:45 am). If you miss tryouts you will be placed on the bottom team with the opportunity to work your way up. If you have any questions contact Matt Jasinski or Stacie Steel.

Moms Prayer
Join us for Mom’s Prayer every Monday at 8:00am in Squire’s Hall. The attribute for October 26th is Honesty and Integrity and the verse is 1 Chronicles 29:17.

Dads Prayer
Friday, November 6th - 8:05am; meets the first and third Friday of every month in the Library. All dads welcome.