Dayspring Beacon

Updated October 28, 2025

Upcoming Events

Below is a list of upcoming events. Scroll down for further details. Details will be added as we get closer to the date of the event.

Upcoming Events:

10/27/2025 – PHEAA Financial Aid Webinar (6:00-7:30 p.m.)
10/27-31/2025 – 9th Grade Boston Plymouth Trip
10/30/2025 – Spirit Wear Day
10/31/2025 – Flex Friday
11/06/2025 – Parent-Teacher Conferences (3:30-6:00)
11/07/2025 – No School: Parent-Teacher Conferences (10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.)
11/11/2025 – NHS Special Dress Day
11/13/2025 – Picture Re-takes (1:00 p.m.)
11/13/2025 – Winter Sports Parents Meeting 6:30 p.m.
11/14/2025 – Upper School Fall Party (tentative – details to come)
11/20/2025 – Thanksgiving Exposed Prep and Dress Rehearsal
11/21/2025 – No School: Thanksgiving Exposed Event
11/24/2025 – Health Screenings
11/25/2025 – Pilgrim Day (No School for Preschool; Pre-K and Kindergartens come to school)
11/26-11/28/2025 – Thanksgiving Break

New Director of Advancement

Dayspring is delighted to announce the appointment of Sarah Dillon as Director of Advancement! She brings a wealth of experience from her work in nonprofit development, along with a great love for Dayspring that began when her daughter started kindergarten in 2022. Sarah is wife to Drew and mom to Emma Kate (7) and Eli (2).

Most recently, Sarah served as campaign manager at Lancaster Bible College, where she was involved in fundraising, strategic planning, donor cultivation, and gift acquisition. At LBC, she has also served as adjunct professor, associate dean for Student Engagement and Retention, and assistant director of athletics, giving her insight into institutional growth and community engagement. She also has experience in coordinating special events with Schreiber Pediatric Rehab Center.

Sarah holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication and Public Relations from Millersville University and a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Messiah College.

Since joining our team, Sarah has focused on keeping DCA’s capital campaign moving forward and has been highly engaged with our donor community. Sarah shared her excitement for this new chapter: “The enthusiasm and commitment to Dayspring’s vision among our community of support is outstanding. It is a true privilege to walk alongside everyone who has helped make the vision of a permanent home for Dayspring a reality.”

She also emphasized the transformative nature of the campaign’s next phase, stating, “Our new campus will match the level of excellence with which our faculty and staff have invested in our students for 39 years. We have an incredible opportunity in this next phase of our campaign to not only complete this project but position Dayspring for long-term financial strength.”

Future Campus Update

Those who attended last week’s Patriots Celebration heard an update from Mr. Stone about the new campus. “I want to frame the next steps by using the terms ‘Horizontal’ and ‘Vertical.’ Horizontal construction is all the site work that needs to be done: primarily grading the soil, removing any rock, paving the driveways and parking lots, installing fencing, and laying all the underground utility lines. Vertical construction is the actual construction of the building.”

It was announced on Friday that the School Board has voted to begin the horizontal construction of this campus. Our excavator, DH Funk & Sons, will begin this work in the next few weeks!

“We are deeply grateful to share that our capital campaign has already raised nearly $21 million. This is more than enough to complete all horizontal construction. In order to begin vertical construction next year without delay, we have another financial milestone ahead. Securing an additional $2 million in pledges before the end of this calendar year will allow us to move seamlessly from horizontal to vertical construction and allow the completion of all our academic spaces without any project delay.

“We ask that you join us in prayer: that we would continue to rely fully on God for every detail and every remaining need, confident that His hand is upon this project and all who are part of it.

Secondly, if you have questions or feel led to explore how you might partner with us in this next phase, we would love to connect with you. We look forward to continuing to update you as the months roll on.”

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, November 6, and Friday, November 7. Below you will find the link to sign up for times that best fit your schedule. You are strongly encouraged to sign up as soon as possible as the sooner you sign up, the more choices will be available to you. Please note that this sign-up will close at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 31.

A few important notes:
– These conferences are required for all families.
– There is a tab for each teacher (if a teacher is not listed, you are welcome to reach out to them via email).
– Parents with lower school children should simply choose that child’s teacher.
– Parents of upper school students should look at their child’s schedule and choose the teacher you prefer to meet with.
– Parents of upper school students may choose more than one teacher but need to sign up for at least one.
– Parents of upper school students should be sure you are signing up for a teacher that sees your student for an academic class. Please do not sign up for their homeroom teacher unless your student has them for an actual class.
– Please carefully read the instructions on the first tab.

Parent Teacher Conferences – Fall 2025

AP Exams, Dual Enrollment Deadlines

The Advanced Placement® (AP) signup and payment deadline for the May exam(s) is October 30. Dayspring’s AP courses include 2D Art & Design, Calculus AB and BC. The Cairn dual enrollment college credit signups and payment deadline is December 15. Dayspring’s dual enrollment courses include these honors sections: Chemistry, General Biology, English Language and Composition, British Literature, Psychology, U.S. History, Introduction to Statistics, Calculus AB and BC. For more information, check this link. Those with questions may contact Mrs. Donna Hurley at dhurley@dayspringchristian.com.

NHS Special Dress Day

National Honor Society is having a special dress day as a fundraiser on Tuesday, November 11! Students and staff may pay $5 to support the NHS and have a dress down day while doing it! The money should be put in an envelope with the student’s name and grade and placed in a bin in the office. The money is due by 8 a.m. on Thursday, November 6. Please abide by DCA’s dress code guidelines.

Upper School Fall Party

The Student Government’s Annual Fall Party will be held at Jonathan and Carmen Stone’s house, 4553 New Holland Road, Mohnton, on Friday, November 14, from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

Come out for an evening full of team games, horseback riding, line dancing, a movie, home-cooked food, and tons of fun! You’ll also have the chance to earn dress-down days and class spirit points throughout the night.

All food will be provided by those who sign up via Sign-Up Genius, where students can reserve their meal ticket and a seat on the bus. If students have any questions, please contact Favor Johnsons.

Bus Transportation:
There will be two buses, one for high school and one for middle school. The buses will depart from Dayspring at 4:30 p.m. Students have two options:
1. Change at school after school and wait in the auditorium until departure.
2. Go home, get ready for the event, and return by 4:20 to 4:25PM.
If you choose to wait at school, you may leave your belongings in the auditorium. After the event, buses will depart from the Stones’ at 8:30 p.m. and arrive back at school around 9 p.m. Students who left belongings in the auditorium can retrieve them at that time.

Student Government decided to host the party and bus departure earlier this year to make it more convenient for parents and students, hoping this will encourage even more students to join the fun!

Help For Food:
This year, Student Government wants the Fall Party to feel warm, cozy, and welcoming, so we’re skipping the pizza and inviting Dayspring upper school parents to help provide home-cooked dishes! We’re expecting around 80 students and Sign-Up Genius slots are designed for approximately 20 servings each. Parents may drop off food at school a before the event (to be stored in the fridge) or bring it directly to the Stones’ house on the day of the party. See the Sign-Up Genius here.

Your support is a huge blessing to Student Government and all the students attending. For any questions, please contact President Favor Johnsons at John7915@dayspringchristian.com.

Health Screenings

The annual health screenings with Hempfield School District nurses will be held on Monday, November 24, for all students. All students will be screened in vision. If your child wears glasses, he or she should make sure to bring them to school that day. Certain classes will also receive a hearing test and scoliosis screening (6th grade – scoliosis; 7th – hearing and scoliosis; and 11th – hearing). If you prefer not to have your child screened, you must send an email to the school nurse (kdistler@dayspringchristian.com) stating your wishes no later than Friday, November 7. Please be specific and state whether you are opting out of all screenings or only specific ones. Mrs. Distler will be handling the height and weight screening without the Hempfield nurses, and she will begin those the week of November 10th.

Thanksgiving Exposed

Registration is now open for Thanksgiving Exposed: The True Story of the Pilgrims, which will take place on Friday, November 21, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Dayspring. New Dayspring families should note that this event is not to be confused with Pilgrim Day, a fun day that lower school students spend celebrating the pilgrims.

Thanksgiving Exposed is an outreach to the community and DCA families that is designed to tell the true Pilgrim story based upon the original manuscript recorded by William Bradford, governor of the Plymouth settlement, written by Mary Stauffer and former principal Keith Felizzi. A huge volunteer team of over 80 teachers, parents, students, and even alumni bring this story to life, and the school gets completely transformed! The last two years have sold out and had a waitlist, so registrants are encouraged to sign up only for the number of spots they will use. Guests will select a specific time slot for a living history walk-through tour that will take about one hour. Throughout the evening, about 400 people traverse the school following the journey of the pilgrims, and the event culminates with refreshments in the hospitality room, where guests are encouraged to socialize and ask more questions about the pilgrims of our resident pilgrim experts.

Vote on November 4

We encourage all DCA parents to research the candidates for the upcoming election and make plans to vote on Tuesday, November 4. Here is a link with information provided by the PA Family Institute: https://www.pafamilyvoter.com/

Athletics News

The Varsity Girls Volleyball team finished their season last Tuesday with a competitive match in the PIAA District III First Round at York Catholic.
Congratulations to the Varsity Boys Cross Country team for a great race at the PIAA District III Championship on Saturday. Noah Huxta, Ryan Moore, and Ethan Irwin all set personal records. Noah’s third-place finish and Ryan’s seventh place finish also qualified them to compete in the PIAA State Championship at Hershey this Saturday at 11:45. In honor of their accomplishment, this Thursday will be a Spirit Day for all Dayspring students. Upper School students may wear their regular school uniform or Dayspring apparel. Dayspring apparel for Upper School students can be purchased from the Athletic Office for $20 cash or check while supplies last. Lower School students may wear their regular school uniform, Dayspring apparel, or red, white, and blue clothing. Dayspring physical education shirts can be purchased from the Athletic Office for $13 cash or check. Any student who chooses to wear something other than these approved options will forfeit participating in all future Spirit and Dress Down Days.

We are still looking for a Middle School Boys Basketball coach. The season runs from 11/17-2/6 (with two weeks off for Christmas break). Practices are from 3:30-5:30 four days a week (no Wednesdays). Games are played at 4:00 and 5:00. If you or someone you would recommend is interested, please contact Daryn Vinson at dvinson@dayspringchristian.com.

Open gyms for Middle School, JV, and Varsity Basketball teams continue this week. Check schedules for details. Open lanes for any 7th-12 grader interested in bowling continue this Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30-5:00 at Leisure Lanes. Cost is $8 per day. Open mats for boys in 9th-12th grade interested in wrestling continue Monday through Thursday from 4:30-6:00 at McCaskey High School.

All fall uniforms, with the exception of Varsity Boys Cross Country, should have been returned to the Athletic Office by the end of last week. Any student interested in participating in a winter sport (Varsity Coed Swimming and Diving (cooperative), Varsity Coed Bowling (cooperative), Varsity Boys Wrestling (cooperative), Varsity Girls Basketball, Varsity Boys Basketball, JV Boys Basketball, Middle School Girls Basketball, Middle School Boys Basketball, Lower School Basketball, Lower School Cheer) should email Mr. Vinson immediately. Make sure you sign up on SportsYou using the codes below to receive schedule updates and communications:
Varsity Swimming – HA93-DSNX
Varsity Bowling – PHPW-8LKD
Varsity Wrestling – YMKY-YYBV
Varsity Girls Basketball – 5U57-H2SR
Varsity Boys Basketball – 8RXM-XDXD
JV Boys Basketball – AMQN-DSJH
Middle School Girls Basketball – FH9L-43YS
Middle School Boys Basketball – MVT3-Y4UP
Lower School Basketball – 3D5M-4DVR
Lower School Cheer – 4S7D-LFD6

This week’s schedule:
11/1 – Varsity Boys Cross Country PIAA Championship – 11:45 a.m. – @ Hershey

All Dayspring Middle School, JV, and Varsity schedules can be found on Dayspring’s website under Athletics. These are best viewed on a computer as opposed to a phone. Lower School schedules can be found on the SportsYou calendar. You can also access Hudl from Dayspring’s website to watch game film and highlight videos.

RALS Videos Available Online

Thank you to everyone who attended our Remember America Lecture Series, The True Christian History of America’s Independence! If you missed a week or weren’t able to attend at all, check out the recordings of all four sessions at http://DayspringChristian.com/event-galleries/!

Spirit Week Themes Announced

Who will win the spirit stick this year? The reigning champs are our current sophomores. Spirit Week will run from January 5-9, and this year there are more points up for grabs than ever before! To aid you with planning your winning strategy, the special dress days are listed below:

Monday: Color Day
-12th + K: Purple
-11th + 1st: Blue
– 10th + 2nd: White
– 9th + 3rd: Black
– 8th + 4th: Green
– 7th + 5th: Pink
– 6th: Red

Tuesday: Seasons Day
– Don’t think just Fall, Winter, Spring, + Summer. Consider thinking outside the box like Hunting Season, Baseball Season, or Allergy Season, among many more!

Wednesday:

Upper School = Cuisine Day
– This is your favorite food dish
Lower School = Wacky Wednesday

Thursday: Character Day

Friday: Spirit Day

Dayspring Yearbooks

An exciting change is coming this year for the DCA yearbook. We will be working directly with our yearbook publishing company, Jostens, to handle all orders, which will simplify the process. All families will receive a flyer with a QR code that leads to the ordering link to reserve your child’s yearbook or you can use this link. The QR code is also displayed on signage in the lobby of the school.

Please note: The cost of the yearbook will now follow a staggered price system. This means if you buy early, you get the lowest price, $50. The price will increase two times as the year progresses, ending at $60. This allows for better planning regarding order numbers and also lessens the stress of last-minute orders in the spring.

The Jostens website will give you all the information you need, providing updates on sales and specials, as well as offering free payment plans for purchases of $30 or more. Please be sure to check the Beacon for yearbook sales updates. The current sale offers yearbooks at the lowest price of the year – $50 – plus any student that adds the name stamp/imprint option to their book for $10 gets up to four free icons on that book. This offer ends on Friday, Sept. 12. If you have any questions about yearbook updates, please email Casey Vinson at cvinson@dayspringchristian.com.

School Lunches

Remaining lunches available for October:
Tuesday – Walking Tacos: 10/21, 10/28
Wednesday – Chicken Nuggets: 10/22, 10/29
Thursday – Meatball Subs: 10/23, 10/30
Friday – Hot Dogs: 10/24, 10/31

Referral Program

As we seek to continue to grow our enrollment and increase the number of students who receive a Principle Approach education, we are asking you as parents for help. Word of mouth is still the best way for people to learn about Dayspring, and you can be our biggest advocates. To that end, Dayspring brought back its Referral Program.

If you refer a family to Dayspring for first through twelfth grade, you will receive $1,000 off your family’s tuition when they successfully enroll at least one full-time student. For successful kindergarten enrollment referrals, you will receive $500 off your family’s tuition. Let’s spread the word about how special our school is and get as many students into our seats as possible.

Use this form to submit a referral.

2025-2026 School Year Calendar

Below you will find a link to the 2025-2026 school calendar. Please note that there could still be changes. When changes are made, we will post the change in the Beacon as well as make the change to the calendar.

2025-26 School Calendar

Guidance Office

For more information on the following topics, please click the “Read More” button.
-Lancaster Bible College Open House
-Counseling Opportunities
-Last chance! PHEAA Financial Aid Meeting
– Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program
– Transcript Requests
– General Questions

Lancaster Bible College Open House – LBC invites Dayspring Christian Academy students to Experience Different with Lancaster Bible College firsthand at one of their Fall 2025 Open Houses on Friday, Nov. 21. These events are a great way for students to explore campus life, meet faculty, learn about programs, and discover how LBC can prepare them for a purposeful future. Students are welcome to attend independently. They can register for the Nov. 21 event here.

Counseling Opportunities – As stated during our Back to School Night parent meeting, Dayspring is pleased to be able to help with an arrangement for professional Christian counselors here at school. Mrs. Dannel Wissler of Willow Oaks Counseling and Mrs. Abby Foster with Lancaster Therapy Center have agreed to be a resource for DCA students. Our goal is to provide a space during the school day for upper school students to receive counseling. Parents will work directly with Mrs. Wissler and Mrs. Foster, and DCA will make every effort to facilitate the location and time. Mrs.Wissler will provide times of availability at Dayspring on Fridays. Mrs. Foster does online sessions only, but DCA will try to work with your child’s schedule to find a private room during the school day for sessions. For more information or to make arrangements, please contact Mrs. Gainer (Guidance Director) or Mr. Lewis (Spiritual Life Director).

Last Chance! Financial Aid Meeting – PHEAA financial aid representative Sonya Mann-McFarlane will be holding a webinar to assist families in planning for college on Monday, Oct. 27, from 6:00pm – 7:30 pm. PHEAA will present information on the financial aid application process, what types of aid are available for students, and strategies to start thinking about affordability before getting ready to apply for post secondary school admission. Time will be built into the presentation to allow you to ask any questions you may have regarding the financial aid process. Please use the link below first to register, then you will be sent an invitation to join the webinar.

PHEAA Financial Aid Seminar

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Gainer.

Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program – This program created by Senate Republicans as part of this year’s state budget – offers grants of up to $5,000 per year for in-state students who pursue a degree or certification for an in-demand occupation. The application period for grants is open now, with funding awarded on a first come, first served basis.

To qualify for the grant, applicants must agree to live and work in Pennsylvania in that occupation after graduation. Grant recipients will be required to live and work in Pennsylvania for 12 months for each year they receive the grant. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the grant converting to a loan requiring repayment.

Courses of study that qualify for the grant include agriculture, computer science, business, education, special education, STEM education, engineering, nursing, allied health, criminal justice and other programs as approved by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). Learn more or apply here.

Transcript Requests: If you need a transcript for any reason, please fill out a transcript request form online under the Guidance Tab. Requests will be sent out within 3 business days.

General Guidance Questions: If any student or parent has a question concerning AP (Advanced Placement) or DE (Dual Enrollment) classes, please direct those questions to Mrs. Hurley, Director of Curriculum, at dhurley@dayspringchristian.com. Any questions concerning transcripts, PSAT, SAT, or ACT, the college admission process, or other guidance related issues should come to Mrs. Gainer, Guidance Director, at kgainer@dayspringchristian.com.

Home Technology Guide

Attached is a technology guide which will answer many of your questions on how to set up your accounts for Google Classroom, FACTS Family Portal, and the SchoolPass App. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Adam Gregory at agregory@dayspringchristian.com.

DCA Home Technology Guide

Community Events

Hakuna Matata Mini-Camp (hosted by Sopranojam Music Studio in the DCA auditorium) – Saturday, November 15!

Creative and aspiring performers ages 6-10 LOVE a fun Saturday morning at Mini-Camp! They will learn a song, dance, act and make a craft with a final performance for parents at the end! This month’s theme will be based on songs from “The Lion King” and “Mufasa”!

Mini-camps are the best way for DCA children and kids from the community to get an introduction to the performing arts without the pressure of auditions and a long-term commitment!

Check out the whole season and register at sopranojamstudio.com/minicamp.

Singing or Piano Classes at Sopranojam Music Studio!

If you were overwhelmed with back to school and now you have a little more space to consider, we’d love to invite you to check out piano and singing lessons! The following small group classes have openings:

Piano Express – Starts Nov. 3
Mondays 4:00, 4:30, 5:00, 6:00

Sing with Friends – Starts Nov. 6
Thursdays 3:00 (ages 10 and up)
Thursdays 5:15 (ages 6-8- one spot left!)

Teen Voice – Starts Nov. 12
Thursdays 12:30 (guys only!)- if you’re interested in the musical, this would be a great investment before auditions and casting!
Wednesdays 3:15 (girls only)- if you’re interested in the musical, this would be a great investment before auditions and casting!

October Bible Memory

So Then Just As You Received Christ Jesus, Colossians 2:6-10
Grades K-5 Verses 6-7
Grades 6-9 Verses 6-8
Grades 10-12 Verses 6-10

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

Bold. Distinctive. Biblical.