Dayspring Beacon

Updated May 11, 2026

Upcoming Events

This week’s Cycle Days for US:
Monday – Day 1
Tuesday – Day 2
Wednesday – Day 3
Thursday – Day 4
Friday – Day 5

Upcoming Events:
5/12/2026 – Spirit Wear Day
5/14/2026 – Kindergarten Readiness Check
5/15, 5/18/2026 – Junior Apprenticeship Shadowing Days
5/15/2026 – Lower School Field Day (afternoon)
5/16/2026 – Student Government Car Wash
5/19 – 5/21/2026 – 9th-11th Grade Finals
5/21/2026 – Last Day of Preschool; Preschool Graduation, 9:30 a.m.
5/22/2026 – Upper School SFE Blessing Day
5/25/2026 – Memorial Day (No School)
5/26 – 5/28/2026 – Shakespeare Study Days
5/27/2026 – Recognition Assemblies (morning)
5/27/2026 – Kindergarten Graduation, 1 p.m.
5/28/2026 – Evening Awards, invitation only
5/29/2026 – Shakespeare Festival
5/29/2026 – Last Day of School (Full Day)
5/29/2026 – Commencement Rehearsal, 9:30-11 a.m.
5/29/2026 – Senior Dinner (ticketed event), 6 p.m.
5/30/2026 – Saturday Commencement, 10 a.m., DCA Auditorium

Upper School SFE Special Dress Days

Students in grades 6-11 who have qualified for the Serve for Education Special Dress Days may dress down on the following days: 5/13-5/21, 5/22 (all US students may dress down for the SFE blessing day on this day), 5/26, 5/28, and 5/29. Students should check the lists posted outside of the auditorium to be sure they have qualified for these special dress days. If they have questions, they may see Mrs. Johnson in the office.

Reminders:
1. All students must still wear their lanyards
2. Students who earned special dress days should adhere to the guidelines in the handbook.

Friday, May 22: All Upper School students will have a special dress day for the Serve for Education Special Blessing Day.
Wednesday, May 27: Please note that ALL students must be in uniform on Wednesday, May 27.
Friday, May 29: Students who did not qualify for Special Dress Days will need to follow the instructions given by their Shakespeare elective leader.

Lower School Field Day

We are looking forward to a fun and active Lower School Field Day on Friday, May 15! In the event of inclement weather, our rain date will be Monday, May 18.

Students are encouraged to come to school dressed in their Dayspring PE clothes, ready to participate in a variety of outdoor activities. Please also remember to send your child with a water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the day.

We’re excited for a wonderful time together filled with energy, teamwork, and school spirit!

Important Note Regarding Parking: If you are a parent planning to attend Field Day, please do not park in the church parking lot across the street, as those spaces may be used only during pickup and dropoff. Instead, please park in the top lot of the school, in the diagonal spaces in the circle, or along the curb on the street or in the traffic circle (provided your car is moved prior to dismissal). If all parking spaces are claimed, parents may also park at Sloane’s Pharmacy.

Student Government Car Wash

Student Government’s annual Car Wash Fundraiser is happening this Saturday, May 16, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. here at the school! Please spread the word! Since many seniors will be away during this time, Student Government is asking members of the student body to help serve during the event. If you are interested in helping and have transportation arranged, please email or speak to Favor Johnsons or Jaylani Jimenez. We would greatly appreciate your support and participation!

Has Your Child Outgrown Their Uniforms??

Send in your child’s outgrown uniforms between now and May 22, then shop the Used Uniform Boutique during the week of May 26. You’ll find lots of great bargains, because everything is free! Questions? Contact Karol Hasting by email at khasting@dayspringchristian.com or by phone at 717-285-2000, x206.

"Pilgrim" Recording Now Available

Recordings of the 2026 drama production, “Pilgrim: Her Story” are now available to purchase. Families of Dayspring students who performed in the spring musical are invited to purchase a digital copy of this year’s production by Sunday, May 10. Please fill out the form at this link, and your digital copy will be emailed to you after May 11.

Would You Like to Serve on the Patriots Celebration Team?

Every year, a dedicated team of volunteers works together to create the Patriots Celebration in the fall. We develop theme, content, and work on event logistics. It is a great way to collaborate and bring to life a Principle Approach education at Dayspring. Would you like to join our team? We meet once a month beginning in May through October. If you would like more information or would like to join us, please email Mickey Forry at mforry@dayspringchristian.com or call her at ext. 205.

Patriots Celebration, Remember America Videos

Did you know DCA has a YouTube Channel? On Dayspring’s page, you can view videos (featuring several familiar faces and voices) made for the Remember America Speaker Series and Patriots Celebration. Here are links for this school year’s videos if you missed them or would like to watch them again.

2026 RASS: One Nation Under God
2026 RASS: Dayspring Students Read the Declaration of Independence
2025 Patriots Celebration: The Dawn of America – A Great Awakening That Kindled a Nation

New Program: Rooted and Ready for Kindergarten

Dayspring Foundations: Rooted and Ready for Kindergarten is a 4-week, faith-based summer enrichment program for children ages 4–5 years old entering kindergarten in the fall. Rooted in the mission and educational philosophy of Dayspring Christian Academy, this program emphasizes academic preparedness, Christ-centered character development, and social-emotional growth. Our goal is to provide a nurturing transition from preschool to kindergarten while reinforcing Biblical truth, classroom routines, and foundational learning skills.

Rooted and Ready will be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings from 9-11:30 AM from June 22 to July 17. It is for children entering kindergarten. Children do not need to be enrolled at Dayspring Christian Academy. Registration can be found here.

Athletics News

The Dayspring Track & Field teams performed well at the East Coast Christian School T&F Championships this past weekend at Bangor Memorial Park. The Middle School Girls team placed 3rd overall. Congratulations to the following for their performances: Asa Howell and Lucy Huxta – 5th place in the 1600m; Ari Knutsen – 5th place in the Long Jump; Jayleena McNeil, Hannah Engle, Lailan Appleby, and Ari Knutsen – 4th place in the 4×100; Calvin Rose, Emery Christman, Asa Howell, and Moses Michener – 4th place in the 4×200; Jayleena McNeil, Ari Knutsen, Alaira Oslowski, and Lucy Huxta – 3rd place in the 4×200; Matthew Morgan – 3rd place in the High Jump and Triple Jump; Lucy Huxta – 3rd place in the 800m; Judah Appleby, Ryan Moore, Gabe Stoltzfus, Noah Huxta – 2nd place in the 4×400; Ryan Moore – 2nd place in the 800m; Lucy Huxta – 2nd place in the High Jump; and Noah Huxta – 1st place in the 800m with a new personal, school, and meet record of 1:57.92.

Congratulations to the following four members of the Varsity T&F team for qualifying to compete in the PIAA District III T&F Championships this weekend at Shippensburg University: Jed Cooper, Noah Huxta, Ryan Moore, and Mariah Myers. All other T&F student athletes should turn in their clean and labeled uniform this week.

Upcoming Track & Field schedule:
5/15-16 – PIAA District III Championships @ Shippensburg University

School Lunches

May Lunches:

Important Note: School lunches are offered as a fundraiser for students’ senior field study to Israel or other locations like Turkiye or Greece. Chicken nugget lunches have completed for the year, and other lunches are wrapping up in the next couple of weeks. Be sure to pack a lunch once hot lunches are no longer available. Also, if your student owes lunch money, please pay any remaining lunch balances this week.

Please note that if students have field studies over lunch periods, they must pack a lunch if a buying option is not available at their destination.

Remaining Lunches:
Monday – Pizza: 5/18 (last day for pizza)
Tuesday – Walking Tacos: 5/12 (last day for tacos)
Wednesday – No hot lunches available
Thursday – Meatball Subs: 5/14 (last day for meatball subs)
Friday – Hot Dogs: 5/15, 5/22 (last day for hot dogs)

2026-27 Preliminary Calendar

Here is the 2026-27 Preliminary Calendar. Please note that dates are subject to change. There are currently changes to the following 2027 events (families of rising seniors received an email from Mr. Stone about end-of-year graduation activities): several overnight field studies, achievement tests, Shakespeare week, graduation rehearsal, evening awards, senior dinner, commencement, last day of school.
2026-2027 Preliminary Calendar Parent Version

Guidance Office

For more information on the following topics, please click the “Read More” button.
– LCCTC Summer Camps for 9th-, 10th, and 11th-graders
– Messiah College Camps
– Christian Connector Christian Colleges Scholarship Drawing
– Counseling Opportunities
– Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program
– Transcript Requests
– General Questions

LCCTC Summer Camps – NEW! Lancaster County Career and Technology Center has announced some summer camp opportunities for incoming 9th-, 10th-, and 11th-graders. Both camps are designed to provide students with early exposure to career pathways, help them build new skills, and engage in interactive, project-based learning experiences. Both camps run from June 8th -11th.

Manufacturing Camp – Mount Joy Campus: Students will explore hands-on activities in modern manufacturing, including exposure to tools, equipment, and processes used in today’s advanced manufacturing careers.

Visual Communications Camp – Brownstown Campus: Students will have the opportunity to develop their creativity through various visual art mediums while learning from experienced instructors in a studio-based environment.

If interested, please use the following link to register: Camp Registration Link

Messiah College Camps – Want to learn more about Psychology? Filmmaking? Writing or Cyber Security? Messiah University is offering both day and overnight camps this summer. See Mrs. Gainer for more information.

Christian Connector – Click on this link to connect with hundreds of Christian colleges and complete the form to receive information from them and enter the $5,000 Christian college scholarship drawing. The Christian Connector, as well as those schools that you request information from, will receive your information so they can respond and meet your information request. Students must be at least 13 years old to complete our forms.

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).

Another counseling opportunity available is with Sit With Me Mental Health Coaching Services with Emily Hilton. At Sit With Me Mental Health Coaching Services, our mission is to walk alongside individuals in every stage of life by offering authentic support, active listening, and purposeful guidance-helping each person thrive in alignment with who God has created them to be. One-on-one mental health coaching focused on emotional support and spiritual guidance; personalized goal setting; deep, judgment-free listening; accountability and encouragement; and growth rooted in faith and personal values are offered in a non-clinical, coaching-based model focused on growth, not diagnosis, for males ages 4-14 and females ages 4 and up. To learn more, email sitwithmecoaching@gmail.com.

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.

DCA Recurrent References

Some of the recurrent Beacon items will now be located under this section. Click on the “Read More” button to see details about the following:
– Inclement Weather Procedures
-DCA Home Technology Guide
-Parent Technology Resource: ScreenStrong
-2025-26 School Calendar (Date changes made for senior thesis defense, finals; dates added for 10th grade field study to D.C.)
-DCA Referral Program
-DCA Amazon Wish List
-DCA Family Business Directory

Inclement Weather Procedures: When a weather situation occurs, the school administration will make a dismissal decision as quickly and efficiently as possible based on weather conditions/forecasts and the public school transportation situation. When a decision has been made it will be placed on the Dayspring website on the home page as well as on the local television and Christian radio stations (WGAL, WDAC, and WJTL). You will also receive a message through our parent alert system (see instructions above).

Lunches on a Two-Hour Delay: When we have a two-hour delay, no hot lunches are served. Students must bring a packed lunch.

Information for public school bus riders: If your child rides a bus from another district and that district has a delay that is different than that of Dayspring, simply follow the delay of your transportation provider. If your child rides a bus from a district that closes school when Dayspring remains open, or has a delay when Dayspring opens at the normal time, you should try to have your children here if it is safe to do so. If you do not have transportation, the absence will be excused, however, we do ask that you call or email the office to inform them of that decision so that the attendance can be marked appropriately.

In the case of an unexpected early dismissal (such as weather), all students who normally ride a bus home will be put on the bus unless we hear from the parent with a change in transportation. If after school activities (such as sports, musical practice, etc.) are cancelled, those bus students will also be put on the bus. This will apply even if your district is dismissing early and Dayspring remains in session. Please make sure that you have signed up to receive notifications from your home district so that you are notified should they be having an early dismissal.

After School Programs During Weather Conditions: After School Program: Please note that if Dayspring has an early dismissal, the After School program will be canceled. Also, should it be snowing at a normal dismissal time, it may also require us to cancel the After School program, depending on conditions. If we find that necessary, we would send an alert out several hours in advance.

DCA 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

Parent Technology Resource: ScreenStrong empowers families to prevent and reverse childhood screen addiction with parent-proven solutions grounded in child development science and medical research. If you are looking for resources to navigate through our digitally saturated environment, visit the ScreenStrong website at https://screenstrong.org/.

2025-26 School Calendar: Please note that we will announce any date changes to the calendar here: 2025-2026 Parent Version.docx

DCA 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.

DCA Amazon Wish List: Are you looking for a way to bless your child’s teacher and classroom this Thanksgiving season? Visit Dayspring’s Amazon Wish List to see items our teachers have requested to enhance their classrooms—you may find the perfect way to share a special blessing! Dayspring Christian Academy’s Wish List

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Dillon at sdillon@dayspringchristian.com or 717-285-2000 ext. 211. Thank you in advance for your generous support of our teachers and their classrooms!

DCA Family Business Directory: We are pleased to provide a directory of businesses that are owned by Dayspring families and employees. If you are in need of goods and services, we sincerely hope that you will consult the directory as needed: https://www.dayspringchristian.com/family-business-directory/

Summer Trip Opportunity

Dayspring Christian Academy teacher Angela Adams is offering a trip to the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., on Friday, July 31.

An Executive Coach bus will depart from the Mountville Brethren in Christ Church parking lot at 7:30 a.m. and will return by 9 p.m. Guests are asked to park in the Dayspring Christian Academy upper lot. Meals will be on your own. A list of nearby restaurants will be available. There is also a cafe and a restaurant located in the museum.

Price: Adult- $80.00; Youth – $77.00

Guests will receive a Museum Highlights Tour, a one-hour guided tour of permanent galleries, as well as entrance into the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit.

There are extra activities for an additional fee: ($9.99-$14.99)
Washington Revelations: Simulated flight through D.C.’s biblical landmarks
All Creation Sings: 25-minute immersive worship experience

Seats may be reserved on Dayspring’s website at https://www.dayspringchristian.com/product/museum-of-the-bible-bus-trip/

Summer Camp Opportunities at Dayspring

Creative Arts Camp
Mrs. Bonnie Lucas will once again offer this very popular camp. Creative Art Camp is a mixture of fine art skills and crafting as campers experience a variety of art media and techniques. Projects are more in-depth than in school art class. The atmosphere is relaxed, positive, and fun. Camp dates are either July 13-17 and July 20-24. All camps will run from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. A minimum of 5 participants will be required to hold the camp and will be considered at capacity at 15. If you are considering one of these dates, please do not hesitate, as they have filled up quickly in past years. If a camp does not have the minimum of 5 participants by June 15, we will cancel that particular week. This camp is open to students entering grades 1-8 and cost $185 per student. To register, please click here. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Lucas at blblucas320@gmail.com.

Got Uke? Summer Ukulele Camp
Mrs. Sally Armstrong will hold the ever popular Ukulele camp June 22-26, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. This camp is for beginner and intermediate ukulele players entering grades 1-8. Campers will build and decorate their own ukuleles to keep and will learn the basics of playing. A camp shirt, snacks, games, and a culminating concert with “Phredd” from WJTL are all part of this exciting camp! Repeat campers are welcome! The cost for this camp is $250 per student with a sibling discount available. To register and for more information, please click here.

Piano Express Camp
Sopranojam Music Studio will offer Piano Express Camp June 29- July 3, 2026. Students will learn 20 songs or more in 1 week and finish a beginner level in only 5 days, making serious progress in a short amount of time! Piano Express Camp is the perfect “test drive” for new students and a great summer intensive for students who already play! Learn more at sopranojamstudio.com.

CPYU Parent Resource

The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU) has been working for over three decades to increase the ability of parents and churches to nurture children and teens by providing relevant and timely information, analysis, and theologically sound resources on today’s rapidly changing youth culture. To view the May parent resource, click here.

Community/Church Events

Yard Sale & Chicken BBQ: New Danville Bible Methodist Church, located on 4 Kay Drive, Lancaster, is having a yard sale and BBQ fundraiser for missions on Friday, June 12, and Saturday, June 13. Tickets for the BBQ are $15 and include a pulled pork BBQ sandwich with bread, chips, drink, and dessert. You can stop by on Saturday and walk in, or you can get a ticket from either Dr. Hilton. The BBQ is only available on Saturday. The yard sale will go from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Hope to see you there.

New Danville Bible Methodist Church Vacation Bible School: There will be a VBS held at New Danville Bible Methodist Church, 2 Kay Drive, Lancaster, PA, from Monday, June 15, through Friday, June 19, from 6-8pm each evening. The theme will be, David: A Man After God’s Own Heart”. For information you can contact Emily Hilton at ehilton61@gmail.com or 717-847-3223.

May Bible Memory

Stand Firm Therefore, Ephesians 6:14-17
Grades K-12, Verses 14-17
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Bold. Distinctive. Biblical.