The GRANDPARENTS’ ASSOCIATION
Newsletter 2026 - 2027
EDITION 1
a Message from our Head of school Heather Harrison Dear MCS Grandparents, It is with great joy and excitement that we welcome you to the very first edition of our MCS Grandparents Newsletter! This year marks the beginning of something special as we officially launch the MCS Grandparents’ Association. This was created out of a deep desire to strengthen the relationship between our school and the grandparents who love, support, and pray for MCS. One of the greatest gifts of our community is the generations of families who are connected to our mission. Many of you have a unique and special connection to MCS because you were once parents of students who walked these halls, and now you have the joy of watching your grandchildren experience the same Christ-centered education and community. This generational legacy is a beautiful reflection of the lasting impact of our mission and the relationships built here. We know that grandparents hold a special place in the lives of their grandchildren. We also know that many of you have a deep love for MCS and a desire to be part of the work God is doing here. This association is an opportunity to bring those connections together, creating more ways for grandparents to connect, engage, serve, celebrate, and continue investing in the mission of MCS. As part of this connection, we are excited to share that we will be sending out the Grandparents’ Association Newsletter twice each year. These updates will provide a glimpse into the incredible things happening across our campus, celebrate the work God is doing through our students and staff, and share opportunities for you to engage more deeply with the MCS community. Psalm 145:4 says, “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” This verse beautifully captures the heart behind this association. There is a powerful exchange that happens between generations. Grandparents sharing the stories of God’s faithfulness, wisdom, and works with their grandchildren, and grandchildren giving grandparents a front-row seat to see God’s work unfolding in their lives and at MCS.
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What better way to witness God’s mighty acts than by being part of the connected community where He is actively working? Through the Grandparents’ Association, we hope to create meaningful opportunities for you to experience and celebrate all that God is doing at MCS. This will include opportunities to volunteer in classrooms, participate in special events, and receive invitations to moments where you can celebrate the incredible things happening in the lives of students and across our campus. It is also an opportunity for those who desire to further invest in the mission of MCS through generosity and support. We are grateful for every way our grandparents choose to partner with us, because every investment helps strengthen our mission of building a firm foundation through Christ-centered education. Our first invitation is one of my favorites which is our annual All School Chapel on the Lawn on the first day of school! We would love for all grandparents to join us as we begin the 2026–27 school year together. This special morning is a beautiful opportunity to worship as a community, celebrate the beginning of a new year, and most importantly, pray over your grandchildren, our students, and the mission of MCS. Please bring your lawn chair and join us: Wednesday, September 2 8:45–9:30 a.m. All School Chapel on the Lawn There is no better way to begin the year than gathered together in prayer, worship, and community. Additional information about volunteer opportunities, special events, and ways to engage through the Grandparents’ Association will be shared in September. Be on the lookout and join us in excitement for all that is ahead! Thank you for your love for MCS, for your prayers, and for the ways you continue to invest in the lives of your grandchildren and in the mission God has entrusted to our school. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and look forward to building an even stronger connection with you in the years ahead. With gratitude, Heather Harrison Head of School
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a Message from our Grandparents Day founder Marilee Schneider Dear Grandparents, On behalf of Marines Christian School and myself, we are delighted to share the first newsletter of the inaugural Mariners Christian School (MCS) Grandparents’ Association, established this school year, 2026-2027! My name is Marilee Schneider, and I am the chairperson of the Grandparents Committee and the founder of MCS’ first Grandparents Day. Back in 1988, I thought it would be fun to have a Grandparents Day at MCS, and after consulting with a friend whose daughters went to another private school in the area where they had established a Grandparents Day years before, my committee and I launched this special day in the spring of 1989. Our oldest daughter, Allison, was part of this day as a first grader. Since MCS only had between 60-70 students that second year, the entire school sang a few songs together before a lunch was served for the audience. Then the students showed their VIPs around the school and their classrooms. Fast forward 37 years later and we are still celebrating Grandparents and Special Friends Day with a wonderful program and opportunities for students to show their beloved Grandparents and friends their classrooms. This year, we also shared that we would be gifting the school two new LED screens and projector located in the school’s worship center. Our goal was to raise $150,000 to reimburse the school for this purchase. The school bought these items and had them installed in good faith, hoping that we, the grandparents, would cover this amount. We want to be able to tell our MCS grandkids that it was the grandparents who purchased those. To date, we have raised $43,955, and there is still time to help us reach our goal. Please consider giving as generously as possible toward our gift. A big thank you to those who have already given!
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Grandparents Committee Big things are happening at Mariners Christian School this school year. This winter, MCS convened its new Grandparents Committee, chaired by Marilee Schneider. The heart and purpose of the Committee is to mobilize and engage MCS grandparents by identifying key opportunities for involvement throughout the school year. Thank you, Committee Members
Anne Storm
Sue Celek
Linda Lawler
Stephanie Bragg
Marilee Schneider
Holly Anderson
Special Moments Our Grandparents at our Veterans Day ceremony, Ladies Luncheon, and Grandparents Day events.
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Opportunities for engagement Save the Date 2026 - 2027 Events: 9/2/2026 - 1st Day of School Chapel; 8:45 am 11/11/2026 - Veterans Day Ceremony 3/12/2027 - Annual Gala 5/5/2027 - Ladies Luncheon 5/7/2027 - Grandparents Day
Opportunities to Serve Rooftop Gardening Support Club - We have a beautiful rooftop garden that students, teachers and parents use! If interested in light gardening throughout the year - this is for you! Classroom Support - Ongoing Art and STEM classes needing your support! Read Across America Day readers - Come and read a beloved story to our elementary students in their classrooms.
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generational wisdom - Creating a legacy Kenton Beshore MCS Founding Family and Current Grandparent Grandchildren won’t remember everything we say or do, but they will remember how we made them feel. I read a 2025 study that found: Grandparents are more likely than parents to enter into a grandchild’s world. The study discovered that grandchildren who spend more time with their grandparents showed higher levels of resilience than children who did not. Grandparents act as stress buffers. Grandparents are not as stressed, creating a greater sense of peace. Grandparents are not as judgmental. The study concluded that grandparents’ support gives grandchildren a greater sense of well-being. So… grandparents, we have the power to make a lasting difference. Giddy up!!
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Ann Storm MCS Alumni Parent, Grandparents Committee Member and Current Grandparent What will they say about me? How will I be remembered? What will my legacy be? These are often the questions that quietly surface as we sit at someone else’s funeral. In those sacred moments, we reflect not only on the life being honored, but also on our own. We wonder what will be said when our own voices are silent, and our presence is no more. Funerals have a way of confronting the truth we often try to avoid whether we realize it or not. We are already writing our eulogy every day. The world defines legacy by accomplishments, possessions, influence and success yet everyone of those things fades with time. A life surrendered to Christ however, leaves an eternal imprint. The encouraging news is that you do not have to be famous to leave a remarkable legacy. You just have to be faithful. Who has seen Christ in you! Who has been impacted by your marriage because it reflects Christ love? Who has watched you walk through suffering with unwavering trust in God? Who has been strengthened because they witnessed your faithfulness in the ordinary moments of life? Imagine arriving in heaven and hearing someone say “I am here because you showed me Jesus” “I am here because your generosity supported ministries that introduced me to Christ.” “I am here because I watched your life and through your example I came to know the savior.” What greater legacy could there be? One day everything we own will belong to someone else, titles will be forgotten, accomplishments will fade, but every life touched by the love of Christ will bear fruit for eternity. So ask yourself what will remain after I’m gone? Will my life have pointed others to Christ or simply pointed to myself? Every choice you make, every investment of your time and resources, every conversation, every act of kindness and every step of obedience is shaping the legacy you will leave behind. Start today! Start living in such a way that when your story is told, people remember not how great you were but how great our Savior is. That is a legacy.
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Jan Circle MCS Alumni Parent and Current Grandparent As a grandparent, there is no greater joy than witnessing the outpouring of love from the teachers at MCS. Jesus is not just talked about in the classroom, but on the playground, in sports, music, weekly chapel… He is woven through every part of their day! “Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly.” Proverbs 17:6 Grandparenting is a unique opportunity to influence the next generation in faith, love, and character. Through the years, we have witnessed God’s hand in growing MCS through the different campaigns that have taken place. It is always a joy and a privilege to be a part of these growth opportunities that enhance the MCS experience, not only for our grandkids but for many years to come! We need to keep paving the road as grandparents as MCS continues to pour into our grandkids and grow their love for Jesus and for one another.
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a Message from our Director of Advancement Dear Grandparents,
J’Amy Viers
It is a joy to introduce myself. My name is J’Amy Viers, and I have the privilege of serving as the Director of Advancement at Mariners Christian School. I am grateful for the opportunity to begin getting to know you wonderful grandparents who faithfully love, encourage, pray for, and invest in both your grandchildren and our school. As you read Marilee's story, I hope you are reminded of the incredible legacy that has been built by generations of MCS families. For nearly four decades, Grandparents Day has celebrated the special role grandparents play in the lives of our students. Now, through the Grandparents’ Association, we have the opportunity to build on that legacy in new and meaningful ways. Our invitation to you is to be part of the Grandparents' Gift—a special opportunity for grandparents to collectively provide the cost of the new LED screens and projector for our Worship Center. This is the space where our students gather for chapel, worship, performances, and many of the moments that shape their faith and strengthen our community. It is our hope that every time students gather in this space, they will know that it was the grandparents of MCS who made this gift possible. Whether you have already made a gift or are prayerfully considering participating, thank you. Every gift, regardless of size, is a meaningful investment in the mission God has entrusted to Mariners Christian School. Together, we have the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy that will impact not only our own grandchildren, but generations of MCS students who will worship, learn, and grow in this space for years to come. As this new Grandparents’ Association continues to grow, I look forward to meeting many of you at Grandparents Day, Chapel on the Lawn, and other events throughout the year. My hope is that this newsletter is just the beginning of building lasting relationships with each of you. Thank you for your partnership, your prayers, and for the many ways you continue to strengthen the mission of MCS. For any information on events and serve opportunities or to make a gift towards our two new LED screens and projector, you may contact me at jamy.viers@marinerscs.org or 714-437-1700. With gratitude, J’Amy Viers Director of Advancement
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GRANDPARENTS’ ASSOCIATION