Sonrise Christian School - Where Children Grow in the Son

August 12, 2022

Dear Sonrise Christian Families,

Before I begin this update and share valuable information about our upcoming school year, can I just say, "I MISS YOU!" I am reminded of my youth when I used to count down the days until Christmas morning. The first day of school, August 31st, is only 19 days away and I can't wait to see Sonrise's campus full of love, laughter and learning. Please take time to read my message carefully to ensure you have all of the important information necessary to prepare for this year. 

Yes, There's an App for That!

A few days ago the office sent you a Welcome Packet via email that contained several links to reference important information to get you set up for this year. All of these documents have also been uploaded to the brand new Sonrise App. If you haven't yet downloaded it, please do, so you can begin to take advantage of having all of this information at your fingertips. You can download the application by following these links:

Download Sonrise School App (Apple): https://apple.co/3zonGWF
Download Sonrise School App (Android): https://bit.ly/3cA9iBW

Important Calendar Dates and Details: 

Teacher Letters Mailed out on August 19th
On August 19th we will mail out letters written by your child's classroom teacher to your home. Please look for these letters to begin the journey for this school year as our teachers reach out to introduce themselves and begin building a loving relationship. 

Kindergarten Warm-Up: Tuesday, August 30th (Yes, parents should attend)
Our littlest learners will get their own first day of school and learn all they need to successfully navigate our campus and be ready for Wednesday. The day begins at 9:45 and will conclude at 12 noon. 

New Parent Orientation/Luncheon: Tuesday, August 30th at 11am
All new families for grades K-8 will be invited to join us for lunch and a brief orientation on adjusting to life as a Sonrise family. New parents will receive a text and email with the link but it is also here for your convenience: bit.ly/3Qtcdec

Middle School Kick-Off: Tuesday, August 30th at 11am (Parents may attend)
Middle school students will get a chance to visit all of their classrooms, meet their teachers and prepare for middle school life. Following their walkthrough, lunch will be provided. 

Grades 1-5 Classroom Visits: Tuesday, August 30th from 5:00 to 6:30pm
Students and parents can drop by their assigned classrooms to put away their school supplies and meet their teachers. 

Parking Lot Safety
The very first time I pulled into the Sonrise parking lot in 2012 I noticed the speed limit was 2.5 MPH. I remember wondering if it was actually possible to drive that slowly. Well, it's not only possible but absolutely necessary. I am certain every one of us would agree that nothing is more important than the overall safety of our children. Please, please, please drive slowly as we will have hundreds of children and parents walking from the parking lot on to campus. Parents, thank you for using the crosswalks so children learn to use them as well. It is not safe cutting through the parking lot with so many cars coming in and out, most especially between 7:30 and 8:00am. The parking lot will no doubt be extra crowded the first few weeks of school as we settle into our routines. Remember that free recess supervision begins at 7:45am; anytime before that will be considered chargeable daycare. I will be directing traffic in the parking lot in the morning and afternoon and will ask parents to abide by our parking lot safety guidelines. 

First Day of School: Wednesday, August 31st
School will begin at 8am and we plan to gather as an entire family on the elementary playground for our morning Flag Ceremony. We will begin our year and first day by saying our flag salute, singing our patriotic song, introducing our weekly Bible verse, praying, and making other important announcements. And yes, parents please join us! 

A Year of Growth
As I've prayed for this year, God has revealed to me that this will be an immense year of growth. My immediate thought was that this was related to the number of students on campus as our enrollment continues to go up. However, this is not what God was showing me. Yes, it's wonderful that God continues to increase the number of students here at His school but I believe God is challenging us to grow in other ways that are essential to the well-being and care for your children. One of the most important responsibilities God has asked of the administration at Sonrise this year is to find valuable resources to help all of us be better parents. It's getting harder and harder today with all of the distractions and prevalent issues that our children are being exposed to on a daily basis and rather than just hope and pray that we will make it, we need to be diligent about seeking ways to build up our students and their view of the world through a Biblical lens. To begin, some of you may want to register for this parenting group offered through Christian guidance: https://bit.ly/3SEC84r We look forward to sharing much more over this school year. 

Staffing Changes
As with most school years, there are always some staffing changes. We will have a number of new faces this year and many support roles are being confirmed in the next few weeks. However, there are a few teachers new to Sonrise that I wanted to introduce. God has brought a new and beautiful voice to Sonrise in Miss Madison Nix who will lead worship, teach music and help in many other ways to impact our performing arts program. Mrs. Laurie Harrington will be our new physical education teacher for K-8. Miss Andrea Perez previously taught Spanish for us but is now Mrs. Andrea Hernandez and will be teaching 3rd grade. We are still searching for a new Spanish teacher. In middle school we have hired Mr. Jerry Hsu to teach science and middle school PE. If God brings any of them across your path, I trust you will make them feel part of our Sonrise family. 

What's In A Name
I wasn't sure if I needed to include this section in my update but have always been transparent and will never change. Many of you know that my business partner for Dog Haus is also named Manish Patel. Our exact same names and that we both live in Glendora is part of how our families met and began our relationship. During the summer, Dog Haus was a supporter in a Pride event in Glendora. This is similar to so many companies that take a supportive stand for marketing purposes. These are organizations that most of us visit or support such as Target, Disney and the NFL, among thousands of others. During this event, my partner, the other Manish Patel, was quoted making statements in support of the Pride movement. Well, it was a summer filled with sharing the many aspects of Dog Haus franchise requirements as well as the "same name" issue to help people understand it wasn't me who made those statements of support. I 100% believe in God and the design for life as taught by His flawless Word. I do not, nor will I ever support movements that contradict the truth I know nor will I ever allow such influences to penetrate Sonrise's ability to teach this same very truth to our children. I apologize for any confusion or concerns this may have caused families. Most of you are probably not even aware of this issue but as I began, there is nothing to hide; in fact the opposite is true. It is more important than ever that we take a stand to reaffirm what God has clearly taught us to be His truth in a world that is now more and more accepting of life not consistent with the Bible and God's teaching. As always, if you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to email me. I've shared with so many that your generous support of Dog Haus was never about hotdogs or burgers but support for me and my family in showing your love and appreciation for what God does through me for your families. I am so very thankful for each of you and love you dearly. 

Please share any added input or questions to me directly. I will update you as I know and learn more. It is an honor to serve your family and a complete privilege to love and help raise your children. 

Love,


Mr. Patel
Head of School