The Westminster School at Oak Mountain

Our seniors heard Carl Trueman preach "The Death of God the Death of Humanity" today at Beeson Divinity School at Samford University. Carl Trueman is professor of biblical and religious studies at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. He has written more than a dozen books, including The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self and Strange New World. This service was part of Beeson's Reformation Heritage Lectures.

Our fifth grade explorers, with the help of our senior explorers, enjoyed a beautiful day at Exploration Extravaganza reliving some of the experiences of the early trailblazers. They tried their hand at building a boat, sledding down the hill for fur and fish, smelling some of the aromas of the new world, and recreating the beauty of the Grand Canyon.

James Spann, chief meteorologist for ABC 33/40, fascinated our second grade students today as he shared some interesting photos, stories, and pointers about Alabama weather. He reminded our students what to do in bad weather and reassured them that they did not need to be fearful of the weather.

Our tenth grade Latin classes recently celebrated a Roman wedding. Once the arrangements were made for the marriage, a lamb was sacrificed as part of the ritual. The class then also reenacted a Roman funeral, which included the sacrifice of a pig in the presence of the deceased. These Roman rituals remind us of the hope for believers that death is not the end and that the perfect Lamb of God, who was sacrificed for our sins, will ultimately be the guest of honor at the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:9)

Tell us a little bit about your family.
I have been married 28 years. I have 5 children (2 married, 1 engaged, and one in 5th grade at Westminster), as well as 1 granddaughter with another due in January.

What passage of Scripture is encouraging you right now?
Deut 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

If you could live in any other period of history, which one would it be and why?
Here and now because I cannot imagine being anywhere else.

What advice would you give to the parents of the students in your classes this year?
Trust in God's plans for your student's life - they are good! Also, be good stewards of the opportunities (the good, the bad, and the ugly) that are before you to mentor your children. They grow up fast!

Who has made you feel seen, known, loved, and pursued?
The community of Westminster is very loving and kind in their words and deeds. My kids experienced this as new students 5 years ago, and I have experienced this as a college advisor.

What brings you joy?
Seeing students serve the Lord beyond Westminster

What do you like best about teaching at Westminster?
I love getting to know each student with their unique interests and characteristics. Each one is so gifted and has much to contribute to the Westminster community and beyond.

Applications for the 2024-25 school year are opening soon! We invite you to schedule a tour to learn more about classical Christian education at Westminster. On a tour, you will visit classrooms and witness our incredible team of teachers engaging students with classic literature, critical thinking skills, and, most importantly, gospel-centered conversations. You will also meet with school administrators and have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the admissions process. You can schedule a tour from our website or contact Lauren Kelly, Director of Admissions and Registrar, at [email protected].

Tell us a little bit about your family.
I'm married to Jason Smith, who teaches in the Upper School at Westminster. We have 3 children: Evelyn (22), Lydia (20) and William (16).

What passage of Scripture is encouraging you right now?
Psalm 139, which we are memorizing in the Lower School this month. It speaks of how the Lord knows us intimately, and His presence is always near. Hearing my class sing the scripture (using Alison Ritch's arrangement) brings joy to my heart.

If you could live in any other period of history, which one would it be and why?
I don't know. The first thing that comes to mind is that I'd love to have had more time with my grandparents. However, I have clear eyes on the history they lived through and experienced. I trust that God put me right where he wanted me.

What advice would you give to the parents of the students in your classes this year?
Prayer changes things. Most importantly, God uses it to change my heart and perspective. There is much in life that I can't truly control, but fixing my eyes on the Father changes me and brings peace.

Who has made you feel seen, known, loved, and pursued?
Each of my grandparents, in their own different ways, loved me and inspired me to seek after the Lord.

What brings you joy?
Lots of things: God's creation, seeing joy in others, hearing of God's faithfulness in the midst of struggle, a good meal, the beach, a sweet time of fellowship and conversation with my children, answered prayers, worship through song, a good book, watching a child light up, when humanity comes together in unity during difficult times, prayer, and times when the Lord is evident even in the mundane.

What do you like best about teaching at Westminster?
I am blessed to work with amazing people in a job that makes an eternal impact.

The guys had a great night of hotdogs, s'mores, and outdoor games last night at our Lower School Dads and Lads Picnic! We are thankful for our Westminster community!

Tell us a little bit about your family
I was born and raised in Vestavia Hills, AL. I have one older sister who, although I’m close to her in age, we have totally opposite personalities and interests. As you can imagine, this made for an exciting and eventful childhood!! 🤪 My parents recently adopted a puppy named Carmen, and we’ve so enjoyed having her as an addition to our family!

If you could live in any other period of history, which one would it be and why?
Hmmm, this is so hard because there are several I could choose from. I would probably say either the 50s or 60s simply because of the fashion! 😎

What advice would you give to the parents of the students in your classes this year?
On any given day, a student may experience a wide range of emotions. Middle school years are a particularly intense time as students are constantly looking at those around them and trying to “fit in.” If your child opens up and talks with you about their school day, that’s awesome! Chances are, others will be more reserved. Either way, students love knowing that they have someone who will listen to them…even if they don’t always show it. And never forget…we’re all on this crazy train together! 😊🤪

Who has made you feel seen, known, loved, and pursued?
I have actually felt incredibly seen, known, loved, and pursued by my colleagues here at Westminster. They come alongside me in the hard moments to pray with/for me. They celebrate with me about the little things. And through so many acts of kindness, I know that I am genuinely cared about by this special group of people. I have never been in a work environment like this one, and I can honestly say that I have the best colleagues on the planet!!!!

What brings you joy?
It may be simple, but seeing someone do something kind for someone else always brings me so much joy. (And I see this DAILY among our students!)

What do you like best about teaching at Westminster?
I can honestly say that my favorite part of teaching at Westminster is the community. There truly is no place like Westminster, and I’m beyond thankful to be a part of this amazing community!

Tell us a little bit about your family
I have been married to my husband, Dennis, for 31 years. We have 2 adult children: Bekah, our daughter, is married to Drew & they live in Chelsea. Bekah is also a 6th grade teacher! Our son, Brayden, lives in Vestavia & works as a Creative Designer.

What passage of Scripture is encouraging you right now?
Isaiah 26:3, "You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you."

What advice would you give to the parents of the students in your classes this year?
Pray! Pray for your children to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit working in their lives. Pray that your children will fall more in love with Jesus every day. Pray that your children will find their approval and identity in Christ alone.

Who has made you feel seen, known, loved, and pursued?
My 6th grade team here at school has made me feel seen, known, loved, and pursued. They have walked through low valleys and high mountaintops with me. We celebrate together and mourn together. It's such a huge blessing to work with people who know me so well and love me in spite of my flaws.

What brings you joy?
Spending time with family and friends makes me so happy! I also really enjoy trying new restaurants and traveling.

What do you like best about teaching at Westminster?
The community at Westminster is amazing! I feel so loved by the parents, students, faculty, and staff. It's not just a school, it's a family.

Our fourth-grade students enjoyed playing with the preschoolers at The Lovelady Center this week. They also delivered supplies that they had been collecting. The Lovelady Center empowers women through faith-based initiatives so they can return to society as well-equipped women of God. If you are interested in serving the Lovelady Center, contact them at https://www.loveladycenter.org/.
"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

Tell us a little bit about your family
My wife, Melissa, and I have three boys: Lucas (12), Finneas (9), and Owen (7). We love to be outside as a family doing almost anything. Most recently, we have had some rustic adventures in Maine and coastal New Brunswick. My wife daily pours herself into the boys as a homeschool mom.

What passage of Scripture is encouraging you right now?
from Psalm 23, that the Lord is leading me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

If you could live in any other period of history, which one would it be and why?
9th century England, under the rule of King Alfred, especially if I were a nobleman. He had a heart for his subjects, investing much in them and expecting much in return.

What advice would you give to the parents of the students in your classes this year?
The Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious about anything.

Who has made you feel seen, known, loved, and pursued?
My middle school principal, Bill Jameson. Even though I was a total goofball and caused him plenty of grief, he welcomed me in his office at all times (even when I wasn't in trouble) and just made me feel valued. I could say ridiculous things, and he somehow made me feel like I was (kind of) wise. I found out years later that he advocated for me more than once when the school was considering getting rid of me.

What brings you joy?
Seeing people gathering together and having a great time.

What do you like best about teaching at Westminster?
The community of admin, faculty, parents, and students.

Our second grade students love serving at Alabama Baptist Children’s home. The students have been raising money to buy supplies for them. Today they planted flowers, cleaned the porch, and picked up sticks. They also toured the home and learned about ways they can be praying for the families. To learn more about how you can serve the Alabama Children’s Home, go to alabamachild.org.

Congratulations to Brayden Hindman and Carden Ritch for being named 2023 Regional Scholars by the Classic Learning Test for their outstanding performance on the CLT10. The Regional Scholar award recognizes ninth and tenth graders who scored in the top 5% of their geographic region on the CLT10 during the 2022-23 academic year.

Tell us a little bit about your family
My wife Melissa teaches 1st grade. We have four boys (all graduates of Westminster). Three are married, and I have three grandsons.

What passage of Scripture is encouraging you right now?
Acts 4:19-20 "...for we cannot help but tell of those things that we have seen and heard..."

If you could live in any other period of history, which one would it be and why?
Revolutionary War - I would love to see the impact of Christianity on Freedom.

What advice would you give to the parents of the students in your classes this year?
Be patient, work hard, and trust in the Lord (not necessarily in that order)
Who has made you feel seen, known, loved, and pursued?
The faculty at Westminster... They take time to ask about “greater things.”

What brings you joy?
Working with my hands... Construction, Cooking, Shooting Sports...

What do you like best about teaching at Westminster?
The faculty

We were ready for some football, and this week’s house competitions were all about football: flag football games, football puzzles, and spirit posters. We had a great time being together, competing with our house, and cheering for each other.

Our second grade students time traveled back to ancient Egypt this week to serve as apprentices to our Hebrew rabboni who is teaching them the ancient art of mummification on a chicken. One of the first tasks of mummification is to remove the internal organs, which some of the apprentices enjoyed more than others. The ancient Egyptians would then weigh the heart against a feather of the goddess Ma'at. This feather was the symbol for truth and justice and helped determine whether the deceased person was worthy of Heaven. We are thankful that our hearts aren’t weighed on a scale because we know we aren’t worthy, but Jesus is worthy because He lived the perfect life that we couldn’t. He died the death that we deserve so that when we trust in Him, we are credited with His righteousness and not our own.

Tell us a little bit about your family.
We have four children, with interests ranging from fishing to volleyball to musical theater. All of them are at Westminster. Most of them have had their grandmother for Latin and their dad for humanities. Alison is an ICU nurse and a gifted songwriter and worship leader.

What passage of Scripture is encouraging you right now?
Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them. (NIV, Mark 7:15)

If you could live in any other period of history, which one would it be and why?
The future. I'm ready for self-driving cars, so I can do crosswords on the way to work.

What advice would you give to the parents of the students in your classes this year?
Read. It helps with everything. There's no way to get better at reading than to read, and it also helps your writing.

Who has made you feel seen, known, loved, and pursued?
My children write the best notes in the world. When it's my birthday or Father's Day, I get these heartfelt messages from them targeting specific words or actions, and these are the strongest encouragements I've known. A close second was the time my dad told me he loved watching me parent my kids.

What brings you joy?
Singing in a choir

What do you like best about teaching at Westminster?
It is a place where personal challenges turn into strength of character through the grace and wisdom of the Gospel.

It was a wonderful evening for Westminster Round-up. The weather was perfect, and the food was delicious, but the best part was just being together.

Congratulations to Wilson Davis on earning the rank of Eagle Scout! Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank which requires a lengthy review process. We are proud of you, Wilson!

Congratulations to Gabrielle Pettagrue on being awarded the National African American Recognition Award by CollegeBoard. The NAARA is an academic honor for academically exceptional African American students who have scored in the top 10 percent of the state on the PSAT or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP exams by their junior year. To qualify, they must also have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. We are proud of you, Gabby!

From kindergarten through high school at Westminster, we talk about the grand narrative of the Bible–creation, the fall, redemption, and restoration. We learn to see those themes everywhere. Our second grade recently finished reading The Boxcar Children, a story of four orphans who live in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. Even through this fictional story, we see how God created children to live in families, but the brokenness of the world after the fall leads to these children being orphaned. The children eventually meet their grandfather, who adopts the children, redeeming and restoring them into a family. This story reminds us that we also need a Rescuer, Jesus, to redeem our brokenness and restore all that was lost in the fall. The students celebrated the end of The Boxcar Children with a “Boxcar Brunch”. They went into the woods and enjoyed some of the foods the children ate in the book. Also, they each brought their own “special cup,” like the character Benny had in the story.

Tell us a little bit about your family
My husband is the senior pastor at Red Mountain Church. My boys are Lower School students - Trent in 6th grade and Gavin in 4th. Our favorite vacation is anywhere with mountains and rivers.

What passage of Scripture is encouraging you right now?
Romans 8:26-30
If you could live in any other period of history, which one would it be and why?
I used to think I would want to live on a homestead during Westward expansion similar to the Wilders - yes, I read the Little House books over and over. Now, I know I am not equipped for that lifestyle!

What advice would you give to the parents of the students in your classes this year?
Don't let your child talk you into stopping those instrument lessons too quickly! Even if they show promise, they might not like to practice. I am glad my parents made me stick with piano lessons in spite of 2 or 3 years of complaining about practicing. I finally started enjoying it in 8th grade, and I haven't stopped since!

Who has made you feel seen, known, loved, and pursued?
My prayer partner each year. This is only my third year teaching at Westminster, and my prayer partners have all been very good about asking me how I am doing.

What brings you joy?
Having time to play piano for fun.

What do you like best about teaching at Westminster?
I love being part of a team of teachers who are excellent at their jobs. It keeps me motivated to do my best.

Tell us a little bit about your family.
I'm married to Grace, and we have twin 4-year-olds: Elisha (Eli) & Emmanuel (Manny)

What passage of Scripture is encouraging you right now?
Isaiah 7:9, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

If you could live in any other period of history, which one would it be and why?
As long as there is air conditioning, I'm game for anything.

What advice would you give to the parents of the students in your classes this year?
Talk to your kids about what they're learning in class.

Who has made you feel seen, known, loved, and pursued?
Sam Cargo, my mentor at my first teaching job. He encouraged me, listened to me, rebuked me, and loved me.

What brings you joy?
Jesus, my wife, my kids laughing, and a perfectly cooked ribeye steak

What do you like best about teaching at Westminster?
Y'all pay me to teach the Bible all day. That's wild.

Our seniors enjoyed a few days away together at the annual Senior Retreat. We are excited for all that lies ahead for this group during their senior year and beyond.

Knights swim team set two new school records and five sectional time cuts at their first swim meet of the season. Go Knights!

Our seniors left this afternoon for their annual retreat. After some fun games, some of the students led a time of worship and Mr DeVries shared the message.

We had a great group of Lower School moms gather for a book club discussion of Parenting, 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family by Paul David Tripp, facilitated by Lori Jill Keeler. It’s not too late to join. See The Knightly News for details.

A huge congratulations to four Westminster seniors, Jonathan Sellers, Andrew Giadrosich, Porter Lunsford, and Elizabeth Bandura, who were named National Merit Semifinalists! This award is given to students who scored in the top 1% on the PSAT in their junior year. Semifinalists can compete for more than 7,100 National Merit scholarships that will be awarded in Spring.

Don't miss Athletic Director Cody Baxter on this podcast discussing how our purpose for youth sports informs our heart towards Jesus. https://oakmountainpresbyterianc.subspla.sh/q2d4q7n

In a culture that values winning at all costs, how are families meant to balance the impact of sports on their teenagers? On this week's episode of the Parent U Podcast, Cody Baxter (Athletics Director at The Westminster School at Oak Mountain) joins us to provide some context on a hotly debated topic, and how our purpose for youth sports informs our heart towards Jesus.

Find every episode of the ParentU Podcast on ompc.org/media, the OMPC app, and all major podcast platforms. New episodes are released weekly on Sundays.

And they’re off! Our juniors left this morning for 2023 College Tour! This week they will visit Samford, Belmont, Vanderbilt, Covenant, Berry, Alabama, and Auburn. We are excited to see what doors God will open for them after Westminster.

Tell us a little bit about your family
I have been married to Bart since 1998. Bart is a pastor at Christ Fellowship Church. We have four children. Rachel is a recent graduate of UA Capstone College of Nursing and has a job at St. Vincent’s Hospital. She is married to Meyer, and they’re expecting a baby in February. Jonathan is a 2023 Homewood High School graduate and is attending civil engineering school at the University of Alabama. Abigail is a junior at Homewood High School and on the Lady Patriot softball team. Isaac is in 8th grade at Homewood Middle School.

What passage of Scripture is encouraging you right now?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 [16] Rejoice always, [17] pray without ceasing, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

If you could live in any other period of history, which one would it be and why?
I would live in the early 1900s in England under the monarchy because I enjoy discovering more about British royalty.

What advice would you give to the parents of the students in your classes this year?
Pray for the salvation of your children. We have lots of gospel-centered discussions in class with students, so pray that your children will trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins if they have not already. Allow your children to learn from their mistakes and be a source of encouragement and guidance to them when they fail. Children learn as much or more from how we respond to them when they fail as they learn from our responses to their successes.

Who has made you feel seen, known, loved, and pursued?
My prayer partners over the years at Westminster and dear friends from my church family have invested so much in my life.

What brings you joy?
I enjoy spending time with my family, being outdoors, and making jewelry.

What do you like best about teaching at Westminster?
It’s a joy to be able to talk about faith and the truths of God’s Word in every subject. As the instructional support teacher, I love getting to know every third grader!

President Washington’s Cabinet met in the Lower School today. Sixth-graders engaged in civil discourse and cultivated intellectual fair-mindedness by advocating the historic positions of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson on various issues related to the national government and economy. Students practiced grounding their arguments in the text of the Constitution and explaining how that textual evidence supports their historic position on pressing issues such as whether Congress has the power to charter a national bank.

On Fridays, our fourth grade students pray for the military. Last Friday, they were honored to have Mrs. McNaughton's son and daughter-in-law share with them about their training as helicopter pilots in the army.

Thank you Shelby Living for naming Westminster "Best Private School." Thank you to all who voted for us. We love our school community!