Gateway Christian School

It's Pollinator Week! 🌸

North America is home to nearly 4,000 species of native bees, with over 350 species found in Tennessee alone. Native bees have co-evolved with native flowering plants, making them highly efficient and essential pollinators in local ecosystems.

More than 90% of North America’s native bee species are solitary bees. These bees are generally docile and non-aggressive. They nest in a variety of natural spaces, including underground tunnels, hollow plant stems, and cavities in wood.

Bees rely on both nectar and pollen for survival. Nectar provides energy, while pollen supplies essential nutrients such as amino acids and proteins. Adult bees primarily use nectar for energy, while pollen is especially critical for feeding developing larvae.

About 25% of bees native to the eastern United States are pollen specialists, and roughly 60% of these specialist species are considered rare.

Planting native wildflowers is one of the best ways to support these vital pollinators and help conserve bee diversity.

Get your TEC wildflower seeds for next planting season in late fall-early spring here: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/pollinatorstorefront/store/

Is Curriculum overwhelming you? Let us help!!

✨ Homeschooling doesn’t have to stay inside the four walls of your home!

Many museums, zoos, aquariums, parks, theaters, and educational programs offer special homeschool discounts, homeschool days, and educational rates—but most families never hear about them because they don’t ask.

Save this post for your next field trip planning day and keep it handy when you're exploring local learning opportunities. You might be surprised how many places are willing to support homeschool families! ❤️

📌 Which homeschool discount has saved your family the most money? Share below!

Fireworks shows start THIS WEEKEND in our area! Do you have a plan yet?

Link in comments.

Let’s celebrate Pollinator Week by learning about the different groups of pollinators! 🐝

Pollinators are any animals that move pollen from flower to flower. This group includes butterflies, bees, beetles, flies, wasps, moths, birds, and even small mammals such as bats. They visit flowering plants to feed, find shelter, and in some cases, locate mates.

Pollinators play a vital role in ecosystems. They are responsible for pollinating about 75% of flowering plants, making them essential for plant reproduction and healthy food webs. Many animals—including fish, amphibians, insects, reptiles, and mammals—also depend on the plants that pollinators help reproduce, either directly or indirectly.

They are also critical for agriculture, supporting over 1,200 crop species and roughly 35% of global food production. Put another way, about one in every three bites of food you eat depends on animal pollinators for reproduction or improved crop yields.

Our Extension program merges the best of traditional education with homeschool ease. Message today for more info!

It's (officially) summer reading season ☀️ 📚

Happy Fathers Day to All!

BEHAVIORAL DISTRACTIONS: Many parents are concerned that ongoing student behavior issues can negatively impact the learning environment and reduce valuable instructional time in the classroom. Educators across the country have also reported that increasing behavior challenges are contributing to higher levels of stress, frustration, and burnout among school staff. Please see the article link for additional information: https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/survey-says-were-crisis-point