PSD School Ministries
Connections
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“You are a letter from Christ...This ‘letter’ is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.” 2 Cor. 3:3 NLT
Most of us can’t go a day or even a few hours without checking our email. It’s fast, it’s free, and it’s practical. But don’t you just love it when you go to the mailbox, and stuck between a bunch of bills is a letter from a good friend or a loved one? Doesn’t that make your day? A real letter is special because you know the other person thought about you and went to the trouble to purchase a stamp and handwrite a precious note just for you. That beats an email any day!
We’ve all heard it said that sometimes we are the only Bible a person will ever read. We are a letter from Christ. When you are sharing your faith, or even in your everyday relationships, always try to go the extra mile with people. Go beyond “fast, free, and practical.” Be more than an email: be a precious letter from Christ and take the time to let them know how loved and treasured they are by you and by the Lord!
Father in heaven, help me remember that I am a letter from You as I interact with my students and others. Amen.
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Please join us in praying and thanking God for the following schools this week:
Christ Lutheran School and Preschool, Brea, CA
Grace Lutheran Child Development Center, San Diego, CA
Christ the Cornerstone Academy and Preschool, San Diego, CA
Below are photos from
Grace Lutheran Child Development Center, San Diego, CA:
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Grace preschool students practicing their singing with Pastor Brian for last Sunday’s service. It was a 10
th
anniversary celebration for two preschool staff members and the church music director.
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A Grace student doing some process art painting with celery
in the young three’s class.
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A Grace infant enjoying her spaghetti dinner at Grace's Art Auction.
Below are photos from
Christ the Cornerstone Academy and Preschool, San Diego, CA:
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Christ the Cornerstone's new spirit day shirts!
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Holy Week play by the Christ the Cornerstone 1st-5th graders
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Christ the Cornerstone students having fun!
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2018-19 National Lutheran School Statistics
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Please note that the response rate for these statistics was 86% nationally, but our
PSD response rate was again 100%! Thank you!
We are proud of and grateful for the 117 schools we have in the PSD (that number is actually much larger if you separate preschools from elementary schools on the same campus)! In addition, several of our schools were recognized as having enrollment in the top 10 nationally in several categories:
Largest LCMS Schools in the United States
1. Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School, Las Vegas, NV (1,937)
2. Lutheran High School of Orange County, Orange, CA (1,371)
6. Crean Lutheran High School, Irvine, CA (791)
7. St. John's Lutheran School and Lamb's Lot, Orange, CA (773)
Elementary Schools with Enrollment Over 500
1. Faith Lutheran Middle School, Las Vegas, NV (774)
2. St. John's Lutheran School, Orange, CA (658)
High Schools with Enrollment Over 500
1. Lutheran High School of Orange County, Orange, CA (1,371)
2. Faith Lutheran High School, Las Vegas, NV (1,163)
4. Crean Lutheran High School, Irvine, CA (791)
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Our May devotion,
Jesus Broke the Mold
, is now up on our website. It is written by
Tammie Wright
from
Abiding Savior, Lake Forest, CA
, and can be read
here
. Thank you, Tammie, for your beautiful words!
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Save the Date - 2020 EC Equipping Conferences
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The 2020 Early Childhood Equipping Conference dates have been set!
Arizona EC Equipping Conference at Shepherd of the Desert, Scottsdale, on Saturday, February 29, 2020!
California EC Equipping at St. Paul’s, Orange, on Saturday, March 7, 2020!
We will be “Leaping into Learning” with an emphasis on literacy development and outdoor environments! Please MARK YOUR CALENDARS now!
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Lutheran Association of Resource Specialists
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The LARS (Lutheran Association of Resource Specialists) Network meetings for the 2019-20 school year have been set. LARS will meet three times in the 2019-20 school year:
October 22, 2019, February 11, 2020, and
May 5, 2020. All meetings will be held at the District Office and will begin at 9:00am! Please mark your calendars now!
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Yesterday, 2019-20 ITBS Fall Testing order information was emailed out to all school administrators who used ITBS testing last year. If you did not receive that email, please contact Kim Violette in the School Ministries office. If you would like to become part of the School Testing Consortium for reduced fees on your Fall ITBS testing, please contact Kim as well.
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NWEA MAP Testing Information
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For those of you who use MAP testing or are interested in more information:
Better assessment data from an approved LCMS partner!
Are your assessments delivering the information you need to make the right decisions for your school? NWEA and LCMS have partnered to bring assessments that inform instruction, provide reliable and actionable data, and measures student growth.
Learn about
NWEA’s MAP Growth assessments in just 20 minutes.
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A Photo Op for You!
LEA (Lutheran Education Association) wants to celebrate teachers and students in Lutheran schools during the 2019 LEA Convocation.
I want to invite you to participate in the celebration—even if you’re not able to attend the convocation.
Here’s what makes for what we consider ideal photos:
- Take several photos of teachers interacting with children—relational. Colorful close-up would be good!
- Avoid photos of your building and posed group shots.
- The best photos will be hi res JPG (at least 1920x1080).
- Submission of photos includes permission to use those photos in a video montage that celebrate you and your students— shown at the convocation and in post-convocation promotionals.
- Upload your photos to https://www.dropbox.com/request/SKlTrVc0lN9wGFagCo5O.
- If you want your school identified, please find a creative way to do it within the photo specifications above. Avoid static shots of your school’s sign.
- Photos will be accepted through the end of May.
Inspirmedia, the convocation’s video production partner, will create the montage.
Thank you for considering this opportunity.
Jonathan C. Laabs, Executive Director
Lutheran Education Association
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2019 Kaleidoscope Fund Grant Opportunity!
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In its third year, Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) is proud to announce the 2019 Kaleidoscope Fund grant process will open April 1 with a proposal submission deadline of May 31. The committee will then select ministries from these proposals to apply for a grant. Funds will be granted in amounts between $15,000 and $75,000.
This year, LCEF is narrowing the focus of impact for the grant to Lutheran elementary education.
Lutheran schools play a critical role in impacting the community through Christian education.
Kaleidoscope grants for 2019 are open to Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) K-8 elementary schools.
Christ Lutheran School
in
Phoenix was the recipient of a recent Kaleidoscope Fund grant. Check out the awesome things they are doing through their Service Learning Program
here!
Visit
lcef.org/kaleidoscope
to learn more and to submit your proposal.
If you need assistance in writing this grant request, please contact Rachel Klitzing.
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Lutherans for Life Resources
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Last week, Illinois publicly mourned
the death of a 5-year-old boy murdered by his parents. On the day that his body was found (indeed every day of the week), 108 Illinois babies were murdered by abortionists. In California, a very similar situation occurred, as a mother and her sister taking the life of her young son, and was reported on the news. Teach your students about God’s plan about life.
Lutherans for Life has lots of materials
, including a curriculum,
Teaching for Life
.
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Important Call/Retirement Information
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Call season is underway in the PSD!
The following are reminders that help the district office keep track of educator changes, especially called workers. We appreciate knowing the changes of all workers, but especially if workers are on the LCMS roster of commissioned ministers.
- Please advise when a call to your school is accepted so we can prepare installation authorization paperwork and the needed paperwork is processed for the worker.
- Please advise the district office of called workers who are leaving your staff. If a called worker is retiring, please advise the effective date and if special recognition is planned. Lutheran educator retirements are a special event. We were recently reminded of that important fact by Mr. Mike Gollihur, our friend and partner in ministry at Word ‘n’ Stuff. Mike estimates that he has created 134 Connected in Christ retirement crosses over the past 14 years. A little excerpt from a recent email: “We certainly hope the ‘retirees’ understand and know the gratitude felt for all their years in the classroom, and that those who took their place will be as dedicated to their calling as well as to their students.” Thank you, Mike! We couldn’t have said it better.
- Please use the current call document, version 4.9. If you need preparation or download information, please contact Ellen at [email protected] or Kim at [email protected] in School Ministries.
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LEC Call for Speed Charging Stations
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This year, the LEC committee is rebranding the poster sessions into
speed charging stations
and we are hoping to get many more teachers involved.
Do you have a great teaching idea, lesson or resource to share with your fellow Lutheran educators?
We know you do, so here’s your chance!
What is a speed charging station, you ask?
It’s an informal way to share your good idea with others in a fashion that’s much less threatening than leading an entire session!
We’re looking for charging stations from all areas of ministry (lessons, technology use, projects, classroom management/organization, children’s sermons, mission trips, VBS…you name it!) for all ages: early childhood, elementary, middle and high school, even young adult ministry. Too nervous to present by yourself?
Buddy up with a colleague!
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CDE Local Consultation Meetings
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Dear Administrators, Teachers, and Stakeholders of California Non-Profit Private Schools,
The California Department of Education (CDE) will be conducting local consultation meetings in August and September of 2019. The purpose of these meetings is to receive feedback from non-profit private school educators and administrators who are entitled to equitable services through the Every Student Succeeds Act at the local and state level regarding professional development needs. The survey linked below is intended to gather information about who is interested in participating in these meetings and if there are sites willing to host the local consultation meetings.
Please follow this link to the survey:
You are also encouraged to sign up to receive updates through the new Non-Profit Private School Professional Development Listserv. If you would like to receive updates via e-mail notification, subscribe to the private school professional development listserv by sending a "blank" message to
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Katie M. Ellis
Education Programs Consultant
California Department of Education
Educator Excellence and Equity Division
Teacher and Leader Policy Office
Private Schools
(916) 319-0339
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Global 6K for Water at Faith, Las Vegas
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Global 6K Walk for Water at Faith Lutheran High School, Las Vegas!
Come enjoy fun activities for the whole family!
Register by May 4th:
When: May 11th, 2019
Check in: 8:00-8:30am
Where: Heikotter Stadium, 2015 S. Hualapai Way, Las Vegas, NV 89129
Join a team or create your own!
Why are we walking a 6K? 6 kilometers is the average distance people in the developing world have to walk for water each day. When you walk with us, you’ll be helping change the lives of women and children by freeing them from a life spent collecting dirty water. All proceeds raised in Las Vegas will go to two communities in Kenya!
Thank you for your support!
Kenya Project Team at Faith Lutheran High School
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Each week, prayers of thanksgiving and prayers for teachers, administrators, support staff, pastors, students, and families of the Lutheran schools, early childhood centers, and churches of the Pacific Southwest District are listed. To include names on the list, please send information to
[email protected] by noon on Wednesday of each week. This week we pray for:
- congregations, high schools, elementary, and early childhood centers searching for administrators, directors, and teachers for the 2019-20 school year.
- Steve Grack, the husband of Sarah Grack, technology coordinator at St. John's, Orange, CA. Steve has been diagnosed with cancer. We pray for Steve, Sarah, and their boys.
Week of May 5
Peace Lutheran Preschool, Camarillo, CA
Mt. Calvary Kids Corner, Running Springs, CA
Immanuel Lutheran School and Preschool, Riverside, CA
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School Ministries, Pacific Southwest District-LCMS
1540 Concordia Drive East, Irvine, CA 92612
Phone 949-854-3232 | Fax 949-854-8140
Rachel Klitzing, Executive Director of School Ministries
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