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Our Savior’s Lutheran School June 2008 ~ Newsletter THE WITHNESS WITNESS Nine months ago, in last September’s School Newsletter. I introduced the theme for this current school year, Immanuel Forever. I concluded the opening article with these words: As Christ works in our lives, we become a living testimony or witness to His “withness”. I pray that every teacher and student at Our Savior’s would be a Withness Witness this year, demonstrating through words and actions the loving and abiding presence of Jesus. How have we done? Has Christ’s presence been seen, sensed and shared throughout our school? Our honest response would probably be “sometimes.” I’ve been richly blessed by the kindness, generosity, and humble service demonstrated by so many students, teachers and parents throughout this year. You have let the light of our Savior’s love shine through you in your words and actions. You have been faithful to your calling as members of the Body of Christ, giving testimony to His presence, witnessing to His “withness.” However, there are other times when our Savior’s presence has not been readily seen or shared. Hung up on our own selfishness, pride, anger and frustration; we behave as if God is missing from our lives. Rather than experiencing the peace His presence brings, we go to pieces when we fail to center our lives on Christ. But God is at work in spite of our shortcomings. His grace covers our guilt. We can join the apostle Paul in declaring that we have this treasure (our Savior’s love) in jars of clay (our imperfect selves) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Cor 4:7. He is still our Immanuel Forever. In fact, it’s often in our times of weakness and deepest despair that we experience our Lord’s loving presence in the most powerful way. However, His abiding presence is not intended to simply help us feel good. We are not called to just rest secure in His arms. Our Savior’s loving invitation to come to Him is accompanied by His strong command to go. Go to our homes, to our schools, to our workplaces, to the world and bear witness to the life He brings us and desires for all. Be a “Withness Witness” declaring that our Immanuel is forever! MEMORABLE MUSICALS One of the highlights of the school year is the presentation of our spring musicals. This year our students will be presenting two musicals during the first weekend in June. Our fourth-seventh graders will share God’s Good News through a new musical entitled Pirates of the “I Don’t Care”-ibbean on Friday, June 6th beginning at 7 p.m. in our gym. The following evening, June 7th, our younger students in kindergarten-third grade will present Down By the Creek Bank – again in the gymnasium beginning at 7:00 p.m. that Saturday. Pirates of the “I Don’t Care”-ibbean is a musical about storing up treasures in heaven. Building on elements from the popular “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, this musical centers on the precious treasure of God’s love deposited within each of us. Down By the Creek Bank is a familiar musical that our students have presented in past years. This musical is a joyous celebration of God’s beautiful and purposeful creation. Both musicals present God’s truths in a dynamic, memorable way. Please invite your family and friends to join you for two enjoyable and inspiring evenings. There is no charge, but an offering will be taken in support of our Fine Arts Fund. PARENTS SPEAK At their May meeting, Our Savior’s School Board reviewed a summary of the Parents Survey that was sent home with the third quarters’ report cards. This summary was based on thirty-two returned questionnaires. Those participating in the survey identified four primary reasons for sending their children to Our Savior’s School: a safe and secure environment, a Christian world view, Biblical perspectives in daily teaching, and a quality education program. The parents’ satisfaction level, covering twenty separate items, ranged from a score of 4.10 to 4.69 (scale 4 = satisfied, scale 5 = very satisfied) Parents gave the school an over all grade of A-, indicating a high level of satisfaction. Some of the respondents also identified areas that need improvement, including: -upgrading the school website -improved communication -dress code or uniforms -tighter security Each of these items will be addressed by the School Board, administration and faculty in preparation for the 2008-09 school year. Thank you for your input. OUR SAVIOR’S BOBCATS Go Bobcats! Hopefully that cheer will echo throughout our gymnasium next year as Our Savior’s Bobcats take the floor. Yes, we now have a mascot. We are the Bobcats! We selected bobcats through a rather arduous process. After some preliminary guidelines, all our students were given the opportunity to nominate and then vote on a mascot. The initial list of “nominees’ included wolves, ocelots, jaguars, eagles, tigers, lions, bears, warriors, bobcats, crusaders, geckos and shining stars. Students and faculty were invited to write a few sentences in support of their choice and then a second vote was taken, narrowing the final list to wolves, jaguars and bobcats. The third vote led to the selection of bobcats. Why bobcats? Bobcats possess athletic-type traits: They are fast, agile, and elusive. Though seldom seen, the bobcat is indigenous to this area, but it is also readily adaptable to many different habitats. Bobcats are excellent hunters because they have keen sight and hearing. They are great runners and leapers and can often overcome animals several times their size. In some North American folklore, bobcats are linked with the wind because of their quiet quickness. By next year, we plan to have a logo for Our Savior’s Bobcats. HELP WITH TUITION Soaring gas prices and food costs have put many families in a financial bind. Perhaps some of you may feel that the tuition assessment at Our Savior’s School is beyond your reach. Our Savior’s provides several ways to help off set the tuition assessment. Our Savior’s Student Assistance Fund has been established to provide tuition support for families that are eligible based on their income. Student Assistance application forms are available through the school office and should be completed and submitted as soon as possible. The School Board will allocate tuition assistance based on money available in our Student Assistance Fund and the number of eligible applicants. Our Savior’s also has a number of scholarships available to returning students. These scholarships are awarded on the basis of three criteria: academic performance, Christian character, and financial need. Application forms for scholarships are also available through the school office and should be submitted as soon as possible. A third way that parents can reduce their tuition assessment is through participation in our Work Off Tuition program. Participants in this Work Off Tuition program can serve as lunchroom monitors, librarians, or aides in the classroom or office. Please contact Mr. Roemke if you are willing and able to participate in the Work Off Tuition program for the coming school year.
PLAYGROUND PLANS Have you seen the plans for our new playground? Designed by Playworld, the proposed playground will be able to accommodate over 60 children by offering 15 different activities, including a variety of slides, swings and climbing equipment. We hope to have the playground installed by next September. The estimated cost of the new equipment and wood carpet base is $40,000. Since we plan on installing the playground ourselves, we will save another 25% in installation fees. Thanks to our students’ efforts in raising money through our April Fun Run along with some matching funds and other donations, we have about $20,000 in our playground fund. How can you help to make this playground a reality? -Pray for the financial resources necessary to pay for all the equipment -Consider making a special contribution toward the playground fund -Be available to help install the playground sometime this summer SHINE 2008 - VBS THIS SUMMER Vacation Bible School at Our Savior’s will be held on July 28th-August 1st. The theme for this year’s VBS is SHINE 2008, based on Jesus’ words from His Sermon on the Mount: Let your light shine. A day at Vacation Bible School consists of a Bible lesson, singing, crafts, recreation and snack. Sessions are held from 9:00 – 11:45 each morning and are open to children from three years of age through those entering sixth grade. It’s a week to Shine for Jesus, to be who Jesus wants each of us to be, to be where Jesus wants each of us to be Registration forms for VBS are available through the school office. There is no charge for SHINE 2008, but an offering will be taken daily. Since Our Savior’s VBS serves over 200 children, there is always a need for teachers and helpers. Call Kathy Horning, director of Our Savior’s VBS, if you are willing to help. (383-7877)
PLEASE NOTE -Our School Yearbooks have arrived and are available for purchase through the school office. The price is $15 for this pictorial review of the 2007-08 school year. -All classes will be dismissed at 11:45 a.m. (the normal kindergarten dismissal time) on the last two days of school, June 19th and 20th.
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