Classroom

Principal's Notes

Principal's Notes –

Dear Christian Friend,

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ:

Our theme for the 2008-2009 school year is “Securing Each Child's Future - For Eternity.” With this in mind we have so much to be thankful for. We have a wonderful group of families who have chosen to make Christian education a priority. As an important member of our St. John's Lutheran School family, do you ever wonder why they make such a commitment? Recently, I spoke to Sunday school attendees in a Lutheran Church in Rantoul . At this time I shared some frequently asked questions regarding a Christian education. These are a few of the thoughts I shared (thanks to Molly Ramme who shared the internet site for much of this information).

First, Can My Children Get a Quality Education at A Christian School ? Test scores tend to exceed the national average. Their grade equivalency soars high above the curve. At a previous Lutheran school, the scores were so high I questioned their validity. Upon checking with the local Intermediate School District who in turn checked with the test site, it was confirmed we were interpreting the test results correctly and they were excellent.

Second, What is a Christian Education? “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) God expects children to be taught the truth in every subject. That requires educators to approach their craft – and their lives – from a biblical world view. Rigorous academics, no matter how thorough, will miss the mark if the reality of God is denied. Students need a challenging, comprehensive academic curriculum built on a foundation of biblical absolutes. Some schools prepare students for a job. Others equip students for life. While only a Christian education has the potential to do both.

Third, What If We Can't Afford A Christian Education? Christian schools cost money (as each of us is fully aware). But we must ask ourselves an important question. Do we have a moral obligation to give our children a Christian education? If so, then God will do for us what He does anytime He gives us a command. He'll give us the means to obey it. As members St. John's Lutheran Church, you are an important part of that means by providing tuition assistance for every child attending St. John's Lutheran School, member or not.

In closing, these are but a few of the thoughts shared. Hopefully, I will have future opportunities to share others. I thank you for this opportunity to share important considerations for seeking a Christian education. Also in closing, as we approach Thanksgiving, I thank God for each of you and for all you do in His service. Happy Thanksgiving!!

In His service,

Danny Sandmann

Pre-School - Katie Bormet

Pre-K Program

The preschoolers are wild about school. We have a jungle themed classroom and jungle helpers each week. The three year old class has started talking about shapes and learning the color songs. We have learned the red, green, and blue songs so far! The four year olds have been learning about apples. They had a blast using apple halves to paint a work of art!

Kindergarten -Teresa Sturm

H appy H arvest and H appy Reformation Day! Kindergarten has been learning about both during the month of October. What a great time for Mr. H to appear! We even had the chance to talk about h ealthy food during our visit to the Life Education Center . And now. . .after having learned about animals that live on the farm. . .the kindergartners will learn about other animal h omes. We thank God for the h arvest and our h appy h eavenly h ome.

1st Grade- Kara Teske

First Grade

In October, the theme in 1 st Grade seemed to be “taking care of things.” In Religion, we learned how God took care of the children of Israel as He led them to the Promised Land. In Science, we began studying seeds and plants. Our lessons started with a field trip to Crop Production Services, where we learned about different ways farmers take care of the crops they plant. We came back from this trip with a challenge to grow and care for our own corn. We planted the seeds that were given to us and now our corn is up, growing, and ready to be transplanted into larger pots! At the end of the month, we had a chance to visit the Life Education Center where we had fun learning about how to be a good friend. We also learned about how important it is to be a good friend to ourselves by taking care of the amazing body that God has given to us.

2nd Grade- Lindsey Gerdes

Second Grade News

In Jesus time, we have been learning how God always has a plan for our lives. We have learned this through reading stories about Moses as a baby, the burning bush, Moses and Pharaoh, and the Exodus. Even through the difficult times, God was always with Moses. In the same way, He is always there for us. Social Studies has been fun as we have learned all about work. We have learned why people work, different kinds of work, and how even young kids can earn and save money. 2 nd grade will finish up October by visiting the Life Education Center and having our class Harvest Party.

3rd and 4th Grade- Mary Cowan

The third and fourth graders have been studying about the ups and downs in the life of Joseph. We learned that God can take a bad situation and turn it into something good. We also learned how God rescued Moses as a baby and then used him to lead His people to the Promised Land. God also calls us to lead others to Him by sharing His Word and promises.

We had an exciting visit to the Life Education Center , which is a mobile classroom that teaches us how to make healthy choices for our bodies. We learned the importance of believing in ourselves and practiced strategies to say NO to peer pressure.

5th and 6th Grade-Laura Birge

The fifth and sixth graders have been busy this last month. The class went on their first field trip of the year to the Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra. The students were surprised how much they enjoyed the performance. The conductor discussed the different instruments in the orchestra and the students heard the different sounds from each of the different instruments. The songs played were also very entertaining. The class also led chapel for the school on October 15. Although it rained, the school made it over to church for the service. The class enjoyed singing praises to our Lord, and

telling the story of Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem 's walls. The class was also honored to sing, “Children of the Heavenly Father,” along with the 7 th &8 th graders at the funeral service of Mr. Ray Sprehe.

Although the class has spent a lot of time outside of the classroom, there has been a lot of learning going on as well. In Science they have learned about mitosis and meiosis and DNA and heredity. In Social Studies they have learned about the life at the time of Border Cave , and the advancements in agriculture. In English they have been learning all about verbs. It's been a very busy month, but they made it through it, and have even survived the first quarter! The class is now looking forward to beginning the unit on the Chronicles of Narnia in reading during the second quarter

7th and 8th Grade- Megan Munro

The 7th & 8th Grade class is excited to start Speech with Mrs. Healey. They are eager to start their choral reading and to begin their duets. We have quite a few duets, the choral reading, and one solo. In Social Studies, the students have been learning about the 13 colonies and how they were established. In English, both classes have been learning the parts of the verb. In Science, we are doing a lab in which we are testing the variables for optimal mold growth. We will soon begin working on

getting the election ready for November when the entire school will voice their opinion on who should be the next president.

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