Kindergarten And Grade One:

            October is a busy month to teach and learn. Again this month we look forward to a field trip to the pumpkin patch.  We pray for good weather!  We will also have time in the classroom to measure and weigh our pumpkins.  We will record the facts about them and graph their weight. 

            The 1st grader is doing a lot of writing and reading. We have time every day to write in a creative writing folder.  At this point, I of course don’t expect perfection, but we are doing quite well at getting thoughts down on paper. We are reading in little reading books, which is helping with fluency. 

             Kindergarten has been working on categorizing, patterning and counting in math, and knowing the value of numbers and estimating.  We are learning to recognize letters and the sounds they make.  We are also learning to write our names correctly.

            Again this year with the help of our study buddies every month we are making door decorations for the residents of the manor.  Actually, the entire school is participating in this endeavor.  The 2nd and 3rd grades also help us do things that I cannot as easily do on a one-to-one basis.  The students really enjoy this special time of working together once a week.

Happy fall to all!

  -  God’s blessings,  Mrs. Bloomfield

Second And Third Grade:

The school year is well underway.  This week I asked the students which part of school they like the best and why..

3rd Grade

            My favorite is art because you get to make fun things, draw, paint, and color.  –Cameron Feyh

            P.E. because you get to play kickball and Christian (Schultz) played today.   -Seth Manka

            Music is probably the best because you get to listen to different music.  -Wyatt Manka

            I like reading the best because you get to learn new words and get a lot better at reading. -Jessica McIntyre

            Art is the best because I get to draw and paint.            -Kyle Savage

            I like chapel because it teaches you about God and helps get money for missionaries.            -Brandon Wertzberger

2nd Grade

            I like chapel because you give money to people to buy more stuff and you get to learn more songs. -Emma Michaelis

            I like math because you can learn more math problems.  My favorite is adding.  -Kaytlin Savage

            Math is best because I think it is really fun and interesting.  -Johnathan Walton

            I hope the students continue to enjoy their schoolwork!

In Christ,  Mrs. Ochs

Grades Four Through Eight:

            Hola! Como estas? That means: “Hi, how are you?” in Spanish!  That is just some of the many  things that the 6-8th graders are learning this year in Spanish.  We have also learned: days of the week, months of the year, the alphabet, colors, family names, and how to greet others!  It has been a fun time!  In reading the 7-8th graders are focusing on character.  4-6th graders continue to focus on various reading skills (visualizing, making judgments…).  We will continue to focus on the reading goals that each student makes at the beginning of the month.  Some students have taken off with their reading and have even moved up on our “Soaring High” AR (accelerated reader) wall.  People that moved up in levels are: Emily Anderson - 200 pts, Juliann Walton - 150 pts, Shelby Savage - 50 pts, Maddy Michaelis  40 pts and Abigail Anderson - 30 pts.  In Social Studies the 7-8th graders are finishing up a unit on the Babylonians.  We have even got to talk a bit about David, and how the Babylonians captured Jerusalem!!  God is no good!  I pray that the Lord blesses you in the month to come.

            --            In Him,  Mrs. White

From The Principal:

            The Parent Teacher League of St. John Lutheran School provides a great deal of financial support for  the school.  This year they have set a budget of $15,180.  Three of the major items that they are supporting this year are technology with a budget of $2500,  lunch program with a budget of $2000, and bus and van expense with a budget of $2500.   

            We also have a number of parents who are actually working at the school. Mrs. Kathy Schultz is the director of the music programs for all the grades in school except the fourth and fifth. Mrs. Denise McDaniel is in charge of the computer program for children in grades four through eight.   Mrs. Gayle Grimm is the teacher aid.  She assists the teachers two and three fourths hours per day.Mrs. Grimm gets paid for her services, while the other two ladies are strictly volunteer. We thank these three ladies for using their time and expertise for the school. 

  The following individuals contributed to the Thrivent Gift Matching program during September: Kip Meseke, Teresa Zerbe, John Savage, Paul Savage, Katherine Schultz, Brenda Meseke, Judy Sommer, Sandra Altevogt, and Adolph Moege.  We received a total of $2200 for September, 2008.  This means we will receive a bonus check from Thrivent of $1100.00.  That is fantastic.  If you are a Thrivent member and haven’t taken advantage of the free money that the church and the school can receive,  you have about 75 days to do so. Monies can be used to offset the teachers’ salaries or any other fund at the school.  If you need a suggestion,  please let me know. 

             Individual school pictures will be taken on October 2.

              The first quarter will close on October 10.  Report cards will be given out on October 16.  Parent-teacher conferences will be scheduled between  3:40 and 8:40 P.M.  on October 21 and October 23.  School will be dismissed on the 31st for “Comp Day”. 

            The Harvest parties will be held on the afternoon of October 10.  The children will be going to the pumpkin patch as part of the party.  In keeping with our  “Wellness Policy”,  room parents are asked to provide nutritious snacks for the children.  Students will not be collecting candy from the local businesses.  We will not be having a party at Halloween time.

            School will be dismissed on October 13-14 for the Lutheran Workers’ Conference in Salina.  We thank the congregation for providing the necessary funds to pay for the staff’s registration, lodging and meals.

- Mr. Orville Altevogt