Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Picture Day!

School pictures are on Thursday, October 1st.  School uniforms are not required tomorrow.  Children may dress their best for the photos.  Please remember to send appropriate clothing for outdoor play!

Sign up online using code FL15 at AlaskasFocus.com .  You receive 4 free wallet photos by signing up online.  Remember to print your child's ticket and send with them tomorrow.

If you do not sign up online, remember to send your completed order form tomorrow.

You are not required to purchase any photos, your student's picture will be taken regardless of purchase.

Sibling photos will be taken at 8:15 before school starts.  Please have your children here early (8:10) if you plan on taking advantage of this opportunity.

Monday, September 28, 2015

Parent Connection September 28th - Issue #7

Attached to this newsletter is a copy of our synod’s publication, Parent’s Crosslink . Please take some time to enjoy this useful publication. Parent’s Crosslink is published four times per year.

You are invited to join us for our weekly chapel service this Thursday, October 1st, from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. Families and friends are invited to come and join us in starting our day with the Lord. This week Pastor Robbert from King of Kings in Wasilla will be leading our worship. Our current mission offering is designated for Jesus Cares Ministries.

We are still waiting to secure a gymnasium to begin Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball (grades 5-8). Parents and students will be notified when practices are to begin. Please speak to Mr. Tom Zarnstorff if you have any questions.

Tonight  Pastor Chris Ewings will be continuing his evening Bible class entitled “Making Life Better”. In this class, participants will consider how God has made our lives better by reviewing our past, changing our present, and transforming our future. This course covers the basic truths of the Christian faith and is offered to new-comers and long-time Christians alike. Come marvel at what God has done for you! This class is presented on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Please contact Pastor Ewings for more information, or just come tonight to see what it is all about!

Junior Choir meets Wednesday, September 30th at 12:20 p.m.

Handchime Choir meets Thursday, October 1st at 12:30 p.m.

Picture Day is this Thursday, October 1st. Attached is an order form for photo packets. Pictures may also be ordered online. Please see the packet for more information.
Pictures will be taken after chapel.Don’t forget to have your child dressed in their best and ready with their order form. Students do not need to wear their uniforms on Thursday. Parents wishing to get pictures for younger siblings of students should be ready by 9:00 a.m.  Extra order forms are available in the box near the school office.

This Friday, October 2nd from 6:30-8:00 is our first Family Science Night!
This is an opportunity for parents and children to learn together while participating in a variety of science activities, explorations and demonstrations. Please take the opportunity with your family to enjoy some family time exploring God’s amazing creation! Refreshments will be provided by Faith PTF.

Parents – Refreshments are needed for Science Night.  This is a great opportunity to volunteer.  If you can provide some refreshments please contact Tina Henry.

Coming up next week (October 5-9) the students in grades 3 to 8 will be participating in Terra Nova and Inview  standardized testing. These tests allow us to compare our students’ abilities with students from our fellow synod schools as well as students in public and private education across the U.S. There is no advance studying necessary for these tests, but it is important that the students are well rested and have a proper breakfast and lunch this week to allow them to put forth their best efforts and give us an accurate assessment of their skills.

Toddler Time is an hour of educational activities, structured play and a snack for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. Toddler Time meets Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. in the Faith fellowship hall. For more information contact Mrs. Cara Ewings at
907-792-9388.

Faith PTF is hosting a Community Health Fair on Saturday, October 17th from 8:00 a.m. until noon. This is a free event providing basic health screening and health care information and all are invited.
We do need some volunteers to help us host this even. To volunteer sign up at: SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0A44A5A72CA46-health
For more information follow the link on the school’s website or call the school office.


This year our church and school will host a “Trunk or Treat” on Friday, October 30th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. This is an event where families can come and enjoy some safe outdoor trick-or-treating and fun activities here at Faith Lutheran. To volunteer to help out, provide your decorated vehicle, or supply candy, please contact the school office. Or sign up at:  Signupgenius.com/go/20f0a44a5a72ca46-trunk

Monday, September 21, 2015

Basketball Practices Delayed

Due to scheduling conflicts with the gym, there will be no practice this week.   

What is Faith PTF?

PTF stands for Parents, Teachers and Friends. It is an organization where parents, teachers and friends of Faith Lutheran School and Preschool get together to plan events to benefit and entertain our kids and community. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to be a part of this busy organization.

Over the next several months, PTF has planned, and would love your assistance with,
the following-

  • October 2nd- Science Night- a place for kids and their parents to experiment with and have fun with science. 6:30-8:00pm

Needed- snacks and parent volunteers to help run a few stations.

Talk to Tina Henry tina.buttercup@gmail.com about snacks
or Mr. Schneck faithlutheranschool@gci.net to run a booth.

  • October 17th-Community Health Fair- We are inviting our neighborhood to take part in a health fair! Vision screening, blood tests, seat belt safety and nutrition are just a few of the topics covered in this fair. 8am-12 noon

Needed- Spread the word, invite friends and neighbors, we also need breakfast type snacks such as bagels or muffins, and several volunteers to welcome visitors and assist them in filling out forms (you will receive training for the forms).

Talk to Gabrielle Bauer gyb270@yahoo.com to volunteer or sign up at SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0A44A5A72CA46-health.

  • October 30th- Trunk or Treat- Our parking lot will be partly filled with decorated cars filled with candy and treats, some games, a warming tent and great snacks. A safe, fun place for our kids and the community kids to trick or treat. 5-7pm

Needed- Candy or treats (lots), cupcakes or bars for a cakewalk, canopies on standby in case of bad weather, volunteers to decorate cars and man them, several people to run games or do face painting, inviting your neighbors and friends!

Email the office faithlutheran@gci.net or log on to Signupgenius.com/go/20f0a44a5a72ca46-trunk
  if you are willing to volunteer and the theme of your car, so we don’t have 6 Frozen-themed vehicles J.


  • October 30-November 1- Scholastic Book Fair- Books you can buy right off the tables without waiting for them to come through the mail. Our school earns Scholastic dollars or cash to buy some of the extra things that make school special.

Needed- Help to set up and take down. Talk to Tina Henry tina.buttercup@gmail.com

  • November 11- Decommissioning Ceremony for our US Flag - We are inviting veterans and active duty military members for this event. We are retiring our present flag (outside flag pole) and replacing it with a new one. Come honor those who serve among us! The ceremony will take place at 11am on Veteran’s Day.

Needed- For you to invite those friends and family who served or continue to serve in our Armed Forces.

As you can see, we have a lot planned and we need your help to do it well!

Hope to see you at our next meeting on October 8th at 7pm.

If you have any questions, your PTF officers would be happy to answer them. They are Tina Henry, President tina.buttercup@gmail.com
                                Sheila Lillo, Vice-President sheila.lillo@gmail.com
                               Deanna Schneck, Sec.melindamargaret028@gmail.com

                                Gabrielle Bauer, Treas. gyb270@yahoo.com

Parent Connection September 21 Issue# 6

“Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, ...” – Hebrews 12:1-2a (HCSB)

An event still sticks in my mind from one of the first fishing trips I made to Big Lake. A beautiful summer day, the fish were biting, the sun was shining. I had borrowed a boat from my niece and her husband. We had found a spot that looked to be promising, so we pulled in, dropped anchor, and proceeded to fish. But soon we decided that the spot wasn’t paying off like we had hoped, so we reeled in to move to another spot. The outboard motor started up fine, but as we took off, the boat seemed sluggish. Was the engine not working properly? It seemed we would go a little, then slow down. I gave it a little more gas, but the boat just didn’t want to pick up speed. Then suddenly, we took off like a shot. Wow! Problem solved. At least until we got to our next fishing spot. “Hey. Where’s our anchor?”

Funny thing about anchors – they slow you down. They sit below the water line. You don’t see them. But if you forget to bring them in, your journey is hindered. Or stopped completely. Or disastrously. (I thank God that that wasn’t the case on our fishing trip.)

In our Christian lives, we at times fail to see the “anchors” that hold us back – worries about life, regrets from our past, selfish attitudes and behaviors, or just plain sin. We wonder why we are not advancing in our walk of faith like we hope to, while hidden below the waterline these anchors dig into the bottom, keeping us from moving forward in faith to follow Jesus as we know we should.
A quick check around the boat before we started off would have saved me a lost anchor and a great deal of embarrassment. A daily check of my life is needed to see if any hidden “anchors” might keep me from following Jesus with my whole heart:
·         What worries and cares have I not put entirely into Jesus hands, or failed to even give to him?
·         What sins still plague my conscience? Have I repented? And if so, have I trusted in the promise of sins forgiven?
·         What attitudes or behaviors am I displaying that show more love for myself than for my Savior?

May God lead every one of us to lay aside that which holds us back from believing in his promises and following Christ in our daily Christian walk of faith, and may God through his Holy Spirit keeping our eyes focused on our Savior Jesus.
That reminds me - I still owe my niece and her husband a new anchor.
May God bless your week,
Principal Schneck

You are invited to join us for our weekly chapel service this Thursday, September 24th, from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m.
Families and friends are invited to come and join us in starting our day with the Lord. Our current mission offering is designated for Jesus Cares Ministries.

Congratulations to our Cross Country Team!
They runners from our school took first AND second place in their division in the ACSAA meet on Saturday. Thanks to Mr. Zarnstorff for coaching the team. Way to go, Huskies!

Our thanks to all those who donated to and helped run our PTF/Camp Luther Fall Parking Lot Sale and Saturday. Over $600 was raised for PTF and Camp Luther. Thank you!
Junior Choir meets Wednesday, September 23rd. Students should be in the church for practice at 12:20 p.m.

Handchime Choir meets Thursday, September 4th. Students should be in the church for practice at 12:30 p.m.

Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball (grades 5-8) begins this Tuesday, September 22nd.
Basketball is open to students in grades 5-8. Permission slips need to be returned for students to participate. Mr. Zarnstorff will be coaching the boys’ team, and Mrs. Jessi Robbert will coach the girls’ team.  Please speak to Mr. Tom Zarnstorff if you have any questions.

Beginning tonight Pastor Chris Ewings will be presenting an evening Bible class entitled “Making Life Better”. In this class, participants will consider how God has made our lives better by reviewing our past, changing our present, and transforming our future. This course covers the basic truths of the Christian faith and is offered to new-comers and long-time Christians alike. Come marvel at what God has done for you! This class is presented on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Please contact Pastor Ewings for more information, or just come tonight to see what it is all about!

Faith PTF is hosting a Community Health Fair on Saturday, October 17th from 8:00 a.m. until noon. This is a free event providing basic health screening and health care information and all are invited.
We do need some volunteers to help us host this even. To volunteer sign up at: SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0A44A5A72CA46-health
For more information follow the link on the school’s website or call the school office.

September Toddler Time is an hour of educational activities, structured play and a snack for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. Toddler Time meets Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. in the Faith fellowship hall. For more information contact Mrs. Cara Ewings at
907-792-9388.

This year our church and school will host a “Trunk or Treat” on Friday, October 30th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. This is an event where families can come and enjoy some safe outdoor trick-or-treating and fun activities here at Faith Lutheran. To volunteer to help out, provide your decorated vehicle, or supply candy, please contact the school office. Or sign up at:  Signupgenius.com/go/20f0a44a5a72ca46-trunk

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

School Parking Lot Sale



Faith Lutheran School and Camp Luther
Parking Lot Sale
Saturday, September 19th
10am-4pm

If you would like to volunteer to help with clean up or any other time during the day, please contact the office at 563-3499.
Donations will be accepted through Friday.

Monday, September 14, 2015

Parent Connection September 14th 2015 - Issue #5

“…As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” ”– John 6:66-69

I’ll admit it. I love going to Value Village.
Or the Salvation Army Thrift Store. Or the Habitat for Humanity Restore.
Sometimes I’m looking for something specific. Sometimes I’m just looking around. One thing that intrigues me is that these stores even exist. Virtually every very item on the shelves is something that someone wanted – for him or herself or someone else – enough to pay money for. In some cases quite a bit of money. But over time their feelings changed. Now these items sit on the thrift store shelves, no longer needed and no longer wanted, at least by the original owners. But for many of these items a new owner is just around the corner. A new owner who sees a treasure in what others saw as trash, a new owner that sees value in what another has deemed worthless.
In the Scripture verses above we see many who were followers of Jesus change their minds. They decided that Jesus wasn’t what they wanted. Maybe he wasn’t what they were looking for in a Messiah. Maybe they just stopped believing. For whatever reason, they no longer felt that Christ was worth following. Perhaps they never really valued him in the first place.
But not so the twelve. They realized that, as hard as Jesus teachings might have seemed, there was no other way to be saved. As Peter confessed to Jesus, “You have the words of eternal life.” The disciples had faith that Jesus was the promised Savior.
It seems today that the world around us values Jesus less and less. Church membership is decreasing. Christian values are regarded less and less by society. Even some who confess to be Christians don’t acknowledge Jesus teachings as the direction for their lives. Yet those who know Jesus cling even more tightly in Faith to the only one whom they know is the Way to eternal life. While the devil, the world, and even their own sinful flesh seeks to draw belivers away from their Savior, through the Holy Spirit God’s people continue to value what many see as valueless.

Lord, continue to bless your people with faith to treasure the Gospel of Jesus, the Words of Eternal Life. Amen.

May God bless your week,
Principal Schneck
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You are invited to join us for our weekly chapel service this Thursday, September 17th, from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. Families and friends are invited to come and join us in starting our day with the Lord. This week our chapel speaker is Pastor Rob Robbert from King of Kings Lutheran Church in Wasilla. Our current mission offering is designated for Jesus Cares Ministries, which conducts programs and assists congregations in reaching out to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families and communities. Pastor Robbert will give a brief presentation after the service to tell us more about this ministry.

SPIRIT DAYS THIS WEEK!
No uniforms on Wednesday and Thursday! Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week are SPIRIT DAYS! Have fun and show your school spirit and cheer on the Cross Country team as they prepare for their meet this Saturday. 
Wednesday Sept. 16th – Sports Uniform Day
Wear a uniform from a sport you play, or the jersey or colors of a favorite sports team!
Thursday, Sept. 17th – Fancy Dress Day
“Girls in pearls, guys in ties” or any other way you can dress for a special occasion.
Friday – Sept.18th –Teal and Gold Day
Wear our school colors with pride!

Cross Country Running meets Tuesday, September 15th and Thursday September 17th this week. Practice will be from 4-5:30 p.m. The state cross-country meet will be held this Saturday, September 19th at Kincaid Park, Jodhpur Trailhead.  Jodhpur Trailhead is off Jodhpur Road, not Raspberry Road.  The meet starts at 10:00 a.m. Students should be at the park by 9:45 a.m. to warm up. Mr. Zarnstorff will be leaving the Faith parking lot at 9:15 a.m. if any runners would like to ride with him.  Go Huskies!

Junior Choir meets Wednesday, September 16th. Students should be in the church for practice at 12:20 p.m.

Handchime Choir meets Thursday, September 17th. Students should be in the church for practice at 12:30 p.m.

There will be a hot lunch available this Thursday, September 17th. On the menu – Frito Pie! See the flyer sent home on Monday for details.

There will be a Parents’ Night Out Friday, September 18th from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Drop off the kids to enjoy some time with friends and activities while Mom and Dad take some time for themselves. There is no cost, but free will donations will be accepted to support PTF activities. Please sign up in the lower hallway or speak to Tina Henry.
Want to help out with this or another PNO this year? Please speak to PTF president Tina Henry.

Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball (grades 5-8) will begin Tuesday, September 22nd.
Basketball is open to students in grades 5-8. Permission slips will be sent home with interested students this week. Please speak to Mr. Tom Zarnstorff if you have any questions.

This Friday, September 18th is a Popcorn Friday! Bring your quarters for 25¢-a-bag popcorn after school. Proceeds to benefit Faith PTF activities.

Toddler Time is an hour of educational activities, structured play and a snack for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. Toddler Time meets Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. in the Faith fellowship hall. For more information contact Mrs. Cara Ewings at 907-792-9388.

This Saturday, September 19th is our PTF/Camp Luther Fall Parking Lot Sale.
The sale will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Do you have any items that you would like to donate? Donations for the sale can be left in the fellowship hall under the coat racks. Any gently used items will be welcome: clothing, household goods, toys, tools, etc. If you have anything that needs to be picked up from your home, please speak to Mr. Schneck. Proceeds of this sale benefit the school ministry though Faith PTF (Parents, Teachers and Friends) and Camp Luther Alaska.

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Parent Connection September 8th, Issue #4

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” – 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)

“Can you help?”
Maybe it’s a man with a sign on the street. Perhaps it’s a bell ringer with a red pot. Or a phone call from a local charity. Or a plea on a late-night television commercial. “Can you give help to those who so badly need it?”
So you decide to help. You start with your pocket change. Then empty the cash from your wallet. You take your debit card to a nearby bank and empty your accounts. You go home and collect all your things- ALL your things – and sell them on Craigslist, along with your house and your car. You sell everything that you own, including the clothes on your back, convert it to cash and take it down personally to the charity, or bell-ringer, or man with a cardboard sign. And you hand it over. All of it. Every last coin. “Yes, I can help.”
Unlikely? I would venture to say impossible. For us, that is. Yet this is just a pale comparison to what Jesus did for us.
God became man. The almighty took on human flesh. The great King of the Universe takes on the role of the servant of everyone. The one who created, owns and rules everything lays it all aside because he wants to help. And help he does. He gives it all, and more. He lays aside his crown and takes up our sorrow. He gives his perfect obedience and his very life. He gives more than it is possible for any of us to give.
Perhaps if we did give away everything we own it could help a charity or individual in some way. But eventually it would run out. More would be needed. Not so with Jesus’ gift of himself. “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10)   When Jesus became our sacrifice on the cross, the sin that separated us from God was taken away. Through faith in Jesus we are sons and daughters of the King. The very Son of God takes on himself complete poverty. We, in turn, inherit riches: forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life in heaven with Him.
“Can you help?” We like to think that if someone asks this of us, we might find something we could do. Yet often our situation, and at times our sinfulness, prevent us from doing much.
Thank the Lord that Jesus’ answer was “Yes.” And help he did.

He spoke to his beloved Son: “Tis’ time to have compassion.
Then Go, bright jewel of my crown, and bring mankind salvation.
From sin and sorrow set them free; slay bitter death for them that they
May live with you forever.”

Verse 7 of Hymn 377 Dear Christians One and All, Rejoice”  by Dr. Martin Luther from Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal
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You are invited to join us for our weekly chapel service this Thursday, September 10th, from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m.
Families and friends are invited to come and join us in starting our day with the Lord. Our current mission offering is designated for Jesus Cares Ministries, which conducts programs and assists congregations in reaching out to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families and communities. Please keep them in your family’s prayers this week.

 Parents, Teachers, and Friends (PTF) has its first meeting on Thursday, September 10th at 7:00pm.
Items on the agenda include the upcoming Health Fair and Trunk or Treat.
All parents are invited and encouraged to attend. If you did not get a chance to sign up for volunteer opportunities at the parent meeting, you may do so at this PTF meeting. Most volunteer items only require an hour of your time and can fit into the busiest of schedules.
Hope to see you there!

The Cross-Country team practices Tuesday, September 8th and Thursday, September 10th from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

Junior Choir meets Wednesday, September 9th. Students should be in the church for practice at 12:20 p.m.

We will be taking our all-school photo this Thursday, September 10th.
Students are reminded to be in uniform (either blue or black) as usual. Please note: this is only the all-school photo. Individual photos and classroom photos will be taken October 1st.

The students of Mr. Zarnstorff’s room (grades 3,4, and 5) will be going on a field trip to the Campbell Creek Science Center for Water Discovery Days this Friday, September 11th. They will be arriving there around 12:30 p.m. and will spend most of the afternoon there. Mr. Zarnstorff has space for two parents to join them. Any parents that are interested in accompanying them for this activity and a little hiking, please contact Mr. Zarnstorff.

We still have some school uniform polos available for sale at a discount as we use up our stock.
Email or check in with Mr. Schneck to see if we have what you need before you order online.
Do you have school uniform shirts or khakis that are in good condition but no longer fit your child? Would you be willing to donate them to another school family? Bring them to the table next to Mr. Schneck’s room upstairs in the fellowship hall. We will make “gently used” uniforms available to other school families. Need something? Please help yourself.
We will have these items available in the fellowship hall for one more week. After Friday, they will be stored in Mr. Schneck’s room, but will still be available to look through if needed. See Mr. Schneck if you want to take a look.
  
Coming up on Saturday, September 19th is our PTF/Camp Luther Fall Parking Lot Sale.
The sale will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Do you have any items that you would like to donate? We have limited space to store donations, so we ask that items for the sale not be brought until Monday, September 14th or later. During that week items can be left in the fellowship hall under the coat racks. Any gently used items will be welcome: clothing, household goods, toys, tools, etc. Proceeds of this sale benefit the school ministry though Faith PTF (Parents, Teachers and Friends) and Camp Luther Alaska.

Do you know about Toddler Time?
Toddler Time is an hour of educational activities, structured play and a snack for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. Toddler Time meets this Wednesday, September 9th from 10-11 a.m. in the Faith fellowship hall. For more information contact Mrs. Cara Ewings at 907-792-9388.

Reminder to keep checking.
Parents please remember to check your student for signs of lice.  The signs or symptoms may have gone undetected at first.  Please see the attached flyer for more information.  Now that hat season is upon us remind your child not to share hats as well.


We are still waiting for earthquake comfort kits for some students. Please return your child’s comfort kit if you have not already done so.