November 20th, 2023
Principal Corner
Thanksgiving is a time to step back from our busy lives, take a day or two off of work, and hopefully be able to get together with family or friends to give thanks for all God has blessed us with. We should be giving thanks to God on a daily basis, but it is good every so often to take some time to look back out how God has been blessing you. As I look back over the last few months and beyond, I am thankful we were able to fill open positions at school, with qualified Christian people. I am thankful for the support of the members of Trinity church that allows us to bring Christ to the students and families that attend our school. I am also so thankful for all the families that have made the decision to send their children to Trinity and any sacrifices that they have to make so their children can come and hear about all that God has done for us. I am thankful to a wife and family that will overlook my sinfulness and mistakes and still love me. I am thankful for four healthy grandchildren that bring joy to my heart in a way only grandchildren can. I am thankful that my Lord and Savior, has blessed me with serving as Principal of Trinity Lutheran School, and gives me the strength and guidance to help lead the ministry at the school and the church that we may “Live the Light” for others so that they may come to know Jesus as their Savior.
Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes
Great Job TLS & TLC Sunday School Students!
With all your help and dedication, we were able to send 80 shoeboxes to kids overseas and we raised over $890 to get them shipped and to help Samaritan’s Purse get more boxes out!
That is 80 children that will get a surprise for Christmas that they weren’t expecting. We definitely shared the light by giving this November!
NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, Nov 22nd - Friday, Nov 24th
CHAPEL OFFERING
TUESDAY, NOV 21st - ONE & ONE Hungry Challenge. Bring in One Food item and $1 for chapel that day!
Both items will be benefitting two amazing places. The food item will go to the Janesville food shelf and the $1 will benefit the Waseca food shelf and their new location.
After Thanksgiving, we will begin collecting offering and new, unwrapped toys, for Toys for Tots. There will be boxes for drop off in the school for the toys. Toys for Tots could always use funds as well, to help their organization keep running.
GOURD FAMILY
The 3rd Grade Class used their creativity and created families out of gourds donated by Autumn Acres! They are super adorable and so fun!
Thank you Autumn Acres!
December
Choir Dates
Wed, December 13th: K-2 Christmas Program @ 6:30 service
Tues, December 19th: Preschool Christmas Program @ 7:00 in the school gym.
Wed, December 20th: 3-8 Christmas Program @ 6:30 service
Clothing for Cooler Weather
What to wear when the weather turns cold? Here are the guidelines we use to determine what the students should wear outside. Be advised that we are very firm on these rules, so please make sure that your child has the appropriate clothing that is needed.
Below 55, they need long sleeves.
Below 50, they need a sweatshirt or jacket.
Below 45, they need a winter coat, head covering (hat, headband or earmuffs, NOT just a hood), and gloves or mittens. If they do not have the correct type of coat, or head covering, they will need to borrow from someone else, or use something from the Lost and Found. We do not have kids stay inside unless they are sick.
To play in the snow, they must also have snow pants and boots. They will need to stand on the sidewalk if they do not have either of these items.
If it is muddy outside, we will require the students to wear boots, even if there is no snow. This is to make sure we don’t track a lot of dirt into the classrooms.
SLEDS that are soft/foam or roll up may be brought and left at school.
EVERYONE should have a pair of tennis shoes that stays at school for gym class and if they forget their shoes.
School Closings and Delays
Note that we follow the JWP Schedule, so if you see they are off, we will be following suit.
Emails: TLS will send an email to parents to the email address supplied to the school.
Procare: A Message will be sent out via Procare. Even if you don’t have the app, you should still receive an email with the message.
Text Alerts: Sign up on the KARE 11 and KSTP ABC 5.
Posted on TV Websites: KARE 11, KMSP FOX 9, KSTP ABC 5, and KEYC News 12.
Parent-Student Directory
Within registration, every family had an opportunity to opt out their information for the Parent-Student Directory. These are sometimes very handy when wanting to address birthday invitations or put names to faces and match kids with parents. They are a great resource and are finally ready to print. Jacqie was a TAD busy with some other items at the beginning of school and finally was able to get the Parent-Student directory updated and ready to go. If you opted out your information, only your name and your children are listed, no other information. Normally we just hand them out to everyone but I know some families may not need one or want one. Please place your order by clicking on the button below and I’ll get them printed and handed out next week.
E-RATE Funding
E-Rate Funding: Bridging the Digital Divide in Education
In today's rapidly advancing digital age, technology has become an integral part of education. However, ensuring access to reliable and high-speed internet connectivity, as well as necessary digital resources, is a challenge for many schools across the nation. This is where E-Rate funding comes into play.
E-Rate funding, established as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, has been instrumental in bridging the digital divide in education. Managed by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), E-Rate provides discounts to eligible schools and libraries, enabling them to afford necessary telecommunications and internet services.
The impact of E-Rate funding is profound, especially in schools serving underprivileged communities. It has opened doors to new possibilities by ensuring that all students, regardless of their economic backgrounds, have equitable access to digital learning resources. By doing so, E-Rate funding has helped level the playing field, providing equal opportunities for academic success.
With E-Rate funding, schools have been able to upgrade their infrastructure, improve their internet connectivity, and install Wi-Fi networks to support a large number of students and staff who rely on digital tools daily. This funding has also facilitated the purchase of essential hardware and software, such as computers, tablets, and educational software, to enhance the learning experience.
Furthermore, E-Rate funding has encouraged schools to embrace new technologies and adopt innovative teaching practices. Teachers have been able to utilize interactive presentations, online learning platforms, and virtual reality tools to create engaging and immersive lessons. Students have benefited from personalized learning experiences that cater to their unique needs and learning styles.
While E-Rate funding has been a game-changer for many schools, it is important to recognize that the digital divide is not completely bridged. There are still challenges to overcome, particularly in remote and rural areas with limited connectivity options. Efforts should be made to further expand and enhance the reach of E-Rate funding, ensuring that every student has an equal opportunity to thrive in a digital society.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
As a school, we would love to look into E-Rate Funding more, but it is a time consuming process. Many companies out there will help connect all the information for you, but at a cost (and too be honest, a cost that seems a little ridiculous). That is where our lovely parents and community members can help!!!
Some of the research Ms. Jacqie and Mr. Stockman have done so far, has at least found some resources on getting started and all the information that is required. They both, are honestly too busy to dive deep into this while trying to tackle all the other ongoing projects and day to day involved with school.
If you’d like to help out, or if a group of you would like to tackle this together, we think it could make a huge impact.
Below are some resources if you’d like to take a look and decide if you can help make this possible for our school.
Did you know you could earn money for our school and toward your tuition? Did you know it’s as easy as purchasing gift cards for things you likely are already spending money on like gas and groceries? With RaiseRight (formerly Scrip) you can do that!
How does it work? We purchase gift cards at a discount and pass along the savings to you in the form of tuition credit. We have physical cards at the school, the order form (Click HERE) shows what we typically have on hand. You can send in your order with your student or send an email or stop in the school office.
Earn from anywhere! There is also a website and app! You can get instant access to E Cards right at your fingertips! You can also order physical gift cards to pick up at the school. Even family and friends can support our school by using the website or app wherever they are!
Check out more information here: https://www.raiseright.com/
To sign up and link our school, enter the School Enrollment Code: F6CE27485255
You can also check out the Google Calendar under Parents > School Calendar to subscribe.
COMING SOON…..
Jacqie is working on getting it arranged to make payments via Procare! You’ll have the option to pay by card or ACH. Paying by card will have an added processing fee. You’ll be able to pay via the MyProcare.com where you all registered for school OR the app! You will also be able to set up auto payment if you want that option. No invoice sent, just a receipt and payment will be automatically deducted from your bank account. More information will be emailed out to parents when it is ready!
FRIENDLY REMINDERS:
Arriving at school before 8:10 am, please go through the gym unless you are a Preschool parent.
At the end of the day, please remain outside and wait for your student. They are released at 3:05 pm.
When a child is going to be absent, please send a message via Procare (it gets to both the teacher AND the office) OR make sure you are sending a message to both the teacher and the office if not using Procare.