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The Future of LutheranHigh Schools

At our 7 th and 8 th grade Lutheran elementaryschool visitation day in September, I askedeach visit ing student to give some thought tothis question: What is the one main thing that you are looking for in a high school? Inother words, what is the one non-negotiablecharacteri stic that the high school that youattend must have? They were then asked to write down an answer. Answers ranged fromgood food to attractive females, but of the 112 students that I asked, the top three vote-getters were: 1. Quality athletics (28percent); 2. Great teachers (17 percent); 3.Excellent academics (16 percent). Christ-centered education finished a distantfourth at 10 percent.

At first glance, the message seemsobviousI need to make sure that myschool has quality athletics, great teachersand excellent overall academic programs.Thats what the kids are looking for, andDenver Lutheran High School wontappeal to them unless we have those things.In light of the fact that more and moreeighth graders get to choose (or play alarge role in the decision) where they willattend high school, it seems obvious that weneed to be a school of choice for ourpotential customers.This is al so the message that resonatesfrom the school ministry branch of thelcms . Pick up any book on making schoolsexcellent and the message is the same: thatfor Lutheran schools to survive they mustbecome schools of choicethat they mustbecome schools of excellence or die. And while I do believe that thoroughly Christianschools ar committed to excellence (to steala phrase from Dr. Gene Frost in his book,L arn ng from th B tGrow ng Gr atn n thChr t an school), I wonder if we are missing the boat. While we stare in the face of thecompetition of public, charter, and high-

level private schools that have a seeminglybottomless pit of resources, I wonder why we arent really selling the one thing that we possess that truly makes our schoolsdifferent than the competition: Gods Word.I am sure that every Lutheran high schoolin the nation promotes its Christ-centeredapproach, or its spiritual environment,or its Christian worldview. They listthose right along with the other attributes

that make their school great. But do wereally boldly tell people about the powerof Gods Word and its bene ts in the livesof our youth?

The Baptist church is selling it. Recently,high-level leaders in the Southern BaptistChurch have called for an exit strategyfrom the public school system. Claiming that keeping kids in the public school systemindoctrinates them in secular humanism,Darwinism a nd other non-Christian worldviews, Baptist families are being encouraged (or requiredthey are Baptistsafter all) to educate their children withChrist at all times. Forms of the phrase,

Either educate your children with JesusChrist, or they wil l be educated againstHim, are the mantra for the non-LutheranChristian high schools. An exodus fromthe public schools is slowly beginning inthe United States.

In an appropriately Lutheran way, we needto get on board. In light of the fact that anadolescents brain is not ful ly developeduntil he/she reaches that age of 22 or 23, andin light of the fact that high school studentsare a captive audience for 35-50 hours a week, I do not believe that our church bodyfully recognizes the opportunity that it hasbeen given. I do not believe that our churchis preaching the value of developing withChrist through high school education. I donot believe that the majority of our churcheshave fully recognized that our Lutheranhigh schools are the very best means by which to have our youth rmly planted inGods Word.

I dream of a world where every pastorin the Colorado Lutheran High School

Association would say to a family withhigh school kids, I want to get your kidsto daily be in the Word; they would getthat at Denver Lutheran High School. Idream of a world where every church in ourassociation would view its youth as futuremissionaries in need of funding and do what it takes to provide nancial supportto those that need it to attend dlhs . I prayfor pastors who would boldly preach on thepower of Gods Word and then add, hence,the importance of Lutheran education.I dream of a Synod where Lutheran highschools would never be viewed by churches as

just another item in the budget that moneygoes to support. They should be viewed asth essential ministry that our Synod has to our youth. A couple of hours a week at youthgroup hardly seems enough to combat thespiritual warfare being launched at our kids.Investing 35-50 hours at a school dedicatedto using Gods Word in all aspects of itsoperation seems far more bene cialafterall, Gods Word is there.

Are we selling that message? Clearlythe 7 th and 8 th graders of the Lutheranelementary schools in the Denver area dontknow or believe that the most importantcharacteristic in a school is whether thename of Jesus Christ is spoken there. It isour job then as Lutheran high schools, butalso as a larger church body and Synod, toeducate both students and parents aboutthe importance of developing with JesusChrist in our Lutheran schools.

Dan GehrkePrincipal

Denver Lutheran High SchoolGehrke1818@yahoo.com

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The Joy of Serving in Lutheran Schools

It should come as no surprise to thoseinvolved in Lutheran schools that things havechanged over the years. New and recurring family life issues, expanding technologyopportunities and the declining availabilityof synodically t rained teachers are topics tobe addressed. Combine these with the great variety of curriculum resources to choosefrom with diminished nancial support,and you begin to get the picture as seenby those involved in administering andteaching in Lutheran schools today.

Even with these challenges, the joy of serving in the Lutheran school comes fromthe knowledge that Gods Word does notchange. Genesis 1:1, In the beginning

, and John 3:16, God so loved , stillcarry the message of the world created andthe world redeemed by God through HisSon, Jesus Christ. That message is a comfortto all who minister in Lutheran schools,for it speaks to their students and to thempersonally as well.

Of great bene t to our Lutheran schools isthe system of higher education that preparesLutheran teachers for our schools. Becauseour Concordia University System providescutting-edge teacher preparation, teachers

who provide student teaching opportunitiesin their classrooms stay current withthe latest topics and ideas in education.Continuing education opportunities alsoenable teacher growth and improvementin ministry.

The past 20 years have seen theintroduction and growth of NationalLutheran School Accreditation ( nlsa ).Nearly 50 percent of our early childhoodcenters, elementary schools and highschools have achieved some level of accreditation through nlsa , and it has beenthe most important factor in the ongoing improvement of Lutheran schools.

proper and healthy way. They also wantthem to growto grow in knowledge aboutthemselves, others, and the world in whichthey live. It is important that those in thechurch and the school take time to know their families and their children fromthe time they enter membership in thebody of Christ, which often occurs at thebaptismal font.

Trusting relationships between co- workers are equally important. Having a working knowledge of the support andencouragement of others on the ministryteam goes a long way in enabling a faculty andstaff to provide a solid Christian educationexperience for children and families. Whena church and school staff is centered onprayer and the saving message of the Wordof God, many blessings will result.

Is there another role in life that providesmore opportunities for day-to-day contact with young people and their families to sharethe Good News of Jesus Christ? Is there amore satisfying and ful lling calling thanto Train up a child in the way he shouldgo ? I dont think so.

Thats why Im blessed and pleased to say,Im a Lutheran school teacher!

Dave KoopmanPrincipal

St. John Lutheran SchoolSeward, Nebraska

david.koopman@cune.edu

When one talks with teachers, they will tell you that there is an increased demand foraccountability in the education of children.Many of todays parents are more educatedthan their counterparts of past years, and thistranslates into conversations of concern andexpectations for excellence in the classroom.

At the same time, family l ife has placed new demands on children, and teachers meet young people in their classrooms with heavyhearts because of issues faced at home andin their neighborhoods. The teacher who

nds a balance in great teaching and greathuman care is the teacher who has meaning and gives hope for students. Have childrenchanged? No, but the world in whichchildren live has changed. Have teacherschanged? Good teachers have always caredfor their students as if they were their own.God reminds us all of His cal l in Isaiah 43:1,

You are mine!School leaders have a lso become more

business conscious, as congregations watchthe rising cost of supporting a school.Tuition and fund-raising have becomecritical parts of the funding formula formany schools, and administrators findthemselves stretched once again to addressthese questions. Is it any wonder that manyof our teachers are reluctant to step intoleadership roles? Solving this questionof nancial support will come only fromthe dedicated members of congregationsand families who continue to be a faithfulblessing to their schools.

Estab l i sh ing and enabl ing goodrelationships with parents, co-workers,pastors and members of the congregationsserved by the school are key elements forthose who lead in Lutheran schools today.Parents desire that their pastor and teacherknow their children. Parents want to know that their children will be cared for in a

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Judith Christian

The State of Early Childhood Educationin the lcms

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Thousands of young children and theirfamilies come to approximately 2,300 lcms campuses each year through the doors of early childhood centers. These centersrepresent the greatest number of schoolssponsored by lcms congregations. The mostrecent Lutheran School Statistics (2006-07)reveal that the number of children enrolledin lcms early childhood programs exceedsthe total number of students enrolled ingrades 1-8. (Cochran, 2006) Its time forcongregations to intentionally attend tothese very young children and their families, with the knowledge and understanding thatthese groups enter our buildings needing acceptance, Christian relationships, the

message of the Gospel, and scaffolding (someone to walk with them as they grow as afamily centered in Christ ).

The best of the denominations centers view themselves as family centers. Thecenter staff acts as extended family, dailyministering faithfully to the needs of children and their families through wordsand actions that re ect the extravagant love of

Jesus. More than 151 early childhood centers(those not af liated with elementary schools)have opened during the last 10 years (1996-97to 2006-07). New early childhood programshave also been initiated on elementary schoolcampuses. Yet this opportunity for missionand ministry is often ignored, overlookedby congregations, and left exclusively to thecenters director and teachers. The diversityof children and families served in our earlychildhood centers, as well as the teachers andleaders within them, challenge traditionalthinking about what and who constitutesLutheran schools.

Diversity of ProgramsThe lcms is ranked third among religiousorganizations housing early childhoodfacilities in the United States. (Neugebauer,2000a). Over one-third of the 6,118 lcms congregations sponsor early childhood

education programs (full day child careand pre-kindergarten classes). A widerange of diversity, beyond geographicaldifferences, exists among the denominationsnearly 2,300 early childhood programs.

Approximately 90 percent of the 1,018lcms elementary schools report having early childhood programs on theircampuses. Another 1,379 are af l iated withcongregations not sponsoring elementaryschools. (Cochran, 2006) lcms earlychildhood programs are located in all 35 of the denominations districts, with the largestcenters among those not af liated withelementary schools found in the NorthwestDistrict (94) followed by the Texas District

(84) and Michigan District (79). Each of the2,300 early childhood centers has its ownunique features.

Type of Community A study conducted by Aid Association forLutherans (2001) revealed that 30 percentof lcms programs are located in small cities(population of 5,000-50,000). Another 22percent of lcms early childhood programsare operating in rural areas (population

under 5,000). Twenty percent of lcms

early childhood programs are located insuburban areas of a large city (populationover 250,000). Eight percent of lcms earlychildhood programs can be found in urbanareas (population over 250,000).

Type of Programlcms early childhood programs include full-day child care programs that enroll childrenage six weeks to ve years, as well as half-day programs for three, four and ve-year-old children. Some operate 12 months of the year while others follow the traditionalschool calendar. Some programs holdthree-hour sessions, while others providecare and education for eight or more hourseach day. lcms early childhood programsmay also provide after-school programs forelementary school age children and summer

camps for young children. Many providecombinations of these programs. Commonto all of the denominations early childhood

Dr. Judith Christian is the Directorof Children and Family Ministry,The Lutheran ChurchMissouri

Synod. Judy.Christian@lcms.org

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programs is the enrollment of children whoare four years of age.

Self-Governance

State regulations pertaining to earlychildhood centers vary, and although earlychildhood programs are part of a nationalstructure with primarily regional districts,there is little regulation of individualprograms due to the lcms practice of self-governance. Self-governance is re ectedin the variances in the percent of programsthat are licensed by the states and accreditedthrough a certi ed accrediting agency.In 2001, it was found that 79 percent of lcms early childhood programs had a statelicense; 31 percent were accredited throughthe denomination and 12 percent wereaccredited through the National Associationfor the Education of Young Children (Aid

Association for Lutherans, 2001, p. 35).National Lutheran School Accreditation(nlsa ) reports indicate that the number of lcms early childhood centers (not af liated with elementary schools) accredited throughthat agency has risen from 26 centers in2003 to 74 in 2007.

Who is Serving in lcms Early Childhood Programs?

The rapid expansion of lcms early childhoodcenters in the 80s and 90s quickly out-distanced the number of graduates availablefor placement through the ConcordiaUniversity System. (Only 19 commissionedministers were placed in early childhoodprograms for 2006-07 according to thePlacement of Commissioned Ministers

report provided by the Concordia UniversitySystem.) In addition, low salaries (averagestarting salary was reported to be $25,863for early childhood candidates), lack of bene ts, and geographic limitations of potential workers have challenged theseschools to identify, hire and keep quali edadministrators, teachers and other staff.

As a result, approximately nine percentof early childhood educators are rostered

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by the lcms as ministers of religion,commissioned. (Stueber, 2001) Thisrepresents a 50 percent decrease during the 10-year period from 1991-2001.

A study conducted in 2004 found thatthe majority (66.6 percent) of respondentshave served as directors of the programs in which they are currently serving for a periodof 0-6 years. (Christian, 2004) Longevity isobserved when directors, along withtheir pastors and congregation members,attend to shaping cultures of collaborationand excitement about spiritual nurtureand outreach.

Among participants in the 2004 studyof early childhood program directors, 9.3

percent reported having a bachelors degree,and 5.7 percent reported a masters degreein the eld of early childhood education.Only .1 percent reported a bachelors degree,and 7.6 percent reported a masters degreein education administration; .3 percentreported a bachelors degree, and .3 percentreported a masters degree in businessadministration. (Christian 2004) Althoughthe majority of early childhood programdirectors do not hold degrees in educationalleadership and administration, only inrecent years have early chi ldhood centerdirectors been included in national andregional leadership development conferencesthrough which elementary and high schooladministrators have bene ted for decades.

Number of Children Enrolled?God has given lcms congregations and earlychildhood programs an unprecedentedopportunity to nurture and shape childrenand their families for service in His kingdom

by introducing Jesus to children at an earlyage. In the midst of numerical decline inother areas of childrens ministry, lcms early childhood programs enrolled nearly132,000 young children and their families(lcms School Statistics 2006-07). Togain perspective, there are more childrenattending early childhood programsthan are enrolled in grades 1-8 in lcms elementary schools. It should also be noted

that the 18,512 children enrolled in lcms kindergarten classes nearly matches thenumber of students (18,806) enrolled ingrades 9-12 in lcms secondary schools.(Lutheran School Statistic 2006-07)

What Kinds of Changes inEnrollments in the Next Ten YearsCan Be Anticipated?

The average center, as of this writing,enrolls 45 children (Lutheran SchoolStatistics 2006-07). While rapid emergenceof centers as seen in the 1980s and 90s isunlikely, the recent trend of increasinglylarger enrollments (43 of reporting centersrecorded 190 children to nearly 500children enrolled in their centers) wil l likelycontinue. Among these larger centers, 18 arelocated in the Midwest. (Lutheran SchoolStatistics 2006-07) It is anticipated that theemergence of larger centers will continue,the majority of which will provide full-daychild care for very young children. Currenttrends suggest this growth will occur in areasoutside of the Midwestern states.

How Are Early ChildhoodCenters Financed?

The most recent Lutheran School Statisticsreport indicates early childhood centersreceive 12 percent of their income fromthe congregation; however, a number of centers receive 0 percent support fromthe congregation, and many are charged with paying rent, utilities or the mortgageon the building and property. Tuitionrepresents 81 percent of nancial support

with income from other sources coming toseven percent of the total budget. (LutheranSchool Statistics 2006-07). This relianceon tuition to support the operationalbudget often limits the types of groupsserved bylcms early childhood centers,and has implications for staff salaries andbene ts, staff professional development andultimately the quality of care and educationof young children.

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Are Lutheran Early ChildhoodCenters Private, Parochialor Public?The question of Lutheran schools as private,parochial or public, so frequently voiced,suggests the need for new language. Privatein the minds of many suggests exclusivity,elitism and often af uence. Parochialsuggests concern about self-narrownessprovincialism and limited scope. Publicmay also suggest fewer boundaries or moraland ethical standards.

Perhaps a better word for parochial would be p r onal. The best of Lutheranearly childhood centers are always personal.

They are not publicly held, and they areorganized to create a climate and culturethat encourage the nurturing of personalrelationships involving children, families,staff and congregation members who arealways engaged in the personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ. In the best sense,the centers are and ought to be parochialin that the people within them engage inthe life and mission and ministry of thelocal church with which each center isaf liated, teaching Lutheran doctrine andfaith practices. We are at our best when weare intimately (personally) related to the lifeand mission of Jesus Christ, and connectedto the whole body of Christ through a localfellowship of believers.

Lutheran early childhood centers areindeed p bl cin the sense that the doors areopen to the community, welcoming childrenand families in the greater community; yet they are personal in the formation of the Christ community. These centers are

also personal in that they are connectednationally and internationally with oneanother as they provide care and educationfor children of all races and cultures withintheir communities.

Lutheran early childhood centers are alsoprivate in that a high percentage of lcms centers are located in middle class and uppermiddle class communities where parents havethe nancial resources to afford the cost of tuition. Rather than making them exclusive

communities, such resources ought to betapped and released to enlarge the work of Gods kingdom.

In Which Ways Are the Means of Grace Present?Lutheran early childhood centers ought tobe communities where the grace of God inChrist is proclaimed and lived. Scripture isread and learned as teachers share the greatstories of Jesus. Within these schools thebaptismal life is celebrated and the baptismalmission taught. Teachers walk with chi ldrenand their families in their baptismal journeyand invite those who are not baptized to joinin the journey.

Looking through the eyes of the young child, the exterior and interior environmentof buildings and classrooms invite themto enter, giving messages of welcome and of a waiting world of learning and discovery.The climate communicates to each child andhis/her family: Jesus loves you. We have

planned for you. You belong here. Thelanguage of teachers and staff is, I love youbecause Jesus loves me. I forgive you because

Jesus forgives me.

Can Early Childhood Centers Servethe Mission of Congregations?

Lutheran early childhood centers ar inmission w ththeir af liated congregationsand ought to be established and supported with that understanding. The question is not

one of rv ng congregations, or congregationsrv ng centers; rather, it is one of b ng inChrists mission together.

Lutheran early childhood centers servea growing population of non-Lutheranchildren as well as children from families who openly claim no church membership. Among the 132,000 children enrolled inlcms early childhood programs, 20 percentclaim no church af liation, and 52 percentare reported to be non-Lutheran. It is

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estimated that among the non-Lutherangroup, approximately half are not activein their reported churches. Too oftenresponsibility for outreach to these familiesis left solely to the director and staff.

The mission eld is on our doorstepsand in our buildings. Congregations withearly childhood centers have been giventhe opportunity to exercise God-givenresponsibility to provide positive rsthandexperiences that by the power of the HolySpirit nurture the faith of your children and

their families. The question ought to not beone of who serves who?; rather it is one of how best to unite in mission and purpose.

What Are the RelationshipsBetween Early Childhood Centersand Congregations?

A needs assessment study of lcms earlychildhood programs conducted in 1995revealed that nearly 80 percent of lcms early childhood programs are to operateas a ministry of the congregation. (Hall &Bushing, 1995) However, when put intopractice, the study found that among earlychildhood centers needs, the need forstrengthening the relationship betweencongregation and early childhood programranked highest. The 2004 study of earlychildhood program directors found thatrespondent directors assigned lower ratingsto statements pertaining to collaborativeplanning with congregation staff, boards orappointed committees. (Christian, 2004)

A growing number of early childhoodcenters serve as mission outposts from whicha congregation is established. Where thereis an established congregation, the role of the early childhood center in achieving Christs mission with the congregation mustbe clearly understood and articulated. Itis essential that each centers staff formministry teams with church professionals,boards and committees who are serving inthe congregation.

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Future of Lutheran Early Childhood Centers John Westerhoff (1976) notes, One of thecentral tasks of church education today isto help us regain a vision of Gods kingdom

Throughout Scripture the people of God, when they are most faithful, live by Gods vision for them and the world. (p. 37). If lcms early childhood centers are to thrivein our changeable world, they must hold toGods vision for them. It is here that lcms early childhood centers (and Lutheranschools in general) are perhaps most fragile.

At a time when free public early childhoodeducation is emerging in cities and states,

lcms early childhood centers may betempted but cannot afford to compromisethe basic tenets of their existence. Centralto thriving, rather than surviving, is theuncompromising conviction that lcms learning communities are about the missionof Jesus Christ and that they are motivatedand positioned for the work God has plannedfor them to do in their corner of His world.The future of Lutheran early childhoodcenters can be found in possibilities.

There is an important placea nichefor early childhood centers. Our culturetoday has largely abandoned children and youth. Our gift to children is Gods gift toHis peopleplacing all of who we are in Hishands. We are to communicate to childrenthat we are called to be His, using the talents,interests and resources He has providedto live out what He plans for us to do. Tohave the opportunity to ll this niche weneed to employ high standards of excellencein care and education of young children.Substandard is not an option!

This is not a time to isolate ourselvesfrom the world or to conform to the world.Rather, it is a time to set ourselves apartbeing people who whole-heartedly proclaimChrist as Savior. Teachers therefore empowerchildren, employing the beatitudes. Everydirector, teacher, congregation member mustknow and experience and be actively engagedin the theology of Lutheran education:

assimilating followers of Christ in aunique learning community.

Early childhood educators are called tocome along side childrentalking, sharing,teaching, living the gospel of Jesus Christ.Once understood and practiced, thecommunity needs to seek out and welcomenew data and design itself for shifts (change), working toward integration of faith and life.

What Are Possible Ways of Addressing Signi cant ChallengesFacing Early Childhood Education

in the Next Ten Years?The Church today has a challenging opportunity to care for and nurture chi ldrenand their families. The need is enormousin a world that is claiming our children. Toseize this opportunity leaders and educatorsin lcms centers must:Be spiritually mature. They must be able toboldly articulate their faith in Jesus as Saviorand translate such into a life of service.Be courageous. They must work with a bold vision, take risks, set challenging goals andattain standards of excellence.De ne the identity of their centers andbe true to that identity. Who they are and what they are about must be carefully craftedand widely articulated. They must conciselycommunicate the mission of the schooland describe its bene ts to children andtheir families.Be personal. They must be invitational,practicing acts of hospitality. They must

personalize the message of Jesus Christfor each child and family in a way thattranscends race, culture, economic levels,family shape and family history. They mustseek to surprise and delight children andadults alike, providing something beyondtheir expectation.Prayerfully determine the special nicheGod has called them to ll. They mustidentify and ll a speci c need in the

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community and then widely communicatethat specialty.Be entrepreneurial. They must relentlesslyguard against the adoption of a scarcitymentality. They must identify new funding sources and passionately communicate themission, goals and accomplishments of theircenters, inviting and exciting others toparticipate with their nancial gifts.Be knowledgeable about technology. They must recognize the Internet as theprimary channel for information among young parents. They must keep up with

the rapid advances in technology,using it to engage in broad-based two- way communication.Intentionally seek to nurture ministr y teams. The greatest threat to Lutheranschools today does not come from externalforces but from internal dissention andcon ict. Effective teams, collaborationsand partnerships must be attained in orderto relentlessly and spiritually focus on

nding Gods will in pursuit of His mission.Together they engage in prioritizing,planning and strategizing.Involve the community. The needs anddemands of effective ministry requirethe work of a variety of hands united inpurpose. Lutheran early childhood centerscannot afford to overlook the necessity of communicating their mission, goals andoperational plans as well as their bene tsto a wide range of audiences.Be life-long learners. They must besupported and resourced to grow spiritua llyand professionally. All boards, committees,church work professionals and othersin leadership positions must personallycommit to participating in opportunitiesthat expand their knowledge and worldview.They must be vigilant in their attainment of standards of excellence.Be focused and passionate in concernfor children. They must nurture a childsgrowing faith with such uncompromising conviction that each child will say, This

Jesus is like no other. He is Christ, the Sonof God.

References Aid Association for Lutherans.

A d A oc at on for L th ran 2002 t dy of L th ranarly ch ldhood c nt r .Appleton, Wisconsin:

Aid Association for Lutherans, 2001.Christian, J.A. R lat on h p b tw n tak hold r

p rc pt on of l ad r h p b hav or of d r ctoradm n t r ng L th ran Ch rchM o r synod arlych ldhood program and program m n try act v t .

An abstract presented to the faculty of the

graduate school of Saint Louis University inpartial ful llment of the requirements forthe degree of Doctor of Education, 2004.

Cochran, W. D. L th ran school stat t c2005-06 school Y ar.St. Louis: The LutheranChurchMissouri Synod, Districtand Congregational ServicesSchoolMinistry, 2006.

Hall, M.K., & Busching, W.A.early ch ldhood d cat on c nt r n d a m nt lcms .

Appleton, Wisconsin: Aid Association forLutherans, 1995.

Neugebauer, R. Religious organizationstaking proactive role in child care. Ch ld Car informat on exchang ,133,18-20, May/ June 2000.

Stueber, R.E. stat t cal r port mmary:school and arly ch ldhood c nt r of Th L th ranCh rchM o r synod.St. Louis: Board forCongregational Services, The LutheranChurchMissouri Synod, 2001.

Westerhoff, J.H. Tomorrow Ch rch: A Comm n ty of Chang .Waco, Texas: Word,

Inc., 1976. Westerhoff, J.H. Lutheran schools andthe making of Christians. L th ran ed cat on, 133(1), 5-12, 1997.

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Bill Cochran

Lutheran Elementary Schools:Opportunities and Challenges

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Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you cruci ed, both Lord and Christ. When the people heard this, they werecut to the heart and said to Peter andthe other apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? Peter replied, Repent and bebaptized, every one of you, in the nameof Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the giftof the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all whoare far off, for all whom the Lord ourGod wil l call. (Acts 2:36-39)

Lutheran Schools Are Great Places

to Grow Because They are driven by a commitment tothe Gospel and focused on a mission of bringing hope and healing to studentsand their families.

They are governed by board members who clearly understand their roles andfocus on the vision and board policiesthat effectively govern the operation of the school.

They are engaged in effective strategicplanning which enables the Lutheranschool to maximize its ability to achieveits mission. They utilize an accreditationprocess such as National Lutheran School

Accreditation ( nlsa ). They developand follow a business plan. They developand implement a communications/marketing plan.

They meet or exceed state and nationalacademic standards at all grade levels.

They help to develop a minimum of 30developmental assets in children.

They lead a minimum of three percent of their students to professional church work.

They lead students to share Christ andtheir faith story in an unbelieving world.

They identify future leaders forour schools.

and They Have Educators Who

Model visionary leadership. They inspirea shared vision and model the way. Theypractice stewardship of resources, build upothers and empathize with others.

Model servant leadership. Do thoseserved grow as persons? Do they, whilebeing served, become healthier, wiser,freer, more autonomous, more likelythemselves to become servants?(Robert Greenleaf)

Model spiritual leadership. They studyGods Word, share their personal faithstory, apply Law and Gospel appropriately,exhibit a passion for ministry, act

courageously, equip Gods people forservice, care for others, demonstrateintegrity, and pray.

Some Statistics: Taken fromthe 2006-07 Lutheran SchoolStatistics Report 3,527 (59 percent) of lcms congregations

are involved in Lutheran School Ministry(pk-12 )

1,018 Lutheran elementary schools enroll130,395 students ( k-8 )

39 percent of students are from theoperating lcms congregation; 17 percentof students are listed as unchurched

3,910 students were baptized as a result of attendance in a Lutheran school

Approximately 1/3 of teachers teaching inLutheran schools are on the lcms roster

The average Lutheran elementary schoolin 2006-07 had 135 students with nineteachers. The average member fee was $1,787.

The average non-member fee was $2,948.Forty-two percent of the budget came fromthe operating congregation, with 48 percentcoming from tuition, and 10 percent fromthird source funding.

In 1996-97 there were 1,031 Lutheranschools with a total of 151,946 students.Seventy percent came from the operating congregation. The number of students

Dr. Bill Cochran serves as theDirector of School Ministry, TheLutheran ChurchMissouri Synod.

William.Cochran@lcms.org

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baptized as a result of attending a Lutheranschool: 3,446. The average fee for members was $1,001 and for non-members, $1,887.

In the last 10 years, over 40,000 studentshave been baptized as a result of attending a Lutheran school. Our Lutheran schoolsremain one of the best tools the congregationhas to tell the story of Jesus Christ. Theministry of the Lutheran school ts very wellinto President Kieschnicks One Messagefocus and the Ablaz !movement.

What does all this mean for the future of Lutheran schools? Several factors have ledto the decline in the number of Lutheranschools and the total enrollment: parents,even lcms parents, are making choices

about the education of their children; thedecline in lcms baptisms; demographics where Lutheran schools were located; andthe economy. On a sad note, several of our

city schools have been closed to becomelocations for charter schools or because themake-up of a school did not match the make-up of the congregation.

Lutheran schools need to becomeThe School of Choice in their community. While the main reason for Lutheran schoolsremains sharing the saving Gospel messageof Jesus Christ and nurturing the faith, an

excellent academic curriculum must bealso available. Excellence begins withNational Lutheran School Accreditation.lcms School Ministry has identi ed andde ned nine components of an ExcellentLutheran School.

The Nine Components andCharacteristics of Excellent Lutheran Schools1. Academic Excellence is characteristic of schools that provide evidence of sustainedhigh levels of learning and performancefor all students on the knowledge and skillsneeded for success. Students in todaysLutheran schools must demonstrate theintegration of academic and personal skillsinto complex performances similar to reallife tasks. Only with the prerequisite skills,motivation, and a sense of ef cacy will

students be prepared to meet the demandsof life.2. Administrative Performance. Lutheran school excel lence does not

occur without exceptional leadershipperformance. Exceptional leadershiprequires administrators that are dedicatedto visionary leadership and empowering management. Lutheran school excellenceoccurs when the school communitycontinually strives to accomplish the missionof the school to students and families. Theadministrator leads the team in successfullymeeting or exceeding the organizationsexpected outcomes.

Becoming an exceptional administrator isan ongoing process of learning and growing,beginning with basic administrativecompetency and developing towardsleadership that is both visionary andempowering. Excellent school managementdemands an understanding of the position,task expectations, and the outcomesestablished by the organization. An effectiveschool leader must possess exceptionalabilities in data analysis, staff motivation andpublic communication. An effective school

leader must assure that marketing and publicrelations are effectively being accomplished. Above all else, a clear commitment to sharing the Gospel message and maintaining aproper respect of the Cal ling is paramount.3. Culture . Excellent schools andtheir leaders take a holistic view of theirorganization. In addition to examining curriculum, analyzing test scores,surveying parent satisfaction, inventorying equipment and materials, and observing and evaluating teachers, they take an evendeeper and broader view by determining and understanding the schools culture.Moreover, just as they work to in uence aschools practices and processes, they strive tomold and form a schools culture.

While it is generally understood andaccepted that all schools have a culture,de ning a schools culture is another issue.One can nd mission statements, statementsof philosophy, value statements, and bel ief

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statements but not culture statements.This may be because there is not a clearunderstanding of how to de ne the cultureof a school. If asked to de ne the culture of your school, would you point to your writtendocumentscurriculum, mission statementsor the likeor would you begin describing the environment of the school? In any case,once you begin describing how things happenin a school such as rituals and traditions, what is rewarded and what is punished or what is celebrated and what is ignored, youare beginning to describe its culture. Simplyput, a schools culture is the way things aredone around here.

Consequently, many school cultures

are made up of historical patternsinformally developed over time, whichmay not be connected with the schools written statements of mission, beliefs andphilosophy. Excellent schools recognize thisphenomenon, and their leaders work to align culture with the schools missionand purpose.

4. Finance . The issue of nancing a Lutheran school of excellence is afar-reaching and expensive proposition.

Historically, the chief source of nancing a Lutheran school has been the sponsoring congregation. As the cost of education hasrisen, tuition and fees have become thechief source of operating revenue. Withlimits on these two sources of funding, athird source has become an essential meansto sustaining a Lutheran school. Thirdsource funding, often called d v lopm nt , mayinclude annual fund drives, endowments,parent-teacher organizations, booster clubs,and solicited gifts.

The nancing of Lutheran schoolstoday is widely varied; however, issues suchas adequate physical facilities, updatedequipment and curriculum resources,

nancial aid for students, teacher salaries,and bene t packages are a challengeto address and overcome. Developing aprofessional business plan, removal of obstacles to nancial excellence, andmaintenance of a positive cash ow wil l lead

the excellent Lutheran school to sustaining its ministry for the future.

5. Governance . The pursuit of any Lutheranschools mission requires governance. Thecongregation or schools stakeholdersgenerally consign this endeavor to a board of directors or some other governing body. Thisbody serves effectively when it understandsits purpose and function and strives to be atrue servant to the organization. It must alsostay focused on the future while providing guidance for what is happening today.Its easy for a board to spend all its timedreaming and debating. When all was saidand done, a lot had been said and not muchhad been done accurately describes too manyboard meetings. Alternately, boards mayget so bogged down with the details of thepresent that they lose sight of the future.

For a governing board to effectivelyprovide guidance to the school, it mustalso clearly understand its own identity. Indealing with identity, the board strives forclarity concerning its purpose, role andmindset in relationship to other entities within the school and congregation.

Boards have speci c functions. The

guidance dynamic actively engages the boardin the life of the school but not in the day-to-day operations. Boards must constant lylearn to improve their ability to think strategically. Thus the governing boardestablishes outcomes for the school. Theboard also sets policies within which theadministrator must work and de nesguidelines for its own behaviors and efforts.Policies for the administrator insure ethicaland prudent administration. The board thenconsistently monitors activity for progresstoward these outcomes and adherence toother policies. All of these activities fallunder the guidance dynamic.

Governance always addresses the desiresof the stakeholdersthose who investresources in the school because they believethat God and His people will be betterserved if the school effectively lives out itsmission. Stakeholders may be congregation/association members, families that pay

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8. Mission/Purpose/Vision. A schoolsmission statement simply states why theschool exists. The statement focuses on thedistinctive purpose, outcomes, and resultsrather than methods that are the ultimateresults of the schools work. In creating strategies to accomplish its mission, a schooldevelops a vision that paints a picture of what

mission accomplished success looks like. Vision without action is diligent idleness

(head in the clouds). Action without vision isstagnant busyness (noses to the grindstone).The long list of school and congregationfailures includes two types of organizations.One type possesses plenty of energy, hard work and activity, but fails because it has

no clear and inspiring vision of the future.The second type has a fantastic vision fora creative and dynamic future, but fails toimplement a successful day-in, day-out planof action. Schools and congregations with ahealthy sense of mission are committed toboth vision and action.

By aligning the vision dynamic andthe action dynamic, a school is assured of implementing and liv ing its mission. Thestages of vision dynamic include experience, values and insight. The stages of actiondynamic are preparation, implementationand adjustment. When they are aligned,the distinctive purpose and efforts of theorganization are realized.

9. Spiritual Development. Nothing ismore important in de ning excellencein a Lutheran school than evidence of students growing in their relationship withtheir Savior, Jesus Christ. Immersed in anenvironment that daily models the love of Christ, children can witness what it meansto be a follower of Jesus. As they learn moreof Him, they wil l begin to respond in wordsand actions to the great love He has for them.This response will reveal a genuine concernand care for other people and an attitude of service-mindedness.

Spiritual development in excellentLutheran schools aligns the dynamic of comm tm nt with the dynamic of r pon.

More information on each componentcan be found on the Lutheran School Portal,

tuition, or others invested in the schoolsministry. Whatever the case, governancealways is concerned with the desires of thestakeholders and therefore must be separatefrom operations that serve the studentsand are the responsibility of staff. Effectiveboards think of stakeholders as the ownersand realize that owners are best served when the board has aligned the competing dynamics of guidance and identity.6. Instruction . Instruction itself hasthe largest in uence on achievement andlearning. Despite the best of intentions,instruction is not always as effective as itshould be and can improve signi cantly andswiftly through collaborative and intentionalintervention by teachers and administrators.Instruction reaches its ultimate goal whenstudents are productively engaged in theirown learning.

There is a growing consensus among education stakeholders that effectivelypreparing students for success will requirecollaborative effort and shared vision.Enhancements beyond the traditionalcurriculum must be incorporated into thecore matrixnot just an add on. Excellentschools are accountable for results thatmatter. Student assessment is designed tomeasure students knowledge, skills, abilitiesand beliefs. Assessment indicators validatemastery of rigorous, meaningful andrelevant core and enriched content, skillsand beliefs.

7. Master Teacher. Lutheran schoolexcellence does not occur without exceptionalclassroom instruction. Exceptionalclassroom instruction requires teachers whoare dedicated to the instructional processand are equally dedicated to personalprofessional development.

Developing master teachers requires anunderstanding of a teachers relationshipto the students and the instructionalprocess as well as an understanding of thedevelopment of an individual as he or shegrows professionally. It also requires anunderstanding of the Call to teach and the

joy Lutheran educators have as they proclaimthe Gospel message.

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National Tab. Lutheran schools can takeeach component and use the benchmarks todetermine where they stand in relationshipto meeting the excel lence component.

Leadership Is a Key Component Leadership is stil l the key component ina Lutheran school becoming the Schoolof Choice. It is important for principalsto understand this as they develop a visionfor their school to move it forward to meetthe needs of its students. The following standards have been identi ed as indicatorsof quality in schools: Leadership that places student and adult

learning at the center of schools. Expectations and commitment to high

standards of academic performance. Safe and secure learning environments

for students. Curriculum and instruction tied to school

and student learning goals. Collaborative learning community

for adults. An engaged community. All focused on Jesus Christ!More information on each standard can befound at ww w.naesp.com -- Standards for

What Principals Should Know and Be Ableto Do.

Our Lutheran schools with strong leadership, a strong pastor/principalrelationship, and a congregation that sees theschool as a valued ministry are getting larger.In the 2006-07 School Year Statistic reporttwo elementary schools had enrollmentsover 800 students. In addition, three moreelementary schools had enrollments over

700 students. One high school (grades 9-12) had an enrollment over 1,200 students.Two schools with grades 7-12 andpk -12 hadenrollments over 1,100 students.

The Focus Remains on Christ-Centered Teaching

Lutheran schools are becoming creative intheir offerings. This is evidenced by on-line learning, lap-top schools, Classicaleducation, and other special curriculum

offering. In addition there have been veLutheran schools named National BlueRibbon Schools.

While the above discussion is importantand relevant, it is also important to keep inmind what Lutheran schools represent. Christ-centered teaching, rooted in Gods

Word and Lutheran doctrine (We teachChrist cruci ed).

Integrating the Christian faithintentionally and deliberately in all areasof the curriculum.

Staf ng with teachers quali ed for andactive in the Commissioned Ministry of the LCMS.

Focused on Christian outreachand mission. Jesus Christ forms the heart, the core, the

foundation for the Lutheran Christian worldview and for the teaching that growsfrom it.

What teachers teach in Lutheran schoolsis different because Jesus is at the heart of the whole enterprise.

Teachers in Lutheran schools teach thatabsolute truth exists and that it comes

from God. Right and wrong determined by Godand revealed in His unchanging law.

That evil entered the world through Satan. Humankind by nature is sinful. This world is temporary. God wants everyone to be saved. God gives the gift of salvat ion by grace

through faith.In the coming years if a Lutheran school isto remain healthy and grow, it wil l need tomeet the needs of its constituents. It willneed to become the School of Choice in thecommunity where it is located. It will believeall students can and will succeed. The focus will remain on teaching Jesus Christ as Lordand Savior. The outreach potential for ourLutheran congregations that operate a schoolis enormous. Since the 1991-92 School

Year (1991-92 through June 2007), 43,595children have been baptized as a result of attending a Lutheran school!

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Where Do We Go From Here?The Future of Lutheran Secondary Schools

Ross E. Stueber

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Im a coacha high school golf andbasketball coach. That means morethan you might think. Coaching isa job. But its also an identity. To myplayers Im a mentor, an encourager,a disciplinarian and a strategist allrolled into one. Most important, Iman example. I show my kids how to wingames and how to be people of faithand integrity. Thats actually the partof my work I love best. My of ce ismessy with papers, schedules, books,sports equipment and even a few awards, including my induction intothe states Basketball Hal l of Fame. Butnothing means more than watching

my players at graduation, seeing themtransformed from nervous freshmeninto responsible young adults, ready tostep out into the world with con dence.Now that shes in her forty- rst year of teaching, does she plan on retiring?

Not anytime soon. I already do whatI love! Karen, Ohios winningestbasketball coach has almost 650 victories on the court, but her proudestachievement is her relationship withher students. Watching them grow intheir faith is the most rewarding thing for me.

Karen Wittrock, Lutheran High West,Rocky River, Ohio.G d po t, January 2008

What makes a Lutheran high school? Its theteachers! Karen Wittrock is one example of nearly 2,000 teachers in our Lutheran highschools we could have referenced for thisarticle on Lutheran high schools. Visit with

a student or graduate of a Lutheran high

school, and they will soon start talking aboutthe teachers who made a differencefor them as they went through highschool. The theme remains constanttheyexperienced a relational ministry focused ontheir faith and integrity. They experiencedmentoring and modeling from teachers whohave not only a knowledge of Gods Word,but people who have been moved by GodsHoly Spirit to a life of servant leadership in aChristian school.

The teachers and administrators in ourLutheran high schools today come from abroad array of experiences and preparation.Many have graduated from one of ourConcordia universities and always taught in a

Lutheran school. Still others have taught orled in other settings, and have found a new calling in the Lutheran high school setting.Others have attended local and state collegesor universities and have a desire to use theirskills in a Christian setting.

Between 50 and 60 percent of theteachers in the Lutheran high schools of thelcms are synodically certi ed. They haveeither earned their bachelors degree witha Lutheran Teachers Diploma at one of ourschools in the Concordia University Systemor completed the colloquy program in orderto be certi ed. The number of men and women teachers is about equal.

Integration of faith and learning in allsubjects and programs of the high schoolis central to what great teachers do in aLutheran high school. While every schoolincorporates daily/weekly chapel anddevotions, all teachers are expected to planlessons and activities that integrate the faithinto the educational experiences of their

students. Servant events, concerts, athleticcontests, drama presentations, art displays,and student council activities give ev idence of this integration of faith and learning for students.

All students experience the study of Gods Word through the regular course of studies. A typical student will study Old Testament,New Testament, Christian doctrine, and theapplication of Gods Word to life issues andcurrent topics as they progress through the

Dr. Ross E. Stueber is the Directorof Graduate Programs forEducational Administration andCurriculum and Instruction atConcordia University Wisconsin andserves as the part-time Execut iveDirector of the Association ofLutheran Secondary Schools.Ross.Stueber@cuw.edu

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religion curriculum during their years at aLutheran high school.

Teachers in Lutheran high schools areoften multi-skilled and trained to teach inmultiple subject areas. Fif ty percent of thelcms high schools have less than 130 students.In order to effectively offer a high schoolcurriculum, the teachers in these schools arerequired to teach multiple courses and beinvolved in several school activities as a coachor coordinator.

Some schools have incorporated theprofessional learning communities model forstaff growth and development. The learning communities model is developed after the work of Richard DuFour. The model is basedon the belief that teachers will do whatever ittakes to ensure that all students achieve theagreed upon standards. A ten-year studyfound, whenever we found an effective school, without exception, that school has beenpart of a collaborative professional learning

community. (DuFour).In this model, teachers focus on four keyquestions. What do we want students to know,be able to do, and believe? How will we tellif they do? What will we do when studentsdo not learn? What will we do when studentsdo learn?

Collaboration and action research arehallmarks of this model. Great Lutheranhigh school teachers make collaborationand sharing central to their work in a

professional learning community. Theyrecognize that you can no longer just eachdo your own thing. Sharing resources,collaborative efforts, and breaking down silosare essential in a school.

Number of lcms High Schools

There are 103 Lutheran high schools in TheLutheran ChurchMissouri Synod today, anincrease of 38 over the last 10 years. The lasttime there was a large increase over a 10-yearspan was from 1974 to 1984, when 35 new schools were started. In each case there wereactually a few more starts of Lutheran highschools, but some schools also closed during those decades. There were 20 lcms highschools in 1962.

Of the 103 high schools, 39 have less than100 students. Schools opened within thelast 10 years account for 23 of these schools.

Another 32 schools (12 opened within the last

10 years) have between 100 and 199 students.The other 32 schools range in size from 302to 1,327 students in grades 9-12. [see f ig.1 ]

These Lutheran high schools are locatedin 25 states. Illinois has 14; California 11;

Wisconsin nine; and Michigan, Minnesota,Missouri, and Texas each has eight. Oneof our schools is in Hong Kong and anotherin Shanghai. Fifty-nine of these schools arelocated in the upper Midwest part of the country. [see f ig.2 ] I s

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Of the 38 newest high schools, 25 arelocated in the Midwest, six in the West,

ve in the South, one in the East, and onein China. The communities vary fromsmaller cities or towns (22), to suburban (8),to large cities (7). [see f ig.3 ]

Other Lutheran High Schools

According to the Directory of Lutheran HighSchools published annually by Valparaiso

University, congregations of the WisconsinEvangelical Lutheran Synod operate 25Lutheran high schools in 11 states. Wisconsinis home to 10 of their high schools. TheEvangelical Lutheran Church of Americacongregations operate six Lutheran highschools in six states. They also operateLutheran high schools in the CaribbeanSea area. The Lutheran Church of theConfession has two Lutheran high schools.This l ist does not include the Lutheranhigh schools in other parts of the world inour partner church bodies (India, Brazil,

Australia, etc.).

Relationships with Congregations

Most (88) of the lcms high schools areoperated by associations of congregations.Single congregations operate 11 of the highschools. Two are connected to our lcms missions work and two are associations notowned and operated by congregations.

Congregations provide several forms of support for their high schools. They providean average of seven percent of the annualsupport needed to operate these schools.

Almost half of the students come fromthe owner congregations. The governing boards are made up of individuals from theowner congregations. Pastors from thesecongregations often help lead devotions,conduct baptisms, and deliver chapelmessages at the high schools.

Congregations that are members of a highschool association, or operate their ownhigh school, often do so because it ts theirmission. They view their school(s) as one of the strategic ways in which they can achievetheir mission.

Enrollment Over 19,600 students are enrolled in grades9-12 in lcms Lutheran high schools. Thatis an increase of 4,000 students over the last

10 years.Of the 15 largest Lutheran high schoolsin the 1997-98 school year, 11 were locatedin the upper Midwest, two on the East Coast,and two in the West. In 2007-08, 10 arelocated in the Midwest, two on the East Coast,two in the West, and one in the South. Ourinternational Lutheran high schools are notincluded in this analysis.

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elementary school program in addition totheir middle school and high school. TheLutheran Education Associat ion of Houston will open a third school on the west side of the greater Houston area next year that willeventually include elementary, middle andhigh school education.

A second trend is that of engaging ineffective marketing of the school to thecommunity. These schools have discoveredthat just being there is not enough. Thephrase we are the best kept secret in the areais not helpful to enrollment. These schoolsassume nothing. They engage enrollmentmanagement personnel and utilize skilledmarketing experts to help get their messageout to the community.

The third trend is that of leadership.Thriving schools always have great leadership.That leadership shows up in the boardroom, in the chief administrators position,and in the classrooms. Great governing boards know their roles and function withinestablished policies that give vision andidentify resources to make it happen.Great administrators not only manageeffectively, but they anticipate and managechange effectively.

Kouzes and Posner (1987) havedocumented through extensive research

ve key characteristics of effective leaders.Effective leaders inspire a shared vision,chal lenge the process, enable others toact, model the way, and encourage theheart. Lutheran high schools withadministrators who function at the highestof these levels thrive.

Challenges for the Future

Lutheran high schools wil l continue to facesigni cant challenges in the future. TheSchool Ministry Department of the lcms has identi ed 10 characteristics of excellentLutheran schools: academic excellence,administrative performance, culture,

nance, governance, instruction, masterteacher, mission, spiritual development, andtechnology. The degree to which a schoolis unable or unwilling to move toward

136 students per school over the last 10 years.Six of these schools are located in the upperMidwest. The other eight schools increasedan average of 132 students per school.Orange Lutheran grew from 646 students to1,327! Faith Lutheran in Las Vegas grew by422 students during that same time period.

TrendsEnrollment patterns of the last 10 yearsindicate some challenges and insights intothe future for Lutheran high schools. Areasin the South, West, and Asia continueto grow in opportunities for Lutheraneducation. Large cities in the upper Midwesthave experienced the closing of many

churches and schools in the last 30 years.Lutheran high schools located in thesecities have been affected. Some were closed.Most of the students traditionally camefrom Lutheran elementary schools in theimmediate area. Without those schools andcongregations the ow of students to the highschools slowed dramatically.

Other high schools downsized andcontinue to operate. They struggle withanother issue: funding. Congregationalfunding at the average Lutheran high schoolcovers about seven percent of the operationalcosts. Almost 70 percent of the costs arecovered by tuition and fees. In most of theseschools the percentage of costs covered bytuition and fees is higher than in otherschools. The cost per student now averagesabout $8,500. The number of studentsenrolled in any one year can impact thebudget signi cant ly. Fewer students meanfewer dollars. Fewer dollars lead to strugglesfor boards and faculties. The congregations

near these high schools also struggle forfunding to maintain their ministries in anurban environment.

Still other high schools in thisenvironment have survived and thrived.Three common trends emerge here. Somehave moved farther from the urban areaand relocated their ministry. HoustonSouth Academy is one such example. Theyalso expanded their ministry to include an

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excellence in a characteristic will determinethe signi cance of the challenge the school will face.

Six cha llenges emerge as we look at our 103Lutheran high schools today and excellencein a Lutheran high school. They are mission,spiritual development, leadership, technology,marketing and change. Some might arguethat funding should be in this list. We believethat funding is an issue if you fail to addressthe other six.

At one point in our history many of ourhigh schools were considered preparatoryschools for church work students. Theirmission was clear. Some community Lutheranhigh schools emerged with a mission of

preparing our young people for lives of service in other vocations in addition tochurch work. In both cases the mission was toserve and prepare Lutheran students.

Today most of our high schools have abroad array of students. Some have a missionthat invites others to know Jesus as theirSavior. Some of our schools have developedin areas where the options for parents werelimited to poor performing schools in thepublic and private sector. Doors are alsoopening all over Asia today for Lutheranhigh schools.

The rst challenge for all of these schoolsis to keep the mission focused on a uniquepurpose that drives the school. It can becomeeasy to try and become all things to all people.

Whether it is to continue to develop Lutheran young men and women for service to thechurch and the world, or to bring others toknow Jesus as their Savior, each high schoolmust remain focused on its unique purpose.

Secondly, it is of utmost importance to

provide opportunity for growth in faith by thestudents. During the 1990s, the Associationof Lutheran Secondary Schools (alss )engaged Lutheran high schools in a study of faith development of young people. Schoolsrevisited their curriculum and focusedresources on the spiritual developmentneeds of their students. Curricular changesrecognized the differences for students who had attended eight years of a Lutheran

elementary school and what was needed forstudents who had never attended a Lutheranschool until high school. The worldviewsof parents and especially their teenagerschallenge high schools to again engagein this study and discussion. Additionalcurricular shifts must be made as we teachand prepare students for 21 st century skills,rather than preparing them for life with 19 th and 20 th century skills. The Excellencein Lutheran Schools material provides agreat starting point for teachers in Lutheranhigh schools.

The third challenge is leadership. Thegrowth in the number of schools in the last10 years accompanied by the retirements

of administrators in the last few years andthe next ve years is creating a void inexperienced quality leaders for thesehigh schools. alss has provided leadershiptraining for the past 10 years in anticipationof this chal lenge. Boards would be wellserved to establish succession policiesrequiring administrators to develop plansfor equipping and identifying future leadersfor their school.

New schools present board leadershipchal lenges. Once a new school is establishedand the administrator is in place, boardshave dif culty moving from managers topolicy leaders on behalf of the schoolsowners. Boards must establish regular boardeducation agenda items to help themselvesgrow as policy leaders for the organization.Serving as a board member for a Lutheranhigh school is often a different leadershipresponsibility than what a typical boardmember has had in a congregation. Allboard members need regular opportunities

to grow in their roles. The Excellence inLutheran Schools material provides manyhelps in this area.

A fourth challenge is in the area of technology. Technology permeates thelandscape today in almost any walk of life.Parents expect their schools to mirror thisreality. Check out the ads in the Sundayedition of your newspaper. Observe the arrayof technology devices present in a home or

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used by people in the workplace today. ThWorld Flat, W k nom c ,and Th Partn r h p for 21t C nt ry sk llpoint us to using technology as alever for teaching, learning, and equipping students for life in a technological worlddigital literacy. Our Lutheran high schoolsmust embrace the effective use of technologyto be recognized as excellent schools today.

Orange Lutheran Online has beenthe leader for Lutheran high schools inproviding another instructional modelfor students around the world to receive aLutheran high school education. Studentsat Orange Lutheran are able to take somecourses in an online environment whileattending the on-land classes for other parts

of the school day. Students in other Lutheranhigh schools around the country are able toaccess these same courses. Lutheran highschools of the future will also need to helpstudents learn about how to live lives of character and faithfulness in a digital world.

It is not just the online model that needsattention from teachers and administrators.

All teachers and administrators must developskills and knowledge with technology.The Ministry Technology Mentor ( mtm )Project trains workers in and exposes themto technology in support of mission andministry in Lutheran congregations andschools. School leaders learn how to developand implement technology plans through thetraining received in mtm course work.

Teachers can also sharpen their skills without leaving home. Schools in theConcordia University System (Irvine,Mequon, Portland, Seward, and St. Paul)provide e-learning opportunities forteachers today. The cuen et Colloquy

program continues to provide a unique e-learning opportunity for teachers who arenot yet certi ed by the church. ConcordiaUniversity Wisconsin is about to launch aMasters in Educational Technology program.cuen et is ready to launch a new program thatis intended to orient non-Lutheran teachersto basics in Lutheran theology and education.

Marketing the Lutheran high school is afth challenge. It may have worked inF ld of

Dr am(If you build it, they will come.), but

it does not work when trying to l l seats ina classroom today. Whether your school issurrounded by Lutheran elementary schoolsor is located in the suburbs or the country,all schools must effectively market themselvesto their community. Experts can providegreat insight into how best to market yourschool. Lutheran high schools in Denver,Houston, Ft. Wayne, Maspeth, LaVerne,Rockford, and Roseville are examples of schools who have found and are using expertsto help them develop their marketing skills.

Everyone at the high school must view ones self as important in the marketing process. Receptionists at the front desk senda clear message either by the phone response

they make when answering a call or by thegreeting of a visitor who walks into the of ce.Teachers play an equally important role.

The last challenge is that of addressing change. We live in a world that is in rapidchange. Excellent Lutheran high schoolsanticipate the changes around them andprepare to meet these changes withoutcompromising their mission. Schools thatthrive in the coming decade will have leaders who help their staff and community addresschange in an effective way. The challengefor the boards and administrators of theseschools is to know and understand theprocess for change.

In O r ic b rg M lt ng,Kotter outlinesthe steps involved in bringing aboutlong lasting meaningful change for anorganization. First, set the stage. Createa sense of urgency by helping others seethe need for change. You need a guiding team with leadership skills, credibility,communications ability, authority, analytical

skil ls and a sense of urgency.Second, develop a vision for the futureand a strategy to make it a reality.

Third, make it happen. Make sure othersunderstand and accept the vision and thestrategy. Remove barriers so that others canhelp make it happen. Produce some shortterm visible successes. Be relentless withinitiating change until its a reality.

Finally, make it stick. Hold on to the new ways of behaving.

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In ConclusionEvery age and every organization has itschallenges and opportunities. We haveidenti ed several for Lutheran high schoolsof the lcms . We have experienced nearlyunprecedented growth in schools andstudents over the past 10 years. This hashappened at a time when congregations andLutheran elementary schools throughoutthe heartland have struggled. Yet God hasopened many new doors for sharing themessage of Gods Word and the news of aSavior for all mankind!

The technology tools that have emergedhave enabled us to teach and learn in waysnot even imagined 10 years ago. The mission

eld has come to us. It is an exciting time to

be a part of Lutheran secondary education. What makes a Lutheran high school? Itsthe teachers! Its the ministry that God hasplaced in the minds, hearts and souls of the teachers. We are there to serve students who come to us with a variety of needs andexpectations. We are there to model andmentor each other and our students as we andthey grow in faith and integrity. We are thereto help them grow in mind, body and spirit.

Resources Association of Lutheran Secondary

Schools. www.alss.org Cochran, William. L th ran school

stat t c 2005-06 school Y ar.District andCongregational Services, The LutheranChurchMissouri Synod, 2006.

Cochran, William. L th ran schoolstat t c 2006-07 school Y ar.District andCongregational Services, The LutheranChurchMissouri Synod, 2007.

DuFour, R. and Eaker, R. Prof onal

L arn ng Comm n t At Work: B t Pract c For enhanc ng st d nt Work.Bloomington: NationalEducation Service, 1998.

DuFour, Ri., DuFour, Re. and Eaker,R. What v r it Tak : How Prof onal L arn ng Comm n t R pond Wh n K d Dont L arn. Bloomington: Solution Tree, 2004.

DuFour, Ri., DuFour, Re. and Eaker,R. On Common Gro nd: Th Pow r of Prof onalL arn ng Comm n t .Bloomington: NationalEducation Service, 2005.

Eaker, R., DuFour, Ri. and DuFour,Re. G tt ng start d: R c lt r ng school To B comProf onal L arn ng Comm n t .Bloomington:National Education Service, 2002.

Excellence in Lutheran Schools. www.lsportal.net/LSPMainPage.asp

Friedman, T. Th World i Flat: A Br f H toryof Th 21t C nt ry.New York: Picador, 2007.

Fullan, Michael. Th Moral imp rat v of schoolL ad r h p.Corwin Press, 2003.

Kotter, John. O r ic b rg i M lt ng.New York:St. Mart ins Press, 2005.

Kouzes and Posner. Th L ad r h p Chall ng . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002.

Kouzes and Posner. Chr t an R ct on onth L ad r h p Chall ng .San Francisco: Jossey-

Bass, 2004.Lutheran School Portal. www.lsportal.netMinistry Technology Mentor Project.

www.mtmproject.org Patterson, John. Com ng ev n Cl an r Abo t

Organ zat onal Chang .Scarecrow Education,2003.

Stueber, Ross. stat t c L th ran H gh schoolof Th L th ran Ch rchM o r synod 1996-97. Department of School Ministry, TheLutheran ChurchMissouri Synod, 1997.

Stueber, Ross. stat t c L th ran H gh schoolof Th L th ran Ch rchM o r synod 2000-01. Department of School Ministry, TheLutheran ChurchMissouri Synod, 2001.

Stueber, Ross. 2000-01 stat t cal R port s mmary school and early Ch ldhood C nt r of ThL th ran Ch rchM o r synod.Department of School Ministry, The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod, May 2001.

Tapscott, D. and Williams, A. W k nom c :How Ma Collaborat on Chang ev ryth ng.New

York: Penguin Books, 2006.

The Partnership for 21st

Century Skills. www.21stcenturyskills.org Valparaiso University Directory of

Lutheran High Schools. www.valpo.edu/churchrelations/lhsdir

Wittrock, Karen. Game Plan. G d po t,44, 94, January 2008.

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A Teacher of the Church.Russ Moulds, editor

Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2007.

I would like to begin this review with adisclaimer. Russ Moulds and I are membersof the same faculty, I have great respect forhis educational expertise and dedicationto the mission and ministr y of the church,and, if you happen to have a copy of hisbook, you will notice that a recommendation which I wrote has been included on theback cover.

I felt it important to state my personalbiases not just because it may allow you toconsider my review with a more critical eye,but also to make you aware that as I reviewedthis book, I had some understanding of the heart and character of the editor which led me to search for consistencyand congruence between what I read and what I knew of Moulds (actually, I amblessed to have some familiarity with al l theauthors). Coincidentally, a central themethat emerged from Moulds and the variousauthors throughout the book was that of consistency and congruence.

In Moulds chapters, he does what he doesbest in the classroompose questions. Hisproblem-posing seems to encourage thereader to watch for congruence between how the teachers of the church (and the churchas institution) carry out their ministry, andGods intent for that ministr y. As is the casein many of Professor Moulds classes, theindividual is always close to Scripture orthe Lutheran Confessions in any discussionof how we should live. Blanco and Heinitzdo an excellent job of expanding onesunderstanding of Scripture on the topic, while Pragman and Carter focus on theLutheran Confessions.

So consistency reigns throughout the text,but a distinctive Lutheran twist is added tothat consistency. A short way into the book one becomes increasingly aware of thetension that the authors see between the rightand left-hand kingdoms when considering the role of the teacher of the church. Whi leMoulds focuses on the tension most often,one can also see it in Fryars and Janzows work relative to the place of the priesthood of all believers in considering the call to publicministry. This tension does not represent a

lack of consistency, but rather a perspectivethat retains a consistency with Lutherandoctrine while considering a ministry withinthe church that often seems burdened by thepressures of the lef t-hand kingdom.

Identi cation of this tension is key to thestudy of the topic, for it is how we respondto this tension that has great impact onthe future of the calling as the teacher of the church. Dont those of us who are inthe public ministry in the church often wrestle with the issues of societal normsand expectations and the distinctiveness of the mission of the Church? Has our view of the teacher of the church become cloudedprimarily by those factors associated withforces outside of the church? The text isconcerned primarily with helping us look at how congruent our practices are withour prime calling to those things thatrepresent the right-hand kingdom. Mouldsstates on page 52: Our problem lies not with employing our left-hand strategy but with neglecting our right-hand strategyorminimalizing it to stereotypic and formulaiccontent in devotions, religion lessons andchapelsand, by default, letting the left-hand strateg y predominate.

If Moulds is right, the question thatstayed with me most when reading the text was who should read it? While a futurechurch professional, a college undergraduatefor example, would likely bene t from thebook, many are blissfully unaware of themany inconsistencies they will likely nd when entering their roles as teachers of thechurch. However, I think the best audienceis those who manage our schools and lead ourchurchesprincipals and pastors. Perhapssome for too long have been elevating the left-hand kingdom at the expense of the right.Perhaps they have forgotten the necessary andLutheran tension that must exist, which thisbook will serve to bring back into view.

Dr. Mark BlankeDirector, DCE Program

Concordia University, NebraskaMark.Blanke@cune.edu

Teachers and the Law (7 th edition).Louis Fischer, David Schimmel,and Leslie R. Stellman. Boston:

Allyn and Bacon/PearsonPublishing, 2005.

In an increasingly litigious society we are allsusceptible to the stress and trauma of legalaction taken against us by another person who feels that we have w ronged him or her.Educators, even those in small Lutheranand private schools, are not immune tothis. W hile we may not become an actor ina legal battle that rises to the level of theSupreme Court, we need to be aware of the responsibilities and limitations of ourposition as teachers and administrators inschoolsLutheran, private and public.

T ach r and th Lawis an invaluableresource not only for teachers but alsofor administrators and others who areconfronted with situations that raise red

ags and could easily become the subjectof legal action. The book, used as a text inthe masters level School Law course atConcordia University, Nebraska, covers keyareas of interest to and impact upon students,parents and teachers. But dont let the factthat it is used as a text scare you away fromadding it to your professional library.

The authors approach the topics in aquestion/answer style that provides an easy-to-read format for those not familiar withlegal jargon. The two sections of the book focus on the legal aspects of teaching andthe parameters of teachers and studentsrights. Topics in the section on legal aspectsof teaching include contracts, employmentsecurity, collective bargaining, l iability,slander and libel, child abuse reporting and copyright laws. The second sectionon teachers and students rights includesfreedom of expression, religious freedom,personal conduct rights, due process rights,discrimination, special rights for students with disabilities and non-English-speaking students, control of student records, personalappearance, and school choice issues. Theappendices of the book include selectedprovisions of the u.s. Constitution thatimpact education and educators, a brief summary of civil rights laws affecting schools, an annotated list of legal resourcesfor educators, a topic and court case index,and an extensive glossary for those who arenot familiar with legal language.

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Learning from the Best: Growing Greatness in the Christian

School. Gene Frost. Grand Rapids,Michigan: Christian Schools

International ( csi );Colorado Springs: Association

of Christian Schools International(acsi ), 2007.

What does it take to become a greatChristian secondary school, and why do sofew institutions achieve greatness? In hisbook, L arn ng from th B t: Grow ng Gr atn nth Chr t an school,author Gene Frost tacklesthese two questions and arrives at answerssupported by research.

Frosts study of great Christian schoolsbegan in response to the book, Good to Gr at, by Jim Collins. Collins best selling book was written regarding the corporate worldprimarily, but the opening lines of the book are, We dont have great schools, principallybecause we have good schools (page 12).The use of schools as a rst example led tothe Zondervan study and this book by Frost.Frosts research is an attempt to apply theconcepts of greatness outlined in Collinsoriginal work. He established criteria forqualifying schools including: secondaryschools with an enrollment over 300,schools exemplifying greatness in the eyesof the major associations in which privateChristian schools are members, and schoolsinterested in doing the work necessary toparticipate in the study.

Frosts original plan was to study the tenmost promising applicants, but with so manyapplications from schools doing great things,his study was revised. It was decided that the12 schools selected would be divided intotwo groupsseven would be considered forthe comprehensive study of the six good-to-great concepts, and ve would be studiedfor particular best practices that resultedin part f rom being a great school (pages 14-15). Once the parameters were de ned, theensuing research revealed that indeed thegreat Christian schools demonstrated thesame concepts outlined in Collins work.Those six key concepts include:

L v l 5 L ad r h p:Leaders who blend personalhumility and unrelenting determination,consistently giving away all the credit andaccepting all the blame.

F r t Who, Th n What:Get the right people,and then make the right plans.

Confront ng th Br tal Fact :Listen to the badnews, take it seriously, deal with it withoutfocusing blame and solve the problems.

The focus of T ach r and th Lawis not tomake one a legal expert, but to provide anavenue whereby the education practitionercan nd initial answers to concerns thatare raised in the day-to-day operationof schools and classrooms. Landmark court cases at both the Circuit Court andSupreme Court levels are referenced, andthe impact of those decisions is explainedin laymans terms. While one may not bespellbound in reading the book, it is aneasy read and the question/answer formatallows the reader to search for speci c areasof interest or need.

As educators we know the greatresponsibility we have in raising the nextgeneration of young people who are entrustedto us in our schools and classrooms. We needto do so in a morally and legally responsible way. We need to remember three important words that provide the legal framework for what we do on a day-to-day basispolicy,supervision, documentation. T ach r and thLawcan provide substance for that framework as important questions are asked andanswered in an understandable way. Looking carefully at what we do through the eyes of legal experts assists us in writing effectivepolicy, understanding the importance of proper supervision, and knowing whatand when we should document for future veri cation in our Lutheran schools.

Dr. Ron Bork Dean, College of Education

and Instructor in the Graduate CollegeSchool Law

Concordia University, NebraskaRon.Bork@cune.edu

Th H dg hog Conc pt:Know what yourepassionate about, know what youre betterat doing