Category Archives: Healthy Schools

The Principal’s Critical Role with New School Families

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Written by Allen M. Labitzky

Each year, I struggle to incorporate new families into our school. Despite newsletters and event calendars, many remain on the fringe. New parents say it is intimidating to break into our community where everyone seemingly knows everyone else. The truth is, there are 10-15 new families coming in each year. Some never get plugged in; they remain virtual outsiders even years later. What can be done? There are numerous suggestions out there, but my research has led me to three key ideas for school principals. Continue reading →

Words Printed on a…Screen?

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Balanced literacy instruction in a technological era

Written by Andrea Van Sice

Reading is powerful. Author Emoke B’Racz reflects, “How my life has been brought to undiscovered lands, and how much richer it gets – all from words printed on a page.” Words are no longer just printed “on a page”, as technology devices have drastically changed what and how we read (Biancarosa & Griffiths, 2012).  Literacy instruction and assessment is a blessing and challenge in many schools, and Lutheran schools are no exception. Teacher time is often limited, increasing the necessity of technological resources and tools. It is important to maintain balance between technological and traditional instructional tools. Here are six tips to help Lutheran teachers develop a strong culture of literacy in the classroom. Continue reading →

Do You Value Physical Education?

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Written by Prof. Dan Gawrisch

What does your physical education (PE) program look like at your school? Does your PE classroom look the same as it would have looked 10, 20, or even 40 years ago? Classrooms in every other academic discipline have continued to change and adapt with time, yet often our gym or PE area has not changed. The days of teaching PE with one ball and a whistle in a gym without technological capabilities are gone. Continue reading →

Improving Instructional Coaching and Evaluation

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Written by Seth Fitzsimmons

We need a good evaluation system in our WELS schools. Multiple education researchers, however, agree that teacher evaluation systems are troubled. Most do not do a good job differentiating between effective and ineffective teachers, and they do not aid much in professional growth. The annual conversation that WELS principals and their teachers have using the synod’s Teacher Performance Assessment tool can be uncomfortable and accomplish little. A more productive model for encouraging conversation and fostering teacher growth exists via the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching (FFT). The FFT is an excellent model for principals and staffs at WELS schools to consider because it focuses on teacher development rather than teacher evaluation. Continue reading →

Assisting Disruptive Students in Our Classrooms

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Written by Dr. Tracey Enser

As I finish a school year, one of my favorite things to do as a teacher is reflect on my year. I enjoy thinking about the pros and cons and using these to improve for the next year. After talking with many teachers about their pros and cons, a common theme on the con side is the one or two students who demonstrated extreme difficulties with the classroom management plan. The time needed to focus on this student or students affected classroom instruction and caused the teacher to become frustrated and burnt out quickly. This challenge is becoming more prevalent in schools across the United States, including WELS schools. Continue reading →

The Benefits of Digital Badges

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Written by Angela Hanson

If you haven’t met a teacher who uses digital badges yet, you may soon. Digital badges are growing in popularity, especially in higher education circles (Raths, 2013). With enough forethought and planning, the principles behind digital badges can be used in the K-12 environment as well (Fontichiaro and Elkordy, 2015). Understanding digital badges and implementing them in the classroom can bring benefits for learners, including but not limited to objective proof of student learning, increased student motivation, and the ability to use feedback for developing skills as a self-regulated learner. Continue reading →

WELS Schools Need Servant Leaders

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Written by Tom Plitzuweit

In order for WELS schools to truly be servant-oriented organizations, the leaders need to make certain their teachers know their voices are heard and their opinions are important. Servant leaders empower their ministry teams to actively participate toward a shared vision for the school.

At the very heart of the ministry of WELS schools is servant leadership. True servant leaders know that they are servants first. They serve their Savior, Jesus. They serve their Savior by serving others. Principals and teachers in WELS schools should strive to be servant leaders. Their actions display a commitment to the school’s mission, vision, values, and policies. Continue reading →

Are Your Students Stuck in the Box?

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Written by Heidi Groth

Students today are free from independent thinking that pushes them to use their God-given creativity.

While that may seem a bit harsh, consider carefully the type of curriculum that students experience in our schools. Do our classroom procedures, assignments, assessments, and facilities encourage students in their creativity or do we lead them by the hand to the answer that we want? It is too often a priority for a teacher to cover specific information during the year rather than teach and encourage students to use their critical thinking skills. In further efforts to form students into the kind we want, we reward students based on their compliance rather than performance. The children who are easy on the teacher or can regurgitate the information are praised; children who disrupt the class with their tangential questions and do not complete their worksheets are the ones who are failing. Continue reading →

The Importance of Early Childhood Learning Centers

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Written by David Gartner

“All 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds need to stay at home with their moms!” This is a statement that was made by a stay-at-home mom in the first meeting we had at St. John-Redwood Falls MN when in 2009 we began the preliminary discussions of starting an all-day/every-day preschool program.

“I can’t believe how our school has grown through the preschool. I still believe it’s good for children to stay at home with their moms, but that doesn’t work for every family.” This statement was made by the same stay-at-home mom as above. Why the change? Continue reading →

The Impact of Early Childhood on LES Enrollment

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Written by Philip M. Gustafson

Enrollment in Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) schools is declining. Since enrollment peaked in 1990 with almost 32,000 students, enrollment has declined to 24,170 students in 2013-2014 (WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools, 2014). Since our WELS school system is so vital to us as a synod, that is cause for alarm, right? After all, with lower enrollment comes fewer students hearing God’s Word and fewer future synod leaders. Continue reading →