New School Year Theme
“We pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power… to grasp how to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19
What is the purpose of roots? Two purposes come to my mind quickly when asked that question. The first is roots provide stability. They spread out underneath a plant and hold on tight so when the wind blows or an animal brushes up or walks over the plant it stands firm. The second is roots provide nourishment. They bring up nutrients, minerals, and water from the soil in the ground. This allows the plant to grow and have what it needs to continue to survive.
Do our earthly relationships provide stability and nourishment? Initially, you might say yes as you think of all of the good times you have had with your friends and family over the years. The great vacations, the jokes shared by the fire, and the family meals all provided stability and nourishment. If we are honest with ourselves though, we also see the downside to our relationships. Roots constantly stabilize and nourish. Our earthly relationships do not. As a middle school teacher, I can say I have seen best friends go to worst enemies in a matter of days. I am sure you have stories in your life from this as well. I pray your relationships that went through these trials came out intact on the other side, but some do not. Our relationships do not always bring stability and nourishment.
There is one relationship, however, that will always bring stability and nourishment. That relationship is the one with our Lord and Savior. He showed us, undeserved love, by living a perfect life, dying on the cross for our sins, and rising from the dead on the third day, so we can be with him forever in Heaven. His Word continues to give us stability in life even when those words cut us to the bone because it is a message we don’t want to hear. He is always there to hear our prayers, listen to them, and give us answers. Again, they may not always be the answer we desire, but as any good parent knows what is best for their child, He knows what is best for us.
This year at Salem, we will be focusing on the love that God has for us. We will nurture our faith to be rooted in that love for a lifetime and beyond. Life gets dirty just like plants living in the soil. Events and situations arise that will test our earthly relationships. If we are rooted in God’s love, it changes our outlook. His love helps us to see that even in life’s dirtiest moments he is there and will see us through. He will have the words of encouragement, comfort, or strength that we need at any given moment. All of these things come from being rooted in God’s love. This attitude is what we want to instill in our students this year at Salem. Be rooted in God’s love and you will be prepared to deal with life until we are called home to be with our Savior and Lord forever.
Enrollment for 2023-2024
Please encourage any families interested in our school to contact either Mr. Klatt (rklatt@salemlutheran.org) for K-8 students or Mrs. Grobe (jgrobe@salemlutheran.org) for preschool students. Families interested in our school are also encouraged to sign up for a tour on our website: www.salemlutheran.org
No School for Labor Day Weekend, September 1-4
Just a reminder there is no school Friday, September 1 – Monday, September 4 due to the Labor Day holiday. Have a safe and restful weekend!
Chapel Offerings 1st Semester
Our school mission for the first semester is called TELL (Think, Evaluate, Learn, Lead).
Salem belongs to the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). In 2018, WELS World Missions Multi-Language Productions had a plan to reach the world with the gospel in a new way. Their vision was to equip people with the truth of God’s Word using digital resources in English. TELL would use English to reach people through social media, self-led Bible lessons, and live video classrooms.
Your 1st-semester chapel offerings will support this mission. There is always work to be done. Pray for more opportunities to share the gospel and share this mission with others. We ask God to bless the work of TELL as they continue to spread the gospel to millions online.
Map Testing September 18-22
Salem will be doing their fall testing during the second to last week of September. This is when we get our benchmark for how the students are doing in their various classes and the teachers will evaluate the results and adjust their teaching to meet the student’s needs.
Grandparent Day September 29
Feel free to inform your children’s grandparents that Salem’s Grandparents Day will be on September 29th. More information will be coming, but we will again have breakfast items with grandmas and grandpas. Students will be released at noon and lunch will not be served at Salem. Look for more news to come throughout the month of September.
Picture Day October 2
Watch for more information coming soon from Inter-State Studios who will be taking our student photos again this year.
Information from Stillwater School Health Services
Minnesotans can order free rapid at-home COVID-19 tests. Every home in Minnesota can order eight tests once a month while supplies last. Even if you have ordered before, you can order again. Order your tests at Say Yes! To Covid Test (sayyeshometest.org). All of the isolation guidance for those testing positive remains the same from the CDC. https://www.health.state.
You can subscribe to get the situation update related to COVID-19 in MN here.
https://www.health.state.mn.
Upcoming Events
- September 1 – 4 – Labor Day Weekend – No School
- September 18 – 21 – Map Testing
- September 29 – Half Day – Grandparent Day
- October 2 – Picture Day
Referral Program
The School Board approved a program that gives an incentive to recruit new families for our school. If a family who has children enrolled refers a new family to Salem, they will receive a $200 tuition credit at Christmas per family they have referred. A church family who refers a new family will receive a $200 script gift card also at Christmas per family if they so choose. There is no limit to the number of families you can refer. If you have any questions about the program, speak to a School Board member or Mr. Klatt.
Box Tops for Education
Sign up at https://www.boxtops4education.com or download the Box Tops for Education app on your phone.
Raise Right (formerly Shop With Scrip)
You can buy gift cards from your favorite brands to earn money for Salem on your daily purchases. Visit www.raiseright.com/enroll to set up an account today. Use enrollment code: 2241AD6C1441
We Are Also Collecting Aluminum Cans and Tabs
Aluminum cans benefit our athletic program and can be bagged up and placed in the wooden bin that is next to the garage facing Panama Ave. We will continue to support The Ronald McDonald House by participating in the Pop Tab program. The cash received goes directly to support Ronald McDonald House. They can be dropped off in the bin at the entrance to the school.
Prayer
One way we usually forget about how we can help our school and church is to pray for them throughout the year. Your prayers are always a blessing and it is great to know that you are asking God for his blessings in our school and church year.