First Lutheran School Messenger
Isaiah 40:31 “…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;…”
Issue No. 30 May 14, 2020
This week’s “revised” Messenger begins following the COVID19 update
FIRST LUTHERAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED THROUGH THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, AS PER GOV. BAKER’S ORDERS IN REGARDS TO THE COVID19 PANDEMIC.
We’ve been committed to ensure each student’s education be uninterrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, as much as possible. We’ve been blessed to partner with A Beka , publisher of 95% of the curriculum we use. We are using their ProTeach streaming video lessons daily in math, language arts, and phonics from Kindergarten to Middle School at no cost to the school!!! The teachers use the secured Zoom app to meet with their students for reading and spelling and lesson review and just to have time to be with their friends in class. Middle School language arts and math lessons follow the same school schedule used, when we were able to be in the building. Middle School history and science lessons are continued with projects and lessons supervised by their history/science teacher. We are blessed with families that have supported this education with their hard work in maintaining a new schedule at home.
ENROLLMENT FOR THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE END OF MAY. WE ARE AVAILABLE MONDAY – FRIDAY FROM 8:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
PLEASE CALL THE SCHOOL AT 413-532-4272 WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
YOU CAN ALSO REACH THE PRINCIPAL, MARIANNE BISCHOFF AT: principalfls@comcast.net
OR THE SECRETARY, CHRIS FERGUSON AT: secretaryfls@comcast.net
From the Principal’s desk…
Thank you, Mrs. Ricco and Mr. Stone for the following…
Social distancing has become the newest term in our vocabulary. For our Middle School students it means not being able to see their friends. Friends, as you know, are a big part of their life. The day to day activities of passing each other in the hallways, enjoying lunch together, or catching up with one another during homeroom has been replaced by a 4 x 4 picture through Zoom conferencing. A few have asked me how their friends are doing who are not part of their class. So, Mr. Stone and I hosted a “Popcorn and Conversation” event (translated “bring your favorite snack” and connect with friends) last Friday night, May 8th.
It was so nice to have some of our Middle School students get together outside the classroom virtually. Beyond conversation, Mr. Stone and I collaborated to get the kids up and moving by participating in a Scavenger Hunt. Aiden Torruella and Luke Faeth-Foley tied after many attempts to announce a winner. A $5 McDonalds gift certificate to each is on the way! What was the easiest item to find???- a dirty sock; which most had right on the floor near them. I had to laugh, it was so much fun. What was the oddest item? Something “smelly” from the kitchen; a bowl of yeast rising and an onion were offered by our winners.
I have since heard from a few parents who have shared with me how much fun their child had. Our students are important to us in school as well as out of school. Staying connected is just as important to us as it is to them, so our next gathering will be a Bingo night, tomorrow night, Friday, May 15th! Can’t wait!! Love and blessings to Pastor Bessette, Miss Bischoff, staff and our wonderful FLS families. – Mrs. Ricco
I Thessalonians 5:11 – “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”
Tomorrow night would have been our exciting, new School Musical that Mrs. Lastowski wrote for our school. Since we have to wait until next year, let’s pull out last year’s Spring Musical DVD and enjoy it with your family again!
On Tuesday, May 19th, the Voters of First Lutheran Church will be voting on our budget for the coming fiscal year, July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021. Because it will be held via phone conferencing, we will not know the final votes for a week after. Once it’s been approved, we’ll be ready to send out re-enrollment packets.
Sadly, Berkshire Christian School is closing. Last Tuesday, May 12th, Mr. Stone and I met there to see what was available that we can use. (They took every precaution for safety for COVID – 19.) They’re pricing was so low. I was able to buy a lot of office supplies, which would have cost much more than I was charged, and I also had bags of other items; puzzles for PreK, math supplies for the elementary grades, and so many more usable items!!!
Marianne Bischoff
Principal
For many years now the beautiful flowers in the flower pots on Cherry Street that hold the signs that advertise our PreKindergarten and our Elementary School have been prepared and maintained by Miss Heeren. The two pots are to be prepared for Memorial Day and then maintained until Labor Day. I’m looking for a family to volunteer to make this project your project. I will reimburse you for the cost of the flowers and any additional dirt that might be needed. Miss Heeren faithfully watered the pots just about every day, especially during the heat of summer, but it depended on the weather. I have the jugs that she used to water the plants, if needed. If this is something you would like to do, please contact Mrs. Ferguson, and I will show you which pots are ours, so you can get started. Thank you for considering this.
Someone placed a small rock on the intercom outside the school doors. It was there when I came into school to go to my office onTuesday. On the rock was the word “hope”. Tuesday morning the daily devotional that sits on my desk said this – “Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances we know to be desparate.” by G.K. Chesterton. This led me to Romans 5:2b NIV – “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”, but it was verses 3-5 that continue the thought – “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness!! Sing it – sing the beautiful hymn – “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”; let the words cheer your heart!
Blessings
In August the “Book of Remembrance” was initiated based on Malachi 3:16 – NIV – “Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored His name.” So there is a special section in our “Book of Remembrance” for the all the blessings from God during our time of separation due to the coronavirus… Each week in this part of the Messenger you’ll get to share in rejoicing for the ways God continues to bless First Lutheran Christian School!! Here are the next five (they’re being done in chronological order, so right now, as you can tell, it goes back to the beginning of April)…
1) The school received two gifts of $100.00 each from non-members.
2) We received a $45.00 check from Ellen Serino in memory of Carl Schmidt, a member of our congregation and a veteran.
3) The wind took down two trees in the tree line. The one by the fence fell parallel to the fence; not on the new fence!!
4) Pastor Bessette is doing “Jesus Time” for the PreK/K classes. It’s posted on the private First Lutheran School Facebook page on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
5) Pastor and Mrs. Bessette took the lunch cart snacks that we aren’t using now to the Soldiers’ Home for the workers. When Mrs. Ferguson spoke with a representative of the Soldiers’ Home they said that would be a great gift!!
Happy Birthday, Connor Michon!! His birthday is today! Sunday, May 17th,
Kayla Provost will be celebrating her birthday!! Happy Birthday!
If you didn’t choose to order a yearbook online, you still can order one. Please let Mrs. Ferguson know you’re ordering one, and she will put you on the list! Once they arrive and the date is determined for pick up, we’ll let you know, and you can pay at that time.
Former First Lutheran Families
Baez Family
Chicoine Family
Ferguson Family
Hart Family
Kellogg Family
Kelly Family
King Family
Morin Family
Perotta Family
Sheehan Family
My Zoom prayer sessions with the children of First Lutheran Christian School are going very well. It is awesome talking to them and having them share with me what they have been up to over the last month and a half. The things they wanted to pray about really showed their hearts, and how much they miss school, teachers and friends. I look forward to next week. I hope and pray that more and more children will join us. I will continue to do this through the end of the school year.
Pastor Bessette
Dates To Remember
May 14th – National Dance Like A Chicken Day (Sounds like fun! Challenge – give it a try & have your mom/dad post it to our private Facebook Page)
May 15th – National Chocolate Chip Day – YUM!
Middle School Zoom Bingo Party – 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
May 16th – National Sea Monkey Day
May 17th – National Pack Rat Day
May 18th – National No Dirty Dishes Day
May 19th – World Plant a Vegetable Garden Day (Does your family plant one? We would love to see some pictures of your garden!)
May 20th – National Pick Strawberries Day