Rescheduled Webinar - November 29

On October 4, it became necessary to cancel the NLSA Best Practice webinar that was scheduled for West Portal Lutheran School. That webinar has been rescheduled for November 29, 2011 at 11:00AM Eastern Time. Please make a note of it and plan to participate in this helpful webinar.

Tomorrow, November 1, we will hold the final regularly scheduled NLSA Best Practice Webinar. Leaders from St Paul Lutheran High School in Concordia Missouri will share their amazing practices.

Saint Paul is both a community and a boarding high school in its 129^th year.

The school has become very  intentional in maintaining a diverse student body of over 200 with students in grades 9-12 from local communities, 12 American states and several foreign countries including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Kenya, Madagascar, Norway, Slovakia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. They believe this diversity offers benefits, opportunities and challenges for all students, their families and our faculty and staff in spiritual, academic, social and worldview arenas.

Their goal is to reach each student in a transformational way leading with God’s Word in order to build up the body of Christ. Strategies for integration include Peer Ministry Training (PMT), English Language Development (ELD) classes, international travel for domestic students, athletic and academic teams, and intentionality in social integration from mealtimes to residential hall life.  

Curriculum development includes a unique religion curriculum that begins with an introduction to the Bible on an entry level to upper level dual-credit college classes. The latter classes are offered in cooperation with the Concordia University system for those seeking church work vocations in our synodical terminal schools.

Schools experiencing an increase in student diversity or wishing to begin to move in that direction will find help and encouragement in planning and program. 

Login to the Webinar at LSPortal.com at 11:00 AM Eastern time. The live webinar is free and open to all participants.

Tuesday's Webinar

The next NLSA Best Practice webinar will be conducted on October 18, at 1:00 PM Eastern time. It will feature some of the Best Practices currently implemented at Trinity Lutheran School in Waconia, Minnesota. A description of those practices can be found below.

Trinity will share their best practice of MAP testing and its impact on the academic growth of students.  Northwest Evaluation Association – NWEA, has developed an adaptive test, Measure of Academic Progress – MAP, that establishes a student’s precise instructional level, and which areas to focus on for academic growth; compares academic progress with other children in the class, grade, school and district; and tracks a student’s academic growth over a school year / several years.  Students become active participants in their academic growth while teachers are given the data to design instruction to meet the needs of every student.

Trinity will also share what we are doing in the area of Intergenerational Learning.  We will talk about ways we are connecting our students in meaning ways with our seniors and talk about the impact it is having on both students and seniors.

It is not necessary to register for this event. Simply Login to the webinar at LSPortal.net.

Recorded versions of the first three webinars are now available on the Lutheran School Portal. These recordings can be viewed by portal subscribers at any time. Simply access the NLSA tab from the national page on the portal. You will find the recorded versions of webinars in the far right column.

Viewing a Webinar

Best Practices shared by our Exemplary schools during our weekly webinars have been carefully researched, collaboratively established and dynamically affect student learning and (or) ministry opportunities in a Lutheran school. Replication by other schools in our Lutheran school alliance is an expectation for any NLSA Exemplary School.

An NLSA Exemplary School Best Practice is much more than an expectation that quantifies standard compliance. It innovates and exceeds accreditation expectations. It is a calculated risk that has resulted in significant reward for the students. Therefore it is a desirable condition that as ramifications for our school in the LCMS school alliance.

The live webinar is the best viewing option for school leaders because provides the interactive component with webinar presenters.  Viewers are able to ask questions, make comments and contribute to the discussion using the chat box.

Webinars are recorded and may be archived on the NLSA tab on the Lutheran School Portal. You can go through the national page to locate the NLSA tab. Recorded webinars can be viewed with the entire school staff. Staff members can evaluate if the practices are applicable to their own school setting and how they might impact students learning or enhance ministry opportunities.

Best Practices from the webinars are meant to stimulate discussion and drive your school forward in the direction of ongoing improvement.  Since the practices have already been field tested they are ready for use in your school and can provide immediate benefit. NLSA Best Practice webinars are a no-cost method of staff development that can have positive ramifications on the quality of your school. Don’t miss the opportunity you have to view each webinar and consider the practices.

Tomorrow's Webinar

The next NLSA Best Practice webinar will be conducted tomorrow,  October 11 at 1:00 PM Eastern time. It will feature the amazing Best Practices of St. John Lutheran School in Ellisville, Missouri. Lots of creative classroom practices will be shared.  The webinar will begin at Noon Central, 11:00AM Rocky Mountain and 10AM Pacific time. Don't miss it!

Recorded NLSA Best Practice Webinars

Recorded versions of NLSA Best Practice Webinars are now available for viewing on the NLSA tab of the Lutheran school portal. To view the recorded webinar login to the portal with your login and password. Click on the NATIONAL TAB at the top of the page (light blue bar). Select NLSA. You must be a member of the Lutheran school portal in order to retrieve recorded webinars.

Webinars from Faith Community Lutheran Schools, Las Vegas, Immanuel Lutheran Christian Academy and Rev Bart Day, Executive Director Life Together are available (in blue) in the far right column on the page. Other webinars will be retrievable at this location.

Exemplary School Progress

Schools nominated for Exemplary consideration report that they are making progress on their applications. It is anticipated that all seven schools will submit materials and host a validation visit in November, December and January. The National Commission will hold its selection meeting on February 15 at 1:00PM Eastern time.  NLSA commissioners, please reserve this date and time and plan to participate in this important meeting. Validation visit team reports will be posted on-line for review prior to our meeting as they were last year. The formal announcement naming the 2012 Exemplary schools will take place during National Lutheran schools week.

St John Webinar

The next NLSA Best Practice webinar will be conducted on October 11 at 1:00 PM Eastern time. It will feature a wide variety of Best Practices currently implemented at St. John Lutheran School in Ellisville, Missouri. A description of those practices can be found below.

St. John is focuses on integrating best practices into its educational program in order to build an instructional foundation based upon 21^st century skills.  These practices help develop collaboration, critical thinking and creativity in students and allow them to use digital tools to enhance learning.

A variety of instructional methods expand the subject of Language Arts.  Literature Circles are used in grades 5-8 to allow students to learn literary concepts by selecting novels by interest and reading ability.   Spelling lists are differentiated for every student in grades 1-4 as students use words from their curricular areas,  their daily writing and those they misspell.    Primary grade teachers use a “Daily Five”  instructional  philosophy to teach reading and writing  through independence and ability levels.  The Preschool program helps students master grade level skills through a “Project Construct” philosophy based on learning through student interest and hands-on activities.

Students in 7-8 follow a Block Schedule of 85 minute classes on alternating days in order to have more time to master their grade level curriculum through guided and independent practice.

Teachers schedule weekly class meeting time during “Cougar Pride” to intentionally teach and discuss issues that students struggle with relationally, behaviorally, or intentional time for character development.  Annual surveys help provide feedback from stakeholders to craft new initiatives and strategic direction to school leadership.  Technology is maximized through integrating it into the grade level curriculum and equipping the staff through an intentional staff development model based on ISTE standards for students and teachers. 

You are invited to hear about the many practices at St John that align instruction with 21^st century skills.

It is not necessary to register for this event. Simply Login to the webinar at LSPortal.net.

Today's Webinar

LCMS School Ministry will host the live webinar scheduled for today.  West Portal Lutheran School cancelled its participation so we will be conducting a live interview with Rev. Bart Day, Executive Director of LCMS National Mission – Witness, Mercy and Life Together. The webinar will begin at 11:00AM Eastern time. Please attend.