The new normal - doing Jesus time online with the teacher. Thank you, educators, for your dedication to your students and for continuing to point them to Jesus.

Please join us in praying and thanking God for the following schools this week:

Yuma Lutheran School and Preschool, Yuma, AZ

Trinity Lutheran Preschool, Temecula, CA

Sherman Oaks Lutheran Children’s Center, Sherman Oaks, CA

Below are photos from Yuma Lutheran School and Preschool, Yuma, AZ:

Online learning, Zoom calls, and staff kids!

One of the YLS teachers and her kids all doing online school at the same time!

Below are photos from Trinity Lutheran Preschool, Temecula, CA:

Insects, post office fun, and science!

Please be sure to visit our PSD website about COVID-19: psd-lcms.org/coronavirus . We are frequently updating these pages with new and additional information, so please check back often.

Here is a fun idea for a spirit week from Grace, Escondido, CA!

Some resources from LEA:

Concordia Plan Services has provided COVID-19 information, which includes news about your retirement plan. Lots more provided and updated! Check it out .

Explaining COVID-19… Kim Marxhausen has graciously offered her Faithparenting blog to help in Explaining COVID 19 to Children . You might want to share it with parents, too.

Here is another article written by Dr. Tim Elmore, titled How the Coronavirus Could Affect Generation Z .

Click here for information on a free webinar: A Guide to Setting Up Your School with Google for Education. Thursday, March 26, 11 am PT.

"Daily Dose" is daily encouragement during this time of crisis and uncertainty. If you'd like to receive this and have not already received it (Rachel is sending to all PSD administrators), please email Rachel and she will add you to the distribution list. Each week on Monday, the previous five “doses” of Daily Dose will be on our website and on the COVID-19 website.

Have you had a chance to read the March devotion on our website? It takes on a whole new meaning now! Click here to read it. Thanks, Jake Hollatz, for the devotion!

Schools should consider how the coronavirus may affect the business contracts they have with vendors. Many schools are considering or have implemented school closures and are cancelling events, including upcoming international and domestic trips. Whether the school is entitled to a refund or whether it must pay the vendor upon cancellation, will depend on the specific contract terms, including whether the contract has a force majeure provision. Click here to read the full article from Liebert Cassidy Whitmore.

Thank you to Principal Valorie Wend and teachers from Loving Savior of the Hills Lutheran School in Chino Hills, CA , for submitting a wonderful variety of artwork prepared by students at their school. Visitors and PSD staff have loved to come by and view the gallery, and enjoy the creativity of your students.

An email was sent to all administrators of accredited schools this week regarding the deadlines for your 2019-20 annual accreditation reports. Please contact our office if you did not receive that email. Thank you!

Bible Replay is happy to provide your school, teachers, and families with an ONLINE RESOURCE to quickly meet today’s challenge amid our worldwide crisis. With nearly 1,500 joyful students already on board, Bible Replay can have you up and running in the same day. They are offering a free 30 day trial to Christian schools.  Click here for more information on the Bible Replay website!

Our Hearts for Jesus goal is to provide the funds for 1,500 children to attend Children’s Bible Clubs. We are currently able to support 400 children with the contributions received. It’s not too late to begin participating in the HEARTS FOR JESUS: Mission India project--even remotely!

Through the work of Mission India, children in India will get to hear the Gospel (many for the first time!) and share what they learn with their families. The ripple effect? Entire villages and communities hearing about Jesus and His saving grace.

There are still millions more children in India who haven't heard the opportunity to hear about Jesus. There's still time to help us reach them with the Gospel!  The cost for a student to attend the Children’s Bible Clubs is $24 for an entire year!

Here’s the link to all the information you need:  http://missionindia.org/hearts . The site is password protected because of the sensitive nature of sharing Jesus in India and persecution of Christians, which is on the rise.



 If you have any questions, please contact Rachel Klitzing at [email protected] or Ellen Pratt at [email protected] . Thank you for getting involved!

Making Jesus Real is a course that serves as a modified version of the Early Childhood Curriculum for Lutheran Teachers. It grew out of needs expressed by congregations of the Pacific Southwest District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod to inform and acculturate early childhood teachers with answers to the following questions: What is a Lutheran school, specifically, early childhood center? How are Lutheran schools unique? What do Lutherans believe? What is the heritage of the Lutheran schools? What are the characteristics of the Lutheran teacher? 

With the goal of training and equipping early childhood educators for careers in Lutheran early childhood centers, this course will focus on the following critical areas: 1) Lutheran thought and teaching (theology); 2) Nurturing the faith (faith development); 3) A distinctively Lutheran education (history of Lutheran education); 4) Methods and materials for teaching the faith to the young child. We pray that our new version will accomplish these goals in a way that is accessible, attractive, affordable, applicable and authentic. 

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Click here for the video sessions, discussion guides, response exercises, and more. We encourage you to work on this during your time at home!

The PSD has created a new full-time position in the School Ministries department.

Title: Associate Education Executive

Description:  Support the Executive Director of School Ministries. In this role, the Associate Education Executive will also provide support and facilitate the planning and operating of Lutheran early childhood centers, elementary schools, high schools, and youth and family ministries by congregations and governing boards as they carry out the Great Commission of our Lord, serving children and families. Key responsibilities will be appropriately divided with the Executive Director, based on skill sets, giftedness,expertise, interest and passion. Many of the key responsibilities will be shared and will overlap.

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Click here to view the job description

Click here for the application - send to Rachel Klitzing at [email protected] by Monday, April 20, 2020.

Coronavirus got you down? Let's Rally Together!

We realize we are asking you to commit to something in questionable times. However, we want to encourage you to RALLY with us June 16-18, 2020, for the Children & Family Ministry Conference at Concordia University Irvine.

“Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes… In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” Nehemiah 4:14b & 20

More information on speakers and registration: https://www.psd-youthandfamily.org/children-and-family. Early registration ends April 1 ($90 each for a group of 4 or more, $110 for individual registration)

In this chaotic world, families are facing all types of pressures. This is a ministry conference for all parents, volunteers and staff who desire to make a positive impact on children and families.

The health and safety of our participants are important to us, so we will keep this developing issue in our prayers. We will continue to monitor the recommendations from the CDC and will update you accordingly.

In the hope and cleansing power of Christ,

2020 Children & Family Ministry Conference Planning Team

The PSD is pleased to announce a scholarship that will assist PSD Lutheran school teachers participating in the teacher colloquy program . Grants will be distributed until funds are exhausted. Each course will be funded up to $500. Click here for the form and more information.

Each week, prayers of thanksgiving and prayers for teachers, administrators, support staff, pastors, students, and families of the Lutheran schools, early childhood centers, and churches of the Pacific Southwest District are listed. To include names on the list, please send information to [email protected] by noon on Wednesday of each week. This week we pray for:

You can find this COVID-19 prayer guide on our website here.