September 10, 2021
It’s hard to believe it has been 20 years since 9-11. And though none of our students were alive that day, it is important for them to know the courage and self-sacrifice many Americans demonstrated that day and the years that followed. We give thanks for all our first-responders and the men and women in our armed forces for sacrificing their lives so we can be safe and free to continue each day transforming lives through Christ-centered education. To those in our community that serve in these roles, thank you for your serving leadership!

Each year we invite speakers to join us four nights throughout the year for our CCLS University, designed for our parents and staff to grow personally and professionally. One of our priorities at CCLS this year is the health and wellness of our community, and so our first speaker this year will be David Eberle from Lutheran Family and Children's Services. He will be speaking about mental health and wellness, teaching us what we should know considering our current context and how we can grow healthy in mind. CCLS University will take place in the Concordia Center, September 29, 6:15-7:15pm. I hope you can join us, as we are equipped to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind. 

Have a great weekend in the Lord!
Matt Hoehner
Executive Director
UPCOMING DATES

Home Soccer Games September 13 (at Des Peres Park)
4:00 A2 vs. Messiah
5:15 A1 vs. Grace Chapel

Home Volleyball Games September 14
4:30 B "Black" vs. Immanuel Wentzville
5:30 A2 vs. Immanuel Wentzville
6:30 A1 vs. Immanuel Wentzville

Home Volleyball Games September 16
4:15 A2 vs. Salem Affton
5:15 B "Red" vs. Salem Affton

...Early Childhood... Our ECE is full swing, and we are loving every moment with your precious children! As we adjust to the new school year, there are a few drop-off and pick-up pointers that will help us tremendously: 

  • Please make sure that you bring your cell phone with you so that you can check your child in and out of Brightwheel. It’s a critical safety issue for us to know exactly which students have been dropped off and which ones have been picked up. 
  • Bring your photo ID with you for the next few weeks when you pick up your child. We have several new staff members joining our team, and they will need to check your identification with our approved pick-up list before releasing your child. 
  • If your child has an 8:15am start time, please plan on arriving no earlier than 8:10am. Our teachers are busy preparing for the day and transitioning our students from early care prior to that time.  
  • Please adhere to your child’s selected pick-up times (11:45am, 3:30pm, 6:00pm). A charge of $1.00/minute will be added to your TADS account for late pick-ups beginning September 13. 

Thank you for your continued help and support! We are blessed to serve your little ones!  
...Elementary... This coming week, our third and fourth grade students will be working on the NWEA tests. This will be a new experience for our third graders. These tests are taken online using the Chromebooks. The students take one test each morning, beginning on Tuesday morning. The tests given will be Reading, Language Arts, Math and Science. These tests will be given three times during the school year with a testing session in January and in May. The tests are one tool that the teachers use to help guide instruction. The tests also will show the extent of growth throughout the current school year and also growth from year to year throughout the student's third through eighth grade years at CCLS. For the most accurate data, the students are encouraged to take their time and to work diligently through the test. While there is a suggested time for test completion, students are allowed as much time as they need.

Benchmark testing in reading is another instructional tool that we are using at the elementary campus. Currently, the teachers are completing these one-to-one assessments with the students in grades one through four. They will use the gathered data as they form the instructional goals for their guided reading groups. 
...Middle School... Have you had a chance to listen to the Taste of Middle School videos that the middle school faculty prepared for you? If not, please take a moment to do so by clicking here

Morning Drop-off change: Morning Drop-off change: We are going to implement an added feature to the morning drop-off in hopes of alleviating traffic congestion in the parking lot. Please watch this four minute Drop-off video (Passcode: 8=S!^3?D) to learn about the new change.
CCLS Fest

What do you get when you mix outdoor food, drink and live music with CCLS friends supporting Christ-centered education? CCLS-Fest 2021! Join us on Friday, October 22 at 9 Mile Garden for an adults-only night out in celebration of our school. CCLS-Fest will take the place of the Dinner Auction originally planned for the same date. The focus of this fall’s event will be simple -- bringing our community together for fun and fellowship to meet a financial need for CCLS scholarships.

CCLS-Fest tickets are $75 per person and include entry to our private event with live music, a food truck meal of your choice, and open bar. We will be seeking to raise $150,000 through our “Charger Challenge” tuition drive. You can make a tax-deductible gift to the Charger Challenge before or during the event.

Mark your calendars, grab your friends, and get ready for a good time at CCLS-Fest! Registration begins September 24 -- look for an invitation in your email inbox next week. Interested in sponsoring or advertising at the event? Contact teammates@ccls-stlouis.org
Looking to be More Involved at School?
Are you interested in a way to increase your involvement inside school this year? CCLS offers multiple part-time staff positions. These are a great way to become involved and earn a little income, too. Great opportunities to fit every schedule!
  • Mornings (M-F)  8am-1pm |  Elementary Teachers Aide 
  • Mornings (M-F)  7:30am-12pm |   Early Childhood Assistant
  • Afternoons (M-F)  12pm-5pm |  Early Childhood Assistant or Float

To learn more about any of these positions, click here or contact Jessica Anderson, Director of HR, at 314-822-7774 or janderson@ccls-stlouis.org.
Moms in Prayer
Join us as we kick-off our Mom's in Prayer group on Thursday, 9/23. We will meet 8:15-9:00am at the Webster campus in Classroom C on the church side of the building. No requirements except a desire to join together and pray over our CCLS students and staff! If you'd like to be included in future communications, please share your contact info through this link. See you on the 23rd!
NWEA

During the first few weeks of September, students in 3rd - 8th grade will take a MAP® Growth™ test from NWEA® on their chromebooks. It is important to note, NWEA stands for the Northwest Evaluation Assessment which provides the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). This is DIFFERENT than the Missouri Assessment Placement. MAP Growth scores help teachers check student performance by measuring achievement and growth. Teachers use results to tailor classroom lessons and set goals for students throughout the year. Click here to learn more!
Book Fair

Our elementary book fair is coming soon! We will be live and in-person with many great reading options Monday 9/27 through Thursday 9/30. Students will have a chance to shop during the school day. Parents/families/friends are welcome to shop during the times listed below. We appreciate the wearing of face masks while inside the school building. All sales benefit our school! 

Family Shopping Times
Tuesday, September 28th 7:30-8:10 a.m. Last Name A-M Families
Wednesday, September 29th 3:00-6:15 p.m. All Families
Thursday, September 30th 7:30-8:10 a.m. Last Name N-Z Families
Teacher Appreciation
At CCLS we are blessed with over 150 adults who work to make our school a safe and loving learning environment for our children! We have a group of parents who organize monthly "showers of appreciation", but your help is needed to make those efforts of love happen! Please consider donating at this link. Whether you can donate a small amount or large, one-time or recurring, your support is appreciated. 
Extracurricular Activities
Are you curious what extracurricular activities CCLS organizes for your children to participate in with their classmates? We've created a handy grid that provides a quick overview of what you may expect and when.  Check it out at this link!
Uniform Ordering
When placing future school uniform orders, please fill in the Shipping Address with the school address for their location (i.e.; 8740 Watson for Webster or 110 W. Woodbine for Kirkwood) and your child's name that should receive the uniforms. This will help out our office when it comes to sorting the orders! 
Association Church News
Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens: Back Together!   
Beginning Sunday, September 12, we are coming back together for in-person worship, fellowship and Bible classes. Mark your calendar with the new schedule as we look forward to getting back together!   
  • 8:00 am Fellowship   
  • 8:15 am Worship   
  • 9:30 am Sunday School (all ages), Bible Classes, Small Groups
  • 10:30 am Worship