Spring Brings New Life

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”     

2 Corinthians 5:17

Spring started this past Monday! What a beautiful time of year as we see so much of God’s creation come back to life after the cold of winter. His majesty is seen all around us. The new is on its way!

Many of you know that I love to work in my flower gardens. Seeing the flowering from the bulbs buried deep in the ground bursting through the soil and the other spring flowers planted is something I look forward to each year. Right now, it is a bit early to think too far ahead, but my mind is already planning out what I would like the gardens to look like. My Secret Angel knows me well. I am so excited and look forward to using the Home Depot gift card to help purchase some of the spring flowers. That will also be a reminder of the friendship we share as co-workers and sisters in Christ. 

As Christians and believers in Christ, we are each a new creation through the waters of Baptism, forgiveness of sins, and promise of eternal salvation that comes through faith in God. Just as I cleaned out the flowerbeds last fall and got rid of the old, dried up plants, so too, our old, sinful self is gone and we are made new and alive in Christ! Rejoice and be glad! You are made new. Be encouraged.

Praise and thanks to God for His great love for us to send His Son to save us. 

As we place our faith and trust in God, we can all be thankful that God holds us in the palm of His hand and gives us what He knows is best for us. So, as we walk through changes in our lives, step back and know God’s plan is perfect. Stay in the Word. Take care of yourself to be Well. Use your words and life as a Witness. 

Serving the Master Teacher,

We Give Thanks for DCEs and Parish Professionals 

On Wednesday, March 15, 2023, some of the NID Parish Professionals who are currently serving in congregations came together on the Concordia University Chicago campus for a time of sharing with the DCE students that are getting ready to head out for their year of internship. Please keep the interns in your prayers as they continue preparation for full-time church work.

Early Childhood Directors

Please watch your email in the near future as information is sent out about a training about food allergies. The information will be sent out in April.

Worker Retirement

Although it seems early to think about this, I request that school administrators inform me if there are any staff members indicating that they will be retiring at the close of the 2022-2023 school year. School Administrators, please also let me know if you are retiring at the end of the year. Send me a quick email to lois.stewart@nidlcms.org or call me at the NID office (708-223-3110). Many thanks for thinking ahead.

Hearts for Jesus

The “Hearts for Jesus” focus this school year will be the Mercy House that has been dedicated in Belize. The children will have a new space for eating their lunch when at school, dental and doctor offices, and more. Please prayerfully consider what your part will be in blessing this work in Belize and see many photos below of the ministry being done in Belize. Your contribution to “Hearts for Jesus” may be submitted by check payable to the Northern Illinois District (memo to “Hearts for Jesus”). Mail the check to:

Northern Illinois District – LCMS

1107 Monroe Ave.

River Forest, IL 60305

Attention: Lois Stewart

Photos courtesy of Belize Mission Society and Missionary Johanna Hiedorn

Caesura

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic causing so many things to shut down, a great opportunity was being offered to upper grade students in our NID schools. We are excited that “Caesura” is returning. Professor Andy Pederson (Concordia University Chicago) shares the attached informational letter for school administrators and teachers to consider. This is a wonderful opportunity for students.

A Night of Hope

Bethel Lutheran Church, 5110 Grand Avenue, Gurnee, IL 60031, is excited to bring poet Tanner Olson and singer/songwriter Blake Flattley to Gurnee for a night of poetry and songs, humor and honesty, looking for hope in the dark.

A Night of Hope with the Words and Music of Tanner Olson and Blake Flattley will be held Sunday, April 16, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Snacks and conversation following.

• Tanner will share his words with us, and Blake will lend his music.
• Bring your friends of all ages for this relaxed evening of finding comfort in community and Jesus.
• After the show, there will be snacks and time for conversation.
• This is a FREE event, but please RSVP through the link below and encourage others to get it on their calendars, too! 

Questions? Email office@bethelgurnee.org or call 847-244-9647.

Tanner

writtentospeak.com

@writtentospeak

Blake

blakeflattley.com

@blakeflattley

Save the Date for Back-to-School Worship - August 9, 2023

Plan ahead for the 2023-2024 school year. All administrators are highly encouraged to put this date (August 9, 2023) on their 2023-2024 calendars so members of your faculty and staff have it. What a fantastic way to start the school year (worship, fellowship, and a lot of energy) together with fellow workers in the NID. We are excited to share that the host congregation will be St. Peter, Arlington Heights. We will be uplifted and energized by our keynote speaker Mychal Thom, the Chief Diversity Officer from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota. Watch for details in the future.

Educator Conference - October 6, 2023

Save the date of Friday, October 6, 2023 for the next NID Educator Conference. We are really looking forward to bringing educators together for a day of worship, learning, and fellowship. It has been a long time since we have gathered in conference. All NID teachers, administrators, and Parish Professionals will receive registration information in the future. We would also love to have pastors join us for the day. We are thankful to St. Peter Lutheran Church and School in Arlington Heights for welcoming the NID onto their campus for the day.

Illinois State Administrator Conference

We are very excited to announce that the Illinois LCMS State Administrator’s Conference is being revived! Administrators from the three Districts will join together for a conference from July 17-18, 2023. It will be hosted here in the NID, and we are looking forward to welcoming fellow principals to this event. Please keep this in prayer as the planning continues.

National Lutheran School Accreditation News

District Accreditation Fee:

All schools accredited by NLSA should have received an invoice via e-mail from Keith Wilharm on March 16, 2023. The annual NID accreditation fee is $150 and is due April 15, 2023. Make checks payable to “The LCMS Northern Illinois District.” DO NOT SEND THE FEE TO THE NID OFFICE. Send it directly to:

Keith Wilharm

207 N. Walnut

Elmhurst, IL 60126

Cumulative Annual Reports:

All Cumulative Annual Reports are due April 15, 2023. Attach the report to an e-mail sent to Keith.Wilharm@nidlcms.org. If you need any assistance with the report or need a copy, contact Keith. Failing to submit a Cumulative Annual Report jeopardizes a school’s accreditation.

LEA Lutheran Junior Honor Association

Does your school value discipleship, service, leadership, and academics? Are you looking for a new or different way to honor your junior high students? LEA’s Lutheran Junior Honor Association is for you!

How can Lutheran Junior Honor Association assist your school’s ministry?

• It is designed to nurture the qualities that Lutheran schools value.
• It assists you as you give students opportunities to grow outside of the classroom.
• It allows you to join with Lutheran schools across the nation as you inspire leadership, build character, and recognize excellence.
• It is easy to implement and has easy access to support from LEA staff. 
• It is for schools of all sizes.
• It was designed by Lutheran educators for the uniqueness of Lutheran schools.

Do you want to know more? Click here or contact us at lea@lea.org.

TEC21

Pictured above are TEC21 Facilitators Luke Finchum, Shanna Opfer,

and Corey Nelson. Iron sharpens iron. (Proverbs 27:17)  

Planning is underway for new TEC21 cohorts. Don’t miss out! See why!

Greetings, friends in Christ!

A recent email from a new principal reminded me that it is important to occasionally introduce or re-introduce TEC21 to Lutheran schools that have not participated or recently participated in our Workshop Program. In that spirit, I want to answer here a few of the questions we are regularly asked.

First though, please take a moment to register here if you haven’t already for Season 15 of the Workshop Program. If you know you will send a teacher(s) it would be enormously helpful to the planning we are doing now to receive your registrations. As always, if you don’t yet know which teachers you will send, please register with your (principal) name to hold your spots. Thank you, in advance, for your attention and help!

Principals who are unfamiliar with TEC21 ask, how is TEC21 differentiated from other professional development opportunities?

The TEC21 Workshop Program is trusted by hundreds of Lutheran schools across the U.S. and globally. Our approach to teacher education is firmly rooted in discipleship and principles of adult learning. 

What are the tenets of the TEC21 professional development opportunity?

Evidence-based research* shows our Workshop Program meets all the benchmarks of effective teacher professional development:

• Content focused: From Early Childhood through grade 12, our cohorts focus on the Lutheran school teacher and the specific subjects they teach and how to integrate technology to enrich the student experience ... piquing their curiosity … helping them gain new and better understanding of concepts in the world around them. The next six tenets happen because of this!
• Incorporates active learning
• Supports collaboration
• Uses models of effective practice
• Provides coaching and expert support
• Offers feedback and reflection
• Is of sustained duration

*From a 2017 research study on effective teacher professional development by the Learning Policy Institute.

In a season when Lutheran school teachers are once again very busy with everything from science fairs to extracurricular events, wouldn’t it be easier to carve out time for a webinar versus a year-long Workshop Program?

Easier perhaps but missing the blessing! From resources to technologies to teaching methodologies that are tried and true to brand new, the TEC21 Workshop Program gives Lutheran school teachers the gift of time to examine, question, evaluate, and understand technology and develop practical applications for their classrooms. Workshop participants tell us every year they are refreshed and energized … spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and intellectually.

Why do schools keep returning every year to TEC21, sending new teachers through?

#1: The very real fear of technological obsolescence. Technology changes and advances every hour. Just consider the artificial intelligence industry that has educators all over the globe on their toes!

#2: TEC21 delivers a very high return on investment, and that’s before you consider that every teacher coming through the Workshop Program becomes a peer influencer in their schools and a careerlong participant of the TEC21 learning community.

#3: There is absolutely no replacement for the peer-to-peer practical application time in the workshop setting. Bringing Lutheran school teachers together around content and a curriculum on technology is vital, increasingly. We know time in TEC21 learning cohorts fuels the teaching fire that burns in all of us.

The 2023/2024 season—Season 15—begins September 2023. There are limited seats in each cohort, so sign up here for one of our virtual cohorts, a CUNE face-to-face faculty cohort, or one of 30 traditional, face-to-face, multiple grade-level cohorts impacting EC-12. 

Link to Workshop Program information for our traditional and virtual cohorts

Link to STEM Workshop Program information

JoyFully HIS,

Brent Dieckhoff

TEC21 Founder & Executive Director