Principal's Pennings
Principal's Pennings
Happy first day of school! It is amazing to see 104 students at school today to start the 16th academic year of Martin Luther Academy. This is the first time in MLA history that we have had an enrollment over 100 students. What a blessing this is!
We are so excited about the school year and are looking forward to nurturing your children spiritually, emotionally, and academically. We are excited to add Pastor Danny Clemens, from King of Kings, to the chapel rotation. We will also be working to develop some tangible ways to have him involved throughout the year. There are Baptismal Remembrance Chapels schedule 4 times throughout the year, and there will be multiple chapels led by classrooms.
We have been working diligently in mapping out the curriculum for the year and lesson plans. We will also be implementing NWEA MAP testing, that will be completed three times a year. The results from this test will be used to identify areas of strength and areas for improvement in reading, grammar and math. Students in grades 2-8 will be participating in these tests. The NWEA MAP tests will take the place of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.
This year is also a big year, because the MLA staff will be working through accreditation. This process begins with surveys, self-evaluations, and the gathering of a plethora of information. In March, all of this information will be given to a group of people who will visit MLA in April 2019 to validate the information we provided. After the visit, we will use all the information to help develop a vision for MLA for the next 5 years. The vision will be accompanied with an action plan to create tangible ways of accomplishing this vision.
I am most excited applying our school theme for 2018-19. REAL. PRESENT. GOD. Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Thank you for being part of Martin Luther Academy!
Scott Dixon, Principal
Thank you, parents and guardians who have completed the Parent Survey thus far. There have been 37 completions of the survey. It was brought to my attention that you have to have a gmail account to complete the survey. I have adjusted the setting so if you were not able to, or have not you should be able to access. Here is the link: https://goo.gl/forms/IXsH14MFGjD78dXz1 We will keep the survey open until next Friday (5/25) for families to complete.
Initial responses show that MLA is doing many great things with what the Lord has blessed us with. Two statementS, that I believe are very important questions are “It is evident that Christ is the center of all what we do at MLA,” and “My child attends school in a safe environment.” Both of these statements are rated about 97% that either strongly agree or agree.
For many of the questions, we are in the process of implementing plans for improvement. We are continuously working to improve and grow as we expect from our students. I will share these plans this summer more extensively when we share the full survey report. If you have questions or thoughts about some of the statements, please feel free to share them with me. Thank you for the love you have for your children and support you show to MLA.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and tomorrow.
Walkathon Game Day
We will be having our Walkathon Game Day on Monday, May 21 in the afternoon. If your child wants to bring a card game, board game or personal electronic device they are welcome to do so. We have a designated time for this activity. Please helps us by making sure that all games brought to school are appropriate for school.
Thank you!
We are heading down the homestretch. We have Donought’s for Dad (4/25), an all school musical (4/27), Muffins with Mom (5/16), Graduation (5/24) and many other events between now and the remainder of school. Don’t blink or the school year will be over and summer break will be here. I know time does not go faster or slower, but really it is the only constant throughout a day with 24 hours per day, 60 minutes per hour, 60 seconds per minute everyday. I know this to be fact, but it sure does not seem that way day to day. Some days, I wonder what it was like for Joshua when he prayed to the Lord to stop the sun and it happened. Joshua 10:13b says “The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” Well, I do not think the Lord is going to make the “sun stop.” So really, the only option is to spend the day glorifying God in our words and actions. We are told to “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46: 10). “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day” (John 9:4a), and “My times are in your hands” (Psalm 31:15a). Sometimes, we just need to sit back and remember that everything we have is from Him and that have a never changing God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!
We have been truly blessed financially at MLA this year and a large part of that is thanks to you. Over the course of the year, we have explored and im-plemented some facility improvements to help with the cost. Over Spring Break, we had LED lights installed throughout the building, and has already saved us about $400 over the past two months. We continue to work on in-stalling improved HVAC controls to help with managing the temperature throughout the building.
There have been many events that have successfully raised money for both specific and general needs of our community. We hosted our first annual WalkAThon money raised was used to purchase a basketball goal and start up costs for our new student information system, TADS Educate. MLA Grandparents gifted us with about $7000. Mrs. Martens had huge success with the Christmas appeal. TEAM has continue to help support MLA by pay-ing for field trips, yearbooks, support for marketing, and much more. TEAM was able to do this through Butter Braids, the Cookie Walk, Scrip Cards and Food Nights. This year, we also had the highest grossing auction in recent years. We grossed over $57,000 that helped purchase Chromebooks, a Google Cart, and contribute toward other MLA expenses.
June 2nd, we are hosting the 14th Annual Martin Luther Academy Golfing Outing. In the past, this outing has raised about $6500 for MLA and we would love to share with everyone that we were able to blow that amount off the green. If you play golf register for an exciting day of golf, fun and food. If you do not golf or are unable to attend, you can always give a donation or sponsor a hole for the outing.
I just want to say thank you to everyone, who continues to support MLA and bless this wonderful community with your gifts!
He is risen! He is risen indeed, alleluia! What a glorious sound that is. It is a triumphant verse that is proclaimed at many churches across the world after Easter. It is a verse that reminds us of the power of God over the devil; the free gift of salvation that Christ has provided to us. What a better time is it for the devil to attack though? Have you ever wondered, why it seems like the devil is constantly attacking you?
1 Peter tells us in verses 8 and 9, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
Peter paints a clear picture comparing the devil to a “roaring lion.” I’m not sure many of us want to be around a roaring lion without some sort of guardian between us and the lion. He also shares what that guard from the devil is. It is Christ and being part of the family of believers. Peter follows these verses by telling us that God, “will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” Through the struggles of life, we are blessed to be surrounded by a family of believers that offer help and lift up prayers daily for us. As the devil prowls around us, we can be confident in His triumphant victory over the devil.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” And, He is Risen!