Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

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• St. Paul Lutheran School mission statement

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

These are strange times for schools, for students, and for parents. Our children are home for the foreseeable future, we are home for the foreseeable future, and we are trying to adjust to our new normal.

Earlier this week, I talked with Katherine Curtis, the Community Relations Director of St. Paul Lutheran School, to find out what St. Paul is doing in response to the coronavirus epidemic. Not only is Katherine on the staff of St. Paul, she is a St. Paul parent, so she gets to see the effect of the school’s remote learning efforts from both sides.

“Part of St. Paul’s mission is to partner with parents, and they have really done that!”

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

When the coronavirus pandemic started, St. Paul students were on spring break. However, as the implications of the pandemic grew, the school started communicating with parents, even during spring break. “Speaking as a mom, one of the coolest things that St. Paul has done is that each teacher called their students’ parents. They didn’t say, ‘Here’s the game plan, here’s what you have to do.’ They said, ‘How are you? How was spring break? What can we do to help you? Can I pray for you?’”

St. Paul teachers talked with their students, too. When everything is so up in the air, children can get scared. Just hearing a teacher’s voice can be a reassurance, a bit of normalcy. “Just that simple communication made all the difference,” Katherine said.

This week, St. Paul started their remote learning program, and this is where a small school with a strong sense of community really shines. Right now, each student gets two emails a week – one with Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday’s lessons, and one with Thursday and Friday’s lessons. When the remote learning plan was released to the parents, Principal Scott Browning emailed everyone with directions, but he included another message. According to Katherine, “He said that everyone’s home life is different so do what you can… we’re here for you, we want to keep your child’s learning moving forward, but we also understand that this is a trying time for us all, so there’s no pressure.”

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

As the week has progressed, more teachers are turning to online meeting software, such as Zoom, to have classroom time. “The teachers are building each other up,” Katherine said. “Some are more tech-savvy than others, and they’re helping those who aren’t quite as fast with technology.”

St. Paul has loaned out all the school’s iPads to students without access to a computer. The school counselor has started what is essentially telemedicine – Mrs. Merritt is available for the students AND the parents. On Thursdays, she will host Coffee with the Counselor via Zoom. Art class, music lesson, and upper grade science classes are all up and running online. “From the parent perspective,” said Katherine, “I’m blown away.”

The community of St. Paul isn’t only making sure that students learn. St. Paul parents have banded together to support each other in these strange times and help their children who are missing their friends. “The parents have text message chains, Facebook group chats, and everyone is checking in with each other. Parents are checking in on teachers. Parents are starting Zoom hangouts for their kids to talk with their friends. Everyone has come together to see what they can do to make sure we all make it through.”

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

St. Paul Lutheran School is a mission of St. Paul Lutheran Church, and the church members have been helping the school maneuver through this difficult time, giving spiritual and physical support. Monday morning all-school Devotional is now online for students, as is Wednesday morning Chapel. These are just more familiar things to help the community stay grounded.

Because this pandemic and the response to it is unprecedented in our lifetime, the school is taking the closure a week at a time.

“The transparency has been great. We freely admit that we don’t know how things are going to play out. We acknowledge that there will be hiccups, but we will keep moving forward. From the principal to the office to each teacher, everyone is available. In every email, Principal Browning includes his direct phone number. Not the school office number – his phone number. Every single member of the faculty and staff is available for students and parents.”

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

If you are looking for a new school for your student, Katherine has this to say. “While we can’t give tours, we can talk to you and answer your questions. And we’re accepting applications for next year. Sarah Daniel is the Admissions Director, and she can be reached at Sarah.Daniel@sharingnewlife.com.”

Mr. Rogers famously said, ““When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” Katherine said that is what the faculty and staff of St. Paul Lutheran School are doing. They are helping students, parents, and each other.

“Students are learning. Teachers are learning. Parents are learning. We’re in this together.”

The post “We’re in This Together” first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

St. Paul Lutheran School is often referred to as a hidden gem. In actuality, it’s hiding in plain sight. Attached to St. Paul Lutheran Church, the “triangle church” on I-30 at Summit, St. Paul Lutheran School has been quietly and brilliantly educating students from preschool through eighth grade for over 50 years.

I recently sat down with Diane McCamant (first grade teacher), Teri Bielefeldt (kindergarten teacher), Sharon Messmann (Excel teacher), Scott Browning (principal), and Katherine Curtis (the new community relations director) to talk about St. Paul’s Early Childhood Program and their approach to literacy. The Early Childhood program covers pre-kindergarten through second grade, and it is here that students are taught what will become the foundations of their education.

In the beginning, a child learns to read. After about second grade, the child must read to learn. Therefore, laying the foundation for strong reading and comprehension is vital to a student’s success. St. Paul uses the Saxon Phonics and Spelling program, designed to engage students with a comprehensive, multisensory approach to learning to read. Sounds become letters, letters become words, and words become sentences. But even with such a well-structured approach, reading can seem like an unconquerable hurdle at times for some students.

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

In our conversation, both Diane and Teri emphasized that their goal is not only to teach their students to read, it is to make every child feel like they can read. Diane said, “The classes are small enough [12 children per class in Early Childhood] that we can catch anyone who might be struggling… We really know our kids.” The smaller class size allows teachers to give more personal attention to their students, and their students flourish as a result.

St. Paul goes the extra mile to make reading fun. The Early Childhood classrooms are full of nooks and crannies for students to snuggle in to read. Be it a reading loft, a boat, or a corner filled with cushions, students are encouraged to find a cozy place to read.

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

Students also learn the importance of reading aloud. With the B.A.R.K. (Be a Reading Kid) program, students get to read aloud to the church’s two therapy dogs, Pax and Phoebe. These canine bibliophiles love to hear stories, and the students often choose books that they think the dogs will appreciate. Pre-kindergarten students are paired with a fifth-grade Reading Buddy who models how fun reading really can be. In the fall and spring, the Early Childhood classes participate in the Read Around, in which they go to different teacher’s rooms to hear stories connected to a theme. Last year, one of the Read Arounds featured the If You Give a… books by Laura Numeroff; in each classroom, the students got the sweet treat featured in that particular book. Yum!

While the Early Childhood teachers make learning to read fun, there are some students who might need a bit of extra help. This is where the Excel program comes into play. Reading Specialist Sharon Messmann uses a multi-disciplinary approach to help students for whom reading hasn’t quite clicked yet. She said, “If there is a gap [in reading skills], it’s easier to close in first grade.” Teri said that the teachers also benefit from the Excel program; they incorporate many of Sharon’s techniques into their classrooms. “It’s a seamless transition for the kids between the Excel program and their class, and every student benefits.”

While the approach to reading mechanics is very impressive, what I love about St. Paul is that their students are surrounded with literature. From the newly refurbished and extremely inviting library to the classrooms that are full of books of all reading levels, a St. Paul student lives and learns among books, and the Birthday Book program helps ensure this. On a student’s birthday, their parents give a book to the library, and the student’s name, grade and special message is printed on a bookplate. “It’s exciting for the kids to see the names of their friends,” said Katherine. “It makes the book that much more special.”

Principal Browning is justly proud of St. Paul’s Early Childhood program. “We’re laying very strong, very deep foundations… these are super-strong building blocks. We want to give them confidence and, more importantly, joy in learning.”

To learn more about St. Paul Lutheran School, visit www.sharingnewlifespls.com. Registration for the Prospective Family Open House on November 5 can be found here.

The post Laying the Foundations for Your Child’s Education first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

That is certainly NOT the case at St. Paul Lutheran School.

I have been fortunate to tour the school and meet with teachers and administrators two times. I came away with nothing but complete admiration for the school and staff. Rarely have I seen a school that is so focused on their students. (I mean, the Early Childhood teachers make home visits to help new students get comfortable with them!) The curriculum is designed to stimulate a child’s brain and encourage exploration and experimentation, while giving the opportunity to grow in faith through weekly chapel services that are reinforced by daily instruction in the classrooms.

I returned to St. Paul to learn more about their middle school. Talking with Principal Scott Browning and eighth-grade teacher Julie Norris, I realize that I’ve found two of the school’s biggest cheerleaders. Julie has not only been a teacher at St. Paul for 20 years, she is the parent of St. Paul alumni who went to Paschal High School after finishing eighth grade.

Photo Courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

“St. Paul doesn’t have the scale of a big school,” says Julie, “but it has exposure to so much. And it’s safe. The kids have the space to learn about themselves.” Because they learn about themselves, both teacher and principal believe the students who go into big public high schools are well-equipped to succeed. They have been exposed to all aspects of schooling: academic, artistic, and athletic. They have an emotional, faith-based foundation from which to build, and they quickly find like-minded friends.

While emphasis is naturally placed on success, a child who goes from strength to strength and achievement to achievement without ever failing in school is completely unprepared to fail in adult life. Principal Browning says that “we’re a great place to learn to fail and be loved on.” Julie agrees. “There is a freedom to fail, and that’s really important.” Humans don’t learn through success; we learn through failure and experimentation and repetition. Having a safe place to try and fail leads to more well-adjusted, more resilient children.

Once again, I was remarkably impressed with St. Paul. But I wanted the real scoop. Accordingly, I met with two students to find out what middle school is really like at St. Paul.

Luci Rotman is a seventh grader, and Ryan Rattan is an eighth grader. If anyone would tell me what middle school is like at St. Paul, I thought, they would be the ones to tell me.

Photo Courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

Luci plays the cello. She said she started playing in fourth grade at St. Paul and now plays with the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra with an eye to possibly playing professionally. She plays volleyball. She loves science and is looking forward to Advanced Honors Science next year, in which she will be exposed to the sciences she will encounter in high school – biology, chemistry, and physics. Most students at St. Paul are similarly well-rounded, playing a variety of sports and engaging in artistic and academic extracurricular activities.

Luci arrived at our interview a little out of breath. She was coming from her literature class which was on a field trip. When I asked where they had gone, she told me they were in the Bride’s Room in the church. Her teacher likes to keep her classes interested by taking them to locations all around the campus for class.

Photo Courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

Ryan is another well-rounded St. Paul student. He plays basketball, baseball, golf, runs track, participates in mathematics and public speaking competitions, and does theater. He has been at St. Paul since kindergarten, and it is extremely obvious that he loves his school.

Both Luci and Ryan talked about Coffee House, a program for middle schoolers which allows students to talk about issues facing them, academically, socially, and spiritually, with TCU students in the context of their faith. Neither Luci nor Ryan are Lutheran; Luci’s family attends Christ Chapel, while Ryan’s family goes to University Christian Church. Ryan said St. Paul is open and welcoming to all. “I like listening to other people’s opinions [about religion], and they listen to mine.”

Next year, Ryan is off to Paschal. He’s ready to get involved in the theater program and feels that St. Paul has prepared him academically and emotionally for a big high school. Luci will be going to Benbrook High School in 2020. She’s excited about their music program, and like Ryan, she feels no qualms about going to a public high school.

These students know themselves. They are comfortable in their own skins, and part of that is due to their time at St. Paul. What was most obvious, more so than their poise and intelligence, is their love for their school. They both wanted me to understand how special St. Paul is, how much they have gained from their time there. Luci, in particular, was eager to have me understand her feelings.

“I just love it!”

The post Loving Their Middle School, Preparing for High School: St. Paul Lutheran School first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Last month, I was fortunate enough to return to St. Paul to learn more about their Early Childhood (preschool through second grade) and Elementary School (third grade through fifth grade) programs. In addition to Scott and Peyton, I talked with Teri Bielefeldt, kindergarten teacher, and Connie Eliasen, instructor in the Enrich and Excel programs. Teri has taught at St. Paul for 27 years, while Connie is in her 17^th year with the school.

At St. Paul, preschool, kindergarten, and first grade each have two classes, or sections, of 12 students each. When children are little and need more help, they are in a smaller class. Sounds sensible, doesn’t it? In second grade, the two sections combine into one class of approximately 24 students, and the teacher has an aide to help facilitate the transition.

I remember when my older child was starting kindergarten. I wondered how all these wiggly little people would be able to sit still for 8 hours a day. At St. Paul, this isn’t a problem because all kindergarteners sit on stability balls, allowing them to wiggle a little while still sitting. First graders have the opportunity to use wobble chairs. A wobble chair seat gently rolls as the child moves, once again allowing wiggle worms to wiggle while sitting still. Between the stability balls, wobble chairs, and extra recess for the lower grades (oh, did you know that every single grade gets recess at St. Paul?), your child doesn’t have to chose between focusing on sitting still and focusing on the teacher!

One benefit of the small class size at St. Paul is that children who are struggling are identified early. Assessments start in kindergarten, and the Excel program offers intervention so that these different learners can shine. If the need is identified, teachers work with families to come up with accommodations for the student. The help received in the Excel program is such that most students are in it for only a year or two.

Starting in third grade, the Enrich program nourishes students who are out-of-the-box thinkers. This program provides high achievers with extra mental stimulation with fun open-ended projects and a more in-depth STEM curriculum.

Mentioning STEM elicited a chuckle from Principal Browning. Four years ago, St. Paul revamped their whole science curriculum, which coincided with his second year at the school. The science curriculum emphasizes learning through exploration and observation, journaling and predicting. “The kids look forward to science because they get to DO,” Principal Browning said.

At a time when schools are cutting fine arts and athletic programs, St. Paul makes sure that every student’s education includes art, music, technology, and athletics. The Early Childhood students take part in the annual Wee Praise presentation, while the Elementary School students perform in an annual musical. Fourth graders take strings, and they play every day. Connie Eliasen summed it up: “We produce well-rounded kids.”

As we sat in the Enrich/Excel room, what struck me most about all four of these people is their enthusiasm for the school. This is not a job for them; they truly believe in St. Paul and the education that it offers. Connie said, “When we moved here, we wanted our kids to go here, and the job just sort of fell into place. But what makes it work is that the staff is so cohesive and caring for each other.”

One final St. Paul tradition that knocked my socks off is the home visit. “What’s a home visit?” I hear you ask. When a family decided to enroll their child in the Early Childhood program, the child’s new teacher visits the family in their home before school starts. Let me repeat that. A new student’s teacher visits the family in their home before school starts. The student gets to know their teacher before the schoolyear starts, the teacher gets to see what makes that student tick, and the family and teacher establish a relationship, all before the first day of school!

Finding the right school for your child is hard. It is worth your time to check out St. Paul Lutheran School. St. Paul provides your child with a firm foundation in academics while nurturing their faith and developing their bodies. To learn more, visit their website, or call (817) 332-2281 to set up a campus tour. You will be impressed, I promise!

The post Producing Well-Rounded Kids at St. Paul Lutheran School first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

Unfortunately, the school had been in the middle of getting a new roof when the rains came, and there were quite a few leaks. You would think that a leaking roof right before the families were due to arrive would have caused mass hysteria, but the teachers and staff of St. Paul Lutheran School were amazingly cheerful and wonderfully serene. They were excited to meet their students (many are younger siblings of prior students) and get the school year off to a great start. The leaks were a minor inconvenience.

Most Fort Worthians are familiar with St. Paul Lutheran Church. The “triangle church” is located right off I-30 near Summit Avenue. But did you know that there is a school attached to the church? There is. St. Paul Lutheran School has been teaching students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade for 50 years!

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

As I was touring the campus with Peyton Lauderdale, Community Relations Director for the school, I was surprised by the scope of the campus. Nestled into the side of a hill, hidden from the interstate, 215 students learn, worship, and play. The teachers, many of whom have taught at St. Paul for 15 years or more, provide both scholastic and spiritual guidance, readying their students for their future academic endeavors, as well as their lives in Christ.

Talking to Principal Scott Browning, his enthusiasm and love for the school is infectious. “The campus is super-deceptive; you can’t see it because of the hill,” he said. “We’re a hidden gem right by downtown.” “Peace” and “joy” were words he used more than once in describing this hidden gem’s environment. Students and parents alike feel the peace and joy within these walls only a few minutes of entering the school. “Parents come in stressing over the options [for their children’s education], and then it’s like a weight is lifted off them.”

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

Lutheran educational outreach has a long history in the United States, and the school is one of the main ministries of St. Paul Lutheran Church. Because the church values Christian education and subsidizes annual tuition costs, more families are able to have access to private education. While the church supports the school, a student does not need to be Lutheran to attend St. Paul. “Our population is about half St. Paul families and about half from the community,” said Browning.

All students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade receive an academically rigorous education which prepares them either to continue with a parochial education or to enter public school upon leaving St. Paul. In addition, they can grow in their faith through weekly chapel services that are reinforced by daily instruction in their classrooms.

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

Peyton showed me the distinctive chapel. “Each pre-kindergartener gets a seventh grade Chapel Buddy” who guides the new student through the chapel services. In addition, each teacher has a Chapel Family consisting of students from all grades. The Chapel Families sit together during chapel, allowing St. Paul students to get to know students from other grades. Eighth graders also participate in Coffeehouse. This program allow students to talk about issues facing them, academically, socially, and spiritually, with some of the younger teachers in the context of their faith. These prepare the eighth graders for what they will face in high school and, later, in life.

It is hard to overstate the impact the campus makes. Located right in the middle of Fort Worth, it is convenient for every part of the city. Students come in from Aledo and Arlington. And the location means that many of the classrooms have superb views across downtown. The playground, recently overhauled with funds from the annual fundraising auction and private donations, is a little oasis nestled into the hill.

Photo courtesy of St. Paul Lutheran School

In subsequent articles, I’ll be focusing on the preschool/elementary school and the middle school at St. Paul Lutheran School. I must say that I cannot wait to go back and meet more of the teachers and staff. So stay tuned! There is more to come…

The post A Hidden Gem: St. Paul Lutheran School first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.