Hello Concordia,
Welcome to the 2017-18 school year! May this school year be filled with excitement and blessings as we grow through service in faith, intellect and community.
Our theme this year is United in Service … with Christ at the Center, based upon 1 Corinthians 12: 4-6. "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone."
Concordia is a community where students and staff walk and work together, with and in Christ. Our school mission statement calls us into action of service and love for our neighbors. I am excited for the new opportunities for service within and by our school community that will have time to exist, and hopefully thrive, through the implementation of our new daily schedule.
Utilizing the strengths of our school community, one of my goals this school year is to expand our school’s impact of service both within Concordia’s hallways and throughout the Fort Wayne community. Our NHS students will help tutor our own students during our lunch hour via our Study Center. With longer time periods assigned for classes, the opportunities expand for meaningful engagement with our grade schools and service organizations.
Concordia and Holy Cross are partnering, with the help of a grant from the Lutheran Foundation, in a comfort dog program under the guidance of Lutheran Church Charities. I know our Concordia students will benefit from this ministry, and am sure, that some students will volunteer to help as our dog makes its visit throughout the Fort Wayne area.
Our teachers and staff have been getting ready for the 770-plus high school students attending Concordia Lutheran High School this school year. On Wednesday, August 9 is the New Student Orientation, and Thursday, August 10 starts the academic school year with the first day of classes, with the Parents Back-to-School the same evening. God’s promise of hope, love and forgiveness is present, and will be exercised daily, in this school community—join us and please pray for our ministry.
Concordia will be utilizing a new daily schedule (pdf) this year, based upon a rotating schedule with longer class periods on most school days. Students will find a personalized time schedule on their OnCampus dashboard with the day of the rotation they are on. Students have access to the CLHS Students calendar in their Google Calendar/Email apps. Our students will hone their skills of email, calendar, and Google Drive integration. Another advantage of the new schedule is the lunch hour. During this time, students may meet with teachers during assigned office hours, conduct club and activity meetings, complete homework with friends, and meet with their church pastors/youth group leaders for a pizza lunch. Concordia students will need to make decisions of how they will use their time during the school day in a manner that will be new for our student body. I am convinced that the majority of our students will thrive with the freedom and responsibility they will have during lunch hour, but we are here to help those students who may need guidance in this new endeavor.
Join me in prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank you for the community of education, service and faith, that is Concordia Lutheran High School. I ask for your guidance and blessing on the 2017-18 school year, that it may bear fruit of knowledge, understanding, and commitment, in and through you. May your love, forgiveness, and peace, be exercised and experienced by every student, teacher, and staff member at Concordia. Amen.
Go Concordia!
Patrick Frerking