Who knew when last year’s sixth grade class selected the 2020/2021 theme to be “There’s No Impossible With You”, it would become such an appropriate and encouraging battle cry for this school year? Based on the Scripture verse found in Matthew 19:26 "With God, all things are possible", we stood in awe as we watched the Lord work in different, yet powerful, ways this school year, despite a global pandemic!
As I reflect upon this previous school year, I am amazed of how God allowed and provided avenues for us to…
- Provide in-person instruction for the majority of the school year, with the exclusion of the week following each vacation and an occasional quarantined class
- Allow our school to locate and purchase all necessary PPE equipment to start and remain in person
- Expand our teachers' online skill sets through various professional development offerings
- Host an outdoor “Back To School” event with the Rock-n-Roll K-9 Dog Show
- Continue to host outdoor “Fabulous Friday” Parent Coffee Hours in a COVID safe manner
- Complete our National Lutheran Schools Reaccreditation process for our Preschool as well as our K-8 program and receive an outstanding score from our Validation Team
- Celebrate the completion of the first quarter with the Detroit Donut Truck!
- Host virtual Parent/Teacher conferences
- Raise $7,000 during our Turkey Trot for Sole4Souls
- Collect over 600 pairs of shoes for those in need
- Host “Donuts with Pastors” in the back parking lot to start the Advent season focusing on Jesus
- Videotape an interactive “Cake Boss, Jr.” Christmas program that helped families make/decorate their own birthday cake for Jesus and glorify Him in the process
- Decorate and distribute on porches Christmas lanterns for 85 of our congregation’s seniors
- Raise over $2,000 through our “Shovel Out Hunger” effort so that we could send pizza lunches to the residents of the Detroit NOAH Project, a homeless shelter, during cold winter months
- Celebrate Lutheran Schools Week with a Winter Olympics theme that included an ice sculpture, virtual music, and science assemblies, as well as conclude with an inspirational message from Mr. Peace
- Host a “Resurrection Celebration” in the back parking lot with our pastoral staff and the Detroit Donut Truck
- Distribute Easter packages on the porches of 85 congregational seniors
- Celebrate that 65 students earned blizzards for completing their March reading challenge
- Participate in the Matthew 25 Challenge through World Vision
- Celebrate our new World Vision child, Mayeya, joining our St. Matthew family
- Participate in National Day of Prayer in a COVID safe manner in the back parking lot
- Deliver lunches to frontline hospital heroes during the spring COVID surge to Providence Southfield, Sinai Grace, and Providence Park
- Raise $1,600 during a bake sale for a grieving family that suddenly lost their dad
- Distribute spring flower pots to 85 congregational seniors
- Design COVID safe 8th grade Class Trip to hike Tahquamenon Falls and visit Mackinaw Island
And these are just the highlights! Despite the challenges our staff faced of orchestrating school during a pandemic, every day was filled with a multitude of blessings, and for all of them, we give God the glory! This list would have seemed impossible back in August, but as we have learned this school year, nothing is impossible with our God!
Christian artist, Tauren Wells, is an upper grade favorite, and his hit song, "Hills and Valleys" brilliantly reminds us that during the mountain top experiences in our lives as well as the low valley challenges, God is always with us and in control. As we wait to hear future school protocols, we find peace in knowing that God will be with us, and we will continue to seek His wisdom and guidance.
On behalf of the entire staff, our hearts are overwhelmed by your love and encouragement throughout the entire school year. We applaud our staff and our students for all of their hard work and efforts and look forward to everything that the Lord has waiting for us during the 2021/2022 school year.
Blessings on your summer and stay in the "SON"!
In His Love,
Mrs. Palka