What causes suffering?

Some carry heavy burdens in life. Illness, death, and family situations are among the problems that they face daily.

Why do some carry such heavy loads, yet others go through life seemingly carefree? Even the people of Jesus’ day wondered this.

As [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:1-3). Jesus’ disciples incorrectly assumed that one’s problems result from a singular sin.

However, “no one knows the thoughts of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11). While we cannot definitively say that one’s burdens are due to a single sin, we know that these troubles are the effects of sin. Because all are sinners, all will face life’s problems until they die.

Knowing that we, too, face life’s burdens at times, how do we approach them? Our Savior comforts us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus encourages us to turn to him through the Means of Grace and prayer, trusting that he strengthens us to endure everything we face.

At times, God may even permit problems to enter our lives for a singular reason: to strengthen our faith. “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” When life’s burdens become heavy, we learn to lean on God for strength. He alone has the power to guide us through our troubles, and he even strengthens us through these burdens.

In this way, “the works of God [are] displayed” and he is glorified!

Jim Grasby is principal of Lakeside Lutheran.
Reach him at 920.648.2321 or jgrasby@llhs.org

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ACT exam results among highest in state

ACT Research Services of Iowa City, Iowa, recently released the ACT scores for the Lakeside Lutheran High School class of 2017.

Of the 93 members of the  2017 class, 87, or 94%, wrote the exam. Based on a 36-point scale, the composite score of these students was 23.9, above the state composite of 20.5 for almost 100% of students writing the exam statewide. This composite score keeps Lakeside Lutheran among the top 2% of over 460 high schools in the state, as reported by the Wisconsin Department of Instruction.

According to ACT Inc., the test is not an aptitude or IQ test, but directly related to what students have learned in high school courses. They use the results to predict college readiness. For that, 52% of Lakeside Lutheran test-takers met all four standards for college readiness in English Composition, Algebra, Social Science, and Biology. That is more than twice the state average of 25%. According to ACT research, students who meet these benchmarks are more likely to succeed in college and earn a degree than those who don’t. “It is the rigor of coursework—rather than simply the number of core courses—that has the greatest impact on ACT performance and college readiness,” the non-profit organization states.

“In addition to having higher average ACT scores than many local schools, the College Board stated that our composite percentage of students who are ‘college ready’ in four core subjects is more than double the state’s composite,” says Principal James Grasby. “This means that a majority of Lakeside graduates are very likely to earn a “B” or above in English Composition, Algebra, the Social Sciences, and Biology in college-level courses. This is a great testimony to God’s blessing on our students’ work.”

The ACT is a national college admission and placement examination that is used by more colleges than any other examination. Begun in 1959, more than 1.8 million students wrote the ACT last school year, including almost 67,000 students in Wisconsin. The ACT is a standard assessment for all 11th-graders in Wisconsin public high schools.

Lakeside Lutheran High School in Lake Mills is a ministry operated by a federation of 31 Lutheran congregations who are affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod or the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The school holds accreditation from the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), a division of AdvancED. For more information, contact Principal James Grasby at (920) 648-2321.

LLHS celebrates Homecoming week with royalty and activities

Lakeside Lutheran High School announces its Homecoming activities and events for 2017, beginning with all-school activities on Monday, September 18 and ending with a dance on campus the evening of Saturday, September 23.

 

Members of the Lakeside Lutheran 2017 Homecoming Court include (couples from L-R): freshmen Ian Olszewksi, Johnson Creek, and Payton Kuepers, Madison; sophomores Kobe Paske, Arlington, and Olivia Ryan, Lake Mills; junior reps Cameron Paske, Arlington, and Katie Guld, Lake Mills; King and Queen Noah Gartner, Johnson Creek, and Kelsey Birschbach, DeForest; and senior representatives Isaiah Lenz, Oconomowoc, and Emma Guld, Lake Mills.

 

The 2017 Homecoming Court includes two representatives from each of the freshman, sophomore and junior classes, and four representatives from the senior class. Members of the court include freshmen representatives freshmen Ian Olszewksi, Johnson Creek, and Payton Kuepers, Madison; sophomores Kobe Paske, Arlington, and Olivia Ryan, Lake Mills; junior reps Cameron Paske, Arlington, and Katie Guld, Lake Mills; senior representatives Isaiah Lenz, Oconomowoc, and Emma Guld, Lake Mills; King Noah Gartner, Johnson Creek, and Queen Kelsey Birschbach, DeForest.

Lakeside will celebrate homecoming with student activities throughout the week of September 18-22, both during the school day and after school.  The theme for this year is “Game Shows.” Each class has been assigned to decorate halls, doors and windows and create class floats and videos according to different popular movie series, including “Family Feud” for the freshmen, “Wheel of Fortune” for sophomores, “Survivor” for juniors and “Wipe Out” for seniors. Students will decorate the school throughout the week as well as participate in class competitions.

After a 5:00 p.m. parade Friday through downtown Lake Mills, the varsity football team plays Lodi High School at 7 p.m. The Warrior Marching Band and the Dance Team perform halftime routines. A semi-formal dance is planned for Saturday evening on the Lakeside campus beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The activity schedule is as follows:

Monday, 9/18: Senior Friend Day | PJ Day | Dodgeball | JV Football game v. Lodi 5 pm

Tuesday, 9/19: Beach Out/Hawaiian Day | Musical Chairs | Home Soccer & Volleyball matches

Wednesday, 9/20: Class Workday to complete decoration of school in the morning with banners, hallway murals, window and door banners | Powder Puff Football | Boys Volleyball | Talent Show 1:50-3 pm

Thursday, 9/21: Crayon Day (students dress in assigned colors top to bottom) | Class Relays | Soccer at Cambridge, JV2 Football at Poynette

Friday, 9/22: Dress Warrior Wear | Pep Rally | Downtown parade 5 PM | Alum Zone event on football field 5:30-7 PM  | Football game v. Lodi 7 PM | Dance team, Marching Band Field show at halftime

Saturday, 9/23: Semi-formal dance at Lakeside 7:30-10:30 PM.

Lakeside Lutheran receives mkCellular donation

Lakeside Lutheran High School is the recipient of a generous donation from mkCellular in Lake Mills of cell phones and virtual reality viewers with an approximate value of $9,000.

Lakeside Lutheran recently received a $9,000 donation of virtual reality equipment including 50 each of Google Cardboard VR viewers and Galaxy cell phones that will enable classes to take “virtual” field trips. On campus to represent mkCellular is VP of Operations Mike Ehlers, an LLHS 2004 graduate (center), with Principal James Grasby (left) and Lakeside Lutheran Technology Director Andrew Willems.

Google Cardboard is a virtual reality platform developed by Google to be used with a smartphone in a viewer. In education, Google Cardboard is a way to take field trips in virtual reality. mkCellular donated 50 Google viewers that are designed to be affordable for development of do-it-yourself virtual reality projects. Photos and videos are shot with 3D cameras and viewed with special 3D lenses in viewers through smartphones that project the images. Toward this, mkCellular donated 50 Samsung Galaxy J3 phones.

At Lakeside Lutheran, virtual reality will be used to take virtual field trips in classes including history, religion, science, technology and art. Students in Computer Essentials and Computer Applications courses will not only explore the pre-made trips, but also shoot their own videos for use in class.

“We are very grateful to mkCellular for the donation of these phones and goggles,” says Principal James Grasby. “As Lakeside Lutheran continues to employ various forms of technology in the instruction of our students, these tools will be useful throughout all the disciplines.”

mkCellular is a locally-owned wireless solutions company that seeks to maximize the productivity and efficiency of customers’ U.S. Cellular® service by “by identifying needs, delivering solutions and putting the interests of others before our own.” It operates 10 stores with a staff of 40+ in the following communities: Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Elkhorn, Lake Mills, Watertown, Oconomowoc, Columbus, Juneau and Lake Geneva.

Lakeside Lutheran receives grant

Lakeside Lutheran High School is the recipient of a grant from the Meemic Foundation after being nominated by English teacher Jodie Schommer for the 2017-18 school year. The school received a $1,000 Back-to-School Grant, to be used for school supplies at Office Depot/Office Max, in partnership with the Meemic Foundation.

“Lakeside certainly appreciates the generosity of the Meemic Foundation in awarding schools like ours Back-to-School grants,” says Principal James Grasby. “We also appreciate the initiative of teachers like Jodie who strive for excellence in the classroom and work for the good of the entire school family.”

The Meemic Foundation for the Future of Education (MeemicFoundation.com) was created by Meemic Insurance Company in 1992. As a non-profit organization, the Foundation is dedicated to advancing the future of education by offering financial assistance to schools and educators.

Lakeside Lutheran recently received a $1,000 Back-to-School Grant from Meemic Foundation through the Maynard Agency Group out of Madison. Pictured are: Meemic Maynard Agency partner Lynn Egeland; Lakeside Lutheran English teacher, Jodie Schommer, who nominated the school for the grant; Principal James Grasby; and Agency partner Jay Maynard.

Lakeside Lutheran High School begins 60th year

Lakeside Lutheran High School opened its doors to incoming freshmen on Wednesday, August 16, 2017, marking the beginning the school’s 60th year. Freshmen begin their school year a day early to get a chance to learn their schedules, meet other incoming freshmen and explore co-curricular opportunities. Classes begin for all students on Thursday, August 17 with an enrollment of 415 students, a 4% increase since the end of the 2016-17 school year.

The Opening Service and installation of new faculty take place as part of the first day’s events on August 17 at 10 a.m. in the west gymnasium. Pastor Matthew DeNoyer from Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fort Atkinson will offer the devotion during this special chapel service. Liturgist for the opening service will be Pastor Clark Schultz from the Lakeside Lutheran faculty. The community is invited to attend.

New faculty to be installed include Mr. Phil Dretske, instructor in Mathematics and Religion, as well as football and baseball coach. A 2002 graduate of Martin Luther College (MLC), he and his family live in Madison where he previously taught at Eastside Lutheran School.

Also being installed as a full-time Physical Education instructor is Mrs. Jennifer Krauklis, who served in an adjunct position at Lakeside Lutheran in the Mathematics and Science departments in 2016-17, and has been the Warrior varsity volleyball coach for several years. A 1998 graduate of Lakeside herself, she attended MLC and graduated with an Education degree from Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, where she is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Educational Leadership. She and her family live in Lake Mills.

 

Lakeside Lutheran faculty number 33 for the 2017-18 school year, including back row, from left: Pastor Don Schultz, Assistant Principal, Religion; Andrew Willems, Technology Director, Computer Science; Jim Bauer, PhyEd, Math; Jim Buege, Director of Choirs, English; Tim Matthies, Math; Matt Doering, Social Studies. Second row from top, L-R: Dan Kuehl, Director of Instruction, English; Pastor Mark Toepel, World Languages; Darice Brumm, Extended Learning Aide; Jeff Meske, Career and Technical Education; Ruth Hirschfeld, Director of Extended Learning; Paul Bauer, Science, Math. Middle row, L-R: Phyllis Huska, Librarian; Damon Tracy, Science; Phil Dretske, Math, Religion; Steve Lauber, Director of Admissions, English; Andy Rosenau, Guidance Director, Computer Science; Kirk DeNoyer, Activities Director, PhyEd. 2^nd row up, L-R: Pastor Clark Schultz, Religion; Jodie Schommer, English; Jenny Krauklis, PhyEd; Lori Tetzlaff, Art; Lance Johnson, Science; Pastor Caleb Davisson, Religion. Front row, from left: Todd Hackbarth, Math; Andy Asmus, Social Studies; James Grasby, Principal, Health; Nathan Koerber, World Languages; Cameron Ausen, Social Studies, Religion; Sandi Corlett, FACS, Health. Missing are Gerry Walta, World Languages; Glen Pufahl, Director of Bands, English; and Jayne Meske, Extended Learning Aide.

 

Attitude Adjustment

“He really has an attitude!”

Attitude is often descriptive of negative or disagreeable people. “Attitude” exists for different reasons. It may be teenage rebellion. It might be passive-aggressive behavior in the workplace. It could even be someone’s despondency in life.

Regardless of cause, this type of attitude counters that of our Savior’s. Paul wrote, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” [Philippians 2:5]. (Some Bible translations use attitude for mindset.)

Christ’s attitude is perfect. He thought it nothing to be “in very nature God.” [2:6]  Yet, he set aside his godliness to be “made in human likeness” [2:7]. Then, he “humbled himself…to death…on a cross” [2:8]. Christ’s attitude is more than a goal for Christians. It should be our lifestyle! When we emulate Christ’s attitude in word, thought, and action, we do so joyfully thanking the One who gave himself as “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and…also for the sins of the whole world” [1 John 2:2].

Christians should have an attitude. First, it should be a confident attitude believing that our Savior won full and free forgiveness for us sinners. Secondly, it should be a trusting attitude knowing of Jesus’ personal love for us. Finally, it should be a responding attitude seeking ways to serve God and others in Christlike humility.

When seen this way, it’s not wrong for Christians to have an “attitude.”

Jim Grasby is principal of Lakeside Lutheran.
Reach him at 920.648.2321 x2204 or jgrasby@llhs.org