Preschool – 6th Grade
Charger News
1/20/26
Spirit Week Recap
Congratulations to the 5th grade class and Mr. Van Arnold for capturing the Spirit Award last week! We had awesome school spirit and participation by all. Go Chargers!
ILS Coin War to Resurface the Gym Floor
Our HS gym is not just where our athletic teams compete. It also serves as a worship space for chapel services, a venue for our concerts and community events and a classroom for physical education courses. These are vital aspects of the well-rounded education provided at ILS. The gym floor is 27 years old (the life expectancy was 10-15 years when installed) and needs to be repaired to provide a safe and comfortable environment for our athletes, fans, band students and community.
To provide students with the opportunity to support the resurfacing of the gym floor they use now and will use in the future, we are having a coin war from January 26 to February 6 for grades PreK-12. Students and their families can drop off coins, cash and check donations in jugs and bins designated for each class. Here’s how the points work:
- Add coins to gain points. (+1 point for the cent value of each coin)
- Subtract points by adding cash and checks to other bins. (-1 point for the cent value of each bill or check)
First Prize: Class Pizza Party
Second Prize: Ice Cream Sunday Party
Third Prize: Mini Candy Bars for All Class Members
Elementary & Junior High Track Volunteers Needed
Mr. Van Arnold is ILS’s elementary/junior high track and field coach, and he needs a few volunteers to assist him this spring. He is looking for a couple people with previous track and field experience (even if it’s been a while!) and a willingness to teach middle schoolers the basics of throwing, jumping, and/or running. Practices will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school starting in March and running through the middle of May. If you are interested or have further questions about volunteering, contact Mr. Van Arnold at (nvanarnold@illinoislutheran.
FACTS Tuition for Tax Filing
Do you need a summary of tuition you paid for your tax filing? You can retrieve and print a summary of payments from FACTS:
- Login to your FACTS account
- On the home page, click View Details
- Click View Payment Summary on the details screen
- Ensure the correct Calendar Year or date range is selected
- Click Print
Spelling Bee
Our 4th-6th graders will travel to the junior high on Wednesday, January 28, for a 5th-8th grade spelling bee (fourth graders come to observe). Teachers will be having classroom bees to determine four spellers from each room to participate in the schoolwide bee. We will let you know if your child is in the competition so that you may come and watch if you’d like.
Call News
The national church body (WELS) that ILS is affiliated with helps schools and churches find qualified pastors and teachers through a call process. When you read that someone has a call, they essentially have received an offer from another ministry to come and serve at their church or school. The person usually takes several weeks to prayerfully consider this opportunity and then decide whether to stay or go.
On Sunday, Mr. Seeger received a call to serve as Principal at Trinity Lutheran School in Caledonia, Wisconsin. Also on Sunday, Mrs. Deenik received a call to serve as 1st-2nd grade teacher at New Hope Lutheran Academy in West Melbourne, Florida.
Thank you for keeping the Seegers and Deeniks in your prayers. You are welcome to share any thoughts or questions with them.
MAP Testing
Students in grades 2-6 will participate in their second MAP Growth testing next week. These tests are in the areas of math, reading, and English and will be completed on a Chromebook. MAP Growth tests are taken three times a year, and they provide valuable data to help student learning. You can help your children do their best by getting them to bed on time, providing a nutritious breakfast, and encouraging them to take their time and try their best. Your child’s results will be shared with you near the end of the third quarter.
Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA)
The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) created a landmark new federal tax credit that helps families pay for private school, tutoring, homeschool expenses, and other education needs. The tax credit works through Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs)—nonprofits that award scholarships to eligible students.
Scholarship Uses
- Private school tuition and fees
- Tutoring and after-school programs.
- Textbooks, supplies, technology
- Special needs services
- Transportation assistance
How to Take Action Now so that You and Other Families Can Benefit from the Scholarship
Call your Governor and legislators and encourage them to opt-in to the program. Each state must choose to participate. If your governor or legislature says “yes,” families in your state can benefit. Here is a template for a letter/email that you might use. You can submit your opinion here. Parents can check the governor’s website for updates. Sign up for updates: Follow ACSI’s Advocacy Bi-weekly update at ACSI.org/subscribe.
Emergency School Closings
Please note that for school closings due to bad weather, you will be contacted with the information that is on file. Please be sure that your information is up to date. You can click here to check the Emergency Closing Center for school closings.
Sign up for text message alerts! Text “Y” to 67587.
Mark Your Calendars
This Week
- January 25 – Preschool & Kindergarten sing at Trinity, 11 am
Other Upcoming Dates :
- January 27, 29, and February 3 – MAP testing
- January 28 – Grade 5-8 Spelling Bee
- February 3 – Early release
- February 6 – 6th grade Shadow Day
- February 8 – Preschool & Kindergarten sing at Zion, 9 am
- February 13 – Classroom Valentine’s Day parties
- February 16 – No School, Presidents Day
- February 22 – Winter Band Concert