Enrollment is 204 Students this Year

Immanuel Lutheran School welcomes new teacher Kayla Thole, who is teaching pre-kindergarten. She is a graduate of the school and earned her bachelor’s degree from Concordia University , Seward , Neb. She previous taught for one year in St. Joseph , Mo.

Another graduate of the school, Hayley Buchheit, is student teaching in fourth grade this fall. She is a student at Southeast Missouri State University .

            Both the boys and girls basketball teams are active. The boys have begun a schedule that includes seven home games and a tournament during the first week of February. The girls begin their schedule on Nov. 16 and will play six games at home this year, followed by a tournament in March.

The girls B-team in volleyball won the mid-year tournament. The girls C-team sponsored the league volleyball tournament with eight teams participating. In that tournament Immanuel girls finished second.

Ten new people were trained for the OASIS program this year. OASIS volunteers read with and to the students and guide the students in some writing. The purpose is to improve reading skills of children through one-on-one reading time.

Immanuel School is participating in the Young Peacemakers Program. The third, fifth and seventh grades are involved in the Christian-based anti-bullying program. The program focuses on relationships and dealing with conflicts. 

The school drama club, Acts of Praise, is up and running. The group will do its Christmas presentation at the 8 a.m. chapel service on Dec. 10.

            Classes continue to present chapel on Wednesdays. The eighth, sixth and third grades have already been involved. The rest of the classes will be involved later in the year. Chapel is at 8 a.m. Wednesdays and congregation members are invited. When classes present chapel, the notice will appear in the school newsletter two weeks in advance.

            McTeacher Night, a program with McDonalds, was Oct. 21 and raised $645 — about $20 more than last year. It was well supported by Immanuel members, including school families. Immanuel’s teachers helped greet customers, serve and clean up.

Immanuel’s school enrollment this year is 204 in preschool through eighth grade. While eighth, fifth and first grades are small, the other grades average 20 students or more. There are 20 students in pre-kindergarten, 25 in kindergarten and 15 in preschool.

Principal William Unzicker says the school is aiming at having 20 students per class. “The main aim of school board is retention and recruitment,” he comments. “We are looking at how can we market ourselves or do things in a better way to attract more children.”

            The children will participate in the Christmas Eve services at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. That practice will begin around Thanksgiving.