ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH
(The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod)
Alma, Kansas
A family united by faith in Christ gathering around God's Word and Sacraments.
To reach out in Christ-like concern and Christ-borne love to each other and to those without Christ!
NEWS FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
“Let’s make a joyful noise.” Psalm 98:4
“Providing a foundation in Jesus Christ and developing the God-given talents of learning.”
EAGLE GREETINGS, ST. JOHN LUTHERAN SCHOOL!
“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and
established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Colossians 2: 6-7
School schedule for August/September:
Aug. 3/4 - School Registration
Aug. 16 - Annual Back-2-School Picnic and Pool Party
Aug 17 - Back-2-School Night 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Aug 18 - First Day of School (Dismiss at 12:55 p.m.)
Aug 30 - LPTL meeting in Memorial Hall; Students sing at church, potluck, and meeting
Sept. 7 - No School Labor Day
Sept. 21-24 - I55 Book Fair
Sept. 22 - Family Night
Sept. 25 - No School Staff Development
August is here and we are ready to FLY! Our first day of school for the 2026-2027 school year is Tuesday, August 18th. The first day of school will be a half-day, with the second half of the day reserved for a teacher work day. We will begin our school year with opening chapel at 8:15 a.m. in St. John Lutheran Church. We invite you to join us!
We are excited to perform in church on August 30th. Students will participate in the church service and sing for the congregation. Directly following the service, students and families will have a potluck lunch in Memorial Hall, followed by the first LPTL (Lutheran Parent Teacher League) meeting of the year.
Mark your calendars for September 11, 2026! In honor of Grandparents Day, September 13th, we invite grandparents and friends to join us for our first “Lunch on the Lawn” of the year. Bring your sack lunch and have a seat on the courthouse lawn (north of our school). We will join our friends and family from 11:30-12:15 p.m. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with you as we continue to learn and grow.
Blessings,
Mrs. Mindy Miller
mmillerstjohnalma@gmail.com
(785) 787-0388
SALUTATIONS FROM MRS. MILLER’S 6TH, 7TH, AND 8TH GRADE CLASSROOM!
This year will look a little different for Mrs. Miller’s room. I’m excited for the opportunity to be the homeroom teacher for our 6th-8th grade scholars and the math/science/physical education instructor for 4th-8th grade students. As I embark upon this new opportunity, I’m asking for your prayers. Please pray that I might be able to use my skills to teach students in the Word.
Our students will begin the year exploring lab expectations in Science. Students will learn how to be safe when conducting experiments. They will also learn the scientific method for research. Math will start day one with lessons in fact mastery. Recalling facts will be pivotal in students’ math understanding this year. Physical education classes will start with cardiovascular health and the President’s Physical Fitness Challenge. We will establish our goals for the fall semester and begin gathering data for each area of the PPF challenge.
This fall, students will work together with area professionals to begin exploring after high-school career opportunities. Towards this effort, I am seeking Wabaunsee County professionals that would be willing to host a St. John Lutheran School 6th-8th grader for one-hour per week during the second nine weeks of school (October 20th – December 17th). If you, or someone you know, would be willing to share your business, skill, or trade with a student at our school, please contact me right away.
Join us as we memorize our verse of the year, from Colossians 2: 6-7: “(6)Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, (7) rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
Blessings,
Mrs. Mindy Miller
Principal
Math/Science/PE (4th-8th grades)
DEAR SCHOOL AND CHURCH FAMILY,
What a joy and blessing it is to join our Lutheran school as the new Kindergarten/First Grade teacher! I am incredibly excited to begin this school year and can’t wait to meet all of the wonderful students and families who make this school such a special place. My hope is to create a classroom filled with faith, laughter, curiosity, and a love of learning. Together, we will grow in reading, writing, math, science, and social studies while keeping Christ at the center of all we do. Each day will be an opportunity to discover the amazing gifts God has given us, encourage one another, and learn how to share His love with those around us.
I am also excited to partner with our families as we work together to help each child grow academically, socially, and spiritually. Thank you for the warm welcome you have already shown me. I feel truly blessed to be part of this school family and look forward to a wonderful year filled with learning, laughter, friendships, and God’s abundant blessings. See you soon, and here’s to an amazing school year!
In Christ,
Christa Kraus
Kindergarten/First Grade Teacher
SUMMER GREETINGS!
I have been busy this summer spending lots of time with extended family.
This year we will be focusing on our nation's 250th Birthday for the first quarter as we "Blast into 2nd and 3rd grade!" We will then dig our roots in deep for the rest of the school year, learning about our family heritage.
Some key highlights I am excited for this year are our Veterans program, doing some family histories with my students, the Iditarod, and watching them grow deeper in their knowledge of God.
If you happen to have any leftover decorations from the 4th of July that you are no longer using or wanting to store, I would love to take them off your hands for my classroom decor this year!
In Christ,
Mrs. Howard
SUMMER GREETINGS
Wow! It is hard to believe that summer break is almost over, and another school year is about to begin. I am looking forward to another year teaching at St. John Lutheran School. I hope the students are enjoying the summer weather and gearing up to start another fabulous school year.
I have had a busy summer filled with spending time with my daughters, grandchildren, and visiting with my mother.
However, much of my summer has been spent working on classes to complete my Master of Education in Literacy. I took on three classes over the summer, which has kept me quite busy. I have spent some time working on English Language Arts curriculum, looking at adding a more in-depth study of Latin and Greek roots to our vocabulary skills in the upcoming school year. I have been reviewing some of the social studies curriculum for this upcoming school term along with planning field trips for the students.
So now it is time to keep enjoying that time with family and friends, and start preparing for the upcoming school year. The word I seem to be focused on this summer is “TIME,” which reminds me of one of the following scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1--- For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…
I look forward to seeing all of the students at our back-to-school picnic, which will be here before you know it. Enjoy the rest of your summer break; however, it will soon be time to start a new season of learning.
In all things, trust the Lord,
Mrs. Greene
ST. JOHN LUTHERAN SCHOOL
St. John Lutheran School is accredited by the NLSA (National Lutheran Schools Accreditation) commission and by the KSDE (Kansas Department of Education). Our teachers are highly qualified and meet certification standards for the State of Kansas. The dedication and love, which comes from this staff, show in every area of our instructional and social programs – making St. John Lutheran School a respected and nurturing environment from which children learn and grow into leaders.
We have the great pleasure and honor of emphasizing Christian teachings and activities that develop in our students a strong, secure, and independent child who knows the importance of a faith walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This allows Christ’s teachings to guide them in their daily lives.
The academic program at St. John Lutheran School concentrates on allowing children to reach their full academic potential. We continually evaluate our educational programs and will make changes, as needed, to keep our students performing at levels above grade level expectation.
If you would like more information about St. John Lutheran School, please feel free to contact us by phone at 785-765-3914 or email at schoolofficestjohnalma@gmail.com.
SCHOOL REGISTRATION
Registration for the 2026-2027 school year will be held on Monday, August 3 from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday, August 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. A summer mailing of information and forms (to be completed) will be sent to school families to bring back for this day. Our school day is 7:50-3:30.
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Everyone is invited to the Opening Chapel for the 153rd year of education ministry of St. John Lutheran School. We will begin at 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, August 18 in the church sanctuary. If you are unable to attend, we would appreciate “prayer warriors” who will lift up not only students/staff of St. John Lutheran School, but also all students/staff wherever they may be attending. Our theme for the year is: “Rooted in Christ” –Colossians 2:6-7
CLASSROOM TEACHERS
Classroom teachers for the 2026-27 school year are:
- Mrs. Christa Kraus - kindergarten/1st grade teacher
- Mrs. Whitney Howard – 2nd /3rd grade teacher
- Mrs. Mindy Sanders-Miller - Principal,
- Mrs. Rebecca Greene - 4th-8th grade, Language Arts & Social Studies teacher
- Mrs. Gayle Grimm - Office Administrator
- Mrs. Anita Hurla - Teacher Aide
ST. JOHN LPTL
LPTP MEETING: The first meeting of the 2026-2027 school year is Sunday, August 30th following the church service. It will also include a pot luck meal.
DILLON’S COMMUNITY REWARDS: We encourage anyone who is a Dillon’s PLUS card shopper to please take a couple of minutes to sign up for the rewards program. This is a program offered by Dillon’s to give back to local schools. Each time you make a purchase using your PLUS card, a percentage of your sales is donated back to SJLS in the form of cash. There is no extra charge to you, it is simply a donation by the Dillon’s company. Please use the following link to add your PLUS card to the rewards program: www.dillons.com/communityrewards and use the code AU093 to support SJLS.
STOP TO SHOP: St. John Lutheran School now has a Kickback Card at Stop 2 Shop! When you check out, just tell them you would like to use the SJLS Kickback card and then key in 7-8-5-7-6-5-3-9-1-4 (the school’s phone number). It’s so easy…be sure to participate all year long!
School days! School days!
Good old golden rule days.
Readin’ and ‘ritin’ and ‘rithmetic
Taught to the tune of the hickory stick.
In This Month's
St. John Witness
AUGUST WITNESS
The Eagle Cry
