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February, 2008

 
   

Hope Lutheran Preschool Staff Proud of their Program

Hope Lutheran Church, 260 Vincent Street, Fond du Lac, has had the privilege of serving the needs of Fond du Lac area children and their families for over 25 years with their preschool program for 3-year-olds.

In recent years, a 4-year-old kindergarten program has been added which works in conjunction with the Fond du Lac School District, providing a vital next step toward entering kindergarten. The School is licensed by the State of Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services and is governed by Hope Lutheran Church and its Board of Early Childhood Education. It meets all the requirements of the state and has a professional staff with degrees in Early Education.

Long-time Fond du Lac School District teacher, Barbara Hoyt, serves as Director of the 4-Kand the preschool programs, after retiring from her 33-year career where she taught grades 4-6. Mrs. Hoyt received her BS degree from UW-Whitewater and her MD degree from Aurora University Illinois. A member of Hope Lutheran Church since 1991, she is excited and exuberant over the programs being offered and credits the staff for their enthusiasm and creativity, which has made the school so successful.

The head teacher of the 4-K program is Dawn Prochnow, a Campbellsport native and graduate of Marian College with a BS degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Dawn says “This is a great environment for the children and staff. The kids are energetic and excited as they learn new things and it’s exciting for her to work with an awesome staff”. Everyone involved is very helpful and supportive.”

Assistant teacher, Joan Cavil, received her BS degree in Early Education from UW-Stout and is a native of Green Bay. Ms. Cavil moved to Fond du Lac in 1993 and has been with the 4-K program at Hope since August, 2006. She also credits the teamwork at Hope and remarked, “The church staff as well as the Board of Early Childhood Education that oversees our program is so supportive that it makes a wonderful working and learning environment.’

In addition to providing the daytime educational classes, including computer skills, the program also meets the requirement of the state to provide 87 ½ hours of ‘parent hours’. Special events are held almost monthly that include parents and children. In December, Pajama Night was held where staff and students arrived for an after-hours event in their pajamas. The classroom was decorated to resemble nighttime with holiday lights, lighted stars on the ceiling and camping lanterns placed around the room. Lighted bracelets were worn by the children who took part in various activities including ‘neon-glow-in-the-dark’ painting, Lite Brites where students made designs and a visit to the ‘planetarium’, an empty refrigerator box with ‘stars’ shining at the top.
 

One highlight of the night was the visit of Hope’s Pastor Callies, who came to read bedtime stories to the children. While students participated in those and other activities, their parents were addressed by Dr. Amy Emmer-Sheldon of the Aurora Health Care Center, on the sleeping needs and habits of children.

Other special events included Math Mania in October where students and their parents worked on math skills including making patterns with colorful shapes, sorting, graphing and counting, a Library Tour in November. Coming in February will be Fitness Night at the YMCA, a tour of the new Children’s Museum in April and Super Science in May.

Hope’s preschool program is taught by Renee Schnell who earned her BS degree from Illinois State University after growing up in Schaumburg, Illinois. She moved to Fond du Lac with her husband, Corey, who was born and raised in Fond du Lac. She previously taught at the ARC Early Education facility and in addition to her work at Hope, also teaches preschool in the the health and wellness program at the YMCA.

Our programs are Christian-based with a goal of encouraging the physical, social, emotional and intellectual aspects of the young children who attend. Each child is accepted at the level of growth they have reached. Mrs. Schnell stated, “I love working in this Christian environment and is something I always pictured myself doing.” She added, “It’s like living out my dream and I hope to be here for a long time.”

Teacher assistant, Jeanette Wolf, received her certification from the Early Childhood Station in West Allis. Before teaching at Hope, she led the Foster Grandparent Program for the Fond du Lac School District. This is Mrs. Wolf’s second year at Hope and considers this opportunity, and the school, to be “one of God’s blessings”. Jeanette has lived and farmed in the Fond du Lac area for 35 years and is a member of Hope Lutheran Church.

Dave Krahn, a veterinarian from the Eden area, serves as Chairman of the Board of Early Childhood Education which makes him a member of the Church Council. “It is exciting to see such tremendous support and enthusiasm from the community for our 4-K and pre-school programs. Approximately 275 people of all different faiths attended the standing-room only performance of the children’s Christmas program.”

Hope Lutheran’s programs not only serve children of members but children from throughout the community. The school admits students of every race, ethnic and religious origin. In addition to the 4-K and 3-year-olds classes, a before-and-after school childcare program is available for children enrolled in either of the school programs.

Three-day preschool classes meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings; two-day preschool classes meet Tuesday and Thursday mornings. 4-K classes are held everyday with both morning and afternoon classes. Our preschool classes are limited to 12 children each and our 4-K classes have a maximum of 18 students each.

Advance enrollment opportunities for 2008-09 pre-school classes are offered in January to the families currently enrolled in one of our programs and opens to the general public on February 1. Enrollment in the 4-K classes is done through the Fond du Lac School District in February. Enrollment forms are available at the Hope Lutheran Church office or on our website at www.lifeathope.org/preschool. For more information on pricing and payment options, or other questions, please inquire at the church office by calling 922-5130.

Rev. David Lieske, Administrative Pastor at Hope Lutheran stated, “The preschool is a very important ministry of our congregation and provides many blessings to young families through the quality Christian education of our caring and effective staff and the involvement and support of our Early Childhood Education Board.

 

 

 

January, 2008

 
   

Hope Lutheran Donates to Kyrgyzstan

Hope Lutheran Church of Fond du Lac collected and boxed clothes, shoes, boots, bedding, yarn and fabrics, soaps, shampoos and other personal hygiene items to be shipped to Kyrgyzstan, a small country in Central Asia. This is the 4th year volunteers, led by Jean Lange, the nurse on staff at Hope Lutheran Church, have worked on this project.

Kyrgyzstan is a land-locked, mountainous country, bordered by Afghanistan, China and several other small countries which dates back to 201 BC. Nomadic tribes made up most of the population in its early history and today, two-thirds of its 5 million people still live in rural areas.

It was incorporated into the Soviet Empire in 1876 after which many Kyrgyz people migrated to Afghanistan and China. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan declared independence and its current government is a Republic. Political stability, however, appears to be elusive.

During Soviet rule, state atheism was encouraged but since its independence, it has become an overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim nation where Islam is predominant. There is a small minority of Christians, mostly Lutherans and Baptists.

The Russian Orthodox Church has a large following and is the only church recognized, beside the Muslim, during Soviet times. The most recent report from the Minister of Religious Affairs shows 90 percent Muslim, eight percent Russian Orthodox and two percent other, which includes Lutherans, Baptists, Catholics, International Church, Pentecostals and Presbyterian. “The Lutheran body here consists of about 1000 baptized individuals,” according to Sue Pfiel.
Hope Lutheran became involved through missionaries, Pastor Bob and Sue Pfeil, who have served in Kyrgyzstan since 1998. Sue is an RN and a Fond du Lac native while Bob is from northern Wisconsin. Pastor Bob works in the capital city, Bishkek, where he trains men to become pastors and lay leaders.

The Pfeils are currently directing the construction of a church building in Bishkek. During a visit to Hope, the Pfeil’s told of the needs of the people they served and that was the catalyst for Jean Lange to organize and supervise the Kyrgyzstan Project which is a part of a larger organization called the Orphan Grain Train (OGT).

The Pfeils keep in touch with Jean to let her know what items would be most appreciated and one year, yarn, knitting needles and crochet hooks were collected and included in the boxes. Older Kyrgyz women then made socks and other items which were distributed to needy people. Girls in orphanages are taught to sew and they take some of the oversized clothing and cut them down to the needed sizes or make quilts with the fabrics. People in Kyrgyzstan learn how to utilize everything that is sent to them.

In 2004, Hope Lutheran Church sent 8 boxes. In 2005 and 2006, 30 boxes were shipped. This year, 76 boxes were collected and are on their way to Kyrgyzstan. The cost of shipping through the OGT is $7 per box and this cost has been paid by the Ladies Guild of Hope Lutheran Church.

The OGT is a hands-on Christian, humanitarian aid and disaster relief organization and is a recognized service organization of the
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). OGT volunteers, including those at Hope, gather donations of clothing, medical supplies, food, Christian literature and other aid to meet the real needs of people around the world.

Shipments began in the late 1990’s when a 53 foot mobile hospital tractor-trailer was sent to Kyrgyzstan. It now makes a circuit of villages that have had no medical care since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The unit is staffed by 22 national doctors, dentists, dental hygienists nurses, evangelists and eyeglass technicians who were trained by staff from the University of Wisconsin-Medical School of Madison.

Sue Pfeil works with this medical van and also with an orphanage in the area. This humanitarian medical outreach has been a great joy to the Kyrgyz people. Eighteen regional divisions of OGT collect, pack and ship more than 150 semi-loads of donated items each year.

The goal of the work in Kyrgyzstan through the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is to start Lutheran churches and train the people to carry on the work there so our missionaries can go to other mission fields to do more of the same.

Anyone wanting to donate items for this cause should contact Jean Lange, at Hope Lutheran, by calling (920)922-5130. Donations are tax-deductible.


As part of Hope’s ABLAZE
efforts, “change” is being collected
for “Boots for Kids & Grannies”
in Kyrgyzstan. A Culligan water
jug will be placed by the ABLAZE
display in the narthex of the church.
Please help provide funds for this
Project by tossing your “loose change”
in the jug! Your help will be much
appreciated.

 
Hope Lutheran Church  •  260 Vincent St., Fond du Lac, WI 54935  •  Phone 920-922-5130  •  hopelutheran@charter.net