"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefined, and unfading, kept in heaven for you."

1 Peter 1:3-4

Peter writes to Christians (us) who struggle because they (we) live in this world but are really citizens of heaven. He reminds us of our election in Christ and His gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation. Apart from God's grace in Christ, this sinful world has no hope in the midst of trials, persecution, and eternal death. God, through His Son, brings reconciliation and forgiveness of sin for all who believe by grace through faith that Christ is Savior. In Him we have grace and peace - and eternal hope!

Please join us in praying and thanking God for the following schools this week:

Prince of Peace Lutheran School and Preschool, Anaheim, CA

Hilltop Christian Preschool, Cottonwood, AZ

Promise Christian School and Preschool, Murrieta, CA 

Below are photos from Prince of Peace Lutheran School and Preschool, Anaheim, CA:

Eclipse Day - we learned a lot and had a lot of fun

Go Angels!

Having fun at Jumping Pizza Night

This is the final week to submit your annual reports to complete this year’s accreditation requirements. All reports are due to be uploaded into your school’s shared Google folder, and your annual fee should be postmarked by end of day on Monday, April 15, to avoid late fees. Administrators should have received an email on Friday (4/5/24) from the correct Google folder where your reports should be uploaded. This email let you know what still needs to be uploaded or if your reporting requirements for this year are complete. If you didn’t receive that email or if you are having any difficulty with uploading your report and evidence, please contact kim.violette@psd-lcms.org or 949-854-3232 ext. 226 ASAP. Thank you so much!

Our last Admissions Network Meeting for the 2023-24 school year will be held Tuesday, April 16, at Mt. Calvary Lutheran School in Diamond Bar, CA, starting at 10:00 a.m. Please RSVP your attendance to kim.violette@psd-lcms.org for the lunch count. We are excited to share with you an overview of plans for this networking group at this meeting!

In the past year, Set Apart to Serve (SAS), the church work recruitment initiative of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), has made great strides in its work to develop a culture of church work formation and recruitment in our LCMS congregations, schools, and entities. This initiative was launched in response to the Lord’s command to pray for workers, and to supply the church with workers for generations to come to preach and teach the Gospel of life and salvation through Jesus Christ. There is so much information and many resources available to you through this SAS webpage. Be sure to scroll down the page and click on the Resources section!  

We are also hard at work on this initiative in the Pacific Southwest District with our newly organized Church Worker Task Force, which will utilize SAS and other specific PSD resources to raise up church workers from the PSD to serve in the PSD! 

Please take a look at a sampling of the videos available to share with students both in your schools and in your congregations:

What do you love about being a Lutheran School Teacher

Who influenced you to become a DCE

Why did you decide to become a Lutheran School Teacher

Why did you decide to become a Lutheran School Teacher (2)

To see the full catalog of video resources, please visit the Set Apart to Serve You Tube page. 

Additionally, in cooperation with Concordia Publishing House and Lutheran Church Extension Fund, SAS created a church worker recruitment curriculum for all ages, which is available at no cost to all LCMS schools (early childhood through high school) and the Concordia universities. Schools can pre-order their FREE curriculum now.



It is our prayer that you would begin to identify students in your classrooms, schools, and congregational ministries and encourage them, utilizing these resources, to go into church work as Called Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we can support or assist in any way, please reach out to us! 

Then He said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38.

Below is a story of our 2023-24 Hearts for Jesus Unified Mission Project, Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry:

Shortly after discovering a large propane tank was leaking, a catastrophic explosion happened in Sterling, VA, that destroyed a family’s home and took the life of a Sterling volunteer firefighter. The sound and force of this explosion frightened many of the people of Loudoun County, leaving many children and adults frightened and unsure of what had happened.

Trevor Brown was the Sterling volunteer firefighter that was killed in the explosion. He was also a veteran who served our country as a U.S. Marine. Brown was a stay-at-home dad of three young children. 

Ten other Sterling volunteer firefighters and two residents were injured in this horrible explosion as well.

God often works in and through His people to love, care and comfort others. God calls us and guides us where we need to be to share his love, hope, and security.  

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Amos from Our Savior's Way, Ashburn, VA; LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Solomon from King of Glory, Williamsburg, VA; and LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Kezia from Emmanuel, Baltimore, MD, and their compassionate handlers were there that week to be with the staff and students of the Loudoun County elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. They provided a safe, comforting, and reassuring place for the youngsters and teachers to go to process the shock, fear, and loss they were experiencing. The teams were invited by Jennifer Evans, Director of Unified Mental Health for Loudoun County Schools. LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Amos is known by students and staff in Sterling from his regular visits with one of the elementary schools.

Amos, Solomon, Kezia and their handlers visited Meadowlands Elementary School, Discovery Elementary, Seneca Ridge Middle School, J. Michael Lunsford Middle School, a high school and other schools in the district.

Meadowland Elementary serves 430 students. One student lives across the street from the house and all the windows on her home were shattered. One student was home alone when the explosion happened. He called his mom and said there was a bomb and was screaming for her to save him. These children were invited to a special breakfast reception at the school where counselors were on hand and music, arts, crafts, and LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Kezia and Amos were waiting for them. The students were allowed to stay as long as they needed before going to their class.

A group of first graders were sitting with the dogs and one little boy asked Kezia if she heard the explosion. Another student told the team that she hadn’t been able to sleep, she was so scared. All of the students soon felt comfortable enough to go to their classes. The Meadowland Elementary staff came over to sit, relax and pet Kezia and Amos. They really leaned into them and drew comfort and strength for their day ahead.

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and handlers then spent time at Discovery Elementary School, where the three children of Trevor Brown attend 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades. They were not at school on Tuesday, but returned on Wednesday as Comfort Dog Amos and Solomon welcomed them back. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams were honored to be able to be there, to show the children that they are loved and surrounded by caring people.

Amos, Solomon, Kezia and their handlers finished the day at Lunsford Middle School, where Mr. Diamond, an 8th grade English and Civics teacher and also a volunteer firefighter, worked. Mr. Diamond was found severely burned in the basement of the home that exploded and is expected to be in the burn unit for another four weeks. His wife is also a teacher at Lunsford and they have four children. Mr. Diamond is a beloved teacher who has been at the school since it opened and the staff are devastated for his family. The teams for Amos, Kezia, and Solomon spent most of their time with the staff and then visited some of the classes that both husband and wife taught. The principal commented on how the entire mood changed when the handlers with Amos, Solomon, and Kezia arrived, that peace came over the staff and relief and joy were witnessed. They were so thankful for their presence.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Solomon, Kezia, Amos and their handlers served well, bringing Jesus’s light and love to many who are suffering, scared, hurting and in need. 

PSD Hearts for Jesus page

Don’t miss out! The China Experience | School Innovation (October 4-14, 2024). The deadline to submit your application is less than a week away (April 15, 2024). We welcome you to fill out the Google form. By submitting the form, there is no obligation, but it ensures that you are eligible to participate in The China Experience | School Innovation. If you have already completed the form, we have fixed and redeployed the survey because of technical challenges, so please make sure to submit your application using this link.

This experience will impact the way you understand and implement innovation, encourage you to partner and collaborate to improve schools, and give you a new perspective on the limitless potential for those who are open to what God has for them. 

The PSD, along with the CNH District and Northwest District, have been working with Concordia University on a new program tailored for non-Lutheran teachers teaching in Lutheran schools. It is called Foundations of Lutheran Teaching and we plan to roll it out this fall. The five courses are:

• What Lutherans Believe and Why
• Jesus Throughout the Bible - An Overview of Scripture
• Teaching the Faith
• Faith Formation - Supporting the Spiritual Development of Students
• Spiritual Self-Care of the Teacher

The deadline to register for the program is June 7, 2024.

Foundations of Lutheran Teaching Application Form 2024

Embark on a journey of professional and spiritual growth with our Lutheran professional development opportunities for early childhood staff. Whether you're a teacher, administrator, or aspiring leader, there's a program suited to your needs. Join us in enriching the lives of young learners while deepening your commitment to Lutheran education. 

See our flyer link for more information on each pathway, including descriptions, costs, and links to additional details.

This year’s Administrators Leadership Conference will be held July 17-19 at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort in Indian Wells, CA. We already have an amazing line up of presenters, including Dr. Bernard Bull, President of Concordia Nebraska, presenting on Artificial Intelligence, and Courtney Burns, Head of Counseling at Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School, Las Vegas. Be sure to reserve these dates on your calendar now!

Do you have students who are struggling? Are you looking for ways to help? 

Attend Lutheran Special Education Ministry's (LSEM) free "Who We Are" webinar and see how LSEM can help you help your students succeed. 

The next webinar is on Wednesday, April 17, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Click here for the flyer with more information.

Reach out to Tracie Salgado, LSEM Special Education Director, with any questions.

Private school advocates are applauding a recent ruling from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals declaring that 501(c)(3) nonprofit status does not constitute receipt of federal financial assistance. The 4th Circuit decision overturns a stunning lower court ruling from the summer 2022 which ruled that tax-exempt status is a form of federal financial assistance. That lower court decision would require private schools and other nonprofits to comply with a range of federal regulations, even if they do not accept federal funds.

The Council of American Private Education (CAPE) signed a letter supporting an amicus brief on behalf of the appeal. While this ruling is helpful, legislation from Congress remains a priority to cement this clarification into law. CAPE has expressed support for the Safeguarding Charity Act, introduced by Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Greg Steube, which would clarify that tax-exempt status is not federal financial assistance.

Read More

Here is an interesting read about setting reasonable teaching expectations: How Teachers Can Set and Maintain Reasonable Expectations for Themselves.

Concordia Publishing House (CPH) is having their Spring Warehouse Sale. It can be found at Home - Concordia Publishing House (cph.org). Check it out for some great classroom (or personal) resources!

St. Paul's Lutheran Church & School in Orange, CA, is hosting a Parent Education Night next Thursday, April 18, at 7:00 p.m. on the church campus. The guest speaker will be Dr. Kara Powell, Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute and author of the "Sticky Faith" book series. Learn more about Dr. Powell.

This is open to the community! Prior to the event, you are invited to a taco dinner from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Child care will be available in the church nursery and youth MODJ.

To RSVP, pre-order meals, and request child care, please register by April 15. Questions? Please contact Jackson Thiesfeldt.

• Join us in praying for congregations, high schools, elementary schools, and early childhood centers searching for administrators, directors, teachers, and staff for the 2024-25 school year.

Schools we are praying for the week of April 14:

Hephatha Lutheran School and Preschool, Anaheim, CA

Trinity Lutheran Preschool, Anaheim, CA

Good Shepherd Lutheran School & Trinity Lutheran Preschool, Simi Valley, CA

Each week, prayers of thanksgiving and prayers for teachers, administrators, support staff, pastors, students, and families of the Lutheran schools, early childhood centers, and churches of the Pacific Southwest District are listed. To include names on the list, please send information to anna.preus@psd-lcms.org by noon on Tuesdays.