Category: Community Perspectives

by Linda Madler

Did you know that singing “Five Freckled Frogs” and other simple songs can fire up your child’s brain to make neural connections that will increase school success? As a former music therapist and special educator who has found her niche in early childhood music education, I have witnessed many firsts in my career–the infant who first crawled to reach an instrument, the toddler who first said his name in response to a hello song, the preschooler with a motor delay who practiced walking so that she could dance with the class.  Music is a powerful tool that can have a profound effect on the development of the whole child, particularly when one considers the learning potential inherent in each activity. 

Now we know why music education is important… but how exactly does it work? To answer this question, let’s revisit the song, “Five Freckled Frogs”: 

• Motor Development: Jumping like frogs addresses locomotor skills. Manipulating objects representing frogs works on fine motor skills. Impulse control can be honed by waiting for your turn to jump in the pool. Creative movement could be expressed by how a bullfrog would belly flop into  the pool versus how a spritely green frog might take a soaring leap.
• Language Development: What do the words freckled and speckled mean? Are they synonyms? What are rhyming words? The language and the movements are connected in the song and show us how to follow directions.
• Social-Emotional Development: Singing and moving in a group develops inner speech and cooperation. Sharing ideas develops a sense of initiative and self-confidence.
• Listening Skills: Listen to the sounds of different frogs and try to replicate them. Adding sound effects to the right place in the song and counting down the numbers focuses attention and builds concentration.
• Emergent Literacy Skills: Tell a story about the five frogs and act it out. Label the frogs with numbers and make number sentences.
• General knowledge: Talk about the life cycle and habitat of the frog. 
• Musical Development: Explore the concepts of pitch and tempo, phrasing, steady beat and much, much more!

 

At Trinity Lutheran School, music enhances our mission of nurturing the development of the whole child. We use Music Keys, a music curriculum researched and designed by Musikgarten, the internationally renowned leader in early childhood music education. We host family music events throughout the year and provide materials for parents to continue the music-making (and education!) at home. Students are also encouraged to develop their inner musicians in our after-school piano program.

 

Linda Madler received her BM (Music Therapy) from Southern Methodist University and MEd (Special Education) from the College of William & Mary.  A fully certified and licensed Musikgarten Instructor, she is the music instructor at Trinity and proud parent of two TLS graduates.

 

A New Appreciation– a teacher’s perspective on the job, the mission, and the love

By Sarah Myers

 

Today marks the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week across America. Here at Trinity, the mutual admiration we share as a faculty and the love we’ve received from our students and parents is palpable. It’s been a challenging year for so many reasons, for all of us.

I received this anonymous reflection — you know the kind, the ones that pop up in your email and news feed just when you need them the most– and it moved me to share it with my colleagues.   We are now down to a mere four weeks left of the school year at Trinity, and whether we’re going out with a bang or a whimper, we are all committed to preparing and caring for our students until the very end.  These perspectives are powerful! I wish I knew the author, but in a way, I feel like we all do:

 

The hallway is quiet. The teacher unlocks her classroom door and thinks to herself…

7 more weeks. I can do this. I can! There is so much left to get to. I’m going to have to make every minute count. No days “off”. I’m going to have to use every second to make sure those kids are ready for the next grade. I don’t want them going on with holes in their understanding. Wow…I’ve got so much to do in only seven weeks, and some of that will be interrupted by meetings, PD, testing, and a mountain of end-of-year paperwork. Can I really do this, and do it right? I can do this. Okay. 7 more weeks…

 

Down the hall, another teacher sits at her desk and gazes around her classroom. She thinks to herself…

7 more weeks. 25 years of being an educator, and now it all comes down to 7 more weeks. This room has held my career within its walls. It’s seen the tears, the frustration, the laughter, the wonder, and the joy. It’s been a stage for miracles. That one boy—wow–I thought he’d never start reading, and then, boom! One day, the light came on and he was reading everything he could get his hands on! And then, I taught his son years later, and Jenny’s boy, too. I wonder if those kids remember me? I wonder if they know how much I loved teaching them? How they helped me, REALLY helped me,  through that year when my life was upside down? I’m tired. I’m ready for retirement, but goodness–I will miss this room. These kids. I will miss standing at my door and getting hugs and good morning smiles each day. I’ve done it for 25 years, and now I have just 7 more weeks…

 

Next door, another teacher turns on her computers and sighs to herself…

7 more weeks. If I can just get through the next 7 weeks, I will be free of this place, at least for the summer. Free of the pressure. Free of the frustration of giving, giving, giving and seeing nothing gained. I wonder if that one had her medicine before she got on the bus this morning? Because there is no way I can fight through 7 more weeks of her all day long. I need some help. I’m so burnt-out. Let’s see…I’ve covered all of my standards, so I’m going to coast through these next weeks and make them go as fast as I can… ugh, 7 more weeks.

 

Across the hall, a teacher thinks to herself as she posts the day’s assignment…

 

7 more weeks. I’m going to miss these kiddos. All of them. Yes…all of them! I hope I’ve done what they need every day. I hope I’ve shown them how much I love them! I hope that this one ate dinner last night, or he’s going to be starving this morning. I’ll need to make sure he eats breakfast either way. I hope that this one got some shoes that didn’t have a hole on the top. Shoot! I should have gotten her some while we were on break…why didn’t I remember that? Well, I still have 7 weeks to help these kids. I can do a lot in 7 weeks…

 

And on the bus, a child solemnly stares out the window and thinks…

7 more weeks. That’s all I get. Only 7 more weeks to call that teacher mine. I only get 7 more weeks to see her smiling at me, to tell her about my days at home, to smell her lotion. I only get 7 more weeks to get some good food for lunch and breakfast, for her to give me a snack. I’m glad she doesn’t get mad at me for not having a snack. I only get 7 more weeks to listen to her read stories. I like her voice. It’s never too loud or too mean. I only get to listen to her for 7 more weeks. I wish we could come to school every day, even on the weekends. Even in the summer. And I wish she could be my teacher all the time. But that’s not how it works. I get 7 more weeks. That’s not very long…

 

There are a lot of ways for us to look at our last four weeks. I know we’ll all make it count.

Sarah Myers is a faculty and family member at Trinity Lutheran School. A mom of three, she teaches Spanish and World Geography and also serves as the 8th grade class moderator.

by Maureen Crone

When Jack, a Trinity second-grader who is attending school online this year, learned that our annual “Fall Into Fun” celebration was happening this month, he was as excited as every other student to participate in the event. His teacher wasn’t about to let him miss out, either.

 

Trinity’s second grade is a lively group of 15 in-class students plus Jack, who attends via a live video feed each day. Almost every teacher at Trinity has at least one online student in addition to a classroom of in-person learners. Including these children in everyday social interactions, an important part of a child’s education, has been a challenge that teachers have met in different and wonderful ways. Rather than strip down the curriculum to academics-only material for online learners, teachers are using technology, imagination, collaboration, and faith to ensure that their mission to nurture the development of the whole child is accomplished.

 

School traditions have always been a big part of our students’ learning journey, and provide many meaningful opportunities to interact with the community of families and friends who have attended Trinity. This year, we have had to re-imagine some traditions; some have been put on hold until we can gather safely in person. The Lion’s Share Breakfast will have to wait until next November. Our beloved Lessons and Carols holiday service will also wait until social distance measures are no longer necessary. Meanwhile, the ingenuity of faculty, parents, and students has enabled us to celebrate some traditions differently this year, but with no less enthusiasm. The weekly chapel service music has been repurposed from singing to dancing– often, with costumes. Our Christmas program will include 60 student actors and singers– but they’ll be recorded one at a time, and layered together for a video production to remember. Other events have been postponed with the hope that maybe we’ll be able to schedule them in the spring.

 

For now, though, we’re traveling through this school year focused on safety and with a community dedicated to inclusion. “Fall into Fun” turned into an afternoon of games, costumes, and treats all delivered to individual classrooms rather than the usual schoolwide carnival.

 

 Jack was there, too. He joined the class on Zoom with his camera off. He wrote and read three clues to the class about his costume. They wrote their guesses on index cards, and then shared them with Jack. Finally, it was time for the big reveal! Everyone received a prize for playing, and continued the celebration together. 

 

And for the rest of this year, that’s our plan… finding a new normal, together.

 

Maureen Crone is the marketing and development director at Trinity.

 

by Maureen Crone

 

When Nate Baker considered what he wanted to do for his Eagle Scout project this year, his first thought was of Trinity Lutheran School. A 2018 graduate of Trinity, Nate is now a junior at Smithfield High School and is also enrolled in the Governor’s School STEM program. His mom, Ellen, is the school’s library resource teacher, and his two younger brothers attend Trinity. 

 

Nate has been an active member of the Boy Scouts since he was seven years old, so achieving the title of Eagle Scout has been in his sights for a while. The Eagle Scout project is the pinnacle of any boy’s scouting experience. Its purpose– to demonstrate leadership of others while benefiting one’s community– has been illustrated by thousands of helpful contributions to communities around the world by local teens. Nate used his previous experience with construction projects (he built a treehouse for his family a few years ago) and his memories of being a student at Trinity to guide his decision. “I remember that the playground (at Trinity) didn’t have a lot to offer. We played a LOT of ‘tag’! And I wanted to do something that would be durable, that could be enjoyed by students of all ages.”

 

His creation of a Gaga ball pit checks all boxes. Gaga ball, for those of us who are not up-to-date on playground trends, is a kinder, gentler version of dodgeball played with a soft foam ball. Nate and his crew of volunteers built the walls for the pit at his home. They brought the pieces to Trinity on a sunny Saturday afternoon for assembly. Beyond the gratification of making something lasting for his old school, he said “the opportunity to work with a group of friends and volunteers was awesome.”

 

The fellowship shared during the construction of this playground improvement is echoed every day at school in the shouts and laughter of Gaga ball competitors. This is one Eagle Scout project that has improved a school community for years to come. 

 

Maureen Crone is the director of marketing and development at Trinity Lutheran School.

By Lynne Fritzinger

 

For me, Trinity has always been a place where children are inspired to learn and thrive as individuals; it is a place filled with young people who care about each other and who work together to make the world a better place. Trinity has proven its worth and weathered the test of time.  It has flourished because of its recognition of the needs of the world and a commitment to fill those needs. This was first seen in the 1960’s when there was a need for kindergarten opportunities, and again in the 1970’s when there was a need for a middle school environment. It continues to be seen now as young people need a compass on values, a place to prepare for the 21st Century, and an understanding of their role as world leaders. 

 I know no better place for young people to learn than Trinity Lutheran School.  I am grateful for my 10 years as Head of School and that my grandson now a student at this thriving institution. During my time at Trinity, we accomplished so many great things! Looking back, here are a few of our accomplishments:

• In 2011, Trinity became the only private school in Virginia to bear the distinction of being an authorized International Baccalaureate World School. Our journey added life into how we viewed young people and what they needed to succeed in the 21st Century.   I loved opportunities to connect with other schools during IB Conferences and our own staff to implement this program.  By participating in IB, we continued Trinity’s mission to teach the whole child.
• Also in 2011, Trinity competed with other elementary, middle and high schools in Virginia and North Carolina to create a video for Harris Teeter’s jingle, and we won the $10,000 Grand Prize!  Thanks to Google, that video can still be seen. When I look back at the students who performed and the talent of music teacher Mrs. Lois Reese I can’t help but feel enormous pride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMyLyvlxRjQ     
• In 2013, Trinity Lutheran School forged another pathway to greatness through accreditation with AdvancED/Cognia, the world’s largest educational network encompassing 27,000 public and private schools throughout the United States and 69 countries worldwide. AdvancED/Cognia remains the most comprehensive accrediting institution for schools worldwide to this day.
• Other memorable events that left lasting impressions and made Trinity a special place to be were the Charity games, Lessons and Carols, spelling bees, and even the infamous taping of the Head of School to the gym wall. They represent the people, mission, and climate of this very special school.  
•  As my time at Trinity came to an end in 2015, our school was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.  This distinguished award highlighted Trinity as an exemplary, high-performing school with student achievement in the top 15% nationwide in both math and reading.
• Trinity also embarked on innovative ways to learn based on compelling research and a commitment to unleash the potential in every student here.  Some of my favorites are still in use today, including the SuperKids Reading Program and Singapore Math.

I’m proud of all that was accomplished over the years while I served as Trinity’s Head of School. It felt like we continued the vision started so long ago by Reverend and Mrs. Bosserman.  

One of my favorite books is “The Purpose-Driven Life” by Rick Warren; I kept a copy on my desk at Trinity. When I think about my time there, I am reminded of a quote that illustrates the difference Trinity Lutheran School has made for so many over the years. 

“There are three things you can do with your life: You can waste it, you can spend it, or you can invest it. The best use of your life is to invest it in something that will last longer than your time on Earth.”  

 Trinity has done just that for me, and for generations of young people who pass through its doors. 

 

Lynne Fritzinger served as Trinity’s Head of School from 2005 to 2015, and is a proud Trinity grandparent.

 

I was at Trinity Lutheran School from 1975 to 2000.  I began as a classroom teacher and completed my tenure as Head of School.

Trinity is memorable for me not because it is a beautiful structure, but for the people who chose to worship and work there each day.  I have no connection with the very early years of the school, but I do know that many members of the congregation contributed their time and energy preparing snacks and lunches, driving children to school and doing whatever was necessary in those early days. When I came in 1975, Mrs. Bosserman was still very much involved in the work of the school. Tom Bosserman and Pastor B.  shared the administrative/pastoral duties of the congregation.  They alternated conducting chapel for the school once a week.  The teachers preferred to have Tom conduct chapel since the children came back to the classroom quiet and ready to begin the day.  Pastor B. had a knack for winding them up, but one of my favorite memories connected with those chapels was when Pastor B. conducted the service he would have the children leave the chapel singing Let there be Peace on Earth.  It was a much smaller building in those days and the sound of children’s voices echoing through the halls remains with me to this day.

Mrs.  B.  was very particular about the dress and conduct of the teaching staff and reminded them that their conduct beyond the school reflected on the school, and she expected that it would be exemplary. Money was tight.  Many of the teachers spent a significant portion of their pay for materials for their classrooms while in the kindergarten and extended day classrooms, paper towels were cut in half to make them go further. Teachers and staff were motivated by their love of children and the community of the school.  Until the day, I retired, I never came to school barelegged during the time the school was in session. Hose and no clothing that cupped below your buttocks were the order of the day even in the era of pant suits.

Each successive Head of School brought their own personality and interests to the make up of the school Peggy Smith who worked along with Mrs. B.  was very much interested in the counseling aspect of teaching and Dan Landis was what my granddaughters would call a “fun date”.  He helped to set up the middle school, hired Sandy Butler and encouraged sports teams and retreats for the middle school at Jamestown.  Our enrollment blossomed during his tenure.

For me it is always about the people who were there.  Members of the congregation like Louise Mozingo, Jeanette Thomas, and Cathie Wall gave uncounted  hours and years to the work of the school. Those early teachers worked for salaries that I would be embarrassed to quote because they loved the school and the work they did with children. The number of those who contributed their teaching skills to make the school strong  were too numerous to list.  They, along with support personnel like Mrs. Waggner, Sandy Hampton and Teresa Carr all of whom worked to prepare lunches, helped to create an environment in which children knew they were valued and loved.  Even Jim Smith , the custodian, watched out for their interests.

When I became the Head of School, Dan had made notes for me on a variety of topics. My experience with the Parents’ Association was not that they were a wonderful asset to the school.  Many of them became allies and friends that I hold dear.  I hope their value continues to be recognized.

When I resigned from the school, I thanked the Board for allowing me to do what I loved in a place that I loved and had enjoyed doing it.  I could write a book full of stories about the people (students, staff, and teachers.) The twenty-six years I spent at Trinity enriched my life and I will be forever grateful for my time there and the friends and memories I made.

by Claudette H. Taylor

Claudette Taylor served as Trinity’s Head of School from 1983 to 2000.