An all school musical, worship services and a day of bowling highlight the observance of Lutheran Schools Week at St. John Lutheran School March 2-8.
“Lutheran Schools have just the greatest environment,” said teacher Ruthann Breitwisch. “I’m a first grade teacher and it’s neat to see the little kids looking up to the older students.”
Breitwisch is in her fifteenth year of directing an annual all school musical at St. John during Lutheran Schools Week which is open to the public.
A production of the musical “GPS: God’s Plan of Salvation,” takes place beginning Tuesday in the school gym with a special luncheon matinee Thursday and dinner theater both Thursday and Friday. The musical will involve more than 160 students and a majority of faculty and staff and numerous parent volunteers.
“We are a team and we all pull together to pull it off,” Breitwisch said. “The faculty is involved in so many ways.”
The musical revolves around a boy named Andrew who is getting his driver’s license and learning about the rules of the road while relating it to how God guides him through life.
“I try to change off every other year with a secular and a Christian musical,” Breitwisch said. “There are so many good musicals out there both secular and Christian. But we want to expose the kids to Christian music and let them know that is an option.”
Each class at St. John in kindergarten through grade six is featured in a production number choreographed by Breitwisch with 14 middle school students receiving speaking roles.
“I choreographed dances for each of the songs and each student is on stage at least once,” said Breitwisch, who has been working on the show for almost a year. “The musical is very up-beat and a lot of fun. The kids absolutely love it.”
The students involved in the production are able to experience a variety of music and are learning about teamwork and how to polish a performance, Breitwisch said.
“I think there is so much kids get out of being in a production like this,” she said. “They learn about how life is so much more than watching a movie or T.V. Theater is alive and wonderful and exciting.”
Breitwisch’s son Peter, in sixth grade at St. John, is learning the song “The Ride of My Life” to perform with his class for the musical. He hopes to try out for a speaking part next year.
“The main reason I want to get a speaking part is that you see the older kids do it and they are so good at it,” he said. “I want to be a good role model for the younger kids.”
Transforming the gym into a theater and preparing the chicken cordon bleu, shrimp dinners and other food for the production takes the effort of dozens of volunteers. Volunteers from the St. John Mothers’ Club and Parents in Participation or PIP organization assist with the production every year.
“Our parents are very instrumental in the whole meal preparation, set up and clean up,” said Interim Principal Kathy Hahn. “There’s no way we could pull it off without the parent volunteers. We like to have parents involved.”
On Sunday, March 2, the entire student body will be participating in regular worship services at St. John Lutheran Church, performing songs and doing Bible readings. A special chapel service will take place on Wednesday morning which is also the observance of Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.
“Every day during Lutheran Schools Week we have something different going on,” Hahn said. “Each day is a dress up day where students can wear neon clothing, have a nerd day and a day to dress like Duck Dynasty.”
Other events during the week will include a PJ and electronics day where students can bring in computer games, iPads and other electronic devices to play during the day and a class swap. On Friday the entire school will go bowling at Dale’s Weston Lanes and enjoy a movie and popcorn.
“The most important thing is that Lutheran Schools Week is a time in our school and across the nation to celebrate our faith,” Hahn said. “We are considered an incubator for people to be faithful witnesses of God and His love for us.”