Conference of Delegates Meeting

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

7:30 PM

Agenda

1. Opening Devotion BOC Chairman, Pastor Andrew Schultz

2. Mission / Vision / Objectives Review

MISSION STATEMENT

Luther High School provides a Christ-centered education that encourages and equips

students for life and for eternity.

VISION STATEMENT

Luther High School desires that its students, mindful of baptismal grace, live the holiness

that God gave to them in Christ.

OBJECTIVES Therefore, Luther High School will keep Christ in higher education by:

1. faithfully proclaiming and applying the Word of God through the teaching of

classes, life skills, and activities in accordance with the Lutheran Confessions.

2. promoting spiritual growth and maturity through the proper use of God’s Law and

Gospel

3. encouraging and training students to testify and witness to the gospel of Christ

throughout their lives

4. instilling a desire for knowledge, understanding and wisdom while taking “every

thought captive and making it obedient to Christ.” -- 2 Corinthians 10:5

3. Minutes Secretary Mr. Dan Kinstler

4. Finance Committee Report Mr. Charlie Handy & Mrs. Nancy Rieck

5. WI Parental School Choice ad hoc Committee Report Pastor Robert Wassermann

6. Ministry of Christian Giving Mr. Harry Mears

7. LHS Foundation Report Mr. Jim Mendell

8 Friends of Luther Report & Good Steward Store Report Pastor Roger Sachs

9. Master Plan Building Committee Report Mr. Don Fruit

10. Capital Campaign Committee Report Mr. Greg Scriver

11. Administration Report Mr. Paul Wichmann

12. Education Committee Report Mr. Mark Kutz

1

13. Building and Grounds Committee Report Mr. Travis Zenke

14. Old Business

15. New Business

a. Elections

Pastor Nominees (Elect 1 pastor: 3-year term)

Pastor David Brandt (St. Paul, Tomah)

Pastor David Leistekow (Immanuel, La Crosse)

Pastor John Werner (Christ, Burr Oak) Incumbent Teacher Nominees (Elect 1 teacher – 3 year term)

Mr. Jon Biedenbender (Principal of Mt. Calvary/Grace, La Crosse)

Mr. Steve Berg (Principal of Christ/St. John’s, West Salem)

Mr. Nate Livingston (Principal of St. John’s, Caledonia)

Laymen Nominees (Elect 2 laymen: Two 3-year terms) Mr. Mike Havlik (Good Shepherd, Holmen)

Mr. Henry Horstman (Mt. Calvary, La Crosse)

Mr. Terry Schmeckpepper (Immanuel, La Crosse)

b. Installation of new Board of Control Members (Following the COD

meeting the Board will meet to elect officers and determine committee

membership).

c. Gratitude for faithful service: We give thanks to God for the faithful service

of Mark Kutz (Education Committee) and Bruce Jentz (Finance Committee) who

have served 6 years on the Board of Control and are not eligible for re-election.

16. Adjournment Lord’s Prayer

2

Luther High School Conference of Delegates Meeting

May 13, 2015

1. Minutes from previous meeting were submitted: Mr. Dan Kinstler

a. Minutes approved

2. Principal’s Report was submitted; summary follows: Mr. Paul Wichmann

a. At this time we have received 55 freshmen applications. We are aware that

3 students will be transferring as their families are moving. Currently there

will be two international students

b. Self-Study Follow-up: Long-range plan reports and addenda must be

submitted to maintain accreditation. Please forward your suggestions to

strengthen and support Luther High School’s program of Christian

education to Mr. Wichmann by May 22, 2015.

c. If you are able to provide room and board for students or and MLC student

teacher during the 2015-16 school year, please contact Mr. Wichmann at

783-5435 ext. 100.

3. Education Committee Report submitted; summary follows: Mr. Mark Kutz

a. Administrative Restructuring Completed – The restructuring of the

Administration is complete and will begin in the 2015-16 school year.

Pastor Bilitz has accepted the call to be Dean of Students. The following

staff members will serve as Directors:

i. Athletic Director = Joel Babinec

ii. Music Director = Paul Adickes

iii. Technology Director = James Mahnke

iv. Facilities and Operation Director = Keith Heinze

v. Guidance Counselor = Mark Loersch

vi. Promotions Director = Greg Schibbelhut

vii. Registrar = James Mahnke

b. Music Curriculum Change Requests – The music department requested

making a change to the graduation requirement. However, the BOC is

recommending not to make the change

i. Motion was approved that graduation requirements for music will

not change. Will remain to be 4 semesters of a performance course

(Band and/or Choir) or 1 semester of Music Appreciation/Music

Theory.

4. Finance Committee Report submitted; summary follows: Mr. Charlie Handy

a. Proposed budget was passed

b. Motion was approved that “Students need to enroll in TADs by Aug 1st. If

not enrolled they would be ineligible for extracurricular activities for the

1st semester. If not enrolled by the 1st day of school their enrollment

would be terminated”

3

5. Building / Grounds Committee Report submitted; summary follows:

Mr. Travis Zenke

a. Cell Tower: Received word that the tower was sold to Vertical Bridge.

Received information and forms for the transfer of the lease. Their

payments began May 1. They have a company that takes care of the flag

b. Rezoning for Future Development: A rezoning application has been

submitted, redistributing three parcels of land into one parcel and Zone

them as P1 owned by the Luther High School Association. Currently two

parcels are owned by the Mississippi Valley Evangelical Lutheran

Association and zoned R2.

c. The development of the property by Three Amigos north of our big

parking lot is under way. Luther allowed the developer to lower the berm

(half was his, half was ours) under the main power lines which reduced the

area he needed for drainage, eliminated the need for a retaining wall, and

gave him a 1000 yards of fill that he otherwise would have had to haul in.

The developer, in return, moved, at no cost, the 4000 yards of fill left from

the berm to the north of our football/track area to provide fill for the

proposed athletic storage shed. Estimated real cost of this work would

have been $40,000.

6. Luther High Foundation Report was submitted: Mr. Jim Mendell

7. Friends of Luther & Good Steward Store Report was submitted:

Pastor Roger Sachs

8. Master Planning Building Committee Report submitted; summary follows:

Mr. Don Fruit

a. The delegates gave the steering committee approval to seek out design

firms for phases 1, 2, and 3.

b. The delegates approved continued planning and construction of a 40’X80’X16’ athletic storage shed at an estimated cost of $80,000.

c. The Delegates also approved continued planning and renovation of the Auxiliary Gym locker rooms to improve the locker room space and provide bathroom facilities. Initial cost estimate for the project is $200,000.

9. Master Planning Capital Campaign Committee Report submitted; summary

follows:

Mr. Greg Scriver

a. The Delegates approved the theme “Rise Up and Build” for the Master

Plan Building project, which is based on Nehemiah 2:18

a. The Campaign Committee was given approval conduct an awareness and

readiness study to evaluate the LHS building project and to ascertain

whether the school’s infrastructure will support a major capital campaign;

4

may spend up to $15,000 from the current building fund for this study.

They are to determine which type of capital campaign model would

provide the best overall results. This would be conducted by a third party

company such as, but not limited to, Cornerstone Stewardship Ministry.

b. Permission was granted to develop a job description for an individual

dedicated to relationship building and communicating with LHS

Association congregations, individual members, alumni, and various

support organizations of Luther High School. The Campaign Committee

will develop a plan to fund this position.

10. WI Voucher Program Ad Hoc Committee Update Pastor Wassermann

a. Committee has started to review the benefits and challenges of the

voucher program –nothing to report at this time.

11. Old Business

a. None

12. New Business

a. BOC Nominations (Election in August COD Meeting)

i. Current Board members who terms expire in 2015: Bruce Jentz

and Mark Kutz are completing their second term on the Board and

are not eligible for re-election.

ii. Current Board members eligible for re-election. Travis Zenke is

completing his first term on the Board and would be eligible for re-

election. Pastor Werner is completing one year to fill a vacancy on

the Board of Control.

iii. Nominations Committee: Bruce Jentz, Mark Kutz, Travis Zenke

and Pastor Werner are asked to serve as the nominations

committee.

13. Adjourn with Lord’s Prayer

5

Luther High School Conference of Delegates Meeting

Principal’s Report August 12, 2015

School Year Theme 2015-2016 School Year Theme: “We preach Christ crucified”

Enrollment:

1. As of August 2, 2014, our enrollment for the coming school year will be;

9th - 53, 10th – 61, 11th - 67, 12th - 60 TOTAL - 241

2. International students: 1 freshmen and 2 sophomores, all from China

Faculty In-Service August 3-5

Monday, August 3 - LES/LHS & CESA training

Tuesday, August 4 - WLCFS presentation “How the Teenage Brain Works”

Wednesday, August 5 - WLCFS presentation “Dealing with Stress”

Chromebook updates

Opening Service Opening Service: 2 PM on Sunday, August 23. The Board does not

march in or have reserved seating for the opening service. Pastor Jon Bilitz will be

installed as Dean of Students. Pastor Harbach is the speaker for the service and Pastor

Lisk is serving as the liturgist. Mrs. Brenda Harle is the organist.

Accreditation – The annual accreditation report for WELSSA has been submitted the

WRISA annual report will be submitted in September. Reports of those submissions

will be received in Fall.

Luther High School Conference of Delegates August 12, 2015

Education Committee Report Mr. Mark Kutz

A. Developing Formal Faculty Continuing Education Policy – Currently

evaluating what both Synod is recommending and what other ALHSs have for

their polices.

B. Staffing – We will begin studying the staffing levels of the school to evaluate if

the current number of instructors is adequate for our instructional needs.

C. 1:1 Technology – Instructors have prepared lessons over the summer for the

coming year. They are sharing with the Faculty in order to learn from each other

and continue to improve the quality of the lessons. We will continue to purchase

additional Chromebooks as funding provides until every student is equipped with

their own device.

D. Home Visits – Advisors are doing home visits for all new students/Freshmen.

E. Online New Student Enrollment – Luther will soon be enrolling all new

students through an online process. This will help eliminate extra paperwork,

reduce entry errors and provide a more convenient way for parents to enroll their

students.

F. Music Dept. Church Participation – Feedback requested on adding Band and/or

Handbells to congregational visits since Cantate Choir is no longer a traveling

choir.

6

Luther High School Conference of Delegates August 12, 2015 B&G Report Mr. Travis Zenke

A. Cell Tower: The City of Onalaska has a new ordinance for cell towers.

Basically when a cell tower is not used for 12 months the owner either has 90

days to take it down or may get a 6 month extension and then take it down if it is

still not being used. Our cell tower was deactivated last November. Vertical

Bridge, the new owner, became aware of the ordinance only in the last couple

weeks.

B. Rezoning for Future Development: All Luther property is now zoned P1. The

conditional use permit for the storage shed has been approved.

C. Articles of Incorporation: Found the Amendment to the Articles of

Incorporation putting all the property under Luther High School Association.

The county folks will took care of the paper work with the City of Onalaska.

D. Custodian: Mike Wuest, our full-time evening custodian, found a position more

suitable to his strengths and personality. He helped out part-time in June and

July and will more than likely be around to do volunteer work in the future. His

replacement is Angela Ginther. She comes to us with significant experience.

Please welcome her as you have occasion.

E. Aux Gym Roof: Painting is completed.

F. Office Change: Pastor Bilitz will move into his wife’s office and she will move

to the space in the south end of the faculty work room. We will add a door to

this area for security and privacy.

G. Natural Gas: Xcel Energy relocated and replaced the first 100 feet of our gas

service as part of their upgrading of services.

H. Water rates: The City of Onalaska through the Public Service Commission will

be increasing our water rates. A flat rate of $1.15/100 cubic feet will begin

October of 2015. A second increase will come in October of 2016. The rates

will not be adjusted down with increased volume. The rate for irrigation this

summer will increased from $1.15/100 cubic feet to $1.88/100 cubic feet.

I.

7

8

9

L

Dear Pastor and Delegates:

Luther High School has been authorized to begin an Awareness and Readiness Study to

ascertain support for implementing Phases 1-3 of Luther High School’s Master Site Plan and to

examine the affordability of the same. With this letter we wish to give a progress update and

share how you can be involved with this effort.

Preliminary analysis presents three main funding options which will be explored:

Major gifts from friends of LHS

Associated congregations

Special gifts from alumni, past / present parents, businesses and foundations

As part of the Awareness and Readiness Study, we are asking our constituency for their

input and opinions for the next building phase at LHS. We are in the process of setting up

personal interviews and sending out letter surveys. The purpose for this data gathering is to invite

a large segment of the LHS Association to learn more about the opportunities and challenges that

lie before us. We also would like to hear their suggestions as we consider next steps. The input

generated will help shape our plans for the future and give an indication for our next steps.

As part of the Study, we soon will be inviting all pastors to attend one of two

informational presentations. An invitation will be forthcoming, but please do get one of these two

dates on your calendar:

September 4, breakfast meeting at LHS

September 15, luncheon meeting at LHS

The Awareness and Readiness Study will indicate the scope of a funding initiative for our

project. Based on those results, plans are to implement a Gospel based, biblically grounded

stewardship appeal reflecting and emphasizing the joy of Jesus. Any funding decision will be

presented to the Conference of Delegates for approval.

We have secured the services of Cornerstone Stewardship Ministry for the Study.

Cornerstone has demonstrated success in working with Lutheran schools and churches. They will

provide us with an unbiased recommendation whether or not to embark upon a major funding

effort on October 27. A full report will be shared with the Conference of Delegates at its

November meeting. Mr. Jeff Davis is our lead contact with Michael Fuchs assisting.

These are exciting times for LHS! Like you, we will continue praying for the Lord’s

guidance and direction as His plans unfold.

Serving Jesus,

Greg Scriver Paul Wichmann Pastor Andrew Schultz

Capital Campaign Committee Chairman LHS Principal LHS Board of Control

Chairman

uther High School K e e p i n g C h r i s t i n H i g h e r E d u c a t i o n

10