Posted by Clark Kolterman on Mar 06, 2019

Amber Fiala, the principal of St. John Lutheran School in Seward, was the featured program for the weekly meeting of the Seward Rotary Club on Wednesday, March 6 at noon following their luncheon, fellowship and brief business meeting.  She was introduced by Rotarian Kurth Brashear, who serves as the March Program Chair for the Rotary Club.  Mrs. Fiala is in the middle of her fifth year at St. John Lutheran School and  shared a power point presentation on St. John Lutheran School and spoke on the various programs and activities at St. John’s.

Amber Fiala, the principal of St. John Lutheran School in Seward, was the featured program for the weekly meeting of the Seward Rotary Club on Wednesday, March 6 at noon following their luncheon, fellowship and brief business meeting.  She was introduced by Rotarian Kurth Brashear, who serves as the March Program Chair for the Rotary Club.  Mrs. Fiala is in the middle of her fifth year at St. John Lutheran School and  shared a power point presentation on St. John Lutheran School and spoke on the various programs and activities at St. John’s.

St. John Lutheran School has 182 students in grades K-8, with a full class in each grade level.  They are proud to have a one on one I-pad initiative, with each student given an I-pad in the upper grades.  Students cooperate with Seward School District in football, wrestling and cross country and sponsor their own teams in volleyball, basketball and track.  One of their strengths is their noted music program for all levels, involving choirs, bands and classes.  She commented that the choir is preparing for a tour at this time.  

She commented and shared information on their new “Beef in Schools” program, promoting real beef from Nebraska producers in their hot lunch program.  The program is “Feeding the Future’ and as a result, the meals are even tastier and numbers for hot lunch are up!  

The school also offers a saving program through their official branch bank of the Jones Bank in Seward.  The St. John Branch teaches financial literacy, with 62 participating and has Fourth Graders serve as the tellers for the program.  

St. John has two Kiwanis Builder’s Clubs in the school, with members in Grade 5 and Grade 8.  Their programs include a “Victory Garden,” Christmas Caroling, Volunteering for Activities and supporting the veterans.  She commented on their “Hope Squad” to assist with suicide prevention program involving student volunteers in grades 7-8 and they sponsored a Hope Week, the week before the community Hope Walk to promote Suicide Prevention, Awareness and Education. 

Another featured summer program is their annual “Summer Horizons” program, celebrating their 10th Anniversary and involving 200 students, 22 teachers, and 30 volunteers with students taking up to three summer enrichment classes.  Another popular program is their mission outreach “Garuna Kid” program, where the school’s students sponsor three children in Cambodia.  One of St. John teachers, Brianne Stahlecker will be going to Cambodia this summer to visit the program.

St. John does charge a minimal tuition but never turns a student away.  Students from St. John graduate to attend Seward High, Lincoln Lutheran, Centennial, Milford and even some go one to enroll in private high schools out of state.  She noted that 85% of the St. John eighth graders made the SHS Honor in the first semester.  Also it was noted that 35% of the students at St. John do not attend St. John Lutheran Church.

She commented on their testing programs and their standards of education. They are in the process of their national accreditation and have accreditation with the National Lutheran Schools and the State of Nebraska.

Questions and answers followed.