Education hour - 9:45 to 10: 45 AM Sunday Morning

3 year old and preschool - Meet in the Rainbow Room across from the Nursery. Their teacher is Sherri Tempel and she is teaching the Witness material from Augsburg Fortress. Once during the older kids’ five-week rotation they view a video in the Guiding Light Theater.

Kindergarten - Meet at the end of the hall in the Dolphin Room. This class’ teacher is Julie Waag and she is also teaching the Witness material from Augsburg Fortress. These kids will also join the older kids during one session of the five-week rotation to watch a video in the Guiding Light Theater.

Grades 1-6 are using the Workshop Rotation Model (WRM)
This approach to teaching is based on the philosophy that we all learn in different ways –seeing, touching, hearing and doing. This approach offers students a variety of stimulating ways to learn. We teach the same story in five different workshops.

• One week the kids are in the Temple Room to hear the story from the workshop leader, who sometimes dresses the part.
• Another Sunday, the students go to the Guiding Light Theater where they see a video of the story being taught. The theater features real theater seats from the old Deer Lodge prison, a big-screen TV and popcorn.
• The Drama Room allows the young people to dress in costume and act out the story.
• In the Tent Arcade, games are played, teaching the students to use their Bibles to find stories in a fun, competitive way or to apply the Bible story they are studying to their lives.
• The Creation Station is where craft projects are completed to highlight the story being taught.

When the five-week rotation is completed, another story and theme is introduced and the process begins again. At that time the kids present their songs or skits at our worship services Sunday morning.

Besides each workshop having a leader, a shepherd is also assigned to each class. This person develops a relationship with the kids, shepherds escort them to their assigned workshop and help them with the personal journals that are done at the end of each weekly session.

3 Year Old - 6th Grades meet in the Social Hall for opening at 9:45 AM. There they will sing together and learn the songs or skits to be presented to the congregation approximately each five or six weeks. We also use the Kristal Bells in presenting music and the young people love to play them and they sound very good, without a lot of practice. They present at both the 8:30 and 11:00 services, during the 8:30 service an at the beginning of the 11:00 service. They are then dismissed. Diane Shick is the opening leader.

Notice the Time Line in the hallways downstairs. It begins with creation, by the Creation Station, and follows the hall down and around and back up through the life of Jesus and to the young people’s light as they go back up the stairs and into the world.

The 7th and 8th Grades meet in the Choir Room at the other end of the Social Hall and under the steps to the Narthex. This class is taught by Melonnie Suek and Beth Pointer. They find their own curriculum and it could be a craft, a video or bible study. Sweet rolls are usually provided, by them.

High School and 20/30/40 classes are organized by Tammy Bull and are in the Youth Room downstairs or in the Library.

Adult Class is led by Pastor Ken and meets in the Fireside Room.

If you have any questions or would like a tour of the Sunday School rooms please ask Diane Lowry, Education director, or any of the Education Team. We are quite proud of our Sunday School! Members of the team are: Heidi Lee, Diane Shick, Susan Weber, Susan Wanke, Wes Ries, Melonnie Suek, Kari LaRance, Thelma Allison, Tonja Schaff and Julie Vogel.

2008-2009 Workshop Rotation Schedule

September 7: Rally Day
Sept. 14 - Oct. 12: 23rd Psalm
Oct. 19: Festival Day
Oct. 26 - Nov. 23: Shepherds and Angels
Nov. 30: No Sunday School
Dec. 7 - 20: Christmas Program practice
Dec. 21: Christmas Program at both 8:30 and 11:00 worship services
Dec. 28: No Sunday School
Jan. 4 - Feb. 1: Noah
Feb. 8: Festival Day
Feb. 15 - March 15: To be announced
March 22: Festival Day
March 29 - May 3: Resurrection
April 12: Easter Day - No Sunday School
May 10: Carnival, last day of Sunday School