Blog Archive 2021-22

July 21, 2022       
Advancement Update 
- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement 

Lititz Christian School Community,  
It is time to sign up for the final phase of our move! Please visit the Google Form HERE to learn how you can help move the ELC, Offices, and Kitchen items on August 11, 12 and 13!  
High school students will get community service hours. Families will earn volunteer hours. We are so close to the end of this l-o-n-g moving process and we need your support to finish strong!
Thank you in advance! 

July 11, 2022      
School Board Post 
- by Jeff Gerard, School Board Chair 
 

It has been a time of intense activity at Lititz Christian School. As a result of a lot of hard work and excellent leadership from the school administration, our K-12 program has officially moved to Lititz Church of the Brethren!  We are so grateful to each one who has given sacrificially to make this move possible. The ELC move happens in August, so please stay tuned for additional ways you can serve!

Our after-school program is thriving! In order to sustain and scale this program, we purchased a fourth van to help transport students.

Head of School Search:  
Over the last 18+ months, we have seen Allyson Harmon’s leadership skills flourish. She has stepped up in a season of unknowns, led with vision and wisdom, collaborated and delegated, and gained the trust of other senior leaders, the board, parents and students, and faculty/staff. We are beyond thrilled to share that Allyson has been invited to step into the role of Interim Head of School and she has accepted!

Questions you may be asking: 
How long is “interim”?  Given the rhythms of the school year and when educators are doing their job seeking, we anticipate this being a 1-year role with the opportunity to extend or evolve into a long-term position. And if course, if God brings a candidate sooner, we are open to adjusting.

Will we be continuing the search?  Yes. We will continue to seek external candidates and will keep you up to date as the search evolves.

Thank you for your continued prayers over this role. We’re thrilled to have Allyson lead us and believe that the Lord has been preparing her for such a time as this. 

Other Exciting News: 
As you know, we have a number of key positions open. We are excited to share that Liz Grubb will be joining LCS as the Senior Director of Operations and Culture at LCS! Liz is a graduate of Grove City College with a bachelor’s degree in political science and religious thought. She also achieved her master’s degree in higher education from Geneva College. Professionally, Liz has worked at Lancaster Bible College and more recently, York College. She is an accomplished, disciplined operations coordinator with demonstrated abilities and leadership in project implementation and management, supervision and team leadership, initiative and dedication to projects and tasks, and excellent organizational skills. She has experience in problem solving in crisis response, project and program creation and oversight, critical thinking on strategic goals and departmental outcomes, and managing large department budgets. In this role, Liz will report to Allyson and will oversee most non-academic support services including HR, compliance, finance, spiritual life, and athletics. Liz and her husband, Dan, are the parents of two young children, Nolan and Olivia. Please extend a warm LCS welcome to Liz and her family as she begins her role on August 1! 

Please continue to pray with us about the roles of principal, athletic director, and director of advancement – good conversations with potential candidates are continuing to happen around those positions. In the meantime, we are praising the Lord for His provision!

With September on the horizon, we are seeking additional board members. If you would like to nominate any potential members please complete the form found here. We are seeking board members with pastoral or fundraising experience, specifically.

God is doing some amazing things at Lititz Christian! Thank you for serving and partnering with us.

Blessings,  
Jeff Gerard, School Board Chair

June 28, 2022     
Advancement Update     
- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement

Our K-12 program has been moved to LCOB! We just came through one of the most challenging years of our school’s history where we unexpectedly found ourselves without our Senior Administrator and our lease last April. We rose to the challenge! It was inspiring to watch our flock come together, pick us up (figuratively and literally), and set us down in a place where we can restore and renew ourselves for the next three years. We had a successful fundraising year. We experienced a 7.5% enrollment growth this past school year. We adopted new means of assessing our students so that instruction to meet their needs could be directed almost immediately. We continued to excel in fine arts and athletics. We expanded our Academic Success Program. We are open to shifts and changes as we transition to a new season.

I envision the following years to be ones of reflection and strengthening of our programs: honing the skills of our craft through continued professional development, observation of other professionals, mentorships and outreach programs as we continue to strive for excellence in education. We are always in pursuit of discovering new ways to meet our students where they are and encourage them to grow in mind, body and spirit. We will continue to grow as a family who does not turn away from a challenge but embraces it. We are faithful in our love for the Lord and look to Him for guidance as we move forward. We are poised to SOAR!

Below is a brief timeline of what to expect the rest of this summer:

- Week of June 28: Teachers will be in and out of the building during business hours to continue to set their classrooms up. Esco will continue to install the security system 
- June 29: Niki to give the first tour in the new building! 
- Week of July 5: We will be working on moving the lockers over and attaching them to the walls. Can you help? Sign up here.  
Do you have a box truck or enclosed trailer we can use on July 5? Sign up here. 
- Week of August 8: LCS office staff will start to move. Stay tuned for the Sign Up Geniuses regarding this portion of the move. 
August 13: ELC will move to LCOB 
August 15: We will start doing business at LCOB full time 
August 15: Soccer and volleyball preseason practice begins 
August 22: ELC students start and K-12 teachers begin orientation 
August 29: K-12 students start school

June 21, 2022    
Advancement Update    
- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement

MOVE and END of YEAR GIVING UPDATES
 

Move Update    
We are down to the last days of prepping for our K-12 move to LCOB this Friday and Saturday! If you can volunteer to help us those days, sign up here! WE NEED YOUR HELP!     
Come spend a few hours with us.

Here’s an overview of the schedule this week and the weeks to come: 

Thursday, June 23    
Pack trucks for move on Friday morning - Sign Up Here    
Friday, June 24    
Move K-12 program to LCOB - Sign Up Here    
Saturday, June 25    
Move K-12 program to LCOB - Sign Up Here

July 5-8    
Move lockers to LCOB and continue to hang cabinets and whiteboards - Sign Up Here

August 8-12    
Move office staff to LCOB and begin to move parts of ELC to storage - Sign up to come! Stay tuned!    
Saturday, August 13    
Move ELC to LCOB and storage - Sign up to come! Stay tuned!

Fundraising Update and Ask    
Do you know we have raised the most money this school year out of any school year since the school has gone independent? The Advancement Team has worked together with our generous donor base to raise funds to continue to provide programs that encourage students to impact the world for Christ. This is our primary goal along with fundraising for our relocation. We have raised $213,096.38 for our Annual Fund, approximately $318,141.00 in our tax credit program, and $217,443.51 for our Relocation Fund (Capital Campaign).

This totals $748,680.89!  

We are not done, yet . . .   
Our goal is to raise $37,000 more dollars to hit our $250,000 Annual Fund goal by June 30.   
Can you give a gift today? Follow this link or contact Nicole Hurst at nicole.hurst@lcstaff.net.  Thanks for your continued generous support of the mission and vision of Lititz Christian School!  

June 13, 2022

Education Update

- by Allyson Harmon, Senior Director of Education

Enjoy these encouraging words shared at Last Day Worship by campus pastor, Ross Dunk, on the last day of school, Friday, June 3rd, 2022. 

Last Day Worship - The Best is Yet to Come

Have a blessed summer, everyone!

June 6, 2022

School Board Update

- by Jeff Gerard, School Board Chair

Dear Lititz Christian School Family,   
With another school year at an end, we celebrate the many triumphs of the past year and eagerly look ahead to our move to LCOB and the 2022-2023 school year. As with the ending of every year, there are changes on the horizon. We want to communicate two of those changes with you today. After many, years of service and sacrifice, Niki Cadwalader and Ryan McCracken will be saying farewell to Lititz Christian School as employees.

Ryan has worked at Lititz Christian for fifteen years in a variety of capacities: PE teacher, coach, Athletic Director, Secondary Principal, and Senior Director of Operations. His dedication to the school, his steady presence, and his love for the Lord have been incredible assets during the past 15 years. Thank you, Ryan, for giving so much to the LC family. 

Niki has served Lititz Christian for eight years. She arrived as the Admissions Director, then expanded into Academic Support, and marketing, and is currently the Senior Director of Advancement. Her wealth of experience, energy, and creativity have been invaluable to LC and will be difficult to replace. Thank you, Niki, for faithfully pouring yourself into the Lititz Christian family. 

We wish both Niki and Ryan well as they move on from Lititz Christian, and we pray the Lord’s blessing on them and their families. Thank you both for a job well done. We are grateful that both Ryan and Niki will remain a part of the Lititz Christian family as their children will continue to attend Lititz Christian. 

The LC School Board and Administrative Team are prioritizing the school's current needs and determining how to best meet these needs as we move forward. Both Ryan and Niki will remain on staff through the end of July and will be instrumental in the move to LCOB . We continue to progress in the search for the Head of School and are considering organizational models to address three key needs that all private schools have: education, fundraising, and operations. In the short term, Niki has created a strategic plan for the Advancement team that will allow them to continue the encouraging momentum created this year while we look to hire a Director of Advancement. We hope to provide an update after next week’s board meeting. 

Thank you to everyone for your continued prayer and support of Lititz Christian as we continue to follow the Lord’s leading for our school. 

In Christ,

Jeff Gerard, Lititz Christian School Board Chair

May 23, 2022

Operations Update

- by Ryan McCracken, Senior Director of Operations

Thanks to all who helped, shopped, supported, and prayed for the Lititz Christian yard sale this past weekend. Though it was very hot, the day was a success! The school was able to raise $5,000 towards our transition costs through the items that were sold at the sale. It was a blessing to see so many of our items find new homes with other ministries in the area.

In other news, we will hold our 28th annual Commencement at Lititz Christian School on Thursday, May 26 at 7:00 PM in the Grace Church Auditorium. This event is open to the public and we would love for you to join us as we send off 16 more alumni. We also ask that you pray for each of these graduates as they look to follow God’s lead in their life.

Finally, we are one month away from the Big Move. Click this LINK to sign up to help. Thank you in advance for all of the help in making the moving process smooth and efficient for all of our faculty and staff this summer.

May 16, 2022

Advancement Update

- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement

We are moving and WE NEED HELP! Many of you have reached out over the last year to offer your support for our move. Please visit the link in this image and sign up for as many shifts as you can!

Here is our expected timeline this summer:

May 21: Yard Sale at 501 W. Lincoln Ave.

June 6-10: Removal of items like bulletin boards, white boards, lab tables and projectors

June 23-25: Move K-12 to LCOB

July 5-8: Installation of bulletin boards, white boards, lab tables, lockers…

August 8-12: Transition K-12 office staff to LCOB

August 13 and beyond: Transition preschool, prekindergarten, school age program and ELC office staff to LCOB

May 9, 2022

Advancement Update

- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement

We have much to celebrate this season, namely, the success of the Fete en Bleu event! Our Fete en Bleu fundraising event needed to be moved indoors due to inclement weather this past weekend. Listrak graciously offered their space to us and it was beautiful! Our advancement team moved boxes, artwork, auction items, coffee makers, and about a thousand other items there on Friday and began to set up. Chris Strayer and his team from Stray Production Services and Clarke Witman and his team from Witman Auctioneers went far out of their ways to accommodate us. Our heartfelt thanks goes to all of you!

The evening was a success! Students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of LCS were present. It was a celebration of WHO we are and WHERE we are. With the generosity of our donors, we exceeded our fundraising goal of $50,000 by $6,806! The money raised on Saturday night goes directly into our Annual Fund, which bridges the gap between revenue brought in by tuition and operating expenses.

Saturday night brought another momentous event - the launch of our capital campaign, SOAR!
While we have had our most successful fundraising year since becoming our own 501(c)3 back in 2016, we need to continue to reach higher! The SOAR Campaign will be two phases. Phase 1 or the Relocation Phase, will continue to raise capital to move us to LCOB over the summer. Of the $300,000 that we need, approximately $190,000 has been raised. The second phase, or Permanent Home Phase, will come later in the summer. During this time, we will spend three years focusing on raising about $7-10M for our new home. Are you interested in more information or making a pledge to the SOAR Campaign? You can view our complete case statement here.

Finally, I’d like to thank the tireless efforts and boundless energy of the Advancement Team who dedicate themselves to the mission of our school every day:
Nicole Hurst, Development Lead and Events Coordinator
Ross McCracken, Development and Scholarship Representative
Amy Hurst, Communications Coordinator
Betsy Echternach, Director of IT

May 3, 2022

Education Update

- by Allyson Harmon, Senior Director of Education

God continues to provide! We are excited to announce that we have hired a High School Science teacher.  Mrs. Kara Fox will join the Lititz Christian team for the 2022-2023 school year.  She comes to Lititz Christian with over 8 years of experience teaching high school science at Ephrata School District.  Mrs. Fox has an undergraduate degree in Biology and a graduate degree in Learning Technologies.  Her daughter Paige is in third grade at Lititz Christian. Her younger daughter Josie will join our kindergarten class next year.  Thank you for welcoming Mrs. Fox to Lititz Christian. 

The search committee is currently interviewing candidates for the Head of School position.  Please continue to pray for this search and that God would make it abundantly clear who he desires to lead our school in the next chapter of our journey.   

April 25, 2022

Operations Update

- by Ryan McCracken, Senior Director of Operations

We will soon turn our calendars to May, and with that turn our sprint to the finish will begin. May is always a very busy month packed with activities, but it is also a very enjoyable month as we close out the school year. This May we will also be gearing up for a busy summer like none we have ever experienced in our 44 year history. With that in mind, I wanted to provide some updates for the move ahead of us, knowing that it will take many hands to make this happen quickly and smoothly.

Transition to LCOB:
We have slated the weekend of Thursday, June 23- Saturday June 25 as the primary days to move the K-12 portion of the school to LCOB. We would ask for you to consider blocking off some or part of your days over this time to help us with the move. As we prepare for this weekend, some of the responsibilities will include, loading and unloading boxes in trucks, taking down mounted whiteboards and projectors, reinstalling whiteboards in the new building, some touch up paint work, moving lockers from one location to another, moving and installing cabinets, and many more. Additionally, we will be in need of pickup trucks, large vehicles, and even box trucks to assist us with this move. Please be on the lookout for a signup sheet in the coming days with specific times and tasks for your consideration. We are very appreciative in advance of all of the help that we will receive from our community.

Note: We will plan to move the ELC classrooms the weekend of Friday, August 12 and Saturday August 13, so we will be looking to recruit additional help at that time.

Student Events:
As previously mentioned, we have an action-packed May planned for our students. Some highlights include field trips to Woodcrest Retreat, Hersheypark, Washington D.C., and the Penn Museum. In addition to these field trips, we have some class trips planned for the month of May. We would appreciate your prayers as the students look to use their gifts to serve God on the following trips.
       May 14- May 21    Senior Trip to South Florida
       May 20- May 22    9th Grade Trip to Camp Orchard Hill

Finally, please mark your calendars for the following school events that will be happening as well. Some or all of these events may apply to you:

    Thursday, May 5      LC Spring Concert
    Friday, May 6           LC Jr./Sr. Prom
    Tuesday, May 24      Elementary and MS Field Day
    Thursday, May 26    Commencement

April 18, 2022

Education Update

- by Allyson Harmon, Senior Director of Education

The day before a holiday break is always an exciting day at Lititz Christian.  Last Wednesday, students of all ages celebrated Easter.  The K-12 program began the day with a special chapel.  Our campus pastor, Pastor Dunk, dressed up as Josiah and reenacted a first-person account of the week between the first Palm Sunday through the Resurrection from Josiah’s point of view. 

After chapel, high school students participated in a choice of clubs. They had the opportunity to apply their skills of strategy and creativity in various ways. Some of the choices included competing in strategy games or outdoor sports, creating digital design or charcoal art projects, and flipping crepes and omelets with Madame Nickel.  Additionally, a group of students traveled to the Lititz Community Chest to sort and deliver the food donated by the past week's school-wide food drive.  

Following our special all-school Easter chapel, Middle School faculty and students took the remainder of the morning to engage in stations that fostered various interpersonal and life skills. Lititz Christian values these skills as critical for student success both inside the classroom and out in the community. Unlike previous half-day events where our students were grouped by grade, Wednesday’s groups included students from all middle school grades mixed together. Problem-solving, collaboration, communication, trust, teamwork, and leadership were six skills emphasized through three rotations. Various members of the middle school led stations, including students in our Student Leadership Elective, who facilitated communication and problem solving exercises and discussion. The middle school student teachers thoughtfully engaged, planned, and executed activities such as live action Battleship and blindfolded Follow the Leader while supporting students in stretching their comfort zones through active learning. Overall, each station implemented activity and student engagement allowing students to learn through doing.

Elementary classrooms held class parties to celebrate Easter.  Many of the classroom activities focused on the resurrection of Jesus through stories, crafts, resurrection eggs, etc.  Several of the elementary classrooms also participated in scavenger hunts and egg hunts throughout the morning.

Our Early Learning Center students held a special Easter chapel last week as well.  Ali Swords presented an interactive lesson on the Easter Story.  The ELC also spent time preparing for their Spring Blast which is scheduled for May 20th.  This special evening will highlight each of the ELC classrooms.  The students will perform several songs and we will recognize our pre-kindergarten students through a special graduation ceremony that evening.

April 18, 2022

Advancement Update

- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement

April 11, 2022

Advancement Update

- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement

We are 80% through online re-enrollment and happy to report the highest number of kindergarten inquiries in recent years! We welcomed many of our rising kindergartners and their parents on April 7 for breakfast and an activity with Mrs. McNaughton, one of our kindergarten teachers. The morning was filled with fun and making new friends while sharing our exciting plans for next fall.

Speaking of plans, the Transition Team has been presented with several during the last month. Speedwell Construction is scheduled to complete construction in the Children’s Wing of LCOB during the month of May. The plan is to remove walls to enlarge three classrooms for our elementary students. Other minor modifications need to be made to the building to be ADA compliant. We were assured the project is relatively small and should be completed with plenty of time for us to move in and get settled.

We also signed an agreement with Avail Technology Solutions who will oversee the construction of our IT infrastructure. Their project manager has been working closely with Speedwell to coordinate both projects over the summer.

Of course you read in the March 29 blog post about the $23,750 grant we were awarded for building security! This is just one of the many blessings we have received during our transition.

The purchase of a Visiplex intercom and bell system sums up our forward progress in the last month. The next step is to continue to raise money, which is a great segue to the Fete en Bleu.

Join us for the dinner party of the year! Fete en Bleu is on May 7 and will be a final farewell to our home at 501 W. Lincoln Avenue. We will be hosting two events in one! Fête en Bleu Dinner Party & Auction Fundraiser where we will also launch the capital campaign for a new permanent home.

The silent, mason jar, and live auction proceeds will close the annual fund gap and kick off our capital campaign. There will be something for everyone and every budget at this event!  Please go to the Fete en Bleu page of the LCS website for our full list of FAQs and to RSVP by April 22.

April 6, 2022

School Board Post

- by Jeff Gerard, School Board Chair

Jesus said, "Come unto me all who are weary, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am gentle and lowly of heart. And you will find rest for your souls" Matthew 11: 28-29

In the middle of all the crazy business of this season of renewal, God gives us rest. He finds a way to open doors and work His plan for our good. 

We were thrilled to see so many families attend the open house at Lititz Church of the Brethren last month. The energy was high! Lititz Christian's staff worked tirelessly to pull it all together and we couldn’t have asked for a more successful outcome. LCOB warmly welcomed our families and we hope you got a glimpse of the kindness they’ve shown to us.

The lease with LCOB has been finalized and signed! This is a massive praise and months in the making. This sets the stage for the changes to our new home, including updated security, network upgrades, and minor structural renovations, all designed to help us fit into our new home. We are working with Speedwell Construction for retrofitting. Please be ready to help in the coming months. Our move to the new building will be a giant undertaking, and we'll need all the help that we can get. Thank you in advance!

Our development team continues to work hard to grow the LCS ministry. We are excited about our spring fundraiser, Fete en Bleu! Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 7 and prepare for a lot of fun! One of our favorite parts of this spring event is the live auction – and this year’s items will not disappoint! Money raised will go toward closing the gap in our annual fund with the goal of raising $50K. We will also be launching our capital campaign and inviting you to give generously toward the new season in Lititz Christian School’s history. This year more than ever, we are boldly asking you to pray and consider what the Lord might lead you to give in support.

We are poised to expand our after-school program in the next academic year. This fills a need in the community and is an opportunity to reach additional families with the Gospel. Recently, as a result of a government COVID grant, we were able to purchase a new school van! Our hope is that two more vans will be on the way, depending on availability. These are critical as we begin to expand our after-school program at our new location. 

What the Board is Working On
We are in the midst of our search for our senior leader. We recently changed the title from Senior Administrator to Head of School to more accurately reflect the seniority and scope of the role. Please continue to pray as we work to find God's person for the job, and share the job description with your networks!

In the next few months, the board will solidify our budget for the next school year. This will be presented at our Annual Meeting in September.

Board succession continues to be an important pursuit. We are specifically looking for individuals with human resources/administrative, teambuilding, leadership, pastoral, or fundraising experience. If you would like to nominate candidates for the board, please fill out the form found HERE.

Thank you all for your love and care for Lititz Christian School! I trust your days are warm and bright. 

March 30, 2022

Operations Update

- by Ryan McCracken Senior Director of Operations

Operations Update
As you can imagine we are working through many tasks related to our transition. One of the big items we have recently worked through is the security for the new building and meeting with ESCO Security to share our needs and plan out a course of action for those needs. The quote that we received from ESCO to complete this work to ensure that our building will be a safe and secure learning environment was $23,750. This number was presented to us within the last week or so. Just today we were made aware that we will be receiving funds from a safe schools grant that we applied for and the amount of money they awarded to us for this grant was $23,750!
What a tangible example of how God continues to go before us in this time of transition. We are so thankful for his provision and faithfulness to us. Thank you for your continued prayers for Lititz Christian and rejoice with us for this great blessing we have received!

March 28, 2022

Operations Update

- by Ryan McCracken Senior Director of Operations

Athletics Update

Intramural Sports:
After a busy and successful winter basketball season, we have switched gears to our elementary students with the start of our intramural basketball season. We have the privilege of working with 40 elementary students on a weekly basis to help them improve their knowledge and skills in the sport of basketball. This special opportunity also allows our older students a chance to help coach and interact with their younger peers. If you are an elementary family and you desire to be a part of our intramural program, there is still time this year to take place in intramural soccer this spring. Please continue to look for emails providing you with dates for our upcoming soccer season.

Coaching Needs:
The Athletic Department has three major high school coaching vacancies as we move forward into the 2022-23 school year. Please feel free to pass on this information to anyone you believe may be a great fit for our organization in this role. Interested candidates can email me at ryan.mccracken@lcstaff.net.
     Varsity Girls Volleyball Head Coach
     Varsity Girls Basketball Head Coach
     Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach

Varsity Sports Banquet:
Families of HS athletes should be reminded that our annual end of year banquet will take place on Friday, May 13, 2022 in the auditorium. More details will follow in the weeks ahead, but please mark your calendars for this special event.

March 22, 2022

Education Update

- by Allyson Harmon Senior Director of Education 

Lititz Church of the Brethren Visit
Over 330 members of the Lititz Christian community visited our new home at Lititz Church of Brethren last Thursday evening.  The overall feeling was excitement, and families spoke positively about the new space. We are excited about the space that God has blessed Lititz Christian with during this time of transition.  

Update to Graduation Requirements
The administration has been reviewing graduation requirements over the past few months in response to our desire, as well as parents' and students', to create greater personalization and flexibility in the courses required for students to graduate.  It is our intent to provide a strong program that also provides opportunities for students to choose classes that fit their interests and future career goals.

The changes to our graduation requirements are part of a larger initiative to create flexibility and personalization in high school that is required to remain relevant. This work will continue and will include building new courses based on student feedback, increasing opportunities for dual credit classes, and increasing opportunities for senior options including internship, apprenticeship, and work-study programs. It is important to us that we revisit our graduation requirements regularly to ensure that we are meeting our students’ needs and also remaining competitive with other local schools in our course offerings. 

The updated graduation requirements were approved by the Lititz Christian School Board during the March meeting. 

Graduation Requirements for Lititz Christian School as of 2022-23 School Year: 
To graduate from Lititz Christian School, a student must successfully complete the following graduation requirements approved by the Lititz Christian School Board.  All students must complete a minimum of 26 credits.  

March 14, 2022

Advancement Update

- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement

We are at the height of our re-enrollment season and it has been busy at LCS! We’ve had plenty of inquiries,tours, shadows, and events in the last few weeks. It is important for you to submit your child’s enrollment packet as soon as possible. We are using the re-enrollment numbers to place classrooms in the new building.

Speaking of the new building, we are eager to have our LC family visit our space at LCOB on March 17 from 5:30 to 7:30. This is a drop-in event. As of today, there will be over 260 people attending. Join us for cookies and a self-guided tour. Board members, the senior administrative team and several staff members will be present that evening along with several representatives from LCOB. This is not a required event for our faculty. Please keep your children with you as you tour the building. You can RSVP for this event here.

Mark your calendars for Fete en Bleu on May 7! This event is new for us and will be held in lieu of our spring gala. Time with our community members will be used to launch the public phase of our capital campaign! We will enjoy dinner and dessert together and host live and silent auctions that day. Please click here for more information.

As always, the Advancement Team is looking forward to seeing you at these events!

March 10, 2022

Board of Education Update

- by Dr. Jeff Gerard, LC School Board Chair

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Once again, we marvel at the faithfulness of the Lord! Lititz Christian School received approval from the Lititz Zoning Hearing Board to use the Lititz Church of the Brethren building as a school, the Lititz Borough Police Department approved the traffic flow plan, athletic venues for practices and games are being secured, and plans for renovations are being finalized. In the midst of our grieving the loss of a portion of our ELC, we are hopeful that God has a wonderful new temporary home for us at LCOB. This progress is nothing short of a miracle – a true gift from the Lord – and a testament to the hard work of LCS staff, and transition and relocation subcommittees. 

Our administration is amazing, resilient, and hard working. When you see them, please thank them for their sacrifice for our children.

What to Know for the Next Academic Year
As you know, the deadline for reenrollment for the 2022-23 academic year is April 1. We are already seeing encouraging numbers of families returning! The kindergarten class is seeing expected enrollment that exceeds the last 7 years. Praise the Lord!

LCOB and LCS are excited to welcome all LCS families to a drop-in at LCOB from 5:30-7:30 pm on March 17. LCOB is located at 300 W. Orange Street, Lititz, PA. Renovations will be completed over the summer to make the building school-ready, but families are invited to tour now and see how God has provided.

Plans for our athletic teams are progressing. Ryan McCracken and the athletic department have identified a number of possibilities for game and practice locations, and the local community has been incredibly generous to us! We will be able to use LCOB for volleyball and basketball practice, and will be able to share locations for soccer practice and games and volleyball and basketball games soon!

Staffing Update
Senior Administrator: The search committee will begin interviewing the first round of candidates this week. Please continue to pray over the process, for the search committee, board, and candidates.

Teachers: We will be looking for educators for the following roles:
PT music
FT HS science
FT MS science
PT Technology

The roles are posted here. Please share these roles with your networks – your families, churches, small groups, and friends. If you would take a moment to post on your social media, that would help reach a broader audience!

February 28, 2022

Operations Update

- by Ryan McCracken, Senior Director of Operations

February 21, 2022

Board of Education Update

- by Dr. Jeff Gerard, LC School Board Chairman

February 14, 2022

Advancement Update

- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement

February 07, 2022

Search Committee Update

- by Dr. Jeff Gerard, LC School Board Chairman

January 31, 2022

Operations Update

- by Ryan McCracken, Senior Director of Operations

January 24, 2022

Advancement Update

- by Ryan McCracken, Senior Director of Operations

January 17, 2022

Advancement Update

- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement

January 11, 2022

Education Update

- by Allyson Harmon, Senior Director of Education

Dec 27, 2021

School Board Update

- by Dr. Jeff Gerard, School Board Chair

Dec 20, 2021

Advancement Update

- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement

Year-End Giving,
the Capital Campaign,
and Hope

Greetings from the Advancement Office! Our team works tirelessly to raise money for our Annual Fund (which provides money for our current operating costs), and our Relocation Fund (which provides money to transition to LCOB and beyond). We have been successful in meeting our Annual Fund’s mid-year markers and are encouraged by your generosity! You should have received a postcard and/or an email about year-end giving. Now is the time to give in order to receive the tax benefit for the 2021 calendar year! 

The hot topic amongst the members of the Advancement Team is the impending capital campaign which will feed our Relocation Fund! This is a new endeavor for us and we are energized by this challenge! Lititz Christian School will need several hundred thousand dollars to relocate to Lititz Church of the Brethren(LCOB) and then several million for our eventual permanent home. Generally speaking, capital campaigns take 3-5 years to run and have two phases. The Quiet Phase is a time of pre-planning, planning and soliciting large gifts. The Public Phase, which will be opening soon, is the time period where general donations are encouraged and accepted. 

The public phase of our capital campaign will be launched at the beginning of the new year. Numerous gifts have been made to our restricted Relocation Fund already. This money will be used in the immediate future to move our school to LCOB over the summer. As the board mentioned in their post last week, details are forthcoming. Stay tuned! We invite you to give a gift to the restricted Relocation Fund HERE or by reaching out to our donations coordinator, Nicole Hurst, at nicole.hurst@lcstaff.net.

2021 has been a year of transition, resilience, and hope. Our lives at Lititz Christian School have taken several unexpected turns since the spring. We continue to look to God for guidance in our transition and with gratitude for His blessings. Our enrollment continues to grow and our fundraising markers continue to be met. We thank you, our treasured community, for continuing to lift us in prayer, greet us with smiles, provide encouraging words, and embrace the changes that are coming in 2022.

I wish each of you the merriest of Christmas seasons and a new year filled with hope! We look forward to working with you to continue to build a bright future at Lititz Christian School and Early Learning Center!

Dec 13, 2021

School Board Update

- by Dr. Jeff Gerard, School Board Chair 

• Relocation
• Capital Campaign
• Search for Senior Administrator

There are a number of critical projects the board is tackling. Our top three priorities include: relocation, the upcoming capital campaign, and the search for a senior administrator.

Relocation
Since April, we have been focused on finding a temporary home for LCS. In September, Lititz Church of the Brethren(LCOB) voted to provide that home for us – what an absolute blessing! Now, we are preparing to relocate our materials, furniture, classrooms, students, faculty, and staff. We have assembled a transition team to manage the logistics of the move, including working closely with LCOB’s transition team, communicating where classrooms will be, how the space will be used, and opportunities to tour the new space in the spring. There is much work to be done and there will be opportunities to help us move! Please stay tuned for future communication and updates on the transition.

It’s Coming! Lititz Christian School Capital Campaign!
There are significant costs associated with relocation. In order ensure Lititz Church of the Brethren’s building is prepared for both the ELC and the K-12 school, there are adjustments that need to be made to the infrastructure of the building. Specific costs will be outlined in the new year and we will be launching the public phase of our capital campaign. By God’s grace, we already have financial commitments beyond what we could ask or imagine. And we are excited to invite you into this opportunity to partner with LCS as we continue to provide a biblical academic education which prepares students to honor Jesus Christ in scholarship, vocation, and lifestyle.

Search for Senior Administrator
As we continue to praise the Lord for our new space, we believe that the new year is the time to launch our search for a senior administrator. In our next update, we will share the names of the search committee, which will include three board members, a parent, a student, and a faculty member. The search committee will be responsible for designing the search timeline, candidate profile, and communication plan. We will source, vet, and interview candidates to present to the board, and then introduce the new administrator to the LCS community. We are excited to see who the Lord will raise up in this season and are committed to pursue the search with excellence.

With gratitude and warm wishes for your Advent and Christmas season,
Jeff Gerard, LCS Board Chair

Nov 29, 2021

Operations Update

- by Ryan McCracken, Senior Director of Operations 

We trust that you all had a Happy Thanksgiving with loved ones and are eager to return to “normal” here at school for a few weeks before Christmas. As Mrs. Urquhart so eloquently wrote last week, we have much to be grateful for here at Lititz Christian! As a school we are extremely thankful for each of you and the committed partnership that you have forged with us here to prepare your children for a life of service to God.

Here are a few cool things happening in the life of Lititz Christian that continue to remind us of God’s faithfulness. In the last couple of weeks, Lititz Christian signed a lease for 10 storage units that are free of charge to the school for the next 3.5 years as we look to store necessary items for both the short term and items that will be utilized in our future forever home. Another way God has blessed us is by providing a dumpster for us free of charge as we look to purge items that will no longer be needed as we move on from our current building. Dumpsters and storage units are two small ways that we have seen God’s provision and blessing, and we are encouraged to see how God will continue to go before us as we follow his leading for Lititz Christian School. 

We thank each of you for your continued prayers and for being the hands and feet of Christ as we look forward to working with many of you in the process of embarking on our physical move in the coming months. There will be plenty of opportunities to help and serve this spring, so please be on the lookout for more details if you desire to help us in this way.

Nov 22, 2021

Gratitude Update

- by Anna Urquhart, High School English Teacher and all-around great author

Textbooks and Memories: A Faculty Reflection

Amidst the whorl of end-of-quarter grading and parent-teacher conferences, LC faculty and staff have started packing. Empty boxes sit like listing ships in offices and classrooms, waiting to be filled with the accoutrements of education: Algebra 2 texts and copies of Hamlet, microscopes and Spanish workbooks, file folders and petri dishes. 

As we box up our professional lives, I have heard myriad emotions voiced by so many: sadness, excitement, uncertainty, eagerness, frustration, hope. Yet, the prevailing theme rising from it all is gratefulness. As we look forward to Thanksgiving, it seems fitting to acknowledge just a few of the things for which we are grateful. 

We are grateful for our school. What a legacy we have. Pastor Young asked the Lord for a building, and the Lord provided. Today, we have hallways filled with children. Classrooms filled with truth and learning. Meetings and conferences filled with prayer and passion. We have asked the Lord again for a building, and again the Lord provided. 

We are grateful for Lititz Church of the Brethren. The incredible kindness and grace they have evidenced as they open their doors to us is breathtaking. Their hospitality bespeaks a deep, vibrant love for Christ and the work He is doing. It leaves us inspired and eager to share with them in continuing the work of living out Christ’s love for the world.

We are grateful for our community. Boxes and storage units, strong backs and willing hands; incredible generosity has been shown by parents, grandparents, sponsors, local businesses, and even strangers who heard about the needs of our school and responded. Already boxes have been loaded into trucks and moved to donation centers or into storage; and as Ryan McCracken will tell you, those boxes are HEAVY. Weighted with textbooks and memories, lab equipment and hope; we are even now on the move because of all that the Lord and this incredible community have provided.

We are grateful for each other. There is such ebullient camaraderie amongst the faculty and staff. We are both colleagues and friends. We listen to each other, laugh together, support each other, teach each other’s children, share meals (and cup after cup of coffee) together, meet weekly (sometimes daily) to pray for each other. We align our curriculum and our spirits, focused on the goal of bringing truth-filled, Christ-focused instruction to our students. What a gift these amazing people are.

We are grateful for the Lord’s strong, sovereign hand. He has carried us through difficult years, continues to direct our steps, and repeatedly fulfills His promise to “equip [us] with everything good that [we] may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever” (Heb. 13:20).

With overwhelming gratitude,
The LC Faculty & Staff

Nov 15, 2021

Education Update

- by Allyson Harmon, Senior Director of Education

Last week the Early Learning Center reached its highest enrollment.  We currently have 200 children enrolled in the center. Most of the Early Learning Center classrooms have a significant waiting list.  We praise God for all these little ones He has brought to us and are grateful for our role in their early childhood development.  

The Early Learning Center began weekly chapel services for the children last week. It was an incredible morning with toddlers through pre-kindergarten students worshipping together.  We sang songs and listened to the Bible story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10.  The children enjoyed reenacting the story.  ELC chapel time will take place on the first Thursday of each month.

We are looking forward to incorporating our high school students into these chapel services.  Our campus pastor and high school Bible department will work with high school students who desire to share a message during ELC chapel.

Nov 08, 2021

Advancement Update

- by Niki Cadwaladar, Senior Director of Advancement

EXTRAGIVE means GIVE EXTRA !

Lititz Christian School will be participating in Lancaster County Community Foundation’s Extra Ordinary Give on Friday, November 19! This is one of our largest annual fundraisers and we are excited to present an online parody of “Dude Perfect” that day. Not familiar with “Dude Perfect”? Check it out on YouTube. It’s friendly, family fun! A special shout out goes to our 2020 alum, Isaiah Lapp, who spent hours recording our antics and editing the videos for you to enjoy that day. Another shout out goes to our dedicated teachers and staff who are willing to make themselves look foolish in order to show their support and love for Lititz Christian School!  Be sure to LIKE us on Instagram and Facebook so you can watch our faculty and staff participate in some “unfortunate” activities on November 19.
Money raised during the ExtraGive goes directly into our annual fund. Our annual fund is used to offset operating expenses. To view our ExtraGive profile and donate on November 19th, click here! 

The success of Lititz Christian School is attributed to many, especially our givers! We are blessed by all of you, whether you offer prayer, resources, words of encouragement, financial gifts or your time, THANK YOU! You are making an impact. Visit the LC Support page today to make a donation outside of the ExtraGive or contact Donor Relations Associate, Nicole Hurst at nicole.hurst@lcstaff.net to give a gift.

Nov 05, 2021

School Board Update

- by Jeff Gerard, LC Board Chair

I was recently reminded of how much life seems to change sometimes.  There are good changes, like the cooling colors of autumn and the bright hope of a new home for LCS at Lititz Church of the Brethren. There are difficult changes like COVID-19 pandemics, mandates, and societal unrest. Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that though the world is full of changes, Christ will be the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His character, promises, and work are always reliable and true.  In a world defined by change He provides a place of peace, confidence, and rest.  As we face the change in location at Lititz Christian School, let us be completely confident in God's unchanging love and care for our families and our community. 

We are excited that our board is now complete with 9 members. Please see Lititz Christian’s Board of Education page for profiles. Our new members bring expertise in education and culture building.  We look forward to serving with them in the coming years.

Our work as a board now turns to establishing a new temporary home at the Lititz Church of the Brethren. The lease will be completed shortly. We are already in discussion with the Lititz Borough and a general contractor so that we can understand and implement the modifications necessary to safely and effectively house our school there. This process will include enhanced security, additional IT infrastructure, the addition of modular classrooms, and the need to retrofit each classroom, particularly for the ELC, to accommodate the needs of our children.

This month also brings one of our biggest annual fundraising activities: The Extraordinary Give held on Friday Nov19. Please join us as we support Lititz Christian School and continue to educate our children in the nature and admonition of the Lord.

Even in this season of change, some things remain the same. God and His love still hold us up, the teachers and staff at LCS are still fantastic, and there is much to be thankful for.  Blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oct 25, 2021

Operations Update

- by Ryan McCracken, Senior Director of Operations

Athletics Update
Late October is always a busy time in our athletics program as we prepare for our annual deep postseason run for our Varsity Girls Volleyball team. This year is no exception as the girls went 18-2 this Fall and secured the top seed in both the League and District playoffs. Here are some details with some upcoming opportunities to support our girls. We hope to see many of you at the games.

   CCAC Semifinal:  Wednesday, October 27 4:30pm at Lititz Christian School (Admission is $5 for all).

  District Quarterfinal: Tuesday, November 2 at 7:00 pm at Lititz Christian School (Admission is $6 for all).

Spiritual Life Update
We have wrapped up our first chapel series, “Who am I”, where our chapel speakers talked about our Identity in Christ. This week in chapel, the student-led chapel leadership team will facilitate small groups as the students discuss and process through what they have learned and how it will impact their walk with Christ. We count it a great privilege to partner with our families to help our students learn and grow in their Christian walk with the Lord. 

Oct 18, 2021

Education Update

- by Allyson Harmon, Senior Director of Education

One of the things we missed last year was the ability to take field trips.  We are excited about providing off-campus trips and experiences for our students this school year.  Field trips offer an opportunity for students to touch, feel and listen to what they are learning about in the classroom.  These experiences help students build on classroom instruction, better understand topics, and make connections to their classroom learning.  

• 11th and 12th grade students had the opportunity to visit the Renaissance Faire.
• 8th grade students traveled to Hershey.
• 6th grade students visited local points of interest in Lititz.

We are also excited about our middle school and high school students’ opportunity to participate in a service project at GAIN this coming week.  The students will prepare humanitarian supplies for shipment to people in need around the globe. Students will sort and pack new and used clothes and shoes and other critical aid items. International partners working in the toughest places on earth will use these items to express the kindness of Jesus to the people they serve. 

Oct 12, 2021

Advancement Update

- by Niki Cadwalader, Senior Director of Advancement

Our donors are inspiring! LCS is in the midst of transition and our donor base has been faithful and generous. Our annual fund goal is to raise $250,000 by June 30, 2022.  Over $62,000 has been raised in the first three months of our fiscal year. This is right on track for success!

We continue to look for new ways to request donations, especially for our Sponsor a Day fundraiser. Help us bridge the gap between revenue and expenses by making a one-time donation through our Sponsor A Day calendar!  Honor, celebrate, or remember a special person or date in your life!  Sponsor a Day and donate the dollar amount for your selected date!  When all dates are sponsored we will raise $66,795.00. Visit our website here. You make a difference. We continue to be blessed in many ways and look forward to a future filled with promise and hope!

Sept 30, 2021

School Board Post

- by Jeff Gerard, LC Board Chair

Member Meeting Update
Greetings Lititz Christian School members!  This blog is coming to you four days early so we can share some good news with you. 

Relocation Update
It was a pleasure to see many of you on Tuesday evening in-person or virtually. It was a great night celebrating what God is doing at Lititz Christian! We want to update those of you who were unable to attend the Member’s Meeting.  On Sunday morning, members of the administration and the school board presented a plan to the congregation of Lititz Church of the Brethren to lease their facility for 3 years. We are excited to announce that the congregation responded positively and voted to approve a 3-year lease of their building starting July 1, 2022.  

At Tuesday’s Members Meeting, Rachel Weaver, the board's vice-chair, shared the following about our experience with LCOB, "Let me tell you a little bit about our experience with the leadership team at Lititz Church of the Brethren. In a time when we were uncertain what the Lord would provide or where He would lead, when we were feeling the intense pressure of where our kids might learn and be discipled, where our teachers would teach… Pastors Eric and Jim opened the doors and welcomed us in. With their leadership team and congregation, they showed incredible kindness to us. They asked hard questions and so did we. They prayed for us, and we prayed for them." 

 The Lord has shown us a miracle and answered our prayers.  We are excited about this partnership and covet your prayers as we continue to work through zoning, traffic studies, and logistics. 

Financial Update                                                                             

We’d like to start off our financial update by highlighting our journey over the last few school  years. In 2019 we started off the school year with our highest enrollment in 10+ years with 414  students in ELC & K-12 programs. We were on pace to have our best financial year prior to  COVID shut down and our shift to online learning. For our 2020-21 school year budget we anticipated losing students due to the COVID impact. We had  349 students enrolled for the school year. This was down 65 students and was much lower than our budget had estimated. PPP funds were an answer to prayer and helped us to continue the school year without a drastic impact on programming. For the 2021-22 school year we have seen enrollment grow and we are up to 394. This is currently 7 students more than what was budgeted and an answer to prayer! 

2021-2022 Budgeted Revenues & Expenses 

Election Results      
Each of the five board member candidates was elected to serve on the LCS board. These are Marcia Brenner, Justin Harbin, Faith Kreider Evans, Jeff Gerard and Rachel Weaver.  Congratulations to our newest additions and welcome! May you find your work here to be fruitful.

Future of LCS
We are excited about what is ahead for LCS. The Lord's provision and your faithful support have helped us to be in a strong financial position as we look ahead to relocation. We are also excited as we look to develop our plans for a permanent home!

Sept 20, 2021

Education Post

Sept 09, 2021

School Board Post

Sept 27, 2021

Operations Post

Lititz Christian athletic teams are off to a fast start this Fall with a combined record of 18 wins to only 8 losses. And, believe it or not, after a full slate of games this week, we will be at the halfway point of the Fall season. Thanks to the many of you fans who have come out to support our Eagles in action this season. As a reminder, game schedules for all teams can be found in the Athletics section of the LC website or by visiting www.ccaconferencepa.org. We are looking forward to a successful second half of the season and value the relationships and life lessons that will continue to be learned through sport at Lititz Christian School.

A reminder that our Homecoming Celebration is coming up in October. The initial event will be a high school dance(gr9-12 only) that will take place in the school gymnasium on Saturday, October 9 from 7:00- 9:00 pm. The cost for this event is $15 per person. Checks can be made payable to Lititz Christian School and payment should be received in the school office by Friday, October 8. More details are to come for those attending the event. We will also do a school wide celebration later on in the school year in lieu of a large community and school wide homecoming celebration this Fall. In addition, we will host our previously rescheduled game night. Game Night will be open to all middle and high school students at Lititz Christian and will take place on Friday evening, October 15th.

Finally, tomorrow night, Tuesday, September 28, is our school board led annual members' meeting. You will not want to miss this time together as a school family.  Prior to the meeting, an email will be provided with the virtual link. Whether you join virtually or in person, we hope to see you there at 7pm.

Sept 14, 2021

School Board Post

August 30, 2021

Advancement Post

August 23, 2021

Operations Post

August 16, 2021

Education Post

August 9, 2021

Advancement Post

August 4, 2021

SCHOOL BOARD POST

Nehemiah 2:10 says, "O Lord, let your ear be attentive ... to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant(s) today."  This is Nehemiah's prayer as he prepared to embark on the relocation of Israel to Jerusalem. This is our prayer as we seek a new home for Lititz Christian School.  After all, LC is God's work.  He will prosper it according to his plan!

Our most recent board meeting was full of excitement about the future of our school. Our staff is made up of excellent teachers ready to educate our children in the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our fundraising and enrollment is off to a great start as God blesses us with His favor.  This is going to be a great school year! Please continue to pray during this exciting time of transition.

Below you'll find more about the board's focus and progress in the last few weeks, as well as LCS’s process for board nominations.   I am looking forward to seeing you on August 20th at Back to School Night!

This update includes: 
     - Board Elections
     - Relocation Update   
     - Enrollment & Fundraising Update

One of the important things LCS members do is nominate and vote for board members. As a reminder, this September, 3 terms will end and we have 2 open seats: one to replace Cindy Socha-Gelgot, who ended her term early, and one to fill a seat that has been open since 2020. Please see below for board terms.

One of the pieces of feedback we received through our listening activities earlier this year was the need for better transparency, especially in the area of board membership. This accountability is important for our school and at the last board meeting, we reviewed our process for membership and are happy to share that process here . The process includes a nomination form, which can be found here.

*An update on the slate of board candidates will be shared soon.

Relocation Update
This is an exciting time! The relocation subcommittee has identified a property that checks many of our boxes. They are doing final due diligence before moving forward with an offer. Once that happens, we’ll be able to share more details, which we’re very excited about doing in the near future!

Enrollment & Fundraising Update
We are praising God! Due to His grace and the incredible work of the admissions team, K-12 has surpassed their initial enrollment goal of 187 by 5 for a total of 192 students enrolled to date. Additionally, the ELC has 174 enrolled and is currently putting students on a wait list.

Our fundraising efforts also continue to progress. Thank you to those who have already partnered with us. Your contributions impact the success of Lititz Christian School’s mission to prepare students to honor Jesus Christ in scholarship, vocation, and lifestyle. Please consider partnering with us through our Sponsor a Day calendar fundraiser or contact Nicole Hurst at nicole.hurst@lcstaff.net for more information.

July 26, 2021

Operations Post

July 19, 2021

Education Post

July 12, 2021

ADMIN POST

July 05, 2021

BOARD POST

We trust you are having a wonderful summer and had a great weekend celebrating our nation’s independence. Thank you for continuing in prayer for our school, teachers, and students during this time of transition. Please see below for some updates.

What the Board is Working on:
As we move toward the fall, one of the important things school members will be asked to do is vote for board members. This September, 3 terms will end (Jeff Gerard, Rachel Spier Weaver, and John Connell). We also have 2 open seats, one to replace Cindy Socha-Gelgot, who ended her term early, and one to fill a seat that has been open since 2020. In our board meeting on July 19, we hope to appoint 2 people to the open seats. Those folks will complete the term of the seat they are filling, so one will be voted on in September and the other will be up for election in 2023. In August, we will share their names, along with the plan for the 3 board members whose terms are ending.