School & Early Learning
Center Resources

Resources on this page

Click on any link to take you to that portion of the page

• National Lutheran School Accreditation

• MinistrySafe

• Employment resources:

1. Background screening

2. Calling a teacher

3. Colloquy

4. LEA & School Ministry Job Postings

5. Compensation & employment

6. Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST)

• Principal 360

• Chapel Talks 2023-2024

• Upcoming Events & Deadlines:

  1. New Teacher Zoom

  2. Early Childhood Educator’s Conference

  3. Lutherans for Life Essay Contest

• Minnesota South Lutheran Schools Map

• Additional resources: LuthEd, Lutheran Special Education Ministries (LSEM), To All Generations (TAG) grants

• Hearts for Jesus

2023 NLSA CERTIFICATES AWARDED

The LCMS is asking the pastors, teachers, and parish professionals of every District to get certified with MinistrySafe. MinistrySafe is a sexual abuse awareness training program.  Through MinistrySafe you will learn about the characteristics of an abuser, the grooming process, how to interview and screen applicants, criminal background checks, how to create handbooks and policies, and many other useful tools. The Synod is offering this program free through June, 2024 to all our LCMS churches and schools.  Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod – MinistrySafe

 To receive your free code, please contact Christina Krentz from the MN South District office at 952.250.7113 or christina.krentz@mnsdistrict.org.

LCMS MinistrySafe Notification

Please note: The information and template offered by the LCMS Office of National Mission is not intended to provide specific legal advice. This material is provided for informational purposes only. You are encouraged to contact your legal advisor, insurance provider and other experts to determine what policies and procedures best fit your congregation or school situation. No endorsement of the MinistrySafe program in these materials is implied or intended and the LCMS does not guarantee or warrant that sexual abuse will not happen, even if an entity decides to utilize the offered resources of the MinistrySafe program.

1. Resources for background screening

• Early childhood workers background studies

2. State-required background screening for K-12 teachers, coaches, & volunteers

• Minnesota Statute 123B.03

• Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

• School Hiring Authority Consent Form

3. Product & service discounts through LCMS group purchasing agreements

• AAIM Employers’ Association

• Protect My Ministry

Schools and early childhood centers should begin by contacting the Assistant to the President for Education or the Commissioned Workers Assistant to alert the District of the open call and for assistance and support throughout the call process.

Get a head start on the process by completing the Intent to Call Form (Teacher) and (if applicable) the Teacher not Returning Form.

Important documents & forms

• Call Process Outline for Commissioned Ministers

• Call Process Rubrics for Commissioned Ministers

• Calls vs. contracts for commissioned ministers

lea & lcms school ministry job oppORTUNITIES

LEA has launched Lutheran Education Opportunity Center (LEOC) – a website for Lutheran ministries and workers to post job opportunities and resumes. To do so, go here.
 
Additionally, in the last few months, Synod’s School Ministry launched the Lutheran Career Board as a place for schools to post jobs and workers to post resumes.  When you follow the aforementioned LCMS link, you should get a message about rostered workers utilizing the call process. Synod will also be vetting posts. 

A letter from President Woodford (May 22, 2023):

Revised and Updated MNS District Salary Guidelines--Rationale for the Return: 

The CPS Compensation Tool follows a corporate model of compensation responsive to the market. It analyzes what pastors are being paid across the synod (and in other church bodies, for comparison) to determine a baseline salary and then applies adjustments for ministry size and location and the pastor’s experience and education. This model is descriptive, simply indicating pastors are paid what pastors are paid. Our old district scale (like that of many other districts) was aspirational and based on the pay structure of local professionals of similar education whose experience was also highly valued, such as public-school teachers. In that model pastors are paid what other local professionals are paid.

After using the CPS Compensation Tool for four years and receiving feedback on a variety of issues with the Tool, the MNS District has decided to return to the former MNS District Salary Guidelines. They have been revised and updated accordingly and are now available for our congregations and schools to use.

Ultimately, the matter of a congregation and/or school’s compensation of its called workers is a spiritual matter. According to the scripture references in the revised and updated guidelines, these called workers should be paid in loving response to the gifts God provides through them in service to the congregation and/or school they serve.

We believe the revised and updated MNS District Guidelines provide a more salutary approach to determining compensation. At the same time, it is important to understand this is never to be done absent the scriptural basis of support and care for our called workers.

I pray these revised and updated MNS District Guidelines will assist you in the spiritual task of providing adequate compensation for your called workers.

In Christ,

updated & revised compensation guidelines

(Click on the button for a pdf of the guidelines)

Using the Educator (K-12) Compensation Guidelines, schools / centers can create compensation estimates for most positions, including teacher, assistant teacher, head principal / administrator, and assistant principal / administrator.

If you have questions or need assistance using the tool, please contact Joshua Wagner, Minnesota South District Business Manager.

EARNED SICK AND SAFE TIME (ESST) SUMMARY

"Sick and safe time is paid leave employers must provide to employees in Minnesota that can be used for certain reasons, including when an employee is sick, to care for a sick family member or to seek assistance if an employee or their family member has experienced domestic abuse." (source)

DOES MINNESOTA'S NEW LAW REGARDING PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME APPLY TO US?

We have received a number of inquiries regarding the law that was recently passed, regarding the provision of Earned Sick and Safe Time for employees in Minnesota. In short, yes, this provision will, in most cases, apply to church and school workers in the Minnesota South District as there is no religious exemption.

ELIGIBILITY

"An employee is eligible for Earned Sick and Safe Time if they:

• work at least 80 hours in a year for an employer in Minnesota; and

• are not an independent contractor.

Temporary and part-time employees are eligible for sick and safe time." (source)

NOTICING REQUIREMENTS

1. Employers need to provide employees with notice in English and in an employee's primary language by 1/1/2024 and to new hires. It also needs to be included in the employee handbook if one exists.

2. Employers need to include information about ESST hours available for use and used in the pay period on earnings statements provided to employees.

An editable template has been provided by the MN DLI. Here’s an example.

NEXT STEPS

You should read the MN Department of Labor and Industry's ESST page for more detail about rights and responsibilities. If you need more information, their excellent FAQ addresses many situational issues. Reference: Minnesota Statute on ESST

LOCAL ORDINANCES

Local ESST ordinances already exist in the cities of Bloomington, Duluth, Minneapolis and St. Paul so make sure follow the most protective law that applies to your employees.

Principal 360

The MNS District has formed a partnership with Principal 360, a new way for principals to do a professional development program that also brings great value to the Lutheran school . The purpose is to develop and implement a strategic plan for the school while the administrator is going through the comprehensive full year training and development program. The principal will be supported through the program by:

• Personalized Coaching - Leadership coaching throughout the entire program to support the application of course content, personal growth, and strategic planning.

• Five courses led by acclaimed instructors from across the country. Courses are presented in two-week modules that first help create the strategic plan and are then designed to around the implementation of the plan.

• Three in-person Meet-Ups provide members with an exclusive opportunity for face-to-face training and development with expert instructors and coaches in an open, relaxed, collaborative environment.

Lead your Lutheran schools to the next level…

Craft a Compelling Vision – Increase Engagement Elevate Academics – Grow Enrollment – Spread the Gospel

Chapel Talks

Join Esther Edwards, Michaela Harper and Al Freeman as they share, support, and encourage you in your vocation as a new(er) Lutheran school teacher! 

Esther Edwards currently teaches fourth grade at St. Lukes Lutheran School, Oviedo, FL. She began her career at Immanuel Lutheran School, Olivette, MO where she received the MACTE Outstanding Beginning Teacher Award and LEA's Outstanding New Elementary Teacher Award.

Michaela Harper currently teaches first grade at Pilgrim Lutheran School in Green Bay, WI. Michaela received LEA's 2022 New Lutheran Early Childhood Teacher Award. 

The first 15-20 minutes of each Zoom session will be time for tips, thoughts, and ideas with the rest of the time devoted to questions, sharing, and encouraging one another.  Included with the sessions is this google folder of the documents used in the sessions.

The sessions will run from 4:00 - 5:00 pm (Central) on the following dates:

April 18
May 16

Zoom link for New(er) Teacher Sessions

Lutherans for life essay contest

Every year, Lutherans for Life (LFL) encourages students to enter their essay contest. All students in Grades 6-8 and Grades 9-12 who attend a Lutheran school or a Lutheran church are eligible to participate. 

The theme, "Life Shines in Darkness," and the Bible verse, "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:4-5) must be used in the essay.

The deadline to enter is April 1, 2025.

If you have questions, please contact Virginia Flo at vflo@lutheransforlife.org

The complete rules and rubric can be found here.