DeKALB – Preschoolers at Little Lambs Preschool of Immanuel Lutheran Church in DeKalb recently got to spend time connecting with each other to celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week.
The preschoolers joined nationally with more than 180,000 individuals in 1,854 schools and a staff of 21,312 teachers in 35 districts to celebrate the weeklong celebration in January. The programs focused on the importance of education in a loving Christian environment for children and their families, according to a news release.
The theme for the 2023–2024 school year celebration is “Connected,” inspired by John verse 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches.”
![Students from Little Lambs Preschool of Immanuel Lutheran Church in DeKalb got to celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week in January by inviting a special guest to join them at school, singing songs in chapel and enjoying a special brunch where they got to create cards to give to area nursing home residents.](https://www.shawlocal.com/resizer/taGE9WUlsPjWkD5SLKQp83w7Kpw=/1440x0/filters:format(png):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/OUFZGKZCHVE7VMBVZTXZ3DX24E.png)
“The theme ‘Connected’ emphasized the importance of staying connected to God and to one another when we face challenges and difficulties and when we share in joys and triumphs,” Little Lambs staff wrote in a news release. “It encourages Lutheran schools to continue to cultivate an environment of faith, love and fellowship, where students can learn, grow and thrive.”
As part of the week’s programming, students collected items for children in the foster care system, with plans to donate to CASA DeKalb County and DeKalb Youth Services Bureau.
In keeping with the theme, students also completed a home project showing how many people they’re connected to. The posters were used to make a larger display in the church entry, according to the release.
During the week, theme “Connected to the Spirit and His Fruitful Gifts” focused for two days on kindness, where a student invited a special guest to attend class with them making a photo frame. The students and guests attended chapel together and snacked after.
![Students from Little Lambs Preschool of Immanuel Lutheran Church in DeKalb got to celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week in January by inviting a special guest to join them at school, singing songs in chapel and enjoying a special brunch where they got to create cards to give to area nursing home residents.](https://www.shawlocal.com/resizer/zfcZunztiaE1-7dWJ7BB2H8pt-Y=/1440x0/filters:format(png):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/RN3G7IO6YFBOHISPI5BGUHLVCM.png)
The week concluded with the theme “Connected to the Church,” where students created a video of them singing their favorite songs, which was shown during church worship Jan. 28.
Little Lambs Preschool incorporates fun, education and spiritual activities, according to the news release. Classes include discovery, group work, worship, music, art, academics, motor activities and snacks. Preschoolers also work on their kindergarten readiness skills using guidelines of area school districts.
Little Lambs Preschool is open to all children and their families regardless of religious affiliation, and is licensed by the State of Illinois. Little Lambs was chosen as the DeKalb County Finest for 2023 in the category of Preschool. The school is affiliated with DeKalb County Coordinated Childcare, which offers tuition assistance for families who qualify.
Community registration opens this week for all. Families are invited to visit online at www.LittleLambsDeKalb.org or call the office at 815-756-6669 for more information or to schedule a private tour.