Zion Lutheran School Litchfield, IL

Zion Lutheran School exists to provide academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment.

The school exists to share the Law and Gospel with students, families, and others who come in contact with the school so that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, they may know Jesus as their personal Savior, and may lead God fearing lives.

As an important ministry of Zion Lutheran Church, the school is committed to share the love of Jesus in a caring way, offering people help, hope and healing in Him.

The vision of Zion Lutheran School is to become a school that draws families and students to Christ through the Gospel and provide an educational opportunity of excellence and leadership.  The school seeks to expand services from its present preschool, grade school, and junior high school into an early childhood program and before and after school care.

Zion Lutheran School is represented by students of many faiths.  Approximately 50% represent over 12 other congregations and some students do not have a church home.  Because we are a Lutheran School, Zion teaches what Lutherans believe.

We believe:

That the Bible is the source and basis for our beliefs. (2 Timothy 3:15-17)

That we accept people of all faiths. (Matthew 22:39)

That you are saved only through faith in Jesus Christ.  (John 3:16)

That God is Almighty and a loving creator of everything and everyone. (Genesis 1:1)

That there is One God, represented in three persons (The Trinity).  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

That God is a Judge who requires us to fulfill His Law perfectly. (James 2:10)

That Jesus died for the sins of all people and arose from the dead and lives today. (2 Timothy 1:10)

That man is saved through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and therefore man receives the gift of eternal life in heaven. (Acts 22:16; Luke 22:19-20)

Here is The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod web-site.

Pastor Bontke

 Pastor Jonathan Bontke was baptized April 28, 1970, the day after he was born, and grew up in Mansfield, Texas. He was confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Mansfield. In May 1993, Pastor Bontke received an honors Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas in Arlington. His major was philosophy, his minor ancient Greek. He then continued his education at Concordia Seminary and Washington University in St. Louis. In May 1997, he received his Master of Divinity degree from the seminary, and on May 21, 1999, the Master of Sacred Theology. Pastor Bontke served his vicarage at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Streator, Illinois. He was ordained, and installed as Assistant Pastor at Zion on July 18, 1999.

Sharon Cordani - Principal - 3rd Grade Teacher

Mrs. Cordani was born and raised in eastern South Dakota, baptized, confirmed and married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer.  She received a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Greenville College in 1970 and completed the colloquy program at Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois in 1993.  Mrs. Cordani has worked toward a Master's Degree at SIUE with a concentration in reading and language arts.

Mrs. Cordani began her teaching career in Witt, IL where she taught for 12 years in the areas of Kindergarten, Grade Three and Music.  While there, she started the RIF and gifted programs.  She received nomination for IL teacher of the year, was awarded honorable mention in Those Who Excel and was listed in Outstanding Young Women in America.

Mrs. Cordani is married to Mel.  They have three children and two grandchildren.  They have been active members of Zion since 1974.

Roxanne Bayer - 7th & 8th Grade Teacher - Athletic Director

Mrs. Bayer holds degrees in Elementary and Secondary Education from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska.  Later she received her Master's Degree in Administration.  She has been at Zion since the fall of 1999 serving as the 7&8 grade teacher and athletic director.

Mrs. Bayer grew up on a dairy farm in Nebraska.  She started her teaching career in rural Wisconsin and then moved to an inner-city school in St. Louis, Missouri before being blessed by joining Zion.

Her husband Mike works in Litchfield and her daughter attends Zion.  Mrs. Bayer enjoys math, crafts, and the Cornhuskers.

Jami Pryor - 5th & 6th Grade Teacher

Miss Pryor was born and baptized in central Indiana and spent the remainder of her childhood in Lincoln, Nebraska.  She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and taught at Messiah Lutheran in Lincoln for one year before moving to Litchfield and Zion in 1999.  Her call to serve Zion came in 2003 after she completed her colloquy studies through Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois.  In addition to her classroom teaching, Miss Pryor has served as the school librarian, taught an after-school Spanish class, and was recently selected for Who's Who in America's Teachers.

Miss Pryor is very active in Zion's congregation.  She has been the chairperson of the church's Board of Parish Education, taught youth and adult Bible classes, and been part of the handbell and vocal choirs.

Traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends are some of Miss Pryor's favorite pastimes.

John Schaff - 3rd & 4th Grade Teacher

Mr. Schaff holds a degree in Elementary Education from Concordia Lutheran University Irvine California.  He has been a part of Zion Lutheran for over 10 years starting in 1995 as a teacher of 4th grade.  Currently Mr. Schaff is teaching 4th grade in the morning and 3rd and 4th grades in the afternoon.

Mr. Schaff's vision for the future of Zion is to encourage more students and families to come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior through excellent Christian education from Preschool through Jr. High.  Mr. Schaff believes that Zion Lutheran Church and School are at a turning point in their history.  By the grace of God, the Lord will direct and guide their plans to carry out the Great Commission for training children in the Word of God.

Mr. Schaff has three children that are currently ZLS students, and he is married to Leandra.  He likes to do woodworking and many outdoor activities.

Elizabeth Logsdon - 2nd Grade Teacher

Mrs. Logsdon was born in Litchfield, Illinois.  She was baptized at St. Paul's United Church of Christ and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church in Dorchester, Illinois.  Mrs. Logsdon is an active member of St. John's Lutheran Church.  Mrs. Logsdon graduated from Gillespie High School in 2002 and went on to attend Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois, graduating from Blackburn in May of 2007. 

Mrs. Logsdon lives in Gillespie with her husband.  She enjoys speding time with her family and reading.

Vicki Boston - 1st & 2nd Grade Teacher

Mrs. Boston grew up in Mt. Olive, Illinois.  She spent two years at St. Paul's College in Concordia, MO.  From there she went to Concordia Teachers College , Seward, Nebraska where she graduated in 1975 with an Elementary Teaching Degree.  IN 1976, she married Ed Boston from Mt. Olive and he works as a Pharmicist for Walgreens.  Mrs. Boston has taught grades 1 through 8 and even spent some time in Pre school and Kindergarten.  She says "I've been blessed to be able to teach in Lutheran Schools in most places that we have lived.  She has been out of the classroom for 21/2 years and is excited that God had given her the opportunity to serve Him here at Zion.  Mr. & Mrs. Boston have one daughter, Jennifer, who is a Social Worker in Chicago.   

Lisa Sharp - Kindergarten

Mrs. Sharp grew up and currently resides in Staunton, Illinois with her husband Jim. She was baptized, confirmed, and married at Zion Lutheran Church in Staunton where she is an active member. She attended all of her grade school years at Zion Lutheran School in Staunton. She went to Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, where she graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. After graduating, she substitute taught for a year and a half at various school districts. In 2000, she began working at Zion as the Preschool and Kindergarten teacher. She now teaches full day Kindergarten. She is currently taking Colloquy classes in order to become a called teacher. Mrs. Sharp enjoys spending time with family and friends, taking family vacations, and going boating.

Karol DeWerff - Preschool

Mrs. Karol DeWerff is the current preschool teacher at Zion.  She resides in Nokomis with her husband David, who is a farmer.  They have four children--Eric, Kayla, Ryan, and Holly.  Prior to teaching at Zion, Mrs. DeWerff taught for 25 years as a kindergarten, preschool, and departmentalized teacher at St. Pauls Lutheran School of rural Nokomis.  She taught first grade for one year at Vision Way Christian School in Taylorville before accepting the call to Zion.  Mrs. DeWerff was born and raised in Shawano, WI. where she attended Lutheran grade school and public high school.  After graduating, she went to Valparaiso University for two years before transferring to Concordia College in River Forest, IL.  She graduated from River Forest with an elementary education degree.  Aside from her family and teaching, Mrs. DeWerff enjoys cooking, crafts, and reading.  Along with her children, she is a huge Packer, Cardinal, and Illini fan.

Rev. Fred Bergen started Zion Lutheran School in 1888. Pastor Bergen also served as the first teacher. For 18 years the school was conducted in the church edifice at Madison and Union (the present State Farm office) and for 36 years in the ground floor of the new church built on the same location.

The present church site was dedicated in May 1942. In 1947 a new two room school building was erected west of the church with a third room added in 1951. At present, two of those classrooms are used for preschool, kindergarten and grade one.

In 1962 a planning committee was appointed to define future needs of the church and school. On May 3, 1970, the groundbreaking took place. Much of the construction work was done by members of the congregation on a volunteer basis. The new educational facility and church offices were dedicated on April 30, 1972. Zion was one of the first Lutheran schools in the district to have full air conditioning. The cost of the project was $275,000, a large portion of that amount came from the Margareta Weber estate. Members of the building committee who are still members of Zion today are: Marvin Jubelt, Ed Helgen, Lorman Mansholt, Floyd Weidler, and Wayne Brauer.

Mr. Harold Repp served as teacher and principal from 1932-1971. In 1971, Philip Wenzel was called to serve as principal / teacher. When he left in 1972, Dennis Lahti became principal. In 1973 the kindergarten program was begun with Becky Lahti as the first teacher. William Lubben became principal in 1975. In 1980, Thomas Weiss accepted a call as principal / teacher. He served until August 1999. John Schaff is now serving as principal and part-time 3rd and 4th grade teacher.

The staff has grown from four teachers in 1972 to six full-time, and two part-time teachers in 2004. Enrollment has grown from 33 in grades 2 through 8 in 1937 to 108 in preschool through grade 8 at present.

Zion Lutheran School is accredited by the National Lutheran School Accreditation Commission, and also by the State of Illinois.

We are proud of our church and school. Many of the present students can say their parents and grandparents or even great-grandparents went to Zion Lutheran School. To God be the glory!

Zion’s academic program speaks for itself!  Looking back through the years, you will find that a very high percentage of our students have gone on to become top students at the local high schools.  That continues today in this year’s Senior class.

Zion students have excelled athletically as they moved into high school.  They got their start here as they learned the basics of the sports and had the opportunity to get a lot of playing time.  Nearly every LHS team has had a Zion student performing at the top level.

Zion students go on to become very successful in the work place.  We have provided and continue to provide excellence in education preparing the way for those going into various occupations and professions.

Zion students excel musically.  It is an honor to be chosen 1^st or 2^nd chair in the band section, and many former Zion students can be found in those positions.  The drama program is strengthened by the preparation we offer here.  Students perform in musicals and in school choirs.  Students are given opportunities to use their musical gifts by playing their instruments and singing during our weekly chapel services.

Zion students are well-rounded and become social leaders in their high schools.  They can be found on the student council, as leaders in various organizations, on homecoming and prom courts.  Not everyone aspires to be the leader…many play supporting roles in their chosen activities.  Students also learn public speaking skills through leadership in the classrooms and speech contests.

Zion students grow spiritually and emotionally.  They are building that strong foundation that will take them through the ups and downs of life.  We pray that they will apply what they have learned about God’s love, the sense of family, and the importance of being responsible citizens all of their lives.

PARENTS VIEW:  During this holiday season, please be sure to share with family and friends what a special school we have here at Zion.  We are thankful for our teachers and their many hours of dedication both in and out of the classroom.  The next time you attend any function at Zion, notice how many teachers are there participating.  Our teachers work with our children not only as a class, but as individuals too.  The children learn academics along with many other things.  First, our children learn values they will use the rest of their lives.  Some of the core values are good manners, being kind to others, and seeing the goodness in all people rather than pointing out the negative things.  They receive a good Christian education.  In addition, we feel that each teacher has a genuine concern for every student’s well being.  It is not uncommon for a teacher to call and check on children.  They may be sick, or it is just to make sure that our children understand a particular subject.  Next, with our small class sizes, our children receive individual attention which is beneficial to many of our children with their learning processes.  The students are held accountable for their work.  With only a few students in each class, the students have to pay attention and be ready to answer questions often.  This skill is great for them to prepare for the many challenges in high school.  Finally, people never know how much they are appreciated until you tell them.  So, the next time you see your child’s teacher, thank him or her for a job well done.

The Jeff Bergman Family

PARENT”S VIEW: We never questions where Nick would go to school.  Steve went to Lutheran schools, and we were active church members.  Many of our friends and family sent their children to Zion, so we thought we were very familiar with Zion Lutheran School.  We were wrong.  It wasn’t until we had personal experience with the school through Nick, that we realized what a true blessing Zion is.  Everyone talks about the great academic education Zion provides.  That’s true - look at the different curriculum Zion offers and the number of valedictorians and salutatorians that were Zion graduates.  Zion also provides a Christian education.  We all know that students learn the Bible stories.  They memorize Bible verses, and they are encouraged to pray for themselves and others.  These are the reasons we sent Nick to Zion

                It’s been five years since Nick began Preschool, and we now understand what we think is the most important thing Zion teaches.  Some call it character, some call it morals, some call it values - we call it changing hearts.  It’s putting God at the center of their souls.  Listen to your childrens’ conversations; look at the ways they view the world.  It’s through the eyes of Christ.  No matter what temptations or situations they may be exposed to, we believe they will make God-centered decisions about their actions.

                What Zion is teaching your children at school, and you are reinforcing at home, will be imprinted on their hearts forever.  We thank God every day for Zion and what a blessing it has been for our family.  We hope you do too.

Steve & Susie Gartner

PARENT’S VIEW: Sending our three-year-old off to school was not an easy decision to make.  In our case, we felt attending school two days a week with a small group of other three year olds would be best for Lydia.  We knew Zion would offer her a Christian education and we also know of Zion’s high academic standards.  What we didn’t expect was the sense of family and fellowship offered to us even though we are not members of the church.  Everyone has been so welcoming and kind.  I take comfort in knowing that everyone at Zion is looking out for my daughter.  In speaking with other parents of children who have been through Zion I have heard nothing but good things and now, as a parent of a child at Zion, I know why.

Tricia Kelley

PARENT’S VIEW:  Our son Michael has attended both Pre-K3 and 4 at Zion. We originally chose Zion because we were attracted to the small classroom sizes and personal attention that was shown to Michael during our initial visit to the school. While we have been very happy with his experience we have also considered the possibilities of enrolling him in a Montessori school or Catholic school for Kindergarten. At Christmas we made our decision. Our deciding factor was a result of a school field trip to view the movie, Charlottes Web. While at the movie theater I observed how considerate, supportive of one another and polite each and every student was during their arrival and departure. We believe that the teachers at Zion Lutheran School are guiding Michael to express the love in his heart. We also feel that they encourage and demonstrate wholesome values for him to emulate. We have enrolled Michael in Kindergarten at Zion, and we feel grateful that he experienced the message of Charlottes Web – opposed to the Litchfield Public Schools experience of The Grinch That Stole Christmas.

Will & Elizabeth Markie

PARENTS’ VIEW:  We thank God for Zion Lutheran School and the blessing you have been to our family and the community of Litchfield.  Thank you so much for everything.