Lutheran High School Freshmen and Families,
My name is Jonathan Schlecht and I am the assistant principal at Lutheran High School and also teach freshman theology. I have the privilege of coordinating the Freshman Retreat this year.
Elizabeth Hoffman, who teaches science and Women’s Christian Decisions at Lutheran, is the other Freshman Retreat coordinator! She has four years of experience as a camp counselor at Camp Lone Star in La Grange, Texas. We are both excited for the year to start and hope you are as well!
Freshman Retreat: What is Freshman Retreat? If you have not yet heard about this beloved tradition at LuHi, let me explain. Every August, at the beginning of the school year, the freshman class piles into a few buses and travels to the mountains for a retreat! This year, the retreat will be held at Camp Timberline in Estes Park, CO. The young ladies will have their full, one-day retreat on Thursday, August 21st, and the young men will have their full, one-day retreat on Friday, August 22nd. This is a true one-day event, and students will be expected to participate in their classes during the other days besides their retreat date (i.e. boys at school Thursday, girls at school Friday).
Mission: Our purpose behind the Freshman Retreat is simple. We strive to, “Gather. Connect. Experience Jesus.” The mission of this retreat is first rooted in bringing the freshman class away from the world and distractions to spend intentional time together (Gather). As they experience all the excitement of the activities, our desire is for them to be brought together as a class and to create new friendships (Connect). It is a lot easier to be yourself and to connect with others when everyone else is a freshman too! Lastly, our hope is that every student would feel fully known and truly loved by God (Experience Jesus). Our prayer is that along with the fun and excitement of this retreat, the freshmen can dive into their own faith with the teachers and the senior leaders.
QUICK INFORMATION
When: Female Students = Thursday, August 21st, Male Students = Friday, August 22nd
Where: Camp Timberline in Estes Park, CO
Cost: No cost to families!
Chaperones: A group of Lutheran High School teachers will lead the trip as chaperones—providing fellowship and oversight for the students. In addition to the Lutheran High School teachers, an elite group of LuHi senior students join us as additional small group leaders, Bible study leaders, and mentors.
Waiver 1: Every freshman will need to sign a waiver for Camp Timberline. Follow the link. A parent/guardian must fill out and submit the waiver form. It should take about 2 minutes. You will need to confirm your email address. Let me know if you have any questions!
https://waiver.smartwaiver.com/e/SthUikYtArPt2GyLsSk4Gj/
Waiver 2: Every freshman will also need to sign a waiver for Lutheran High School. Follow the link. A parent/guardian must fill out and submit the waiver form. It should also take about 2 minutes. Let me know if you have any questions!
https://form.jotform.com/251765554717163
Thank you for reading over all of this information! There will be more to come in future emails (specific times, items to bring, etc). It is our desire that this retreat provides the first of many opportunities for students to grow in their faith and closer to their new classmates. We are so excited that you are part of the Lutheran High School family and look forward to getting to know you very soon. Thanks for praying for this event in advance! Please email me with any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Jonathan Schlecht