From the desk of Sally Ruecking, our Advancement Director:
Greetings from Walther!
Thanks be to God, the 2023-2024 school year is officially underway! This year’s scripture verse is Galatians 6:9: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up.” It was chosen as a reminder to students (and teachers!) that as hard as the school year (and life in general) may get, we have a God who encourages us to stay the course and keep doing what is good. We also have a supportive Walther family who encourages one another when “not growing weary” can be a challenge.
Although the school year is new, things are already well underway. On a recent Monday, I walked around the building and grounds after school and was so pleased to see how active our students are outside of classes. We had students participating in Football, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Volleyball, Chess Club, Aura, Student Council, Drama, Choir, Tutoring, and more. It is wonderful to see our students getting so many service, leadership, and enrichment opportunities—and this was just the tip of the iceberg, outside of classes!
Things are good at Walther. We welcomed a freshmen class of 79 students this fall and continue to seek more opportunities for our students and to make improvements in our programming as well as in our facilities. Come visit at Homecoming and see what Walther looks like in 2023!
May God bless your fall!
Tim Bouman
Head of School
Dear Walther Friends,
Our students have happily returned to Walther Christian Academy, and are already busy! This year, we are welcoming nearly 300 students. It’s a joy to hear the noise in the halls and on the field again.
Our extracurricular clubs are meeting, and I am really proud of the several new students who have joined our Aura Magazine Art and Literature club. Many students are 6th graders, eager to explore their creative sides and grow their interest in writing and painting. This year, one of the students asked if we could explore a contemporary museum of art on our Spring Field trip. Working with these students is a great way for me to articulate to alumni and donors who our students are, and what their hopes are for the future. A special thanks goes out to Jeff Carnehl, who is helping to talk about Aura to his Art Club students…and is sharing his classroom with me!
I’d like to personally invite all of you who keep Walther in your hearts to join us on Friday night, October 13, for a special dinner cooked by Chef Jason DeVries. Jayson is Walther’s Facility Director and also a working chef. Our dinner will be followed by reunions, reconnecting with friends and making new ones, touring the school and seeing Walther memorabilia, and finally a concert featuring current and former students. Please join us! If you have a reunion group that would like a private classroom, please let me know and I can make the arrangements.
Homecoming Weekend is also filled with other activities: Saturday Chapel, an Alumni Softball Game and finally our Homecoming Football Game. Come and make it a Bronco weekend!
Finally, I am so grateful for the alumni and donors who financially support this wonderful school. Your gifts support each and every student who walks our halls. Would you please consider setting up a monthly donation on our website? Just $10 a month means $120 a year that we can count on for tuition assistance and more. Also, our “We Are Walther” newsletter highlights stories about our students and alumni whose lives have changed for the better, thanks to Walther Christian Academy. If you have a transformational and inspirational story you’d like to share, please let me know. I’m happy to tell your story!
Thank you for all that you do to make Walther Christian Academy successful today….and tomorrow!
Sally Ruecking
Tracy is the face of Walther to anyone who enters our building. She makes sure everyone in our building has checked in and is accounted for.
Tracy started working at Walther in 2022 but has been a part of our family for many years. She is the mother of a current sophomore and of two alumni who graduated years ago.
Tracy enjoys being a part of her daughter’s education and extra-curricular activities and feels strongly that she ensures her daughter is receiving the best education and high school experience possible.
She also enjoys being a mentor to any Walther student who needs her help and advice. We are very grateful to have her!
My name is Adriana Szczesny. I am a Native Spanish Speaker from Argentina. I have a Master’s Degree in Education with specialization in Spanish from Webster University. I have had the opportunity to work at Shedd Aquarium as an Inclusion Specialist for the Learning Department.
Before moving to Chicago, I taught middle school and high school, including teaching at Lutheran High School North in Saint Louis for 3 years. I have experience teaching Spanish III and IV classes as an Adjunct Instructor for Saint Louis University. As a native speaker, I provide an authentic and inside knowledge of Spanish culture to the classroom.
I lived in St. Louis, Missouri for 17 years, and I recently moved to Chicago. I have two daughters, Sofia and Julieta. This year Sofia is starting medical school and Julieta is studying Nutrition at UIC. I enjoy spending time with my daughters, walking with my dog, and kayaking during the summer. I have a big family living in Argentina; my daughters and I travel as much as possible to visit them. In the past, I traveled to Spain, France, and Germany with students and teachers. Last summer, I studied at SLU Madrid, Spain. It was a great experience that I like to share with my students.
Friday and Saturday, October 13 and 14, 2023
Saturday, February 24, 2024
March 22, 2024
Do you want to support Walther and leave your mark? Or, purchase a gift for someone you love?
The time is NOW to become a permanent part of Walther by purchasing an engraved paver. You can purchase one on our website by choosing the paver purchase option to honor your time here at Walther, thank a parent for sending you here, thank a teacher, honor a memory, or give recognition to your business!
The pavers are $200 each.
Walther Christian Academy is operated for the purpose of providing Christian Education at the secondary level for the families of Lutheran congregations. However, it admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, and religion to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin and religion in administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
