The LuHi Pod
A podcast for LuHi students, families, and our community.
The LuHi Pod
Season 7, Ep 8 - Student Accountability with Mr Gusmus
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Dean of Students Britt Gusmus is on the podcast this week to talk about the new faces in the Dean's Office, the goal of every disciplinary interaction, and how his team points students to our mission statement and, ultimately, Christ.
Is there something you'd like to hear covered on the Pod? Send us your comments, ideas, and feedback: podcast@lhsparker.org
Our intro, outro, and segment music were written and recorded by Mr. Matt Zoeller. You can find us on most of the socials under the Lutheran High School handles.
If you have a question you want answered on the Pod, we do Q&A episodes each season! Submit questions anytime to podcast@lhsparker.org.
You can find chapters for each episode and transcripts here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2228322
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Are we on camera right now? Yes. Okay, well, for everybody who can see which is like less than half of our Okay. Hannah's about to ask me about this very visual thing, the segment of What's Up with that wacky shirt.
SPEAKER_02What's up with that shirt? I've been waiting for that shirt segment.
SPEAKER_01Here's the segment. Okay, so I'm wearing a t-shirt. It's Pajama Day at Lu High. And um I don't have pajamas and I don't wear them publicly.
SPEAKER_02Go back and see Lukewarm Take by Lukeworm Take whenever that was.
SPEAKER_01That was a long time ago. Long time ago. I felt like we got into it enough.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And uh Or maybe it was your mother-in-law who had thoughts about people in the world.
SPEAKER_01No, it was your mom. Okay. And then I had and then I agreed because I was like, I actually have a thing too. That's very similar, which mostly involves don't dress in public the way you would uh go to sleep. Yeah. That's fair. You know? Clothes make the man. Okay, so this question is. My pajama day alternative, I thought would be a time to wear my one wacky, ironic t-shirt. So this is a t-shirt and it says uh Go ahead, Hannah.
SPEAKER_02Listen up, Rizzlers. That Sigma has 67 or is it a 6'7? 6'7 aura energy, no cap.
SPEAKER_01This is how non- You are a more boomer than I am, perhaps. Thank you. Thank you. There should be a word for that, not boomers. Just muggles. I don't know.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'm I'm fine with that.
SPEAKER_01You're a TikTok muggle.
SPEAKER_02Let me try again. Okay, go ahead. Okay. Listen up, Rizzlers. This Sigma has six, seven aura energy, no cap.
SPEAKER_01There you go. What is that? What does any of that mean?
SPEAKER_02Not even a little bit of a clue.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so this it's all uh it's all like recent slang that has come out, you know, on TikTok or the internet and whatever social media that the young kids say a lot and they know what these words mean.
SPEAKER_02My kids aren't saying that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, not the super young, yeah, just the young adults.
SPEAKER_02The youths.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so uh why am I wearing this shirt? Because when else would I wear it? But why do I own it? Ms. McSpadin, the younger. Yes, McKenna.
SPEAKER_02One of the youths.
SPEAKER_01One of the youths, except she works here.
SPEAKER_02She can still be a youth.
SPEAKER_01She was my student a while ago, and now she's a uh, you know, a colleague, a friend, and a lunch duty partner.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and according to my husband, the funniest person on campus. What? Yes, he told me that. He's like, who guess who in my lunch group is actually turning out to be the funniest person on campus? And it was her.
SPEAKER_01Um it's funny because I'm in that lunch group. None taken. I know, I know. Don't worry about it.
SPEAKER_02He does he doesn't listen to the podcast. Okay, no.
SPEAKER_01So McKenna who was on the podcast not that long ago.
SPEAKER_02I'll link the episode in the show notes. Oh, yeah. It was a great episode.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but you need the subtitles because the way she speaks, she's bilingual. She says Rizzlers, she says Aura. That's true. Um, she got me this shirt as a gag gift because she sees me the way that one would see their grandpa. That's so sweet. It really is. So the message on this shirt means nothing. It's just a combination of a lot of those words all at once, in a way that a person who's trying too hard would say them.
SPEAKER_02So all the kids walking the hallway today have been like, that shirt is stupid.
SPEAKER_01One or the other, yeah. They're like, that's awesome, or take that off. Yeah. Or I think they don't always get the irony.
SPEAKER_02That's probably true. Yeah, okay.
SPEAKER_01First, let me ask you this.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_01How do you feel about uh souvenirs, memorabilia, not memories? Nostalgia connected to artifacts.
SPEAKER_02I have no need of them in my life.
SPEAKER_01At all. You're one of those? I'm one of those. Full purge.
SPEAKER_02Yes. So my husband, whenever he goes to his original home and he comes home, he usually brings a box of memorabilia.
SPEAKER_01Awesome stuff, if that's what it's labeled on the site.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And it usually all ends up in the trash can. Or to Goodwill or Salvation Army or to the Ark. I'm not, I will take it anywhere.
SPEAKER_01Any thrift store.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, whatever. Whoever wants it.
SPEAKER_01But if any three of you want to sponsor the show, oh yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01We'll only give it to you.
SPEAKER_02Yes, always.
SPEAKER_01Or we'll give it to the other two. It's probably annoying, actually.
SPEAKER_02If you're like I wonder that every single time.
SPEAKER_01Can I just go on break, please? Another person's junk.
SPEAKER_02I know. I always want to put a note inside the box of like, if you think this is crap, it probably is. Just throw it out. Like, I'm not gonna be offended.
SPEAKER_01Well, we're on a bunny trail now, but I'm gonna tell you, I bet they already know that. Yeah. Probably half of it gets thrown out. Yeah. And whenever they go, donate to the store. We save this many millions of tons per year going to the trash, going to the dump, going to the landfill. I think there's no way that's true.
SPEAKER_02Or just double that number, and that's how much stuff they actually get. Yeah, that could be. That could be. Yikes.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so how do we get into this? All right. Uh I'm kind of with you. I mean, I I feel like I have an attachment to things. Like I there's a part of me that goes, that should be preserved. And yet I'd rather have room in my house. I'd rather have clarity on my shelves and organization in my life. Because because I'm like, you know, messy, messy physical, messy mental for me. It translates. I agree. Anyway, okay, so I used to work at Denver Lutheran. Yes. Rest in peace. That's right. Denver Lutheran was a school for decades, what 40, 50 years. I should know this, and I don't.
SPEAKER_021955 was the first graduating class. So I believe it opened in 53.
SPEAKER_01And it closed in 2011. So when that when it closed and we consolidated the schools, they they just gave away all this inventory that had been sitting around. People came from everywhere. It was pretty cool. I grabbed a fair amount of stuff that I thought was cool. And then um whatever, 10 years later-ish, one day Mr. Ness said, like, hey, we're gonna do this thing. If you have Denver Lutheran stuff, wear it tomorrow because uh because Ran Brandhorse is visiting. Yes, uh that's why.
SPEAKER_02Yes, I remember that.
SPEAKER_01And suddenly I'm on this group text with all the teachers who were there and are here, and we start sending pictures of it's gonna be hard to pick a shirt because look how many I got, right? And Troy Stelling sent he'd been there longer than any of us, probably, and he sends a picture of like three totes worth of Denver Lutheran clothing. Wow. And I remember seeing that, and I got anxious, and I thought after I come home from wearing this, I'm purging it all. It all goes to the same place as Matt Buckholz's um childhood memories. Yes. But I held on to just a couple of things. Okay. And yesterday was Jersey Day, and I wore this. Okay.
SPEAKER_02It is the yellow and blue basketball jersey from the original Denver Lutheran, whose mascot was The Lights.
SPEAKER_01Feel that material. It's yes.
SPEAKER_02This is is this just straight up polyester? I don't know.
SPEAKER_01Not the kind of thing you'd ever make a jersey out of. This is a large, but it's kind of tight on me.
SPEAKER_02It's thick. It is thick.
SPEAKER_01So here's a trivia.
SPEAKER_02Twenty-two!
SPEAKER_01Twenty-two.
SPEAKER_02That was my basketball number.
SPEAKER_01That's pertinent. Okay, because um people ask me when I wear this, like, what's that from? Was that your old shirt? I'm like, man, not even close. Yeah. This is so old, it's from the year. I don't know. So this is where you guys pause the podcast and guess. Oh, okay. Guess the year. Okay. Uh welcome back. We're doing this a radio call in. No one's calling in. No one's calling in to guess the year. Okay. I so I texted someone who might know. It was an all-state basketball stud back in Denver Lutherans Heyday.
SPEAKER_02Noah shilling.
SPEAKER_01Not quite.
SPEAKER_02Oh. Joel Haywood.
SPEAKER_01Joel Haywood would match that description. But actually, I'm going further back than that generation who would know the 70s and 80s jerseys.
SPEAKER_02Uh Lauren Larbee.
SPEAKER_01Rob Sturms. Lauren Larbee, yeah, that's probably too far back.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, that's probably too far back. Rob Sturms, okay, nice.
SPEAKER_01Rob Sturms. He was a big basketballer. And so I texted him. I have his number. I sent a picture. I said, What do you think? And he goes, I think that's our jerseys from my freshman year, which would be 80 81.
SPEAKER_02Wow. That's amazing.
SPEAKER_01And he said, I'll verify on my yearbook later when I get home.
SPEAKER_02And then Wow, he still has his high school yearbook. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I still have his high school jersey. So he verified. He texted me later and said I was right. That was the 1980, 81 jersey. And by the way, the way they did it was home team, uh, or whatever, home and away were yellow and blue. And everyone had two jersey numbers, even number and an odd number. So your home really? Yeah. So all the yellow ones were even and all the blue ones were odd. That is so depending on home or away, your jersey number was either 22 or 23.
SPEAKER_02I love that story, but I've never heard of anything like that in my life. I think that's a good one.
SPEAKER_01Well, this was the 80s, barely. Almost the 70s. And all those Rizzlers were aura farming totally different than the way we do it.
SPEAKER_02That was an amazing story, and that is a great segue into our guest today who also has amazing school spirit, Mr. Britt Gusmas.
SPEAKER_01Oh, perfect. Perfect segue. That's why I did that. Yep. We planned that. Britt Gusmus is a published author. Did that come up?
SPEAKER_02It didn't, but the first time I had him on the podcast. Yep, he shared with that, and I can share his book. And he's the most passionate person on staff. Do you have anything nice to say about him?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. How many other published authors do we have on staff?
SPEAKER_02At least two.
SPEAKER_01Two? Craig Parrott.
SPEAKER_02And isn't Dr. Reader a published author?
SPEAKER_01Oh, he probably is.
SPEAKER_02I'm I'm Oh, you're thinking of Dr.
SPEAKER_01Rider. Well, uh, well, that's all we have today. Do the second one. So here's my colleague, Hannah Buckholz, the number one contributor of the year to the ARC or the Salvation Army or Goodwill or whatever. But they have her picture on the wall.
SPEAKER_02And my co-host, the only guy on staff who sleeps in pressed chinos and a sports coat. That way on pajama day, he can honestly wear chinos in a sport coat and a CPAP machine.
SPEAKER_03Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_02Hey everybody, welcome back to the Blue High Pod. Thanks so much for listening. I'm excited to have a returning guest, but it's been a minute since he's been on the podcast, so we're very excited to have him back. Mr. Britt Gusmus, thanks for being here.
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much for having me, Hannah. And yes, it has been a minute.
SPEAKER_02It's been a while.
SPEAKER_00And it's good. I I'm glad that this the Holy Spirit prompted me to come see you because I think there's topics that we can get to that'll help our community and give life to what we're doing here at Loot High.
SPEAKER_02Super relevant stuff. So let's just get right into it. Can you, for anybody who doesn't know you, which I do think most people know who you are, for anyone who doesn't know you, can you introduce yourself, your role here, how long you've been here, and just tell us about yourself.
SPEAKER_00I can do that, yes, definitely. So, yes, like you said, I'm Britt Gusmus. This is my fifth year at Lutheran High School.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And yeah, it's amazing. I mean, time just flies, and um, when your life is full, and because I do have two children here as well. And so before I get to a little bit of my family, but I am the Dean of Students, though this is my fifth year, like I said. I coach a little football as well. I'm the quarterback coach for the football team.
SPEAKER_03Awesome.
SPEAKER_00And yes, when life is full, it time flies.
SPEAKER_02Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no doubt about it. And I I have a senior here at Lou High, and I I measure, you know, time in now in my kids' lives because we're totally because we focus on them so much. And um, a huge part of my day uh in in addition to my job is is making sure my kids are doing okay and um and just getting the blessing and the gift of seeing them on a day-to-day basis. Yes, I love that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Do they ever pop into your office just to say hi?
SPEAKER_00Not necessarily. They but they do pop in, and there's one thing that they always need.
SPEAKER_02Oh, can I guess money? Yes! Bing, bing, bing. I remember those days.
SPEAKER_00Yes, yeah. One thing they always need. But regardless of that, it's good to see them when they come in. Yeah. Yes, but it is, yeah, it's not necessarily hey dad, just wanted to say hello. Yeah. Dad, I need them.
SPEAKER_02Someday you will miss that though. I think when they don't need you anymore.
SPEAKER_00There's no doubt about it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And we're all we're already kind of at that place as they continue to mature and develop into themselves and and get forging their own path.
SPEAKER_02So well, okay, topic for a future podcast. You should just come and tell us all the parenting strategies that worked for you. I would love to pick your brain about that.
SPEAKER_00We should do it. Would love to. And it is yeah, it's still very much a work in progress, but it's not unlike the kids that I am in contact with or counseling with every day. Yeah, you know, they're still teenagers.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I love that. That's amazing. So I gotta ask this question. Yeah. You are our quarterback coach. Were you a quarterback?
SPEAKER_00I was a quarterback.
SPEAKER_02You were. I was, yes.
SPEAKER_00Um, yes, I was a state championship winning quarterback, and uh obviously have a great love for the position and a great love for the game itself. Yeah and um the court the position itself has so much to it. Um so much that needs to be processed mentally, um, and then coordinating physically with what you do, um, how you see the defense, how you actually interact when there are a lot of big guys running and trying to put you to the ground. And so how do we yeah, how do we escape that? How do we stay on time, getting the ball and facilitating where the football goes on every play in like a three to four second snapshot? So it's always been very fascinating to me and and just something that God gifted me the ability to do really well.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And uh so I'm giving back and staying in the game. And so, yes, played a lot of quarterback, love coaching it. I have coached uh many young men that have gone on to play at the college level. Awesome. And yeah, so it's it's been awesome.
SPEAKER_02And you're a Colorado native, is that correct?
SPEAKER_00Um, not born here, born in Memphis, Tennessee, okay, but moved out here when I was young.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_00And so mom and dad, they took a vacation to the Rocky Mountains, they instantly got Rocky Mountain fever, and they're like, we're moving out here. So I've been out here since I was four years old. Oh, wow. And so it's, I mean, some people might give me the native status. I would. Many people would not, though. There's sticklers for that.
SPEAKER_02Well, we don't have we're not trying to ruffle feathers here. But where'd you go to high school?
SPEAKER_00So I went to Cherry Creek High School. Yes, I did go to Cherry Creek. Yep. Awesome. Yep, the the Cherry Creek connection is far and wide and vast um all around.
SPEAKER_02That's really cool. Okay, well, there have been some changes in your office over the past two years. Is that right? Two years. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Can you just talk a little bit about what's different? How's it going? Who are our new people? That kind of stuff.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And so I to start off, I when I came in, Paul Blomenberg was our assistant principal, Alicia Kitston was our Dean of Women, and then Marty Cole.
SPEAKER_02I have so much respect for both of those people.
SPEAKER_00No doubt about it. No doubt about it. And Marty Colway was our campus ministry director. And my first three years being in an office with them uh was nothing short of life-giving, yeah, spirit-led, yeah, so much expertise in that office from those three people. Yeah. And so I count my blessings every day as I sit in my chair, still in the same office, uh, but getting to learn specifically from Paul, because Paul was we were partners in the work. Um and obviously he had been doing it so much longer than I have, but we worked really well together. He taught me all that he knew. And so um, and I get to carry that over into my job. And so we and we created the four of us created a really uh a great friendship amongst us. And so it was a such a great time in my career because that was the I that was really my first full-time job as a dean of student or a a dean. I I had done an interim dean uh stretch when I worked in DPS, but this was my first full-time administrative, quasi-administrative job as the dean of students. And so I couldn't have been around a better group, a better mentor in Paul Blomenberg, and what we created in there and the life that we poured into uh kids every single day was nothing short of God's hand being on that every single day. And so it was funny. They, you know, Paul had Paul was moving on to bigger and better things in his life with his family, and then Alicia followed right behind him, and and then Marty the next year, and I'm like, where'd they go? They're all gone, they're all gone. And so it was, I mean, there was it was emotional when obviously Paul left. Um, and then Alicia followed suit. She didn't leave, she moved on to another job, which suits her so well. She does such a great job at athletics.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And then Marty shortly after that. So we I mean, we had created um we had created really strong bonds of friendship in the work that we did um and in um reference and leadership of our Lord and Savior. And uh all of that to say, um, obviously I'm still in contact with all of them, um, which is incredibly important to me because of the friendship and the bonds that we created. And um our new office now, the transition, has been phenomenal. Yeah, has been awesome. And so I uh for my part, um stepping into that mentorship role to some degree with uh Jonathan Schlecht, and then we added Darby to the office uh as well. And and so I'll and I'll tell a little story about that here in a moment. But John, and so as much as Paul and I were similar in obviously our mission, our hearts for the mission of Lutheran High School, um, how we approached it um with a with an amount of grace and authority and depth, um, Jonathan has all of those same qualities. Yes. And and him and I uh obviously have known each other since in our time here, his time in the classroom as a coach, and getting to know him. And so him and I have so many similarities as well. And so God, uh in my opinion, and I think in in everybody's opinion in in the Lutheran high school community, um, understands that God under knows where to place people and how their strengths are going to work the best. And so Jonathan has done a fantastic job transitioning into the role of assistant principal. Like I said, him and I having uh so much in common from obviously the shared mission of what we do, but athletics, football in particular, yeah, a passionate, passionate personalities um for life, for our family, uh, to see this community grow um in its relationship with Jesus and obviously uh the young men and women that uh come into our office, um it is it's all about pouring into them. And and the great thing about um our Lord and Savior in the discipline realm, uh, because discipline is not easy. Discipline can be Difficult. Yes. And when you know, when God gives you that call, that purpose, that journey, um, I feel like we are always pouring from a full cup.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Wow. It and truly, it truly is. And um, and so obviously being a little bit further down the road in the discipline area and Jonathan coming in, I could share that experience that I had and share the processes that we use. And so I think he was set up for success really, really well, obviously bringing in his traits, his experience to the position as well. But there can be a lot of tough times in that office. There um just by the nature of going to the dean's office has its own stigma for lack of a better term, its own um presentation as to you know to what kids you know think about that. And so there's a weight, there's a weight that happens when um discipline has to be administered. And yet with that, all through that, um they feel it, we can feel it. Um, and when discipline has to be part of the equation, um that weightiness gets pretty heavy.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so that in every you know, everybody can feel it. You can see it in the room, you can see it on uh young men's and women's faces. And so it is our charge, Jonathan Darby, and myself, um, to make sure that they uh feel they get in touch with, we lead them to the weight of God's grace, yeah, his love, yeah, his mercy, yeah, his um, his what he wants for their lives. And so that weight is totally different. Yeah. There is a lightness, there is a life-giving component, there is a spirit-led component, um, that the God of the universe, his son, his spirit, is truly a part of their lives. And and through discipline, which which, like I said, can be difficult, it can also be the greatest catalyst um to the weight of grace coming into their lives. Yes. And so when I got into education, um, I knew at some point I would be a dean of students or that I would be in the discipline realm. Yeah. Um, not only because of my experience as a young person, um was I uniquely qualified. That helps. Um, but but the yes, it does. But but the transformation um that God did in my life um and to see to see how that worked and what I could pass on in giving that restorative view of what of what it looks like, even in a difficult situation. Yes. And so we um through my five years, having two great teams to be a part of um has been an absolute blessing. And the so our first year would have, which would have been last year, Jonathan and I together, we we didn't have a full-time dean of women at that point. That's right. Because we were we were still looking, wanted to find the right person, wanted to make sure that God was leading us in that pursuit. And it became obvious to Jonathan and I that Darby Yuliet was already working in the school, what she brought to the table in many ways, her natural giftings and who she is as a woman of Christ, it became obvious for us quickly. Yeah, I would imagine. Yeah, and then David shared with us that it would be Darby in that position. And so it was a we were singing hallelujah. Yeah, because what females go through is different than what males go through. And so having a strong woman of Christ in that role like Alicia was was so important. Yeah, and and here we are today in year two, and I feel like our I feel like our team together right here, the communication that we share, obviously the mission which is speaks for itself, is we are rolling on all cylinders.
SPEAKER_02Awesome. That's so amazing. And absolutely, Darby is just she's a gift to this place, as all of you are. Thank you. Yeah, and I love so much about what you were saying about just the weight of grace. I was thinking of Jesus talking about taking up his yoke and how his burden is light and easy. And I just think that that is you guys in that office are demonstrating that, living that out, sh being an example of to the kids of how this actually looks, because it's not just flowery words that Jesus said at one point, he means it, and we can take that into our real life. So I love that.
SPEAKER_00Amen. And it is um that Matthew 11, 28 through 30, is one or if not my life verse. Uh because there, yeah, there was a time where my burden was really heavy.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And and when I did not know Jesus, when he was not the leader, the author, the Lord of my life, that burden was too much to bear. It is. And uh and so knowing, and you I'm so glad that you mentioned it because knowing that his burden is light and his yoke is easy, and I think it's so important for kids to understand in the discipline realm that we step into the yoke with them.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yes, I love that picture.
SPEAKER_00Right, right, we step into it right alongside of them. And and like I said earlier, the perception of going to the dean's office can be really daunting and/or hey, they're here, I'm here, I, you know, they are here to to judge me or what have you. And although judgment might be part of what's happening in that discipline process, we are still in the yoke with them. Yes, and it's and that probably is the greatest joy and satisfaction I get in the role or anything I do at Lutheran High School is being alongside of them, walking shoulder to shoulder, whether it's on the field, in the classroom, in our office. And so that is incredibly important. Yeah, and it brings the passion out in me every single time. Yeah. And especially when you see the heavy heart and know, and then hopefully pouring into them knowing, hey, this is not the end. This is this is a temporary piece of your life. This shall pass, and we are here to walk you through it.
SPEAKER_02Yes, I mean and it's not your identity, right?
SPEAKER_00100% right, and then it's another thing that had just come up. Thank you for prompting me here because we get to point to them where their identity can be found. And we are, as you know, fighting an uphill battle outside of these walls. Yeah, and so that is another piece of this job that gives me such great pleasure, joy, and satisfaction to say, yes, that is not your identity, and we are gonna show we are gonna help you show you where your identity is. And it is in one place and in one place only, yeah, our Lord and Savior Jesus. And so if you can't tell these these type of things, yes, uh, really fire me up.
SPEAKER_02I love it. And what you were saying about it being an uphill battle, I think the world also tends to say, figure it out yourself, isolate. But the picture in scripture that we see is we're a body. And so I love that this is another way that our students are seeing it. Takes a village, we are all in this together when adults and other students and coaches and everyone walk walks alongside these kids. It's a beautiful picture of how life is supposed to be because you're not supposed to do it alone.
SPEAKER_00No, you're not, no, you're not, and you're exactly right. That that idea of your time your talent, your resources grinding through to find success, all of those things, yes, is not how it was meant to be. And it can be really lonely. Oh my god. And it can be really isolating. Yes, and that is what the enemy of our souls where he wants us. He wants us to be isolated. Yes. And so the more that we can speak in to these young men and women, we can bring our in our whole staff, our whole community to it, and knowing that they and rally around them and whatever they're going through. It's not difficult. It's a variety of things. Yeah, it's a variety of things.
SPEAKER_02Yes, um 100%.
SPEAKER_00Yes, and so it is the way it was meant to be. And yes, um, I want to give a shout out to the Lutheran community. So my daughter, our daughter Izzy, um, tore her ACL this summer. Thank you. It really difficult um for her going into her senior year, and she is progressing mightily well. She is a very resilient young woman and strong young woman. And but I wanted to shout out our Lutheran community, our care team, her teachers, um, her coaches, her friends have all rallied around her to help her um and and be there just as like you talk about the body of Christ being there. Um and so we as a family, my wife Carrie and I, and Colton, our son, who's a sophomore here, we're so grateful that that we have the the community that we do, and we have a community that serves and bears with us. Yes, in this.
SPEAKER_02Oh, amen, brother. That's amazing. When a student comes into your office for a discipline reason, whether that's a big one or just something simple like dress code, what's your end goal? And then what do you want every single student to hear wh when they interact with you and your team?
SPEAKER_00And so the end goal for us in in the dean's office is to point them to our mission. So I can't tell you how many times here lately and over the course of my time at Lutheran High School is pointing them or using the phrase of our mission statement.
SPEAKER_02Oh, awesome.
SPEAKER_00To have academic excellence to grow in their relationship with Jesus. Yeah. I mean, really, it's it's no more succinct or direct than that. And to understand, too, the other big part of it would be for them to repent and walk the opposite way of the behaviors or the the reason that we're talking to them in that snapshot of a moment, yeah, impressing upon them what it looks like to make a different decision, what it looks like to to hang around people that are maybe not engaging in those behaviors or whatever they're doing, and pointing them to speaking into it. And so that growth in Christ and that academic excellence comes with a voice, a boldness, dare I say, to some degree, yeah, to say if we are about these things, we are going to stand for them. Yes, we're gonna stand for them. Yeah, and so definitely pointing them there, turning and walking away and walking towards Jesus with all that they've got and upholding who we are as a community, help, helping us nurture this community. Yeah, and so with all you know the influences that come in that we know are harmful to our kids and harmful to all of us, we are hopefully growing up leaders that are gonna say, that's not who we are at Lutheran High School. That's not only that's not only who I don't want to be, but it's who Lutheran high school does not want to be. Right. And so being courageous and bold enough to say, hey, that's not that's not who we are, whatever that looks like for that student, and to know that they are supported wholeheartedly. So, like you talked about the body and the community, they are supported wholeheartedly by our office, yes, by every adult in this place, by parents, by the extended community, when they stand up for what we are. Yeah, and so those would be the main things I that we try to accomplish with them, and understanding that they're forgiven. Yes, yes, legitimate, it is enormous, Hannah, because our flesh, our natural man or woman will go to a shameful place or I I shrink because I've done this or that, which like we talked about earlier, is not who or what their identity is, and that this decision that was made is only a temporary piece of it, and that just like Jesus did, he wiped away our sin, and we are walking in forgiveness and in the light of eternity.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_00The here and now, what we deal with in in life as it is, is really hard, but having an eye on eternity, having an eye on who Jesus is, yes, and what his ultimate goal is for all of us. Yes. And so pointing them that way, and then when they leave the office, knowing that they are forgiven, that there is another way, yeah, and that they can walk with strength and encouragement and a boldness in that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. That's beautiful and such a good message that I hope whether you end up in the dean's office or not, that every single one of our students hears. Is forgiven. It's forgiven. Yeah. And I love that you guys talk and think about repentance because I I mean the stigma in society is like repentance, like it's like a beatdown. Yeah. It's so not that. It's so not that. It's accountability, it it is the turning that you mentioned. Ownership of it is huge. Yes. And then knowing that we can change because we have the spirit and he puts the desire in our hearts to change, and then he is with us every step of the way, and he puts the people in our lives to help us.
SPEAKER_00To help us do that, no doubt about it. Yeah. And hopefully we are we are those people. Yes, I think you are. I think you're doing it in a space in their life, in a space and time in their life.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, that's absolutely f just phenomenal. And and I just hope when students leave your office, they know that repentance is in no way, shape, or form a beat down. It is a it's an invitation to to a greater life. Amen to that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00No doubt about it.
SPEAKER_02I don't want to keep you for much longer. What do you think is the most exciting thing happening at Lu High right now?
SPEAKER_00The new thing, things that God is doing. So I over the last year, Isaiah 43, 19, has been front and center in my life.
SPEAKER_02Tell us.
SPEAKER_00God is doing, so Isaiah is talking to the Israelites and he is saying to them, God is doing a new thing. It is a well is springing up. And then he asks the question, can you perceive it? And so not only can we see it physically with our new field, with the construction going on there, there is a freshness of the Holy Spirit permeating these walls. And granted, yes, school starting, all of those things is great, but I think the most exciting thing is that Lutheran High School continues to grow as the fundraiser's name says it. We are making greater impact. And I believe, I truly believe, that not only is the greater Parker community seeing it, but we're seeing it in these walls. We have professionals, we have staff, we have kids who are seeing it. And so it's our job then, which I think is really exciting, to help them perceive it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right? I love it. And so, yes, like I said, it's you know, it's not only happening in a physical way, the way the way God builds and expands, but within these walls, hearts and minds are being poured into that is tangible in who they are and their maturity. Because I get to see it in my home every day.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, that's awesome. Every day. That's a good perspective.
SPEAKER_00Yes, and so and not, and then I see it in these hallways every single day as well. And so it's really exciting for me to be a part of that and to know that we're just getting started. And there are there is more to come. And our call, our charge is to help them perceive it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, amazing. That's so this whole podcast has been so encouraging to me. Oh, I'm gonna say hopefully this is the first of many. We're gonna have to be quick. Yeah, that would be I love coming on. Yeah, and I just think you have a a very obvious passion, but also just messages that our community needs to hear. So thank you so much for your time.
SPEAKER_00You betcha.