 For 63 years, Des Moines Christian School has been centered on the true, unchanging Word of God. The law of gravity, which establishes the resting point for the carpenter's plumb bob, was established by God. God established the plumb line of truth in His Word and will hold us accountable for any deviation from the center. Just as the carpenter dares not miss his exact vertical when erecting a wall, DMCS will not veer from our mission:
Equipping students with an excellent Biblically-directed, Christ-centered education. | |
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Plumb Line Sponsors | |
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Des Moines Christian School Foundation | |
Do you love Christian education, but are unable to give now? Leave your legacy for future generations by placing Des Moines Christian School Foundation in your will/estate plan.
Consult your financial planner or call DMCS Foundation Representative Jim Miller at (515) 440-7661 or Development Director Samona Yentes at (515) 252-2497. | |
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Contact Us
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Administration
(515) 252-2480
Business Office
(515) 252-2494
Development Office
(515) 252-2496
Early Education
(515) 252-2482
Elementary Office
(515) 252-2485
Secondary Office
(515) 252-2490
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Plumb Line is a publication of Des Moines Christian School.
Editorial content provided by:
Dr. Bob Stouffer
Superintendent
Mr Joel Veldkamp
DMCS Class of '06
Peggy Lettow
DMCS Alumni Parent
Samona Joy Yentes, Development Director
Jahna Duda
Curriculum Director
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Calendar
of Events September 3
Labor Day - School Closed September 7
New Family Tailgate September 17 Homecoming Week September 24 Fall Association Meeting & All School Open House Oct 30 - Nov 1 K-12 Dismissal at 1:30 p.m. for Parent - Teacher Conferences November 2 Teacher Inservice
No School November 21 Thanksgiving Break Begins
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In Loving Memory  | Ardis Lemke
Grandmother of Melissa Lemke ('94), Sarah Lemke Haddix ('96), Mark Lemke ('01), Bryan Lemke ('99) and Nathan Lemke ('02)
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 | Jaci Gordon
Special friend "grandparent" of Jackson Webster ('15)
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 | James "Jim" Van Weelden
Husband of retired DMCS Preschool Co-Director Sheryl Van Weelden
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Spotlight On... Lindsay Lettow ('08)
 | Lettow running the 100-meter hurdles
at the 2012 Olympic Trials |
Lindsay Lettow (DMCS '08 and U of Central MO '12) capped off a stellar college athletic career at the recent Track & Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. Lindsay finished 8th in the heptathlon (7 events) scoring a new personal record of 5,807 points. During her college career, Lindsay won 4 national championships, 16 All-American awards and was named the National Women's Field Athlete of the Year four times by USTFCCCA. Lindsay owns 9 UCM school records and recently won the Dr. Peggy Martin Award given to the top senior female student-athlete at UCM. During her career at UCM, Lindsay won 12 MIAA Conference Championships and 34 All-MIAA Awards. In seven total MIAA Championship meets, Lindsay won the High Point Award five times. As a junior, she won the Ken B. Jones Award as the top female student-athlete in the MIAA to become just the second female in the history of the award to win as a junior. Lindsay also won the Jones Award as a senior. She has a 3.84 GPA in psychology and was recently awarded a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, one of only 29 female student-athletes in the country to be awarded the scholarship from the winter season. In both 2011 and 2012, Lindsay was invited to compete for Team USA in the Jim Thorpe Cup, an annual heptathlon and decathlon competition between the United States and Germany. After returning from Germany this July, Lindsay is living and working near UCM and will soon begin her graduate studies in Exercise Science. Lindsay will continue to train and compete in track and field.
"I feel so blessed and thankful for the opportunities I've had. I would not have been able to find such success without guidance from God, the support from my family, and the encouragement from coaches. I'm motivated by the fact that I have the potential to get even better. I know the higher I go, the more chances I will have to represent my supporters, my savior and become a role-model." ~ Lindsay Lettow
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Where Are They Now?
 Joel Ve ldkamp ('06) is serving as the assistant to the CEO of Christian Solidarity International - USA (CSI), a Christian human rights group that campaigns for religous liberty and supports persecuted Christians in Sudan, Iraq, Egypt, and elsewhere. Joel has also volunteered as an English teacher in Damascus, Syria, and was also involved with Iraqi refugees at the Iraqi Student Project. Most recently, Joel has been working in South Sudan on a slave liberation mission. To keep up-to-date on Joel, read his blog.
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Joel and Garang
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"I listen intently as Garang, a young man about my age, describes how he was kidnapped by slave raiders, sent to live with an abusive master, and forced to convert to Islam. Through an underground network sponsored by the organization I work for, Christian Solidarity International, Garang has just come home after 14 years in slavery. From the barren grasslands of South Sudan, Iowa seems very far away. It's very easy to lose one's bearings in a world so torn apart by human sin.That's why I'm so grateful my parents decided to send me to Des Moines Christian School. My teachers at DMCS, from preschool to senior year, showed me how to look at the world through God's eyes, to see it in terms of His story. It's a practice I still carry with me. Garang tells me he's decided to be a Christian. A local teacher has told him about Jesus, and, he says, "I like the Jesus story better."I can't add much to that." Joel Veldkamp, DMCS '06
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by Samona Joy Yentes
 "Consider it PURE JOY, my brothers, WHENEVER you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4 (NIV) How does DMCS select a theme verse? I begin praying in the spring for the following year's theme verse, asking God to reveal a passage through Bible study, sermons, or other means. Dr. Bob and I then discuss the verse(s) and make a decision. This year, as my women's small group was working through Beth Moore's Bible study on James, James 1:2-3 nearly leapt off the page. It seemed to be a curious verse for a school theme (a colleague exclaimed, "That's a dangerous verse to pray!"), so I continued to pray for leading, and God continued to bring that verse to the forefront. At the DMCS Spring Association Meeting, I was jotting down notes from Dr. Bob's impassionate treatise on how to stand through difficulties. As he emphasized and amplified James 1:2-3, it all "clicked." Let's rejoice together, brothers and sisters, when perseverance finishes God's perfecting work in us!
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DMCS is pleased to announce our acceptance of online donations through Dwolla. Unlike traditional payment networks or credit cards, which would cost DMCS 3-5% of every transaction, Dwolla processes payments for only 25 cents per transaction. In addition, DMCS doesn't maintain any credit card information. For the donor, Dwolla works similar to PayPal.
To make an online donation, go www.dmcs.org and click on the donate button. On the left side of the page, click on " Donate online with Dwolla." On your first visit you will be asked to set up your Dwolla account by transferring funds from your bank account or credit card to your Dwolla account. On subsequent visits, you will only need your Dwolla pin number to sign in. It's easy, safe, and provides another convenient way to support the mission of Des Moines Christian School!
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In Their Own Words
by Mike and Jill Frey, DMCS Parents
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(L-R) Elliott ('12), Jill, Evie, Mike and Chloe Frey ('15)
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This spring we had the privilege of watching our son Elliott cross the stage as a DMCS Class of 2012 graduate. In a short time we will be moving him into his dormitory at Iowa State University and our daughter Chloe will begin her 2nd year at DMCS.
As we prepare for this transition, we take such comfort in knowing the Lord has great plans for our Elliott, and we are especially thankful for the Christ-centered education he received at DMCS. Our family has been truly blessed to be part of the Des Moines Christian family. We are thankful that our children have been able to develop strong friendships and engage daily with administrators, faculty, and other students who love the Lord. It is also clear to us that every staff and faculty member at DMCS takes a personal interest in providing a healthy, Christ-centered learning environment for students.
DMCS has been a tremendous place for our kids to learn and grow! They have been challenged academically, and have had many opportunities for extra-curricular and unique learning activities, such as Elliott's Development Office Internship. What a great learning experience!
We want you to know how much we appreciate the hard work the DMCS faculty and staff do to create a great learning environment for our children!
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Early Education Bike Parade
A little rain didn't dampen the patriotism of DMCS Early Education students! Although weather brought the event inside, over 100 parents and friends came to watch their annual Fourth of July bike parade.
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Technology Enhances Classroom Learning
Recent gifts of $10,000 for classroom improvements will enhance classrooms in all departments. Funds were used to purchase ten Mimios - five each for elementary and secondary classrooms - with a goal to place one in every classroom in the coming years. Mimios are interactive whiteboards that sync with the teacher's classroom computer to engage students through hands on demonstration and participation. Examples of Mimio activities include solving mathematical problems on the whiteboard, manipulating shapes and balancing equations in science, making notations on maps in history, and diagramming sentences in English. "The secondary department was elated to receive the generous contributions which provide cutting edge technology for our students and faculty!" exclaimed Secondary Principal Austin Temperley. In Early Education, funding will provide water tables and Bible-based curriculum, speakers to broadcast worship music, and several technology items.
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Curriculum Update
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Jahna Duda with Spike, the Drake mascot.
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During the 2011-2012 school year, Early Education through twelfth grade science & business teachers worked diligently to update curriculum and teaching materials. Des Moines Christian School remains committed to providing an excellent Christ-centered education by creating academic programs, which challenge our students.
As part of the mission, to think critically, discern spiritually, and act biblically, Des Moines Christian School added AP Chemistry, Introduction to Business, and Dave Ramsey's Personal Finance classes. Additionally, technology is being integrated into our curriculum at each elementary grade level. We are excited about these new opportunities to better prepare our students intellectually and spiritually.
As we embark on adding these new programs to our existing courses, Des Moines Christian will intentionally seek opportunities to integrate biblical truth in the classroom. Our educators have been trained in biblical worldview integration and will continue to aid students in making the connections between faith and life.
Jahna Duda is the new Director of Curriculum and Assessment. A former sixth-grade teacher at DMCS, she graduated from Drake University with a Masters in Educational Leadership in 2011. She has twelve years of experience in Christian education and looks forward to partnering with parents to raise children who love and serve Jesus Christ.
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Corporate Community Support Campaigns Begin in September
Wells Fargo Employees: We are grateful for Wells Fargo's commitment to educational excellence. Choose to support Des Moines Christian School via your Community Support contributions and Wells Fargo will match your gift(s) up to $5,000/employee/year with their Educational Matching Gift program. The 2012 Campaign begins on September 4. You can pledge monthly, quarterly, or one-time gift. Over the last few years, parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends at Wells Fargo have contributed over $135,000 in gifts and matching gifts to DMCS through the Community Support Campaign! Please invite your relatives, friends and co-workers to join you in supporting Des Moines Christian School as well!
ING matching funds are available up to $5,000/employee/year, on a first-come-first-served basis, so act quickly!
Abbott Fund and several other organizations allow their employees to support DMCS through their campaigns as well.
Please check with your employer about the opportunity to make community support funds or matching gifts to DMCS.
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Helping Students Trade Secular for Christ-Centered Education
Are you passionate about helping children receive a Christ-centered education? Do you believe that a family's income or their address should not prevent them from selecting the school that best fits their child's needs? Are are you an Iowa taxpayer looking for a 65% tax credit? The Heart of Iowa School Tuition Organization is offering a limited amount of tax credits on a first come-first served basis. DMCS's internal tuition assistance program, the Christian Scholar Grant, fills in the remaining need for qualified students.
Thanks to the generosity of many ministry partners, Des Moines Christian School offers between $350,000 and $400,000 in total scholarship assistance to qualified families.
For more information about the STO tax credit, or providing tax-deductable tuition assistance, please contact Samona Yentes at (515) 252-2496.
"When I lost my job last year, scholarship assistance literally made the difference between providing our children with a Christ-centered education or having to move them into a secular school. Your gifts exemplified a literal answer to prayer for our family, and it remains a marker of praise and thanksgiving in our home. We look forward to giving back to the scholarship program when I get settled into my new job." ~ DMCS Scholarship Recipient
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