Admissions

Heather Haniszewski

Welcome!

Choosing Messiah Lutheran School is about more than just finding the right school for your child, it is also about finding the right fit for your family. I love helping new families learn about Messiah School because I was once one of the families being served by the school. My children attended school here and received an excellent education that prepared them for middle school, and also I experienced first-hand the support for our entire family. My goal is to share that with you, too! I am happy to assist as you discover what makes Messiah Lutheran School the right fit for your family!

Heather Haniszewski

Admissions Coordinator

REQUEST MORE INFO

STUDENT APPLICATION

Here’s where you’ll find the info you need for new student applications and re-enrollment for current students.

Enrollment Instructions

New families

  • Create an Application Account for each new student.
  • A non-refundable fee of $25 will be collected for each application.
  • Click here to create an account.
  • Click here to log in to your account and create a new student application.
  • You may log in and out of your account to resume an existing application.
  • After you have completed your application process, watch your email for an invitation to enroll, which includes instructions to complete your enrollment packet and set up your Family Portal account.
  • After you submit your application, the Messiah Admissions Office will schedule an interview and tour. In many cases, this visit has already occurred prior to application.
  • After your enrollment packet is complete, you will receive an invoice for your enrollment deposit.
  • Your enrollment deposit is required to hold your child’s seat.

Financial Aid:

  • You will have the opportunity to apply for financial aid through your online Family Portal account.
  • If you do not have the data needed to complete financial aid application, you can apply later.
  • Our early deadline for submitting your completed Financial Aid Application is APRIL 15.
  • If you experience a hardship after our deadline, please do not hesitate to ask for assistance.

Church Member Scholarships:

  • Active members of Messiah Lutheran Church may request tuition assistance at Messiah Lutheran School and Lincoln Lutheran School. Watch for details in early summer.
  • Members at Calvary Lutheran, Holy Savior Lutheran, and Redeemer Lutheran may also be eligible for scholarships. If you attend one of these three churches, please contact your pastor for more information.

Returning families

  • If your student is enrolled with us for the 2023-2024 school year, they’ll automatically be re-enrolled for 2024-2025!
  • You’ll receive an invoice for your enrollment deposit, which will be due on February 15.
  • Your enrollment deposit is required to hold your child’s seat.
  • Create an Application Account for each new student not already enrolled in elementary or ECDC.
  • A non-refundable fee of $25 will be collected for each application.
  • Click here to create new student application account.
  • Click here to log in to your account and create a new student application. After we receive your application, we will send your invitation to enroll.
  • After your enrollment packet is complete, you will receive an invoice for your enrollment deposit.
  • Your enrollment deposit is required to hold your child’s seat.

Financial Aid:

  • You will have the opportunity to apply for financial aid beginning February.
  • If you do not have the data needed to complete financial aid application, you can apply later.
  • Our early deadline for submitting your completed Financial Aid Application is APRIL 15.
  • If you experience a hardship after our deadline, please do not hesitate to ask for assistance.

Church Member Scholarships:

  • Active members of Messiah Lutheran Church may request tuition assistance at Messiah Lutheran School and Lincoln Lutheran School. Watch for details in early summer.
  • Members at Calvary Lutheran, Holy Savior Lutheran, and Redeemer Lutheran may also be eligible for scholarships. If you attend one of these three churches, please contact your pastor for more information.
January  2024
Families currently enrolled at Messiah have priority for available seats through January 31. 
 
Open Enrollment begins February 1, 2024
 Families new to Messiah School may begin the application process now; see Step 1. 
Available seats are filled in order of enrollment completion.
At Messiah, we have chosen several key words and phrases that we believe describe well who God has called us to be – as a faith family and as individuals. As your connection to your Messiah family grows, we pray that these words also reflect God’s calling on you.

LOVE GOD

LOVE OTHERS

SHARE CHRIST

As we discover the world God created for us and our place in that world, Messiah’s children, families, and staff are engaged in His Word every day. We are committed to being more like Jesus and helping others be more like Jesus.

INSPIRE

GROW

SERVE

TOGETHER

As we discover the world God created for us and our place in that world, Messiah’s children, families, and staff are engaged in His Word every day. We are committed to being more like Jesus and helping others be more like Jesus.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

No. In fact, there are more non-Lutheran families at Messiah School than there are Lutheran. If you are looking for an environment to welcome your family, uphold your values, build a heart for service, nurture your child’s faith, and help you feel successful as a parent; Messiah is a great place to start. We offer an excellent Christ-centered education option for our community.

Families who are actively involved in the membership life of Messiah Lutheran Church may apply for a member tuition discount.

We believe in the Triune God – the three persons of the Trinity are coequal and coeternal, one God:

  • the Father, creator of all that exists; 
  • Jesus Christ, the Son, who became human to suffer and die for the sins of all human beings and to rise to life again in the ultimate victory over death and Satan;
  • and the Holy Spirit, who creates faith through God’s Word and Sacraments. 

 

We believe that our Salvation comes from God “by divine grace alone, through faith alone, on account of Christ alone,” not by anything that we can do ourselves.

We believe that Jesus is the focus of the entire Bible and that faith in him alone is the way to eternal salvation.

Messiah School operates on funding from tuition, donor support, and Messiah Lutheran Church mission support. Please contact us to learn more about your cost to attend.

It is our hope that every family who desires a Christ-centered, academically strong education experience for their child does not find tuition to be a barrier to their choice. Financial aid and scholarships are available to all families.

Yes! 

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE:

  • Children of Professional Church Workers
  • Children of Active Military and First Responders

 

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

  • 2nd Child Scholarship
  • 3rd and 4th Child Scholarship
  • Active Messiah Church Member Scholarship
  • Ask your home church if they offer scholarships for Christian Education

 

FINANCIAL AID FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

  • All Messiah elementary students are eligible for financial aid based on need, verified through FACTS Tuition Management.
  • About 30% of Messiah elementary students qualify for financial aid. Ask us for more info on how to apply.

 

FINANCIAL AID FOR PRESCHOOL STUDENTS

  • When applying for Preschool, please visit with the director to discuss financial need.

There are occasionally classrooms that fill up, so we encourage families to commit as soon as possible. 

Messiah’s academic program is quite rigorous. While we do not have a designated gifted program, we have many children in each classroom who enjoy individualized challenges put before them by their teachers.

Messiah partners with Lincoln Public School specialists to diagnose learning disabilities. Children who live in the LPS attendance boundaries and are diagnosed with a learning disability may receive services during their school day, at Messiah, from LPS specialists who come to our building.

Students with more extreme disabilities, especially those requiring assistance throughout their day, may not be best served at Messiah as we do not have the ability to host specialists within our classrooms.

It is becoming too common in American public education systems to lean on high stakes testing as the primary determinant for student success and even teacher success. Messiah does use assessment tests, but for very different reasons.

  • We want to know what students know so that we can help them grow, especially in areas of relative weakness. We use Fall assessments to help us get to know the individual strengths and weaknesses of the children in our classrooms.
  • We want to know if the curriculum we have designed for Messiah is working — that students are achieving at or above the academic standards for their grade level. We use Spring assessments to measure how well our curriculum planning is working and to ensure the growth we expect to see from students is actually happening.

Common Core has become a “bad word” in some circles, and for good reason, but maybe not the reason most think. Any set of standards taken in isolation can become a problem if it becomes prescriptive for all students. Standards are meant to provide a framework from which to build.

We know the Common Core Standards, the Nebraska State Standards, the Lutheran School Standards, and many other subject specific standard sets. These standards collections all help Messiah teachers design curriculum and instruction for Messiah students based on several sets of standards, and then we exceed those standards.

  • Lincoln Lutheran, our sister school who serves 6th-12th graders, was the first school in Lincoln to implement a 1:1 technology program for its students. Messiah Elementary was the second.
  • Messiah students have full access to technology tools in their classrooms whenever they need it. Kindergarten and 1st Grade teachers have classroom sets of iPads for their students to use when it fits into their learning design. 2nd-5th Graders each have their own Chromebook to use throughout their day.
  • Teachers all have laptops, iPads, and projectors or TVs to use for interactive instruction.
  • A variety of technology tools are available for your child and for your use as partners in student learning and to maintain a strong communications connection between home and school.

Most of Messiah’s teaching staff holds a Masters Degree. All are certified by the State of Nebraska. In addition to academic credentials, Messiah’s teachers have received formal training in helping your child’s grow in their Christian faith.

Messiah school is approved by the Nebraska Department of Education under Rule 10 and is fully accredited by National Lutheran School Accreditation.

Absolutely! 
  • While we do not require volunteer hours of parents, we depend on them for many of the activities we offer.
  • It is important to us that Messiah families know one another, and grow close to each other and to their Savior. Volunteering is a great opportunity to get to know other parents. 
  • Parents complete a survey each Fall so that our volunteer coordinator knows who to contact when specific needs arise during the school year.
No. We have a simple, child friendly, dress code. We do not believe that elementary age children require a uniform to succeed in school. Our desire is for children to maintain their unique character. We honor their unique learning styles. And we challenge them to grow.

After fifth grade, about 80% of Messiah’s students attend Lincoln Lutheran. The other children typically attend their neighborhood middle school. Messiah sends more students to Lincoln Lutheran than to any other middle school or high school. Usually, about 35% of the Lincoln Lutheran student body attended Messiah.

The Nebraska Department of Education does not allow interscholastic athletic competition before 7th Grade.

Messiah children often compete on the same team within local youth leagues, including the YMCA, and enjoy having one of the parents from their classroom as a coach. If your child is interested in joining a sports team, be sure sure to let your teacher know so that they can help connect with you with another parent from your classroom.

Wednesdays at Messiah is the name of our family-centered discipleship program. Each Wednesday, we hold an all-school chapel service to which parents are invited. In the evening, we have faith building activities for the entire family.
 
A family devotion kicks the evening off at 6:15 in the church. From there we split into age groups for our learning hour, completing the evening by 7:30.
 
Wednesdays At Messiah is for our whole community, not just “members.”

Messiah Lutheran School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Messiah Lutheran School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.