Curriculum Director- Mrs. Melanie Giddings

Melanie has been in the classroom since the fall of 2005. She has worked with students from 3K- grade 12 as an instructor, Athletic Director, and Curriculum Director. The experiences and her passion for providing quality Christian education have prepared her to fill her current role as Curriculum Director for FVL Schools. She regularly meets with the FVL Schools teachers to coordinate curricula that will ready our students for high school and for the education, military service, or employment that will follow.

Education

  • B.S. Education, Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN, 2005
  • M.A. High Performance Instruction, Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee, WI 2020

Research Interests

  • Curriculum & Instruction
  • Adult Learning Theory
  • Professional Learning Communities
  • Teacher Growth & Development
  • Leadership & Innovation

Our Curriculum

Our Savior, Jesus Christ is at the center of all that we do at Bethlehem Lutheran.  Each day begins with a devotion  and a Bible History or lesson on Biblical teachings.  On top of that, we have weekly chapel service every Wednesday at 8:15 a.m.  Student have the chance to memorize Bible verses, so that they can hold tightly to the Word. We love Jesus, and we want our students to know him well!

Envision Math is the primary mathematics program at BLS.  Many of our teachers utilize other programs within their classrooms to help our students master skills that will prepare them for the future. Our goal is to consistently review learned skills and master new new ones along the way, all while developing strong algebraic and critical thinking abilities!

Starting with SuperKids in 5K -Grade 2, we work our way up to Journey's in Grades 3-6.  These programs are “all-inclusive,” helping our students develop reading, writing, and spoken language skills. IEW provides us with a strong grammar program, while Amplify guides us through our upper grade learning.

From social skills  and communities to Geography and World History, we cover it all!  We want our students to have a Christ-centered world view that will assist them as they leave our building and become contributing citizens.  Many of our teachers supplement with current events and literature integration in addition to our curriculum texts.

In recent years we have been gradually transitioning into a more hands-on science experience for our students.  The FOSS Program bridges research and practice by providing tools and strategies to engage students and teachers in enduring experiences that lead to deeper understanding of the natural and designed worlds.

Life-long healthy living is the focus of our Physical Education programs.  With a focus on developing gross motor skills in the lower grades, to health and life-long sport in the upper grades, our students have a wonderful opportunity to develop their bodies and also learn how to stay healthy.

In addition to classroom singing and music, we provide opportunities in visual, musical, and performing arts for our students.