PASTOR

pastor_at_faith@yahoo.com

I have been serving the Lord as a Lutheran pastor for 32 years. I graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in 1988. My first call was to serve a parish in Odell, Nebraska. I have been here at Faith, Derby since November of 2001. My wife and I have two teenagers living at home, Tim and Caris. I enjoy the outdoors, fishing, yard work, and gardening. Continuing education has always been important to me and is a favorite pastime.

ELEMENTARY TEACHER

cherylvoss@flsderby.com

My husband’s name is Tim, and we have three grown children. We also have two golden retrievers that are a part of our family.

I attended Butler County Community College for three semesters, and then I transferred to Wichita State University for my undergraduate Bachelors of Arts in Elementary Education. I, also, earned a Colloquy (Minister of Religion degree) from Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska.

I have many favorite verses, but one of my favorite verses is 1 Corinthians 13:13  “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” I love this verse, because I believe that every child is a blessing from God, and He has made them all worthy to be genuinely loved.

I pray to share the love of Christ with each child, and to instill in them the love of learning.  I enjoy attending workshops and college classes to continue my education.

My hobbies include: spending time with my family, teaching, sewing, playing with my dogs, and collecting crosses.

ELEMENTARY TEACHER

debdoesken@flsderby.com

My name is Deb Doesken. I have been married to my husband, Mark, for 34.5 years. Mark works at Spirit AeroSystems in the IT Department. We have 5 grown children. Michael is married to Rebecca and they live near Udall. Kyle and Joseph live in Wisconsin. Kendra and Josh live here in Derby and Erica is a student at K-State majoring in Interior Design.

I graduated in the last class at St John's College, Winfield, Kansas, with a degree in Elementary Education. I am trained in Alphabet phonics which enables students to learn to read phonetically. It also helps students who have dyslexia or trouble learning to read. I have been teaching at Faith for 4 years but I have been substituting at Faith since 2005.

One of my favorite Bible verses is the verse that was given to me at my Confirmation. It is John 15:5.  "I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I remain in you, you will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing.

I hope to instill a love of learning in the children I teach. It is also my prayer that I instill in them that Jesus loves and forgives them of all their sins. I continue my learning in the educational field by taking college classes, and attending workshops and seminars.

In my spare time I enjoy painting, sewing, playing with my dogs, and spending time with my family and friends.

PRESCHOOL DIRECTOR

As a Preschool teacher at FLS I have the privilege of teaching one of the 4 year old classes in the mornings. What I like most about Faith Lutheran School is the freedom to present the Gospel message to the children.

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

caseysmith@flsderby.com

Hello! My name is Casey. I’m married to Alex, and we have five children named Brynn, Molly, Gabe, Asher, and Hannah. Jesus changed my heart and my life when I was twenty years old, and I now live to serve and love Him.

I am a Senior at Liberty University earning a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. I know that the Lord has called me to teach and love children for His glory. I enjoy getting to know each of our students and feel honored to be in their lives. Each one of them is a blessing!

My favorite verse is “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”, and my favorite hymn is “The Solid Rock” (John 14:6 ESV). I love this verse and this hymn because I can return to them whenever I am uncertain or weary to be reminded that Jesus Christ is my foundation.

PARA-EDUCATOR

I’m Mrs. Voss! Yes, another Mrs. Voss, but the kids at F.L.S. call me Mrs. J. Voss. I attended Faith Lutheran School when I was in preschool and have now returned to help with the students as a para-educator. My husband and I have two children, a son who will be ten in August and a daughter who will be three in May. She will attend Faith Lutheran Preschool in the fall. I have worked with children in Early Childhood all the up through 5th grade. I have over fourteen years of experience. My hobbies include doing bridal hair, the occasional four wheeler ride, and spending as much time with my family as possible.

My favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

PARA-EDUCATOR

I am Mrs. Mandi Forward. I am married to Kevin, and we have three daughters and one son. I enjoy building relationships with my students and encouraging them with a hug or a high five. My favorite part of my job is seeing the look on the kids’ faces when they have passed their spelling test or mastered a new math strategy.

My favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding”. This is what I live by.

READING INTERVENTIONIST

I was born in Broken Bow, Nebraska and raised in Denver, Colorado. I attended Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado: majoring in Elementary Education with minors in history and sociology. Seeing the need for helping students in specific learning areas, I have earned additional hours in English as a Secondary Language and Alphabet Phonics. This phonics program helps children with learning differences.

I have had the privilege of teaching in Lamar, Colorado, Garden City, Derby, and Haysville. I have been serving the Faith Lutheran School children since 2016. I have held various assignments during my tenure at F.L.S. My current assignment is as an interventionist, assisting students and teachers in Language Arts areas. My main instruction focus has been phonics with the support of the Language Foundation/Reading Roadway and Bob Jones curriculums. I also assess for phonological, phonics, reading fluency, and comprehension.

I am married and have three adult children. I have been blessed with nine wonderful grand-children. As a veteran teacher, it is rewarding to have the opportunity to serve in a Christian school while supporting the students, parents, and staff at Faith Lutheran School.