In the News

Emily Platzer AGVA's New Technology Director (July 2024)

As the services provided through AGVA have continued to grow, so has the administrative workload. For the past thirteen years, AGVA superintendent, Dr. Jim Grunwald, has handled all of the technology functions for AGVA (Moodle, registrations, website, and more). Dr. Grunwald is cutting back more on his hours during retirement (he retired from full-time ministry at MLC in 2017), AGVA has decided to add an additional part-time administrative position of a technology directory effective July 1, 2024.

Mrs. Emily Platzer was called and has accepted the new part-time technology director position.  Dr. Grunwald will continue serving AGVA as Executive Director, and will help Emily as she takes over more roles from him. In the administration roles, Dr. Grunwald focuses primarily on finances, state/federal regulations, and registrar duties. Mr. Rust focuses primarily on curriculum, instruction, recruitment, guidance, and resource development. Mrs. Platzer, will focus on the website, Facebook, Moodle, Educate (transcripts, report cards, records), Google for Education resources, NCAA work, along with other administration tasks that she can help with.  

Mrs. Emily Platzer is very familiar with AGVA, for the past three years has been teaching two technology courses for AGVA , Computer Applications and Introduction to Digital Media.  Along with teaching courses, she has been helping out with other administrator assistant tasks the past year. Mrs. Platzer is a graduate of MLC and is currently working on her Masters through MLC in Educational Technology. Her favorite Bible passage is 1 John 3:1, "See the kind of love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are!"   

AGVA Board of Directors Recognition (June 2024)

Amazing Grace Virtual Academy (AGVA) wants to recognize one member of our Board who is completing his years of service this June. 

He will be thanked for his service at the June10th board meeting. (Information on their board positions and their years of service can be found on the AGVA Board of Directors webpage.)


Thank you Rev. Gregory Bork (Board of Directors Member) for your time serving on the AGVA Board.  We appreciate your time and support! 



Second Semester Full-Time AGVA Student Honor Roll (June 2024)

AGVA had ten full-time AGVA students qualify for honor roll for the second semester of 2023-24.


Mary Johanningmeier: High Honors (3.5 - 4.0 GPA) (daughter of Jim and Renea) (Waukon, IA) 

Lori Kolb: High Honors (3.5- 4.0 GPA) (daughter of Alan and Roberta) (Spearfish, SD) 

Lauren Little: High Honors (3.5-4.0 GPA) (daughter of John and Devon) (Appleton, WI)

Eve Schultz: High Honors (3.5- 4.0 GPA) (daughter of Paul and Carla) (Mayville, MI) 

Lydia Schutz: High Honors (3.5-4.0 GPA) (daughter of Mark and Jill) (Spearfish, SD) 

Ethan Lecher: Honors (3.0-3.49 GPA) (son of Paul and Heather) (Waukesha, WI) 

Olivia Locy: Honors (3.0-3.49 GPA) (daughter of Jeremiah and Ashley) (Phoenix, AZ) 

Aiyuan (Lily) Hong: High Honors (3.5-4.0 GPA) (Abide Academy) 

Tianyi (Catherine) Li: High Honors (3.5-4.0 GPA) (Abide Academy) 

Runla (Henry) Xu: High Honors (3.5-4.0 GPA) (Abide Academy) 



Well done students! 



Instructor Anniversary Recognition (May 2024)

Amazing Grace Virtual Academy (AGVA) wants to recognize three instructors that have faithfully taught AGVA (previously ALHSO) courses for five or more years!

The following have met this milestone and will be presented with a letter from the AGVA Board of Directors and a monetary gift as a way of saying “Thank You” for their dedicated service to their students over the years.

Rev. Gregory Bork: 10-year award (AP Psychology, Intro to Psychology)


Mrs. Bethel Dobberstein: 5-year award (Art and Architecture, Da Vinci Club)


Mrs. Jean Neitzel: 10-year award (German 1-4) 

Retiring Instructors Recognition (May 2024)

Amazing Grace Virtual Academy (AGVA) wants to recognize two instructors that have faithfully taught for AGVA (previously ALHSO) and are retiring from teaching for AGVA after this school year.  

Thank you all for your time and dedication serving our students!

Prof. Perry Lund has been with AGVA since 2020-21 and taught the AP Computer Science Principles course. 


Rev. Martin Spriggs has taught the Web Page Design course since 2017-18.

First Semester Full-Time AGVA Student Honor Roll (December 2023)

AGVA had seven full-time AGVA students qualify for honor roll for the first semester of 2023-2024.


Mary Johanningmeier: High Honors (3.5 - 4.0 GPA) (daughter of Jim and Renea) (Waukon, IA) 

Lori Kolb: High Honors (3.5- 4.0 GPA) (daughter of Alan and Roberta) (Spearfish, SD) 

Lauren Little: High Honors (3.5-4.0 GPA) (daughter of John and Devon) (Appleton, WI)

Eve Schultz: High Honors (3.5- 4.0 GPA) (daughter of Paul and Carla) (Mayville, MI) 

Lydia Schutz: High Honors (3.5-4.0 GPA) (daughter of Mark and Jill) (Spearfish, SD) 

Ethan Lecher: Honors (3.0-3.49 GPA) (son of Paul and Heather) (Waukesha, WI) 

Olivia Locy: Honors (3.0-3.49 GPA) (daughter of Jeremiah and Ashley) (Phoenix, AZ) 



Well done students! 

Second Semester Full-Time AGVA Student Honor Roll (June 2023)

AGVA had three full-time AGVA students qualify for honor roll for the second semester of 2022-23.


Mary Johanningmeier: High Honors (3.5 - 4.0 GPA) (daughter of Jim and Renea Johanningmeier) (Waukon, IA)


Eve Schultz: High Honors (3.5 - 4.0 GPA) (daughter of Paul and Carla Schultz (Mayville, MI)


Jeanina Abadia-Murrieta: Honors (3.0 - 3.49 GPA) (daughter of Fabiola Murrieta) (Algoma, WI)



Well done students! 



AGVA Board of Directors Recognition (May 2023)

Amazing Grace Virtual Academy (AGVA) wants to recognize three members of our Board who are completing their years of service this June. 

They will be thanked for their service at the June 7th board meeting. (Information on their board positions and their years of service can be found on the AGVA Board of Directors webpage.)


Thank you Karl Peterson (Chairman), Ted Klug (Board of Directors Member), and Daniel Plath (Elementary School representative) for your time serving on the AGVA Board.  We appreciate your time and support! 



Retiring Instructors Recognition (May 2023)

Amazing Grace Virtual Academy (AGVA) wants to recognize six instructors that have faithfully taught for AGVA (previously ALHSO) and are retiring from teaching after this year.  

Thank you all for your time and dedication serving our students!

Mrs. Janet Fredrich has been with AGVA since 2016-17 and has taught Algebra 1, AP English Literature & Composition, and British Literature.


Mrs. Mei (Hillary) Huang (Beilke) has taught the Chinese 1 and 2 courses since 2018-19.


Mr. Mark Krause has taught the Latin 1-4 courses since 2019-20.


Dr. Rev. Mark Lenz has taught How the Church Grows and Life of Christ courses since 2014-15.


Dr. Kari Muente has been with AGVA since 2014-15 and has taught AP US History and World Regional Geography.


Mr. Kevin Zimmerman has been with AGVA since 2015-16 and has taught the Physical Science course.


Instructor Anniversary Recognition (May 2023)

Amazing Grace Virtual Academy (AGVA) wants to recognize two instructors that have faithfully taught AGVA (previously ALHSO) courses for five or more years!

The following have met this milestone and were presented with a letter from the AGVA Board of Directors and a monetary gift as a way of saying “Thank You” for their dedicated service to their students over the years.

Mr. Joshua Schoeneck: 10-year award (AP Computer Science A, Computer Graphics)


Mr. Jeremy Seeger: 5-year award (Pre-Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2)

First Semester Full-Time AGVA Student Honor Roll (December 2022)

AGVA had three full-time AGVA students qualify for honor roll for the first semester of 2022-23.


Mary Johanningmeier: High Honors (3.5 - 4.0 GPA) 

(daughter of Jim and Renea) (Waukon, IA)


Eve Schultz: High Honors (3.5- 4.0 GPA) 

(daughter of Paul and Carla) (Mayville, MI) 


Aryssa Kingsborough: Honors (3.0 - 3.49) 

(daughter of Jonny and Jessica) (Watertown, WI)


Well done students! 



$30,000 Curriculum Expansion Grant (December 2022)

On Dec. 14th we received word that we have been awarded a $30,000 grant from the Antioch Foundation to help support high school curriculum expansion in 2023.

What a blessing! 

https://www.antiochfoundation.org/


Retiring Instructors Recognition (May 2022)

Amazing Grace Virtual Academy (AGVA) wants to recognize four instructors that have faithfully taught for AGVA (previously ALHSO) and are retiring from teaching after this year.  

Thank you all for your time and dedication serving our students!

Mrs. Alta (Mae) Tacke has taught Game Programming since 2011-12. She also filled in to teach the Introduction to Multimedia Media course for two years.

Dr. Paul Boehlke has taught Human Anatomy and Physiology and AP Environmental Science since 2012-13.

Prof. Joanne Kohler has taught the German 4 course since 2018-19.

Prof. Jennifer Pearsall has taught American Sign Language 2 since 2020-21.

Instructor Anniversary Recognition (May 2022)

Amazing Grace Virtual Academy (AGVA) wants to recognize four instructors that have faithfully taught AGVA (previously ALHSO) courses for five or more years!

The following have met this milestone and were presented with a letter from the AGVA Board of Directors and a monetary gift as a way of saying “Thank You” for their dedicated service to their students over the years.

Prof. Peter Baganz: 5-year award (WebPage Design, European Travel, AP USH)

Dr. Paul Boehlke: 10-year award (Human Anatomy & Physiology, AP Environmental Science)

Prof. Daniel Fenske: 5-year award (Astronomy, Medical Terminology)

Prof. Sherrie Styx: 5-year award (Art: Creative Process, Digital Photography, AP 2D Art and Design)

Dave Rust to join AGVA (February 2022)

As the services provided through AGVA have increased, so has the administrative workload. For the past eleven years, AGVA superintendent, Dr. Jim Grunwald, has handled all administrative functions. Since Dr. Grunwald would like to cut back on his hours during retirement (he retired from full-time ministry at MLC in 2017), AGVA has decided to add an additional part-time administrative position effective July 1, 2022.

Mr. David Rust was called and has accepted the new part-time administrative position and will take on the titles of Superintendent and Principal. Dr. Grunwald will continue serving AGVA with the title of Executive Director. Dr. Grunwald will focus primarily on finances, state/federal regulations, registrar duties, Moodle administration, and overall operations. Mr. Rust will focus primarily on curriculum, instruction, recruitment, guidance, and resource development. There are many areas where both men will be involved especially during the first years of working together.

Mr. Rust is currently serving as principal at John’s Lutheran School in Milwaukee and is retiring from that position and full-time ministry at the end of this school year. Mr. Rust is a graduate of MLC and completed a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Administrative Leadership. His favorite Bible passage comes from the Book of Psalms, “Be still and know that I am God.” AGVA is blessed to have Mr. Rust joining our school.

Instructor Anniversary Recognition (May 2021)

As ALHS Online (ALHSO) transitions to Amazing Grace Virtual Academy (AGVA), it wants to recognize ten instructors that have faithfully taught ALHSO courses for five or more years!

The following have met this milestone and were presented with a letter from the ALHSO Board of Directors and a monetary gift as a way of saying “Thank You” for their dedicated service to their students over the years.

Dr. Paul Boehlke: 9 years (Human Anatomy & Physiology, AP Environmental Science)

Mr. Joshua Schoeneck: 8 years (AP Computer Science, Computer Graphics)

Rev. Greg Bork: 7 years (Introduction to Psychology, AP Psychology)

Dr. Kari Muente: 7 years (AP U.S. History, World Regional Geography)

Mrs. Jean Neitzel: 7 years (German 1-3)

Mrs. (Alta) Mae Tacke: 7 years (Introduction to Multimedia, Game Programming 1-2)

Mrs. Angela Hanson: 6 years (Spanish)

Rev. Karl Peterson: 6 years (Religion, Latin 1-4)

Rev. Dr. Mark Lenz: 5 years (Life of Christ, How the Church Grows)

Mrs. Amy Springborn: 5 years (Spanish)

 

AGVA will continue the recognition award program by recognizing instructors when they meet five-year incremental years of service. Past service as ALHSO instructors will count toward cumulative years of service for future AGVA recognition awards.

New Virtual Academy Offers Opportunities (WELS Together, April 7, 2021, and Forward in Christ, May 2021)

The Association of Lutheran High Schools Online (ALHS Online) has a new name and an expanded mission. 

For the past ten years, ALHS Online has been offering high-quality online courses to supplement the class offerings of WELS high schools and elementary schools. (Read more...)

MLC and ALHSO (Martin Luther College In Focus, Spring 2021, page 29)

The Association of Lutheran High Schools Online (ALHSO) is expanding to a full virtual high school, Amazing Grace Virtual Academy. Three MLC faculty members are helping facilitate the transition: (Read more... on page 29)

Where are they now? (Forward in Christ, October 2020)

In July 2013, Forward in Christ reported on ALHS Online, a collaborative effort of the WELS Association of Lutheran High Schools (ALHS) to offer high-quality online courses to expand the course offering of WELS high schools. During the 2012-13 school year, 72 different students from 11 WELS high schools enrolled. So where are they now? (Read more...)

Faith Changes Perspective (Forward in Christ E-News, October 20, 2020)

... Tammy explains, "When my kids reach high school age, we have them take some of their classes online." ... "I loved having theology classes available through the WELS Association of Lutheran High Schools Online (ALHS Online) because we've taught our children that God's Word is the most important thing in our day, so a resource that helps us to focus on that is a blessing." (Read more...)

ALHS Online Starts 10th Year of Online Education (WELS Together, September 15, 2020)

This fall, ALHS Online (Association of Lutheran High Schools Online) entered its 10th year of offering online classes. 

ALHS Online started as a collaborative effort of the WELS Association of Lutheran High Schools to offer high-quality online courses to expand the course offerings of WLES high schools. (Read more...)

ALHS Online and the MLC Connection (Martin Luther College In Focus, Spring 2017, page 24)

Imagine high school and middle school students being able to attend a course taught from a Christian perspective no matter where they live. With ALHS Online, students can do just that. (Read more... on page 24)