We are excited to have you join us for our K-12 Spring Programs, held on Thursday, May 14 in the school gym at 1:00 PM & 7:00 PM.  The Spring Program will feature elementary songs around the theme of Growing in the Lord, focusing on His Joy, His Great Name and Heaven. Also featured will be a brand-new Men's Glee Club, as well as 5th & 6th grade Choir, Middle School Choir, and Ministry Arts Team.  Additionally, we will continue our annual tradition of singing "Alpha and Omega" with the secondary students and alumni. The program will conclude with a grand finale of all-school songs (a 400+ voice choir) that will honor Ascension Day, which we celebrate this day as well. Both the 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM programs are open to the public. 

Legends as Lifelong Learners

Our core value as an EMS community this year has been lifelong learning. We began the year by reflecting on three key dispositions that shape a life of continual growth.

The first is humility. Without humility—without the ability to recognize that we still have much to learn—we cannot truly grow. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). It has often been said that humility is the first virtue required of a follower of Jesus. Christ Himself came in humility, choosing to serve those far beneath Him (Philippians 2:5–8). We see this same posture in Nicodemus, a learned and powerful man, who was willing to seek out Jesus—an “uneducated and unimportant” man in the eyes of many—in order to understand what it meant to be born again.

The second disposition is reflection. A lifelong learner must intentionally create space to pause and reflect. The Psalmist writes, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus withdrawing to quiet places to pray (Luke 5:16). In the same way, prayerful reflection is essential for growth and maturity. The prodigal son, in a moment of reflection, came to a turning point. Realizing that even his father’s servants were better off than he was, he chose to return home—and in doing so, he was received, restored, and began to grow.

The third disposition is vulnerability. To be a learner, we must be willing to acknowledge where we have fallen short. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us” (1 John 1:9). The tax collector in Jesus’ parable humbly confessed his sin and experienced true spiritual transformation (Luke 18:13–14). Peter, who would become a foundational leader in the early church, openly faced his denial of Christ. In that place of honesty, he received healing and was shaped into the man we remember.

As we move through these final weeks of the school year—watching our seniors graduate and all of us transition into what comes next—may we continue to embody these dispositions. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest” (Galatians 6:9). May we remain committed to a life of learning.

At EMS, our goal is not simply to fill students with content or skills, but to cultivate a community of lifelong learners—individuals marked by humility, reflection, and vulnerability. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). A community shaped in this way is well-positioned to grow as followers of Jesus, as members of the Church, and within our families and relationships.

One of the saddest realities is seeing people become stuck—hardened in arrogance, elitism, or rigid thinking. A refusal to listen, to reflect, or to grow leads not to strength, but to stagnation. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

So as we close out this year, may we not just talk about lifelong learning, but truly live it. In doing so, we trust that the quiet, faithful work of influence will take root. As Jesus reminds us, “when a student is fully trained, he will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). May that be true of us—as teachers, parents, pastors, and mentors—as we help shape the next generation of EMS Legends.

Mr. Joshua Good

Head of School

March

It is hard to believe that we are already entering the month of March. While many of us enjoy the beauty of all four seasons, the luster of snow and ice has long since faded, and we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of spring in just a few short weeks. March brings with it our “new” Spring Break schedule, and some families will be heading to warmer destinations—perhaps Florida—for a week of rest, sunshine, and time together. March also marks the end of our third quarter, as we turn our attention to the final stretch of the school year.

This month, our annual Roadside Cleanup fundraiser will be kicking off once again. Keith Zimmerman is leading that committee this year, and we are transitioning to an app-based system to help streamline the process. More information will be shared soon.

March is also the month for incoming kindergarten assessments. We are grateful that, once again, the Kindergarten enrollment has been busy and that God has blessed us with a lot of interest from prospective new families. Psalm 127:3 reminds us that “children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” It is truly an honor to partner with our current patrons, along with nine to ten new families, in the work of spiritual and academic formation in their children. As a community, we regularly pray that God would bring us the right patrons—families who will strengthen and grow our school community into His likeness.

Songbirds often usher in spring with their joyful singing, and at EMS, our students are lending their voices to sing some “new songs” of praise this season. The Psalmist exhorts us to “sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth” (Psalm 96:1). The Ministry Arts Team, led by Daryl Weaver, will soon be offering local programs that you will not want to miss. In addition to our Senior Worship Team, we have also formed a Junior Worship Team this spring, and the sounds of praise music have been filling the chapel. Our elementary choirs are also practicing diligently in preparation for the Spring Program. Singing has long been an integral part of EMS’s culture and tradition, forming hearts as well as voices.

On the academic front, we are excited to be offering our first-ever German classes at the high school level this spring. This initiative pairs with our participation in a student exchange program with a Mennonite school in Neuwied, Germany. A group of our students is currently learning German and will later have the opportunity to travel to Germany for a two-week period, where they will be hosted by German Mennonite families. We are also looking forward to our 11th-grade students participating in a short-term missions and educational trip to New York City later this month. Mr. Priest will be leading this group as an extension of the Practical Christian Living class. At EMS, we aspire to be a conduit through which students can travel, serve, and grow as they participate in what God is doing in His global kingdom.

As a reminder, this year we are trying the practice of having only one in-person PTF meeting annually. That meeting takes place in the fall, when parents have the opportunity to visit classrooms and connect more directly with teachers. Since the spring PTF meeting has traditionally served as a “state of the school” update with accompanying data, we have chosen instead to share that information electronically as part of the April newsletter. This allows families to review the information at their convenience without requiring another evening commitment.

Spring is a season marked by new life, warmer temperatures, and the anticipation of end-of-year activities. We are grateful for God’s gift of life and renewal, and we pray that He grants us perseverance and wisdom as we finish the final quarter well.

Mr. Joshua Good

Head of School

Here is the link for the sports calendar if you are looking for it:

legendsathletics.digitalsports.com

You can also click the Legends logo at the top of the school's website to get to this same location.

Mid-Year Reflections

January has been an enjoyable and meaningful month at EMS. Beyond the occasional snow day or two-hour delay—those small but welcome variations in a school’s rhythm—January marks the beginning of our second semester. It is a natural time to pause, reflect, and reset our focus. As a school community, we took time in Chapel to review our progress toward living out our core value of “lifelong learning.”

During that time, I reflected with students and staff on the teachings of Proverbs, which call us to receive the words of God, to treasure His commandments, to make our ears attentive to wisdom, and to incline our hearts toward understanding. Scripture reminds us that as we do so, we find the knowledge of God. We are encouraged to let the wise hear and increase in learning, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. With these truths in mind, we renewed our commitment to pursue that mark with purpose in the second half of the school year.

January has also been filled with “good times” in the extracurricular life of our school. We have hosted several Bible Quizzing scrimmages and are preparing to host a formal Bible Quizzing meet on Friday, February 27. This event typically brings more than 1,000 people from surrounding communities, and the food sales serve as a fundraiser for the senior trip. In athletics, we are pleased to congratulate our boys’ basketball team on winning a highly competitive Faith Invitational Tournament for the second consecutive year. Their diligent effort, teamwork, and sportsmanship were clearly evident and rewarding.

The start of the second semester also signals the beginning of preparations for the coming school year. If you have not yet completed your re-enrollment form, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible to help us plan effectively. In addition, the scholarship application process for the 2026–27 school year through Simple Tuition Solutions (STS)is now open. Our ongoing commitment is that any family willing to make a reasonable sacrifice can send all their students to EMS.

As part of that commitment, we also invite families and community members to consider participating in the EITC program as donors—turning tax dollars into scholarships that bless other families. We are grateful that around $700,000 was available to award this past year, and we hope to see that total continue to grow. All individuals are eligible to participate. For more information, please contact tonya.good@ephratamennonite.org. We are also encouraged by recent legislation that may allow individuals to divert a portion of federal tax funds toward Christian school scholarships. While we are still learning the details of this process, we hope to share additional information soon, and we encourage you to speak with your accountant about this option as well.

Lastly, we want to express our sincere gratitude for your generous end-of-year giving. We praise God for the approximately $210,000 that was given in support of the holy and sacred work of Christian education and discipleship at EMS. Your generosity is humbling, and we pray the Lord will richly reward your faithfulness. Please continue to pray for us as we plan for the year ahead, review new patron enrollment applications, and work through the annual teacher hiring process. We trust in God’s sovereignty to bring new families and staff members who will strengthen, encourage, and enhance His work at EMS.

Mr. Joshua Good

Head of School