VIP Day at Martin Luther School in Joplin, Missouri is Friday, September 18, 2026. Formerly Grandparents’ Day, VIP Day invites every student to bring a grandparent, a parent, or another special guest to spend the morning at school — worshiping together in chapel, working through activities in the classrooms, and sharing lunch before a noon dismissal.
The VIP Day form goes home in your student’s backpack and is also posted in the FACTS Family Portal. Return it to the school office by Friday, September 11. That gives us time to be sure every student has a VIP lined up, and an accurate headcount for lunch.
What to expect on VIP Day
Students spend the morning as a family unit, so a student’s MLS siblings and all of their VIPs stay together in one group. Because teachers are leading the activities rather than supervising them, every family needs a VIP present. Adults are welcome on campus from 8:00 a.m., and the school day ends at noon.
Schedule
- 8:00 a.m. — Donuts with Grownups. After drop-off, all adults are welcome in the Fellowship Hall for coffee, breakfast, and a short look at what is next for MLS.
- 9:00 a.m. — VIPs pick up their students in the classrooms.
- 9:15 a.m. — Chapel. The offering supports the MLS Technology Fund.
- 9:45 a.m. — Activity time with VIPs — a sensory room, picture-frame making, board games, VIP photos, a book walk (like a cake walk, but you win books), cookie decorating, and beaded bracelets.
- 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. — Lunch, free for students and VIPs. Beef stroganoff, fruit, vegetable, and milk.
- 12:00 p.m. — Noon dismissal. Students leave with their VIP. After-school care is not available on VIP Day.
Need help finding a VIP?
A VIP does not have to be a grandparent, or even a relative. A family friend, a neighbor, or someone from church who cares about your child is a wonderful VIP. Every child deserves somebody who shows up just for them.
If you have truly come up empty, call the school office by Friday, September 11 and we will do our best to match your student with a caring member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, our supporting congregation. One note: if we arrange a VIP for you, a parent still needs to pick your child up at noon.
Members of the congregation who would like to be someone’s VIP are welcome to call the same number — it is one of the simplest and most appreciated ways to be part of a student’s year.
Questions families ask
Can my child have more than one VIP?
Yes. Every child can invite several VIPs if there are several important people in their life. We suggest around four per student so nobody is leading a small parade around campus, but there is room for up to eight on the form and we are happy to be flexible.
How long does a VIP need to stay?
However long you would like. This morning is for making memories, not clock-watching. We do ask that everyone stay through chapel, which starts at 9:15. After that the rest of the morning is yours — join the classroom activities, or head off and make your own tradition.
Does lunch cost anything?
Not a penny. Lunch is free for students and VIPs that day — we just need a headcount so we can plan. If your VIP would rather slip away for a special lunch just the two of you, that is a lovely option too, once activities wrap up.
Is there a dress code for VIPs?
Come as you are — comfortable clothes are perfect. You will be playing games, making crafts, and creating memories. Students wear their regular MLS dress code.
Can younger siblings who are not MLS students come along?
We ask that younger, not-yet-enrolled siblings sit this one out, so the day can be fully about your MLS student and their VIP. Little ones understandably draw a lot of attention, and we want each student to have their own moment. Some of the materials — the beaded bracelets especially — are not safe for little hands and mouths. Arranging care elsewhere gives your student the spotlight they deserve.
What if it rains?
Nearly every VIP Day activity is indoors, so a little rain will not slow us down.
When do we get the pictures taken with our VIP?
Photos will be ready the following Sunday, September 20, at the 10:30 a.m. service at Immanuel Lutheran Church, when our students sing. If your student made a photo frame, you can pick that up then too. One trip, two treasures.
Come back Sunday, September 20
All VIPs are warmly invited. Our students sing at the 10:30 a.m. service at Immanuel Lutheran Church that morning, as a thank-you to the church members who make this school possible. There is a free all-school-and-church breakfast in the gym at 9:15 beforehand, with a short devotion — worth setting an alarm for. Your VIP Day photos and picture frames will be waiting for you.
Visiting Martin Luther School in Joplin
If your family is still deciding about Martin Luther School, VIP Day is one of the easiest mornings of the year to visit — you see a real classroom on a real school day rather than a tour. Prospective families who would prefer a guided visit can schedule a school tour any time during the year.
Details also go out to families in The Glow newsletter and the FACTS Family Portal, and the full year is on the school calendar.
Martin Luther School serves Early Childhood through 8th grade at 2616 S Connecticut Ave in Joplin, Missouri. Questions about VIP Day? Call the school office at (417) 624-1403.