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For the fourth consecutive year, Lutheran schools in the St. Louis metro area have increased enrollment. The 36 member schools included in the Lutheran Elementary School Association (LESA) encompass early childhood through high school and have seen a 3% increase during the 2023-2024 school year. Since the 2019-2020 school year, LESA schools have experienced a 19% overall growth. 

“We are thrilled to report these increases as part of overall enrollment successes,” said Libby Gutberlet, LESA CEO. “We believe that that our upward trend in enrollment speaks to the needs of Metro Area to seek safe, Christian-focused education that is both excellent and affordable for all families.” 

Our Savior Lutheran School in Fenton experienced the largest growth among the 32 LESA schools serving early childhood through eighth grade. Principal Linda Dehn attributes the need for safe, values-based preschool education with consistent staff as reasons for their increased enrollment numbers “We hear stories of a high turnover in preschool staff in the community.  Our preschool teachers are full-time teachers.  This means that the same teacher that greets your child in the morning is the same one that says farewell at the end of the school day.  This allows a special relationship between a family and their teacher.” 

Another area school that experienced significant growth of 11% this school year is St. John’s-Arnold. Head of School Brenda Spieler agrees with the need for consistent staff. “Our preschool staff is caring and qualified. They consist of teaching professionals, college students earning a degree in education, and retired teachers. For our staff, teaching isn’t a job. It’s a calling.”  

Spieler and Dehn have also noticed a renewed desire for a faith-based, traditional curriculum in a safe environment. “Many families appreciate the way we incorporate Christian values into our school. It truly affects not only the way we teach and learn, but also the way we think and act. And the fact we make our school financially accessible to all is also a pleasant surprise for many.” 

Laura Montgomery, LESA’s Director of Educational Resources attributes the growth as a positive outcome of the Covid pandemic.  “Many of our schools increased enrollment during the pandemic because our schools remained open, providing consistency for families amidst a time of chaos and unpredictability.  Families that came from public schools discovered the affordable benefits of a Lutheran Christian school environment, fell in love with the teachers, curriculum, and family feel of the school and not only re-enrolled their students, but also told others about their positive experiences.  As part of that success, LESA is blessed to aid in the upward trend by  awarding over 2,600 scholarships totaling over $2.19 million in tuition assistance to families over the past four years.” 

Enrollment is ongoing for Lutheran Schools, with many open houses occurring on Sunday, January 21, 2024 as a kickoff to National Lutheran Schools Week.  A listing of open house dates and times can be found at lesastl.org/schools. Private tours are also available at all schools by appointment.   

 To download this press release, click here.

About LESA  

More than 9,800 children attend LESA member Lutheran schools in the St. Louis Metro Area, making Lutheran schools the second-largest private school system in the Bi-State area. A Recognized Service Organization of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, LESA represents 36 elementary and high schools and five related agencies. For more information, visit www.LESAstl.org. 

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 LESA Contact:
Amee Colvin   
Director Fund Development and Marketing
314.200.0797   acolvin@lesastl.org    
www.lesastl.org 

Sarah Koch, recipient of Best School Principal award for the second consecutive year.

Zion Lutheran Church and School of Bethalto were recognized on December 1, 2023 at the 2023 Best of the Best reader’s choice award event at Hatheway Cultural Center on the campus of Lewis and Clark Community College. Zion was nominated for six awards and won four including Best School Principal, Best Local Private School, Best Place to Work, and Best Volunteers. Zion received nominations for Best Teacher and Best Pastor. This was Zion’s fifth consecutive year winning the award for Best Local Private School.

Sarah Koch, recipient of Best School Principal award for the second consecutive year, said their success lies within the dedication of staff and church members. “Our staff works hard to create the best environment for children,” Koch said. “Our church members continue to invest year after year in the children in our community by helping provide affordable Christian education.”

It’s a labor of love for Koch, who said, “I enjoy seeing so many children from the community come through our doors!” Being recognized as Best Principle is an honor for Koch. “God’s love shines out of Zion,” she said, “and I am honored to represent such a great group of children, families, church members, and employees as we make a difference in our community together.”

Togetherness was apparent during the awards ceremony for Zion. They were represented by several staff members. Among them was Megan Pfeiffer, who was nominated for Best Teacher. The nomination reminded her how special Zion is for the love shown to students. “Not every church has both a staff and members who are willing to go out of their way to serve others,” Pfeiffer said. “I feel so blessed to be part of this awesome ministry and pray that it will remain a vessel of God’s love for many years to come.”

Staff and church members working together has created a unique atmosphere at Zion. Pastor Brandon Metcalf, who received a nomination for Best Pastor, said one of his favorites aspects is the family atmosphere. Pastor Metcalf said, “We’re a family gathered around God’s gifts and sharing His love. Zion is a church where people find hope, community, and, most importantly, the life-changing Word of God.” That message is being heard in the community. Pastor Metcalf said the church is seeing more people get connected at Zion.

Zion Lutheran Church was formerly organized in 1859. In 1877, the church opened the elementary school. Reverend J.G. Neutzel was the first teacher as well as the congregation’s pastor. Tuition cost was 75 cents per month.

Both church and school have seen significant expansion throughout the years. Zion currently offers classes for preschool through 8th grade to both members and nonmembers alike. For more information, visit zlsbethalto.org.

The Best of the Best event is a joint sponsorship between The Telegraph and The Edwardsville Intelligencer. Both are members of Hearst Media Group. A new record was established this year with 24,983 nominations submitted and for the most public votes cast at 164,368. All online votes are tallied by a third-party vendor with no affiliation with any person or organization in the Madison County area to prevent regional bias.

Congratulations to Freya Blackman, 14, eighth grader at Christ Community Lutheran School (CCLS) in Kirkwood, named the recipient of LESA’s 2023 Student Christian Leadership Award.

Freya was nominated for the award by Mr. Royce Hartmann, Middle School Principal. “Freya is the embodiment of a student Christian leader.  She has a strong faith, a huge heart for Jesus, and is compassionate, kind-hearted, and driven.  Freya is so friendly to everyone.  She regularly serves others at her church and has been on a mission trip to Honduras. Freya is the type of person everyone would want their child to hang around.  She leads by example and shares her faith.”

Freya shared that “Being a Christian leader means being an example to the rest of the world of how Jesus loves all of us. In today’s culture, we are so quick to point out mistakes and focus on hatred and anger that it is easy to forget how Jesus would want us to act. Being a Christian leader means that you strive to show mercy, kindness, empathy, and spreading the love of God to all.”

Freya’s mission work is her greatest passion.  She has been involved in missions since the age of five. “My grandmother and I started writing Christmas cards to the Micah boys. The Micah Project is a non-profit Christian mission in Honduras. They take boys off the streets and give them a loving Christian home and educate them to help make an impact in their community by being amazing Christian leaders. It has been a little over nine years since God planted my love of missions in me and since then, I have become Micah’s mission ambassador, and I was able to travel to Honduras and see His work firsthand. During that trip, I learned so much about God and how he can work through the most broken people.”

Freya’s favorite school subject is history. “If people are educated in history, it can help prevent conflict. I also love to learn about people who have done amazing things to make the world a better place and inspire me and children in the future. I like to say that the Bible is a Christian’s history book. It teaches how to live, and it gives us the history of the world in one book.” said Freya.

“I will forever be grateful that part of God’s plan for me is to be a part of the CCLS community. I have developed unbreakable friendships and connections that I thought were never possible. CCLS is like no other. It is a family in Christ, there to support and uplift everyone. The love and support that I have been shown is overwhelming and I am incredibly grateful. I can’t imagine wanting to go anywhere else.”

Freya is the daughter of Reed and Annekin Blackman.  They are members of Central Presbyterian Church.  Freya plans to attend Lutheran High School South in the fall, and will receive a $500 scholarship underwritten by the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) as part of her award.