For the past 27 years, St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church has offered Christian elementary education for its members and for those from the community who desired a Christian education for their children.

Operating this school was a special treasure which the congregation gladly offered to help parents train their children. Sadly, this will come to an end at the close of the 2009-’10 school year.

At a meeting of the voters this past Sunday, it was decided that it was not going to be possible to continue to operate the school after the close of this present school year.

Tuition paid by the parents for such a Christian education was never meant to cover the cost for operating the school – the difference has always been subsidized by the congregation.
Due to budget constraints, this subsidy will no longer be possible, so it was decided that the school needed to be closed.

The school opened its doors in the fall of 1983, as a one-room school (one teacher taught all eight grades).

Starting enrollment soared above projections so that already that fall an expansion had to be planned for the following school year.

The school building saw two more expansions, one in 1990, and another in 2002.

Besides growing in size, the school also expanded by adding a preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds, and then, in 1998, by offering a daycare and latchkey program before and after school.
While grades K-8 will not be offered for the next school year, the daycare, latchkey and preschool programs will continue.

“The congregation is thankful for each of the 25 teachers who have taught in our school through the past 27 years, as well as for all of the parents who allowed their children to attend our school,” Pastor Jeffrey Weber said this morning.