Lutheran schools and education

Education

Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...

 were a priority for Lutherans

Lutheranism

Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...

 who emigrated to the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 from Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 and Scandinavia

Scandinavia

Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...

. One of the first things they did was to create schools for their children. This strong educational tradition was handed down from Martin Luther

Martin Luther

Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...

 himself. The oldest continuously operating school in the United States is St. Matthew Lutheran School in Manhattan

Manhattan

Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

. It was started in 1752 and still operates preschool through eighth grades.

When the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) was founded in 1847, this tradition of Lutheran education was continued. The synod was started by twelve churches that operated a total of nineteen schools. Several of the churches operated a number of schools in the rural countryside so that students would not have to walk too far to school each day.

Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod: Statistics

The LCMS operates the largest Protestant school system in the United States. Currently the LCMS operates 1,368 Early Childhood Centers, 1,018 elementary schools, 102 high schools, ten universities and two seminaries for a total of 2488 schools in the United States. These schools educate more than 280,000 students and are taught by almost 18,000 teachers. The only state without a Lutheran school is Maine

Maine

Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

. Lutheran schools operated by the LCMS also exist in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

 and mainland China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 (2006-2007 school year statistics).

Operations

For the most part, Lutheran schools are operated by individual congregations. Some schools are operated by groups of congregations, or associations. The schools are autonomous in that they hire their own teachers, select their own curriculum

Curriculum

See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...

, and set their own fees. In the past most of the costs were paid by the operating congregations. With the economic situation that exists today more and more of the operating funds come from tuition and fees.

High Schools

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has over a hundred high schools. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) currently operates 23 high schools.

Arizona

• Joy Christian School, Glendale
• Arizona Lutheran Academy (WELS), Phoenix
• Valley Lutheran High School, Phoenix

California

• Concordia Canoga Park, Canoga Park
• Concordia Sylmar, Sylmar
• Lutheran High School of San Diego, Chula Vista
• Lutheran High School, Elk Grove
• South Bay Lutheran High School and Preparatory Academy, Inglewood
• Crean Lutheran High School, Irvine
• Lutheran High School—La Verne, La Berne
• Lutheran High School of Orange County, Orange
• Pacific Lutheran High School, Torrance
• California Lutheran High School (WELS), Wildomar

Colorado

• Denver Lutheran High School, Denver
• Vail Christian High School, Edwards
• Rocky Mountain Lutheran High School, Northglenn
• Lutheran High School Parker, Parker

Florida

• Zion Lutheran Christian School, Deerfield Beach
• Calvary Academy, Mulberry
• St. John Lutheran High School, Ocala
• Divine Savior Lutheran Academy (WELS), Doral
• New Hope Lutheran Academy (WELS), West Melbourne

Hawaii

• Lutheran High School of Hawaii, Honolulu

Iowa

• Valley Lutheran High School, Cedar Falls

Illinois

• Christ Lutheran High School, Buckley
• Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School, Centralia
• Luther North High School, Chicago
• New Luther High School, Chicago
• Illinois Lutheran High School (WELS), Crete
• Faith Lutheran High School, Crystal Lake
• Lutheran School Association High School, Decatur
• Metro East Lutheran High School, Edwardsville
• Fox Valley Lutheran Academy, Elgin
• Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School, Evansville
• Luther East High School, Lansing
• Walther Lutheran High School, Melrose Park
• Christ Lutheran Academy, Plainsfield
• Lutheran High School, Rockford
• Lutheran High School, Springfield

Indiana

• Concordia Lutheran High School, Fort Wayne
• Lutheran High School of Indianapolis, Indianapolis
• Trinity Lutheran High School, Seymour

Louisiana

• Lutheran High School, Metairie

Maryland

• Baltimore Lutheran High School, Towson

Michigan

• Detroit Urban Lutheran School, Detroit
• Holt Lutheran High Schools, Holt
• Lutheran High School North, Macomb
• Lutheran High School South, Newport
• Lutheran High School Northwest, Rochester Hills
• Michigan Lutheran Seminary (WELS), Saginaw
• Valley Lutheran High School, Saginaw
• Michigan Lutheran High School (WELS), Saint Joseph
• Huron Valley Lutheran High School (WELS), Westland
• Lutheran High School Westland, Westland
• West Michigan Lutheran High School, Wyoming

Minnesota

• Lion's Gate Christian Academy, Bloomington
• Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, Fergus Falls
• Sioux Valley Lutheran Secondary School, Lakefield
• Immanuel Lutheran High School, Mankato
• Lutheran High School, Mayer
• Cannon Valley Lutheran High School, Morristown
• Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School (WELS), New Ulm
• Martin Luther High School, Northrup
• West Lutheran High School (WELS), Plymouth
• Concordia Academy, Roseville
• St. Croix Lutheran High School (WELS), West St. Paul

Missouri

• St. Paul Lutheran High School, Concordia
• Saxony Lutheran High School, Jackson
• Calvary Lutheran High School, Jefferson City
• Lutheran High School of Kansas City, Kansas City
• Lutheran High School North, Saint Louis
• Lutheran High School South, Saint Louis
• Lutheran High School of Saint Charles County, Saint Peters

North Carolina

• Charlotte United Christian Academy, Charlotte

North Dakota

• Oak Grove Lutheran High School, Fargo

Nebraska

• Heartland Lutheran High School, Grand Island
• Lincoln Lutheran Middle/Senior High School, Lincoln
• Lutheran High Northeast, Norfolk
• Concordia Junior Senior High School, Omaha
• Nebraska Evangelical Lutheran High School, Waco

Nevada

• Sierra Lutheran High School, Carson City
• Faith Lutheran Jr/Sr High School, Las Vegas

New York

• Our Saviour Lutheran High School, Bronx
• Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School, Brookville
• Our Savior New American School, Centereach
• Martin Luther High School, Maspeth

Ohio

• Lutheran High School East, Cleveland Heights
• Lutheran High School West, Rocky River

Oregan

• Trinity Lutheran School, Bend
• Portland Lutheran High School, Portland

South Dakota

• Lutheran High School of Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls
• Great Plains Lutheran High School (WELS), Watertown

Texas

• Concordia High School, Austin
• Prince of Peace Christian School, Carrollton
• Dallas Lutheran School, Dallas
• Lutheran High School North, Houston
• Lutheran South Academy, Houston
• Lutheran High School of San Antonio, San Antonio
• Concordia Lutheran High School, Tomball

Utah

• Concordia Preperatory School, Salt Lake City

Washington

• Evergreen Lutheran High School (WELS), Des Moines
• Seattle Lutheran High School, Seattle
• Mount Rainier Lutheran High School, Tacoma

Wisconsin

• Fox Valley Lutheran High School (WELS), Appleton
• Wolf River Lutheran High School, Cecil
• Immanuel Lutheran College High School, Eau Claire
• Winnebago Lutheran Academy (WELS), Fond Du Lac
• Northeastern Wisconsin Lutheran High School, Green Bay
• Martin Luther High School, Greendale
• Lake Country Lutheran High School, Hartland
• Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School (WELS), Jackson
• Living Word Lutheran High School, Jackson
• Lakeside Lutheran High School (WELS), Lake Mills
• Manitowoc Lutheran High School (WELS), Manitowoc
• Milwaukee Lutheran High School, Milwaukee
• Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WELS), Milwaukee
• Northland Lutheran High School (WELS), Mosinee
• Wisconsin Valley Lutheran High School, Mosinee
• Luther High School (WELS), Onalaska
• Racine Lutheran High School, Racine
• Sheboygan Lutheran High School, Sheboygan
• Shoreland Lutheran High School (WELS), Kenosha
• Luther Preparatory School (WELS), Watertown

External links

• Long Island, New York Lutheran Schools
• Mankato, MN and surrounding communities LCMS schools
• LCMS School Locator