The St. John Lutheran School Story

The Lutheran School system is an integral part of American education.

The elementary schools of the Lutheran Church ‑ Missouri Synod date back to the decade between 1830 and 1840, when a number of Lutheran congregations were organized in Midwestern states and established Christian Day Schools for their children.  The first of these schools is older than the public schools.  Lutheran Schools are not in competition with public schools, but seek to work closely with the public schools in fulfilling educational responsibilities in the community.  The Bible’s philosophical approach is much different in that the inspired Word of God is the source of truth.

St. John Lutheran School preceded the establishment of our congregation as a branch school of Holy Ghost Lutheran Church in Bergholz, New York.  The school was opened here in the Johnsburg area in 1846 because of distance and travel hardships.  Then in 1853, German settlers transferred their membership from Holy Ghost along with the teacher, August Hoge, and dedicated St. John Ev. Lutheran Church and School.  The school had 82 students.

A second school was built in 1897 and remodeled in 1951.  In September, 1966 we moved into the present facilities which were remodeled in 1984 and 1986. In November of 2009 an expansion to the facility added a Science Room & lab, library, technology room, and 8th grade Language Arts room equipped with the most recent educational technology.

Until 1940 one teacher taught all eight grades.  Today St. John employs a full time administrator with a teaching staff of 13 full and part time teachers, and 4 teachers’ aides.  We have a full day kindergarten and both three and four year old preschool programs. 

St. John has been privileged and blessed by God to have had numerous faithful and dedicated teachers since its beginnings in 1846.  God has also blessed our history with growth and a willingness to make changes as necessary to provide the best Christian education in meeting the academic, spiritual, social and emotional needs of the children in our care.