by Clifford A. Dietrich

After Baptism, what better way is there to heed the urging of Jesus to "Let the little children come to Me" (Mk. 10:14), than to have them sitting at the feet of a teacher committed to passing on the faith in a Lutheran school? In fact, our Lutheran Church­Missouri Synod recognizes the value of Lutheran school education for the young in the official statement of its governance, its Handbook. In Article 3.823, it says, "The most effective education agencies available to the church for equipping children and youth for ministry are the full-time Lutheran elementary and secondary schools, so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ may become even more effective in the life of the individual Christian."

Fort Wayne and its environs are blessed with having many Lutheran school opportunities in preschool through grade twelve. There are eight freestanding preschool and 17 elementary schools (many of these have a preschool as well). All are staffed by trained Lutheran teachers who care about their students and who take a personal interest in their students' spiritual welfare.

In addition to its Christian mission, each school offers a quality education in the common school subjects. While the school programs contain the core subjects, they also include art, music, and physical education. Students may also participate in a variety of other activities, such as choirs, instrumental groups, and team sports.

Nearly all the schools are accredited. Most have achieved National Lutheran School Accreditation and accreditation by the State of Indiana. All teach the standards established by the Department of Education of the State. In the words of a mother who recently moved back to Fort Wayne, "My husband and I were thrilled to return to an area where there are so many Lutheran schools. Our former city did not have the quantity or quality of the Fort Wayne area. Our boys have just flourished in this environment!"

If you would like more information about the Lutheran schools in and around Fort Wayne, you may contact the Lutheran Association for Elementary Education (LAEE) 260-422-9662, laee@in.lcms.org, or Concordia Lutheran High School, 260-482-1102, www.clhscadets.com.

Dr. Dietrich is the Superintendent of the Lutheran Association for Elementary Education (LAEE) in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

From Volume 7, Issue 2, Spring 2004