LUTHERANS TO OPEN SAXONY SCHOOL

When Jerry Deardorff retired last year as superintendent of Meadow Heights schools, he thought his worries about the school year were over. But that's not been the case lately.

"God seemed to have planned differently," he said. As administrator at Saxony Lutheran High School, Deardorff fills his day with purchase orders, hiring staff and enrolling students.

Saxony Lutheran High School will open Aug. 21 as the first Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod high school in the area. It has been a project years in the making. Several area Lutheran congregations began talking about forming a school more than a year ago.

Land was purchased along Cape Girardeau County Road 601 as the permanent site for the school. The Board of Regents is in a fund-raising campaign to address operating costs, pay for the land and create a fund to pay for building construction.

The first class of students, primarily freshmen and sophomores, will help establish some of the school's traditions, Deardorff said.

"This first class will be part of the history because they get to choose the school colors, school mascot and song. They will establish the tradition of the school."

So far, seven students have enrolled and 19 others have expressed interest in attending, he said.

"The students who are enrolled are serious about their education and their parents want them to go to school in a Christian atmosphere," Deardorff said. "We're going to provide that."

The school is supported by more than 25 Lutheran congregations in Southeast Missouri, ranging from Farmington to Poplar Bluff.

Hiring staff depends somewhat on enrollment numbers, Deardorff said. Class sizes and offerings will depend on enrollment numbers. Four teachers have been hired, two on a part-time basis.

Another element to get the school year started is finding textbooks and supplies.

"It's really too many items to mention," Deardorff said of his shopping and purchasing list. "It's a myriad of things that other schools already have."

The school, which is being housed in classroom space at St. Andrew Lutheran Church at Cape Rock Drive and Kingshighway, has to buy tables and chairs, textbooks and classroom supplies.

Textbook selection will be a mix of synod books and other materials.

"We aren't going to abandon the regular textbooks altogether," Deardorff said. "It will meld the best of both worlds."

Religion classes and some science materials will be synod literature.

Course offerings and costs have been questions foremost on the minds of parents and students interested in enrolling at Saxony, Deardorff said.

"They want to know if we're for real," he said. "Then they want to know about the various courses we will offer and if we'll offer sports and extracurricular activities. I answer yes to every question."

The number of sports teams or extracurricular activities will depend on student interests.

"If we only have two students go out for basketball, then we probably won't offer that," he said. "It depends on the quantity and quality of the students."

People having questions about the school can contact Deardorff at the school office, 335-6635.