Saxony Lutheran High School to add agriculture curriculum

In a move that could attract more students to Saxony Lutheran High School, the campus will offer an agriculture science curriculum this fall.

Principal Mark Ruark said the school draws from Cape Girardeau and Perry counties.

"We truly expect that number's going to grow over the next few years," Ruark said.

Ruark said eighth-graders from its Lutheran feeder schools, and others who may be interested in Saxony, are invited to the campus for Future Freshmen Day. Students are surveyed to see why they do or don't plan to attend Saxony.

The top three responses, particularly from students from Perry County and some outlying areas of Cape Girardeau County, are that Saxony doesn't have an ag science program, offer football or transportation, he said.

It was decided ag science was the most doable.

Danny McCrite was chosen for the agriculture science teaching post. He taught agriculture in the Egyptian School District for many years and also was a principal. He said he's been working on the curriculum for the Saxony course.

Ruark added McCrite also has a math teaching certification, has been involved with National FFA Organization at the state level in Illinois, and nationally.

Saxony needed a teacher for one section of math, so that also was a plus.

"We felt very fortunate to get someone with his kind of experience," Ruark said. " ... He has a farm, so he's a practicing farmer, along with being an educator. He just brought the right mix of everything to start our program."

Tony Buehrle, development director at Notre Dame Regional High School, said students there have the option to take agriculture courses through the Career and Technology Center.

Ruark said Saxony Lutheran is creating a program that will feed into the Career and Technology Center. Students also take classes at the Perryville Area Career and Technology Center.

Rich Payne, director of the Career and Technology Center, said landscaping/horticulture and plant science are offered to high school students in the 12 school districts, including two private schools, that the campus serves.

Ruark said Saxony Lutheran is conducting long-range planning. Enrollment for the 2014-2015 school year is expected to rise by nearly 30 students to 210, he has said.

"If we continue to grow in our numbers, we would look at adding football at some point and also transportation, if it's feasible. Those are all things we would continue to look at as we grow," he said.

Ruark said there are a lot of reasons for Saxony's growth, including positive publicity about its success in extracurricular programs such as basketball and soccer.

"I think our ACT scores being as high as they are, people are coming to see what we're all about. By adding programs like ag, that all combines for our jump in enrollment," he added.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address:

2004 Saxony Lane, Jackson