School Profiles
 St. James Lutheran School
850 W.
Dickens, Chicago, Illinois; Warren Gast, Principal
Other profiles:
Luther High School South & Junior
High
In the shadow of DePaul
University, another historic educational institution
is going strong. It’s St. James Lutheran School.
Founded in 1857, St. James has been offering quality
Christian education to generation after generation
of students on Chicago’s north side.
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The Lord is my Light
and my Salvation is the theme for the 2000-2001 school
year. Principal Warren Gast leads the school’s staff
of seven full-time teachers, one part-time teacher and
a part-time administrative assistant as they minister to
145 students in preschool through eighth grade. One staff
member Gast is particularly proud of is Mrs. Inge Teske.
A graduate of St. James, Mrs. Teske taught kindergarten
at the school for many years. She then became director
of the early childhood education program at Concordia University
in River Forest, Illinois. Upon her retirement from Concordia,
Mrs. Teske returned to St. James to serve as Gast’s
assistant. “It is this kind of commitment,” says
Gast, “that has seen St. James through tough times
that other urban congregations haven’t been able
to weather.”
Gast says the support
given by St. James’ congregation is another crucial
element of the school’s long-term success. Church
members are committed to investing in the ministry
of the school not only financially but also with their
time and talents. Still, a small urban school is always
in need of additional financial support, and that’s
where CLEF Good News Fund comes in.
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During the current school year, St.
James will receive $19,000 from CLEF Good News Fund. Of
this amount, $9,000 is used for student scholarships and
$10,000 helps fund the special education program at St.
James. “We are
blessed to have Mrs. Nancy Sadek as our special education
teacher. She is on site five days a week, working regularly
with about 15 students and also conducting assessments
and consultations for the teachers,” says Gast. “Special-needs
students who have fallen through the cracks at other schools
have found a place at St. James where their educational
needs are met and where they can learn and thrive. It would
be very hard for St. James to maintain this vital ministry
without the help of the Good News Fund.”
Approximately one-third of the school’s
students are members of St. James Lutheran Church. Another third are members
of other Christian churches, and about one third are from unchurched families.
That gives St. James a unique opportunity to introduce children to Jesus
Christ. Principal Gast explains, “Many families send their children
to St. James because they are seeking a quality education rather than looking
for a distinctly Christian education. But, of course, our mission is to provide
both, and we‘re thrilled that we have this opportunity to reach children
at a young age and teach them about the Savior.”
With the support of St. James congregation
and CLEF Good News Fund, the future looks bright for St. James Lutheran School.
Plans are underway to add a new gymnasium and to convert current recreation
space to new classrooms. Enrollment is predicted to climb to 200 by 2005.
The commitment to sharing Christ and teaching children that started the school
143 years ago will continue to carry St. James into the new century. |
