BRIEF HISTORY OF ST. JOHN ’S LUTHERAN SCHOOL

Winston-Salem , North Carolina  

St. John’s Lutheran School opened its doors for the 1951-52 school year, beginning with an enrollment of 18 students in a half-day Kindergarten program. The facility was located with the church at the intersection of Queen and Westwood Streets (approximate location of the Baptist Hospital helicopter landing). Over the years, grades one through three were added, with combination grades and a total enrollment of 100 for the school year 1954-55. Prompted by the expansion plans of Baptist Hospital , St. John’s Lutheran Church and School relocated to its current property, on Silas Creek Parkway , in 1959. The 1961 enrollment was 132.  

1964 was an expansion year for the school. Grade four and an additional Kindergarten session were added. The school consisted of three Kindergarten classes; grade one, and a combination grade of grades two, three, and four. This program continued until enrollment numbers required the deletion of grade four.  

Construction of two new classrooms in 1971 enabled the beginning of the progressive addition of one grade per year.  The additional construction of two more classrooms and a library completed the plan in 1973.  The school consisted of two morning Kindergartens and separate classrooms for grades one through six.  Enrollment in 1976 was 204 students.

In 1979 one Kindergarten was deleted and a morning-only program for 3 and 4-year old students was begun.  This morning-only program became a full-fledged day care in 1982, continuing to serve those 3 and 4-year old students.  

In 1984, offices for the church and school were added.  Anticipating the addition of grades seven and eight for the middle school program, doublewide trailers were put in the church parking lot in 1985. Grade eight was added in the school year 1987-88. At that time, St. John’s was serving students from age 3 through grade eight with a total enrollment of 184 students. As technology became more important in the educational process, the computer lab was built in 1992. 

The 1995 addition to the school, housing the upper school of grades five through eight, enabled the students to be in one building.  The trailers were sold to provide additional parking for the church.  The school’s current program serves 3-year old students through grade eight, having a total enrollment of approximately 190 students.

All classrooms and facilities are newly renovated including a new state of the art computer lab; new kitchen; new music room; and new library.  Also with the addition of the new Family Life Center/Gymnasium, St. John’s now enjoys having a true “home court,” complete with hardwood basketball court, tournament ready volleyball and concession stand.  

St. John’s is registered with the North Carolina State Board of Education.

God has richly blessed St. John’s Lutheran School of Winston-Salem and will continue to do so in the future!