Mission Statement • General Information • Enrollment Policy • Preschool • Kindergarten • Nondiscriminatory Policy • Extracurricular Activities • Fee Information • School History

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School
105 Allen Street
Jenera, OH 45841
Telephone 419/326.4685

Mission Statement:  Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School exists to assist families in the Christ-centered education of their children to guide them to know Jesus as their Savior, grow in faith, and share Him with others.

General Information:  Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School is an elementary school with preschool through eighth grade classes.  Preschool and kindergarten are separate classes while the other grades have two grade levels in each classroom.  This school is chartered by the Ohio Department of Education and all the teachers are State of Ohio Certified teachers.  The enrollment in the last several years has been in the area of seventy-five students.  The ratio of students per teacher is about 17 to 1. 

The main reason Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church established the school is to provide a Christian education to the students who attend the school.  Each school day is begun with a devotion and then a Bible History class or a Catechism class.  The other regular subjects are then taught the remainder of the day each in the light of God's Word.  As a child progresses through the grades, he (she) learns more of the chief parts of Christian Doctrine, prayers, Bible versus and hymns.

The school day begins at 8:40AM and dismisses at 3:20PM.  Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School owns and operates three school buses.  A student must live within a ten mile radius from Jenera, OH in order to  be picked up on one of our buses.  If a student lives outside the ten mile limit he (she) must be brought to an agreed upon location inside the limit in order to ride on the bus.

Enrollment Policy:  Children of members of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Congregation are eligible to attend.  Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School also accepts children from sister congregations of the Wisconsin Evangelical Synod. 

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School also accepts children of none members.  Parents must obtain an enrollment application form from the school and return it to the Board of Education for consideration.  Children from non-member families will be enrolled if they wish to enroll for the purpose of a Christian education as taught by Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.  The parents must agree to attend our adult Bible information class to understand what we teach in our church and school.  Parents are also required to pay the registration fees and tuition in effect for the school year.

Preschool:  In order to attend Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Preschool the child must be four year old by September 1st of that school year.  Classes are held from 8:45AM to noon on Tuesday and Thursday each week during the school year.  The fee is per month and must be paid on a regular basis.  We strive for a one to ten ratio of teacher to students.  Registration takes place from March through the end of June for the fall term.

Kindergarten:  Trinity Evangelical Lutheran's kindergarten class is held for a full day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Children entering kindergarten must be five years old by August 1st.  Registration takes place in March or April for the following school year.

Nondiscriminatory Policy:  Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities general accorded or made available to students at the school.  It does not discriminate in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, and athletic and other school administered programs.

Extracurricular Activities:  Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School offers a number of extracurricular activities.  Students in grades 5-8 participate in math, spelling, forensic, geography, art, and science competitions.  In sports we play other schools in soccer and volleyball in fall, basketball during winter, and track in spring. 

Fees Information:  If you would like information on registration fees, tuition, curriculum, dress code, or any other topic please contact the school and ask for a parent handbook.

School History:  During the long ministry of Rev. John Gauss, thoughts of a Christian day school were expressed for many years.  The first proposal, November 12, 1938 came when it was necessary to replace the choir director and organist.  The suggested solution offered by the pastor was to call a teacher.

On May 31, 1948 a special committee, composed of Henry Von Stein, C. R. Bormuth, Lauren Rauch, Lloyd Schmehl, and Raymond Rossman, was appointed to gather the necessary information to start a school.  Because the church basement, the only available place, was not considered acceptable, the congregation adopted the recommendation to build a school.

An architect was hired to draw plans for a frame structure of native lumber to be built onto the east side of the church.  The state building code would not permit this as planned.

A building fund was established in 1943 and soon a large sum of money was gathered from various sources.  The heirs of the John Heldman estate offered to donate land if it would be used for a Christian day school.

Plans were drawn by an architect for a separate brick building.  Due to World War II the O. P. A. did not grant a permit to build at this time because of the scarcity of materials.  At a special meeting in the spring of 1948, the vestry's proposal that a Christian day school be opened was accepted.  The church basement was made suitable to hold classes for the required time.

A school board, composed of Harry Rausch, Lauren Rauch and Theodore Smith, was elected.  Three used busses were purchased for transportation needs.  The church requested a make teacher be assigned from the call list.  Pastor Voss volunteered to assist in teaching.

Wayne Wiechmann was assigned and did an excellent job to get the school on a good start.  On the first day of school, there were 72 pupils enrolled.  Two years later, Rosemary Slama, the second teacher, was assigned to teach the lower grades.

During the years 1948-1952, while classes were held in the church basement, preparations for a school building were proceeding.  There was much interest and government restrictions eased.

Harvey Wilch, a local general contractor, and his helpers were employed by the hour.  Volunteer labor was donated by numerous church members.

In 1951 the groundbreaking was celebrated and the building was completed the next spring.  The occasion of the dedication of the school was a joyous day on April 27, 1952. 

In 1966, a state law required that there be no more than two grades and only 30 pupils in a room.  Plans were made to build additional rooms to the school.  The addition was dedicated to the glory of the Triune God on October 13, 1968.

In the 1980's it became apparent that more space was needed again in the school.  Special groundbreaking ceremonies were held May 15, 1983 for two new classrooms and a multi-purpose room.

  Copyright © 2004 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church & School