Safeguarding Young Minds for Bright Futures
As a parent, you understand the profound influence a challenging, nurturing, and safe educational setting can have on your child’s development. You also recognize the importance of having your son or daughter attend a school whose values align with your own. At Sioux Falls Lutheran School, everything we do is designed to support your child — academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
Unity in Christ, Excellence in Education
Our educational philosophy is rooted in Scripture and combines a quality liberal arts education with the implementation of research-based best practices and hands-on experiences. We’re dedicated to transforming childhood curiosity into a passion for learning that lasts a lifetime.
Students take lessons in English and language arts, which includes phonics, spelling, handwriting, and cursive. They also learn math, history and social studies, science, art, physical education, Spanish, and music, including Suzuki-based violin instruction. Library, STEM integration, weekly chapel, and daily Bible class are also integrated into the elementary school experience.
Our teachers encourage your child to:
- Think critically and work collaboratively within the classroom
- Exercise problem-solving and decision-making skills when challenges arise
- Faithfully and lovingly serve God and neighbors
We are committed to giving each student the tools needed to be successful. We strive to accomplish this by maintaining high academic standards, employing excellent teachers, and upholding a Christian worldview.
Ultimately, our mission is to develop capable Christian servant-leaders in a complex world who are World Ready and Faith Secure. We do this by partnering with families and the church to help every child learn to use their gifts and the fruit of the Spirit, in faith, to touch a troubled world with God’s grace.
It’s important to find the best Christian elementary school program for your child.
See if SFLS is the right fit for your family.
We chose Sioux Falls Lutheran School for our son because we believe that Sioux Falls Lutheran has a core belief that God is number one, and that’s really important to us. When Jonah walks into his classroom, first of all he is loved by God and he knows that right away. And second, he is loved and cared for by his teachers.
— Katie, SFLS Parent
I trust that our kids are safe and cared for at SFLS. I know they are learning at a rapid rate in each school subject, and most importantly–they are learning about how to be a Christian.
Brian, SFLS Parent
Is Sioux Falls Lutheran School Right for Your Child?
Take a closer look with our Parent Guide.
Elementary school students benefit from PeaceWiseKids, a program that encourages kindness and character development by teaching children how to meet challenges and resolve conflicts in Christ-like ways. Teachers provide direct instruction to help students learn how to establish strong, safe relationships necessary for friendships, conflict resolution, and deeper spiritual connections. The scriptural perspectives taught through PeaceWise complement Bible lessons and chapel services.
Your child will experience a fun and challenging environment focused on learning and experimenting, developing confidence to learn from mistakes. Traditional grades are not given in elementary school. Instead, students practice skills throughout the year to work toward subject mastery.
In addition to academics, teachers integrate movement into each school day to keep students engaged in learning. Scheduled recess times and periodic “brain boost” activities provide students with 30-60 minutes of daily physical activity.
Teachers utilize evidence-based curriculum resources to achieve balanced literacy instruction in reading, phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, and writing. Our Suzuki-based violin instruction also compliments reading instruction by developing unique brain connections, strengthening visualization and memory abilities, and helping children differentiate between similar sounds.
Additionally, children participate in small group reading, read-alouds during the younger years, and reading novels in upper elementary grade levels. A reading buddy program with older students is also available throughout the elementary experience.
All classrooms have a Promethean board for technology-focused lessons, and we integrate STEM instruction through varied curriculum resources. Your child will gain valuable skills through hands-on science and math opportunities, including scheduled time in our modern STEM lab and increasing opportunities for related electives as students get older.
While screen time is fairly limited through the early elementary years, 2nd graders have classroom iPads available for intermittent use during tasks such as read-alongs and math activities. Starting in 3rd grade, students benefit from 1-to-1 technology, including iPads in 3rd grade and Chromebooks for grade levels above. These devices are used for activities including spelling tests, research, and project development.
Recital opportunities begin at a young age thanks to our Suzuki-based violin program. Private music lessons during the school day are available for an additional fee beginning in 2nd grade. Starting in 4th grade, students can also participate in choir and orchestra, while band opportunities begin in 5th grade.
Elementary school students also participate in field day and may have occasional opportunities for involvement in musicals, math club, chess club, and honor choir. A variety of camp experiences are available in the summer as well.
Additionally, students participate in experiential learning opportunities (field trips) at:
- The Outdoor Campus
- The Great Plains Zoo
- The Washington Pavilion
- The Old Courthouse Museum
- The Butterfly House & Aquarium
- Good Earth State Park
- The Corn Palace in Mitchell
- The Ingalls Homestead in De Smet
Throughout the year, we complete a variety of service projects, including food drives, humane society supply collections, and chapel offerings to benefit missionaries and various local, national, and global organizations. Families also enjoy:
- Fall Festival & Trunk or Treat
- School athletic events
- Homecoming celebrations
- Barbecues and tailgating
- National Lutheran Schools Week celebration
- Grandparents Day
Our teachers and faculty value their relationships with students and are dedicated to creating a safe space for each child to share any issues and concerns they’re experiencing. This relationship extends to parents, too, with collaboration and communication being key to keeping everyone safe and working through challenges together if they arise.
In terms of physical safety, parents drop students off at the supervised front entrance or their child’s classroom door in the morning, and teachers bring students out to the main entrance at the end of the day. For midday student check-outs and check-ins, parents must come to the front office to sign out their child.
Our front office is always locked, and guests must be buzzed in and provide our office staff with a verifiable reason for their visit before they are allowed to enter the building. Additionally, members of the leadership team are always at entry points when the doors are unlocked.
We’re committed to ensuring timely and open communication so you have a good pulse on what’s happening with your child in the classroom and throughout the school community. This includes sending out classroom and teacher communications, weekly schoolwide newsletters, periodic communications from principals or the executive director, and an annual communitywide newsletter. We also host programs, such as classroom holiday celebrations and “chat and chapel,” to help families connect with and build relationships with one another. Parents can also get involved in our school community by joining our Parent Teacher Fellowship or Booster Club.
Meet a Teacher
Kristy Bridges, 4th Grade Teacher
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education
Teaching Experience: 20 years (16 at SFLS)
“Teaching is my life. It’s more than just a job or a small piece of who I am, it is foundational to everything I do and everything I am…My favorite thing about teaching is all the relationships that I get to form with students and families. I love watching students grow during the year in my classroom. I also love running into them when they are older and seeing all they have accomplished and hearing everything they remember from their time in my room.”
See for Yourself What Sets Us Apart
Schedule a visit and see firsthand why elementary school families choose Sioux Falls Lutheran School. Contact our admissions team at admissions@sflutheranschool.com or 605-335-1923.
