Lutheran High School of Hawaii

Lutheran High School of Hawaii
Location
1404 University Avenue Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 United States
Coordinates	21°17′45″N 157°49′17″W
Information
Type	Private
Denomination	Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
Established	1970
Authority	Lutheran Schools of Hawaii
Principal	Arthur Gundell
Faculty	12.0 (on FTE basis)
Grades	9 to 12
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	135 (2005-06)
Student to teacher ratio	11.2
Accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Website	http://www.lhshawaii.org/

Lutheran High School of Hawaii (LHSH) was a Lutheran High School located on the grounds of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church at 1404 University Avenue in Honolulu on Oahu, Hawaii. LHSH was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools (HAIS), and National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA), and was a member of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu (ILH) and PAC-5 sports programs.

The school announced its closing at the end of the 2015-16 school year.

History

Lutheran High had been serving the greater Honolulu community for over 25 years. Foremost during the school's existence has been a dedication to provide a quality, Christ-centered education for the children of Hawaii.

Lutheran High's story begins in 1942 when a group of civilians and servicemen with the help of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod opened a small mission Service Center on Lunalilo Street in Honolulu. A few years later the mission group established Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and moved to a small building on Young Street owned by Kawaiaha'o Church.

In 1947, Our Redeemer Lutheran School was started in the basement of the building on Young Street. That first year the school consisted of Kindergarten and first grade. Eager to provide a permanent home for the church and to meet the needs of a growing elementary school enrollment, the church purchased property on University Avenue in 1949 and constructed the present chapel, offices, and three classrooms. By 1950, the school had an enrollment of twenty-nine students in Kindergarten and grades one through three. Two more classrooms were added in 1952.

By 1959, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church became a self-supporting congregation of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. In this capacity, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, no longer receiving mission support, became the sole provider for the school.

A complete elementary school for Kindergarten through grade eight opened in 1965. A large addition was made to the University Avenue property. The new building, immediately behind the existing structures, added seven classrooms, a library, auditorium, teachers' workroom and kitchen.

Four years later a high school expansion program was planned. Accordingly, during 1970–1974, grades nine through twelve were added with the first senior class of fifteen students graduating in 1975. During 1974–1982, space limitations on the University Avenue campus necessitated that the Elementary School be operated from three different locations stretching from Palolo Valley to Nu'uanu Valley.

In 1977, a second parcel of land on Wilder Avenue around the corner from the University Avenue property was purchased. By 1983, a modern three-story, fourteen-room structure had been completed. This facility now houses Kindergarten through eighth grade. Concurrently with the completion of the elementary building, improvements were made to the High School on University Avenue. These included library, classroom and office improvements and the addition of a computer center, teachers' lounge, and counseling office.

During the 1988 school year, a portable building was acquired to serve as an additional classroom. On July 1, 1988, Our Redeemer Church relinquished its sole control of the high school in order to share ownership with four other Lutheran churches - St. Mark, Messiah, Our Savior, and Trinity - thus creating an "association" high school. Good Shepherd Church joined the association in 2004.

By 2016, enrollment at the school had dropped to 38 students. On April 15, 2016, the school announced that it would be closing at the end of the academic year.

Mission

Lutheran High School of Hawaii summarized its mission with the phrase: "Educating for Life - Promoting the Faith!"

Goals

Lutheran High School of Hawaii aims to provide a quality Christian education for life by meeting the spiritual, academic, physical, aesthetic, social, and emotional needs of its students. LHSH clarifies its goals:

Spiritual - To give students the opportunity to learn of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and ensure a setting where the Holy Spirit can strengthen the faith of those who already believe in Him.

Academic - To provide a college-preparatory education as well as support for vocational competence, promote critical thinking, effective communication, and independent work while appreciating the wisdom and order of God's creation.

Physical - To help students recognize that the human body is a gift of God, and they have a God-given responsibility to develop and maintain good mental, physical, and emotional health.

Aesthetic - To foster a lively and continuing interest in the fine arts and other cultural aspects of life as reflections of infinite beauty of God.

Social - To offer students a Christian setting that encourages wholesome social relationships, as well as the development of values, attitudes, and social skills that are characteristic of people who have respect for authority and who are considerate of the feelings and rights of others.

Emotional - To encourage self-respect and the development of a healthy self-image based on God's love and forgiveness.

External links

• Official website at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
• Hawaii Lutheran Schools at the Wayback Machine (archive index)