Early Childhood Education / Preschool
The purpose of the St. John Early Childhood program is to provide quality education for young children in our church and community.
Beginning in 2025-2026, St. John Lutheran School will offer a half-day preschool program from 8:30-11:30 five days a week. Families will have the option to choose a 2, 3, or 4 day program.
Our program is aimed at nurturing the whole child and providing opportunity to expand and grow in these areas:
Intellectual Spiritual Physical Social Emotional
without difficulty and join into play with other children.
developing friendships and positive social skills.
In addition to the key points above, we also guide our students with:
experiences, play, exploration, and the use of centers.
The Christian Educator
The Christian Educator:
- sees the whole person as God’s foremost creation, given a rational mind and impressionable personality.
- views the alienated human as one who is sinful and mortal, in need of repentance and the Gospel.
- focuses upon the redeemed child through God’s love and forgiveness.
- envisions the person as a responsible being, who has an obligation toward our Lord, fellow creatures, and himself.
- believes that all children and families are capable of growth.
Education must cultivate in each student a life-long intellectual pursuit of curiosity. We strive to perfect the learning tools and techniques with the individual so that he/she can design a personal habit of self-education to continue throughout life as an ongoing activity.
Christian educators guide, comfort, and show possibilities, and they do so using best practices of teaching and learning.
Education Objectives at St. John Lutheran
We hope to achieve the following objectives through our Christian education:
- Teach the Word of God so students can more completely understand and apply its teaching to their own lives.
- Lead students to a stronger faith in Christ and to guide them so they will walk more closely with Jesus.
- Teach students thoroughly the fundamentals of Christianity through daily instruction in Biblical truth and in training for Christian living.
- Encourage personal experience in prayer life, devotions, and worship.
- Assist and encourage students to serve as witnesses in order to win more souls for Jesus.
- Prepare students for communicant membership in the church and to assume Christian leadership in home, church, and community.
- Develop an attitude of love and respect for one’s fellow man that will result in Christian action and service.
- Teach students to recognize and accept in a Christian manner their responsibilities, duties, and privileges in an organized society.
- Foster growth of a Christian personality by providing for the spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social, and physical welfare of students through an integrated program of Christian education.
- Assist parents in training their children for Christ-centered living by providing instruction and fellowship in a Christian environment.
- Acquire an adequate knowledge of the environment in which they live.
- To be prepared for the next steps in their educational journey.
- Help students grow in practical skills required in everyday living.
- Develop an appreciation of the arts.
Curriculum & Instruction at St. John
Learning is a process that takes place over time and requires active participation by all those associated with that process – teacher (providing feedback), student (opportunities to practice and present knowledge/skills), and parent (supporting the process).
Our grading and assessment practices should create a scenario in which all parties are able to engage in pointed and meaningful conversations about that learning process. As learning is reflected, instruction adapts to support continued growth.
We believe that grades should accurately represent learning and that a growth mindset is necessary for learning. As a result of this, only assignments and assessments used to gather evidence of learning will be graded. Additionally, students will be allowed to make mistakes because that enables them to determine how and where improvement can take place.
GROWTH MINDSET
Kindergarten-Grade 8 Yearly Tuition for 2025-2026
Student 1
- $6,300
- Family Total (with discount)
Student 2
- $11,970
- Family Total (with discount)
Student 3
- $16,500
- Family Total (with discount)
Student 4
- $16,500
- Family Total (with discount)
Student 5
- $16,500
- Family Total (with discount)
Enrollment Fee – $175
Preschool Yearly Tuition for 2025-2026
5 days
3 days
2 days
Enrollment Fee – $150
Crusader Care (Before and After School Care) 2025-2026
Before School (7:00-8:00) – $5
After School (2:40-5:30) – $15
Admission and Enrollment Information
We have adopted an admissions policy that opens the school to families who are like-minded spiritually, who are supportive of our philosophy, objectives, and standards of education, and whose children meet our enrollment standards. Our purpose is to serve families who desire not simply a private education, but a distinctively Christian education for their children.
Before applying for admission to our school, please read our Statement of Faith and our Student and Parent Handbook linked below. The Student and Parent Handbook will introduce you to many of the school’s policies, procedures, and expectations for both parents and students.
Teaching His Word
This school believes, teaches, and practices the lordship of Jesus Christ and acknowledges the authority of God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures, without reservation. Our faculty integrate biblical teachings and answer questions from a biblical viewpoint consistent with our mission and statement of faith.
Biblical principles are integrated into every subject taught at our school. Our staff is committed not only to academic excellence, but also to teach students how to apply the truths of God’s Word to every aspect of life. If you agree with the teachings of God’s Word, this school will complement the beliefs and ideals your child is taught at home. We look forward to partnering with you to educate your child in God’s truth.
Early Childhood & Pre-school Staff
Lorna Rudolph
Lorna Rudolph has an undergraduate degree in education from Concordia University in St.Paul MN and a master’s degree in early childhood education also from Concordia University. Lorna and her husband Jim live in Elk River. They have three grown children.
Lorna enjoys reading, gardening and going to antique stores.
Jen Voigt
Jen Voigt has an undergraduate degree in early childhood education from Concordia University Wisconsin and a master’s degree in early childhood special education from Concordia University Wisconsin. Jen also works for LSEM (Lutheran Special Education Ministries), giving students extra one on one support. Jen is married and has four children. Jen enjoys coaching, spending time outside, playing games and watching her children play sports.
Gloria Tatkenhorst
Cali Hudson
Early Childhood & Pre-school Staff
Lorna Rudolph
Lorna Rudolph has an undergraduate degree in education from Concordia University in St.Paul MN and a master’s degree in early childhood education also from Concordia University. Lorna and her husband Jim live in Elk River. They have three grown children.
Lorna enjoys reading, gardening and going to antique stores.
Jen Voigt
Jen Voigt has an undergraduate degree in early childhood education from Concordia University Wisconsin and a master’s degree in early childhood special education from Concordia University Wisconsin. Jen also works for LSEM (Lutheran Special Education Ministries), giving students extra one on one support. Jen is married and has four children. Jen enjoys coaching, spending time outside, playing games and watching her children play sports.
Gloria Tatkenhorst
Cali Hudson
Early Childhood & Pre-school Staff
Lorna Rudolph
Lorna Rudolph has an undergraduate degree in education from Concordia University in St.Paul MN and a master’s degree in early childhood education also from Concordia University. Lorna and her husband Jim live in Elk River. They have three grown children.
Lorna enjoys reading, gardening and going to antique stores.
Jen Voigt
Jen Voigt has an undergraduate degree in early childhood education from Concordia University Wisconsin and a master’s degree in early childhood special education from Concordia University Wisconsin. Jen also works for LSEM (Lutheran Special Education Ministries), giving students extra one on one support. Jen is married and has four children. Jen enjoys coaching, spending time outside, playing games and watching her children play sports.