Who knew that East Cobb’s best-kept secret is a private school on Lower Roswell Road called Faith Lutheran School. Admissions Director Susie Glass explains: “We have been providing East Cobb students with excellent education since 1958, and still we are a bit of a unknown to the community.”
Sharing a campus with Faith Lutheran Church, the school offers a full Preschool8th grade program, with early childhood education starting at 15 months. 2018 marks 60 years of offering a safe, Christ-centered atmosphere that challenges its students academically and, at the same time, meets individual needs due to its small classes and low teacher-to-student ratio.
According to Principal Daryl Kruse, Faith Lutheran is one of only two Lutheran schools in the state of Georgia, which contributes to the anonymity of the East Cobb location. But he emphasizes that the school is part of the largest Protestant school network in the United States, with 1150 early childhood centers, 880 elementary schools and more than 200,000 students. “Many of our students are from families moving into the area who attend Lutheran schools in other parts of the country,” he says. “They find us first and then search for a home nearby.”
Students and teachers embracing in a hug.
Principal Kruse goes on to explain that Christ-centered education is an important ministry of the Lutheran Church. Supporting the school both spiritually and financially, Faith Lutheran Church provides 20 percent of the school’s budget. “This helps keep tuition low, which provides great value for our families,” he says.
East Cobb’s best-kept secret has not hindered Faith Lutheran School’s progress. With its guiding principle to create an environment where Christian ethic and understanding permeates all elements of the school, Faith Lutheran sets high expectations for its 180 students, according to Kruse. “Once we set those expectations, we then inspire and instruct our students to meet them,” he says. “Our parents are supportive of our teaching methods, and we receive the highest ratings – consistently 5 stars out of 5 – in our parent reviews. High schools in the area also love getting our kids. They are well-prepared academically and know how to conduct themselves in the classroom.”
According to Kruse, a theme for this school year has been “Saved to Serve,” with students serving others in the community. Both community members and students have benefited from these service projects. While doing yard work at local homes, serving at Calvary Children’s Home, helping at nursing homes and sorting through clothes donated to those in need, many of the Faith Lutheran students have experienced attitude changes about service.
Girls soccer is one of many athletic options at the school.
As a member of the Metro Atlanta Athletic Conference, students compete with other private schools in a variety of sports, including soccer, basketball and track and field. The school also offers band, chorus, student council and National Junior Honor Society. There is even a Robotics Team, which has competed with other schools at state, national and global levels.
Faith Lutheran School is accredited through the National Lutheran Schools Accreditation (NLSA) and the Southern Association of Colleges and School (SACS), now known as AdvancED. All teachers have Georgia teaching certificates, and many of them hold advanced degrees. The current average length of employment for Faith Lutheran teachers is 12 years.
If you are looking for a school that promotes a Christ-centered education with strong academics, consider Faith Lutheran School located at 2111 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta 30068. For more information, visit the website, school.faithmarietta.org, or call Susie Glass, admissions director, at 770-973-8877.
This article originally appeared in the January issue of the EAST COBBER magazine on page 9. Click HERE to access the digital edition.
