Lutheran South News
Private school opens $20M expansion
A private high school is opening a new $20 million performing arts center this week.
Lutheran High School South, at 9515 Tesson Ferry Road in south St. Louis County, plans a grand opening Thursday for the addition. Other than two chapel services held over the past two weeks, it will be the first time the performing arts center will be used, said Lutheran South Principal Jonathan Butterfield.
The roughly 43,000-square-foot expansion, named the Jubel Center for the Arts, includes a 626-seat theater that will be available for community use, a coffee shop and spirit store, a green room, music hall, art studio, administrative spaces and a new front entrance, the school said. It’s the first major expansion
of the school since 1985, and only the second major project at the school since it
opened in 1957, Butterfield said.
Two more large projects are in the works for the next few years, including a $12 million STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) center and renovations, and $5 million in planned updates to athletic facilities,
Butterfield said.
of the school since 1985, and only the second major project at the school since it
opened in 1957, Butterfield said.
Two more large projects are in the works for the next few years, including a $12 million STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) center and renovations, and $5 million in planned updates to athletic facilities,
Butterfield said.
Lutheran South’s enrollment is expected to hit 600 students next year, which is the highest enrollment it will have reached in more than a decade, school officials said. The school’s freshman class comes from 39 ZIP codes, as far north as University City, as far south as Barnhart, as far west as Wildwood and from some of the Metro East. A counterpart school, Lutheran High School North, is located in north St. Louis County.
The new theater at Lutheran High School South, shown here, is the private school's first theater since it opened in 1957. It's part of a $20 million new performing arts center expansion. The need to update the facilities had been discussed since about 2019, and the increased enrollment gave some excitement to those plans and helped
encourage donors to contribute to the project, Butterfield said. The school had never had an auditorium or a theater, and had used a secondary gym built with a stage in 1985 to host performances and concerts, Butterfield said. Chapel services have been held in the main gym, he said.
The new theater at Lutheran High School South, shown here, is the private school's first theater since it opened in 1957. It's part of a $20 million new performing arts center expansion. The need to update the facilities had been discussed since about 2019, and the increased enrollment gave some excitement to those plans and helped
encourage donors to contribute to the project, Butterfield said. The school had never had an auditorium or a theater, and had used a secondary gym built with a stage in 1985 to host performances and concerts, Butterfield said. Chapel services have been held in the main gym, he said.
When discussions ramped up in 2019 about what type of expansion of the school would make sense, donors wanted to fund a performing arts facility, Butterfield said. Donations have risen in the years since, as enrollment has risen too, he said.
“I think we created a high school experience for kids where they like to go to school, and they tell their friends, and their friends are looking for that kind of opportunity,” Butterfield said. “Like the givers, when people enjoy coming to school and seeing growth, more people want to get involved. We’re at a good place in that regard right now.”
Of the $20 million cost for the performing arts center addition, donors gave $15 million, and the school took a $5 million loan from the Lutheran Church Extension Fund to pay for the rest, the principal said. The LCEF is a financial
arm of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, which provides financing for church and school projects related to the church.
Of the $20 million cost for the performing arts center addition, donors gave $15 million, and the school took a $5 million loan from the Lutheran Church Extension Fund to pay for the rest, the principal said. The LCEF is a financial
arm of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, which provides financing for church and school projects related to the church.
Inspiring students through a Christ-centered lens to live courageously and serve faithfully
