Zion-St. John Lutheran School Breaks Ground For New Addition
by Mari Radtke
A good crowd gathered at Zion-St. John Church in Paullina Thursday June 5 for a blessing and ground breaking where a new school addition begins construction. Boards of Directors of the Zion Lutheran Church, St. John Lutheran Church and Zion-St. John School Board all approved the project January 2025. Poppema-Sickma of Sheldon won the general contractor position. Construction is expected to begin in mid June with completion anticipated to be March 2026.
The 101’ x 83’ building extension will house six classrooms, an office, bathrooms and common space. Board President Shalene Van Beek said, “Over the past five years enrollment has increased. It is very cramped.” She explained how the Zion-St. John model of holding two grades in a classroom has given way to splitting some classes into single grades, or merging, as needed. This flexibility currently allows the school to hold their current staffing levels. The current PK-8 enrollment is 107. She also clarified that the growth can be found from the PK and K programs as well as strong family retention and next generation attendance.
Principal Jared Kirkeby said, “I am excited to see the opportunity to bring Christian education to more students. We have been limited by space. This (project) brings a new learning environment. It is cool to offer Christian education to this community.” Kirkeby has been the ZSJ principal for three years. He said enrollment when he began was 67.
Pastor Don Meyer spoke a few words to the crowd of parents, students, teachers, board members and supporters of Zion-St. John. Pastor Carl Stenzel gave a blessing. He read Matthew 7:24-27 which says building upon a rock for strength against life’s storms as opposed to that built upon sand. Biblically, the foundation is Jesus Christ. And he asked for the blessing of the Lord upon the school.
Don Pipho, long time principal at Zion-St. John and current board member, Jared Kirkeby, current principal and Pastor Don Meyer each turned a shovel of ground, marking the occasion in a traditional groundbreaking ceremony.
St. John in Germantown opened in the 1880 and included a school. Zion in Paullina opened in 1889 and borrowed the services of Reverend Ernest Zuerrer of St. John. At the time, Zuerrer was the only Lutheran Pastor in O’Brien County. The school was built in 1914 at Main and Groesbeck Streets. A new church was built at its current location on Bertha Street in 1959. It is not clear when the two school combined.
The entire event can be seen on our website, belltimescourier.com.