Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are there admissions requirements?
A: Saint Lucas is an open enrollment school, which means that we accept any and all students until a classroom reaches capacity. Filling out an application only takes a few minutes. For more information about admissions, please visit our enrollment page.
Q: Do Saint Lucas students take the state test?
A: Yes. One hundred percent of our students take the Wisconsin state test – even those who don’t participate in the Parental Choice Programs. Please note, the Department of Public Instruction publicly reports only the results of choice students on their website and when communicating with news media. When reviewing school results, be sure to check the all-student scores for an apples-to-apples comparison. At choice schools, all-student scores are generally higher than MPCP-only scores. In the same way, all-student scores at public schools are generally higher than the results of their students who are economically disadvantaged. See our Report Card to learn more.
Q: Do teachers receive ongoing professional development?
A: Absolutely. Aaron Rodgers is considered among the best of the best, but he still receives coaching. We believe that even great teachers can get better with constructive feedback. That’s why we have our Dean of Students and Instruction and why we partner with Helium Consulting. They provide coaching and professional development for our entire team.
Q: Does Saint Lucas participate in the Parental Choice Program?
A: Yes, we proudly participate in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program.
Q: Does Saint Lucas serve children with special needs?
A: Yes. If students need it. We work with targeted intervention services outside of the classroom to help with a variety of learning challenges, such as dyslexia, autism, and speech or visual impairments. We have a Reading Specialist on staff and participate in the Special Needs Scholarship Program.
Q: Does Saint Lucas use any other assessments during the school year?
A: Saint Lucas students take two standardized tests each year: The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment and the Wisconsin state test (Forward exam), which is required by law for most students. The MAP assessment is what we use to measure each child’s progress. Unlike the Forward exam, MAP allows us to compare the performance of our students to their grade-level peers across state lines. We also can track student performance across time. In addition, MAP facilitates academic growth goal setting for each child.
Q: How do Saint Lucas’ students compare with their Wisconsin peers academically?
A: The Department of Public Instruction released the 2022 results for the State Forward Exam. Saint Lucas outperformed the district and our neighborhood average in all areas – Math, English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.
Q: How does Saint Lucas share student achievement data with the public?
A: Saint Lucas publishes an annual Report Card as soon as the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction releases the state test results. Our report card contains school information, student demographics and test score data. Saint Lucas administers the Wisconsin State Test state at required grade levels and The Measures of Academic Results assessment, a nationally norm-referenced exam, in grades K5-8.
Q: How long has Saint Lucas been in operation?
A: Saint Lucas Lutheran School has been privileged to serve the Bay View neighborhood on Milwaukee’s South Side since 1872 – even before Bay View incorporated as a village.
Q: Is Saint Lucas accredited?
A: Yes. Saint Lucas earned “Exemplary Accreditation” status from the National Council of Private Schools in 2020, which is the highest rating a school can receive through the accreditation process. Schools earn this distinction when they meet 95 percent or more of the standards.
Q: What is Saint Lucas’ return rate?
A: Saint Lucas tracks the number of students who return annually from fall to fall. We publish this information in our Report Card. In the fall of 2017, 93 percent of students returned.
Q: What is the tuition?
A: The school’s generous financial aid program ensures that students from all backgrounds are able to take advantage of and contribute to the Saint Lucas community. Tuition is $8,399; however, no family is paying more than $4,800 per pupil. Congregation members do their part to assist the neighborhood by making up the difference between what families can afford to pay and the actual cost to educate a student.
Q: What level of experience do your teachers have?
A: Our teachers average 16 years of teaching experience. All Saint Lucas teachers have their bachelor’s degree.
Q: Who attends Saint Lucas?
A: Saint Lucas serves students in three-year-old kindergarten through eighth grade. The majority of our students live within walking distance of the school. All families are welcome to enroll their children at Saint Lucas.
Q: How did Saint Lucas respond to Covid-19 and the state mandate to close schools in March of 2020?
A: In response to the growing threat of COVID-19, Saint Lucas Lutheran School proactively closed our building after school on Friday, March 13, and started Virtual Learning on Monday, March 16. On Monday, March 16, all teachers were available socially distanced in the gym. Parents were invited to check out Chromebooks or iPads, pick-up paper materials, and anything else their student may need to successfully learn virtually at home. Every day, students watched a video of their teacher going over their lessons in Christlight, Math, and ELA/Reading. Students completed their assignments online. Teachers also offered daily one-hour Google Meets where students could go online and ask questions, see their classmates, and just catch up with everyone. One-on-one tutoring was offered to families for students to receive additional help. Our Reading Specialist continued individualized learning plans with the students who required those services. Our Dean of Students made daily videos sharing a challenge that students could participate in and share via photos. Our principal did daily read-a-long videos that were shared with all school families. During the last week of school, students participated in Spirit Week by submitting photos, teachers hosted virtual classroom activities and games and hosted an all-school virtual challenge on the last day of school. Because the mandate never allowed the school to physically reopen, the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year was completed virtually. Saint Lucas held our graduation service virtually which included a virtual choir, a video of our graduates throughout the years, and virtual speeches by our Principal, the homeroom teacher, and two class representatives. Saint Lucas mailed the graduates their diplomas and dropped off special yard signs recognizing our graduates. After the school year ended, teachers packed up individual student belongings and parents were able to pull up in front of the school and the belongings were brought to their vehicle.
