Concordia Grads Make Trinity Lone Oak a Blue Ribbon School

The achievement itself is commendable: Trinity Lone Oak was one of only nine schools in the state of Minnesota to receive the award, and the only faith-based school. It joined an elite cadre of only 50 private schools nationwide to receive the award.

[In photo: Seth Gehrke ('04), Linda (Baule '67) Krienke, Gail (Westpahl '78) Maser, Cherice (Carrigan '68) Kuseske, Ellen (Struecker '69) Pittman, Jill (Oberlander '03) Olson, Carol (Moss '79) Rose]

However, what’s really exciting is that, of Trinity Lone Oak’s 11 teachers, seven are Concordia St. Paul alumni, as is the school’s pastor, Rev. Jim Kroonblawd (’82).

Middle school science teacher Jill (Oberlander ‘03) Olson joined her principal in representing the school at a special awards ceremony held Nov. 9-10, 2006, in Washington D.C. The event included speeches from the Secretary of Education, the National Teacher of the Year and the president of the National Association of Elementary School Principals.

Trinity Lone Oak’s scores are consistently among the nation’s top 10 percent, and have included scores in the top 4 percent nationally. The award is “a testament to the school’s high academic expectations,” said Seth Gehrke (’04), who teaches middle school history and choir. “As a teacher here, I am incredibly proud to be a part of that accomplishment.”

Gehrke credits Concordia University with providing him with many opportunities to serve in leadership positions and teaching with a Christ-centered focus.

“I was able to develop my management, interpersonal, organizational, teaching and speaking skills with groups varying in age and numbers,” Gehrke said of his time at Concordia, which he said also taught him to put Christ first before life’s many other distractions.

He said he hopes the award will be an encouragement for the school to continue its pursuit of excellence.

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