St. Paul’s Lutheran School Association, Sedalia, MO
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How do I apply for my child to attend SPLS?
You may access our website at sedaliastpauls.org and apply online or you can drop by the office at 701 S. Massachusetts, Sedalia, and pick up an admission folder.

2. What is the current tuition rate for SPLS?
We work with our families to provide ways to lower the cost of attending SPLS. Please contact the Principal at 660-826-1925.

3. What religion does SPLS teach?
We are a Lutheran Church Missouri Synod school. We teach Christ crucified, and that we are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We believe in the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Please contact Pastor Freeman at 660-826-1164 or Pastor Tessone at 660-827-0226 for more information, or go to lcms.org/about/beliefs to learn more of what the LCMS teaches.

4. How is SPLS financially supported?
In general, it costs around $10,000 to educate a child. We are supported by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and Our Savior Lutheran Church in Sedalia. Our parishioners generously tithe to subsidize the cost of attending SPLS. We strive to keep our tuition affordable. We are grateful to our supporting congregations!

5. What other forms of financial support does SPLS receive to operate the school?
We have a Parent Teacher League (PTL) organization which fundraises to support the school. Individual donors also contribute to our Foundation Annual Drive, and to our Capital fund, the 5-2 Fund. In addition, we are supported by our tuition and fees schedule for each child attending. We also utilize grant writing to supplement our revenue.

6. What grants has SPLS received recently?
The following grants have helped us keep our tuition rates down in recent years, improved our physical building, and provided curricular materials for students. MO Safety and Security Grant - $50,000, installed new fire security system in the school building; MO EANSII A Grant - secured $41,850 in curriculum materials for teachers and classrooms; NSGP - Non-profit Security Grant program - $141,000 for new indoor and outdoor security camera system for the school - this one is on-going. We hope to finish this project by August of 2026. LWML Grant (Lutheran Women’s Missionary League with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) request for Student Assistance Scholarships for SPLS families. We will know in June of 2026 if we receive this one.

7. Does SPLS provide financial aid to students?
Yes, we participate in the MO Scholars program which provides substantial financial assistance to families. We also participate in LESA (the MO District Scholarship), and we sponsor our own local student assistance program. In addition, our St. Paul’s Lutheran School Foundation contributes to our student assistance program through their annual drive. Please contact the school principal to learn more at 660-826-1925.

8. Does SPLS provide school age care?
Yes, SPLS conducts a before and after school care program. It costs .20 per minute. Families may use this program whenever they need it. You may drop off at 7:45 a.m and pick up by 3:15 without incurring this cost. We believe our program is more suited to unstructured play, board games, or homework time, given that students have already been in school all day. In good weather, students play outside for a time, and then meet indoors in the cafeteria.

9. How does SPLS ensure the safety of its students and staff?
To enter our school, you must buzz in the front door, identify yourself, and then check in at the office. All doors are locked during the day and during aftercare. We have cameras installed inside and outside the school to monitor all people entering our building.

10. Is SPLS an accredited school?
Yes. SPLS is an National Lutheran Schools Association (NLSA) accredited school. We also possess accreditation from: National Federation of Nonpublic School State Accrediting Associations (NFNSSAA) and Missouri Nonpublic School Accrediting Association (MNSAA).

11. How does a family get involved in the school?
We have PTL (Parent Teacher League) meetings five times a year. Generally, we meet in the school cafeteria - check the website calendar (sedaliastpauls.org) for specific dates. There are also many other opportunities to participate and contribute as you become familiar with SPLS.

12. What does PTL do?
PTL sponsors two fundraising events per school year. Our big fundraiser is the Spaghetti dinner in the spring. They also sponsor family nights and other school events and activities for families to get to know one another. PTL supports the school with generous monetary donations to supplement costs for the operation of our programs and curriculum.

13. Can you provide more information regarding SPLS teachers and other staff?
Please check our website at sedaliastpauls.org to learn more about our amazing staff.

14. Where can I find news about SPLS?
We participate in social media on Facebook - St. Paul’s Lutheran School Sedalia; and our website, sedaliastpauls.org, is up to date with regular information to keep you informed about our school.

15. Does SPLS serve breakfast and lunch?
We do not provide breakfast. We do provide a hot lunch program. About two-thirds of our students eat school lunch most days. The price is $3.75. We strive to keep this affordable for families. We rely on donations from our generous parishioners at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Our Savior Lutheran Church, and other individual donors.

16. Why will the school’s name change from St. Paul’s Lutheran School to St. Paul’s Lutheran School Association?
Recently, our two sister congregations, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and Our Savior Lutheran Church joined hands to begin a new partnership in supporting SPLS. We have approved the new governance model, and a new School Board will begin in July of 2026.

17. Does the name change affect any religious teachings, operations, programs, or curricula of the school?
No, this merger does not affect any of those things. We have joined together to financially support and continue the mission of Lutheran, Christian education in the Sedalia community. Our mission has existed for over a hundred years, and we hope that continues for another hundred. Our mission is, “Celebrating God’s Gift of eternal life through Christ-centered, quality education.”