Hours
Arrival for students begins at 8 am; the school day begins at 8:20 am. Dismissal is at 3 pm.
Location & Facilities
Carroll Lutheran School (CLS) is situated on 17 acres on Old Taneytown Road, just off Route 140 in Westminster, Maryland. The school sits on part of a former farm, a quiet location with pastoral views and easy access to major thoroughfares.
Our facilities include a main school building with classrooms for Grades K-8, library, conference and resource room, staff offices, cafeteria/multi-purpose room, and large gymnasium equipped with PE apparatus and regulation basketball hoops. Our playground area includes teatherball, climbing equipment and swings, and picnic area, as well as soccer fields and a volleyball area. Our recently dedicated Outdoor Classroom shelter overlooks a wetlands study area and naturalized space for outdoor explorations and future outdoor projects.
Accreditation & Memberships
In 2005, CLS became the first school in the Maryland/Delaware Synod to be fully accredited by the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA). We also hold a certificate of approval from the Maryland State Board of Education. Our before/after-school program, run by ABC Care, Inc., is in full compliance with the Maryland State Department of Human Resources.
Student Body
The 2009 student body included over 125 students in Grades K-8. In its present facility, CLS has capacity for 180 students. Approximately one-half of the students attend Lutheran churches and the other half are of different faiths. Students at CLS come from Westminster, Taneytown, Finksburg, Manchester, Hampstead, Lineboro, Mt. Airy and Eldersburg.
Class Size
Classes are limited in size to maximize instruction. The current capacity for each classroom is 20. One classroom assistant is assigned to Kindergarten and another is available to Grades 1-5 as needed. In addition, parent volunteers are ever-present as extra hands in our classrooms!
Leadership & Governance
CLS is guided by a 12-member Board of Trustees, members of which come from throughout the central Maryland community. The school is generously supported by Lutheran churches throughout the area and through grants by organizations like Thrivent Financial.
School principal Bronson "Buck" Jones, an experienced administrator, is responsible for the overall daily administration of school activities. Buck works closely with a full-time staff of teachers and support staff. Each teacher meets or exceeds the guidelines for Maryland State nonpublic schools, with many holding extended degrees or pursuing further professional development. A part-time staff of teachers and parent volunteers provide additional educational experiences in Music, Band, Chorus, Art, Health and Club Activities.
Curriculum
CLS follows the basic curriculum of Carroll County Public Schools. Learning is based on a child's mastery of skills at each level according to his or her needs, with supplemental work intended to challenge higher achievers. CLS makes it a top priority to recognize and respect learning differences among students. We provide a values-based education with the framework of Christianity, which provides the foundation of all curriculum goals for the school. Our program includes Faith Studies, reading, spelling, language arts, math, science, social studies, vocal and instrumental music, art, PE, and library, as well as Club activities.
Character Traits Program
Our Character Traits Program highlights a different trait each month through our Chappel Services and Faith Studies curriculum. Teachers consistently reinforce students who exhibit Christian values in the classroom through their own reward systems. On a schoolwide level, students may be reconized in various ways for acts of good character, including receipt of a "Dove Award" and recognition through morning announcements.
Special Programs
Weekly specials that are a part of our curriculum include Art, Choral and Instrumental music, Spanish, Phys Ed, and Library. Chapel takes place on-site weekly, with visiting pastors. Service learning opportunities are incorporated at both the school and classroom levels to reinforce the importance of service to others (e,g, Math-a-thon, Caroling at Carroll Lutheran Village, Sponsor-a-Child programs, Reading Buddies, etc.). An indoor soccer team for grades K-5 is run by parent volunteers. After-school activities include Band, Choral Music, Art, Science, and Puppet Clubs. In addition, various programs are under development to take advantage of our new Outdoor Classroom.
Hot Lunch Program
CLS offers the option of buying lunch in from local restaurants 4 days a week, as well as milk each day. Lunches are pre-ordered every quarter; 2009- 2010 participating restaurants include Chick-Fil-A, Subway, Vocelli's Pizza, and Tina's Deli. The SGA also sells ice cream every Thursday.
Tuition
Tuition is set by the Board of Trustees each January. Despite the economic downturn, CLS has kept tuition increases to a minimum, making it affordable, especially in comparison with other area private schools. Financial Aid is available; approximately one-fifth of our families take advantage of aid packages. See our tuition page for details..
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