Concordia School To Shut Down After 68 Years

After 68 years educating area children, the will be shutting down at the end of this school year. 

The last day of classes will be June 8, capped by a 2 p.m. closing service at the , according to a message posted on the school's website.

The school was founded in 1944, and served about 200 students from preschool through the eighth grade on its two campuses, one on East West Highway and the other on Longfellow Street. The church was managed as a joint ministry by the two congregations of and Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mount Rainier. 

A message dated May 17, posted to the school's website earlier today, mourned the loss of the institution. 

"Concordia wasn't perfect but we count the many blessings and memories and say, "Thank you God, for Concordia Lutheran School," read the message, signed by former Concordia teacher and current church member Eleanor Droege. "Have you heard it said that when God closes one door, he opens another?"

Among the "blessings and memories" which Droege recalled were the opportunity for local Lutheran instruction, the Christmas pageants, the packed lunches and field trips. 

"If you were a teacher or had multiple children with a big age span, or were children of former students, Concordia was a big chunk of your life," wrote Droege. "Especially in the early years, many children were members of Trinity or Redeemer. Because of Concordia, many wonderful families became members of either of these two churches."

Details on the reason behind the decision to close the school were not immediately available. Phone calls to the school were not answered at the time of this writing.