Luther High School is a

parochial school A parochial school is a private school, private Primary school, primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathem ...

located in

Onalaska, Wisconsin Onalaska ( ) is a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,803 at the 2020 census. It borders the larger La Crosse, Wisconsin, and is a part of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Metropolitan Area. Onalaska is buil ...

. It is associated with the

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), also referred to simply as the Wisconsin Synod, is an American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as Christian theology, theologically conservative, it was founded ...

. The majority of the students come from a group of churches in the area with the same religious affiliation. Some students come from as far away as

Tomah, Wisconsin Tomah is a city in Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,570 as of the 2020 census. The city is surrounded by the Town of Tomah and the Town of La Grange. History Tomah was founded by Robert E. Gillett in 1855 and inco ...

Lewiston, Minnesota Lewiston is a city in Winona County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,620 at the 2010 census. History A post office called Lewiston has been in operation since 1872. The city was named for Jonathan Smith Lewis, a pioneer settle ...

. The school's athletic teams participate in the

Coulee Conference The Coulee Conference is a high school athletic conference of medium-sized schools based in west central Wisconsin. Founded in 1926, it is one of Wisconsin's oldest athletic conferences and its member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Inte ...

in the

Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) is the regulatory body for all high school sports in Wisconsin. Its history dates to 1895, making it the earliest continually existing high school athletic organization in the country. ...

(WIAA).

History

Luther High School opened on September 8, 1957. The original class consisted of 29 ninth graders. The school was opened as a subsidiary of the

, with the original feeder congregations being the four churches in the La Crosse area: First Lutheran, Mt. Calvary, Grace, and Immanuel. Of these four, only First Lutheran and Immanuel had elementary school programs from which to draw students. The following years brought steady increases to enrollment (46 in 1958 and 72 in 1959) that allowed for expansion of the school and an addition to the school structure. Since then, the school has had several additions to accommodate growing enrollment and technical advancements. Luther High School hosted a 50th anniversary celebration in 2007. Current faculty, past faculty, and past students presented at the day-long celebration. A book containing a photographic history of the previous 25 years was produced for the event.

Athletics

The football team made playoffs for the first time as a WIAA school in 2007 and finished the year with 7 wins and 3 losses. The girls' basketball team won the Coulee title in 2008 by going undefeated in the conference and won the regionals, beating

Aquinas Thomas Aquinas ( ; ; – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican Order, Dominican friar and Catholic priest, priest, the foremost Scholasticism, Scholastic thinker, as well as one of the most influential philosophers and theologians in the W ...

WIAA

Luther competes in the

and the

(WIAA) at the state level. The school's hockey team, the Avalanche, is a co–op team composed of students from

Holmen High School Holmen High School is a high school in Holmen, Wisconsin operated by the Holmen School District. As of 2016, school enrollment was 1,112. The current facility was opened in 1994 and was expanded in 2000. 2020 led to another expansion after the ref ...

, Luther, and Coulee Christian High School. Luther has competed in the WIAA since 2000, and have won one state title. WIAA state champion titles: * Boys Basketball: 2023

WISAA

Luther competed in the

Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association The Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association is a former organization for high school athletics in Wisconsin. Consisting entirely of private schools, it was formed in 1968 and completed a merger with the Wisconsin Interscholastic At ...

(WISAA) from 1968 to 2000. The Knights won four WISAA state titles. WISAA state champion titles: * Girls Track & Field: 1976, 1977, 1981, 1982

Notable alumni

Dan Kapanke Daniel E. Kapanke is an American businessman and politician who was a former Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 32nd District from 2005 until losing his seat to Jennifer Shilling in the 2 ...

, Wisconsin Senate'Wisconsin Blue Book 2009–2010,' biographical sketch of Daniel E. Kapanke, pg. 82

Notes

External links

* Private high schools in Wisconsin Schools in La Crosse County, Wisconsin Educational institutions established in 1957 Secondary schools affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod 1957 establishments in Wisconsin Lutheran schools in Wisconsin {{authority control