Friends of Lutheran High School,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Whether you’re a longtime alum, a grandparent cheering from the stands, a family just beginning to consider LHS, or simply a friend of Lutheran High, welcome to the first Cougar Connection of the 2026–27 school year.
Why We Exist
As we kick off a new school year, it is important to reflect on why Lutheran High exists. Over 40 years ago, the founders of Lutheran High desired to bring Lutheran-Christian secondary education to St. Charles County and beyond. This desire continues as we live out the school mission: empowered by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we nurture the spiritual, academic, and personal growth of every student, equipping them for a life of Christian service. Everything you’ll read below…every change, every new face, every new investment in our students…is measured against that mission, and against our four core values: Spiritual and Academic Growth, Authentic Relationships, Servant Leadership, and Building Character and Purpose.
This year’s theme captures it well: “Made for More,” drawn from our Senior Class verse, Psalm 138:8. Every student who walks through our doors has been made by God for more than they can imagine, and it’s our privilege to help them discover that.
A Few Good Changes This Year — and Why
LHS doesn’t change for the sake of change. Every new thing below exists to better fulfill our mission.
CougarConnect: A New Rhythm of Connection – This year, we’ve built a new rhythm into our school day called CougarConnect. In simple terms, it’s dedicated time — woven into every day — set aside for our students to grow spiritually, get extra help academically, and build real relationships with their teachers and one another. Why? Because we believe a student who is known, supported, and spiritually grounded will thrive far beyond the classroom. It’s one more way we live out Grow and Serve in Christ.
Phones Down, Relationships Up – You may also hear us talk this year about being more intentional with cell phones during the school day. It isn’t about a rule for a rule’s sake, it’s about presence. We want our students looking each other in the eye, building real friendships, and being fully present with the people around them instead of a screen. Research increasingly shows how much healthier students are, mentally and relationally, when they unplug and we want LHS to be a place where that happens.
Welcoming a Student Resource Officer to Campus – For the first time, LHS now has a Student Resource Officer, Chris Mohr, serving on our campus in partnership with the St. Peters Police Department. He will be a visible, trusted presence periodically, working alongside our faculty and staff to help keep our students safe.
New Faces in Cougar Nation – We also want to introduce a few of the newest members of our LHS family: Mr. Noah Clark, Mr. Ben Hingst, Ms. Mary O’Heron, and Miss Amber Spink have all joined our faculty this year, and we’re especially proud that Mr. Hingst and Miss Spink are LHS graduates themselves, returning home to invest in the next generation of Cougars. We’re also glad to welcome back Mr. Kevin Sheck to our Computer Science department. The Lord continues to provide exceptional Christian educators for this ministry, and we are grateful for each of them.
Stay Connected! Whether you graduated a decade or more ago, you’re praying for a grandchild walking these halls, or you’re just beginning to explore what a Lutheran High education could mean for your family, we’re glad you’re part of this story.
Follow along with us throughout the year as we continue to Grow and Serve in Christ — together.
Dr. Jon Bernhardt
