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GreatSchools Rating

Garden Homes Lutheran School

Private | PK-8 | 260 students
“We are best known for competent and caring teachers.”
 
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  • I love Garden Homes Lutheran School! The staff really cares about you and...

  • The teachers care about the students. I love the Christian and secular...

  • As principal, I could not have a better staff. They are all life-long...

  • I love working at Garden Homes Lutheran! It is so much more than a job- the...

  • Each teacher has done a great job tailoring their educational approach to the...

Student diversity

Looks like we have no information about the race or ethnicity of the student body.

 
 
 

Living in Milwaukee

Situated in an urban neighborhood. The median home value is $80,000. The average monthly rent for a 2 bedroom apartment is $780.

Source: Sperling's Best Places
 

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Last modified
Community Rating

5 stars

Based on 7 ratings
Community Rating by Year
2013:
Based on 2 ratings
2012:
Based on 4 ratings
2011:
No new ratings
2010:
No new ratings

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6 reviews of this school

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Posted May 18, 2013
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I love Garden Homes Lutheran School! The staff really cares about you and your faith. Garden Homes has awesome programs for its kids to participate in. GHLS is a great place to meet great kids! I can't imagine life without Garden Homes Lutheran School

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Posted February 7, 2013
Report it

The teachers care about the students. I love the Christian and secular education that my son is receiving. The cirriculum is preparing the students for high school and college. This school offers extra cirricular activities as well.
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted August 18, 2012
Report it

As principal, I could not have a better staff. They are all life-long learners and dedicated servant-leaders. They live their Christian faith and want all of their students to attain their full, God-given potential. 100% of our teachers and 62% of our Educational Assistants hold undergraduate degrees in education. 4 staff also have graduate degrees and 2 are currently in graduate programs. When you enroll your child, you'll immediately feel like part of the Garden Homes Lutheran School family.
—Submitted by a teacher

Write your own review
Posted August 17, 2012
Report it

I love working at Garden Homes Lutheran! It is so much more than a job- the faculty and staff cares about the families at our school and we strive to reach everyone with the love of Jesus. There is a positive atmosphere and a wonderful working relationship among the teachers.
—Submitted by a teacher

Write your own review
Posted August 17, 2012
Report it

Each teacher has done a great job tailoring their educational approach to the specific needs of each of my children. The teachers care about each child, motivate them to get the most out of their natural abilities, and keep me informed about what's going on in the classroom.
—Submitted by a parent

Write your own review
Posted May 17, 2012
Report it

Good school, teachers seem to care about students receiving a quality christian education, however my child doesn't like the grading system , 80% is a C, so anything less is considered failing.
—Submitted by a parent

Write your own review

Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Math

26 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
31%

2011

 
 
45%
Reading

26 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
73%

2011

 
 
50%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Language Arts

24 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
59%

2011

 
 
50%
Math

24 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
58%

2011

 
 
50%
Reading

24 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
66%

2011

 
 
68%
Science

24 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
50%

2011

 
 
55%
Social Studies

24 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
92%

2011

 
 
86%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Math

25 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
52%

2011

 
 
50%
Reading

25 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
56%

2011

 
 
46%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Math

20 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
80%

2011

 
 
74%
Reading

20 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
75%

2011

 
 
74%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Math

21 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
81%

2011

 
 
64%
Reading

21 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
72%

2011

 
 
72%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Language Arts

22 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
50%

2011

 
 
68%
Math

22 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
64%

2011

 
 
73%
Reading

22 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
63%

2011

 
 
96%
Science

22 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
55%

2011

 
 
64%
Social Studies

22 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
77%

2011

 
 
86%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

GreatSchools Rating

What makes up this rating?

Academic rating
3 / 10
Climate rating
9 / 10

This school's GreatSchools Rating is based on academics (90%) and climate (10%). The academic rating measures students' test scores, academic growth and college readiness. The climate rating measures safety, cleanliness, parent involvement and more.

Learn more about our methodology

What is the new GreatSchools Rating?

Rating legend
Below
average
Average
Above
average

Our rating (from 1 to 10) reflects a school's overall performance. The higher the rating, the more likely the school will prepare your child for the future, so choose an above-average school (8-10) if possible. For average schools (4-7), do careful research and look for evidence that the school has high-quality programs. For below-average schools (1-3), take caution; a low-performing school may not provide the instruction or environment your child needs to learn, and you may need to supplement classroom lessons at home.

Academic rating

The academic rating is made up of equally-weighted parts: students' test scores, their academic growth (for elementary and middle schools) and their readiness for college (for high schools). The graphs below compare this school's results in each area to other schools in the city and state.
Overall academic rating

3

Below average
Test score rating 2012*
This school
City
State
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Learn more about this school's test scores »
Student growth rating 2012**
City
State
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
This school
Reading growth
Above average
Math growth
Average

*Test scores are based on the 2012 WSAS results from the state of Wisconsin.

**The academic growth rating measures how schools affect student test score improvement over time in reading and math. This data is from 2012 and is provided by the Value-Added Research Center and Milwaukee Public Schools. Private school growth data is not included in the rating because it is not comparable with public school results.

Climate ratings

This rating encompasses five elements of school climate: safety and cleanliness, respect and relationships, expectations for students, teacher collaboration and support, and parent involvement. This school's climate ratings are the result of GreatSchools' analysis of teacher survey data from the Spring 2012 School Climate Survey developed by Milwaukee Public Schools.

Overall climate rating

9

Above average
Based on 11 teacher
responses

We rated schools on …

Keeping things safe, clean, and orderly.

This rating evaluates a school's environment, based on its safety, order, cleanliness and more. More highly rated schools have well-kept facilities and a safe environment conducive to learning. Schools rated poorly may have a chaotic environment, conflicts among students or even theft or violence.

Creating healthy, respectful relationships.

This rating measures whether the school has a positive learning environment and cultivates an atmosphere of respect. At a school with a higher rating, it's more likely that the school's culture celebrates hard work and learning, students treat their peers and teachers with respect and class lessons reinforce character strengths such as kindness and tolerance. A school with a lower rating may have a weaker learning environment or allow disrespectful behavior.

Promoting high academic expectations for all students.

This rating sheds light on the academic expectations that teachers have for students. At a school with a higher rating, educators are more likely to stress academic success, ask kids to work hard and expect kids to be college-bound. At schools with lower ratings, it may be more acceptable for students to put in average or minimal effort, perform poorly on tests and lack strong academic goals.

Supporting its teachers.

This rating indicates how teachers feel about their school's professional environment. At a highly rated school, teachers are more likely to work well together, learn from one another, have opportunities for professional development and feel supported by the administration. At a school with lower ratings, teachers may not interact much, feel appreciated or have much input in school decisions and policies.

Informing and including families.

This rating reflects how much communication parents can expect from this school. A highly rated school is more likely to have regular communication (e.g. newsletters, emails, and meetings) between administrators, teachers and parents. This may include information about student progress, homework help and volunteer opportunities. At lower-rated schools, parents may not get regular updates and may feel less welcome at school.

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
Limited English proficient 100%N/AN/A
Disabled students 9%N/AN/A
Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch program 96%N/AN/A
Source: Manually entered by school official

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 17N/AN/A
Source: NCES, 2007-2008

Teacher resources

Special staff resources available to students Computer specialist(s)
Instructional aide(s)/coach(es)
Librarian/media specialist(s)
Math specialist(s)
Priest, pastor, or other religious personnel
Reading specialist(s)
School psychologist
Special education coordinator
Teacher aid/assistant teacher
Tutor(s)
Foreign languages spoken by school staff German
Spanish
Read more about programs at this school
Source: Manually entered by a school official.

Awards

Academic awards received in the past 3 years
  • Exemplary Attendance Award from Non-Public Education Services, Inc. (NESI) (2010)
  • Two faculty members recognized as outstanding teachers in a Milwaukee Parental Choice school. (2011)
  • Two faculty members recognized as outstanding teachers in a Milwaukee Parental Choice school. (2010)
Community service awards received in the past 3 years
  • UPS Foundation Grant (2012)
  • School Choice Leadership Award (2013)
  • LBAA Basketball National Champions (2013)

Special education / special needs

Level of special education programming offered
  • Basic - the school offers or partners to provide services based on the needs of individual students
Extra learning resources offered
  • Differentiated learning programs
Staff resources available to students
  • Special education coordinator

Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM)

Staff resources available to students
  • Computer specialist(s)
  • Math specialist(s)
School facilities
  • Computer lab
  • Science lab

Arts & music

School facilities
  • Art room
  • Music room
Visual arts
  • Drawing / sketching
  • Painting
Music
  • Band
  • Bell / Handbell choir
  • Choir / Chorus
  • Instrumental music lessons
Performing and written arts
  • Creative writing
  • Drama
  • Poetry
Media arts
  • Graphics

Language learning

Level of ESL/ELL programming offered
  • Basic - the school offers or partners to provide services based on the needs of individual students
Foreign languages spoken by staff
  • German
  • Spanish

Health & athletics

Staff resources available to students
  • Instructional aide(s)/coach(es)
  • School psychologist
School facilities
  • Access to sports fields
  • Gym
  • Kitchen
  • Multi-purpose room ("cafegymatorium")

Gifted & talented

Extra learning resources offered
  • Acceleration
Clubs
  • Forensics club
School leaders can update this information here.

School basics

School start time
  • 8:00 am
School end time
  • 3:30 pm
Before school or after school care / program onsite
  • Before school: starts at 7:00 a.m.
  • After school: ends at 5:00 p.m.
School Leader's name
  • Dr. Joel A. Nelson
Best ways for parents to contact the school
  • Email
  • Phone
Age at which early childhood or Pre-K program begins
  • 3 years old
Gender
  • Coed
Boarding options
  • Day school
Is there an application process?
  • Yes
Affiliation
  • Lutheran (Wisconsin Synod)
Fax number
  • (414) 444-9105

Programs

Instructional and/or curriculum models used

Don't understand these terms?
  • College prep
  • Direct instruction
  • Standards-based
  • Teacher-run
Specific academic themes or areas of focus

Don't understand these terms?
  • Religious
Bi-lingual or language immersion programs offered

Don't understand these terms?
  • No
Level of special education programming offered
  • Basic - the school offers or partners to provide services based on the needs of individual students
Foreign languages taught
  • None
Level of ESL/ELL programming offered
  • Basic - the school offers or partners to provide services based on the needs of individual students

Resources

Staff resources available to students
  • Computer specialist(s)
  • Instructional aide(s)/coach(es)
  • Librarian/media specialist(s)
  • Math specialist(s)
  • Priest, pastor, or other religious personnel
  • Reading specialist(s)
  • School psychologist
  • Special education coordinator
  • Teacher aid/assistant teacher
  • Tutor(s)
Foreign languages spoken by staff
  • German
  • Spanish
Extra learning resources offered
  • Acceleration
  • Counseling
  • Differentiated learning programs
  • Mentoring
  • Remediation
  • Tutoring
Transportation provided for students by the school / district
  • None
School facilities
  • Access to sports fields
  • Art room
  • Audiovisual aids
  • Auditorium
  • Cafeteria
  • Chapel/spiritual reflection center
  • Computer lab
  • Gym
  • Internet access
  • Kitchen
  • Library
  • Multi-purpose room ("cafegymatorium")
  • Music room
  • Playground
  • Science lab
Partnerships with local resources and organizations
School leaders can update this information here.

Sports

Boys sports
  • Basketball
  • Soccer
  • Track
Girls sports
  • Basketball
  • Soccer
  • Track
  • Volleyball

Arts & music

Visual arts
  • Drawing / sketching
  • Painting
Music
  • Band
  • Bell / Handbell choir
  • Choir / Chorus
  • Instrumental music lessons
Performing arts
  • Creative writing
  • Drama
  • Poetry
Media arts
  • Graphics

Student clubs

Clubs (distinct from courses)
  • Book/reading club
  • Forensics club
  • Homework help/study buddy club
  • Pearls for Teen Girls
  • Spelling Bee
  • Student council/government
School leaders can update this information here.

Photos

  • Photos of this school
  • Photos of this school
  • Photos of this school
  • Photos of this school
  • Photos of this school
  • Photos of this school
  • Photos of this school
  • Photos of this school
  • Photos of this school
  • Photos of this school

Videos

Watch Now

See a video featuring this school.

 

GreatSchools Climate Rating

Above average

How do we measure school climate?

Our climate rating measures teacher support, culture of high expectations, social and emotional learning, school environment, and family engagement. Learn more about the rating and each category »

School culture

Dress Code
  • Uniforms
Bullying policy
  • This school has a bullying and/or cyber bullying policy in place.
Parent involvement
  • Attend parent nights
  • Carpool for sporting events
  • Chaperone school trips
  • Coach sports teams or extracurricular activities
  • Organize cultural events
  • Organize fundraising events (school auction, bake sales, etc.)
  • Present special topics during curricular units
  • Serve on school improvement team or governance council
  • Tutor
  • Volunteer in the classroom
  • Volunteer time after school
School colors
  • Columbia Blue and Navy Blue
School mascot
  • Viking
More from this school
  • At Garden Homes Lutheran School, we educate the WHOLE child: mind, body, and soul. MIND--High Expectations, No Excuses, Qualified Staff, Small Classes, Accelerated and Remedial Help, Accredited and Licensed. BODY--Fitness Encouraged, Wellness Taught, Daily Physical Activity, Organized Sports, Uniform Dress, Healthy Breakfast and Lunch. SOUL--Engaging Bible Study, Uplifting Group Worship, God's Praises Sung, Christ's Love Modeled, Prayer Taught and Practiced, Service That Shapes Lives.
School leaders can update this information here.

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What are your chances?

10 out of 10students were accepted for the 2013-2014 school year.

Students accepted for the 2013-2014 school year
260
Applications received for the 2013-2014 school year
265
Students typically come from these schools
Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)
Other Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) Schools
Other private/parochial schools in Milwaukee area

What does it cost?

Tuition range for the 2013-2014 school year
$6000 - $7000
Vouchers accepted
Yes
Financial aid offered
Yes.
School-based aid
Application fee
No

Planning ahead

Students typically attend these schools after graduating
Wisconsin Lutheran High School
Milwaukee Lutheran High School
Various Milwaukee Public High Schools
Notice an inaccuracy? Let us know!
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2450 W Roosevelt Dr
Milwaukee, WI 53209
Website: Click here
Phone: (414) 444-9050

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