Top Ten Reasons for Enrolling your Child in St. Stephens Lutheran School   Academic Results - On the Stanford X Achievement Test, a leading national achievement test for students, the average student at St. Stephens Lutheran School scores around the 82nd percentile on the reading test and 82nd percentile on math.  Our graduates are known for their great academic success in local high schools as most are placed into honors classes.  It is not unusual to find many of our students in the top 10% of their high school classes. In 2003, St. Stephens Lutheran School was honored by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School for academic excellence.    Curriculum - The curriculum at St. Stephens Lutheran School is modeled on the standard course of study followed by the state of North Carolina.  In addition to the core subjects, all students in Kindergarten through grade 8 have music, art, computer, physical education, and Spanish weekly.  Students have religion classes each day and a chapel service on Wednesday mornings.  Pre-school curriculum includes phonics and math as well as religion, music, computer education, physical education, and art.   Accreditation - St. Stephens Lutheran School is the only non-public school in Catawba County accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Council on Accreditation and School Improvement, (SACS CASI).  The school is also accredited by the National Lutheran Schools Accreditation.  Our teachers have been invited to serve on accreditation teams for other non-public schools around the southeast.  For ten consecutive years our pre-school program has been rated a Five Star program by the state of North Carolina.   Affordable - St. Stephens Lutheran School is affordable for the high quality of education offered.  With financial assistance from an Endowment Fund, financial support from the congregation, and generous gifts received through the Annual Fund Drive, the tuition cost to parents is kept at a reasonable price.  Financial aid is available to help with tuition costs.   Parent Support - Strong parent support is evident in the lives of their children, with high expectations for the children.  Coupled with the high expectations and loving concern of the teachers, the children are blessed with strong support.  Parents are always welcome to attend chapel on Wednesday mornings and to have lunch with their children.  Many parents volunteer to work in classrooms.   Congregation Support - Members of St. Stephens Lutheran Church started the school in 1943 to offer a Christian education to their children as well as to the Hickory community.  The school currently has third generation children in attendance as both grandparents and parents are alumni. The congregation has generously supported Christian education through prayer, finances, and facilities.   Auxiliary Organizations - St. Stephens has an active Parent Teacher Organization which plans many family friendly events, such as Muffins with Mom, Donuts with Dad, Valentine family dance, and more.  Through their fund raising, this parent group refurnishes the computer lab every three years as well as supports playground and classroom expenses.  St. Stephens also has an Athletic Booster Club which fully finances the interscholastic sports program.   Extra-curricular Activities - Students at St. Stephens Lutheran School are given opportunities to compete in many extra-curricular activities. Academic oriented activities include the National Geographic Geography Bee, the Scripps National Spelling Bee, CVCC Math Contest, a Bible Bee, and the  Battle of the Books.  Students may participate in sport activities including intramural basketball for grades 1 - 4, and soccer, volleyball, cross country, basketball, cheerleading, tennis, golf, softball, and baseball for students in grades 5 - 8. Summer camps are offered each summer for pre-school children as well as for children in Kindergarten through sixth grade.   Kids Love Coming to School - A visit to the campus quickly shows the joy children have in coming to school.  A look into their eyes, the smiles on their faces, and their excitement as they walk through the hallways, is a real blessing. Their strong sense of being loved and encouraged is evident.   Christ is Present - St. Stephens Lutheran School shares the love of Christ daily in both word and action.  Students come to understand the law and gospel, sin and forgiveness, and Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.