Feb. 12, 2018

Sioux Falls Lutheran School plans to build on land being donated by Sanford Health at 69th Street and Tallgrass Avenue.

The 30-acre property is near the junction of interstates 29 and 229. At one point, Sanford had planned a research park in the area.

Sioux Falls Lutheran will build a school for preschool through eighth-grade students that includes expanded child care and athletic fields. There also is room for a high school.

Sanford also gave a matching gift of up to $5 million for the project as part of the Lutheran School’s Our Greatest Gifts capital campaign. A construction time line and groundbreaking will be announced soon.

“This is a great location for Sioux Falls Lutheran, and we are proud to support the school in its desire to serve more children and families,” said Kelby Krabbenhoft, president and CEO of Sanford Health. “We have our roots as a Lutheran hospital, and we understand the importance of giving back to the community – through investments, health care and education.”

The matching funds will be used to thank donors for their support of the capital campaign to date and as an immediate 2-to-1 match for future donations. The $5 million match will continue for the duration of the Our Greatest Gifts campaign.

“The magnitude of this matching gift is now even further enhanced by an attractive high-profile, accessible location,” said Tia Esser, Sioux Falls Lutheran School administrator. “The convenience it will provide for families, in addition to our ability to provide high-quality child care and innovative educational services in a high-growth area, is truly beyond our imagination. We are deeply grateful and very excited for this opportunity to exceptionally serve the community for generations to come.”