2003 ELCA Principal of the Year,
Jane Knox, Raleigh, North Carolina

The Division for Higher Education and Schools (DHES) annually recognizes the important role that principals play in shaping the instructional environment and the experiences of the children in their schools. This year the Department for Schools has named Mrs. Jane Knox, ELCA Principal of the Year.

Jane serves as principal of Faith Lutheran School a ministry program of eight Lutheran churches in Raleigh North Carolina. The Faith Lutheran School Association is made up of five congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and three congregations of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

Jane is the founding principal of Faith Lutheran School. In 1994 she was hired by a school board that had a dream. Says Mrs. Knox, “I was hired by a schools board to open and operate a school which had no building, no students, no books, no teachers, and limited funds. But we had FAITH.” In three years Faith Lutheran had grown from 25 students to 150 students and

moved into their new building. After nine days Hurricane Fran hit leaving Faith Lutheran with 36 inches of water throughout their school. The school led by Mrs. Knox found places for classes to meet, raised money, rebuilt their flooded school and today has a student population of more than 300 along with 45 faculty members.

In 1999 after only six years of educating children, Faith Lutheran began the accreditation process through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). With paperwork in place, Faith was visited by an accreditation team. In the spring of 2000, Faith Lutheran School was granted initial accreditation by SACS. The North Carolina SACS director commented on how unusual it is for a school to receive this accreditation only six years after opening it’s doors to children.

The Division for Higher Education and Schools of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America celebrates the great accomplishments of Mrs. Jane Knox and Faith Lutheran School.

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