Students at St. Paul Lutheran School were encouraged to wear blue and white clothes to school today.

The Spirit Wear (Blue and White) Day is part of the Fort Dodge school’s observance of Lutheran Schools Week.

Students of the school have been able to do some fun things in honor of the annual observance, and a basketball tournament is set for Friday.

The students and their teachers will be singing at St. Paul Lutheran Church on Sunday to cap off the week.

The week provides the school’s students with some fun breaks from the usual routine. But the greater purpose of the week is to highlight the strengths and characteristics of St. Paul Lutheran School and other Lutheran schools across the country.

St. Paul Lutheran School has been a fixture in the community since 1863. To put that in perspective, Fort Dodge became a city in 1853 after the Army left its outpost here.

The current school building at 1217 Fourth Ave. S. was constructed in 1950. It was expanded in 1959 and remodeled in 1999.

The school educates children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

It is accredited by National Lutheran School Accreditation.

School leaders tout the insitution’s Christ-centered environment, low student-teacher ratio and classroom technology. They also point out that there is financial assistance available for qualifying families.

For generations, dedicated teachers, aided by capable support staff members, have educated hundreds of children at the school. We’re grateful for that.

We’re also pleased to say that St. Paul Lutheran School is a respected insitution in our community.