Oak Grove Lutheran School

What Oak Grove Lutheran School does

Oak Grove Lutheran School is a private, nonprofit, faith-based K-12 institution founded in 1906 in Fargo, North Dakota, operating two campuses that together serve approximately 730 students from preschool through grade 12. The North Campus (100 South Terrace N) houses grades 6-12 with an optimal enrollment of 60 students per grade and includes the Scheels Center for the Performing Arts and Gorder Gymnasium; the South Campus (2720 32nd Ave S) serves preschool through grade 5 in the Kjos Early Learning Center and elementary programs. The academic offering combines a Christian studies curriculum and daily chapel with college-preparatory coursework including AP classes, dual-credit partnerships with local Fargo-Moorhead colleges, athletics (including a newly independent Cross Country program), fine arts, robotics, and international student programming via a 25-year sister-school relationship with Luther Gakuin in Japan.

The school runs on a conventional K-12 administrative technology stack rather than proprietary platforms: Blackbaud (My Oak Grove) for school management and donor/advancement processing, LMS-RenWeb and the Facts Family Portal for the learning and student information systems, Microsoft Office 365 for productivity, Hudl for athletic livestreaming, and Google Forms for scholarship applications. Marketing and admissions are conducted through the school's website, Facebook, Instagram, blogs, virtual tours, open houses, and a Student Referral Program; international recruitment is handled through a dedicated coordinator with host family placements.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: recurring tuition (with financial aid and a portfolio of merit-based scholarships), Annual Business Partners (corporate donations), the annual Gala & Auction fundraiser, and the multi-year Acorns to Oaks capital campaign ($26M primary / $30M aspirational) funding campus improvements. Oak Grove is the longest continually-accredited private school in North and South Dakota (Cognia/AdvancED since 1926) and has been ranked #1 Private K-12 School in North Dakota by Niche.com for nine consecutive years. The school is governed by a Board of Regents and Foundation Board, with leadership transitioning from interim president Sher Thomsen to incoming president Rev. Dr. Brian Beckstrom in June 2026.

Name

Oak Grove Lutheran School

Legal name

Oak Grove Lutheran School

Website

https://oakgrovelutheran.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Oak Grove Lutheran School is a nonprofit, faith-based K-12 institution founded in 1906 in Fargo, North Dakota, serving approximately 730 students from preschool through grade 12 across two campuses, funded through tuition, donations, and a $26-30M capital campaign.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Private K-12 education
• Christian school
• Preschool education
• College preparatory
• Faith-based learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Fargo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Tuition-based revenue from enrolled students in preschool through grade 12 across two campuses. Financial aid and scholarships are available.
2. Annual Business Partners: Corporate donations from Annual Business Partners providing financial support for aid, programs, athletics, and fine arts. Partners receive recognition in publications and tax benefits.
3. Gala & Auction: Annual fundraising event with proceeds supporting students and programs including textbooks, art supplies, music, technology, teacher salaries, and scholarships.
4. Capital Campaign Donations: Acorns to Oaks campaign raising funds for construction and renovation of facilities on both campuses. Named spaces available for major donors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Oak Grove Lutheran School is a private, faith-based Christian school delivering preschool through grade 12 education across two campuses in Fargo, North Dakota. It offers core academics with Advanced Placement and dual-credit college coursework, daily chapel and Christian studies, athletics, fine arts, and an international student program, supplemented by scholarships, summer activities, and community service. Tuition, donations, and a major capital campaign fund operations and ongoing facility expansion.

Product overview

Oak Grove Lutheran School offers a faith-based, Christian education for students from age 3 through grade 12 across two campuses in Fargo, North Dakota. The school provides a comprehensive K-12 educational program on its North Campus (grades 6-12) with AP classes and dual-credit opportunities, while the South Campus serves preschool through grade 5 including the Kjos Early Learning Center. The portfolio includes core academic programs, athletics (with new Cross Country program), Fine Arts featuring the Student Production Leadership Program, Campus Ministry with daily chapel, International Students Program with 25-year Japan partnership, and summer activity programs. The school supplements academics with robotics, community service initiatives, and annual Gala & Auction fundraising. Major capital improvements are underway through the Acorns to Oaks campaign ($26-30M) including Sunderland Hall, new STEM center, and facility upgrades. Merit-based scholarship programs support student achievement across multiple disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• North Campus (Grades 6-12) Historic main campus serving middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) students, housing humanities, arts, sciences, Christian studies, wellness, languages, and business programs. Features the Scheels Center for the Performing Arts and Gorder Gymnasium, with an optimal enrollment of 60 students per grade.
• South Campus (Preschool through Grade 5) Elementary and Early Learning Center serving children from age 3 through grade 5 across three connected buildings with outdoor play areas. Optimal enrollments of 16 students per room in K-1 and up to 20 per room in grades 2-5.
• Kjos Early Learning Center Early learning program for children age 3 through kindergarten, providing developmentally appropriate Christian education focused on foundational academic skills.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Classes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zerr Berg ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm responsible for designing the Acorns to Oaks campaign facilities including the new STEM Center, Sunderland Hall, and South Campus gymnasium. Lead designer for the transformational campus improvements.
• Olaf Anderson ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneral contractor for the Acorns to Oaks construction campaign, handling new building construction and renovation of existing facilities on both campuses.
• Luther GakuincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister school partnership with Lutheran school in Japan spanning 25 years. Exchange of students, cultural immersion programs, and host family placements.
• Project Genesis GuatemalaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission partnership begun nearly 10 years ago supporting impoverished communities through education, food, supplies, and transportation. Oak Grove students participate in mission trips and fundraising.
• YMCAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYMCA provides childcare services on Oak Grove's South Campus for PreK-5th grade students before and after school hours.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Shanley High School: Catholic co-educational high school in Fargo, ND and a direct local competitor for faith-based college-prep students. Already a partner via athletics co-op, indicating overlapping student families and direct competition for the same Fargo-Moorhead enrollment pool.
• Concordia Academy: Private Lutheran 9-12 college-prep school in Roseville, MN. Closest Lutheran-affiliated peer, sharing both faith tradition and college-prep mission; comparable curricular model including AP and extracurricular athletics.
• Park Christian School: Private Christian K-12 school in Moorhead, MN serving the same Fargo-Moorhead metro market. Directly comparable in faith-based mission, similar enrollment scale, and competing for the same regional family segment.
• Providence Academy: Private Catholic K-12 school in Plymouth, MN with a faith-integrated college-prep curriculum. Comparable size, tuition model, and emphasis on small classes and faith formation; useful benchmark for tuition pricing and program structure.

Emerging players

• Maranatha Christian Academy: Private Christian K-12 school in the Twin Cities metro. Comparable faith-based college-prep model at slightly different scale; useful peer for benchmarking family affordability and program expansion.

Broad incumbents

• Minnehaha Academy: Private Christian (non-denominational) K-12 school in Minneapolis, MN. Similar faith-based college-prep positioning, comparable tuition model, and a relevant peer for program breadth and extracurricular depth.
• Breck School: Established private Episcopal K-12 day school in Golden Valley, MN serving the Twin Cities metro. Comparable faith-based college-prep model, larger endowment, and broader curricular offerings make it a benchmark for an established regional private school.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OakGroveLutheranSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/oakgrovefargo/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/oak-grove-lutheran-school

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oak Grove Lutheran School