In September, 1951, the Trinity Board of Education established a Kindergarten for children of the congregation. Education has always played a major part in our Lutheran Church. After Kindergarten was established, Trinity added a grade each succeeding year until 1958, providing Christian Education for grades Kindergarten through sixth grade. Enrollment for 1958 was near capacity at 200 children. Classes were taught in the Parish Hall until May, 1958 when a new school building was dedicated. The building had seven classrooms, a cafeteria, and basement. The school building was built at the coast of $140,000 and was a landmark on the corner of Ave J and Kenwood until the mid-90s, when the school moved to its present location on YMCA.
In October, 1983, Trinity purchased property on YMCA and the loop. A new church was built on the site and dedicated in November, 1986. In the summer 1988, the YMCA closed the southwest branch adjacent to our church. With God’s direction, the 25,000 square foot facility on six acres was purchased in September, 1991. The building was renamed the Trinity Life Center. After renovation, grades 4 through 6 began attending classed on YMCA Dr. in the Fall of 1994. The spilt campus posed a hardship for everyone but in 1995, grades Kindergarten through 3 came over to the new location.
In May of 1996, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new Early Childhood Center facility adjacent to the School/Life Center. The building was dedicated in February of 1997, proving child care to three and four year old children. The growing need for daycare and the mission to reach out to the community to teach God’s Word lead Trinity to build a 3200 square foot addition to the ECC. This was completed in August 1998.
In 2002, the ECC expanded the program to include two year olds. In 2005, a seventh grade was added to the school program. Eighth grade and ninth grade were added the next two successive years, but ninth grade only lasted one year due to lack of enrollment. The Early Childhood Program continued to grow and reached capacity with an enrollment or 168 in 12 classrooms in 2010.
New playground equipment was installed in 2009.
Classrooms were updated in 2010 with wireless internet service and laptop computers.
In 2014, the ECC expanded the program again to include 18 months students. Interactive with boards and video projectors was installed in 2015 in all classrooms. In 2017 the school expanded to include 9th Grade once more.
In Summer 2018, the school board approved the purchase of two portable building for the ECC (4 Classrooms) and 3 portables for the school (one restroom building, and 4 classrooms w/science lab). Thus, growing the ECC to 16 rooms and growing the school enough to make room for high school.
We have plans for 12th Grade by 2020-2021 School year!
The growth of our facility indicated the great strides that have been taken these past 60+ years. But the true greatness of the school is not in the facility, but in God’s presence-in the classrooms, in the teaching, and in the lives of teachers, students, parents, and everyone who supports the school’s ministry.
The mission of the school, begun 60+ years ago, to share God’s love and God’s Word with children and their families in and around San Angelo, continues today!
God has truly blessed the school these past 60+ years and continues to do so on a daily basis.
We thank and praise Him for these blessings and cherish the opportunity He has given us to share in the Great Commission- to make disciples To God alone by the Glory!