Area congregations will soon instruct a steering committee whether to continue efforts to establish a Lutheran high school in Southeast Missouri.

Representatives from 11 Missouri Synod congregations formed the Southeast Missouri Lutheran High School Steering Committee last month to determine the level of interest in establishing a regional Lutheran high school. Since then at least two other Missouri Synod congregations out of 19 in the region have sent representatives to the steering committee.

The committee developed a questionnaire that will be distributed to all regional Missouri Synod congregations. The questionnaire will survey interest of members in enrolling their children in a Lutheran high school. It also will determine the willingness of members to finance and otherwise support such a school.

Lutheran grade schools operate in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Perryville and Altenburg. The closest Lutheran high school is in St. Louis.

"I think (the steering committee) is a very positive step in that it shows the possibility is there," said the Rev. David Dissen, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church. "The steering committee will review the responses and see if we continue further or stop right here."

Dissen said although the questionnaire will only poll interest in Lutheran congregations, there are non-Lutherans who have also expressed interest in attending a regional Lutheran high school. Other parochial schools in the area, including Notre Dame and Eagle Ridge high schools, have diverse student populations, and there is no reason to believe a Lutheran high school would not be the same, he said.

Dissen said interest has existed for the past five years but swelled after the opening of the new Notre Dame High School in August. School officials announced they would like to sell or lease the old facility, and several congregations thought the timing was right to develop a plan for a Lutheran secondary school, he said.

"When this came up and the price seemed to be good, we decided to pursue it," he said.

Even so, the steering committee has not yet decided upon any facility or plan of action.

"We're not going to say we will build a school; we're just saying enough interest has been shown that we want to see should we proceed further," said Dissen. "If we keep proceeding and it looks like it's going to be a go, then we'll consider looking for a place."

The steering committee will meet Nov. 4 at Trinity Lutheran to review questionnaire responses. If sufficient interest is presented, members will begin laying the groundwork to develop a detailed plan for the high school.