Student satisfaction is high at Lutheran High School South, according to data collected from those who attend. This has led the private Affton high school to be recognized as a 2025–26 ParentPulse Student Choice Award recipient — one of just eight across the country.
“I really value the high school experience. We want our kids looking back to have fond memories, to enjoy the relationships that they build, hopefully create lifelong relationships,” Head of School Dr. Jonathan Butterfield said. “I think it matters where you go to high school in St. Louis. Not just because it helps people (think) that they know something about you; it matters because we all do things differently, and it matters because I think we can really unlock the potential of students if they come here with a mindset of ‘I really love being here.’”
ParentPulse — a national third-party survey provider that specifically partners with private and independent schools — uses the Net Promoter Score (NPS) system to measure the overall satisfaction of students, as well as parents and faculty, by asking one question: “How likely are you to refer us to a friend or colleague?” Scores range from -100 to 100; between 30 and 50 is considered good, 50 to 70 is considered excellent and scores above 70 are recognized as world-class — an honor bestowed upon Lutheran South regarding its student satisfaction. Of the 36 schools across the county that utilize the platform for student feedback — nine being in the St. Louis region — eight earned the distinction. Visitation Academy was the only other area school to join Lutheran South in receiving the award.
Schools must maintain their scores throughout a nine-month evaluation period to be eligible for the Student Choice Award. To keep the numbers as accurate as possible, Lutheran South utilizes the drip survey method, allowing continuous feedback from individuals throughout the year.
“We send out (surveys) to a portion of our students, our parents and our staff every day, so every day we’re getting feedback. Our questions are tailored towards maybe the season, the time of the year,” Butterfield said, explaining that in addition to the singular NPS question, the school inquires on a variety of topics, from school safety and sense of belonging to curriculum and extracurricular offerings. “If you give a survey out to your whole community on Nov. 5, it’s gonna look very different than Sept. 5, very different than March 5 … We send it out at all those times and more. You really get a full picture.”
As aforementioned, parent and faculty satisfaction is also measured by Lutheran South through ParentPulse. Though it has yet to earn a world-class distinction in the other two categories, Butterfield emphasized that the school is working towards that, but that student satisfaction was first and foremost, as it is most directly aligned with Lutheran South’s mission.
“We have seen a shift in culture to students largely choosing where they go to high school versus parents making the decision. We know that if we can create an experience for students where they actually like coming to school, they’re going to flourish academically, they’re gonna choose to get involved. Not only are their grades higher, (but) their demeanor is upbeat; they enjoy their friends and the community,” Butterfield said.
