New Hope Lutheran school opens in Idaho Falls
Published at
IDAHO FALLS – Six months after breaking ground, the new school at Hope Lutheran Church, 2071 12th Street in Idaho Falls, is officially complete.
Pastor Garen Pay dedicated the 8,700-square-foot building following Sunday morning worship services. Members of the public were invited to an open house and tour of the building in the afternoon. EastIdahoNews.com took a tour, which you can watch in the video above.
During the open house on Sunday afternoon, headmaster Robert Carabotta had positive things to say about the contractor, RPI Construction, and those who made this project a reality.
“We are very grateful to the Lord, we are grateful to so many people — the donors who support our school,” Carabotta tells EastIdahoNews.com. “This project was a discussion with a lot of starts and stops for 20 years. For this to come to fruition is an awesome moment.”
RELATED | Local congregation celebrates groundbreaking of new school building
RELATED | Hope Lutheran Church breaking ground on 8,700-square-foot school building
In an interview last year, Pay told us the goal was to have the school completed in time for the 2026-2027 school year, and that’s exactly what happened.
The school serves students in preschool through eighth grade. Carabotta says it provides a classical Christian education to 52 students, with a religious curriculum that’s Christ-centered.
“It’s a rigorous education, but it’s also a beautiful education,” Carabotta explains. “We have an amazing staff of teachers. They are so dedicated, so united in educating every child and working with every child’s learning style.”
Of all the subjects taught, Carabotta says Latin has historically been a student favorite.
The $3 million project was funded entirely by donations. While the bulk of it has been paid for, Carabotta says some fundraising is still underway to cover the remainder of the project. The church’s largest fundraising event, a dinner and auction, happens every year on May 1.
The reason for the new school is due to several factors. In 2025, Pay said one of them is the result of a growing student body and regulations about how many students can be in a confined area.
Another reason is its age. The original classrooms are inside the church building, which dates back to 1981. Wear and tear made an upgrade necessary, according to Pay.
Pastor Robert Thoelke held the first worship service for Hope Lutheran at the YMCA on Aug. 18, 1957, according to church historical records. Ground was broken for a new church building at 1300 East 17th Street in April 1958. It was completed in 1960. Jeanine Lange helped establish the school while the building was under construction.
By 1979, the congregation had grown to 659 members. That led to the construction of the current building on 12th Street.
Carabotta says he’s thrilled to begin the school year in a brand new building, and he enjoys seeing students with a smile on their face throughout the day.
“There is one child who started his first year in kindergarten. His dad reported to me that he said, ‘I love my school because every day I get to hear about Jesus.’ Another student last year said, ‘This is the perfect school for me. The teachers here are patient, and I learn,” said Carabotta. “It’s testimonies like this from parents and students that just make it so (worthwhile).”
