The KAIRS Hall of Fame recognizes and honors outstanding life-long contributions to religious and independent schools in Kansas. These educators have given extraordinary service to a KAIRS member school (or a series of schools) during their careers as educators.

Each year, KAIRS honors one (or more) inductees into the Hall of Fame. Select a year to read more about that year's inductees.

Edward Bierbaum  -  2007

Edward Bierbaum has been a devoted Lutheran educator for 40 years. Even as a young man, he knew he wanted to become a teacher — inspired by a gentleman he admired who was his instructor. Other mentors, however, thought that young Ed might be called to be a pastor. After much prayer and thought, he decided to pursue being a Lutheran educator.

“The force that moved me to enter the teaching profession would have to be God. As I look back, I can see God’s hand guiding what I have done. I have spent my entire teaching career in Lutheran schools because I wanted to be free to share with children and young adults that Jesus Chris was their Lord and Savior,” he explained. “There are many disruptive forces that affect young people today. If I can be a small part in giving a child some stability in his or her life by sharing what Jesus has done for me, I have accomplished my task.”

Mr. Bierbaum has invested the last 13 years of his career as the principal and teacher at Linn Lutheran School in grades six through eight. During this time, he has also served, and continues to serve, in numerous leadership positions at the Kansas District level of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LC-MS). These include the Chair of the District Professional Development Council, 2000-2006; Kansas National Lutheran Schools Accreditation Commissioner, 1998 – present; a member of the District Board of Directors, 2003 – present; and chair and past chair of the Kansas Lutheran Educators’ Conference. James Bradshaw, Executive Director for Educational Services, Kansas District, LC-MS, praised Mr. Bierbaum for his years of service, “Ed Bierbaum has been an outstanding teacher-principal in his 13 years at Linn Lutheran School. His dedication and service go beyond his own school as he has also been instrumental in the development of the teacher certification process and the advancement of National Lutheran Schools Accreditation in Kansas.”

Prior to his move to Kansas in 1994, Mr. Bierbaum held several positions in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He was the Science Department Chairman and a science and math instructor for grades nine through twelve at Sheboygan Area Lutheran High School. Additionally, he was the director of the Sheboygan Area
Lutheran Outdoor Education Camp for 20 years. He began his teaching career at St. John Lutheran School in Victor, Iowa in 1966.

Mr. Bierbaum earned a B.S. in Education from Concordia Teachers College in Seward, Nebraska (1966) and later received a master’s degree in education from the same institution (1977). He returned to Concordia University to earn a master’s degree in education administration (1997). Mr. Bierbaum is married
to Donna, a retired Lutheran educator, and has two children who attended Lutheran elementary and high schools.