Voters approve closing Calvin Christian Elementary School at end of school year
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The closing will not immediately impact Calvin Christian Middle and Calvin Christian High schools, which are operated by the same association.
"It would have been better if it had been a unanimous decision," said Paul Streelman, board president. "Unfortunately, that's not the way these things tend to go.
"This is not a recommendation that anybody on the board wanted to make. But we see closing our elementary school and transitioning students to Grandville Christian School as our best opportunity to preserve the option of a Christian education for families in Wyoming and Grandville."
Fall enrollment at Calvin Christian Elementary, 601 36th St. SW, is 134 kindergarten through sixth-grade students, creating a $215,270 operating deficit.
With enrollment projected at 118 next year, the association's board would have to increase annual tuition from $5,270 to $7,900 to break even, which is beyond the reach of most families, Streelman said.
Enrollment at the school had plunged 58 percent the past two decades, and 21 percent the last two years.
The board chose not to seek wage and benefit concessions from the school's 12 teachers because multiple years of cuts might be necessary.
The board also believed enrollment would drop if it cut transportation. A survey revealed some parents would be adverse to multi-grade classes, Streelman said.
Other West Michigan Christian schools have already consolidated to weather tough economic times which squeeze cash-strapped families out of parochial education.
In 2006, Kelloggsville and Cutlerville Christian schools combined into Legacy Christian School.
This fall, Holland Christian Schools merged its two middle schools at its south Holland campus.
Grand Rapids Christian Schools will consolidate four elementary schools into one new school next year.
Grandville Christian School is the largest feeder school for Calvin Christian Middle and Calvin Christian High schools, 3750 Ivanrest SW, where enrollment has declined but not to the level at which tuition cannot cover fixed costs, Streelman said.
Grandville Christian's currently has 343 students, with its enrollment fairly stable the last seven years.
Grandville Christian has agreed to consider Calvin Christian teachers first if it needs to hire more staff because of increased enrollment, Streelman said.
Calvin Christian Schools Association has agreed to help as many of its students and staff as possible to transfer to Grandville Christian, including providing its former Calvin Christian Elementary students with transportation to Grandville Christian the first year.
Calvin Christian School opened in 1955 as Godwin Christian School.
The association's board has been studying declining enrollment and rising tuition since March 2000, Streelman said.
E-mail Kym Reinstadler: kreinstadler@grpress.com
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The main point is that younger generations have to value Christian education as something special, beyond the normal public education system, and worthy of their financial sacrifice. They have to see it as an extended arm of their own family in bringing Christ to their children in all aspects of life. There is a misconception that sending children from a Christian family into public school is somehow sending them to the mission field. Yes, witnessing can and does occur at young ages, but parents cannot expect their children to be little missionaries when their children are still learning to sort out right from wrong, recognize and accept Christian values, and determine how they themselves fit into this world. The reformed perspective tries to instill from an early age the need for Christians to be agents of renewal in a fallen world. It is hard to grasp that concept within the confines of public education. I say this having been a product of the public education system.
Christian education cannot be allowed to go by the wayside. Its principles are Biblical and solid; the only issue is keeping the financing for it affordable.