Five area Christian schools are joining forces, creating a new school system – the first of its kind in Snohomish County.
“We felt we could have a greater voice … if we worked together,” said Debbie Schindler, administrator of Snohomish County Christian School.
The schools, located from Lynnwood to north Seattle, are:
Snohomish County Christian School, which has a 152-student elementary school in Lynnwood and 231-student secondary school campus in Mountlake Terrace.
Christian Life School, a 100-student school in Lynnwood serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
Heritage Christian School in Bothell, serving 440 students in kindergarten through ninth grade.
North Seattle Christian School in Shoreline, a preschool to eighth grade school serving 185 students.
Fairview Christian School in Seattle, a preschool to eighth grade school of 175 students.
“And we’re open to other schools,” said Bob O’Neal, administrator at North Seattle Christian.
At more than 1,200 students, the new group would become the third-largest private school system operating in the area.
Students in local Roman Catholic schools, which are parish-run but under the umbrella of the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle, number more than 1,900.
Cedar Park Christian Schools, a ministry of Cedar Park Church in Bothell, has more than 1,500 students at five campuses, including Everett.
Seeds for the merger started two years ago when four of the schools started the Alliance of Christian Schools to advertise and train teachers together.
Snohomish County Christian High School is the focal point of the merger as the only high school in the bunch.
“Our parents are going to the four corners, blowing in the wind” after middle school, said Patricia Burris, principal at Fairview. “Now we can point and say, ‘Yes, that’s our high school.’”
Combining resources also will mean better elective offerings. Schools can share a Spanish teacher, for example, and the high school hopes to add more Advanced Placement courses.
High school teacher Malcolm Brewer said he’s already thinking about ideas, such as advanced speech and debate, and English courses focused on C.S. Lewis or humor in American literature. “It opens up the possibility of doing some specialized things, instead of putting everyone through the same track.”
Then, too, there’s the number of kids sitting in desks – bread and butter for private schools that rely heavily on tuition.
Combined, the five partnering schools have seen a 24 percent drop in enrollment in the last six years, from 1,681 students in 1997 to 1,283 students in fall 2003, based on numbers reported to the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Assuming each child pays about $5,000 in tuition, that’s a $2 million hit.
Snohomish County Christian lost the most over the six-year period at 193 students. Factors included a lagging economy and the lure of larger high schools that boast bigger programs, primarily sports.
It’s part of a trend. Across the county, private school enrollment dipped 15 percent over seven years to 4,279 last fall. And statewide, enrollment in private schools has dipped 8 percent from its peak in 2001 at 82,938. It was 76,432 last fall.
Local Christian school leaders hope that by combining their efforts, they can better retain the students they have as well as attract more. They would like to build a combined junior high school in five years.
“It’s going to be exciting,” Schindler said.
In the meantime, school leaders are meeting to write up bylaws and prepare for the legal and technical details of forming a district. Formal incorporation is expected in January. They will also look at standardizing tuition, teacher salaries, calendars and course schedules.
The high school’s name also will change to reflect the shift. Its new name will be the same as the new school system’s.
No name has been selected, though students at the high school will have a say. Recent surveys had them pick from such names as North Sound Christian, Alliance Christian, Rock Christian and Anchor Christian schools.
Sophomore Dawn Washio said she was mad when she first heard of the upcoming changes. “I’ve been here since kindergarten, so it’s my school,” the 15-year-old said.
Beyond the name, the school’s colors and mascot also will change, meaning her new $500 cheerleading uniform soon will be useless.
“But I prayed over it,” she added. “That’s just how God wants it to be.”
Both Dawn and her classmate, junior Amy Hood, now are dreaming about better sports and music programs.
“It’s kind of like a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” said Amy, 16. She added that with “more new kids, maybe there will be a hot guy. … One can always hope.”
Reporter Melissa Slager: 425-339-3465 or mslager@heraldnet.com.
Schools involved
Christian Life School 17000 Sixth Ave. W., Lynnwood Affiliation: Independent Grades served: K-8, daycare 2003 enrollment: 100 Base tuition: $4,500
Fairview Christian School 844 NE 78th St., Seattle Affiliation: The Fairview Church Grades served: Preschool-8 2003 enrollment: 175 Base tuition: $4,675 K-5, $5,105 grades 6-8
Heritage Christian School 10310 NE 195th St., Bothell Affiliation: First Baptist Church of Bothell Grades served: Preschool-9 2003 enrollment: 440 Base tuition: $5,200 K-6, $5,630 grades 7-9
North Seattle Christian School 2000 NE Perkins Way, Shoreline Affiliation: Independent Grades served: Preschool-8 2003 enrollment: 185 Base tuition: $4,793 K-6, $5,112 grades 7-8
Snohomish County Christian School 17931 64th Ave. W., Lynnwood; 23607 54th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace Affiliation: Independent Grades served: K-6 elementary in Lynnwood, 7-12 secondary in Mountlake Terrace 2003 enrollment: 383 Base tuition: $5,137 K-6, $6,028 grades 7-8, $6,325 grades 9-12
For more information: www.allianceofchristian schools.com
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