OACS News Service

School reflects on 50 years of Christian education
Concerned Christian immigrants founded Wellandport Christian School
Friday April 18, 2008 -- Michelle Strutzenberger
A school celebrating its 50th anniversary this year was founded to ensure students received an education from a Christian worldview. A group of Dutch Christian immigrants started Wellandport Christian School in 1958 because they were concerned about the direction of public schools.

Bill Thies, who has been actively involved with the school as a parent and former principal, expresses amazement over the founding group, pointing out that they wouldn’t have known English very well, known less about the new country and its ways, and would have had few resources.

“They just stepped forward in faith and built this school.”

Over the years the school has stayed true to its purpose, passing on the tenets of the Christian faith to more than 1,800 students.

The dedication of the original group has been passed down and subsequent generations have shown tremendous support for the school vision as well.

Thies says he’s heard from various former teachers who remember the school with great fondness.

“(They say) it was a great place to teach, a great place to work and they mention the supporting community as one of the main reasons for that,” says Thies.

Wenda Gerryts was one of the first students at Wellandport and all of her children have since attended. She was also a teacher’s aide for 10 years.

She says that in addition to the school’s focus on Christian teaching, she has always appreciated Wellandport’s dedicated teachers.

“I saw that with my own children but also when I worked as a teacher’s aide, (the teachers) were dedicated and sincere.”

Anne VanWyngaarden has been involved with the school for almost all the years of its existence, as a parent, grandparent and volunteer.

“It’s been a blessing to our family and I know to numerous families in the neighbourhood,” she says. 

Wellandport will be celebrating its 50th anniversary on Friday, June 6 with an evening program followed by a homecoming reunion of former students, staff and families on June 7.

For more information about the celebration, visit www.wellandportchristianschool.ca and click on the button that says 50th Anniversary.

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