New Christian school growing

Richard Froese
Smoky River Express

Support for a new interdenominational Christian school in the Smoky River region continues to grow. Peace Christian Academy is progressing in its plans to start classes this September, based in McLennan. “We are starting small, but we are growing,” says Ray Johnson, one of the school’s founding members. “We are very excited about this …. the school will happen,” says Johnson during the school society’s first annual meeting and membership drive May 26 where about $500 was raised in a dessert auction. Peace Christian Academy plans to start with kindergarten and elementary grades with one teacher and a teacher’s aid, while senior grades will work online with online education under supervision. With 14 students already registered, many more families are interest, says Johnson. “Peace Christian Academy is a school that works as partners with parents to train, equip, and encourage our students so that they may develop academic, vocational, and spiritual excellence in a creative learning environment with Jesus Christ and their cornerstone,” expresses the school’s mission statement. Over the next few months, the society will submit an education plan to Alberta Ministry of Education, hire a certified teacher, arrange transportation options, and gather resources to start in September. A non-profit society was recently formed with several families of the Smoky River region, with board members from Girouxville, McLennan, High Prairie and Whitemud. Peace Christian Academy is partnering with Koinonia Christian Schools, a system of nine evangelical non-denominational Christian schools serving Alberta. “I commend the local group for what it is doing to establish a Christian school,” says Vern Rand, acting principal of Koinonia Christian Education Society, who served 24 years as principal of the Christian school in Red Deer. “I know it will have a tremendous impact in this community and region.” “The Christian school provides a wholesome environment where children can develop to their fullest potential,” says Rand. “It serves to support and extend the work of the Christian home by reinforcing the same values and beliefs.” “It makes the very difficult job of parenting a little bit easier by removing a major source of negative influences from a child’s life,” says Rand. For more information, phone Ray or Sharon Johnson at 323-3561 or email to pca@serbernet.com. Check out the school website at www.peacechristianacademy.net.