Loading AI tools
Christian private school system in Kent County, Michigan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Grand Rapids Christian Schools is a private, Christian school system located in Kent County, Michigan, serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The majority of its campuses are situated in Grand Rapids with an additional campus in Rockford. The administrative headquarters of the school system is located adjacent to Grand Rapids Christian High School.[1]
As of 2024,[update] Aaron Winkle is the superintendent of the system.[2]
Circa 2004 the school had a debt of about $20 million,[3] and in 2009 the debt was down to $12.5 million; the school had incurred debt partly due to renovations of the Millbrook school and the construction of the Rockford school. That year Richard DeVos and Helen DeVos gave a donation of $10 million,[4] and the debt was reduced to $2.5 million.[3]
Members of the DeVos family have consistently donated to the school system: the Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation gave the school system $2,390,000 in the years 1999 through 2014.[5] In 2013 members of the DeVos family donated a total of over $6.8 million to the school, including $3.2 million from Doug DeVos, $300,000 from Dick DeVos, and $20,400 from Dan DeVos.[6] In 2017 Erica L. Green of The New York Times wrote "Ms. [Betsy] DeVos is still involved in the school."[7] She added that Betsy DeVos and her husband Dick "are known to be very generous to Grand Rapids Christian High School".[8]
Circa 2013 the system faced an increase in enrollment.[9]
As of 2009[update] the school did not use money from tuition to cover debts.[4]
As of 2017[update] racial groups other than non-Hispanic white make up about a quarter the school system's students. Betsy DeVos stated that the Grand Rapids Christian School student body had more ethnic diversity than that of the public schools in Ada Township, Michigan. About 30% of the student body is eligible for school food service at a lower price and/or at no price at all.
The school system gives financial assistance to about 45% of the students.[7]
The curriculum includes Christianity-related topics and topics about other religions. Students study both the theory of evolution and Creationism.[7]
The following schools are part of the Grand Rapids Christian Schools system.[10]
One of the elementary buildings had a cost of $12.5 million.[4]
The system includes the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Arts and Worship,[7] within the high school facility.[14] It was a result of a donation by Richard DeVos circa 1998. Prior to the center's establishment, the high school students attended chapel at multiple churches because they could not fit in the same church building.[15]
Multiple members of the DeVos family attended,[6] including:
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.