Central Kansas Christian Academy hosted Thursday’s Great Bend Chamber Coffee, where school board member Eric Rostine talked about plans to expand from a K-8 school to one serving grades K-12.
Starting in the 2027-2028 school year, CKCA will have a ninth grade, adding one class each year until all high school grades are offered. A committee is working with a mentor who manages high schools to help them work out the details for a successful transition, he said.
CKCA is a fully accredited, non-denominational, Biblically integrated school.
“What we mean by Biblically integrated is that we don’t just sprinkle some Bible verses here and there, but we actually integrate that fully into the education system here,” Rostine said. “It’s woven into our fabric, from our mission statement to the lessons that they learn. ... We help students grow both academically and spiritually, because we want to give them a strong foundation for the future.”
This year there are 74 students enrolled at the school, located at 215 McKinley St., and they have 10 or 11 teachers.
“CKCA can be a wonderful option for families seeking a caring, Christ-centered environment, especially for those concerned about class sizes, maybe bullying, or loss of community in other settings,” Rostine said.
A few students talked about why they love their school. Statements included “We get to learn about God and have amazing teachers,” and, “This school is awesome. We get to pray and we get to learn about the Bible.”
This year’s school theme is “Putting on the full armor of God.” Younger students have memorized the Bible verses that talk about that, and they recited Ephesians 6:14-17.
Parent-Teacher Fellowship (PTF) President Tiffany Schoendaler talked about the upcoming school fundraiser, featuring Double Good popcorn. She noted that some parents missed the traditional sale of butterballs, which got an “amen!” from the audience. However, Double Good offers several flavors and the fundraiser will run from Feb. 12-27. People will be able to place orders online.
