About Us
Governance
The Terrace Calvin Christian School Society
Under the Independent School Act of BC, all independent schools have to be governed by a separate “authority”, which in our case is the Terrace Calvin Christian School Society. This society has a constitution, bylaws, policies and mandates that comply with the Societies Act of BC. When you enrol your child(ren) at CCS, we invite you to become a part of our society so that you may have a voice in the way that our school is governed. We want all parents and guardians at our school to have a sense of ownership of what we do and how we do it.
As our name states, we are fundamentally a Christian school. In order to keep our Christian identity while we continuously evolve as a school, we entrust strategic decision-making to society members who share our Christian faith. We therefore have two options for society membership:
Full membership is open to individuals who are committed Christians, active members of a faith community and who agree with the school’s religious and philosophical principles, as expressed in our constitution and bylaws. Full members are expected to attend and take part in society meetings, serve on the board and/or committees and vote in matters of school governance.
Associate membership is open to individuals who want their child(ren) educated with the stated mission, vision, beliefs and perspective the school teaches in all its courses. Church affiliation is not required. Associate members are expected to attend and take part in society meetings, but they are not permitted to vote.
FAQs
Will my child have to pray and attend church?
No. At CCS, we recognize that every student is unique in his/her abilities of self-expression and public speaking and that each child will have a unique way of communicating with God. Though many students have blessed each other (and their teachers) with their gifts of prayer, we realise that not all students will have the ability and the desire to pray out loud. And that is perfectly acceptable.
The school is generally not involved with church services, church being on Sundays (and Saturdays for some), but we do have special assemblies and chapel that all students attend.
We are not a Christian family. Will it be expected of my child to become a Christian at the school?
No. As a Christian School, our vision and values intentionally shape how we teach and operate as a community. That being said, many students come into our school without ever having experienced a relationship with God, and some also graduate without calling themselves “Christian”. Our role as a school is to create and nurture an environment in which a relationship with God our Father will flourish, but we also recognize that God’s timing is not our timing.
Whether or not your child will choose to become a Christian, is beyond the school’s control. What we can promise though, is that your child will be challenged to form his/her own worldview and to explore the important questions of “who am I?” and “why am I here?”.
Are you a part of the Christian Reformed Church that is right next door to the school?
No. Centennial Christian School operates as a completely separate entity. Although our school was founded by members of the Terrace Christian Reformed Church, some of whom later donated land for the school to be built on, students from different Christian denominations have always been welcomed. Today we can say that there is representation from 18 different Christian churches in our student body, staff and school board and the school does not affiliate with any specific denomination.
Committees
To join or speak with any of these committees, please email the front office, who will direct your request to the right person.
Education Committee
The Education Committee advises the Board about Christian direction and quality of the school’s teachers and programs. It helps the school establish a learning community where teachers and students can develop their insights and skills in an atmosphere that strives to reflect Christ’s love for His people.
Finance Committee
The function of the Finance Committee is to supervise the school’s financial affairs, to report and make recommendations to the school Board. The Board makes all final policy decisions or, in special cases, may ask the Society to make such decisions.
Employee Relations Committee
The Employee Relations Committee each year will recommend to the Board a basic compensation (salary and employee benefits) package for teachers and all support staff. The ERC will regularly review the Employment Policy of Centennial Christian School and deal with matters pertaining to benefits, increments and allowances.
Building and Grounds Committee
This committee concerns itself with the care, maintenance and adequacy of the school buildings, grounds and equipment. They recommend and oversee improvements and development of our facilities.
Hearts and Hands
Heart and Hands is a group of supporters of CCS who meet regularly to organize community- and fundraising events for the school, to purchase items outside of the operating budget that benefit the entire student body.
SOGI committee
This task force was mandated by the school board to develop a process for discovering the needs of the CCS community on the topic of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) and to recommend a path/action plan to the board.
Board of Directors
Out of our Full Membership base, six to eight members are chosen to serve as a board of directors for our society. Their main duties are:
- to inspect current practices, facilities and staff to maintain quality education
- to direct the school towards growth and development, following our strategic plan
- to protect the foundational values, vision and mission of the school in an ever-changing societal landscape
Our current board of directors
Shirley Buck, Ali McCullough, Blake Holenstein, Edgar Veldman, Cathy Northridge, Peter Arcadi, Carin Henschel, Nathan Voogd, Eloise Laing