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Church Schols and Preschools

Discussion in 'Polls Forum' started by FriendofSpurgeon, Jun 13, 2014.

?
  1. Yes

    4 vote(s)
    23.5%
  2. No

    13 vote(s)
    76.5%
  1. FriendofSpurgeon

    FriendofSpurgeon Well-Known Member
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    Does your church have/sponsor a school or a preschool? If so, why? If not, why not? What are the benefits/detriments of doing this?
     
  2. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    I used to attend two different churches that had preschools and one of those churches hosted a school as well.

    Positives:
    1. Recognition in the community
    2. Provision for Christian education for children
    3. Can help pay (and create) bills.

    Negatives:
    1. Liability
    2. Staffing concerns/lifestyles
    3. More traffic and wear and tear at facility
    4. can take more money than it contributes
    5. Licensing/accreditation concerns
     
  3. FriendofSpurgeon

    FriendofSpurgeon Well-Known Member
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    The negatives you list are true, but I think they can be avoided (or at least minimized). If the church's facilities are large enough, a preschool is can be an excellent idea. Several churches that I have attended through the years have had preschools, and I've always wondered why more of them do not. Here are a few of the advantages:

    * It provides an excellent ministry to others in the community - whether they attend your church or not - or even if they are Christians or not.

    * It provides an early Christian education to those in your church - and other Christians in the community.

    * It provides a way to introduce the gospel to non-Christians, many of whom would never darken the doorway of a church.

    * It provides a way to use your facilities during the week. It's sad that so many churches do not maximize their resources.

    * From a cost standpoint, a properly run preschool can help offset a portion of the facility's expenses.
     
  4. Sapper Woody

    Sapper Woody Well-Known Member

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    Any christian preschool that I've personally seen has made a nice profit. In fact, I've heard of christian schools that struggled with finances who opened up a preschool to pay for their school's losses. I agree that it's also a great community outreach, as well as a chance to instill christian values at an early age.
     
  5. clark thompson

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    My old church did though from Pre School to 8th grade.
     
  6. David Lamb

    David Lamb Active Member

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    No, we don't sponsor a school. In fact we hire a (secular) school building for our services and midweek children's club. Benefits of doing this (which I know isn't the OP's theme): 1. The children are already there to come to the midweek club. 2. Upkeep, insurance, and such things usually connected with a building are all the responsibility of the school. Detriments: 1. Some people aren't aware of the existence of the church, because they think of a church as a physical building. 2. We have to set out and put away chairs and other things we use in services.
     
  7. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    My church operates a preschool (ages 2-4) as well as a kindergarten (age 5), an elementary school (grades 1-5), a middle school (grades 6-8), and a high school (grades 9-12).

    We try to keep our tuition rates as low as possible so that people will have an incentive to place their children in our school.

    A big percentage of our elementary school students are there because of the fact that they had also attended our pre-school.

    Some of our high school graduates spent their entire lives as students who started in our pre-school.

    Our Christian school does not exist as a profit-making institution.

    Since its inception in 1979 as one of the educational ministries of our church, its primary mission has always been "to glorify God by offering a Christ-centered, quality education that assists parents in training their children to be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ."
     
  8. FriendofSpurgeon

    FriendofSpurgeon Well-Known Member
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    I agree that they should not serve as profit making institutions, but they should carry their own financial weight. Our preschool's tuition is about $700/month - which is not cheap, but significantly less than others in the area.
     
  9. Sapper Woody

    Sapper Woody Well-Known Member

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    The amazing thing about a school, especially preschool, is that you can make a profit and still be offering a bargain. Has anyone checked the prices for your average private school? At best it's outrageous, and sometimes even into the collegiate level of cost.
     
  10. FriendofSpurgeon

    FriendofSpurgeon Well-Known Member
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    I agree. The two closest preschools have very high tuition, so $7,000 per year is a deal. One is at $10,000 per year and the other is at $15,000 (not even kidding!). For elementary, they jump to $13,000 and $17,000.
     
  11. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    Friend of Spurgeon:

    I'm quite sure that you are aware of the fact that the cost of living varies considerably from one area to another. In other words, in your area (south Florida) it's most likely quite higher than in other areas. Hence, what a private school's tuition in one area may be would be relatively different than what it would be in some other area.

    My church's Christian school's tuition is relatively lower than what another Christian school in a different area may be.

    That being said, however, I praise God for any church that establishes a Christian preschool whose goals are not only to provide an excellent education for a child's mind, but also to provide an excellent education for a child's spiritual development---something that most non-church based schools probably do not provide for.
     
  12. FriendofSpurgeon

    FriendofSpurgeon Well-Known Member
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    Agreed. Just pointing out that Woody's comment is on the mark regarding the high cost of private education -- even at the preschool level.
     
  13. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    I got al my edjamacasion in pubic schol.
    Turch schol neber was an opsion.
    I lerned al I neded on my one. :tongue3:

    **************
    With the assistance of his grandparents and great-grandparents, my grandson attends a Christian school in northern Maine where costs are a bit lower.

    Rob
     
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