Capital Campaign

We see God move in extraordinary ways at Jenison Christian School! Since opening its doors in September 1930 in the basement of a church with 31 students, to the phenomenal growth and change up until now, God continues to bless our school. Today, Jenison Christian School is a community of over 500 students in preschool through eighth grade. We have a remarkable staff who are passionate about each of their students, a thriving preschool program, a fantastic on-site school childcare program, and a strong focus on serving in our community and our world.

Many great changes have been made to our campus over the last 5 summers: the construction of a safe and efficient drop off loop, a safe, secure, and welcoming entrance to the school on the loop, as well as a large group gathering space in elementary used for a variety of activities including group worship, class presentations, small group work, and more. Last summer (2023) our school saw the complete renovation of the ten remaining 1960’s classrooms, with a wonderful new wing to welcome our youngest learners at JCS. This summer (2024) we were able to add square footage to our school’s floorplan! We added a full classroom with the addition, which accommodates our growing student body. We praise God for this expansion!

Over the past 5 years our immediate needs have changed. We’ve transitioned from remodeling the 1960’s classrooms and updating our facility to requiring more educational space for our growing student body as we strive to continue providing the quality, Christian education our families at JCS have come to know and deserve. We are also evaluating the safety and security of the campus as a whole and see some areas in need of improvement. The next phase will include building a connecting space between middle school and elementary, a newly designed bus loop, and an updated main office and entrance to the school.

NEEDS/ GOALS

Security

When JCS was built in the 1960s, building security was not on the radar. Included in our plan are modifications that will greatly increase the safety and security of our students and staff.

Space

JCS has experienced growth of over 120 students in the last 4 years.

Building and Maintenance

Walking through Jenison Christian School, the age of the building becomes very apparent. Maintenance contractors can be seen regularly fixing the 30-year-old roof and boilers, potholes and flooding in the parking lot, ceiling tiles from rain and snow leaks, and many other miscellaneous challenges.

Current Model of Education

Shifts in education models over the last 60 years, as well as advancements in our understanding of how students learn, has us rethinking how learning happens at JCS. Having more adaptable and flexible learning spaces with necessary tools to support and inspire creation, innovation, and learning is imperative to our 21st century learning needs.

THE JCS MASTER PLAN

• Phase 1 -$400,000 – COMPLETED SUMMER 2020
  • Replacement of worst sections of JCS roof.
  • Improvements to the exterior of the building including construction of a drop off loop, and a complete renovation of four bathrooms in the elementary wing, making them more modern and ADA compliant.
• Phase 2 - $1,900,000 – COMPLETED SUMMER 2021
  • Replacing one of the three existing boilers.
  • Fully renovating the 60-year-old early elementary classrooms and hallways to facilitate 21st century learning.
  • Creating spaces for multi-grade collaboration, STEAM activities, and worship.
  • Creating new spaces for community events and connections.
• Phase 3A - $500,000 - COMPLETED SUMMER 2022
  • Creating a safe and welcoming entrance for preschool and childcare.
• Phase 3 - $1,800,000 - COMPLETED SUMMER 2023
  • Completely renovating existing preschool classrooms.
  • Creating an early childhood gathering space for classes and community.
  • Moving the JCS infant-age 12 childcare into the early childhood wing.
  • Completely renovating the upper elementary classrooms and creating a designated TRI space for educational support.
• Phase 4A - $470,000 - COMPLETED SUMMER 2024
  • Creating a new classroom space for our growing student body.
• Phase 4 - $3,000,000
  • Creating a safe and secure main entrance, as well as creating additional office space for our growing administration team.
  • Creating additional leering and community space for upper elementary students, as well as student and staff bathrooms.
  • Enhancing the safety of our campus by connecting the building, eliminating an exterior passthrough for our staff and students.
  • Redesigning the bus loop to be seperate from car traffic, keeping kids and drivers safe.

JOIN US IN “SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY”!

1. Give a gift to help fund the capital campaign. Commitments at all levels are greatly appreciated.
2. Connect your friends and family to support JCS.

 

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