Bethany Christian School

My goddaughter was attending Kindergarten at this school and after a short while I noticed a change in her demeanor. After 2 weeks of attending this school I found out that she was afraid of another 5 year old girl in the class. My goddaughter explained to her parents and I that this girl had dug her finger underneath her nail, bent her fingers backward and grabbed at her stomach. I spoke with 3 other parents who made complaints about this same child bullying their children. I spoke with the teacher who on the first occasion stated that she would speak with the parent. On the second occasion I spoke with the Kindergarten teacher about the bullying she stated that since the incident happened the previous day and since my child did not speak up the moment it happened nothing would be done. Since her teacher was unwilling to help, I had to take control of the situation myself. I spoke to the parent and the child myself, and that seemed to end the attacks for approximately 1 week. After that, this bully attacked my goddaughter, she kept hitting my goddaughter until my goddaughter struck her back right in the solar plexus knocking the wind out of the bully. It was legitimate self defense, yet my god daughter was punished, while the bully enjoyed "diplomatic immunity". The bully told the school that my goddaughter had hit her first. My god daughter, her parents, and I had a conference with the principal, the kindergarten teacher and the head of the after school program. During the conversation they tried to make it look like my goddaughter was to blame. The kindergarten teacher stated we were the first to make a complaint about the bully which was a lie. She didn't account for the fact that I spoke with 3 other parents who told me that they told the teacher about the bully. She recanted and stated "Oh yeah, well that was a long time ago!" despite the fact that school had just started in late August. To make a long story short I stated that "I will not have my goddaughter in the same class with this brat!". The principal replied with, I can't/won't kick the child out of the school for something this insignificant. 9-9-2016 was my god daughters last day at Bethany. We left the school knowing that the bully has an older brother in the school who also attends the after school program. It equals approximately $2000 a month for Bethany. They picked money over morals and ethics.

Do you long for your child(ren) to be a part of a school and community that truly value not only education but also character? My family searched to see if a place like this existed when our daughter was to begin Kindergarten. We lived in Arcadia and everyone encouraged us to stay in public school b/c of the great Arcadia academic focus. But as parents, we wanted our daughter to do more then excel at academics. We wanted her to grow up being a woman who knew how to carry herself in the world with a great love for God and a genuine love for people. We toured many schools and spoke to lots of parents. We finally felt like we had landed "home" when we walked onto Bethany's campus. The atmosphere is sacred. It is truly a place where you feel love and excellence interwoven. Dr. Walner is a man of integrity who speaks with clarity on the vision of the school. He is approachable, caring, and honestly desires to see each student excel as the person that God created them to be. My husband and I continue to be impressed with his leadership. Melody Heal is also a woman who is passionate about the school and leads with excellence. She and Dr. Walner are so obviously invested in making Bethany a place where families can thrive. We have witnessed our daughter grow in her faith, learn skills to effectively communicate with adults and peers, navigate conflict using a peace plan, learn to express and receive forgiveness, gain confidence to express her needs and a plethora of other important skills. Bethany staff and teachers have come alongside of us in powerful ways to cultivate in her a love of God and a desire to walk with the Lord according to His Word. As parents we feel their desire to partner with us to raise our child in a God honoring way. For example, Elizabeth is always overjoyed when someone in authority catches her "being like Jesus" and gives her a CIA award (Christ in Action). This positive reinforcement of her godly behavior is shaping her to more fully comprehend the beauty of following and obeying her Savior. As a family who desires to honor God with our lives, this is an incredible blessing...albeit such a seemingly small thing. I am also impressed with the commitment to academic excellence we've experienced in her first grade class. Her teacher, Mrs. Poppleton, is passionate about cultivating a love of reading within her students. Our daughter is provided with classroom activities that make learning engaging and enjoyable. She is not simply sitting at a desk. Her homework load is appropriate for her age. I so appreciate that Bethany values family togetherness. This desire to strengthen and support the family is evident in how they intentionally give homework that is able to be done in a timeframe that allows families space to connect and be present together stress free. Another key component to Bethany is the value they place on art, language, and music. While many schools are getting rid of these important programs, Bethany thrives in these areas. My daughter loves that she is afforded space several days every week to engage her creative side and imagination. I could go on and on about this school. I would highly recommend that you come in and visit.

Great place for my child, we are very happy with the education that our son is getting. Diverse student population, small class size, a wonderful sense of community here. Newly renovated after care area for K-8th grade. After school programs are available such as chess, bricks for kids, art, music and sports. There is even a program for home schooled students called Independent Lions. This school has just about everything you could want!

We've been here for over 5 years and we love it. Bethany has put the love of reading and learning in my kids. Very warm and Godly environment. My kids are happy every time I pick them up from school. Small class numbers for great personal attention from the teachers. I'm here to stay until they graduate 8th grade. The administration and teachers are truly Christian. I only wish they had a high school so my kids can stay here after 8th grade.

Small town private primary school