Page 6 - Flathead Beacon // 4.29.15

6 | APRIL 29, 2015
NEWS
Rendering of the expansion at Stillwater Christian School. COURTESY STILLWATER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
From Humble Beginnings, Stillwater Christian Grows Into Vibrant Private Institution
FLATHEADBEACON.COM
W•O•R•D•S of the Week
AN INDEX OF RECENT NEWSMAKERS
SINE DIE
The 64th Montana Legislature was in its waning days as the Beacon went to print on Monday evening, with work planned for April 28 and pos- sibly April 29. The last hurdle? The infrastructure bill.
BALTIMORE
The Maryland city is in turmoil after 25-year-old Freddie Gray died on April 12 while in police custody. Teenagers took the streets after Gray’s funeral, clashing violently with police.
NEPAL
A magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck Nepal on April 25, resulting in at least 3,700 deaths as of Monday. The area continues to suffer after- shocks, and many of the af- fected villages and towns are inaccessible due to landslides cutting off roads.
GAY MARRIAGE
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on same- sex marriage on April 28, and will decide whether the Constitution provides a right to marriage for same-sex couples. The justices will hear arguments against gay marriage restrictions imposed in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee, though the ruling will determine if such marriage will be legal nationwide.
Thirty-five years later, one of the largest Chris- tian schools in the state continues to grow with its latest building expansion
By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon
Cinda Wilson remembers teaching elementary classes in the Demersville school, a cramped building that resembled its historic roots. It was one of three sites where students at Flathead County Chris-
tian School would study in the early days, along with the Central Bible Church and a facility in Evergreen.
Today, 35 years after being founded, what is now Stillwater Christian School is thriving — and expanding — as a private education institution for students in kin- dergarten through high school.
The Kalispell school remains the val- ley’s lone K-12 Christian institution for families seeking an education that incor- porates the Bible and teachings of Jesus into the everyday curriculum.
“I’m a believer in Christ and that’s the school’s standpoint and it feels really good to be able to teach the way I believe,” Wil-
son, a longtime high school English teach- er, said.
The high school has over 100 students while the elementary and junior high en- rollments approach nearly 200. Enroll- ment has dipped slightly in recent years, but administrators are hopeful that up- coming changes will lead to more growth.
This year signifies a notable anniver- sary for the school, which has developed from humble beginnings into one of the largest private Christian schools in the state.
But it also marks a time of significant
See Stillwater PAGE 20
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