School Profile
Community Christian School
School Overview
We believe that Community Christian School (CCS) is a very special place. We are not merely referring to our facilities or location, but rather the people who make up Community Christian School! First, our administration, teachers, and staff are simply the best. Their ministry is clearly marked by dedication and service to our Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, and most importantly, our students, parents, and grandparents who have joined the Community Christian School family are committed to Christian education. We love our families and their love and support is continually felt in return. Community Christian School is a great place to be.
The mission and purpose of Community Christian School is as follows: “Serving God by providing families an academically-excellent, Biblically-integrated education, which encourages spiritual development and social responsibility in an environment where students can develop their God-given gifts and talents.”
A nine-member School Board governs the school. This governing body is elected by the members of the Community Christian School Association for three-year terms.
We currently offer a quality Christian education to children beginning at Preschool through 8th grade. We have approximately 40 students enrolled in our 3 and 4-year old Preschool programs, and 80 students in our K-8 classes. CCS is accredited by the State of Iowa, is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International, and all faculty maintain current State licensure and endorsements required for their instructional assignments.
In 2014 CCS families once again registered very high satisfaction ratings of the school. The composite parent satisfaction percentile rank of 89 on the GraceWorks Ministries survey places CCS in the top fifth of the hundreds of schools nationally who participated in the survey. Correspondingly, K-8 enrollment has grown more than 50% in the past three years and continued growth is anticipated.
Community Christian School is located in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Fort Dodge is located in northwestern Iowa, approximately 100 miles northwest of Des Moines, IA and 200 miles southwest of Minneapolis, MN.
School History
Community Christian School has a four-decade history of providing high quality educational services in the Fort Dodge area. Families representing over 25 churches have selected CCS as their school of choice, based on its commitment to a philosophy of Christian education and academic excellence, small class size with an overall current student / teacher ratio of 15:1, ministry-minded staff that truly care about each individual student, the safe environment provided, and opportunity for parental involvement.
In the fall of 2012 CCS began the process of becoming an independent community Christian school with enthusiastic support from the school’s parents, and other constituents including the church which originally established and housed the school.
Subsequently, a four-acre property including a 24,000 square foot school, gymnasium, and kitchen was acquired in June 2013, and volunteers invested 1000’s of hours in preparing the facility and grounds over the summer, which allowed classes to begin as scheduled on August 21, 2013. The relatively short time that elapsed from the time the School Board first saw the facility until the first day of school, 9 months, is a testament to God’s amazing provision for CCS.
CCS is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. Charter members of the Community Christian School Association held its first annual meeting in October 2013. As provided in the Articles of Incorporation, “The Corporation shall have an Association of Members whose purpose is to promote the active involvement of families, staff, and the community in support of a non-denominational Christian school, and to ensure adherence to the Corporation’s purpose and standards in the operation of that school. The voting Members of the Association shall elect the directors of the Corporation.”
Our Educational Values / Our Philosophy:
Community Christian School adopts the historic, Christian view of life as presented in the Bible. Since God created and sustains everything through His Son, Jesus Christ, the world and life are God-centered and should glorify Him. Humans, being sinners by nature and choice, however, cannot in this condition glorify or know God. Humans can do this only by being re-created in God’s image through committing their life to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The total process of education, therefore, must seek this restoration of the student to the position of true knowledge, righteousness, and holiness in Christ by developing and relating the whole person to God spiritually, mentally, emotionally, socially, and physically. Such education is primarily the parents’ responsibility, and the school should function as an extension of the home to aid the parents in giving this education.