Trinity Christian School

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This article is about the school in Fairfax, Virginia. For other uses please see Trinity Christian School (disambiguation)
Trinity Christian School
'Pursuing Excellence for Mind & Heart'
Location
Fairfax, Virginia, USA
Information
Head teacher Dr. David Vanderpoel
Students About 500 students(1st through 12th)
Faculty 57 (Specialists and Teachers)
Type Private
Campus Braddock Road Campus
Mascot Guardian
Color(s) Blue, Black, Silver, and White
Established 1987
Homepage http://www.tcsfairfax.org/

Trinity Christian School was founded in 1987 as a non-denominational Christian school. It is located in Fairfax, Virginia on Braddock Road and provides Christian education from grades 1 through 12. Trinity has a current enrollment of over 500 students and is planning on building an additional facility that will raise the school's enrollment by 200.

Contents

[edit] History

Since its founding in 1987, Trinity Christian School of Fairfax has served as an intentionally distinctive school for families in Northern Virginia who seek a Christian education for their children. As an independent Christian school, Trinity has remained steadfast in its commitment to the pursuit of excellence for mind and heart. Faith and learning are integrated throughout all aspects of the academic and co-curricular program in order to facilitate the development of knowledge, character, and service in the lives of our students.

Nearly twenty years ago, a group of concerned parents saw a need for a Christian school in Northern Virginia that was committed to academic excellence and spiritual vitality. These forward thinking men and women, together with the leadership of Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax, began praying fervently for the Lord’s wisdom and provision in founding just such a school. The hard work of exploring what it would take to launch such an endeavor was carried out joyfully by those who sought to serve the Lord by putting together a school designed to provide a Christian education for children of Christian families.

After much prayer and discussion, the vision shared by these Christian families became clearer when, in 1987, the vestry of Truro voted to found an independent Christian school that would bear the name Trinity Christian School. J.C. Lasmanis, was named as the first headmaster and Trinity Christian School began a journey marked by God’s blessing and gracious provision.

In 1990, Jim Beavers took over the reins as headmaster and led the school through significant growth and expansion for ten years. During those years both a middle and upper school were added, the faculty grew, enrollment increased, God provided additional campus facilities and knit together a school community with a common vision for quality Christian education.

From its modest beginnings with forty-one students in first through third grades, three full-time faculty members, and a director with a budget of $150,000, Trinity has grown to an enrollment of over 500 students in grades one through twelve and an annual operating budget of four million dollars. Since its inception, the school has experienced steady growth as grades have been added.

By 1997 the student body had grown from 41 students on a single campus at Truro to 300 students in grades 1-10 on four separate campuses. 1997 was also the year that God provided, through the generous giving of faithful individuals, the 26-acre site on which the Trinity campus now resides.

In 2001, Trinity graduated its first class and named a new headmaster, Dr. Todd Williams. That fall, 50 faculty and staff served 400 students on the school’s four campuses in and around Fairfax. In 2002, after significant funds were raised and the school became the first of its kind in the region to receive approval for tax-exempt bond financing, construction of the new facilities began. In September of 2003, Trinity opened the doors to its new 26-acre campus facility on Braddock Road with 450 students and over 50 faculty and staff members. When Dr. Williams returned to Philadelphia Biblical University as Provost in the summer of 2005, the board of trustees appointed Dr. David Vanderpoel as Trinity’s fourth headmaster.

The senior class has increased from three in 2001, to twenty-eight in 2006, and an expected thirty-five graduates in June 2007. Trinity currently employs 75 full and part-time staff and faculty members, with approximately one-third holding advanced degrees.

[edit] School profile

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[edit] Faculty

76 Faculty & Staff:

59 women, 17 men
44 full time
32 part time

Advanded Degrees:

24 Master's degrees
2 PhDs
5 Master's degree candidates
2 PhD candidates

[edit] Alumni

98 alumni since 2001

96% college-bound

National Merit Scholars:

14 Commended
8 Finalists (2002-2006)

SAT Mean Score Average:

1255 (2002-2006)

[edit] Enrollment

526 students

7% increase over 2005-06
83% returning; 17% new
54% girls, 46% boys
Lower School (1-5) - 221 students
Middle School (6-8) - 132 student
Upper School (9-12) - 173 students

350 families

65 new families
over 90 churches represented
52 different zip codes

[edit] Tuition/financial

Lower School (LS) -- $6,950
Middle School (MS) -- $7,550
Upper School (US) -- $8,450
Student Activity Fee -- $500
Tuition Assistance -- $400,000
Average giving annually (2001-06) -- $897,000

[edit] Student life

AP and Honors classes:


Geometry
Geometry Honors
Algebra II
Algebra II/Trigonometry
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Chemistry
English
European History
United States History

Clubs and Groups:

MS and US School Student Council
US Debate Club
Yearbook
Interscholastic Math Contests
Chapel and Prayer Groups
US Softball Club (Girls)
MS/US Cross Country Club (Boys and Girls)
MS/US Skeet Club (Boys and Girls)
MS/US Golf Club (Boys and Girls)
MS Lacrosse (Boys)

[edit] Performing arts

LS/MS/US Chorus
MS/US Band
MS/US Drama
US Jazz Ensemble
LS/MS/US Strings

[edit] Athletics

Girls:

MS/US Volleyball
MS/US Basketball
MS/US Soccer
MS/US Cheerleading

Boys:

MS/US Basketball
MS/US Soccer
US Lacrosse
US Baseball

[edit] Memberships

ACSI - Association of Christian Schools International

ECFA - Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability

NVIAC - Northern Virginia Independent Athletic Conference

VCPE - Virginia Council for Private Education

FCCC - Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce

[edit] Facilities

26 acres
45,000 sq/ft building
Computer Research Lab
3 Science Labs
2 Art Rooms
LS/MS Library
Band Room
Chorus Room
25 Classrooms
Practice Gym
Soccer & Lacrosse Fields
LS Playground

[edit] Academics

Trinity offers a rigorous academic program and gives detailed courses on the Bible (Old Testament and New Testament) and Church History.

[edit] Athletics

Trinity has teams of soccer, basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, and lacrosse. Trinity competes in the Northern Virginia Independent Athletic Conference (NVIAC) and has won numerous honors, including:

  • vasrsity boys basketball: placed second in 2007
  • varsity boys soccer: placed second in 2005.
  • varsity girls volleyball: placed first in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007
  • varsity girls basketball: placed second in 2007
  • JV boys basketball: placed second in 2006.
  • JV boys soccer: placed first in 2005.

[edit] Traditions

Traditions include an annual homecoming, coffeehouse, middle school talent show, dodgeball tournament, and spring art show.