{Sponsored Post} Heritage Christian School

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Today we are so happy to be sharing with you some information about Heritage Christian School in North Liberty.  We love putting the spotlight on all of the wonderful things that this community has to offer for our children and our families!  We took a few minutes to interview the staff of HCS, and here is what they had to say about their school:

1. Tell us a bit about HCS. How long have you been around? Have you always been in this location, or is this a new spot for you?

Heritage Christian School is a pre-kindergarten through 8th grade interdenominational Christian school in North Liberty. We have been in the area since 1992, when a group of families who deeply desired Christian education for their children founded the school. Heritage first met in a small Iowa City daycare facility. After outgrowing that space, it was moved to Grace Community Church in North Liberty. In 2010, a brand new facility was built off of Front St. and Hackberry St. in North Liberty. The demand for Christian education in the area has been apparent by the growth of the school from 37 students in K-6 to 210 students in pre-k through 8th grade! The school currently represents 110 families from 32 different churches in the Corridor area.

portrait of graduate2. Explain to us your mission statement as a school. Tell us a bit about your leaders (principal, teachers, etc.)

Our mission statement is: “We are committed to providing a Christ-centered, academically challenging education, which reinforces each parent’s responsibility to raise children who love and serve Jesus Christ.”  The mission statement of the school unites the faculty and staff at Heritage, keeping us aligned, so we can focus on why we do what we do.  The reason Heritage Christian School has been successful in the pursuit of excellent academics and graduating well-rounded students is the emphasis on Biblically faithful and Christ-centered principles. Nearly every year, Heritage students graduate from the public high schools earning top honors as Valedictorians, Salutatorians and National Merit Scholars. (May of 2014 a Heritage graduate was an honored Valedictorian at Iowa City West High School.) The school counselors at City High, West High and Clear Creek Amana recommend that students coming from Heritage take advanced courses their freshman year. Visit our “Portrait of a Graduate” page (click on the photo) to read more about our hopes and prayers for Heritage graduates.

All of the faculty and staff at HCS strive to complement parents by working alongside them in “growing up” their children. All of our teachers are state certified, and Principal Mike Annis, M.Ed. has led the school with integrity for the past nine years as we have undergone the largest amount of growth. Watch this video to hear from our principal, teachers and parents about the programs at Heritage.

3. How many students/teachers do you currently have? (i.e. what is the teacher to student ratio?)

We have 20 state-certified teachers, three teacher’s aides and 206 students. The teacher to student ratio is about 1:11. HCS students will benefit from more individualized attention than ever this school year. Teachers are responsible to teach and disciple the students in their class, and this can only be achieved effectively with small class sizes. We strive to keep classes capped at 20 students.

Pre-K Pajama Day4. What are some fun activities that students/families can expect this school year?

We LOVE to have our parents and families at school with us. A few fun family events we hold are “Muffins with Moms”, “Donuts with Dads” and “Grandparents Day”. Each of these events get families in the school having fun with their kids and getting to know other HCS families. We have a big winter banquet/fundraiser at the Coralville Marriott featuring a keynote speaker (to be announced soon!) Wearing Heritage Blue to cheer on the Eagles at home games is always exciting too! These are only a few of the many activities throughout the school year.

5. How does HCS get involved in community events in North Liberty/Coralville/Iowa City? Would you like to see more of this?

We love hosting and attending area events that are aligned with our mission and involve families! A few weeks ago we hosted a 5k that was organized by a group in North Liberty to raise money for a village in Haiti. In November, we host a Veterans Day Celebration and invite the entire community join us in honoring our servicemen and women. All K-8 students work alongside the Army Corp of Engineers in the State Parks surrounding the Coralville Reservoir during our spring fundraiser, Operation G.O.O.D. One Book Two Book, the celebration of Children’s Literature in downtown Iowa City, was a blast last year and we look forward to being involved again in January. We are always looking for new ways to get involved. Hopefully we will be attending an ICMB event or two this year!

6. What does a typical day consist of at HCS? Are there any particular aspects of your daily routine that are unique to HCS?

A typical day at Heritage is structured similarly to those in the public schools. There are core classes and special classes like art, PE and music. Lunch is catered and enjoyed in the classrooms. The unique aspects of a day in the life of a Heritage student would be prayer in the mornings and chapel every Friday. Middle school students also have a Bible class during the week. However, all teachers give lessons from a biblical worldview in every subject. Examples of this would be emphasizing the complexity and beauty of biology during a dissection in science, or reiterating God’s sovereignty throughout history.

7.  What types of after-school programs/groups/team sports do you offer, if any?

Pre-K through 4th grade students have the opportunity to be involved in art, music appreciation and/or Heritage Singers (2nd-8th grade choir). In 5th-8th grade, students may choose to be involved in band, choir and athletics. The sports offered are: volleyball, soccer, basketball, cheerleading and track and field. There is also a Before and After School Program offered from 7am before school to 5:30pm after school.

Middle School8.  Are there any particular ways for moms/parents to get involved? What is the best way to stay up-to-date on those opportunities?

We have moms, dads and grandparents in the school every day volunteering in different ways. We LOVE it and couldn’t do what we do without them! There are prayer teams, lunch servers, classroom parents, the HCS Board of Directors, event/fundraising committees and much more! One of the four Heritage Core Values is “The Priority of Parenting.” Heritage teachers are passionate about parents being as involved as possible in their children’s education. We are blessed to have such a strong community of parents, staff and students within the Heritage family. The principal knows each parent and student by name, and the family environment is unlike anywhere else. The best way our moms stay “in the know” is through our weekly emailed newsletters, classroom newsletters and our website. Of course, parents are always welcomed to stop by the office for a chat!

9. Anything else that you would LOVE for people to know about HCS? Please share!

If you are curious about Heritage and would like to check out what we do here, schedule a visit! Spots are still open for 2014-2015! Prospectives for future students are always welcome to stop by as well. We are thankful that God has provided the school with incredible students, parents, faculty and staff that have made Heritage truly special and an important part of the community. We have been told that we are the “Best kept secret in Johnson County” but we don’t want that to be true, so we are doing our best to get the word OUT!

Have questions or would like to schedule a visit? Call 319-626-4777. Our office staff will be happy to answer your questions and find a time that works for you. The best time to schedule a visit is Monday-Friday between 8:30am and 3pm so that you can see the school in action. You can also go online and add your email to our email list for future Open House announcements, events and special offers!

More info on Heritage Christian School:

Address: 255 Hackberry St, North Liberty IA 52317

Office Hours: M-F 8am-3:30pm

Website: www.hcs-nl.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeritageNL

 

This is a Sponsored Post.  We were compensated with money and/or products or services in exchange for writing this piece.  However, we are more than happy to share this awesome information with you!

 

Iowa City Moms Blog
At Iowa City Moms Blog we’re a group of local moms who are passionate about connecting other moms to one another and to our community! Whether you’re an experienced mom, a newbie, expecting, or aspiring to be a mom someday, this blog is for you! Join us as we navigate this journey that is motherhood in the Iowa City area!

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