Admissions Process - Kelowna Christian School
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NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2024/2025 SCHOOL YEAR


Our VISION declares that we seek to be a Christ-like community passionately transforming our world.

Our MISSION states that we exist to educate, equip and inspire our school community to become disciples of Jesus who love and serve God and others.


 

Stories are powerful... They are the fabric of society and one of the most powerful methods of education. Jesus taught through parables and lived the greatest story of all. Storytelling evokes emotion, encourages connection and invites the listener to engage in a deeper way to discover their story within the one being shared. At Kelowna Christian School, we believe each moment and learning experience provides the opportunity to help our students discover their own unique and meaningful story. Most importantly, their place in God’s story as a disciple of Jesus.

Our desire is to partner with home and church to create a challenging and creative learning environment to inspire students to discover and develop their unique role and impact in our local and global communities. We seek to be a Christ-like community passionately transforming our world. Students that are not only leaders of the next generation, but also caring servants in His kingdom through authentic, relationship with Jesus Christ.

Kelowna Christian School provides transformative, excellent education that builds a strong foundation of identity, knowledge, purpose and Christ-like character. We are passionate about education that equips and inspires students to be disciples who are world changers that love and serve God and others.

Need Assistance?

Please don't hesitate to contact Cyndy Loewen, Admissions Coordinator, with any questions or concerns you may have while completing and submitting your application package.

CYNDY LOEWEN
Admissions Coordinator
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250-861-5432 ext. 2205


Admissions Process

  • STEP 1
    INQUIRY & SCHOOL TOUR

    Complete the Inquiry form, and our Admissions Coordinator will contact you to schedule a consultation or tour.
    For questions, before you begin, contact Cyndy Loewen in our Admission Office. Feel free to call her at 250.861.5432(ext.2205) or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  • STEP 2
    COMPLETE A FORMAL APPLICATION

    Families who align with the Mission and Vision of KCS are welcome to apply. Applications will be reviewed once all supporting documents and application fees have been submitted. Preschool has a separate application form and tuition contract.

  • STEP 3
    APPLICATION REVIEW

    The administration team considers many factors before a letter of acceptance is issued. Factors include class size and composition, the ability to meet student support needs, and parental commitment to the Christian faith. If a class is at capacity due to class size or class composition, the application will be reviewed and placed in a wait pool. If a seat becomes available, you may be contacted for an interview.

    All applications with student support needs received after May 15th will be placed in a wait pool and will be assessed by our student support staff as space becomes available

  • STEP 4
    INTERVIEW & ASSESMENTS

    Once your application is complete, the school principal will meet with your family. Typically this process is used to assess the fit between the family and school, as well as identify and discuss any potential barriers or issues related to acceptance. Further testing/assessments may be scheduled if required

  • STEP 5
    ACCEPTANCE + PLACEMENT

    A decision regarding acceptance is communicated by email following your interview. Class placement decisions are usually made during the summer; however, with current year applications (if space permits) decisions are made around the same time as acceptance and will be communicated to your family by the school principal.

QUALITIES OF A KELOWNA CHRISTIAN GRADUATE

Admissions FAQs

Do you need to be a Christian to come to KCS?
In general KCS expects that at least one parent/guardian of a prospective student or in the case of high school students the student themselves have a sincere personal Christian faith. We do also occasionally admit students/families where there is evidence of a significant interest in exploring Christian faith. The goal of this policy is to ensure that those seeking admission to KCS will be aware of the essence and expectations of our community, and to admit families or individuals who can subscribe to and will enhance the fulfillment of the KCS vision in a communal context.
How many students are at KCS?

At the time of writing, KCS has approximately 850 students in Preschool through Grade 12 across three campuses. 

Does KCS use the regular BC curriculum?
Yes, Kelowna Christian School teaches the essential concepts and skills required by the BC Ministry of Education. We are recognized by the Ministry as an Accredited Independent School. Our graduating students receive a standard BC graduation diploma.
What is Continuous Enrollment?
Since the majority of our families already plan to return the following school year (over 90%), Continuous Enrollment flips the re-enrollment process from an annual "Opt-IN" approach to an “Opt-OUT” process. In other words, once you are enrolled in KCS, you’ll never have to worry about re-enrolling again. Hurray! In other words, once you complete and submit a Continuous Enrollment Contract, you’ll never have to worry about re-enrolling again. Our re-enrollment approach is “once enrolled, always enrolled”.
When can I apply?

Admissions open in Mid-January 2024 for students to begin in September 2024. 

If you wish to apply for the current school year, please get in touch with our Admissions Coordinator, Cyndy Loewen. 

What are the guidelines when applying for Preschool?
  1. Current KCS Families (those with children currently in Gr. K-12 planning to continue enrollment next year)

Priority will be given to those who have submitted a completed application prior to January 31st. Applications received after January 31st will be assessed with all 2. other applications.

  1. Current KCS Preschool Families

Applications are processed on a year-to-year basis, including those applying for Kindergarten. Once a child is accepted into Kindergarten, Continuous Re-enrollment is in place and no further applications are required.

  1. New / All Families
  • Applicants will only be considered when at least one parent/guardian is willing to support and sign the KCS Parental Consent & Agreement form, which includes but is not limited to, accepting the Bible as the infallible Word of God, recognizing God’s sovereignty over every square inch of the world, and believing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
  • To ensure that KCS can appropriately meet the needs of all students in every class, student composition for each class will be considered.
  • Interview with the School Principal.
What are the guidelines when applying K-12?

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

1.Current KCS Families (those with children currently in Gr. K-12 planning to continue enrollment next year)adding a sibling:

  • Priority will be given to those who have submitted a completed application prior to January 31st. Applications received after January 31st will be assessed with all other applications.

2. New / All Families

  • Applicants will only be considered when at least one parent/guardian is willing to support and sign the KCS Parental Consent & Agreement form, which includes but is not limited to, accepting the Bible asthe infallible Word of God, recognizing God’s sovereignty over every square inch of the world, and believing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
  • To ensure that KCS can appropriately meet the needs of all students in every class, student composition for each class will be taken into consideration.
  • Interview with School Principal

Continuous Enrollment FAQ's

What is Re-Enrollment?

Re-enrollment is an annual data collection process schools use to update enrollment records of the current student body. This important information is used to make plans for the following school year. Basically, the simple question schools need an answer to is: “Who is coming back to our school next year?” Our KCS leadership team needs to know with confidence how many students will be enrolled on the first day of each school year.

Why does Re-Enrollment matter? And why does KCS go through this process every year?

KCSinvests a significant amount of time planning each year to ensure that we’re well prepared to fulfill our mission to the fullest extent possible. Knowing with confidence that existing KCS families are committed to return the following year enables the school to make solid plans for staffing, programs, materials, curriculum and facility usage. We take the stewardship of tuition dollars entrusted to us every year very seriously. We strive to invest these tuition dollars wisely in order to deliver the very best education and experience possible for all students.

What is Continuous Enrollment and how is it different than the previous enrollment process?

In the past the re-enrollment process had been an “Opt-IN” program. Annually we asked every family, “Are you coming back?”. Since the large majority of our KCS families (on average over 90%) commit to return each and every school year, we introduced Continuous Enrollment to flip the re-enrollment process to an “Opt-OUT” process. In other words, once you complete a Continuous Enrollment Contract, you’ll never have to worry about re-enrolling again.Our re-enrollment approach at Kelowna Christian School is “once enrolled, always enrolled”.

Does Continuous Enrollment really mean “once enrolled, always enrolled”?

Yes, students in good standing are continually re-enrolled from year to year, until they graduate at Kelowna Christian School. However, there area few important conditions. With Continuous Enrollment, a student’s annual re-enrollment is automatic and guaranteed unless the:

  1. student fails to maintain the school’s behavioural and academic standards;
  2. family fails to pay school tuition & fees due and their school account remains delinquent;
  3. family voluntarily chooses to leave Kelowna Christian School.
What is the school’s “Enrollment Schedule” within the Continuous Enrollment process?

In January each year, KCS will issue a school e-newsletter announcing the updated Tuition Pricing Schedule, enabling families to calculate their tuition fees for the new school year. With Continuous Enrollment, existing families need to proactively contact the Admissions Office ONLY if:

  1. the total number of children enrolled will change, either increasing or decreasing (excluding graduating students), or
  2. the family will not be returning to KCS for the new school year (i.e. chooses to dis-enroll)

There are two deadlines for families to dis-enroll; that is, to “Opt-OUT” of Continuous Enrollment:

  1. By January 31st–prior to collection of the annual enrollment feeon February 15th.
  2. By June 15th–prior to the collection of annual tuition and fees beginning July 1st. If previous years are any indication, this means that more than 90% of existing KCS families will not have to respond!
Why is there an annual Enrollment Fee within Continuous Enrollment process?
The Enrollment Fee holds your student’s place for the next school year and assists KCS in effectively planning for required staffing and curriculum. Furthermore, while Continuous Enrollment is more convenient and saves time for families, the real cost of the “behind the scenes” re-enrollment process and administration still exists for our school principals, admissions and accounting office staff.
What’s the withdrawal penalty if I break the Continuous Enrollment contract?

KCS families that are continuously enrolled, but dis-enroll their student(s) after the specified date, are obligated to provide one (1) full calendar month’s advance written notice and pay one month’s tuition as a withdrawal penalty. While the penalty may seem steep, many schools require a semester or even a year of tuition once an enrolled student or family withdraws.

What do I get out of the Continuous Enrollment process? What’s in it for me?

First -Simplicity. Families who have experienced Continuous Enrollment in other schools love the fact that they don’t have to do anything if they are returning; not adding one more thing to their already busy schedules.

Second -Guaranteed placement for qualified students. With increasing enrollment, we are either at or near waitlists in many of our grades. Consequently, placement in next year’s class is becoming an increasingly sought after spot. By opting into Continuous Enrollment, you’ll be locking down that coveted seat for your child until graduation

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