Olympic Christian High School faltering; open house an attempt to up enrollment

PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Christian School Board will consider the viability of the high school at its Monday meeting after making an attempt to attract more students during an open house today, board president Ken Crady said.

“We are hoping and praying — literally — that there will be some response to our Friday open house and that people will respond,” he said Thursday.

“We are hoping that people will be letting us know their interest in students either coming to the school or giving financial contributions to help the school live on.”

The Olympic Christian High School open house will be from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the school at 116 E. Ahlvers Road in Port Angeles.

The high school in past years has had between 40 and 50 students, but this year’s enrollment was only 18, Crady said.

“With that few students, we simply cannot make it financially,” Crady said.

“We are hoping things will get better for us.

“The thought of closing it is heartbreaking.”

The meeting will be Monday at 7 p.m. at the administrative offices, 43 O’Brien Road east of Port Angeles.

The high school, which opened in 1997, operates in a portion of Independent Bible Church.

The preschool through eighth-grade school, which is at 43 O’Brien Road, is not in danger, Crady said.

“We are in no way having a money shortage with the younger grades,” he said. “It is just the high school.”

Olympic Christian School was founded in 1992 and originally offered only primary grades.

For more information, visit www.ocsweb.org.

Students and parents campaigning to save the high school have created a Web site, www.studentsand parentsonamission.org.

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