Welcome to a special great day live.
We are live this morning from
Portland Christian School,
right off of Westport Rd.
And I think it's very fitting that we're
here kind of in the auditorium lobby.
It's one of the first places that
parents and students visit and of
course it's right outside the Chapel,
which spirituality very,
very important to this school.
I'm John, joined by Joe TLC,
the executive director and Dan Wilson,
the director of development.
First of all, thank you for hosting us today.
Ohh, we're pleased.
We're so excited
to have you here.
Thank you so much for caring. Yeah.
What's going on in Louisville and
we're excited to be part of it.
Well, Joe Dell, you can't miss
it when you drive by, right.
It's like pretty obvious you drive by
and you and, but that sign of cranes and
construction that says this school is,
is definitely on the move.
And I know later in the show we're going to
really kind of detail those big, big changes.
But I'm very struck by this number
99 years you all have been around.
That's impressive.
And to say the least.
Oh, it's just such a miraculous story
from the very, very beginning. Claudia.
And so it's so wonderful to be able
to tell that talk about Louisville
and how we work to try to serve
people in our Louisville community.
It began as a prayer, literally.
People on their knees in 1916 and 1924,
the Lord allowed us to open the
doors when they're personally.
But I hear about it all the
time and our numbers have grown.
Now we're able to serve over 570
students right now, and we're excited.
Thanks for noticing the big
buildings and the cranes.
And it's happening fast.
I feel like that.
Progress is really moving along quickly.
You mentioned the number
of students you all serve.
Now you can say pre-K through
high school and that was a
big deal for you guys to add
that pre-K to the school,
correct? 11 years ago we were
blessed to be able to come on to
this campus and we started the
pre-K ministry then called it our
little school and that has grown.
And we currently this year opened up
a brand new stunningly gorgeous campus
over on Springdale and we would love
for families to come check that out.
And how we can serve their ages.
Two to five children and
you all found a different kind of space,
if you will, for education here in
the community offering for kids to
be here until High School graduate.
And you mentioned faith, and faith
is at the core of everything here,
ma'am. All of our work is done
through biblical integration.
There's a recognition that the we we
are foundational and we work to make
biblical truths real and understood
and experience whether it be through.
Didn't travel or classroom
or text or experiences,
however that is and in service
to the community as well.
Well, Dan, you we talk about like
when you all first opened your doors,
the students that showed up ready to go.
And one thing that you all put out there is,
you know, don't let the price prevent
you from coming to this school.
And to this day that is like at its core,
what you all believe.
Yes, absolutely.
We kind of believe in no Child Left behind,
not just academically, but we believe
that no child should be denied.
Christian education simply because they
can't afford to pay a high price for it.
So currently over a third of our students
receive significant tuition assistance.
They wouldn't be able to go anywhere
else to private school otherwise.
And so that started on day one,
September 2nd, 1924.
They had fifty students on the roll
and 65 showed up and they said,
why are you here?
And one of the parents in
Capsulated that feeling.
He said, I heard you were going to be
teaching the public school curriculum,
but also the Bible, and we want our child.
There no matter what.
So the school accepted them and on one
condition that they would pay what they can.
Through the years and that we
remained tuition free until my
junior year of high school in 1986.
And then when we instituted
a required tuition,
we started offering high
levels of tuition assistance.
So regardless of your socioeconomic
standing high to low you
have we have a place here
and you mentioned students,
the parents and kind of how key they
are to helping you guys move forward.
I mean that relationship that's so important
that you all have that with parents,
absolutely we're.
So delighted to serve our families
and the people that we're able to meet
through our children, the families,
the opportunity to create community.
It's so, so important as a parent
to get to know you're not only your
child's friends but their parents
and experientially agree with that,
whether it be a fall festival or whatever.
You know, a trip to England,
you want to know what's going on
with your child and the families
that are involved there and.
Not only that, it doesn't just stop them.
We also have a very active alumni
association, and that's been fun.
I'm a graduate 1977.
I'm one of those students that
could not afford anything.
And honestly, and the Lord made a way.
My mother wrote a $15 check
a month till she died.
And the the the school accepted
it and was thrilled with it.
All right, well,
you guys are paying it forward.
Don't. You're going to make me cry.
Don't you know it always works out
and you guys continue to pay it.
Forward, I'm very excited to kind of take
everybody through more of the programs.
We're gonna dive a little bit
deeper into the academics,
the spiritual life,
how they're preparing kids
here for their next step,
whether it's college or maybe a trade school.
So we're so excited to take you
all around the campus coming up.