Christian academy faces financial crisis

Sisters Christian Academy is facing a serious financial crisis due to low enrollment. While the school will definitely complete this school year, long-time board member Peter Storton told The Nugget that the school is coming to "a time of decision" as to whether it will be able to continue into the future.

The private school is seeking community support to carry on.

"We're hoping people will step up," Storton said. "We want to go in with the attitude that we are going to be here, and we're hopeful that people will step forward and help us to do that."

According to Storton, the school needs $100,000 in hand to be able to go forward into the 2018-19 school year. The school charges $4,950 for yearly tuition, which is lower than most Christian schools in the region - significantly lower in many cases. While tuition hikes are on the table, Storton said, the school wants to remain accessible to young families.

While the school is a non-denominational Christian K-8 academy, Storton and Principal Cheryl Peterson hope that the entire Sisters community will recognize the importance of maintaining this educational option in Sisters. The academy offers very small class sizes (10 to 16 students) and a lot of one-on-one engagement, which can be vital to some students' success in school.

"The intimacy gives them such a great start," said Storton.

Several SCA students have gone on to be valedictorians at Sisters High School, an indication of the quality of instruction they receive from a fully accredited staff.

Peterson noted that education also focuses on character. The whole school will focus for a period of time on a particular character trait - like diligence.

"Even a kindergartner will say it means get started right away, work hard, and finish well," she said.

The format of the school works well for some students who struggle in public schools, regardless of their faith background, Storton and Peterson said.

While SCA has 72 students enrolled, 22 of those are in the pre-school program, which only pay partial tuition. The school needs at least 65 students in the K-8 program to be viable.

Declining enrollment is not unique to SCA - the problem has also plagued Sisters' public schools, and for many of the same reasons. There is competition from online education, and some families choose to homeschool, though that is, Peterson says, "a huge commitment that is not for everybody."

SCA is likely affected by the relatively high housing costs (and lack of rentals) and narrow employment opportunities that are also believed to play a roll in the public schools' enrollment woes.

Additionally, as a private school, there is a financial commitment that may strain young families, even with scholarships and discounts for multiple children.

"These parents believe so strongly in the educational environment here... that they're willing to pay their taxes AND pay tuition," Peterson said.

There just needs to be more of those committed families.

SCA also faces a dilemma familiar to many a cash-strapped business: They believe in their product, but they don't have a lot of budget to spread the word.

"We never have money to do other things, like marketing," Storton said. "I think that marketing would do an awful lot."

Storton and Peterson told The Nugget that SCA will make an appeal to local churches and take a direct campaign for donations out into the Sisters community, seeking the support of individuals who believe in Christian education, and/or simply support having the alternative in the community.

For more information visit www.sisterschristianacademy.com or call 541-549-4133.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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