History

When and who envisioned a Christian grade school in Pella is unknown. The first recorded mention of the idea dates from 1903. Not until 1911, however, did the idea really take flight when 37 members joined to form the Association for Christian Education of Pella, which formally incorporated in February 1912. Construction got underway on a one-story, two-room schoolhouse that opened its doors to 26 students on January 6, 1913.

As secondary schools became the norm, area Christian schools and churches formed a society and started a regional 9-12 Christian high school in Pella in 1939 to serve graduates of all the area K-8 Christian schools.

Through prosperity and poverty, discord and amity, optimism and doubt, the leaders, educators and parents of the school have been united together by their mission to provide a truly Christian education for the Lord’s children. A look back at the schools’ history show that it has been amply blessed and rewarded for this faith – with growth in enrollment, with expansion in academic excellence and facilities, and with national recognition as an exemplary place for students to learn and grow.

As past generations have done, future generations will continue to educate each child in the light of His word, and continue to celebrate the story of God’s faithfulness to Pella Christian Grade School and Pella Christian High School.

Governance

As two separate schools working towards integration, Pella Christian Grade School and Pella Christian High School are overseen by two parent-run Board of Trustees.  Board members are nominated by the Society, comprised of tuition-paying parents and financial supporters of the school, and selected for their personal commitment and individual, God-given gifts to serve Pella Christian as well as the school’s immediate and future needs. The Boards promotes the school’s mission, appoints and oversees the Head of Schools, establishes broad policies, plans strategically for the future, and stewards financial and capital resources. The full boards meet regularly to receive reports from the Head of School, vote on mission directed issues, and receive input from the Society.

The integration of Pella Christian Grade School and Pella Christian High Schools is an on-going process and focus of Pella Christian’s Board of Trustees. To learn more about the integration activities, please visit our Integration/Merger website.

To Contact Board or PC Leadership

To ensure questions from the Society are addressed as efficiently and effectively as possible, please use the following as a general guideline. If your questions are about daily operations of the school, please direct them to the appropriate member of the Joint Administrative Leadership Team. If your questions pertain to the strategic direction of the school or mission directed governance, please address them to Dan Zylstra, PC Head of Schools, to discuss with the appropriate schools’ board.