Montrose Christian School
Encyclopedia
Montrose Christian School is a K-12
private school
in Rockville, Maryland
, operated by the Montrose Baptist Church, Maryland's second largest Southern Baptist church. It educates around 370 student
s. Its first Senior High School class graduated in 1986 .
. On April 30, 1977, Montrose Christian School was officially incorporated in Rockville, Maryland. Starting with an inaugural kindergarten
class of five children, it quickly expanded the next year to include Grades 1-4. During each subsequent year, another grade or two was added until eventually in May 1986, it graduated its first class of High School students. .
at the Montrose Baptist Church, resigned in October 2002 after questioning by the church's governing council about his involvement with the Maryland International Students Association, an organization that recruited foreign students attending Montrose Christian School.
Officials for the school's parent church alleged that the recruiting organization has failed to reimburse the school for the cost of the students' education; that Rev. Ray Hope owed the church's school more than $580,000.
's transfer to the school led USA Today
to name Montrose its preseason pick for the top spot on its Super 25 rankings of the top high school basketball teams in 2005-06.
The school has appeared regularly on USA Today
s Super 25 national rankings, finishing the season ranked 25th in 2000-01, 9th in 2002-03, 19th in 2003-04, 19th in 2005-06 and 22nd in 2006-07.
K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
in Rockville, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
, operated by the Montrose Baptist Church, Maryland's second largest Southern Baptist church. It educates around 370 student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s. Its first Senior High School class graduated in 1986 .
Early History
The history of Montrose Christian School is intimately connected with its parent organization, Montrose Baptist Church. While Montrose Baptist Church had established a nursery school in 1968 and a daycare in 1971, it recognized an opportunity to further its evangelical mission through the development of a full time day schoolSchool
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
. On April 30, 1977, Montrose Christian School was officially incorporated in Rockville, Maryland. Starting with an inaugural kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
class of five children, it quickly expanded the next year to include Grades 1-4. During each subsequent year, another grade or two was added until eventually in May 1986, it graduated its first class of High School students. .
School Firings
The school was embroiled in a lawsuit, in February 1997, involving three employees, represented by the ACLU, who said they were fired for not belonging to the school's parent church. While a judge initially ruled in the favor of the dismissed employees, the decision was later overturned on appeal in 2001 based on the argument that "'for a religious corporation, association, or society to hire and employ employees of a particular religion,' is severable and valid." .Ray Hope's Resignation
Reverend Ray Hope, a.k.a. Dr. Otis Ray Hope , senior pastorPastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
at the Montrose Baptist Church, resigned in October 2002 after questioning by the church's governing council about his involvement with the Maryland International Students Association, an organization that recruited foreign students attending Montrose Christian School.
Officials for the school's parent church alleged that the recruiting organization has failed to reimburse the school for the cost of the students' education; that Rev. Ray Hope owed the church's school more than $580,000.
Athletics
The school has been recognized for its athletic accomplishments, particularly for those of its basketball team, which has been successful at recruiting players across the United States and around the world to play in Rockville. Kevin DurantKevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
's transfer to the school led USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
to name Montrose its preseason pick for the top spot on its Super 25 rankings of the top high school basketball teams in 2005-06.
The school has appeared regularly on USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
s Super 25 national rankings, finishing the season ranked 25th in 2000-01, 9th in 2002-03, 19th in 2003-04, 19th in 2005-06 and 22nd in 2006-07.
Notable alumni
- Miguel "Ali" Berdiel (1983–), is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player.
- Jason ConleyJason ConleyJason Conley is an American professional basketball player for Kataja Basket in Finland. A shooting guard and small forward, Conley is best known for being the only freshman to ever lead NCAA Division I in scoring.-Early life:...
(1981–), the first freshman ever to lead NCAA Division I in scoring. - Kevin DurantKevin DurantKevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
(1988–), basketball player for the NBA's Oklahoma City ThunderOklahoma City ThunderThe Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
. - Linas KleizaLinas KleizaLinas Kleiza is a Lithuanian professional basketball player with the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association. He is also a member of the Lithuanian national team. He can play either forward position. Kleiza signed a four year, $18.8 million contract prior to the 2010–11 NBA...
(1985–), basketball player for the NBA's Toronto RaptorsToronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
. - K.J. Matsui, guard on the Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
basketball team, who was the first JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese born NCAA Division I player. - Greivis VasquezGreivis VasquezGreivis Vásquez is a Venezuelan basketball player with the Memphis Grizzlies, who selected him in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft. He was chosen after a stellar U.S. college career with the University of Maryland men's basketball team...
(1987–), guard on the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College ParkThe University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
basketball team, who played for the Venezuelan national team in the FIBA America Championships, and now plays for the N.B.A's Memphis GrizzliesMemphis GrizzliesThe Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
. - Mouphtaou Yarou (1990-), basketball player for Villanova UniversityVillanova UniversityVillanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
. - Patrick Olson (1973–), Standout Small Forward on the First Championship team at Montrose Christian. First Team All Met 2 years. 3 year Starter at Division 2 Valley Forge Christian.
External links
- Official site
- "Montrose Christian School (Md.)", Washington Post