Westminster Christian School
Encyclopedia
Westminster Christian School is a PK3-12 school in Palmetto Bay
, Florida
. WCS is governed by a board of directors
- 13 people (mostly current parents, although some have been former faculty) elected by parents of current enrollees. It is operated by a Superintendent
who is hired by the Board.
WCS provides a Reformed Protestant religious education (similar to Calvinist thought). Though the school is Reformed by charter, its students come from a wide variety of denominations, including Presbyterian, Southern Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Christian. The parents of students are required to be active members at their local church (as evidenced by a letter from their pastor
), and the students do consider themselves to be strong Christians.
It is located on 26 acres in the Village of Palmetto Bay, near the Charles Deering Estate
and a USDA agriculture testing space.
WCS' mascot name is the "Warriors." The athletic booster club
is called the "Chiefs." The school colors are Green and White.
WCS may be most famous for its baseball
program and fine arts - especially in choir and string orchestra
. WCS is the home to the 1992 and 1996 USA Today
National Champion baseball teams, and won several FHSAA state championships under the direction of former coach Rich Hofman. The 1996 team adorned the cover of one of the first Team Cheerios boxes, and notable baseball alumni include World Series
winners Alex Rodriguez
and Doug Mientkiewicz
. The orchestra has taken first place in several national competitions, as well as superior ratings in district and state competitions. It was invited to play at Carnegie Hall
in 2002 and 2006, and has also toured Europe
. The orchestra is led by Dr. Lee Stone, former head of the Florida Orchestral Association.
Westminster Christian School has recently added a new Student Activities Center, and a new Middle School and High School Science Building is opening for the 2011-2012 school year.
In 2006, Westminster Christian's High School (including the enrolling freshmen) began a program called "Warrior Week." This is a week dedicated to bonding and the spiritual restoration of the high school students in a fun environment of relaxation and fellowship at the Young Life Campus in Jasper, Georgia. Warrior Week received the The Creative Management Award for 2006-2007 from Independent School Management, a leading consulting firm for independent schools.
to the United States
to grow up in Michigan
's Christian schools where all subjects were taught from a Christian perspective. During the Depression
, Vroon, then a husband and father, moved his company to Florida. When he found no Christian schools like those he knew as a boy, he shared his vision to bring Christian education to south Florida with friends at Shenandoah Presbyterian Church. Westminster Christian School opened in 1961 with four teachers and twelve students.
The school was formerly located in the census-designated place
of Cutler
until the incorporation of Palmetto Bay on September 10, 2002.
, Florida International University
, Florida State University
, etc.), while others attend schools such as Brown University, UNC, Georgia Tech, Boston University and more.
Palmetto Bay, Florida
Palmetto Bay is a Miami suburban incorporated village in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,469 at the 2000 census.Palmetto Bay includes two census-designated places defined in the 2000 census, Cutler and East Perrine.-History:...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. WCS is governed by a board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
- 13 people (mostly current parents, although some have been former faculty) elected by parents of current enrollees. It is operated by a Superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
who is hired by the Board.
WCS provides a Reformed Protestant religious education (similar to Calvinist thought). Though the school is Reformed by charter, its students come from a wide variety of denominations, including Presbyterian, Southern Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Christian. The parents of students are required to be active members at their local church (as evidenced by a letter from their pastor
Pastor
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"....
), and the students do consider themselves to be strong Christians.
It is located on 26 acres in the Village of Palmetto Bay, near the Charles Deering Estate
Charles Deering Estate
Charles Deering Estate was the Florida home of Charles Deering until 1927 when he died at the estate.-Description:...
and a USDA agriculture testing space.
WCS' mascot name is the "Warriors." The athletic booster club
Booster club
A booster club is an organization that is formed to support an associated club, sports team, or organization. Booster clubs are popular in American schools at the high school and university level...
is called the "Chiefs." The school colors are Green and White.
WCS may be most famous for its baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
program and fine arts - especially in choir and string orchestra
String orchestra
A string orchestra is an orchestra composed solely or primarily of instruments from the string family. These instruments are the violin, the viola, the cello, the double bass , the piano, the harp, and sometimes percussion...
. WCS is the home to the 1992 and 1996 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...
National Champion baseball teams, and won several FHSAA state championships under the direction of former coach Rich Hofman. The 1996 team adorned the cover of one of the first Team Cheerios boxes, and notable baseball alumni include World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
winners Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
and Doug Mientkiewicz
Doug Mientkiewicz
Douglas Andrew Mientkiewicz is a first baseman who last appeared in the majors in with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed...
. The orchestra has taken first place in several national competitions, as well as superior ratings in district and state competitions. It was invited to play at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in 2002 and 2006, and has also toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The orchestra is led by Dr. Lee Stone, former head of the Florida Orchestral Association.
Westminster Christian School has recently added a new Student Activities Center, and a new Middle School and High School Science Building is opening for the 2011-2012 school year.
In 2006, Westminster Christian's High School (including the enrolling freshmen) began a program called "Warrior Week." This is a week dedicated to bonding and the spiritual restoration of the high school students in a fun environment of relaxation and fellowship at the Young Life Campus in Jasper, Georgia. Warrior Week received the The Creative Management Award for 2006-2007 from Independent School Management, a leading consulting firm for independent schools.
History
At the turn of the century Jules Vroon, just a two year old boy, emigrated from Dinteloord, HollandDinteloord
Dinteloord is a village in the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant.The village has 5,600 inhabitants Dinteloord is known because of the sugarplant that it houses, and the Muza festivals that have been held for over 50 years.- History :...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to grow up in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's Christian schools where all subjects were taught from a Christian perspective. During the Depression
Depression (economics)
In economics, a depression is a sustained, long-term downturn in economic activity in one or more economies. It is a more severe downturn than a recession, which is seen by some economists as part of the modern business cycle....
, Vroon, then a husband and father, moved his company to Florida. When he found no Christian schools like those he knew as a boy, he shared his vision to bring Christian education to south Florida with friends at Shenandoah Presbyterian Church. Westminster Christian School opened in 1961 with four teachers and twelve students.
The school was formerly located in the census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
of Cutler
Cutler, Florida
Cutler was a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida at the time of the 2000 census. It has since been incorporated into the Village of Palmetto Bay...
until the incorporation of Palmetto Bay on September 10, 2002.
University placement
Virtually 100 percent of WCS graduates pursue college educations, and attend universities around the nation. Roughly half of the graduates choose to stay at major universities in Florida such as (Miami Dade CollegeMiami Dade College
Miami Dade College, or simply Miami Dade or MDC, is a state college with eight campuses and twenty-one outreach centers located throughout Miami-Dade County, Florida in the United States. It is part of the Florida College System. Miami Dade College is the largest school in the Florida College...
, Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
, Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, etc.), while others attend schools such as Brown University, UNC, Georgia Tech, Boston University and more.