In 1975, a group of parents, who shared a Christian conviction about education, met to discuss opening a non-denominational Christian School. The result was a school, opening in a duplex on McDonald Ave. in Brandon. The enrollment was 18 students, ranging from kindergarten to grade nine.

 

By the fall of 1976, the number had grown to 25, and when the Christian Reformed Church offered the use of their annex, the parents seized the opportunity to move to a larger facility. The annex and basement of the Christian Reformed Church were used until they could no longer accommodate the growing number of students.

 

The purchase of the former COR Enterprises Building and Land was completed in the summer of 1989 and major renovations began. The first day of classes at the new facility at 26th and Maryland was January 8th, 1990, with an enrollment of 66 students.

 

1992 saw the beginning of a nursery school program with 7 students in the class. It then expanded to include morning and afternoon classes, two days a week. In 1993 a committee was struck to investigate the possibility of amalgamating with Bethel Christian Academy.

 

Bethel Christian Academy opened in September 1979 as an Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) School. There were 29 students enrolled, kindergarten to grade 12. The school was established in the basement of Bethel Temple, 9th & Lorne Ave. and the YMCA was used for Phys. Ed. classes.

 

In 1984 the church and school moved into the new facility at 440 Richmond Ave. This much improved facility provided space for a gym, chapel, library, staff room, lab, offices, typing room and six classrooms, also a large playground and a hill for sliding. The Christian Academy Executive Committee (appointed parents) which made school decisions now became an elected school board. The ACE curriculum was replaced with government approved credit courses.

 

During the 1993/94 school year talks began between the Boards of Christian Heritage School and Bethel Christian Academy about amalgamating. After much prayer and many meetings it was decided that the two schools would amalgamate under the name of Christian Heritage School. As of September 1994, junior kindergarten to grade twelve was offered, with single grade classrooms from junior kindergarten to grade eight. Junior kindergarten to grade five was at the Heritage Campus, 2025 - 26th Street, and grades six to twelve were conducted at the Bethel Campus, 440 Richmond Ave.

 

The 1994/95 school year brought us to another crossroad. The membership started looking at ways to accommodate the entire school at the 26th Street location, and a building committee was formed. At the March 2000 membership meeting the motion was passed to only offer junior kindergarten to grade eight for the 2000/01 school year due to increased costs and declining enrollment in the high school. In August 2000 construction began on an addition to the existing building that would house all of our kindergarten to grade eight students. Plans continue to be developed for future expansion, site development, and building renovations.

 

As student numbers continued to increase a 2-classroom “portable” was linked to the south east entry to the school. Classes began in those classrooms in January 2013. We are currently waiting and praying for the next necessary steps to expand again, this time it will be with a gymnasium, four classrooms, and additional bathrooms. As we look ahead, we thank God for His goodness and look forward to the many new blessings He has for us.