July/August 2009

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The province of Alberta has a generously funded education system that provides 100% funding to all public and Catholic schools. Christian schools, operating independently of the public system, receive 80% funding as do home schoolers.  A Christian school may also operate within the public system.  Such a school is the Strathcona Christian Academy Secondary School.  It accommodates Grades 9 to 12, with an enrollment of 1000.  This school began in 1980 as a private school, transitioning to the public system in 1998. The rationale for this change was that working within the public school system would be a better way to positively influence the school system.  As a result, the Academy receives full government student funding and its teachers are members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association. The Elk Island School Board, of which the Strathcona Academy is a part, regards the school favourably because the Board receives more funding from the government because of the increased student base. The School also provides a place to transfer Christian teachers who could be perceived as “trouble-makers” in the regular public system. 

The transition was not without controversy, however.  Many Strathcona Academy supporters felt the school had “sold the ship” to the public system.   The Academy, however, retains a distinct nature and is unique in that it is privately owned, therefore receiving no funding for its facilities, other than for maintenance. This financial arrangement with the public board, however, does have the advantage of giving the Academy more power in negotiations with the School Board.  In its relationship with the Board, the school has made it clear that the Christian values on which its educational philosophy is based, are non-negotiable.

Strathcona Academy administration follows several strategies to maintain a viable relationship as an alternative school within the public system. The school believes in being pro-active.  Barriers must not be allowed to form based on pre-conceived ideas, fears, or misunderstandings about Christian schools. Relationships are established with board staff and with the public. The public is invited to the school for events. The school communicates its distinctiveness by having Scripture passages displayed in prominent places.  The school offers to host school district meetings, including district Professional Development sessions.  Other schools use Strathcona for drama and graduation events.  Strathcona teaches the Alberta curriculum and ensures that its teachers are on government curriculum committees.  As a result, they have been successful in instilling positive values within the official curriculum, such as Christian living and leadership training in spreading the Good News.  Students are involved in curricular-based outreach trips around the world. Strathcona has not experienced much conflict regarding government forced curriculum because its teachers present issues, such as sexuality, from a Christian perspective.  The school’s administration has safeguards built in to the hiring process, allowing it to hire specific teachers without discriminating against others.  

Strathcona Academy fully realizes that it is not immune from possible problems that might involve lawsuits: it must walk carefully and deliberately within the public system in order to maintain high educational and Christian standards.