School is a fundamental part of a young person’s life. When a child’s mind is in the pivotal stages of development, that’s when you want to fill it with the important things; things like reading, writing, arithmetic and more. But it’s not just the “basics” that help develop a child into the adult person that they will one day become. They also need to be taught kindness and empathy and forgiveness and love.
That is something that one man in Casper recognized almost 15 years ago and, from that idea, Casper Christian School was born. The founder of Casper Christian School is Dr. Jack Olson. He had an idea almost 15 years ago and now it is a reality. The school was supposed to open in 2020, but
we had COVID, so that wasn’t possible. In the fall of 2021, Casper Christian School first opened its doors.
This school is unlike any other school in Natrona County. It is a private school, but it is not a charter school. It has highly qualified and state-certified teachers that teach the fundamental courses that a young person needs to learn — CCS offers math, English, history, science and more. The difference from public schooling is that all subjects include the principles of the bible and a Christian worldview.
CCS is a non-denominational Christian school that serves grades six through 12 with Christ-centered academic excellence in all subjects and activities.
The mission of Casper Christian School is “to partner with the home and the church to provide students with Christ-centered academic excellence that equips them to serve Christ in the world.” This Christian view channels their energies toward promoting high academic standards while helping students to achieve skills in creative and critical thinking and to integrate academic subjects with a biblical worldview. All of this helps student fulfill the CCS vision statement: “Students who graduate from Casper Christian School will be intellectually, physically, socially and spiritually prepared to live and lead
for the glory of God.”
The three most important influences in our students’ lives are the home, church and school. Students are best served when every area of influence points them to living and leading for Christ. We want to teach them that when they get out into the world, they’re able to speak of their Christianity. It’s about inviting others into the body of Christ and teaching them how Jesus would have responded to worldly situations and views.
The school day starts at 8:00 a.m. with a “flex” period. This is a chance for students to get caught up on work, finish homework and more. The actual school day starts at 9:00 a.m. and lasts until 3:10 p.m. Mornings are for core subjects like English, math, science and more, while afternoons are for electives. CCS offers several different electives, such as physical education, music, theater and photography, to name a few.
Last year, CCS became a member of the Wyoming High School Athletic Association. This will be the second year CCS offers sports and can play schools from around the state. This will be the second year for football and basketball, with hopes of having more sports in the future, as CCS students have more interest and more coaches and funding emerge.
School days are quite similar to a public education school day, but there are faith-based activities along with curriculum taught from a biblical worldview. There is chapel a few times a month. It is an intentional and organized chapel facilitated by guest speakers, teachers and often students. Monday morning prayer is a priority to start every week with God’s word in mind, and CCS has begun the process of becoming ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) accredited. Doing so allows the school to seek out various scholarships and resources for students and increases credibility among the private Christian school network.
CCS also partners with Casper College and students are able to take BOCES classes as well.
The school has only been in existence for two years but in that short time, it has already built a reputation as a perfect partner for a teenage student’s home and church. CCS is enrolling for its third year and growing exponentially; we have hired two new teachers so, right now, we have 12 teachers and a total of 17 employees. We’re a small school. We are so far, enrolling around 70 students going into next year.
The building we’re in can only house about 120 students, and that is if each class is equally distributed.
We already have two sections of ninth grade going into next year with the 10th-grade class filling up quickly. We will outgrow our current space soon and will be seeking other options.
This school is grades 6–12; however, these kids definitely mentor each other amongst the grades, which is one of our goals as a Christian school. Mentorship among peers is one of the best ways for students to learn effectively and build each other up in their walk with Christ.
Many people want their kids to get a Christian education that is non-denominational and incorporates the bible in all subjects.
The school’s tuition for grades 6–8 is $6,000 and grades 9–12 is $6,500. There is a discount if you have more than one student in attendance. Tuition from students only covers about half of Casper Christian School’s operating costs. The other half comes from fundraising and donations, both of which are vital to keep CCS doors open.
Casper Christian School is, for the time being, a donor-driven organization. To learn more about how you can impact the next generation of our youth, contact Advancement Director Laura Milne at 307-247-4225.
Many of our donations go toward scholarships for students who would otherwise not be able to afford full tuition. When donors approach CCS with a heart to give, the donor development team wants to get to know them. These donors are the heart of the school and, in effect, partner with us to make sure the bills are paid and the doors stay open. They are part of our school family and we appreciate what they do for the school and community!
There are many opportunities to give outside of the scholarship fund. Do they want to help fund a school play? Do they want to buy sporting equipment? Do they want to help fund curriculum? All of these ideas are available options. It’s said that it takes a village to raise a child and the people behind Casper Christian School absolutely believe this. With that family-like mentality, the teachers, administrators, parents and donors behind CCS all work together to ensure that these students get the best education possible, while also learning how to walk with Christ in all aspects of their lives.
This couldn’t happen without support from the public. If it wasn’t for the support of the community, Casper Christian School would not exist. It also wouldn’t exist without the dream of Dr. Jack Olson, who wanted to create a safe place for students to learn about God, learn about themselves and learn what it means to be a follower of Christ.
CCS was created to show students that as they grow and learn about themselves and who they are, as they learn about the world and their place in it, they have the power to change it for good. It was created to show students that they can walk in light and in love. It was created to show them that, with Christ, they can learn all things, be all things, and do all things.
To learn more about becoming a Casper Christian School Mountaineer in the 2023–24 school year, visit casperchristianschool.org or visit the school at 411 S. Walsh Drive, through the blue doors, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
PAID FOR AND WRITTEN BY CASPER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
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