| "Immanuel Christian School is one of those rare institutions that knows exactly why it exists: to help students Explore the Truth with their Head, Heart, and Hands. The ultimate purpose of education is to bring us to a fuller knowledge of God and His world. While there are many subordinate purposes for learning, none is as comprehensive as this." |
|
We believe all truth is ultimately God’s truth, and that a realistic education should encompass everything there is to discover. We are committed to exploring all that is revealed to us, both in the natural revelation of God’s world, and in the written revelation of God’s Word. God has uniquely prepared Immanuel Christian School to equip a new generation of students to influence our society, young people who know the truth, believe the truth and live the truth every day.
The seed that was to become Immanuel Christian School was planted near the corner of Backlick and Braddock Roads in Northern Virginia in 1966. That was the date of the groundbreaking ceremony for Immanuel Baptist Church. Four years after the church moved into its new facility, ground was broken again for an educational wing that would contain twenty classrooms. In 1976, through the vision of senior pastor Andy Christiansen, Immanuel Christian School began its history of quality Christian education, serving students in kindergarten through third grade. In that same year, the school board was established and Lester W. Tanner was hired as the school’s first administrator. Within one year, Immanuel had added grades four through eight, and published its first yearbook. By 1978, enrollment had exceeded 100 students.
Immanuel Baptist Church, still under the leadership of Pastor Christiansen, voted to purchase property at the church’s current location on the corner of Backlick and Braddock Roads. In 1981, the church held its first services in the new gymnasium. The next year, ICS had a new administrator, Richard Moran. The school held classes in the blue and green wings of the new church. It was also during the 1981-82 school year that ICS became a member of ACSI. The following year, 1983, ICS sponsored its first important fundraiser, Jog-a-thon, which continued to be a major fundraising source until 2004 when Serve-a-thon began.
In 1984, the name of the church was changed to Immanuel Bible Church. Continuing to implement the vision of quality Christian education, IBC elders voted in 1990 to begin construction of a new, larger education wing that would include eleven classrooms and a school library. That same year, Stephen Danish became the fourth administrator of Immanuel Christian School. Classes began in the new education wing in 1992. Also in that year, the school board and administration approved the Parent Service Hours program, which allowed parents to partner with teachers and staff in accomplishing the work of the school.
A year later, as the church received the Excellence in Construction Award for the new education wing, Michael Easley became the senior pastor. Under Pastor Easley’s leadership, the next phase of building expansion was completed, to include eight new classrooms for ICS. Enrollment reached over 400 students in 1998, as the church elders approved a double-tracking plan to double the grade level classes through eighth grade. In order to meet the growing needs of the school, the school board created the position of Assistant Administrator in 1998, hiring Dan McNally to fill that position.
In the fall of 2006, Chad Schneider became the Assistant Administrator two years after the unfortunate passing of Dan McNally. In the spring of 2007 after a lengthy and extensive self-evaluation process and external examination, Immanuel was granted full accreditation by both the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges and the Association of Christian Schools International. |
