Westminster Christian School

Infobox School | name = Westminster Christian School- Miami


caption = The High School Library at Westminster Christian School
type = Private
established = 1961
enrollment = approx. 1200
free_label = Colors
Mascot
free_text = Green, and White
Warriors
faculty = approx. 82 full time. 50 administrative staff
George Lawrence, Jr., Superintendent
David Medder, HS Principal
John Manoogian, MS Principal
Jean Boer, ES Principal
location = Miami, FL, USA
website = http://www.wcsmiami.org

Westminster Christian School is a K-12 school in Miami, 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 and Roman Catholic. 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 in the Palmetto Bay area of Greater Miami, near the Charles Deering Estate and a USDA agriculture testing space. The school was hit particularly hard during Hurricane Andrew in 1992; it re-opened almost a month after Miami-Dade public schools.

WCS' nickname is the "Warriors". The athletic booster club is called the "Chiefs". The school colors are historically Green and White, although Black had sometimes been used until recent years.

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 Hoffman. The 1996 team adorned the cover of one of the first Team Cheerios boxes. 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, a former head of the Florida Orchestral Association.

Westminster Christian School underwent and is still going through a series of landscape and building renovations that began with the induction of George Lawrence as Superintendent. These are apparent efforts to improve the school's image.

At the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year, Westminster Christian's highschool (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.

Origins

At the turn of the century Jules Vroon, just a two year old boy, emigrated from Dinteloord, Holland 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 young family 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.

University placement

WCS' University Placement rate hovers around 99%- a fact that is often mentioned during a student's admissions process. WCS graduates have attended universities across the world, but most frequently place in the following locations:

In Florida
* Florida International University
* Florida State University
* University of Florida
* University of Miami
* University of Central Florida

Rest of USA
* Covenant College
* Calvin College
* Auburn University
* Wheaton College
* Duke University
* US Military Academies
* Ivy League Universities

Famous alumni

* 1976- Mike Pappas, CEO, Keyes Company
* 1992- Doug Mientkiewicz, Major League Baseball player
* 1993- Alex Rodriguez, Major League Baseball player
* 1993- J.D. Arteaga, University of Miami baseball pitching coach
* 1995- Jeff Chu, Journalist, formerly of Time Magazine
* 1996- K.O. Wiegandt, college baseball coach

References

External links

[http://www.wcsmiami.org Official website]