“It’s well-led, there’s a strong community, and you can’t take out the dynamics of the Christian values there, those really come through too,” says Wheeler whose two sons have been attending the school for about three years now.

Wheeler and his wife chose to send their children to Rhema once they learned the public school their children were attending was scheduled to close.

“We tried [the public school system] for a few years, but it just wasn’t a really good fit at the time,” he says.

Wheeler and his family have a long list of things about Rhema Christian school that they appreciate.

“First of all, the education our kids receive is from people who love God and are modeling that and teaching kids about that,” says Wheeler. “That’s huge.”

In addition, it’s a safe place, he says.

“It’s a place where the kids can be kids and they can learn and grow,” says Wheeler. “I just never have any doubt that when I drop them off everything is going to be taken care of.”

He notes that this is partly because the teachers care about the students and supervise them well. How the students relate to one another also contributes to that sense of safety.

He points out that at the previous school, the older students were segregated from the younger because they bullied them.

“At Rhema, it’s just completely different… I really like the inter-grade connection that kids make, they look out for each other.”

When challenges do come up at the school, Wheeler says they have been dealt with well.

Communication is open and parental involvement is encouraged.

“They let us know what we can do to help, they’re very reassuring,” he says. “The staff we’ve worked with are very positive, they really believe in the kids and they believe in us as parents. They’re very supportive [of us]. Their approach isn’t ‘we know [the students] and you don’t’.”

Staff members have also been willing to try different approaches when there have been challenges, even if it costs them time and attention.

“They go the extra mile,” he says.

Rhema also has a “tremendous community atmosphere,” Wheeler notes.

“There are a lot of good families there and I think they help each other be a little better,” he says, pointing out that the dynamics are similar to a church culture where families often volunteer at the school and spend time interacting with one another.

Wheeler says he and his wife never question whether they are doing the right thing by sending their children to Rhema, despite the large financial cost, having to drive their children to school daily, and even with the challenges they have already faced.

“We know we’re at the right place,” he says.