Past parents share their experiences at Rhema

Wednesday, January 17, 2007 -- Michelle Strutzenberger

A safe environment. Good role models. An atmosphere that promotes academic, social and spiritual growth. Caring community. The encouragement of parental involvement. Trustworthy leadership.

These are some of the characteristics of Rhema Christian School that past parents remember and the reason they still hold it in high regard.

Bob Nielsen, whose youngest child graduated from the school four years ago, says that Rhema offered a “great environment to allow our kids to grow” socially, academically, athletically, and spiritually.  He notes that he saw his children gain a healthy self-confidence as well during their time at the school.

Bob attributes that growth to the support and acceptance his children found at the school, which allowed them to thrive in their individual gifts.

The passion of the teachers and Ray for their work and for the students also “reflected back to the kids and allowed them to grow.”

He adds that even he and his wife were impacted. “Our kids were good examples and I grew in that environment as well,” he says.

Ellen van den Deer’s youngest of three children graduated from Rhema last year. She points to the teachers as excellent role models and to Ray Hendriks as someone whom students look up to as a “trustworthy” leader. “Whatever he says, goes,” she says. “They trust his personality; they trust what he stands for.”

Ellen appreciated the the safe and caring community her family found at the school. Joys and struggles could be shared within the school community, she says, and people would be there to offer support and prayer.

“People take care of each other here,” she says. “There’s a feeling that each family matters.”

Jamie Stringer and his family were involved as active parents at Rhema for 21 years. The last of five children graduated from the school two years ago.

“Rhema is more than an educational institution,” says Jamie. “It’s the most demonstrable example of a local church in the community.”

Jamie notes as their family grew and changed over the years, Rhema provided a “solid foundation” and a “consistent” element to their lives.

“There wasn’t one moment in all those 21 years that I would look on as negative,” he adds. His children could go to the school “without fear of bullying and without fear of being ostracized.”

“It was just a very safe, lovely place,” he says. “The staff was wonderful. They loved and cared for the students.”

He adds that he can’t “minimize the impact that Ray Hendriks had over the years to encourage us as a family. We really much appreciated him as a friend and as a principal.”