Cole Valley Christian to double enrollment with new ‘state-of-the-art’ Meridian campus
Cole Valley Christian Schools have welcomed an unprecedented number of students. Enrollment in the two schools has climbed to 1,160 from 900 in the last year. The waiting list is now more than 250 names.
“For the first time in the school’s history, we have a waitlist for every single grade area,” Superintendent Allen Howlett said. “And that’s after making the decision to add one class per grade for grades 7 through 11.”
To accommodate the extra high school students, school administrators have requested permits to add four portable classrooms to the downtown Meridian schoolyard. Howlett says they’re used to that.
“Honestly, our elementary site is mostly modulars,” Howlett said.
The private school didn’t always have this problem. When Cole Valley Christian first opened in 1972, it had 13 students.
The elementary campus for preschool through sixth grade is located at the Cole Community Church at 8775 Ustick Road in Boise. Grades seven through 12 have been at the former Meridian High School and Middle School at 200 E. Carlton Ave. since 2002.
The rising demand has prompted administrators to rethink the future of the school. They realized Cole Valley Christian wouldn’t be able to grow any further at the current locations. The two current campuses are small, with little recreational space at the elementary school and no competitive sports field at the high school.
In June, the school purchased 72 acres of farmland at 7080 W. McMillan Road. The site is located north of McMillan Road and a quarter mile west of McDermott Road near the new Owyhee High School.
The school board plans to build a “state-of-the-art” campus that can accommodate up to 1,800 students. It will have a playground, four gymnasiums, a football and soccer stadium and a 700-person auditorium. All grades will be in one location so siblings can attend together.
“I don’t know that there’s a pre-K through 12 site like this in the state of Idaho,” Howlett said.
The superintendent believes parents are drawn to the way religious schools like his combine faith and academics. They want their children to attend school with families who hold similar values, he said.
The interdenominational school represents more than 100 churches in the Treasure Valley. According to its website, the Cole Valley Christian “curriculum is taught through a biblical worldview,” with faculty who are “passionate about serving Christ” and students who are prepared to “serve Christ in a rapidly changing world.”
“We certainly have the autonomy as a private school to be able to make independent decisions as much as possible that are reflective of the parents so that we have consistent beliefs about how we raise children,” Howlett said.
The biggest driver of growth has been out-of-state transplants. He believes parents who have recently relocated to Idaho are more likely to seek private education. Howlett estimates 80% of new students are from California.
“I think many of those were used to private Christian schools in California and those areas,” Howlett said. “To them, it’s fairly natural for them to do it here. I think it’s not natural in Idaho to get a private education.”
Howlett hopes to open the new campus by fall of 2024 or 2025. The current campuses will be sold.
Plans are already moving forward. The school board will get its first look at full architectural plans this week, and administrators have requested a meeting with the city of Meridian to discuss rezoning and annexation.
Sally Krutzig covers Treasure Valley growth and development. Have a story suggestion or a question? Email Krutzig at skrutzig@idahostatesman.com.
