God has cleared a path for Valley Christian’s expansion.
What role will you play?
“Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.”
Proverbs 14:26
Phase I Priorities
→ 14-Acre Land Acquisition
growing from 19 acres to 33 acres
→ High School Expansion
from a capacity of 440 students to 650 students
→ Performing Arts Center
the long-awaited and much-needed space for Chapels, daily classes, large events, and Fine Arts performances
→ Additional Parking
to support our growing student body
→ Trojan Athletics Improvements
expanding the weight room and the locker rooms
Our Story
Since opening its doors in 1982, Valley Christian has been providing the East Valley with a premier Christian high school. VCS educated high schoolers for 36 years before opening a junior high in 2018 and an elementary school in 2019. The school now educates more than 700 students in grades K-12.
Valley Christian provides big school opportunities in a small school environment. Through the first phase of our Secure the Future campaign, we are expanding our high school facilities to serve 650 high school students, offering more opportunities and programs for students (most notably in STEM), enhancing our athletic facilities, and building a long-awaited Performing Arts Center. Future phases of the campaign will include the building of the permanent home for our junior high and elementary and a second gymnasium.
Performing Arts 200
Our Fine Arts program has done a lot with a little for many years, and a huge number of alumni have gone on to do big things in the arts. The need for a Performing Arts Center on our campus has grown significantly over the years. Our gymnasium currently hosts our weekly chapels and all-school gatherings. Our biggest community event each year, Christmas Extravaganza, is hosted off-site to accommodate more than 1,700 guests. The Drama team hosts its spring play in our cafeteria, and other Fine Arts performances are hosted in the courtyard, Music Hall, and even small classrooms. A Performing Arts Center will help us to fulfill our vision of well-rounded, Christ-centered students.
Performing Arts 200 donors are coming alongside VCS to build the much-needed and long-awaited Performing Arts Center with a gift of $10,000 or more over three years. These “legacy” gifts, and the families making them, will be honored in the Center lobby alongside a dedication to the VCS Founders, who declared, “Since God created music, Christians should be musically literate.”
“Fine Arts, After Valley” | Watch what some of our Alumni are up to
High School Expansion
Our current facilities have served us well for 20 years, and will continue to serve us well for many more. However, because the maximum capacity of our current campus is around 440 students, we have already had to turn away families and students who desire a Valley Christian education. With an aim to accommodate more families, and to meet the expanding need for interactive and innovate classrooms, we plan to add a state-of-the-art academic building. This additional building will allow us to serve approximately 650 students, and will enable us to expand our course offerings, most notably additional STEM courses (science, technology, engineering, and math).
Trojan Athletics Improvements
A growing student body means larger athletic teams and competition against bigger schools. Our athletic program has a long history or success, including 29 straight years with at least one state championship (active through 2018-19). A full weight room enhancement, along with additional locker room facilities, will support our entire athletic program, as well as address academic needs in PE, Health, Weight Training, and more.
Construction Video Updates
May 17, 2020 Update
June 1, 2020 Update
July 20, 2020 Update
Projected Cost (Phase I)
| 14-Acre Land Acquisition | $5,000,000 |
| High School Expansion | $4,000,000 |
| Performing Arts Center | $7,000,000 |
| Additional Parking | $1,000,000 |
| Trojan Athletics Improvements | $600,000 |
| Additional Campaign Costs, FFE, etc. | $2,300,000 |
| Total | $19,900,000 |
Breakdown of Total Costs
$19.9M Phase I
Currently Raised:
$3.9M
%
Our goal is 100 percent financial participation from everyone in the VCS community.
It takes a community to make a difference. God is doing amazing things at VCS, and He is doing it through our community.
With His blessing, we have big plans for VCS, and to realize our goals we will need our community to be with us. What role will you play?
Naming Right Opportunities
Foundations Dinner
President George W. Bush at the VCS Foundations Dinner
Dedication
Spotlight on
Al Nelson
VCS will honor
Mr. Nelson’s legacy by
dedicating the new STEM
floor in his name.
Longtime and beloved teacher, coach, and friend, Al Nelson, joined the Valley Christian family in 1987, and spent 31 years at the school as a math teacher and as a coach of numerous sports, including basketball, track, and volleyball. He was the school’s statistician for nearly every sport, and would commonly be found in the press box or at the scorer’s table at Trojan sporting events. Al also delighted in sharing his gift of music by playing the national anthem on his trumpet at numerous events. The Lord took Al home in April of 2018.
Al believed that math is the language God uses in His creation. He also believed that today’s teenagers have an abundance of talent and energy that God can use in a mighty way to meet the challenges of the next generation. Before he passed, Al shared with those closest to him that he wished to leave money to Valley Christian for a scholarship. After his passing, the school honored Al’s request by creating the Al Nelson STEM scholarship in his honor. This $2,000 scholarship is given annually to a deserving senior who is pursuing a math or STEM career or emphasis, who embodies Al’s passion for well-roundedness and participation in extracurricular activities, and who honors God in and out of the classroom.
Valley Christian is pleased to dedicate the STEM floor in the new classroom building in Mr. Nelson’s honor.
- Pray that Valley Christian Schools will continue to make an impact for eternity in the lives of its students.
- Give a generous gift, over and above your current giving, to the Secure the Future campaign.
- Connect your friends and family to support this worthy effort.
Prayer
Pray alongside us during this campaign by “liking” the Prayer Group at facebook.com/groups/VCSPrayer, or you can text VCSprayer to 41400 to get prayer updates directly to your phone.
Give
Can be in the form of:
- • Cash/check/credit card
- • In-kind gifts
- • Appreciated assets
- • Securities
- • Real estate
Not ready to make a gift, but would like to make a pledge? Use the button above make your pledge to the Secure the Future campaign.
Connect
If you are interested in helping us connect with others re: the Campaign – thank you! This can include individual introductions (1 on 1, 2 on 2, etc), hosting a “New Campaign Friends Dinner” at your home or at VCS (you invite guests, we do everything else), becoming part of our “General Gifts & Events Committee,” or anything else that helps us get this campaign in front of others. If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please email Campaign Chairman, Greg Fraley.
The form above is embedded into this webpage. This means that the entire page will not refresh after you click “Submit.” Please do not refresh your browser if you’ve pressed “Submit.” After submitting, your form will disappear and will be replaced by a “thank you” message, and your browser will take you to the top of this page. You may need to scroll back down to see this message. If you have any questions about your transaction, please contact Troy Thelen at tthelen@valleychristianaz.org.
What are campaign dollars being used toward?
100% of campaign donations are being used to support the facility expansion priorities outlined for the Secure the Future campaign. Phase I of this campaign ($19.9M) includes:
- Acquisition of 14 acres of land
- High school expansion (increasing our capacity from 440 to 650 students)
- Performing Arts Center
- Trojans athletics improvements (expanded weight room, locker rooms)
- Additional parking
Why is VCS acquiring new land?
Valley Christian moved into our Galveston campus in the fall of 1997 after 15 years of renting space. The initial 17 acres has served the school well, as has the additional 2 acres just south of Galveston purchased in 2008. In order to educate up to 650 students at the high school and up to 700 students at the K-8, not to mention expand our Fine Arts and Athletics facilities, the school had to acquire additional land, as we were effectively “land-locked” before doing so. This land acquisition allows us to expand as part of the Secure the Future Campaign, both in Phase I and future phases.
How will this campaign impact the mission of VCS?
The mission of Valley Christian Schools is that students know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, live like him, and prepare academically, physically, socially, and spiritually, so they are enabled to make a difference in the world. This campaign allows us to educate more students across grades K-12, but will not change our mission or our three key competencies: academic excellence, spiritual growth, and lifelong community.
What is the timeline of the campaign and the expansion?
- We began preparations for this campaign in November 2015, as we formed our Strategic Planning Committee.
- The Strategic Plan was released in August 2016, and a Building Committee was formed in September 2016.
- A Feasibility Study, conducted by The Timothy Group, was completed in November 2017.
- An extended Feasibility Study was completed in March 2018.
- The “quiet/leadership” phase of the campaign began in December 2018.
- The campaign went public in November 2019.
- Construction of each component is based on a number of factors, including City approval, fundraising progress, financing, etc.
How are you "phasing" this campaign?
Our entire campus expansion plan will cost an estimated ~$45 million. Phase I of this plan, which we are actively fundraising for and moving forward, includes:
- Acquisition of 14 acres of land
- High school expansion (increasing our capacity from 440 to 650 students)
- Performing Arts Center
- Trojans athletics improvements (expanded weight room, locker rooms)
- Additional parking
Future phases will include:
- Junior high building on our permanent campus
- Elementary building on our permanent campus
- A second and larger gymnasium to support the additional students
- A full-length football/soccer field on the south end of campus to support K-8
- Additional parking
How were funding priorities identified?
Funding priorities were identified by our entire community. First, a list of priorities was put together by the Board of Directors and school Administration. Second, more than 250 members of the VCS community provided feedback in our Feasibility Study (November 2017). Third, in conjunction with our campaign counsel, The Timothy Group, the priorities were determined. Lastly, the Building Committee – under the leadership of the Board of Directors – is actively identifying the proper steps and stages for building.
If the goal is not reached, what gets built and what doesn’t?
The Board of Directors has formulated a contingency/stepped plan based on how much money is raised as part of the campaign. The top priorities are land acquisition and high school expansion. The Performing Arts Center and additional parking, as well as any other Phase I needs, are our next priorities. Our goal is to have significant pledges and cash in hand for each project prior to construction beginning.
Where are the buildings going?
The two-story high school academic building will be built between the current academic building and the gymnasium. The Performing Arts Center will be built in front of the academic building and next to the current Music Hall, which will reduce the amount of parking spaces available on that portion of the campus. Additional parking will be built just north of the softball field on the south side of Galveston, and parking on the new southern property will be added. Our Building Committee continues to work alongside our land planner, architects, and engineers on the best possible layout to maximize the use of our facilities. The Master Plan and supporting documents will be released as they become approved by the City.
Is my gift to the campaign tax-deductible?
Valley Christian Schools is an IRS-registered, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and gifts to VCS are considered charitable and are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. We recommend consulting with your tax professional re: the full deductibility of any donation.
Are you offering any naming rights for large donations to the campaign?
A number of naming rights opportunities have been identified and can be viewed here. Donors with other naming interests should contact Troy Thelen in the Development Office at tthelen@valleychristianaz.org. All naming rights opportunities must be approved by the VCS Board of Directors.
Will this facility expansion have any impact on tuition?
The overall goal of the Secure the Future campaign is to incur very little, if any, long-term debt, as the funds being raised are outside of the general operating dollars of the school. We plan to only complete the phases as the needed funds become identified or available. The school currently raises tuition annually between 2 and 5% to offset inflation and rising operational costs. The campaign should not impact these annual changes.
Is there a way I can help beyond making a donation?
Yes! We have a number of committees that support this campaign:
- Prayer and Spiritual Emphasis Committee
- If you’d like to join this committee, please contact Campaign Chairman Greg Fraley
- If you are not interested in joining the committee, but would like to pray for the campaign, please either visit FB or text XX
- General Gifts & Events Committee
- Please contact Campaign Chairman Greg Fraley if you are interested in being part of this committee
- Needs include connecting campaign leadership to individual donors, hosting small group campaign events at VCS or in your home, or – for those who are all in – making “asks” for the campaign
If you have other ideas for ways you’d like to support the campaign, please contact Greg Fraley.
Is funding being sought from groups outside of the VCS community?
Yes, a comprehensive campaign has been organized to seek funding from local businesses and corporations; local, regional and national foundations; grandparents, alumni and friends of VCS. We believe in leaving “no stone unturned” in order to complete this campaign effectively.
How quickly do you need my donation?
We began incurring costs the minute we began the campaign (June 2018). We are asking all donations to be fulfilled within the 3 years the campaign is running (2019, 2020, 2021), but upfront donations are especially appreciated. Gifts that can only be made if we are able to accept them over more than 3 years are welcome.
What types of donations do you accept?
We are set up to accept donations through nearly any medium:
- Cash/check donations can be made directly to VCS.
- Online donations via a credit card, debit card, or checking account can be made at valleychristianaz.org/Campaign.
- Stock donations are immediately liquidated by VCS and turned into cash. If you’d like to make a stock donation, please contact Campaign leadership. A note on appreciated/depreciated stock:
- Appreciated stock: For stocks that have increased in value (appreciated), the key to receiving tax savings is to donate the shares directly to VCS. You receive a double tax benefit by:
- Avoiding capital gains on the profit you’ve gained, and
- Receiving a full tax deduction for the fair market value of your gift.
- Depreciated stock: For stocks that have lost value (depreciated) the key is to sell them first and then give the cash proceeds to VCS. You benefit tax-wise in two ways – you can take both the loss deduction and the charitable deduction.
- Note that we encourage you to consult your financial planner or tax advisor who can assist you in evaluating the tax advantages available to you when making a donation of securities.
- Appreciated stock: For stocks that have increased in value (appreciated), the key to receiving tax savings is to donate the shares directly to VCS. You receive a double tax benefit by:
- In-kind gifts (goods and services; often labor or building materials).
What is the timeline for the Junior High and Elementary to be moved?
We are currently in “Phase I” of the Secure the Future campaign. The moving of the Junior High and Elementary are both part of the “Future Phases” of the campaign. The initial discussions for the campaign began in 2016, two years before the JH opened and three years before the Elementary School opened, and our feasibility study was conducted in November of 2017, also prior to either school opening. In 2018, we purchased 14 additional acres of land next to our Chandler campus with the intention of eventually moving the JH and ELEM to our permanent campus in Chandler. This new land is a critically important piece of Phase I, and will allow us to move each school to our permanent Chandler campus in “Future Phases” of this campaign.
Our initial plans after announcing VCS Elementary were to open the permanent elementary campus in 1-2 years; however, with the closing of additional schools, the need to serve more students, and the blessing of our Price Road campus (which we purchased from Bethany Christian), we were no longer able to convert the warehouse to the proper facilities for our students. The plan is now to move VCS Elementary after Phase I is complete and Phase II begins. With both projects, a singular donor supporting an entire project (for example, a singular donor making a donation that would cover the entire cost of the elementary school construction) would move up either timeline to “immediate.”
What made you want to start a JH and Elementary School?
JUNIOR HIGH
For 36 years, Valley Christian operated as a high school only, serving grades 9-12. In 2016, as we formulated our Strategic Plan (Valley Christian 2020: Renewed and Ready), we evaluated the sustainability of our school, including enrollment, our financial position, and more. One of our key findings was that, instead of 70%+ of our students coming from Christian middle schools, as they had in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, more than 70% of our students were now coming from public and charter schools. Instead of being able to rely on 70-80 students and families coming from Christian schools each year – with families accustomed to paying tuition, families fully understanding the tax credit program, and students well-versed in the expectations and culture of a Christian school – we could only count on 25-35 students and families from these schools, making up the remainder from unknown or inconsistent sources. Although our efforts in reaching students in public schools had been successful, we knew that we needed to grow the number of students in Christian junior highs for the future sustainability of VCS.
On April 20, 2017, we announced that we would begin serving grades 6-8 in the Fall of 2018. When we opened our doors in August 2018, we did so with 85 students across three grades.
In November of 2017, driven by our desire for sustainability and our interest in educating more students in the light of God’s word, we began formulating the “Valley Christian Schools Association.” This initiative was intended to offer our feeder schools marketing oversight and support, professional development resources and opportunities for teachers, and many added opportunities all designed to strengthen and grow the Christian member schools. On February 14, 2018, we were able to announce the VCSA with three long-standing feeder schools – Bethany Christian School, Chandler Christian Academy, and Gethsemane Christian Academy – eventually adding Logos Christian School and Phoenix Christian School to the VCSA. Despite their best efforts and ours, within 15 months, 3 of these 5 feeder schools had announced closure.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Even after adding the Junior High in 2018-19, VCS had no intention of opening an elementary school. In fact, there had been no Board or Administrative discussion on a possible elementary school until February of 2019. On February 5th, representatives from Chandler Christian Academy (CCA) called VCS to advise that the CCA Board had voted to close their school, asking if VCS could offer support in any way. After a few days, we regretfully advised that we still had no intention of opening an elementary school, but committed to helping CCA provide the right opportunity for their families. The next week was spent working with other Christian K-8 schools, proposing different options for partnering on a full K-12 educational experience for families, but to no avail. On February 12, the Board at CCA sent an email to their families announcing closure at the end of the school year.
The next day, a group of families with ties to both CCA and VCS called VCS to ask if there was anything they could do to support these displaced families. After two weeks of renewed discussions, numerous meetings, and significant prayer, we determined that God was leading VCS to open an elementary school to support these displaced families and other Christian families looking for a quality Christian education. We made this announcement on February 28. The next day, on March 1st, we received a call from the leadership of Bethany Christian School (BCS), asking to meet with VCS leadership. After initially meeting with BCS leadership in February, their position moved from one of intending to create a sustainable model of success at BCS to finding the best way to serve their families going forward, even if that meant closing. A few days later, BCS advised that they’d be closing at the end of the year, and a few weeks later, on March 18, BCS announced publicly that, “It is with heavy, but also very hopeful hearts… that we respectfully announce that Bethany Christian School will cease school operations at the end of the 2018-19 school year.” That afternoon, in conjunction with the BCS announcement, VCS announced that “we have been working hand-in-hand with Bethany’s Board and Administration on the best possible landing spot for displaced students and families. With the closing of Gethsemane Lutheran School (announced February 2018) at the end of last year, and Chandler Christian Academy (announced February 2019) and Bethany Christian (announced today) at the end of this year, the goal of all four of our schools looking forward has been the same: to provide the highest quality Christian education experience to as many families as possible.”
During each of these announcements, we were intentional about communicating the following: “We enter this new opportunity humbled. We did not plan or seek out opening a K-6 school, but truly believe God has presented VCS with an incredible opportunity and feel His call on us to move forward. We are in the early stages of our school-wide facility expansion plan, and pending successful campaign support, we will begin construction later this year to house additional Valley Christian students. In hte near-term, the elementary school will meet at Bethany Christian’s current, well-equipped campus.”
We are committed to supporting Christian education in the East Valley, whether at VCS or elsewhere.