CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND SCSBC’S RESPONSE: Find the lastest updates here for students, faculty and staff.
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND SCSBC’S RESPONSE: Find the lastest updates here for students, faculty and staff.
The Society of Christian Schools in British Columbia is a collaboration of visionary leaders and educators who strive to provide educational excellence to children in BC through independent schools.
SCSBC is a not-for-profit organization funded by its member schools.
We work collegially with various non-member schools and affiliated organizations, national and international, as we engage with the leading edge of best educational thought and practices.
The Society of Christian Schools in BC is a not-for-profit organization of Christian school communities sharing a biblical vision for Christian education in British Columbia, Canada. We seek to do collectively what no school could do on its own.
SCSBC provides a wide range of services for its member schools and others seeking resources and support in Christian education. Our member school societies elect a nine-member SCSBC Board, which includes a teacher representative nominated by the Christian Educators of BC (CEBC) and a principal representative nominated by the Christian Principals’ Association of BC (CPABC). SCSBC holds a general meeting annually. We are affiliated with Christian Schools International (CSI) and Christian Schools Canada (CSC). Our first school was established in 1949. SCSBC is a network of 35 school societies, 40 school campuses, over 100 principals and administrators, over 1,000 teachers and educational support staff, and 16,000+ students.
We offer services that support the learning, administrative, governance, financial, and advancement leadership in our schools.
We commit to being a catalyst that brings our schools together so we can learn from each other, support each other, encourage each other, share best practices and live in community.
We advocate for our schools through our interactions with the Ministry of Education and Canada Revenue Agency and our joint efforts with FISA BC.
We strive to be visionary as we explore how schools will remain biblically rooted yet relevant in changing times.
Dave passionately believes that Christian education is as relevant and necessary today as ever. It brings him great joy to serve in an organization that seeks to help Christian schools flourish.
Dave has spent his entire career in SCSBC member schools, working in various roles as a teacher, vice principal, principal and superintendent. He has embraced opportunities to participate in school inspection and policy development work for the BC Ministry of Education in BC and internationally. Dave is an adjunct Trinity Western University faculty member in the Masters of Arts in Leadership program. He holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Theory and Leadership Studies and is currently studying Theology at Regent College.
Dave is married with three children, one grandchild, two dogs, and three chickens, and finds time in the outdoors lifegiving, especially when it’s with any or all of his family.
Darren’s driving motivation is supporting educators and emerging leaders in creating engaging, empowering learning environments that foster faith formation. In his leadership roles, he seeks to challenge educators to explore ideas that bring schools to a place of continuous improvement within a distinctly Christian framework. Darren is committed to promoting learning built on meaningful relationships, is demanding and rigorous, and engaging and relevant for the learner. He works with schools to intentionally develop a way of being represented in selecting practices, implemented over time, toward a common vision for learning and student wholeness. It is through the creation of learning experiences for students and staff that transformation is possible.
Before joining the staff at SCSBC as an Associate Executive Director and Director of Learning, Darren worked at four schools in various positions, including administration. In two of those schools, he supported a team in shaping middle years programs that are responsive to the developmental needs of adolescents. Darren’s downtime is spent with family and friends, talking about the many reasons why edible landscaping is the future of food security in many parts of the world, including his suburban postage-stamp-sized yard.
When it came time to decide on her children’s education, Cathy was captivated by the possibility of integrating faith and learning. She soon found herself immersed in and enveloped by the Christian school community in Langley. More importantly, she was transformed into a passionate believer in Christian education.
This led to 15 years of service as the Director of Development at Langley Christian School. In 2015 Cathy joined the team at SCSBC where she assists schools with enrolment management, marketing & communications, conducts campaign readiness assessments and campaign support and positions schools to flourish by equipping them to establish sustainable development plans with a strong focus on donor relationship strategies. Cathy thrives on the synergy of professionals working collaboratively to turn challenges into opportunities.
Tracey brings a varied background of experience to her role with SCSBC schools – as a former Christian school student, parent, board treasurer, and school business manager – which helps her consider issues from different perspectives and serves as a testament to her long-standing commitment to Christian education.
Tracey graduated from the University of BC with a Bachelor of Commerce and began her career in a large public accounting firm, specializing in audits of not-for-profit organizations, local government, and public utilities. She obtained her Chartered Professional Accountant designation in 1993. While taking some time off to raise children, she served on the boards of various not-for-profit organizations, including John Knox Christian School in Burnaby. That involvement led to a 4-year role as the business manager at the school. She joined SCSBC in 2017, where she enjoys connecting with and supporting finance staff in schools around the province while proving to her co-workers that accountants are not boring.
Amanda started her teaching career in public high school, where she taught mostly math and science courses and worked in specialized behaviour classrooms. Amanda was also an Inclusive Support Coordinator at the district level for a large school district and spent time as an Indigenous outreach teacher. Amanda has also been trained as a PBIS coach and an NVCI instructor. Amanda currently teaches at Vancouver Island University as a sessional instructor in the Education Assistant and Community Support Worker program. Amanda is finishing her PhD focusing on the attendance of Indigenous students in the high school through Liberty University. Amanda is also a Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst.
Amanda’s focus has been on building inclusive supports for individuals with diverse needs and building effective systems at an organizational level to support those needs in a school. As the SCSBC Director of Learning in Inclusive Education, Amanda’s responsibilities will include support for schools in programming for diverse abilities, funding and case management, providing in-service workshops, and communicating current issues for students with diverse needs.
Kristie enjoys crafting experiences that invite all learners to take their place in God’s story. She sees belonging and relationship as an essential starting point for students and staff in Christian education. She is excited to witness the growing diversity in SCSBC schools and looks forward to the new ways of learning resulting from this diversity.
Kristie has spent most of her career in SCSBC member schools at the elementary and middle levels, teaching and administration, most recently working in inclusive education. She served on various SCSBC committees and on the board of directors of the Christian Educators of BC. She has been a coach at the SCSBC Residency each August, focusing on Project Based Learning and Biblical Worldview integration. Kristie has grown as an educator through working with students and colleagues overseas and is eager to encourage such partnerships. She holds an M.A. in Theological Studies from Regent College. She is passionate about exploring how a biblical worldview directly impacts pedagogy and practice at both the classroom and school levels.
Kristie delights in being a daughter, sister, and aunt, and loves living in the same town as many of her family members. She is happiest hanging out at her neighbourhood coffee shop with a good friend or a good book.
Sarah has been working in Christian education for 10+ years. After working in the public sector in local high schools, she joined the International Department at Pacific Christian School (PCS) in Victoria. Sarah has enjoyed finding new ways of supporting students as they develop their faith, language, and worldviews. Her work with short- and long-term programs has provided new and exciting opportunities to work with different schools and agencies worldwide.
She also continues to work with international and domestic students as the Geography 12 teacher at PCS as an area of interest and passion. This year, she will visit one of our longest-standing sister schools in Sendai, Japan, with a group of 30 students!
As the International Student Program Coordinator at SCSBC, Sarah enjoys working and collaborating with our schools across the province as we continue building thoughtful and intentional programs for our international students and families.
Carolynne Tolsma began in April 2018 as our Executive Assistant. Carolynne comes to us with a BA in History from King’s University, a certificate in event planning from the Tourism Training Institute and a Leadership Development Certificate obtained through the Christian Reformed Classis in the areas of theology and ministry.
With over 20 years of administrative and event planning experience, including time as the administrative assistant at Fraser Valley Christian High School and publications assistant for the SCSBC, Carolynne is excited to serve in an administrative capacity at SCSBC.
When not actively working to support SCSBC and her Fleetwood community, Carolynne enjoys listening to books while taking long walks, reading, travelling, and good conversations over a great cup of coffee or glass of wine.
Kevin van der Leek has been doing graphic design for 35+ years: 15+ years in Vancouver doing corporate work (visual identity, annual reports, etc.), 15+ years in Christian publishing design book covers and interiors, and now providing design services for SCSBC and its member schools. Kevin received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Calvin University in 1986.
Kevin loves the graphic design process, bringing creativity and rigour to various communication problems. Endlessly fascinated by typography and imagery, Kevin enjoys applying his aesthetic sensibility to SCSBC projects.
Kevin gives back to the community in the form of many different pro bono projects. He is an accomplished photographer and has recently discovered his newest hobby of avian photography. And he’s a little too obsessed with mastering the perfect Margherita pizza!
Herb’s position as Career Development Coordinator allows him to pursue his passion for developing and expanding career education programs at Timothy Christian School, where he has been a secondary teacher and vice principal for 37 years, as well as in the local School District 33, local independent schools, and all independent schools across the province.
Herb’s part-time secondment with SCSBC allows him to work with all independent schools in the province in the areas of career development, career exploration, job shadowing, Work Experience co-op programs (WEX), Youth Work in Trades (YRK) (skilled trades and apprenticeship programs), Youth Train in Trades (Apprenticeship technical training), and a new very successful program, Global and International Studies 12A/12B, which captures students’ service hours through local outreach, mission trips, and community-based volunteering.
We are excited to have Sarah (Qin) Zeng join our SCSBC team as our bookkeeper. She joins us with a vast array of work and volunteer experiences, abroad and locally, and ensures that records are organized, complete and accurate.
Sarah lives with her family in Langley and is excited to work toward strengthening Christian schools.
Early Days
In the 1950s, several Christian schools formed the Southwest British Columbia League of Christian Schools, and were District 12 of Christian Schools International. In 1976, this group was incorporated as an independent organization – the Society of Christian Schools in British Columbia.
1977
Membership: 20 school societies serving 2,494 students
Staff: Harro Van Brummelen was hired as Coordinator to become the first staff member
1982
Membership: 21 school societies serving 3,425 students
Staff: Coordinator
1987
Membership: 33 school societies serving 5,021 students
Staff: Coordinator
1992
Membership: 39 school societies serving 8,249 students
Staff: Coordinator, 2 Education Coordinators
1997
Membership: 36 school societies serving 8,452 students
Staff: Executive Director, Curriculum Coordinator, Development Coordinator
2002
Membership: 29 school societies serving 8,529 students
Staff: Executive Director, Curriculum Coordinator, Consultant for Stewardship and Development, International Program Coordinator
2007
Membership: 34 school societies serving 9,321 students
Staff: Executive Director, Curriculum Coordinator, Consultant for Stewardship and Development, International Program Coordinator, Director of Finance
2012
Membership: 32 school societies serving 10,076 students
Staff: Executive Director, 2 Directors of Learning, Consultant for Stewardship and Development, International Program Coordinator, Director of Finance
Present
Membership: 37 school societies serving 16,000+ students
Staff: Executive Director, Associate Executive Director, Director of Finance, Director of Advancement, Two Associate Directors of Learning, International Program Coordinator, Career Development Coordinator, Executive Manager, Graphic Designer, Bookkeeper
In close collaboration with our member schools, we provide services that include policy development, leadership and governance training, finance and development mentoring that all, ultimately, support learning. Our Directors of Learning work with schools to maintain relevant and distinctively Christian curriculum, instruction and assessment to meet the needs of all learners enrolled in our schools.
The Society of Christian Schools in British Columbia was formed four decades ago by a group of schools who could see the value of pooling resources and working together. Today, we serve a wide variety of Christian schools, both in denominational affiliation and in organizational structure. Our basis and principles are biblically based and can be ascribed to by all protestant evangelical Christians. Membership requires agreement with our constating documents and is paid by an annual fee based on student enrollment.
Not only does membership give your school access to a wide array of SCSBC services, workshops and conferences, resources and the SCSBC Member Portal, but it also puts the expertise of our staff as close to you as an email or phone call. And membership brings your school into community with over forty other Christian schools in British Columbia, a community that is characterized by cooperation and mutual support.
YOUR SCHOOL MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES
Inquire about school membership
Christian schools in British Columbia benefit from the support their membership in SCSBC brings to them. Together we can accomplish so much more. To find out about the process of becoming a member, phone our office at 604-888-6366 or email contact@scsbc.ca.
Professional Services Membership
Our schools are often looking for professional services, so SCSBC maintains a directory of companies that our schools have recommended. Individuals or corporations who provide goods and services to educational organizations and agree with the purposes of the Society of Christian Schools in British Columbia are invited to email contact@scsbc.ca to inquire about applying for professional membership.
Westland has spent over 25 years building a reputation as School Insurance Specialists. We provide our high level of service, specialized products, expert risk management and claims advice to hundreds of BC Independent Schools and Career Colleges.
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With decades of experience and specialized expertise in faith-based institutions, Acera Insurance provides custom insurance and risk management solutions to protect your school’s operations and staff, so you can focus on helping your students thrive.
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Guiding Purpose, Serving Mission: Volkenant Law Group exists to help clients fulfill their mission and charitable purposes through empathetic, wise counsel.
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Station One Architects is a multi-disciplinary architectural and landscape architectural practice with the capacity and resources to effectively manage significant and complex architectural projects while nurturing regular ongoing personal connection.
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KMBR offers architectural and interior design services that support the development and design of learning communities. With 60 years of experience working with Christian schools, we can align 21st Century learning principles to ensure projects, large or small, reflect your core values.
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Manning Elliott is a full-service regional accounting firm that specializes in servicing the accounting, auditing, Canada Revenue Agency and Ministry of Education reporting needs of independent schools. We act as a trusted financial advisor to a number of independent schools in BC.
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Established in 2004, Capstone provides discretionary wealth management to Pension Funds, Foundations and Endowments, Schools, Churches, and other Institutions. Capstone delivers effective diversification by offering a broad array of investments within and outside traditional markets.
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We are committed to serving organizations in a framework of partnership, encouraging them to grow and build, using their God given gifts and resources with integrity. We can tailor a community relations, marketing and development package for the unique needs of your school.
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For 40 years, Alpha & Omega has provided the highest quality Construction Management and General Contracting services to our clients. We have worked with many churches and Christian Schools within the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. We look forward to assisting you with your next project!
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