Calvary Christian School students and friends pour over photos and yearbooks covering the first 45 years since the school opened in 1979. About 175 people attended a school rebranding event, which took place at Calvary Baptist Church Monday. (EXAMINER PHOTO | SHARYN KOPF)
To say things are changing rapidly at Calvary Christian School (CCS) in Bellefontaine might be an understatement. Ben Moore, the school’s director of admissions and marketing, would certainly agree.
And yet that’s exactly what they did when the school announced a rebranding at a free ticketed event on Monday, Jan. 8, at Calvary Baptist Church. As the school continues work on a new 49,000-square-foot building on their 40-acre campus off U.S. Route 68, they realized another update was needed.
In September 2023, CCS learned their website company had mandated a complete rebuild by this spring. But that’s okay.
“It’s a time of transformation, growth and a renewed commitment to our Christian values,” Moore said. “The new brand isn’t just a change in the logo; it’s a celebration of this exciting new chapter in the story of Calvary Christian School.”
That CCS story started in 1979 with 25 students. Thirty years later, the school had only grown to about 100 kids. Then, in 2019, things began to change when admission grew to 230. And today, CCS has 450 students, with no sign of slowing down.
According to Dan Bragg, assistant head of school, they anticipate breaking 500 when the next school year starts. Fortunately, that under-construction building on U.S. 68 has room for 750 students. Though designed as an elementary school, it will fit everyone until they’re ready to build a high school.
“We’re going to celebrate the new one for now,” Bragg admitted, “but down the road, in probably five to 10 years, we’ll need to build again.”
In the meantime, the new design, which was created by North Star Marketing out of North Carolina, is more than a logo. Moore called it “a visual representation of our unified message.” He was particularly grateful for the chance to pray with their account manager in creating their branding message.
Moore called that message “a promise that whether you’re on the athletic field, in a classroom, or part of a community event, the message of biblical teaching and values will resonate consistently.”
The current schedule has the new school gym ready for sports in November. Then, if everything goes as planned, all of the students will be there for classes in January 2025. At that time, they will leave the Calvary Baptist Church campus on Rush Avenue behind, completing their identity as an independent school.
“It’s a new day,” Bragg concluded. “But not one that leaves the old values of Calvary Christian School in the background. So many different things have happened, but when you put it all together you feel God’s hand.”
To find out more about CCS, visit their website at ccsspartans.com.
