About Bellingham Christian School

Bellingham Christian School partners with Christian families in Whatcom County to provide Christ-centered education that helps students grow academically, spiritually, and personally.

Through our Believe, Grow, Go approach, we seek to equip students with a biblical worldview and prepare them to live out their faith in their communities.

Mission & Vision

Our Mission

Serving children of Christian families in Whatcom County (Believe), we provide Christian education of high academic quality that promotes authentic Christian character among students (Grow) who will impact the world for Christ (Go).

Vision – Educating the Whole Student

We strive to cultivate a Biblical Worldview–a Scripturally informed lens through which to look at the world–in all things: academics, classrooms, events, activities, retreats, missions, and relationships. We invite students to recognize their role in God’s story as we seek to capture their imaginations in every subject and develop habits of heart that will empower students for faithful discipleship. We involve students in real hands-on learning experiences so that students can grow as servant-leaders who learn by doing.

Our Core Values: Believe, Grow, Go

Believe

Exploring faith in a safe place. One of our previous Kindergarteners transferred to BCS after coming home one afternoon and telling his mother, “I love Jesus at home and church, but not at school.” When his mother asked why, he replied, “No one there talks about Him.” His parents decided right then to transfer him to BCS mid-year to begin exploring his faith in a safe, encouraging atmosphere. What is your child saying?

Seeing lives transformed. We love hearing about how God touches the lives of kids here at BCS. One of our students was singing at home in the shower at the top of his lungs, “S-A-L-V-A-T-I-O-N, no, you can’t get to heaven without it!” His mother was convinced after talking with him later that it wasn’t simply a song he’d learned—it was a truth he’d fully grasped. They knelt together, and right there he invited Christ into his life.

Modeling the heart of Christ. Imagine teachers living what they teach and modeling the heart of Christ in the classroom. It puts a face to the words, demonstrating honest relationships with God. We help resolve conflicts between students with prayer and scripture so that students learn about the power of God’s love in their lives.

Grow

Integrating a biblical worldview. By exploring every subject from a biblical worldview—learning, for example, how the complexity of our digestive system points to us being “fearfully and wonderfully made”—we as a staff not only set a true standard for academic excellence, we also encourage kids to draw closer to the God the Creator.

Focusing on each and every child. Each child is one of a kind, handcrafted by God. With that in mind, our staff focuses on getting to know every student who walks through our doors: their learning styles, their talents, and their families. By going out of our way to understand them as individuals custom-made in the image of God, we’re able to better educate each one to become who he or she was uniquely created to be.

Encouraging relationships. Forming friendships, resolving conflicts, and working together are equally as important lessons as the ones kids learn in their studies. The staff believes so strongly in the value of building relationships that they take retreats each year with our middle-school students to nurture friendships. Students participate in group chapels, special assemblies and our PALS program to encourage friendships and community.

Go

Real life preparation for the real world. Hands-on, practical experiences are a priority at all levels to teach skills necessary to succeed in the world. We believe this kind of preparation better equips them to navigate life, wherever they’re called.

Educating heart and mind. We believe a good education engages not just the mind, but also the heart. By encouraging in kids God’s heart for people everywhere and extending His justice into the world, we provide the kind of education we thinks matters more than simply making the kind of stellar grades our students do.

Reaching for the stars. Our limited class sizes, passionately devoted teachers, challenging curriculum, and high academic expectations—lavished with extra doses of encouragement—all create an environment that produces students who consistently place well above average on the Stanford Achievement Test and are prepared for high school.

A Message from Our Leadership

At Bellingham Christian School, we’re passionate about Christian education that nurtures students’ faith, character, and academic growth. From preschool through high school, we partner with families to prepare students to serve God and make a meaningful impact in the world.

Our approach to Christian education is built on three distinctives:

Partnership with Parents: We work closely with Christian families, building a shared foundation of faith and biblical values to support each student’s growth.

Practices of Discipleship: We integrate discipleship into academic, social, and spiritual experiences, equipping students to become servant leaders, effective communicators, critical thinkers, collaborative designers, and Kingdom citizens.

Experiential Learning: Through hands-on learning, service projects, and creative exploration, students develop curiosity, deepen their understanding, and discover how to apply their faith in everyday life.

We invite you to experience the BCS community, where faith and education come together to shape hearts and minds for Christ.

In Christ,

Darryn Kleyn

Principal - Sunset Campus

Brian Steele

Principal - Cordata Campus

Alyssa Benham

Director of Discipleship

Our History

Bellingham Christian School has been partnering with families to provide Christ-centered education in Whatcom County since 1959. Founded by 10 Christian families, the school opened with just 24 students and a shared commitment to helping children grow in faith and learning.

Over the decades, BCS has grown and evolved while remaining committed to its founding mission.

1959: Bellingham Christian School is founded by 10 Christian families, opening with 24 students.
1962: Bellingham Christian School is officially incorporated.
1991: Bellingham Christian School and Evergreen Christian School become separate schools.
2018: Evergreen Christian middle school students reunite with Bellingham Christian School.
2019: Evergreen Christian preschool through fifth-grade students reunite with BCS.
2022: Bellingham Christian High School launches with ninth grade.
2023–2025: The high school expands by one grade each year, reaching 12th grade in September 2025.

Today, Bellingham Christian School continues building on this legacy, partnering with families to nurture students’ faith, character, and academic growth from preschool through high school.

Explore More About BCS

Discover more about our faith, our community, and the people who make Bellingham Christian School a special place to learn and grow.

Experience Bellingham Christian School

See firsthand how our Christ-centered approach to education helps students grow in faith, character, and academics. Visit our campuses, meet our community, and discover what makes BCS special.

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