Trinity Christian High School to take shape this year

By Jeanne Visser
for Sioux County Index

Sioux County Index/STPNS

April 29, 2008

HULL, Iowa (STPNS) -- In just four months summer vacation will be finished and students will be returning to school.  But a handful of freshman students will blaze a new trail when they report to Hull's newest educational institution, Trinity Christian High School.

Trinity has been created by the Midwest Society for Protestant Reformed Secondary Education and is the culmination of 13 years of work and planning.

The freshman class will meet in a temporary location this year, while the 29,000 square-foot school is being built.  In the fall of 2009, these students, along with another class of freshmen will move into the new facility, at Hayes Avenue northwest of Hull.

Earlier this year, the Board of Trinity Christian High School hired Jim Regnerus, 45, of Doon, to serve as the administrator and also teach.  They are also interviewing for another teacher.

"We stand in awe how God has blessed this endeavor," said Regnerus.  "People have really generous hearts.  It's a staggering amount of money that has been raised by a few small churches."

The Secondary Education Society was formed 13 years ago.  Parents were pleased with the success of the Hull Protestant Reformed Christian School, which teaches children in grades K through 8, and they spent years planning and raising funds for a high school.

"It's always been our desire to have our own high school," explained Alvin Bylsma, who is president of the Board of Trinity High School.  "According to baptismal vows, we take seriously the education of our children.  So the desire for the high school has always been there, we just didn't have the means to do it."

Until recently.

In 2005 the Society adopted three benchmarks.  When $900,000 was raised, they would hire an architect.  When $1.2 million was raised an administrator would be hired and when they reached $1.5 million building would begin.  Last month that target was reached.

They are planning a groundbreaking ceremony sometime during May.

J & J Construction, of Hull, will oversee the building project.

And excitement is building within the Society and the church members supporting the project.

Regnerus and Bylsma are unsure of the enrollment numbers for this fall, but anticipate between 13 and 21 freshmen students.  Looking toward the future, they plan to add one class per year and in four years there is a potential high school enrollment of around 80 students.

The majority of students will come from area communities like Hull, Doon, Sheldon and Rock Valley.  But others may travel greater distances to attend Trinity.

Currently Regnerus teaches grades three through five at the Northwest Iowa Protestant Reformed School in Doon.  A native of South Holland, Ill., he attended Dordt College and graduated from Trinity College.  He and his wife, Brenda, have six children.  One attends Dordt College, two are at Western Christian High School and three are enrolled in the Northwest Iowa Protestant Reformed School in Doon.

"I'm very excited about Trinity High School and my role.  It's something I have a heart for and a wonderful thing to be immersed in," he said.

As the school's administrator, Regnerus sees himself as standing in the place of the parents.  "We're a parental Christian school and for the parents I have been entrusted with creating a learning environment that best meets the needs of every student.  It's a great honor."

Most of the students choosing to attend Trinity would have gone to Western Christian, but Bylsma is quick to point out the strengths of both schools.

"We are very thankful for all the years that Western has served our students and our children," he said.  "But we just want to continue to teach our students the same way they've been taught in grade school.  We're starting this school because of what we're called to do."

"We have a worldview based on God's sovereign grace, which we believe is always particular," said Regnerus.  "That (worldview) will be central in all the education at Trinity.  We are strong proponents of developing the truth of God's covenant grace."

There is still a lot of work to be done before Trinity opens this fall.  Last week they were still searching for a temporary facility.  A curriculum is being developed and State of Iowa education standards are being met. Regnerus has also discussed school curriculum with Boyden-Hull Superintendent Steve Grond

"Our goal in four years is to be accredited by the state and offer all the electives and extra curricular activities that other schools have," said Regnerus.  "I'm very confident in the curriculum we're developing and what we'll be teaching at Trinity