Mid Vermont Christian School (MVCS) is a Christian PK-12 school in Quechee, Vermont[1][2] (despite having a White River Junction postal address).
In 1999 Cassie Horner of The Windsor Chronicle described the school as "intentionally non-denominational".[3]
In 2005 Jessica T. Lee of the Valley News described the school as "tight-knit".[4]
In 2023 MVCS forfeited a basketball tournament when the school refused to play against a team with a trans athlete on the roster. The school was subsequently banned from all State tournaments for violating Vermont’s anti-discrimination policies. MVCS responded by filing a federal lawsuit alleging infringement of religious freedoms.[1]
History
editCirca 1986, a group backed by four families began renting the Woodstock Baptist Church grange hall to hold Christian day school classes.[2]
The school opened in 1987.[5] The initial enrollment was five. In 1991 people supporting the school spent $600,000 to acquire a three-story building in order to house the classes. The building previously included a bar and a restaurant, and the supporters of the school spent $200,000 to transform it into a school building. A gymnasium was added, and the cost to build that was $450,000. In 1993 the student count was 111.[2]
Operations
editIn 1993 class sizes were typically 15.[2]
Curriculum
editIn 1999 the curriculum followed the standards of the State of Vermont and used state and Christian-oriented texts.[3]
As of 1993[update], each week a 45-minute chapel was obligatory per student, and on a daily basis one hour was used to have classes on the Bible.[2]
Student body
editIn 1999 the student body originated from about 30 churches.[3]
Athletics
editIn 2023 the girls' basketball team was assigned to play a team with a player who is a transgender girl. The school's team forfeited the match due to “fairness of the game and the safety of our players.” As a result the Vermont Principals' Association (VPA) forbade the school from competition.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Quechee CDP, VT" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2023-03-15. - Compare to the postal address: "399 West Gilson Ave. White River Junction, VT 05001" - Despite the postal address it is not in the White River Junction CDP.
- ^ a b c d e Ballam, Ed (1993-10-04). "Mid-Vermont Christian School Meets Success". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. pp. A1, A6. - See clipping of first and of second page (detail text 1, detail text 2, and detail text 3) at Newspapers.com. The source states that the school is in Quechee.
- ^ a b c Horner, Cassie (1999-06-17). "Mid Vermont Christian School Sends Third Class Of Graduates Forth Into The World". The Windsor Chronicle. Windsor, Vermont. pp. 1, 6. - Clipping of first and of second page from Newspapers.com.
- ^ Lee, Jessica T. (2005-06-12). "Faith and Strength at Mid Vt". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. pp. B1, B5. - Clipping of first and of second page at Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Home". Mid Vermont Christian School. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
[...]Since 1987
- ^ Gonzalez, Isabel (2023-03-14). "Vermont high school banned from tournaments after refusing to play team with transgender player". CBS Sports. Retrieved 2023-03-15.