Hammond Riverside Christian, a new K-5 private school, forged by an alliance between three Lake County Christian schools, is hosting a school tour for parents and prospective students at 10 a.m. Saturday. A second tour is set for 10 a.m. on April 25.
Through a partnership called “For Generations to Come,” Illiana Christian High School, Crown Point Christian School and Highland Christian School, purchased the former A.L. Spohn Middle School, located 4925 Sohl Ave., from City Baptist School last year.
The new group paid about $4.3 million for the school, according to its website.
“We are now looking to get the word out,” said Sharai Colar, administrator of admissions at Riverside.
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Colar said the school is in the process of joining the Indiana CHOICE voucher program to defray tuition costs for new students.
The School City of Hammond closed Spohn in 2002 and later sold it for about $2 million in 2003 to City Baptist Schools, operated by the Hammond First Baptist Church.
City Baptist School moved to 749 State St. last year and put its old school up for sale.
Meanwhile, the three partner schools had to turn away students and establish wait lists. A new school provided an answer, Colar said.
“They were doing great with enrollment, so good they had to turn away many Christian families,” she said. “Highland Christian sometimes has over 100 families on a waiting list.”
Mayor Thomas M. McDermott Jr. announced the sale last year, saying the new school would open with about 126 students and eventually serve about 1,040 in pre-K-12.
“This investment in Hammond shows the strong confidence our regional partners have in the future of our city and its families,” said McDermott Jr.
“We welcome Hammond Riverside Christian School as another option for parents seeking a faith-based education, while reaffirming our continued support for all of the school options in Hammond.”
In a statement, leaders from For Generations to Come said, “By working together, our three schools are able to create something new and lasting for Hammond families. Hammond Riverside Christian School will provide a Christ-centered education designed to serve students for generations to come, and we are thrilled to be part of Hammond’s future.”
Since buying the school, volunteers and construction crews have been working to clean up the grounds and renovate the inside.
Colar said For Generations to Come has raised about $7.2 million to launch the school. It hired an interim school head, Troy Stahl, and a facilities manager. Teachers are still being hired, and Colar added that the school has been accredited by Christian Schools International.
Colar said she thinks students will also participate in state exams, including IREAD and ILEARN.
The new school will be governed by a board of trustees.
During the upcoming tours, Colar said parents will learn about the school’s vision and mission. She said because some of the spaces are under construction, the tour would be limited.
Colar said there will be renderings of the completed building available during the tours.
There’s also a workday for volunteers on April 18.
For more information, see the school’s website, hammondriverside.org.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.