Renton Christian School

My daughter has attended RCS for four years. At first I was willing to overlook the lack of compassion and diversity, but I have since come to my senses. They claim to teach Christian ways of compassion and forgiveness, but that only seems to apply to the families that provide extra donations. I have been repeatedly "urged" to join a church and find a husband in order to be a "good example" to my daughter. I'm a single mother, working full time and pursuing a Master's degree, but that's not acceptable? Where is the compassion they preach? The education is excellent, but the narrow minded, exclusionary approach of the faculty is damaging my daughters worldview, and I find that unacceptable. My daughter will not return to this school. I urge anyone considering this school to take note of the many reviews which state a lack of diversity and compassion. We can't all be wrong.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is 1 star too much. They dazzle you with their wonderful facilities, however when you do start the school year, you start to notice a strange sense of non-christian values from staff. It is definitely exclusionary and appearance based to be culturally diverse over the years, but there really is no true embracement of cultural diversity at all. It all comes down to money. I would not recommend this school to anyone, but I would say they have a great educational program, just was not a good fit for my family and kids. No kids should have to come home from school each day and be misearble, but mine did. They were not welcomed or embraced in a christian way and our kids have attended only private schools their entire life. We immediately pulled our kids out of the school and enrolled them in another private school where they are now doing much better with a strong educational program that is christian based in values.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have been going to RCS for 2 years and I've been very impressed with the quality of teachers. Incredibly loving, engaged, and the education that my kids are getting is priceless. However, I feel that the admin staff are not as inviting. Not that one needs to feel valued but I don't feel that they practice what they are preaching. Nonetheless, the fees/price you pay to have your kids educated here I believe is worth every penny. It's a loving environment and my children have learned so much about Christ and it's evident that this school has instilled this on many levels --but again, it's because of the wonderful TEACHERS they have that created this culture there not the administrative staff. Afterschool program is fabulous (minus the bookeeping errors) which can be bothersome if your not watching every entry. Bottom line, it's a safe, and wonderful school if you are thinking about going the private route. My kids have really advanced, and have a lot of options/resources/tools that the public schools can no longer support.
—Submitted by a parent

Our family was so discouraged the past 3 years our child was there. It has christian in the name, but by no mean do they practice what they preach. Also many errors in fees that caused delays in receiving our childs report card and test results. Very exclusionary as another has posted. Tryed our best to work with school, but they aren't interested in change, just money. Very sad.
—Submitted by a parent

All I can say is every year my kids come home happy from school and at the end of the year they test 1 to 2 grade levels above their current greade. A good, safe, and happy school with a great education at a fair price.
—Submitted by a parent

I have 2 kids at RCS and have been there for 6 years. The teachers have been excellent. The cirriculum is well-rounded from a Christian perspective. They are improving on computer classes and electives. There are plenty of sports to choose from. The leadership can be frustrating and stubborn and uncreative in problem solving but I am willing to put up with that to have kids in an affordable, Christian, loving environment.
—Submitted by a parent

The parents and staff are very exclusionary.
—Submitted by a parent

After researching several schools, my family chose RCS for our daughter. Our first year has been a wonderful experience and we're pleased with our decision. The academic quality and teachers are excellent. There are a number of extracurricular programs and the tuition is reasonable for private education. The community of parents is what makes this school so special. The inclusive atmosphere makes joining in to help a lot of fun!
—Submitted by a parent

RCS is a hidden gem in Renton. It is nothing fancy about the school when looking from the outside, however, the teachers and the cirriculum are both excellent! Tuition is very reasonable and they have a very flexible (and affordable!) before and after school care, perfect for working parents. Great school overall!
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent school! 10 Stars for sure. We have had 4 children attend. The tuition was well worth the sacrifice. The teachers are a testament to its excellence, as there are many who have been there for years. They teach, because they love the students. Any negative comments submitted by others is a sign of personal problems, not an indicator of staff or academic problems. This is not a perfect school, but it comes close. God bless all of you.
—Submitted by a parent

Two of my three children have attended Renton Christian and I have worked there as a staff member. I have not seen any issues in regard to persons of color being treated differently. My children are black and white. I love the school. They only go to 8th grade now which is a shame. My son is now in 9th grade at another private school, but we will have to send him to public school for 10th grade due to rising costs of private school. Renton Christian used to be reasonably priced, but gets higher and higher every year. I love the teachers and staff. They are loving and caring. I hope to send my youngest there (she's only 2 now). They need to find a way to keep the price down so hard working families can afford it with some sacrifice. You should not have to be rich!
—Submitted by Tina, a parent

I, as a student, love RCS. We have awesome teachers who push us to learn as much as we can and are almost always willing to give extra help if needed. Our curriculum is good, but could use some improvement,. RCS offers many exracurricular activities such as music/band, pe, various sports for grades 6-8, and a summer camp. This school also has a chapel for elementary on thursdays with the kids pastor at the local church, and a chapel for the junior high with live music and various different guest speakers every week. Our school also had 'sos' hours that require parents to do a certain number of hours of service to the school for the year or pay a fee at the end of the week. It is a great way to get parents involved in rcs. I love rcs and look forward to another year this coming fall.
—Submitted by a student

Our two girls attended Renton Christian School. The school overall is very structured; There is strong curriculum, great teacher to child ratio (2 to 12), however the school comes a little short in understanding and celebrating diversity. I was told by my daughters teacher that she would go easy on her because she didn't think she could keep up. My daughter held the honor roll for two years. With some diversity training and development of the staff the school would be better equipped to welcome other cultures.
—Submitted by a parent