Heritage Christian School

Heritage Christian School was a private, non-denominational Christian school in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Opened in 1997, the school offered classes from kindergarten through twelfth grade before closing in 2009. The school was part of the Classical Christian education movement and had 222 students in its final year. History Heritage Christian School was started as a school for seventh, eighth, and ninth grades by the Valley Evangelical Christian School Commission in 1997. Plans called for the school to emphasis biblical principles and ethics, and to become a full high school. A kick off for the school was held at the Hillsboro Public Library at Shute Park on September 18, with hopes of classes beginning on September 22. However, classes did not begin until September 7, 1998, when 40 students started at the new school. Classes the first year were held in local churches as four former office buildings were converted to classrooms. These buildings were located at an office complex near Tualatin Valley Highway and River Road in southeast Hillsboro. Heritage expanded by adding a new grade to the school each year. Academics included regular classes, plus courses in Latin, rhetoric, and logic. Enrollment stood at 98 in 1999, and by 2003 the school grew to 140 students. In 1999, the high school was added and the first class graduated in 2002. Republican politician Eileen Qutub, a former Oregon State Senator and member of the Oregon House of Representatives, worked for the school until February 2004 as their director of advancement. Heritage grew to include the sixth grade, and had 141 students in all grades in 2004. In October 2004, the school received a $3.6 million gift that allowed the school to purchase the buildings on their campus. This allowed the school to save about $16,000 per month in rent with an annual budget at that time of $1.25 million. Tuition varied from $4,000 to $7,000 per year that year. Heritage began the process to become accredited that year by the Association of Christian Schools International and the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools. The later accredited the middle school in 2006. That spring kindergarten through fifth grade was added. Also in 2006, the middle school also became accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International.