Johan & Kelly Carl

“We like that we have the freedom to choose

where we send our boys to school. We’re also very thankful that we

are financially able to do that because there are so many other families out there

that don’t have the same opportunities as we do.”

 

“Kelly and I are both teachers here in Waterloo and the parents of three boys. I’ve taught at Waterloo Christian for eight years now as a P.E. teacher and we send our two oldest to Waterloo Christian.”

“I grew up in Denmark, and my parents actually started a private Christian school there. So, I attended that for 10 years. That experience is what really made me look for a similar school in Waterloo, both to teach at and send our kids to.”

“Unlike Johan, I attended public schools throughout my life in Ohio, and felt that was a good fit for me growing up. But for our boys, we decided we wanted something different.”

“When we started talking about where to send our kids to school, we thought values were a big factor. We wanted our kids to be submerged in Christian values, and that’s why a private Christian school was a good choice.”

“We didn’t just choose Waterloo Christian because Johan taught there. As an educator, too, I wanted to do my due diligence. I wanted to sit in the classrooms and ask questions on why this would be the best option.

“We know our oldest son and his personality. He’s energetic and inquisitive, but we also knew that he needed smaller class sizes and that was going to be very important for him, in terms of him being able to learn. He didn’t begin to speak until he was three, so with that sort of speech impediment, we knew an environment with smaller classes would serve and nourish him better.”

“Studies have shown that one of the biggest indicators of success as an adult is a kid’s early childhood experience, from preschool or kindergarten to fifth grade. A major indicator of success for those early grades is also small class sizes. So, when we compared a class size of 15 students at Waterloo Christian to 25 or 30 at the public schools, we felt private school would be a huge benefit for our boys.”

 

Johan & Kelly Carl
Parents
Waterloo, IA

 

“The faith aspect is really important to us. Just the fact that we know that what our kids are being taught is reinforcing what we’re teaching them at home. They have that solid foundation that is also being supported by the school.”

“I think there’s something to be said about being around like-minded peers and how that can contribute to growth. We want our children to be positively impacted by their peers, and we’ve definitely seen that here, with them practicing their faith, praying and learning alongside their friends.”

“Private Christian schools like Waterloo Christian treat the child holistically. It’s not just about their academic development but also their social, emotional and spiritual development that gets addressed. Those are large components of raising a child and it’s very important to us that their schooling touches all of that.”

“We like that we have the freedom to choose where we send our boys to school. We’re also very thankful that we are financially able to do that, because there are so many other families out there that don’t have the same opportunities as we do.”

“For there to be such a barrier to access a private Christian education doesn’t seem right. That a family’s financial position means they can’t make the same choice we made seems inequitable.”