Mission Statement
“Our mission is to change the world of individual students by providing excellent academics, opportunities to serve others and a friendship with God in an emotionally, physically and spiritually safe environment.”
Education Philosophy
Christian education is based on the belief that each student is unique and of infinite worth and places importance on the development of the whole person. Students are educated to accept service as a way of life, to be sensitive to the needs of people in the home and society, and encouraged to participate in the spirit and teachings of Christ. The faculty members are committed to keeping Jesus first in their lives and modeling the Christian lifestyle.
Orcas Christian School provides a safe and enriched environment in which students can thrive and discover the joy of being life-long learners, become active thinkers, develop positive attitudes, and learn to work together as a community. Students are given the opportunity for exploration, discovery and application of concepts in the real world. We embrace the philosophy that all students can learn, and given the proper environment and academic program, teachers and students can strive for academic excellence.
Campus / Facilities
The History of Orcas Christian School
Orcas Christian School was founded in 1999 through the vision of members of the Orcas Adventist church family and the Orcas Community to provide a quality Christian education for the Orcas Island Community. The school began with an elementary building, two teachers, and an opening enrollment of 22 students. The school expanded and added grades 9 and 10 in 2001, with an opening enrollment of 56 students.
In 2002, the school board determined that a need existed for higher grades. An application was filed with the North American Division for full senior High School status and the school boasted an opening enrollment of over 80 students.
As the school expanded offerings, additional buildings were added to the campus including a chapel, senior high school building, full-sized gymnasium, and a junior high building. The buildings are designed for a variety of curriculum delivery systems and learning opportunities. Computers and technology are included in each classroom. In 2010, the high school piloted its iPad program, where 90% of all school work was done using iPads as a tool. For the 2020-2021 school year, OCS made the switch to Microsoft Surface Pros for all high school students and staff.