Southwest Christian High School

quick facts about southwest

Statistics - 2009-2010

Grades: 9-12
Enrollment: 161
Alumni: 369
Feeder elementary schools: 30
Administration & staff: 6 full-time, 2 part-time
Faculty: 15 full-time, 2 part-time
Classroom building: 44,000 sq. ft.
Classrooms: 18
Sports teams: 12
Courses offered: 65
AP courses: Calculus, English 11, English 12, US History, US Government and Politics
Christmas concert: >900 people in attendance
Tuition: $7,195 plus $860 in fees
Annual budget: $1.6 million
SAT composite score: 1169 --20% above the national average
Stanford test average: 20% above the national average
ACT average score: 25.2 (state average is 22.7)
National Merit Scholars: 6 commended, 3 semi-finalists, 4 National Merit Scholars
College placement: Students placed in many outstanding Christian and secular colleges.

History

1996 SWCHS was founded with 36 students and deep faith in God. The school rented space in a Minnetonka school with two full-time and five part-time teachers. Mr. John Newton was the founding administrator.
1997 Enrollment grew to 51 and staff nearly doubled.
1998 Enrollment of 87 students in grades nine through twelve. First graduating class with seven students.
1999 Moved to rented space in an Eden Prairie church. The school grew to 124 students and 25 teachers.
2000 God led SWCHS to the former Nordic Track headquarters in Chaska with a student body of 156.
2002 Enrollment grew to 184 with a teaching staff of 33. The conditional use permit was extended to 2010. God led a donor to give the entire multi-million dollar complex of two buildings and 11 acres to the school.
2004 God brought Dr. Joseph Tewinkel to be the interim administrator. Dr. Tewinkel is a former professor, former acting president of Crown College, and a retired pastor.
2005 Dr. Paul Norby is called as the new Head of School.
2006 Enrollment at SW is at all-time high of 196.
2008 SWCHS locates a potential new property in Chaska and receives preliminary approval by the City of Chaska to build at the intersection of 212 and Bavaria Rd.
2008 Dan Beckering becomes Principal of SWCHS.

Governance

The school is governed by a school board consisting of 12 representatives elected by members of the corporation.

The school’s extensive discipleship program involves all staff members and students with a goal to develop Christ-centered scholars, stewards, and servants.
The school is committed to an integrated Biblical worldview in every discipline. Students are inspired to recognize and worship God not only in chapel, but also in physics class, English, sports, choir, and art.
Teachers work together to integrate the vision into a curriculum with high academic standards. For example, seniors write a comprehensive 15-20 page paper comparing the worldview of a famous non-Christian thought-leader to a Biblical worldview.
The senior class participates in an annual week-long mission trip to the Dominican Republic.

Community

Current SW students are from 31 towns and metro suburbs: