Oskaloosa Christian School Welcomes Students Back

Oskaloosa Christian School Principal Robert Stouffer welcomes students and parents to the first day of class.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The sound of chatter, doors closing, and books being stacked filled the halls at Oskaloosa Christian School this week. The school opened its doors to students on Monday, 4 school days later than the public school.

The later start date came from adding 5 additional minutes to the school day. Not only allowing for the later start date, but an earlier finishing day too…if the weather cooperates. By the end of the week, temperatures are expected to soar, and could potentially cause some early-out situations.

On Monday, August 31st, students arrived to the Oskaloosa Christian School with Principal Stouffer standing guard in a roman soldier uniform. Parents walked in and out as Stouffer greeted them all, reassuring those around him about the care and education their students are about to receive.

“Put on the whole armor of God,” said Stouffer. “The shield that extinguishes all the fiery darts of the enemy, the belt of truth and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God, and the breastplate of righteousness.”

For those not familiar with the difference between the public school and a Christian school, Stouffer explained that “Christ is central to everything we do here. Biblical truth is intertwined in everything that’s taught.”

Stouffer says that public schools fulfill an important public service, “but for those families that want us to reinforce Biblical truth, that is the same thing they are learning at home and in church, it’s a beautiful confluence of their whole life basically revolving around Christ and the Bible.”

Stouffer added that the first week of school got off to a great start. “It’s important to start a school year extremely well. New and positive beginnings set a wonderful foundation for an entire school year.”

“The teachers did a remarkable job of being well prepared for the students on August 31st,” said Stouffer, who has been celebrating first days of school since 1963, when he started as a kindergartner at Jefferson Elementary School in Davenport, Iowa. “I LOVE the first day of school, the first week of school, and every day of the school year, EXCEPT the last day of school, because the building becomes a ghost town for 3 months after that day. Schools are lonely places without students. I couldn’t wait until everyone returned on August 31st.”

When it comes to dealing with the ups and downs of being a building principal, Stouffer added, “I got to clean-up some projectile vomiting this week! That’s why I get paid the big bucks. I actually look at it as an HONOR to serve the students in such ways. There are no perfect schools, because we are imperfect people, but we serve a perfect God who is filled with grace and mercy with each new day.”

This will be Dr. Robert Stouffer’s last year as interim principal. He is working with the school to find a permanent person for the job.

To learn more about the Oskaloosa Christian School, you can visit them on their website – http://www.oskaloosachristian.net/