Although it will be celebrating a harvest this weekend, a private school in Charlottetown is still growing strong.
Now in its third year in its current location, the Immanuel Christian School on Allen Street is bustling.
The private school has added a new high school wing this year, while the gymnasium is now booked nearly every evening and weekend.
The school, located at the former Kent Building Supplies facility, is opening its doors to the community for the Harvest Festival this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“We’re hoping it will be a good way to introduce the community to the school,” said
Julie Linzel, chairwoman of the school’s board.
With the school now at the end of a capital campaign, Linzel said the community-building event will give members of the public a chance to see the gymnasium and school while offering a number of kids and family activities like a bouncy castle, bake sale and games.
“We’re now focused on community building,” said Linzel. (We want) people to know we are around the long haul and we’re willing to partner with community groups and help out around the community.”
The school now has about 130 students, including 22 high school students.
Linzel said the school’s gym has also been bustling with activities ranging from basketball and badminton to fitness groups and birthday parties.
“It’s great exposure for us and it’s good for us to open up to the community,” she said.
The first harvest festival was held last year to connect with the community while also raising funds to complete construction on the gymnasium.
“Because this time last year it was still just a concrete floor,” said MacDonald. “Then we got such a positive response from the neighbourhood and other people in the community we thought we should do this as an annual event.
“We want to have connections in the community.”
MacDonald, who taught at Colonel Gray High School for more than 20 years, said the school takes a different learning approach that focuses more on group work and collaboration than lectures.
“It’s an experiment to try a really different kind of learning model,” said MacDonald. “It seems to work quite well; the kids are engaged, interested and excited to come to school every day. It’s really great to work with them.”
