Every fall, our elementary students obtain pledges from friends and family for this fun event. Students are sponsored either per lap or for a flat sum and our students run with all of their heart, on an age-appropriate track. It’s a great day for everyone. If you would like to volunteer on race day, please contact the school office. Plan now to pledge to support the children's efforts at Race for Education.

Gifts of appreciated assets such as stock or mutual fund shares, vehicles and real estate are encouraged. These gifts may provide significant tax benefits to the donor as recommended by your professional financial advisor.

These are special types of gifts worthy of consideration. The following giving venues may provide significant tax and/or income benefits to the giver as well as bless our school. Retirement funds (IRA’s) Life insurance Bequests (via last will and testament) Charitable Lead Trusts Charitable Remainder Unitrusts and Annuity Trusts Charitable Gift Annuities Donor Designated Funds Revocable trusts The type of instrument best suited to the donor will depend on the needs and goals of the donor. Please consult your professional financial advisor.

Did you know that your employer may match your donations or even your volunteer hours with monetary gifts? Many corporations have these types of programs as a way to encourage service by their employees and to give back to the local community. Ask your employer, you could double your gift!

Support our annual April Golf Ball Drop through sponsorship, and through purchasing Golf Ball Drop Tickets.

Every year the school is blessed with gifts of items useful to the school. These are either utilized in the everyday operations of the school, in the classrooms, or in the facility. After receipt of the items, you will receive a heartfelt thank you and a written acknowledgment of your gift for tax purposes.

Middle school homeschool students may enroll in core academic courses at Decatur Christian School including Bible, English, Math, History, Science, PE. Electives courses are also available like computer coding, computer keyboarding, art, drama, Arduino (micro-processor programming and electronics projects). Schedules for classes are determined by grade level and personal placement with courses meeting 5 days per week (subject to normal school calendar). Homeschool students must attend that class during the regularly scheduled time(s) for the course or courses desired. Enrollment fees and tuition fees apply.

High school homeschool students may enroll in core academic courses at Decatur Christian School including Bible, English, Math, History, Science, PE. Electives courses are also available like computer coding, 3-D CAD (Computer Aided Design), 3-D printing, art, drama, robotics (First Tech Challenge), JAVA programming, Entrepreneurship (business) class with hands on coffee shop (Blü Brew), etc. Homeschool students must attend class during the regularly scheduled time(s) for the course or courses desired. If the student desires to graduate with a DCS diploma, the student must be enrolled in 5 or more classes at DCS for the entire 12th grade year. If the student wants to only enroll so they can play on our sports team(s), IHSA (Illinois High School Association) rules require the student to be enrolled in at least 1 class. Schedules for classes are determined by grade level as well as personal placement, with courses meeting daily (subject to normal school calendar). Enrollment fees and tuition fees apply. If in sports, athletic and team fees apply.

Middle school homeschool students are welcome to join our after school extracurricular activities. We offer cheer, volleyball, basketball, and Lego League. No enrollment is necessary, but athletic fees and team fees apply.

Fine arts offerings and other options for personal growth for elementary students include music, art, PE, etc. The specific schedule for class is determined by grade level with courses meeting 1 time per week. Tuition fees apply.

High school homeschool students are welcome to join our after school extracurricular teams. We offer cheer, volleyball, basketball, and First Tech Challenge robotics. If the student wants to enroll so they can play on our sports team(s), IHSA (Illinois High School Association) rules require the student to be enrolled at the member high school; this includes taking and passing at least one course at the member school each semester. If the student desires to graduate with a DCS diploma, he or she must be enrolled in at least 5 classes at DCS for the entire 12th grade year. Enrollment fees, tuition fees, athletic and team fees apply.

Extracurricular activities for elementary grades (K-5th) include mini-cheer, volleyball, etc. We also offer Lego League for students in 4th through 8th grades. Enrollment as a DCS student is not necessary for these activities. Please note that athletic and team fees apply.

Decatur Christian School graduates attend a variety of high educational institutions including Richland Community College, Millikin University, Greenville University, University of Illinois, Taylor University, Olivet Nazarene University, Rhema School of Ministry, and many other colleges and universities. Our graduates have careers including business owners, medical professionals, entrepreneurs, teachers, and missionaries.

DCS has a balanced approach to homework and set reasonable academic expectations, promoting a healthy work-life balance for students. Wednesday evenings are protected from homework assignments by design to allow for students to participate in their local church midweek youth or children's ministries.

Decatur Christian School employs quality teachers and staff who are committed to both academic excellence and nurturing students' spiritual growth. Many of our teachers have taught here for more than two decades which provides good stability for our school.

Decatur Christian School offers a well-rounded curriculum that combines strong academics with a biblical worldview, emphasizing character development and spiritual growth. Students learn to read in Kindergarten and First Grade using a phonics based reading program. Our curriculum publishers include Bob Jones University Press, Abeka, Summit Ministries, Glencoe/McGraw Hill and other publishing companies.

Decatur Christian School offers a variety of extracurricular activities, including sports teams, music, theatre, robotics clubs for 4th-8th grades (LEGO League) and for 8th-12th grades (FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics), and community service opportunities.

Decatur Christian School is recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education, and is affiliated with the Association of Christian Schools International. In both the recognition and affiliation, we ensure quality standards in academics and school operations.

Christian values and teachings are woven into all aspects of school life, including classroom instruction, character education, prayer, chapel services, and extracurricular activities.

Tuition costs vary based on grade level. First year families qualify for a scholarship up to $650 per new student in that family in grades K-12. Additional discounts apply to multi-child families.

DCS strives to provide students with diverse learning needs with the robust support and accommodations they need in order to be successful. Through a collaborative approach with parents, professionals, DCS works under a liaison to review current educational documentation to determine an accommodation plan that addresses the needs of the individual student. After reviewing any IEP or 504 plans, DCS clearly communicates if they are able to serve the needs of that child. DCS reserves the right to not accept students whose needs exceed existing resources.

Our desire is that all people of all ages come to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and to serve Him in every aspect of life. While not a requirement for admission, it should be understood that the entire fabric of Decatur Christian School is woven together upon the conviction that trusting Jesus Christ for salvation is fundamental and will be encouraged in all areas of the school by every faculty and staff member. Decatur Christian School requires that students and families support and respect the school's Christian mission and values as found in the Parent/Student handbook. The following information comes from our philosophy of Christian Education at Decatur Christian School. Decatur Christian School is a caring community of parents, faculty, staff, and students dedicated to living lives that are pleasing to Jesus Christ. We exist to serve the Lord by providing quality Christian education to the youth of Decatur and the surrounding area. We believe that there is one God eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; that Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross, provided for the redemption of sin through His resurrection and life; and that Jesus Christ is the Lord of every Christian believer. We believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God with God as the Creator and Author of all life. We believe that the Bible, God's Holy Word, serves as an infallible reference for Christian living and must be incorporated into the curricula as well as into the learning experiences in which our students participate. We believe that the education of children is a process that occurs continuously within the home, the school, and the church. Our goal is to help children to become "kingdom of God" seekers and to realized the admonition of Romans 8:29, "that we should be conformed to the image of Christ." To accomplish this goal, we provide academic preparation and intellectual stimulation and promote personal initiative in the learning process. We believe it is our God-given mission to encourage and help each child who passes through the halls of DCS to develop the spiritual, academic, physical, and social gifts and talents God has given him or her. It is our goal to help each young person to develop a reverence for God and loyalty to American principles of democracy. Our desire to help young people develop sound morals, spiritual values, ethics, and attitudes that are necessary to having and maintaining a successful, meaningful, and growing Christian life. We believe that a sound, well-rounded education should be available to each child regardless of sex, creed, or race.

DCS admission requirements and enrollment process involved completing an application, providing relevant documents, an interview and possible assessment for academic placement.

Decatur Christian prioritizes the safety and well-being of students, implementing various safety measures, protocols, and emergency preparedness plans. Our emergency plans are also shared with our local law enforcement and fire departments.

DCS Statements on Current Social Issues: Critical Race Theory Decatur Christian School is committed to the truth of Holy Scripture. We look at the issues of race and racism through the lens of a Christian worldview. Therefore, we view Critical Race Theory (CRT) as an inadequate social theory with a fundamentally flawed foundation, diagnosis, and prescription for the human condition. CRT is a post-Civil Rights social philosophy, legal theory, and strategy for addressing racism and our changing society. Its underlying framework –– critical theory –– was formed as an attempt to understand human brokenness and oppression to point a way toward liberation. It was formulated upon a neo-Marxist philosophy and worldview was developed by the Frankfurt School in Germany in the 1930s. A Christian worldview significantly differs from the popular, secular CRT narrative. Because of these distinct differences, DCS rejects and does not promote CRT or critical theory. We believe it is based on the fundamentally flaws ideas of neo-Maxist thought, and that it actually leads to more racial division and not less. While we do not shy away from teaching about the shameful aspects of American history or inhibit discussions about race or racism in the classroom or on campus, and while we promote the freedom to discuss any theory, idea, or worldview, we think there is a better way to understand race, define racism, and promote racial justice. We believe that way is through the gospel of Jesus Christ and a kingdom-based theology of righteousness and justice, built upon the truth of the Bible. Gender Identity and Sexuality "Gender" is your biological sex as God originally created you. DCS believes that all people must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. It will always be our intent as a school to reflect these qualities. Any behavior or attitudes not displaying these qualities should be corrected, as they are not in accord with scripture or the Spirit of Christ. (John 13:35) We believe that God wonderfully and immutably created each person distinctly male and female (Gen. 1:26-31, 2:18-25, 5:1, 2). These two distinct and divinely representative genders together reflect the image and nature of God. We believe that the fullest, most rewarding experience of life includes the acceptance of a person's God-given biological gender. The rejection of one's biological gender diminishes the reflection of the image of God within a person. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. Any form of sexual intimacy outside of such marriage is hurtful to God's heart, and harmful to the spiritual health of those involved. (1 Cor. 6:15-7:6; Eph. 5:3-7). Such activities include, but is not limited to adultery, fornication, homosexual conduct, and pornography. We believe that God offers redemption, transformation, and restoration to all who seek Him through Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 6:11)

DCS has guidelines and policies regarding technology use and screen time, promoting balanced and responsible usage while integrating it into education. We have internet browsing filter software to protect students while online. Cell phones are to be store in the student's locker and powered off during the entire school day unless specifically directed otherwise for a short time under the direction of a supervising teacher.

Decatur Christian School provides a nurturing environment that integrates faith-based values, academic excellence, and character development.

Decatur Christian School has a balanced approach to discipline that focuses on teaching responsibility, accountability, and grace while promoting a positive and respectful learning environment. Often, resolving the issue of discipline will involve relationship repair and prayer with administrators and teachers to help realign behavior and expectations. DCS has a zero tolerance policy on bullying.

Decatur Christian School offers smaller, more individualized class sizes, personalized attention, a Biblical Christian values-based curriculum, and a supportive community.

DCS encourages parental involvement and provides opportunities for parents to participate in school activities, volunteer, and engage in their child's education.