Our History

The John Calvin School was built in 1964 by the members of the Canadian Reformed Church and School Society of Smithville. It began as a two-story building with four classrooms on the upper floor for the school and meeting rooms, a nursery, and a place to hold the dutch worship services in the basement for the Smithville church.

Steady growth necessitated and addition of another four classrooms. As of 1970 John Calvin School was serving two congregations: Smithville and her newly instituted daughter congregation in Lincoln. Continued growth in the Niagara Peninsula resulted in the institution of two more daughter congregations. Attercliffe separated from Smithville in 1985; Rockway from Lincoln in 1990. John Calvin became a regional school serving four congregations. The facilities again became too small and, over time, three portables were added to accommodate the increase in enrolment. During these years, the school also obtained full use of the basement when the annex built on to the Smithville church building was completed. This change made it possible to add a full-size library, a special education room, and an additional classroom.

Growth reached it's peak in the 1994-95 year. John Calvin School was operating 14 classrooms and a full-time education program for 335 students taught by a staff of 15 full-time and 3 part-time teachers. During the course of this school year, the Attercliffe congregation began it's own school society and built and eight-classroom school. The split became a reality in September, 1995 when the school in Attercliffe began to operate with approximately 125 students spread over five classrooms.

The John Calvin School began the 1998-99 school year with 10 classrooms in operation. Steady growth is projected based on the recorded number of baptisms in the three remaining congregations. Plans for Expansion 2000 are underway to prepare for the expected growth.