Who We Are - School History

In 1953, several Christian families from the Clarkson Christian Reformed Church came together to form a Christian elementary school that emphasized the Word of God and its application in their children's lives. The primary mission of the school was, and still is, to equip children for service in God's Kingdom through a Christ-centered education, taught by qualified and dedicated Christian staff.

John Knox Christian School opened for operation in September 1959, with Mr. Van Dijk as principal. Two classrooms were set up in the basement of the Clarkson Christian Reformed Church with 44 students in eight grades. In 1961, a three-classroom building at 1884 Lakeshore Road West in Clarkson was opened. An additional two-classroom addition was ready by September 1963.

The school continued to grow and in 1981, another classroom, a staff room and a gymnasium were opened. In 1983, a senior kindergarten program was implemented in the basement of the Clarkson Christian Reformed Church. Junior kindergarten followed in 1984. Further expansion in 1988 necessitated the placement of two portable classrooms on the playground.

In 1992, a Building Planning Committee began to search for a location to accommodate continuing growth. In 1994 a new property was purchased and in 1995 construction began. The school doors opened at 2232 Sheridan Garden Drive, Oakville in September of 1995 with 259 students and 16 staff.

The student body continued to grow in numbers so that during the summer of 1996 the portables from the old school in Mississauga were transported to the new location and refurbished to accommodate an enrollment of 305 and 18 staff members in September 1996.

In the summer of 1999, the new facility was expanded to include an additional computer lab, an art room, a music room and additional classrooms. The portable classrooms were also removed at this time. Our current school has a capacity for 395 students from junior kindergarten to grade 8. John Knox continues to be a parent run school offering affordable Christian education.

We thank God for His faithful provision of students who are interested in learning. We thank Him for the staff and the parents/guardians who have dedicated themselves to Christian education at John Knox Christian School. We praise God for His faithfulness and pray that together we will continue to honour God in our education endeavours.