FAQs
Choosing the correct school for your child is a difficult decision, and we want to ensure that families have access to the information and answers they need to make the best choice.
Q. How long has Redeemer been in existence?
Redeemer Christian High School has served the Christian community in Eastern Ontario for more than 40 years. In 1974, a small community of educators and parents committed to the principles of faith-based education formed the Community for Christian Learning, which then began operating Redeemer Christian High School. The school opened in 1975-1976.
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For the first twenty years, we rented facilities at various Ottawa locations until we moved into our present building on Colonnade Road in 1997. In 2013, we added dedicated science rooms, built a music and drama studio, and expanded our gymnasium and cafeteria.
Q. Who controls this school?
Redeemer is a society-controlled school. Our society is open to parents, educators, and community members interested in promoting and maintaining the distinctive Christian character of Redeemer. We are governed by a Board of Directors elected from within the society membership. The Board sets policy and supervises our administrative team. Led by our principal, the administrative team looks after the daily activities of the school.
Q. How many students attend RCHS?
Redeemer has grown to approximately 200 students, encompassing grades 9 through 12.
Q. Why should we send our children to Redeemer when public schools are free?
We believe our school does an excellent job of helping Christian parents raise their children with a clear Biblical perspective. We want children to lean into life knowing that God has a claim on their lives. We help parents and the various churches equip students with a Christ-like sense of purpose and mission.
Q. How much does it cost to send our children to your school?
Tuition is based on family income and $500 for each additional child per family. Tuition fees are determined in the spring and are listed on the application form. Extensive financial support is provided to lower income families through a sliding scale tuition formula.
Q. Is Redeemer a charitable organization?
Yes, Redeemer is a nonprofit charitable organization.
Q. How does the school’s status as a charitable organization make a difference to our tuition?
Because Redeemer is a registered charity, a portion of what parents pay comes back as a charitable donation. The other portion is known as the Cost Per Student, which is not eligible for a tax receipt.
The difference between the amount paid and the Cost Per Student portion is the amount that can be claimed on your tax return as a charitable donation.
Q. How is faith integrated into your program?
We strive to teach all of our subjects from a Biblical perspective. Some subjects allow for more of that than others, but teachers make a continuous effort to make connections between concepts and Biblical applications in all subjects.
Students begin every day with devotions in their homeroom class and the school community meets together for chapel every Wednesday morning.
Q. Are RCHS Students required to wear a uniform?
Redeemer’s dress code policy requires students to wear school issued clothing. Our uniforms allow for flexibility within limits. Students have options to wear a variety of tops and bottoms, including hoodies, athletic pants, polo shirts (short & long sleeve), v-neck pullovers, navy or khaki pants and shorts, and skirts.
Uniforms have had a positive impact on our school culture. Teenagers here don’t have to concern themselves with the latest fad, our dress code policy isn’t up for interpretation, and parents save money.
Sportswear
When students participate on a sports team, they wear authorized athletic uniforms. For intramural sports and physical education class, the school has a logo t-shirt for students to wear (all new students receive a free athletic t-shirt at Registration Day). Students may either purchase athletic shorts from the school or bring in their own in either navy or black.
Try it on before you order
We strongly encourage new students to come in for a fitting, with a parent and/or someone in the office. They can try on sample pieces in different sizes to get the best fit possible and to ensure dress code is met (i.e. length of kilts or tightness of shirts or pants).
New students who register during the registration period are invited to sign-up for a time to try on uniform items on two different dates in mid-May.
Students who register during the summer can be fitted on Registration Day in late August or contact our school office to arrange for a fitting.
If you have any questions, please contact our secretary.
Q. Does RCHS offer cafeteria meals?
Redeemer Christian High School is pleased to offer meals for our students five days a week, and provide a healthy selection of snacks and drinks as well. Different meal combinations are available during a two week period, alternating between Week 1 and Week 2. We serve food only during Redeemer’s designated lunch period.
Anyone wanting to pre-pay for a semester meal plan can complete the online order form. The cost is automatically deducted from the student account. Students may also choose to pay cash for their lunches and snacks; however it is more cost effective to pre-order lunches.
All students have access to microwaves, toaster and kettles in our cafeteria so they can heat up a lunch, toast a bagel or bread, or boil water to make instant soup.
Q. Does RCHS offer transportation for their students?
Transportation to Redeemer Christian High School is the responsibility of our parents/guardians. Many students use city transit or families join together to carpool.
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School Busses
Redeemer has a contract, on behalf of the parents, with a bus company to provide service to families south of Ottawa. There are two routes available.
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Rural route bus – starts at Harmony Community Church and proceeds north to Metcalfe, then west to Redeemer.
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Stittsville/Kanata bus – starts in Stittsville, heads west, then south to Barrhaven and then north to Redeemer.
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Fees for the use of these buses are on a per family basis and schedules for routes are available through the school office. Each regular bus user can invite a guest to his or home and have the guest ride the bus free for up to two days per semester. Occasional bus users (less than once/week) may purchase tickets from the school office.
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Although transportation to and from school can be an obstacle for some families, please speak to us about options that may be available for your location.
Q. Does RCHS offer French immersion?
Redeemer does not have French immersion. We offer a core French program, and supplement it with additional courses in French. Students have the option of taking grade 9 Geography or grade 10 History in French.
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Students with little or no previous French language experience, can take our Open French course. This is an introductory course where students will begin to understand and speak French in guided and structured interactive settings and situations that are relevant to their daily lives.
Q. How will my child integrate with other students if they didn’t come from a feeder school?
Redeemer welcomes students from our traditional feeder schools, public and Catholic schools, as well as students who have been schooled at home and abroad. Most students come from Ottawa and the surrounding communities. We have families from Renfrew to Orleans, Gatineau to Morrisburg sending their children. Many of these students do not know each other before they come here.
To help grade nine students get to know one another, they have two days of fun Orientation activities early in September. Students learn that their individual actions and reactions can either build up or tear down a community. Our aim is to help them establish a loving and truthful community where they care for each other.
Since we are a small school, it’s easy to make students quickly feel welcomed in the senior grades.
Q. How can I support Redeemer Christian High School?
Our school relies on the financial support of the broader Christian community. While the biggest portion of our annual budget comes directly from tuition paid by parents, every dollar received from members and supporters helps offset the cost of tuition, making a Christian high school education more affordable for families.
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Join us as we fulfill our mission to provide a community of learning that challenges students to develop disciplined hearts, minds, and bodies according to the full measure of Jesus Christ.
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Donate today in one of three ways:
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Contact our business manager at 613-723-9262 or send an e-transfer to businessmanager@rchs.on.ca.
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Mail or bring a cheque to the school (82 Colonnade Road, N., Ottawa, ON, K2E 7L2)
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Make a secure online payment through Canada Helps on our Donation page.
(Please note: When you donate online, 3.5 percent of the contribution goes to CanadaHelps to pay for their administrative costs.)
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Redeemer is a non-profit registered charitable organization. We can issue donation tax receipts which means that every dollar you donate to the school is tax deductible.