Bensalem Christian Day School hosted 50th anniversary celebration for students, families and alumni
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
In 1968, a kindergarten program was virtually nonexistent in Bensalem Township. But thanks to the vision of one dedicated local school teacher, that all changed. On Monday, Sept. 9 of that year, Bensalem Christian Day School officially opened its doors, welcoming 50 students to its nursery and kindergarten classes. Now boasting an enrollment of 107 students and staff of 11, the institution has significantly grown over the past five decades to become a community staple for education.
To commemorate its major milestone, the school hosted a 50th anniversary celebration in the next door sanctuary of Bensalem United Methodist Church on the evening of Thursday, March 1. Despite the stormy weather outside, the space was packed with current students and their families, staff members, elected officials, and alumni ready to pay tribute to their alma mater.
The festivities began with a hearty welcome by the church’s pastor, Bob Amundsen, who then introduced the school’s director of 17 years, Lisa Woods. As she stepped up to the microphone and addressed the crowd, her sense of pride could be felt even from last pew in the sanctuary.
“The school for so many years was just a dream,” she said.
Woods went on to explain to the audience the rich history behind the formation of Bensalem Christian Day School. What would eventually become a flourishing program in the township started as the brainchild of Charlotte Herman, a school teacher in the area, who shared a vision with Audrey M. Hastings and her husband, the Rev. J. Val Hastings, who was the newly appointed pastor of Bensalem United Methodist Church.
The three combined their talents and expertise to establish overall objectives and develop the curriculum and organizational structure upon which the school was founded. Though the importance of preschool education was just emerging at the time, the township saw promise in the trio, whose school soon received final approval by the Commission on Education of the church.
Under the direction of Hastings, Bensalem Christian Day School began offering two programs — a nursery class for 4-year-olds taught by Herman and a kindergarten class for 5-year-olds taught by Hastings. As the waiting list grew, instructor Linda Porter was hired to teach an additional kindergarten class.
That first year, the total enrollment was 50 students. Now, the school teaches 107 children ages 2 through 5 years old through three offered programs — Tot Time for older toddlers, early learners for 3 year olds and pre-kindergarten for 4 and 5 year olds.
According to Woods, Bensalem Christian Day School’s success wouldn’t be possible without a dedicated staff of teachers, many of whom have been employed for more than a decade. Several were in attendance at the celebration, seated at the front of the sanctuary donning matching red T-shirts. Woods asked each to stand as she announced how long they’ve been with the school, with Charlotte Hoelper and Anne Mastil holding the longest tenure at 25 and 24 years, respectively.
After the acknowledgment of her staff, Woods welcomed a number of local officials, including state Rep. Gene DiGirolamo and township council members Jesse Sloane, Ed Tokmajian, Joseph Knowles and Edward Kisselback.
Both DiGirolamo and Knowles proudly stated how their own children are day school alumni.
“We spent many, many happy years at Bensalem Christian Day School,” DiGirolamo said.
“A lot of great kids went through this program,” Knowles added.
The latter then touched on the horrors that have been taking place in schools across the country, especially gun violence and the ever-growing opioid epidemic. Knowles’ belief is that a solid educational foundation beginning at a young age would help combat these issues.
“You’re the answer to the problems that we have,” he said.
DiGirolamo and the council members awarded Woods, who accepted on behalf of the school, two citations — one from the PA House of Representatives and one from state Sen. Tommy Tomlinson.
To tangibly mark the school’s milestone, Woods placed a handful of items into a time capsule, a tradition that began 20 years ago in honor of its 30th anniversary. Included were newsletters that detailed various events and accomplishments of the 2017–18 school year, as well as pictures of the students enjoying an Eagles pep rally prior to the team’s Super Bowl win.
The ceremony concluded with a performance by members of the day school choir, who performed renditions of “Jesus Loves the Little Children,” “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” and the catchy anthem “Day School Spirit.”
Afterward, attendees were invited to take a tour of the school, view student artwork displays, attend a book fair and enjoy a sweet spread of cakes and cookies while listening to kid-friendly music from entertainer George Dworsky, who sported the Cat in the Hat’s iconic red and white striped top hat.
Though no one can know what the next 50 years have in store for Bensalem Christian Day School, one thing will never change — the mission that Herman and Hastings outlined so long ago. From the start, all classes have emphasized the development of the “whole” child, providing activities to meet the student’s physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual needs. For Woods and the rest of the staff, working to uphold this vision will continue to remain a priority.
Visit bensalemchristiandayschool.org for more information on its programs. ••
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
