Church ends Valley Christian”s lease

A Spokane Valley private school will close its doors after 30 years in its current location amid allegations that the school’s head administrator covered up alleged physical abuse by a former boys basketball coach.

Elders with Valley Fourth Memorial Church confirmed Friday that they have terminated the lease agreement with Valley Christian School, 2303 S. Bowdish Road. The school building is owned by the church and is adjacent to the church building. The school, which has 380 students in grades K-12, has until Aug. 1 to vacate the premises, church elder Phil Monroe said.

“We just felt that it was in the best interest of the church,” Monroe said.

The school has been mired in controversy since last year, when Steve Altmeyer’s contract was not renewed after allegations that he used sporadic physical and mental abuse to push student athletes to victory.

The school’s head administrator, Wes Evans, is under investigation by the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction because state officials say he failed to report physical abuse of a student by a teacher. Altmeyer’s actions are also under investigation by the state, said Charles Schreck, director of the state Office of Professional Practices.

Although the allegations stem from conduct at a private school, both Evans and Altmeyer are certified educators and are subject to the state’s code of professional conduct, Schreck said. Private schools are also required to report violations to the state superintendent’s office.

Monroe would not comment on the circumstances surrounding the church’s decision to cancel the lease, but he did say that the church’s board of elders had “concerns.”

A group of parents has been pressing to have Evans removed from the school for more than a year. The parents say that the administrator dismissed repeated allegations that Altmeyer’s behavior toward students was abusive.

Altmeyer was once accused of punching a basketball player in the chest. He also allegedly told team members their losses were the result of sin.

Altmeyer has denied any wrongdoing, as has Evans.

The letters of some former students and parents detailing their grievances against Evans, Altmeyer and the school board have been posted on a Web site – www.vcstruth.com – created by parents to help the effort to have Evans removed.

In April, the church’s elder board stepped in, hiring an attorney to conduct a private investigation into the parents’ claims against the school administration.

The parents asked the church to give the school board an ultimatum: Fire Evans or see the lease terminated.

Monroe said church elders told the school two weeks ago they would not renew the lease.

“We really believe in Christian education, and we hope that they find a good alternative site for their school. We want to see them succeed,” Monroe said.

School board Chairman Ed Schlect said the school is looking for a new building.

About 200 parents who gathered for an annual school board meeting Thursday night were told the news about the lease. Parents were also told that the school board voted unanimously to renew Evans’ contract.

Schlect would not comment on the allegations leveled against Evans or the reasons the church decided not to renew the lease. He referred those questions to church elders.

Some elementary students in grades four through six already are attending classes at Valley Assembly of God Church, 15618 E. Broadway Ave., because of space reasons, Schlect said.

The students will remain there until the school finds a new building, he said. Students in the other grades will not have a home unless the school can establish a new location.

“At this point we expect to be able to locate a site,” Schlect said.

Valley Christian School was opened in 1975 as a ministry of Valley Fourth Memorial.

The school has been known for its strong athletic programs, including basketball and track and field.

It became a member of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association in 1985 and since has earned two state track titles. The boys and girls basketball teams have qualified for state championships eight times, placing in the top eight during seven of those trips to the State B tournaments.

For years, the church had a hand in the operations and policies of the school, until 2001, when the two split.

Since the split, the church has had no say in the workings of the school board, Monroe said. The school told the church the split would “better enable fund-raising outside of our church body,” Monroe said.

“It has put us in a different relationship,” he said.

School enrollment has also significantly declined in the past few years. In October, the school reported an enrollment of 393 students, down from 430 the previous year. Four or five years ago the school had 500 students, Schlect said.

“We’ve appreciated the support that we’ve had both from the church and from the local community,” Schlect said. “They were wonderful facilities. We’re sorry to leave.”