Development of new Covenant School on horizon

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - For more than 20 years, Covenant School in Cabell County has served as a private, Christian-based school educating students K-12.

Currently, they share space at Christ Temple Church in Huntington, but through the years, students and staff have moved a number of times to keep up with growing enrollment.

This means, they’ve never had a place to settle down and call home.

“Five years ago, we had 160 students and this year we have about 260,” Craig Hefner, Head of School, said. “We’re hoping that getting space of our own will allow us to get more classroom space and get access for some kids who right now are on waitlists for us, and really there’s no hope of getting them in anytime soon unless we get space and open up some more classrooms.

Eventually, students will be moving into a brand new Covenant School -- a place they’ll be able to call home for future generations to come.

“To have a home for a school is a really big deal,” Hefner said.

One hundred thirty-five acres of land has been purchased in Cabell County for a new Covenant School to be built from the ground up.

The property is owned by former Marshall University football coach William “Red” Dawson.

“We share with them a heart for Huntington, for wanting to see this place flourish and do well and to have a good school and Christian school in the area like ours. So, we realized we share a lot of commitments and goals for the area and from there it all worked out,” Hefner said.

New beginnings that students like Carter Miller and Arabella Kitchen are excited to see come to fruition.

“It feels like we’re standing strong in our own roots instead of having to branch off from the church,” Carter Miller said.

“I think there’s really something special about a certain place that you always come to and that is always normal to you and that you have familiar people, familiar faces,” said Arabella Kitchen, a junior at Covenant School. “So, about having a home base that doesn’t move and that is known for what Covenant is known for, like virtue and loving children and having people grow up and to who they are called to be by God. I think that’s really important of the position that they’re placed in, so on that hill. Children go there every day and learn what the Lord has placed into their lives.”

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