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The Bellevue Christian School Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Eric W. Rasmussen as Head of School beginning November 1st, 2021.

Kevin Dunning, current Head of School, will remain in his duties until that time and will continue to support the school and Mr. Rasmussen throughout the 2021-2022 school year. Mr. Rasmussen will officially join the Bellevue Christian School community this summer and will work collaboratively with Mr. Dunning until Mr. Dunning's official retirement on October 31st.

Mr. Rasmussen has spent his entire career passionately supporting and leading Christian education in the Seattle area. He began his career in 1988 at Kings Schools in Shoreline, WA, as a History and PE teacher and held multiple roles at Kings including Basketball Coach, Middle School Principal, and High School Principal. In 2005, he assumed the Head of School role, a position he held until 2020. Under Mr. Rasmussen’s direction, Kings greatly expanded its program opportunities for students to explore their gifts, successfully completed many capital expansions, and grew its endowment to strengthen financial stability. Mr. Rasmussen and his wife, Sheryl, have three daughters: Elizabeth, in her fourth year of Medical School at the University of Washington; Emma, an oncology nurse at the UW Medical Center; and Annie, who will graduate from Kings Schools this year. Eric and Sheryl attend Bethany Community Church in Seattle.

Mr. Rasmussen remarked, “I am so thrilled to be a part of the Bellevue Christian School family and to carry on the mission that the school has provided for over 70 years. Bellevue Christian has such a strong Christian heritage and I’m honored to carry on the stewardship of Kevin Dunning and the BCS faculty, staff and Board of Directors. The school’s history is filled with faithful servants who’ve shaped not just the school’s culture, but Christian education across the world. I can’t wait for the opportunity to connect with the community and to share in the vital work of preparing young people to live faithfully for Christ.“ 

In accord with Mr. Dunning’s planned retirement, the Bellevue Christian School Board of Directors began to develop a succession plan for the Head of School position in late 2020. At the Board’s request a search team was formed made up of faculty, community, and Board members to assess the school’s current needs and to proactively gauge the interest of multiple candidates. Throughout this process, it became clear that Mr. Rasmussen was a uniquely qualified Head of School candidate, that he had great enthusiasm for the mission and vision of Bellevue Christian, and that a phased Head of School transition would greatly benefit the school. Mr. Rasmussen met multiple times with the search team and Board, which came away confident and excited about his fit for the leadership of Bellevue Christian.

Current Board Chair Steve Sirich commented, “Succession is a process that requires prayer, intention, and calling and I am incredibly grateful to the team of individuals that embraced the responsibility to discern and examine the individuals God inspired for consideration. As Kevin’s retirement was becoming a reality the board’s desire was to ensure no gap in leadership and see to a planned hand-off with our current and new heads of school. We are thrilled to see Eric Rasmussen emerge as the next head of school for BCS. The board is tremendously grateful for Kevin’s leadership these last five years especially during the last 15 months with the uncertainty of the pandemic. We look forward to welcoming Eric and celebrating Kevin.”

Incoming Board Chair Roxanne Kidd added, “In God’s perfect timing, He has provided the next servant leader for Bellevue Christian. Mr. Rasmussen brings with him a deep love for Jesus and a passion for Christian education. He is committed to deepening the faith of our community and living out our mission to prepare young people to live faithfully for Christ. It is an honor and a blessing to have the opportunity to serve with Mr. Rasmussen in the coming years. The Board is excited for the future of Bellevue Christian School.”

The overlap and collaboration will ensure a smooth leadership position. Mr. Dunning will remain the Head of School until October 31, 2021. Mr. Rasmussen will work as part of the school’s senior leadership team and will have the opportunity to get to know Bellevue Christian students, faculty, staff, and families throughout the fall. He will also be able to observe and evaluate important topics and develop a vision for Bellevue Christian’s ongoing development. Mr. Dunning has directed the school’s pandemic response and led through one of the most challenging periods in history, with Bellevue Christian emerging as strong as ever and as committed as ever to our mission and the Christian discipleship of young people. The board remains incredibly grateful for Mr. Dunning’s leadership and contribution these last five years and looks forward to celebrating Kevin as his retirement approaches in October.

Reflecting on his time here, Mr. Dunning said, “From the moment I met Eric as a fellow Christian School Head, I appreciated his perspectives and leadership abilities. Over the past few months, I have strongly advocated that he should be considered as the future Head of School. This transition is important to me, as I’m grateful for the partnerships and progress that we’ve made as a school these past several years. I am delighted he felt called to BCS and I know the school will thrive under his leadership.”

The Board would like to acknowledge what a uniquely challenging year this has been. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all individuals and organizations to adapt and change and has impacted everyone at Bellevue Christian and across the globe. We pray for those who have lost family members, who have fallen ill, or who have lost jobs and endured other hardships. We are grateful to Mr. Dunning, the faculty and staff, and all the families who have worked together for the good of our students. We are resolute in our firm commitment to remain a Christian community committed to a pursuit of Biblical understanding and following Christ’s call for our school and for our lives.

Please join the Bellevue Christian Board in an enthusiastic greeting and celebratory prayer for a smooth transition and launch to Mr. Rasmussen’s tenure as Bellevue Christian’s next Head of School.