For the first time in 56 years, RJC will once again have Grade 9 students living on campus, studying in its classrooms and most importantly participating in all facets of campus life.
“Our team here at RJC are really excited to have the chance to spend more time with more students for more years,” said RJC principal David Epp.
Grade 9 registration for the for the 2025-2026 school year opened in the fall of 2024 and nearly 20 students are currently enrolled.
The move to expand programming came after RJC staff heard from families who were considering RJC for their children but were looking for Grade 9 education, said Epp.
“There were historic reasons why RJC offered Grades 10 to 12 and they made sense in their context. What we’re finding is that what people increasingly anticipate when they think about high school in Saskatchewan is Grades 9 through 12.”
Otto Driedger (’48) attended RJC as a Grade 9 student in 1944-45. At that time the school was named the German-English Academy and Driedger was part of a small class of students. Originally from Osler and now living in Regina, Driedger, 93, is glad to see Grade 9 returning to the school. He sees it as a continuation of RJC responding to the needs of its community.
“My father went to RJC in about 1908. His parents were from the old colony church and at that time RJC had a Grade 9 program for students that moved away from the old system to the new system,” he said.
“My feeling is that RJC has always responded to what is needed in the community,” he added.
The Grade 9 GROW program will focus on helping students develop their confidence, abilities, curiosity, relationships and faith. Along with following provincial curriculum, students will have full access to RJC’s, athletics, arts, faith and community activities.
“We want to work with Grade 9 students in the context of a supportive, safe, encouraging community and to explore their gifts in a holistic sense,” said Epp. “Grade 9 is still an age where we’re finding things out about ourselves,” said Epp.
Epp also stressed the importance of Grade 9s having opportunities to be leaders.
“Something I’ve learned from working with RJC’s grade 10 program is that you need some chances to be that small mustard seed that isn’t fully frown yet, but where your gifts, perspectives, feelings and ideas are validated and recognized, too.”
Current students enrolled in the upcoming Grade 9 program are from Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C. and Ontario, with one coming internationally. Some will live in the school dormitory and others will live locally.
Hilary Fast (2011) has been hired to teach and oversee the program. Her first teaching contract was at RJC and she has always considered RJC a “home away from home.”
“I am excited that my teaching career is bringing me back ‘home’ again,” she said.
Epp said RJC’s programming will adapt as needed as the Grade 9s reintegrate. He doesn’t foresee a lot of change in the next year to RJC’s extracurricular activities with the addition of younger students, but says the staff will be ready to respond to any shifts that might be needed.
“Years from now we may say, for instance, that there’s a different choral arrangement that works for us but right now we think it’s important to maintain integrated spaces where Grade 11 and 12 students can offer mentorship to the younger students to help build a whole-school culture.”
Driedger said RJC plays an important role in the development of leadership in the community and in congregations. A member of Osler Mennonite Church, Driedger went on to study at CMBC in Winnipeg and to post-graduate work at McGill. He worked in the department of social services in Regina for 12 years and then helped develop the schools of social work and human justice at the University of Regina.
Driedger and his wife Florence are currently lay ministers of Peace Mennonite Church, a house church that meets in their home. They are also active with Circles of Support and Accountability, a prison ministry program.
Written by Katie Doke Sawatzky
Photo: Grade 9 & 10 classes of 1944-45. Otto Driedger is front row on the right. At the time, Otto was the youngest student attending the German-English Academy.
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