DIXON, CA (MPG) - From leadership to location, Neighborhood Christian School that was established 40 years ago and that has been located for 30 years at the Dixon Mayfair, is making some major changes including moving the school to a new campus by fall.

The private Christian school was started in 1979 to meet the educational and spiritual needs of children in Solano and Yolo Counties by Deryl Radder, an educator and man of faith, who had a heart for missions. It offers preschool through middle school classes with enrollment around 400 students.

“The changes have resulted from the scope and sequence of a lot of things,” said new Principal Eden Callison who took the post at the first of the year after Rick Vidmar, long-time school principal retired.

Vidmar served at the school for 39 years, first as an educator, then as Principal and “felt the Lord’s direction to retire” but not after spending “countless hours” training Callison. “Though he will no longer hold any official title or capacity at Neighborhood, students will still see him visiting, encouraging, and praying for our NCS family,” reads their website.

“Mr. Vidmar leaving was both amicable and heart-wrenching,” said Callison, whose husband attended NCS while growing up and where their three children currently attend. “We believe we are in a revival and we are building on a legacy in Jesus--both academically and emotionally.”

“I was honored to be asked and we are called for ‘such a time as this,’” she said referring to the Bible story of Ester. “I am a mom of three children in this school and all six of my husband’s siblings have gone through NCS. This is not a mistake and there is a purpose. I can only hope to be one-tenth of the leader Rick was.”

Callison has previously served on Neighborhood’s staff in various capacities in teaching 6th grade, being a substitute teacher, working as a para educator, and carrying out administrative duties in the school office. She graduated from UC Davis in Science and Engineering and has been working as a Business Analyst and application engineer.

“She's quite the leader,” said Kaelene Reyna, an expectant mother who has three boys at NCS and who volunteers at the preschool. “She really welcomes and encourages new ideas. She is the kind of person who can roll with things and supports the idea through,” she said.

Reyna may be referring to a new component of the Early Education Program that offers extended care for NCS families and also a “Come and Play” afternoon program for non NCS children. The preschool classes which have been held at Grace Fellowship Church on H Street for many years relocated a couple months ago into the buildings and playground that were previously not fully utilized at Dixon Community Church, 955 West A Street.

Plans to move the rest of the school over should be accomplished by the start of the new school year in fall 2021. Callison was excited to learn that the church building plans of years ago included two portable buildings which they will most likely add in future years.

“We saw an opportunity to come together in one space and become a single, unified campus,” explained Callison, “We will maintain autonomy and are a ministry of Dixon Community Church.” DCC itself is under new leadership after Pastor Mike Farias retired and handed over the reins to Pastor Kevin Johnson who just came from pastoring seven years in Missouri.

“Our ministries are both community driven and I believe this will be great for both entities,” he said.