2023 2024 REPORT IMPACT
From the HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear Warrior Community,
Reflecting on another remarkable year at First Baptist Academy, I feel a deep admiration and gratitude for our community. Because of your generous support, we continue to enhance our students’ educational experience and strengthen our faculty’s professional development.
This past year has been filled with academic, artistic and athletic milestones. Additionally, we deepened our understanding of who WE ARE and continued to build a culture that aligns with the school’s mission and embraces the Truth.
As we prepare to celebrate the blessings of the holiday season, let us reflect on the invaluable gift of a Christian education for our students. It is an intentional investment with guaranteed high returns!
Serving Him,
TERESA CHAMBERS, M.S., CPA Head of School
Parent of FBA Class of 2021, 2023 & 2024
29%
1998 year First Baptist Academy was established
14
2 alumni serving on staff
three
Alumni Legacy Students (FBA/NWA) in college scholarships awarded to FBA c/o 2020 high school graduates
57% Alpha | Omega* graduates from the FBA c/o 2024
55 zip codes represented 91% average student retention rate
$375,000 enrollment increase over the last five years
496
student enrollment at start of 2023-2024 school year
$530,000+
75%
current students with Alpha | Omega* potential FBA c/o 2024 graduates placed into upper level freshman courses
57% FBA c/o 2020 collegiate sport National Signing Day participants
*An FBA graduate is recognized as Alpha | Omega for attending FBA from Kinder through Eighth Grade.
$375,000
130
twelve Middle School electives offered
consecutive years of ZERO licensing infractions in Primary School
in financial aid allotted to 47 Kinder-Eighth Grade students
average professional development hours taken by PreK-Eighth Grade faculty
items sold in the inaugural year of the student-led SWAP Shop (open five months)
additional professional development hours taken by CAS Therapists
50
14
faculty & staff participation in giving to The Warrior Fund
100%
6 visual & performing arts showcases
athletic opportunities offered to Bridge-Eighth Grade student-athletes
nine
1,393
items donated to the Warriors Serve Food Drive
17,375
42 Warrior Legacy Club members
800
Grandparents Day attendees
The Warrior Fund IMPACT | 2023-2024
MAKING AN IMPACT TOGETHER
Thanks to the generous contributions of our donors, FBA was able to “SAY YES” in 20232024 to a range of projects and enhancements. From classroom upgrades and expanded staffing to advancements in technology and security, each addition has helped create a more enriching, supportive and secure environment for our students. Here’s a look at the projects made possible through the support of our 2023-2024 donors.
ENHANCING THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
FBA Second Grade classrooms were updated with new furniture, creating a refreshed and comfortable learning environment.
EXPANDING OUR STAFF FOR GREATER STUDENT SUPPORT
Thanks to support from our generous donors, FBA has been able to meet growing needs and expand programming. New positions include:
• A Curriculum and Instructional Specialist, enhancing the quality of our academic offerings across all school levels.
• A full-time Fine Arts Coordinator, increasing opportunities for students to explore their unique God-given gifts.
• A third Spanish teaching position, allowing us to enrich language learning across all grade levels.
• An additional Second Grade section with a new teaching position to keep class sizes manageable with an intentionally small student-to-teacher ratio.
• An Instructional Aid for our Bridge Kinder class, providing extra support to early learners.
INVESTING IN ATHLETICS
Donor support fueled developments in our Athletics Department, such as:
• The addition of a new 14-passenger bus to our fleet, enhancing safe and reliable transportation for student field trips and student-athletes.
• Several new Mini Warriors Athletic Clinics were introduced, offering Middle School student-athletes valuable leadership experiences while giving younger students a chance to develop skills and gain insight into the Middle School athletics program.
ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY FOR EFFICIENCY
With donor support, we implemented the following key technology improvements:
• A redesigned website, enhancing the user experience for families and our community.
• A new student information system which streamlines school news, parent communications, operations and makes data management more efficient.
PRIORITIZING CAMPUS SAFETY
Safety remains a top priority, and thanks to impactful contributions, additional security measures were added, including:
• An additional HPD officer was added to the FBA-dedicated security team. This brought our total security team investment to $165,000.
• A new badge fob system in the Primary School, tightening parent and visitor access to keep our campus secure.
Operating BUDGET
The First Baptist Academy Board of Trustees approves each annual budget with an intentional focus on mission-alignment and stewardship of our resources.
2023-2024 | TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET (Year ended June 30, 2024) $10,794,000
REVENUE
SIGNIFICANT BALANCES & OPERATING METRICS
First Baptist Academy operates financially independent from Houston’s First Baptist Church, remaining debt-free. Total Value of Endowments
GIVING to The Warrior Fund
The Warrior Fund is a vital tool that fuels FBA’s mission, providing essential resources for our students’ growth and our school’s strategic priorities. Through direct donations and two key events, The Warrior Fund enables us to deliver an exceptional, mission-driven educational experience and bring our community together in impactful ways. Gifts to The Warrior Fund are welcome throughout our fiscal year, July 1 to June 30.
WARRIOR FUND
$65,639
WARRIORS ON THE GREEN
$81,055
DINNER & AUCTION
$263,935
2023-2024 | TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS
$410,629
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2024-2025 | The Warrior Fund Goal - $420,000
We invite your family to prayerfully consider partnering with us through giving to The Warrior Fund in one or more of the following ways:
Warriors on the Green
Golf & Pickleball Tournament
Monday, November 11, 2024
Year End Giving Initiative Through December 31, 2024
Dinner & Auction
Saturday, February 8, 2025
STRATEGIC PLAN in Action
The Administration and Board of Trustees engaged Dr. Alan Pue of the Barnabas Group to lead a strategic planning task force. This process included assessing current realities and creating initiatives to guide the school’s future amid anticipated enrollment growth and evolving educational landscapes. The resulting initiatives will shape FBA’s commitment to its mission and foster a united Warrior community moving forward. We are pleased to share an update on the progress.
INITIATIVE ONE
To distinctively identify who WE ARE.
A clear vision, a set of core values, a portrait of a graduate and characteristics of professional excellence, all rooted in our mission, have been established.
Cultivate a rigorous and fulfilling educational experience.
A Curriculum and Instructional Specialist and a Fine Arts Coordinator were added to our faculty. New electives were offered to our Middle School students, including entrepreneurship, journalism and dance. New Mini Warriors Athletic Clinics were added for Lower School students.
Engage a cohesive, supportive parent community.
Build a comprehensive plan for facilities that accommodates future growth.
Warrior Athletics Booster Club was reengaged. The FBA website was relaunched with a new format and design. A new student information system was introduced.
Shared space was evaluated with Houston’s First Baptist Church leadership, which resulted in our usage of the student ministry space for Middle School students and the gift of additional classrooms constructed under the current church building plan.
SCHOOL-CHURCH Partnership
A PARTNERSHIP IN MISSION
The relationship between Houston’s First Baptist Church and FBA provides both spiritual grounding and organizational capacity, which are key to our unique mission. While it is difficult to assign an exact dollar value, this partnership promotes stewardship, enhances sustainability and supports the school in offering a transformative Christian education.
USE OF CHURCH-SUPPORTED AND SHARED FACILITIES
The shared facilities for FBA and Houston’s First Baptist Church are maintained in accordance with a shared usage agreement. FBA’s tuition and school-led fundraising help cover the cost of FBA’s portion. We are thankful to Houston’s First Baptist Church for primarily maintaining key facilities critical to the school’s mission. These include the Fitness & Recreation Center, the Lawn at the Loop, Fellowship Center, Chapel and Worship Center. In addition, the school and church share the costs for facilities including the South Tower, Oasis Lunchroom, both playgrounds and Warrior Field. Both also collaborate to cover broader needs like campus maintenance, technology infrastructure, security, operations personnel and insurance, among other shared expenses. Without these resources, the school would be unable to carry out the full scope of its mission.
MEMBER SUBSIDY FOR PREK3–EIGHTH GRADE
Houston’s First Baptist Church provides a 15 percent tuition subsidy for PreK3 through Eighth Grade students who are also members of the church. This direct contribution feeds into the school’s annual operating budget - $579,000 in 2023-2024. This support helps make a Christ-centered education more accessible for families committed to the mission of both the school and the church.
Andrews Family Foundation
Letitia & Carl Baker
Susannah & Jason Baker
Amy & Matthew Barton
Adrienne & David Bash
Dianna & Tim Bolton
Carrie & Gregory Bowden
Valery & Mike Budworth
Svetlana & Brett Burris*
Ivonne & Kal Yeau Chiok
Ashley & Josh Crescenzi
Kimberly & Joseph Dang
Haley & Omar Davalos
Rachel & Erik David*
Taneka & Jeffrey Downing
Pamela & Kenny Duncan
Katherine & Benjamin Eisterhold
Kristine & Courtney El-Zokm
Rebecca & Peter Franklin
Chelsea & James Jowers
Kittsie and Charlie Thomas Family Foundation
Warrior Legacy Club is
Mary Lyn & Obie Langford*
Whitney Kuhn & Marc Lawson
Katrina & Robert Lee
Liz & Timothy Lee
Jingqun Liu
Jubilee & Russell McGuire
Alicia & David Nelson*
Sara & Christopher Newton*
Stephanie & Terry Nutt
Kristin & Scott Oswald
Courtney & Mike Schisler
Katherine & Philip Silberman
Ashley & Robert Somers
Emily & Scott Tallman
Kathryn & Paolo Thompson
Mary & Louis Torregrossa
Warrior Parents Association
Jennifer & Richard Weaver
Tiffany & Heath Whitaker
Dana & Vincent White
Kelley & Chad Whiteside
Brittany & Shane Williams