State of the School - The First Academy Annual Report

THE FIRST ACADEMY

2020

ANNUAL REVIEW

VE NEVER GIVES UP.

A LETTER FROM STEVE D. WHITAKER, PH.D. HEAD OF SCHOOL

culture that this team developed was demonstrated over and over again as our school community navigated the Remote Learning environment.

Throughout 2019-2020, we needed the theme of Stronger Together, along with the strong school culture built by our School Culture Team, in ways that I never thought possible back in August of 2019. So much has happened that has surprised us all. In the midst of the uncertainty, we’ve held fast to our faith, families, and our strong school community. I know that we will emerge at the other side, Stronger Together and with great love for one another.

In the following pages, you will learn more about tuition for 2021-2022, the continuing growth of our campus, the gains of our student body, the generosity of our givers, and the stories of our teachers and families from the 20192020 school year. Thank you for making the choice to be a part of our TFA family, the best is yet to come!

one loves his

cares more for others than for self.

Dear Royal Families, doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Our Annual Report is a time to pause and look back at what the Lord has done at The First Academy. It is Love doesn’t strut, also a time to give an account of His faithfulness and our stewardship of His generosity. We have been immeasurably Doesn’t have a swelled head, blessed in so many ways. I am so thankful for the partnership of our families, the passion of our faculty and staff, of our student body.

Doesn’t force itself on others, and theLastdedication year, we focused on the theme of Stronger Little did we know at the start of the 2019-2020 Isn’t always “me first,” Together. school year just how important that theme would be. This was such an impactful theme because it focused on the Doesn’t fly off the handle, importance of our relationship with God, that we are rooted in His firm foundation. I didn’t know it at the time but being Stronger Together, and rooted in God’s truth, would n’t keep score of the sins of others, be my primary focus as we navigated the waters of Remote the 4th quarter of last school year. oesn’t revel when others grovel, LearningIt wasthroughout also through this theme, and the idea of being a lasting school community, that I pleasure in the flowering of truth, formed the School Culture Team. This team is composed of teachers, administrators, and leaders from across the Puts up with anything, school who have come together with the sole purpose of building a strong culture and reinforcing what we say and do. The definition of strong school Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.

The Greatest Of These…

Steve D. Whitaker, Ph.D. Head of School

A LETTER FROM MR. CLARK KEATOR SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN Dear TFA Family,

Securing the Legacy

We now turn to the 2021-2022 school year at The First Academy. Enrollment is strong and we expect classes to fill quickly for next year.

Our partnership with your family is based on trust.

Our shared mission, vision, and values call us to raise up the next generation of Christian leaders to have an impact on our world. In an effort to best serve our families, we have moved the Enrollment Status Change Period to April 6 through April 20. More information and details will be sent to you as those dates near. You will find frequently asked questions, facts, and contact information should you have any questions about this process on TFA’s Website.

On behalf of the entire School Board, we wish your family abundant blessings in the coming year and look forward to celebrating our school’s many successes with you in the months and years to come. Please join us in spreading the word about the opportunity to enroll for the 2021-2022 school year.

her es in Light and e is no cause tumbling m.

At The First Academy, the role of the School Board is to make viability-focused decisions for the next generation of students, while also providing fiduciary oversight of the school’s finances and operations. We are blessed to have a diverse board with experienced business and spiritual leaders who help ensure that The First Academy remains committed to our vision and mission, while executing the Strategic Plan with excellence and timeliness.

Though not without its challenges, the 20192020 school year was an exceptional year for The First Academy, with strong enrollment, the focus on the Stronger Together school year theme, and significant progress made on several strategic initiatives while also managing Remote Learning and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the spring of last year, our school community came together in important and imaginative ways to display the importance of being Stronger Together.

As a School Board, we focus our work in three key areas: advancing the mission, funding the vision, and securing the legacy:

It has been an encouragement to watch as many of the initiatives from the “Leading the Way” Strategic Plan have been carried out to completion.

Please join me in celebrating the many blessings we have experienced and join me in praying for God’s continued guidance as we work on the next Strategic Plan. We are so thankful for the hundreds of students, teachers, and families who took part in the interview process for the new Strategic Plan. We anticipate its release soon.

about 2021-2022 tuition and reach out to The First Academy Business Office should your family have questions about tuition or the payment schedule for next year.

Funding the Vision

The First Academy’s operating budget is funded through tuition, while our capital projects and our continued campus growth are supported through generous donors. Last year, within our Royal Nation Fund, we completed the Gather project as well as fulfilled needs in the areas of tuition assistance, fine arts, athletics, and spiritual formation. Additionally, the School Board approves the annual operating budget and sets tuition rates for the upcoming year.

In the following pages, important details regarding tuition rates and payment schedules for 2021-2022 are outlined, along with information about the upcoming Enrollment Change Period.

Many families are still impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic and as a School Board, we felt it was important to continue to address affordability and assist those families still recovering financially.

Please take some time to review the information

In His Service,

2:10

Advancing the Mission

Clark Keator School Board Chairman

2021-2022 Tuition Rates & Payment Details

F

or the 2021-2022 school year, The First Academy is proud to announce that there will be no increase in tuition rates from the current 20202021 school year rates. The School Board has made this important decision for two reasons.

First, many families are still impacted financially by the Covid-19 pandemic. Freezing tuition at the current rates for an additional year will continue to address affordability and assist those families still recovering financially.

Second, the monthly tuition payment plan schedule will be adjusted beginning in 2022-2023.

The 2021-2022 school year will be a transition year with the tuition divided over 10 months rather than 12 months. Freezing tuition will assist our families with this higher monthly payment in 2021-2022.

The chart to the right demonstrates the monthly payment plan schedule for next year (the transition year) and moving forward.

Continuous Enrollment Deposit Payment Options

Your student is already enrolled for the 20212022 school year (unless they are a graduating senior). Your family’s current enrollment, tuition payment plan, and Tuition Refund Program election will roll over to the 2021-2022 year in FACTS unless changes are made. If you would like to make changes to these elections, please do so during the Enrollment Status Change Period of April 6 through April 20, 2021. You will find frequently asked questions, facts, and contact information should you have any questions about this process on TFA’s Website.

The deposit amount for the 2021-2022 school year will be $500. The $500 non-refundable deposit will be billed on April 1st and due on April 23rd for TFA families who wish to return. As with prior practice, families may pay for the deposit through FACTS using a credit card.

Tuition Payment Options

Families who elect to pay tuition in full will continue to receive a 1% tuition discount.

Tuition Refund Program

Monthly Payment Plan Schedules

For families who select the Tuition Refund Program during the Enrollment Status Change Period, the timeline has been updated as outlined below.

If the Tuition Refund Program for 20212022 is selected during the Enrollment Status Change Period:

2020-2021

• Families who withdraw between April 21 and May 31 will be required to pay 25% of their tuition amount.

2021-2022

Monthly Payment Plan Schedule:

The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling

Moving the payments to April for the 2022-23 school year will enhance our fiscal planning of the budget for educational enrollment related expenditures such as curriculum and instructional supplies as well as personnel expenses for faculty and staff.

For this upcoming school year, there will be a $250 monthly payment plan fee per student with the monthly payment plan selection for families.

• Families who withdraw June 1 and beyond will be required to pay 40% of their tuition amount.

• Families who do not enroll in the Tuition Refund Program will be required to pay 100% of their tuition amount if they withdraw after April 20.

We pray that 100% of our families will remain in our school family at The First Academy for the 2021-2022 school year.

12 PAYMENTS Payments begin in June 2020 and Conclude in May 2021 Monthly Payment Plan Schedule:

10 PAYMENTS Payments begin in June 2021 and Conclude in March of 2022 2022-2023

Monthly Payment Schedule (and Moving Forward)

12 Payments Payments begin in April of 2022 and conclude in March of 2023

A Campaign For All

The vision for a kitchen and fresh food service at The First Academy.

During the 20192020 school year, we were blessed to build the Gather dining area.

This project allowed for a dedicated dining and gathering space on campus.

ves his r in ht and is no cause mbling .

THE HISTORY For many years, students at The First Academy traveled to Faith Hall at First Baptist Orlando to enjoy lunch daily. With the increasing focus on student safety and the completion of the covered walkways, we were able to relocate to the Natalie Thomas Gymnasium so that students could eat lunch safely behind the gates of The First Academy.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE STUDENTS MORE EFFECTIVELY Our current lunch program has been a blessing and has allowed us to serve students safely. Now that students have a comfortable and safe space to eat, our attention has shifted to how we can best serve our families in terms of health and wellness.

INTRODUCING FLIK, OUR NEW FOOD-SERVICE PARTNER The First Academy is excited to share that we have selected FLIK Independent School Dining as our new food service partner beginning in the 2021 - 2022 school year. FLIK comes highly recommended and it is the market leader in independent school dining, currently serving more than 265 prestigious private and independent schools. This fall, our school community will enjoy a completely new dining experience. Our students and faculty will benefit from wholesome and nutritious meals, sourced from fresh ingredients, that will be prepared right on campus.

Our main need is for a kitchen on campus so that we may prepare fresh, healthy, handmade food daily for our students and faculty – truly, a cam-

paign for all. For our school to remain a sustainable institution that impacts families for generations to come, it is important that we serve families, students and staff with excellence in everything we do. This includes food preparation and service.

36 17

4th and 5th Grade Students were Inducted into the National Elementary Honor Society

Student Athletes from the Class of 2020 Committed to Play Intercollegiate Athletics

Members of the Class of 2020 were Accepted to over

over

Colleges and Universities

Churches Represented

130 115

127 19

class of 2020 graduates

1

AP Studio Ceramics student received Most Promising Artist in the prestigious 2020 Windermere Fine Art Festival

1 student received a Best in Show, 3 students received All-Star Cast Awards, 8 students received Superior Ratings, Troupe 5165 received straight Superior Performance & Tech Ratings for their One Act at the District Thespian Competition

2020 snapshot

Senior Leaders Oversaw 8 Student Leadership Committees

4

National Merit Recognized Students

33

ap scholars

184 2 new students

state championships

tfa is the only independent

school in Orlando with selective accreditation by SAIS, FCIS,

CESA, Advanced Ed (SACS) and ACSI

I

attended The First Academy for 13 years, graduating in 2015. God used TFA in a mighty way when I was young in order to support my family in a time of need. My mom, Natalie Thomas, battled through the challenge of raising five kids and fighting breast cancer from 2000 until she died in 2006. But, she didn’t battle it alone. God used the families and staff at TFA to build an army of support around my mother and us kids. There were donations, carpools, mealscooked, even scholarships extended to us children to ensure our continuing education at TFA. The love of Christ was present through the body of TFA at that time, and it’s something I’ll never forget.

Upon graduating, I had a scholarship to attend the United States Naval Academy for football.

I first attended their Preparatory School (NAPS) in Newport, Rhode Island, with my high school teammate Mason Plante. We graduated together and went on to the Naval Academy as freshmen in 2016.

After my sophomore year, I was medically discharged from the Academy and I came back home to Orlando, while Mason continued to attend and graduated this past May. Although being sent home was hard, the peace of the Lord was upon me and I knew that God still had a plan and purpose for my life. One of my favorite verses is Job 13:15a, which says “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.” If we truly believe God to be who He says He is, even in the midst of suffer-

alumni spotlight

vic Thomas

ing we will know that He is still for us, and continue to hope in Him and His plan for our life.

It’s a hard pill to swallow, but we as God-fearing Christians must understand that God will wreck our dreams for His purpose. In high school, I never stopped and asked myself if going to USNA was God’s plan or mine. In fact, I never stopped and asked anyone if I should go there or not; I just did what I wanted. If there’s a lesson to be learned here, it’s simply that we need to know and understand that God’s ways are higher than ours. If we are walking through life thinking we have it all figured out, we’re wrong. I thought I did but I learned my lesson. Job replies to God in Job 42:5-6 saying, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’” In this verse, Job finally understands who he is in light of who God is—the fear of the Lord. For me, leaving the Naval Academy was my Job moment. I finally understood who I was in comparison to God, and I too could only repent and give myself up to God and his ways.

The move back to Orlando was a big lesson in how to trust the Lord and wait on His timing, especially since I’m not the most patient person.

But I’ve watched as God has done the miraculous.

I applied to UCF because I knew God was calling me to continue my education there in Mechanical Engi-

neering. On the day of orientation for UCF, as I was walking out to my car, a random lady stops me and asks if I had ever heard of UCF’s “Soldiers to Scholars” scholarship program. She told me a little about the program, saying it was an opportunity to tutor and mentor underprivileged youth while earning a scholarship. I had never seen myself as one to work with youth, but I also knew I had been praying that if God wanted me to be at UCF, he would provide a way for me to be able to afford it. So I tested out the opportunity, which God’s hand was all over.

Ever since I’ve been working with youth, and I’ve grown to love pouring into young lives, and, to the best of my ability, I try to extend to them the love of Christ. That was the first of many ways in which I’ve seen God work through my life since being home.

Coming back to Orlando allowed me to marry my high school sweetheart that I met at TFA, Ellie Branch. When you’re at the Naval Academy, marriage is not allowed. But, being back in Orlando opened the opportunity for us to be able to obey the voice of the Lord, and step into the covenant of marriage in a simple, special way. What’s crazy about it all is that before I ever knew about my discharge, Ellie had decided she was going to transfer back home to UCF. Little did I know I was coming back home as well, and it was clear God was moving pieces around for us to be able to be together. Now, together, we

attend the Horizon West Campus of First Baptist Orlando and serve in their kids’ ministry. Out at UCF, we both are student leaders with the Navigators Campus Ministry. So, if there are any TFA alumni reading this at UCF looking for a place to connect, please reach out to either me or Ellie. We would love to get to know you.

TFA provides the opportunity to be around great men. I’m especially thankful for men like Coach Kinard and Coach Cramer. They were not only willing to let their lives be the example of how to be men of honor and character, but they also taught us that there is always a bigger picture to life. They taught us that your lens and perspective defines the things you will get out of life. I’ve been blessed to be able to be back around both Coach Kinard and Cramer, as I am currently coaching as one of the assistants on the Middle School football team this year.

In closing, I’m thankful for the relationships I’ve made at TFA that I’ve been able to carry with me.

I’ve grown as a man because of them. My prayer and hope for all who attend TFA are to be able to find real, lasting relationships that challenge you to grow deeper in your relationship with God, each other, and yourself.

Administrator spotlight

reed reynolds

R

eed Reynolds joined the TFA family last year (2019-2020), teaching World Geography and Aquaponics in the Upper School while also serving as Assistant Lacrosse Coach. At the start of the 20202021 school year, Mr. Reynolds’ leadership skills were recognized and he was called out of the classroom and named Upper School Assistant Principal.

Mr. Reynolds grew up in Orlando and attended West Orange High School. While in high school, he had a passion for lacrosse and was interested in playing in

college. He found that Utica College in chilly upstate New York was just the place for him. There, he was able to receive his undergraduate degree in Biology while playing collegiate lacrosse. Mr. Reynolds met his wife Kristen at Utica College, while both were employed as Resident Advisors on campus. Kristen now serves at AdventHealth as a Nurse Manager.

After graduating from Utica College, Mr. Reynolds attended Graduate School at the University of Florida and received his Masters in Exercise Physiology. While studying at UF, he worked in the Florida weight room assisting soccer, lacrosse, and football players and taught anatomy labs. He also began coaching at one of the local high schools in Gainesville while completing his Masters degree. The combination of experience in teaching and coaching while in Grad school led Mr. Reynolds to pursue his passion for teaching.

After completing his Masters degree, a teaching and coaching opportunity became available at Bishop Moore High School. Mr. Reynolds taught Anatomy and Biology while coaching lacrosse there for six years before joining the TFA family.

Mr. Reynolds was drawn to TFA for a few important

reasons. He has known Coach Oliver since he started coaching, and has looked up to him for a long time.

Over this past summer, Coach Oliver and Reynolds had conversations about working together and coming on as an assistant lacrosse coach at TFA to help support the program.

This was not a difficult decision for Mr. Reynolds, as he has attended church at First Baptist Orlando since he was a child. He and his wife did their pre-marital class at FBO and when they had their son Jaxson, they did his infant blessing at FBO as well. All of these connections, in addition to his relationship with Coach Oliver, is what brought Reed to TFA. Reed said, “We were looking for the right next step for our family, and we felt that TFA is where we needed to be.”

Since coming to The First Academy, Mr. Reynolds has really enjoyed the chapel services, he loves working with Coach Oliver, and truly treasures investing in the students each and every day. Outside of work, Reed enjoys exercising, watching sports, and spending time with his wife and two children.

C

herith Walton is the resident Math whiz in Lower School. She teaches math to all of our fourth grade students (advanced and regular), while still being able to teach Homeroom, Reading, and Bible to her core group of students.

Mrs. Walton grew up in Miami, attending a private school much like TFA - Florida Christian School. She came up to Orlando to go to the University of Central Florida, where she earned her Bachelors in Early Childhood Education. After graduation, she began teaching for Orange County Public Schools and married her husband, Phil, who owns his own company and is a licensed AC contractor. While

teacher spotlight

cherith walton

teaching in OCPS for eight years, she taught grades two and three before moving into the role of District Math Resource Teacher. In that role, she created math adoption curriculum for OCPS, trained math coaches in all schools, and wrote the pacing calendar for Orange County for math. She also supported under-performing schools, which was tough.

After that role, she switched over to Professional Development Services and worked on a team creating professional development tools for school-based coaches. She also received a grant for instructional rounds, which taught teachers how to analyze lessons and improve them. Mrs. Walton also spent part of a summer studying abroad in London to see how schools are structured there. She met with administrative teams to see how things work over there and was able to learn so much about different approaches.

Cherith’s teammate, Kwani Woods, is the one who began talking to her about TFA. Kwani’s kids were at TFA and they just loved it. At that time, Mrs. Walton’s son, Julian, was getting ready to start school. She kept hearing such great things from Kwani about TFA and she decided to make the change for her family. When Mrs. Walton did her teach-in at TFA, she had completed her Masters in Educational Leadership from Florida State and was pregnant with her daughter Leah. When she accepted the teaching position here, her son Julian

enrolled in the TK program and she was also looking for childcare for her new daughter. It just so happened that Leah was in the founding class of TFA’s Preschool the first year that it started. She has now been blessed with a third child, Chloe, who is almost 2 and also attends TFA’s Preschool.

In addition to teaching fourth grade at TFA, Mrs. Walton is a champion and one of the founders of the 3rd-5th grade Math Teams. The teams meet weekly and compete almost monthly. The teams are really growing and flourishing, with recent stand-out wins at a local ACSI competition.

When we asked Mrs. Walton why she loves to teach so much, she had an amazing answer.

She told us it was something she had always wanted to do. Her mom was a geometry teacher.

To Cherith, it looked like something she could do while having a family, and having a family was always the most important to her. Seeing her mom achieve that with her family set a great example for Cherith. When she was a senior, one of her teachers had her write a five-year letter to herself.

He mailed it to her after five years had passed.

Mrs. Walton said, “I wrote that I would probably be teaching, getting married, starting a family, etc... and it was all true five years later.” She loves working with kids as she grew up doing sports camps in the summer as teen. She also has a huge passion for reading, but math comes easier to her because of

the way her mom taught her to reason about things.

With Mrs. Walton, thinking about reasoning over memorizing helps her teach the students and helps them to perform well.

In her free time, Mrs. Walton loves to create on her Cricut, be outdoors with the kids, ride bikes, and read. She also really likes playing basketball.

She grew up playing basketball and it has always been her outlet. She even plays basketball with the students at recess and she doesn’t go easy on them!

What is special about TFA to Mrs. Walton is the culture of teachers and the loving, respectful

nature of all of her students. The ability to pray with each other and start meetings off with prayer is just amazing. There is a common purpose. In public school you didn’t have that. She also loves the school spirit and excitedness for the school as a whole. Her kids are already chanting “TFA” at very young ages. She enjoys the unity across the divisions and the opportunities that are here for her children and her family. Cherith said, “TFA is like home, not like coming to work. This is who we are and what we do.”

Remote Learning & Royal Reopening Successes

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.

Reopening Guides and reworked one of our signature events, All Family Worship, and created the Royal Family Reunion. We formed the COVID Response Team and the Citrus League.

The First Academy community has come a long way in these uncharted waters. As we reflect on the journey, we want to say how thankful we are for our teachers. They have gone above and beyond to serve our students and families this past year. Our hearts are full of gratitude for every one of them. Thank you for the ways you have prayed for them, encouraged them, and cheered for them. We are thankful for our students and families, what a blessing it has been to walk alongside you. The continued partnership with our Royal Parents is what made Remote Learning so successful and what has allowed TFA to remain open for face-to-face learning for the 20202021 school year.

When we look back on the 2019-2020 school year, we will have some stories to tell, and we will see the hand of God at work in ways we could have never imagined.

thanks to our teachers!

LOVE NEVER GIVES UP.

L

ast March as we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week and prepared for Spring Break, there was no way that we could have known what was in store for the 4th quarter of the 2019-2020 school year. One thing that TFA’s Leadership team did know is that we needed to be prepared for a virtual or remote learning scenario.

When we laid the groundwork for what was to become Remote Learning at TFA, we could have never guessed that the entire 4th quarter would be taught and learned via Zoom meetings and computer screens.

Although those long weeks and months held many challenges, our school family has so much to be proud of. Our teachers had to learn new ways to connect with and challenge their students, they had to rework lessons and projects, and they had to learn how to implement virtual platforms that some were not accustomed to using. Parents and students had to find quiet places in their homes to work, study, and join daily class meetings via Zoom or Google Meet. While all of this was difficult, TFA was recognized by benchmark

schools as a leader and trail blazer locally for Remote Learning. Central Florida schools and parents sought us out to learn from our leadership, teachers, and families.

That is something that we can all be proud of.

Our 2019-2020 school year theme of Stronger Together was displayed so beautifully throughout the Remote Learning process. We came together as a school community to support small businesses, celebrate health care heroes, and help our neighbors.

Parents and students hosted car parades for teachers, classmates, and teammates. Classes held virtual year-end celebrations and the Class of 2020 celebrated a graduation ceremony like no class before them ever had.

Then, as we prepared to welcome back students on August 12 for the 2020-2021 school year, we surrounded ourselves with experts and key stakeholders who guided the campus reopening. Their good work reminded us that reopening the campus was not an event but a process. We had to make some difficult choices as we deliberated over best practices and health and wellness protocols. We created three Royal

The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

1 JOHN 2:10

a note from the

development team

W

e are very blessed to have the privilege to partner with a dynamic and diverse community of faith.

We are forever grateful to our supporters for recognizing the exceptional value of a Christian education at The First Academy. TFA has been blessed by families and friends who have sacrificially shared their God-given gifts with our school family. Their gifts live on in our students and on our campus every day.

The Royal Nation Fund continues to provide for equipment, curriculum, and enhancements which propel a TFA education forward. The Royal Nation Fund is designed and executed so that 100% of the money raised goes directly to our kids’ education and school experience. No magazine or candy sales. No running laps. The generosity of ALL of our Royal families is celebrated with The Royal Nation Fund!

Our students are blessed with the strongest balance of academic excellence and Christian leadership. This rich and rewarding heritage provides a bright and Christ-centered future for all of our Royals, big and small. This level of excellence would not be possible without the generosity, stewardship, and volunteering spirit of many. Thank you for trusting TFA with your most precious gifts.

Sarah Donovan Senior Director of Advancement & Parent Relations Christina Richart Director of Development

Gather

The First Academy has been built upon a strong foundation by the generosity of our Gospel Patrons.

Our students today enjoy a beautiful campus where they are able to grow academically, spiritually, artistically, and athletically because of those who have come before us and made an investment in our future Christian leaders. Last year, TFA was blessed by gifts for Tuition Assistance, Teaching & Learning, The Arts, and Athletics. The largest focus of the Royal Nation Fund last year was the Gather project.

The addition of our Gather dining area has been a huge success. Our students can now enjoy lunch in a dedicated space that is safely behind the campus gates. We were able to complete that project because members of the TFA community gave generously to make that vision a reality. We are so thankful for the financial and prayerful support of our Royal Families & the TFA Community.

Total Number of

Contributors & Gifts for

Gather Project

the

Celebration

donors

gifts

$600,000 raised!

Lifetime Giving Circles

B

ecause of the generosity of our families and friends, TFA is able to build a foundation in the lives of students that will last a lifetime.

There is no better way to build that foundation than in the classroom with the love and grace that our teachers have for each student, combined with their passion to teach.

One way that we say thank you is through our Lifetime Giving Circles. These circles were created to celebrate families and friends who faithfully include The First Academy in their annual giving. You can learn more about our Lifetime Giving Circles at https://thefirstacademy.org/ blog/lifetime-giving-circles/

Dear Royal Family, Every year the Annual Report provides a time of reflection, measurement, and thanksgiving as we look back on progress made, measure our current state of the school, and celebrate achievements.

This year’s Annual Report provides more reasons to rejoice. Investments in facilities and teachers equals investment in our students.

The School Board is encouraged as we reflect back on progress made from year to year.

However, we can only glance briefly as we know the importance of preparing and planning for the future.

The First Academy School Board exists to make viability-focused decisions for the next generation

of students who will attend The First Academy.

This is done by focusing on the mission, funding the vision, and leaving a legacy of existence for our children’s children. As a School Board, we are encouraged as we reflect on our school’s history, a history that motivates us as we pray for, and plan for, the future.

School Board Members: Mr. Clark Keator, Chairman Mr. Jeff Alexander, Vice Chairman Mrs. Ada Pendas, Treasurer

Mr. Brian Blair Mr. David Dizney Mrs. Michele Fitch Mrs. Laura Eitel Pastor Derrick McRae Mrs. Nikki Kearn, Class of 2001 Dr. Hank Miller Mr. Jason Weiss Archbishop Allen Wiggins Dr. Steve Whitaker Head of School (ex-officio) Mr. Verne Bragg (Emeritus)