Westminster Christian Academy (Georgia)
Westminster Christian Academy (WCA) is a K–12, private, college preparatory Christian school. Its campus is located at 1640 New High Shoals Road in Watkinsville, Oconee County, Georgia, United States.
Westminster Christian Academy | |
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Location | |
Westminster Christian Academy | |
1640 New High Shoals Road , 30677 United States | |
Coordinates | 33.8490902°N 83.43025085°W |
Information | |
Type | Private |
Denomination | Presbyterian[1] |
Established | 1989 |
CEEB code | 113196 |
NCES School ID | A9102257 [2] |
Headmaster | Jared Clark[3] |
Enrollment | 320[4] |
Color(s) | |
Nickname | Lions, Lady Lions |
Lower School Principal | Tiffany Rasmussen[5] |
Upper School Principal | Mike Edgier |
Website | www |
History
Westminster Christian Academy was founded in the fall of 1988 . The school's initial class was composed of 10 first, second, and third grade students meeting in rented space at Faith Presbyterian Church in Watkinsville, taught by Karen Schaefer.[6][7] The school grew alongside the oldest students in this first class, adding a new grade level after each school year.[8]
In 1994, enrollment in the school outgrew the capacity of its facilities at Faith Presbyterian. As a result, the school's lower grades (K-4) remained at Faith, and the higher grades (5-8, the highest grade offered at the time) moved to facilities at Watkinsville First Baptist Church. WCA's first high school class graduated in the spring of 1999.[6]
The school completed the first phase of development at its present location, a 30-acre (120,000 m2) site in Oconee County, in the fall of 1998.[6] An additional expansion has been planned that would add a new gymnasium and bring the school's capacity to 500 students.[9]
Academics
The school enrolled 270 students across all grades for the 2011–2012 academic year.[4]
WCA's facilities include an administration building, which also houses the library; a lower-school building, which houses Pre-K through fifth grade; an upper-school building with a gymnasium and a fitness center, which houses the middle grades and Westminster High School; a field house containing two class rooms; and three athletic fields. The gymnasium houses ten classrooms.
Uniforms are required on four out of five days for middle through high school; on "casual Friday," students can wear non-torn jeans, and T-shirts. A chapel is held every Friday at separate times for K-5 and 6-12 where all students sing and listen to a guest speaker.
WCA is accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission and has a dual accreditation with the Southern Association of Independent Schools and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.[10]
Athletics
WCA's athletics teams compete in Region 1-A of the Georgia Independent School Association.[11] The school sponsors teams in the following sports:
- Baseball - boys'
- Basketball - boys' and girls'
- Cheerleading - girls'
- Cross country - boys' and girls'
- Soccer - boys' and girls'
- Swimming - boys' and girls'
- Volleyball - girls'
The school claims that nearly 75% of the student body participates in an officially sanctioned sport.[12] The school previously had a football team, but cut it because of budget.
References
- "Private School Universe Survey". National Center for Education Statistics. 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
- "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for Westminster Christian Academy". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
- "Westminster Announces New Head of School". WCA Web Master. March 6, 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- "Westminster is Growing" (Press release). Westminster Christian Academy. September 2, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
- Faculty section of WCA official website. Last accessed April 10, 2012.
- Greg Martin (March 7, 1999). "Private schools add diversity to Athens' educational system". Athens Banner-Herald. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
- "Westminster Founder Receives Distinguished Honor" (Press release). Westminster Christian Academy. April 9, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
- Founding Principles section of WCA official website. Last accessed April 10, 2012.
- "Westminster Christian readies for academy's first expansion". Athens Banner-Herald. February 16, 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
- Purpose section of WCA official website. Last accessed April 10, 2012.
- "School list by Region". GISAStats.com. Georgia Independent School Association. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
- Athletics section of WCA official website. Last accessed April 10, 2012.