Providence Christian Academy hosted a Groundbreaking Celebration on Wednesday,(2/13/19). The Groundbreaking Celebration was for a new 43,000 square foot building that will be located on the current campus in what is currently the wooded area adjacent to the PCA athletic field. The PCA athletic field will remain in its current location.
The new building will house 9th-12th grade classes and will include eight classrooms, a one-thousand seat gymnasium, boys' and girls' locker rooms, and two science labs. The building will be framed with the option to add a second story in the future. The project will also include adding new parking areas, expanding the current driveway entrances, and relocating the current playground. Construction is expected to take twelve months and the new building is expected to be complete sometime in the 2019- 2020 academic year.
"PCA has experienced unprecedented growth in enrollment over the past two years. Our total enrollment for PreK- 12th grade has increased nearly 40% since the 2016-2017 academic year and we now have more than 530 students," states Dr. Bill Mott, PCA Head of School. "With the growth in student enrollment and the decision to join TSSAA, we recognized the increasing need for additional Upper School classrooms and a larger gymnasium that will offer greater seating capacity."
PCA formed a Master Site Planning Committee in the Fall of 2017 in order to begin planning for how to address the continued growth in enrollment. After reviewing several alternatives, the committee agreed that constructing a new building on the current campus would be the best option to position the school for future growth. The PCA Board of Trustees approved the committee's recommendation during their meeting in August.
"PCA is committed to offering students the best overall educational experience possible and because of our growth, it is imperative that we move forward with this building project," shared PCA Board Chair Julie Knox. "This new building will enable us to continue to grow and provide excellence in both our academic and athletic programs."
"There are very few schools in the country that have experienced this level of growth in enrollment over two years," states Mott. "It's a blessing to be located in such a thriving community and we look forward to continued growth. As we grow, we are excited to be able to expand our facilities to offer our students the best possible educational experience."
The new building project is expected to cost approximately $8 million. PCA has launched a capital campaign to begin addressing the cost of the project. Several families have already committed to the campaign and the total cost of the building project is expected to be covered by the time construction begins.
PCA is a member of TSSAA for all high school sports and TIAA for middle school sports. Athletic opportunities this year include twelve sports and more than thirty teams. PCA has won multiple middle school and high school athletic championships. In 2018, the PCA Lady Lions basketball team made school history by winning the TSSAA D2-A Middle Region District 1 Championship. The Lady Lions basketball team also had an All-District Player of the Year and an All-State Player of the Year in 2018. Additionally, four PCA student athletes have been awarded college athletic scholarships.
PCA was founded in 1996 as an academically advanced, inter-denominational classical Christian school. PCA's mission is to teach students to seek God's truth and equip them with the tools for a lifetime of learning. The school is founded on three pillars that include: Christian Worldview, Classical Education and Parental Involvement.
With parental involvement as one of the pillars of the school, parents are actively involved and engaged in classroom activities and school events. Families have an opportunity to participate in numerous classroom activities, special projects, field trips, chapel, prayer groups, service projects, school events, and more.
Students and faculty cultivate a Christian Worldview through participating in weekly chapel, daily prayer, scripture memorization, advisory programming, student devotions, Bible classes, daily prayer at dismissal, and more. All students are encouraged to serve the community through participating in service projects at every grade level.
Classical Education at PCA includes the early years of school in the Grammar stage, focused on absorbing facts, systematically laying the foundations for advanced study. In the middle school Logic stage, students learn how to think through arguments. The high school years culminate in the Rhetoric stage with students learning to express what they believe and why they believe it.
PCA is a non-profit classical Christian school that is founded on the sacrificial gifts of families and supporters. It is these sacrifices that have played a critical role in the growth and development of the school. God's ongoing provision through the generous gifts of His people will ensure that Providence Christian Academy continues to teach students to seek God's truth and equip them with the tools for a lifetime of learning for many years to come.
Photo from the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.
