Read the testimony of one of our kindergarten families and their experience at Heritage.
When we started thinking about Banks starting kindergarten, we were so excited for him. We thought about all the things he would do, all the fun he would have making new friends-so many fun ways to start his academic adventure in school.
Then the coronavirus pandemic hit. We had already signed Banks up for kindergarten and didn’t think a lot about it until the pandemic worsened. In the summer of 2020, I contacted the elementary school that Banks would be attending in the fall. I asked them what the expectations were going to be for kindergarten. They advised me that I would not be allowed to walk him into school, he would have to wear a mask all day at school, and he would have to be six feet apart in class. The playgrounds were also closed at that time.
My heart started to break for my rising kindergartner. The thoughts of sending my child to a brand new school wearing a mask, dropping him off to a person he has never met wearing a mask, for them to walk him into school to a teacher he has never met wearing a mask was more than I could bear. I was also concerned about the social aspect of it. How could my child make friends if he couldn’t play? If they couldn’t talk? If they couldn’t go to the playground or socialize during lunch? The kindergarten experience we were so excited for was not going to happen in the public school system.
I started praying for God to lead us in whatever direction He wanted us to go. I reached out to my friends on social media, asking them to pray that we would find the right place for Banks. Our youth pastor’s wife reached out to me and told me about a lady who was a friend of her family and who had been a teacher at the private Christian school she had attended. She told me she was opening up a new private Christian school in Albemarle. She gave me her contact information and I contacted her right away. By this time we were into July; school was starting in just one month.
In speaking with Amy from Heritage Classical Academy, she told me about the kindergarten curriculum (I didn’t know much about it, so I had to look it up), she told me about their daily schedule, daily play time, lunch, everything that would happen in a day’s time.
I was a little concerned when it came to tuition. I had researched and looked into several Christian schools and always felt like they were too expensive and we could not afford it. That is part of the reason I always stayed away from that option. But then she explained to me how the income adjusted tuition worked, where not every family pays the same but pays according to their family’s income. I was thrilled. Finally, I had found an affordable Christ-like education for my child. We actually pay less than we did for Bank’s daycare.
She also explained to me that there would be no mask for the kids and no mask for the teachers. That was a big concern for me as well. I could not imagine how Banks would learn to read listening to his teacher through a mask. I wanted him to go to school with no mask, to play with other children with no mask, to learn from a teacher with no mask, to be able to sit beside other children, to make friends, and to have a normal kindergarten experience.
Once I had all the information I needed, I advised Amy I would let her know something the following week. So I began to pray again. This time, I prayed God would give me an answer if this would be the best option for our family and for Banks. I prayed, I talked to my friends to get their opinion, I talked to my husband and family, and I asked the ladies of my church to pray.
We took a leap of faith and contacted Amy at Heritage Classical Academy and let her know that we would love to enroll Banks for the 20-21 school year. This has been the best decision we have ever made and God has given us confirmation daily that Banks is exactly where he needs to be. I continue to pray for God to make a way for Banks to continue his education at Heritage Classical Academy.
Banks has really excelled spiritually and academically here at Heritage. They pray each day and memorize a Bible verse and New City Catechism question weekly to recite. He has learned to read and read well. He has learned so much in math that he can do math problems in his head. He has learned cursive writing. Yes, I said cursive writing in kindergarten! I am very pleased with how far he has come this year.
The staff at Heritage Classical Academy stands on the Word of God. They do not give in to the things of the world. Many times over the year, I have seen this first hand. Each time, I praise God for giving me the confirmation that I have selected the right place for Banks.
This year has gone by so fast, I am amazed at the education Banks has gotten in such a short period of time. We know God is going to do great things for Banks, and that HIS will be done in all things.
The only thing I wish could be different is that they were a K-12 school already so that I could send my oldest son here also.
We are looking forward to first grade!
Comments