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.

Not to be confused with The Westminster Schools.
Westminster Christian Academy
Location
Westminster Christian Academy
1640 New High Shoals Road

Watkinsville
,
Georgia
30677

United States
Coordinates33.8490902°N 83.43025085°W / 33.8490902; -83.43025085
Information
TypePrivate
DenominationPresbyterian[1]
Established1989 (1989)
CEEB code113196
NCES School IDA9102257 [2]
HeadmasterJared Clark[3]
Enrollment320[4]
Color(s)        
NicknameLions, Lady Lions
Lower School PrincipalTiffany Rasmussen[5]
Upper School PrincipalMike Edgier
Websitewww.wcalions.org

History

Westminster Christian Academy was founded in the fall of 1989. 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 was planned that would add a new gymnasium and bring the school's capacity to 500 students.[9]In 2018, another expansion was and is still planned to make new 6-12th grade classrooms that make the capacity of the school to 750.

Academics

The school enrolled 365 students across all grades for the 2018–2019 academic year.

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:

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
  1. "Private School Universe Survey". National Center for Education Statistics. 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  2. "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for Westminster Christian Academy". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  3. "Westminster Announces New Head of School". WCA Web Master. March 6, 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  4. "Westminster is Growing" (Press release). Westminster Christian Academy. September 2, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  5. Faculty section of WCA official website. Last accessed April 10, 2012.
  6. Greg Martin (March 7, 1999). "Private schools add diversity to Athens' educational system". Athens Banner-Herald. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  7. "Westminster Founder Receives Distinguished Honor" (Press release). Westminster Christian Academy. April 9, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  8. Founding Principles section of WCA official website. Last accessed April 10, 2012.
  9. "Westminster Christian readies for academy's first expansion". Athens Banner-Herald. February 16, 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  10. Purpose section of WCA official website. Last accessed April 10, 2012.
  11. "School list by Region". GISAStats.com. Georgia Independent School Association. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  12. Athletics section of WCA official website. Last accessed April 10, 2012.
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