School Profile
Asuncion Christian Academy
School Overview
Greetings from Asunción, Paraguay.
ACA is owned by evangelical missions in Paraguay. Our purpose is to provide a quality education to the English speaking children of the Christian community in Paraguay while we honor our historic commitment to MK’s. We have 175 students from Pre- Kinder to 12th grade and are an American Ethos school. The official language of the school is English. ACA is accredited by ACSI and AdvancEd. We also have the classes needed to be recognized by the Paraguayan Ministry of Education so we can offer a Paraguayan diploma. The students at ACA are about 10% Americans, most of whom are missionaries. There are about 10% Taiwanese, 40% Paraguayans and 40% Korean students
We are looking for teachers who come to minister to young hearts so they catch a desire to passionately serve the Lord. We aren't able to cover plane fares but there is a salary that covers the cost for a single person to live locally. We have 6 apartments on campus to rent where first year teachers and single females have preference.
A support team that will get behind you in prayer, encouragement, and financially, will be a tremendous blessing and help to your ministry. We encourage you to come under the blessing of your pastor and church leaders.
Our website is www.aca.edu.py if you're interested in checking us out.
We'd love to continue visiting with you about the possibility of you joining our team here.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Kevin van Rensburg
General Director
Asunción Christian Academy
595-21-607378
director@aca.edu.py
School History
HERITAGE AND HISTORY of ACA
When the Hustons arrived in Asunción in late 1957 there was no formal educational institution for the English-speaking community. All the North American missionaries in town were using correspondence studies with their children. Lucy decided to use the studies also, but she used the materials to teach her children herself in a formal situation. Two other families, the Hutsells and the Wiens, asked her to teach their children, too, and so in February of 1958 classes began. The first room used was one of the Sunday School classrooms of the Free Methodist Church of Barrio Santo Domingo. Ernie Huston built blackboards and bulletin boards and Lucy drew up plans for desks and chairs that a local carpenter built. There were six students the first year and eleven the second year.
In 1960 the Hustons were sent by their Mission to work in Encarnacion. By then, many families were interested in the educational arrangement. So Frank Wiens wrote to his mission board, the Mennonite Brethren in Christ, for a teacher. Mary Martens came to pick up where Lucy had left off. The student body gradually grew and more teachers came to help. Classes were held in rooms of the YMCA. As more students registered to study each year, the school moved to larger buildings--first the Ciudad Nueva Baptist Church and later, the First Baptist Church.
A school board was formed to operate the school which by 1963, was called “Asunción Christian Academy”. By then the "Academy" was renting a large house on Calle España where the owners had given permission to convert the rooms into classrooms. There were also 50 students in 1964 with four elementary teachers and a supervisor who worked with the high school students studying by correspondence. The load was heavy for Mary Martens who was acting as principal and teaching full time. When the Hustons returned from furlough the school board asked Lucy to help again.
Lucy took over as principal and began organizing everything in order to make the school as nearly like a school in the United States as possible. With the cooperation of the school board, the teachers and students, and the Parent-Teachers Organization a library was formed, a kindergarten was added and gradually, high school grades were added so that the older students would not have to study by correspondence. During the summer vacation of the 1969-70 school year Asunción Christian Academy moved to its present location. The property was bought from the Free Methodist Mission, and gradually the houses and clinic were transformed into classrooms.
ACA Celebrated their 50th Anniversary on May 5th-7th, 2013 and we presently have 175 students in attendance.
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
Educating students and serving Paraguay, U.S.A., South Korea, Taiwan, and the world for 50 years.
Benefits
Salary enough to live locally. On-Campus apartments for rent. Assistance with getting a Masters in Elementary or Secondary Education from Alabama University. 50% of course fees refunded when each course is successfully completed. If the teacher agrees to stay for 2 years after completing Masters Degree the other 50% will be refunded at the end of the 2 year contract. Fully Accredited with (SACS) Advance-Ed / ACSI. Teachers from the U.S.A. will receive credit for the years served at ACA.