School Profile
Grace Baptist Academy
School Overview
Grace Baptist Academy is committed to excellence in all we do: academics, fine arts, athletics, and most of all, developing young people into Christ-centered leaders of their families, our community, nation, and world. We encourage you to browse our entire website to gain as much information as possible. www.gracechatt.org
Founded: 1985 as a ministry of Grace Baptist Church and serves over 100 churches of different evangelical denominations within the greater Chattanooga area.
Accreditation/Memberships:
Accreditation is a process that includes self-study and analysis, a comparison to established standards, an assessment of a school’s mission, a commitment to quality education, and a willingness to be accountable. Grace Baptist Academy is accredited by AdvancED, formerly known as Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). We also hold membership in the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA).
Enrollment
Grace serves over 600 students campus-wide. The Academy is proud of our 1300+ graduates as we see them excelling in further education, leading strong families, faithful church involvement, and serving in meaningful careers. 95% of graduating seniors attend college and 80% of those students will attend a four-year post secondary institution.
Faculty
Our faculty and also staff are carefully selected to ensure that we have the highest quality professionals with the deepest commitment to Christian school education. Each employee testifies to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, agrees with our Statement of Faith, and models to our students a healthy lifestyle based on the moral teachings of the Bible. Our full-time, classroom teachers are required to hold a bachelor’s degree however some have continued their education beyond this level with the goal of advanced degrees. We are committed to the professional development of our faculty with a focus on research-based practices for the most effective educational experience for our students. You can learn more about our faculty in the section of our website entitled “Academics”.
Points of Interest
• School-owned iPad in the hands of every 5th through 12th grade student
• Stations for iPad use by students in every PreK to 4th grade classroom
• College preparatory curriculum beginning in 8th grade
• Advanced courses available beginning in middle school
• College & Career guidance beginning in middle school
• Joint-enrollment college courses (41 college credits possible before graduation)
• NILD (National Institute of Learning Difficulties) therapists in our Discovery program
• After-school tutorial & enrichment classes in the elementary
• Daily Bible classes and weekly chapels
• Community and world service projects & outreach
• Service clubs (National Honor Society, BETA Club)
• Award-winning performing arts
• Competitive interscholastic athletic program (5th- 12th grades)
• Intramural sports (K4-5th grades)
• Strong fine arts program in the elementary school
• Computer instruction beginning in first grade
• Early Arrival and Late Stay programs provided
Academics
We strive to utilize the most appropriate curriculum and most engaging learning methods in order to establish a creative, supportive and wholesome atmosphere for all our students. The total education experience is designed to help each student recognize his or her own learning style, abilities, and talents and to use them in pursuing God’s will for his or her life. We are devoted to developing the whole person and instilling in our students a lifelong passion for God and His Word, for service to others, and for achieving excellence in all they do.
• 95% of our graduates go on to receive higher education
• Combined scholarship amount of $2,333,288 offered to the 2014 graduating class (42 students)
• Three military school appointments (West Point & Air Force Academy)
• Above average ACT scores:
2013 Average ACT Score: 23 Top ACT Score: 30
2014 Average ACT Score: 23 Top ACT Score: 34
• One National Merit Semi-Finalist in 2014 - this student scores in the top 1/2% of all student in the state and the top 1% nationwide
• One National Achievement Outstanding Participant in 2014 - only 3,000 out of 160,000 are recognized across the nation
Spiritual Life
• Interactive weekly chapels with student involvement
• Small group mentoring by faculty for all students in middle and high school
• Christian worldview courses
• Biblical integration in all subject areas
• One-on-One mentoring program in the high school
Fine Arts
• Instruction in visual arts from elementary through high school
• Band, choir, & drama programs
• Marching Band
• Two choir & band performances annually
• Annual musical theater production
Athletics
• Over 30 athletic teams in grades 4-12
• Playoff, district, & regional appearances in a variety of sports
• Appearance in state championship games in softball, soccer, and basketball
Community Service
We promote community service for students in all grades by providing a variety of opportunities for volunteer work both on and off campus. We want these experiences to inspire a heart for service in our students. It is our goal that serving others will show students the positive impact they can make on their local community and motivate them to make this a life-long practice.
Governance
The official board of Grace Baptist Church delegates the oversight of the Academy to the School Board and it operates with a policy form of governance. This means the school board functions and acts as one for the purpose of establishing policies that will enable the Academy to achieve its established desirable ends and to avoid results the Board considers unacceptable. It is the role of the Headmaster to lead the school. Board members perform their governance role only during a duly called meeting and have no authority, individual or corporate, outside of such duly called meetings. Issues related to the governing policies of the school should be presented to the Board through the Headmaster. Issues that are related to the daily activities and/or operation of the school are to be addressed with the Headmaster and/or the leadership team member most responsible for the area to be addressed.
Non-Discriminatory Policy
Grace Academy admits students of any race, color, or ethnic origin to all the rights and privileges, programs, and activities of the school. In addition the school will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, scholarships, tuition, and educational programs or extra-curricular activities.
Non-Profit Corporation
Grace Academy is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation fully licensed in the State of Tennessee.
School History
Grace Baptist Academy was founded as a ministry of Grace Baptist Church. In 1978, Dr. Steve Euler assumed the pastorate of a small church in a suburb of Chattanooga. The East Brainerd area, where the church is located, was one of the largest and fastest growing areas of Chattanooga. The church grew quickly and soon the young families expressed a need for a Christian school for their children and the expanding East Brainerd area.
In 1984 the congregation voted to begin a Christian school. Assistant Pastor Dr. Bill Summers was selected to lead the school, and in the fall of 1985, the school opened with a surprising 242 students, well over the benchmark of 150 that had been set. After growing to over 400 students in its second year (1986), the church voted to refinance their properties and building expansion began.
With continued growth, the school added buildings for the high school (1986), an early childhood learning center (1989), and a middle school (1995). The soccer field was also reconstructed, adding length, irrigation and lights (1995). In 1997, Dr. Summers retired and David Patrick took on the leadership of the school. During his tenure, a new elementary facility was built (2007) and facilities were expanded for an ever growing athletic program. A combination baseball, softball area was developed (1999) and football was later added (2004). In 2004, the Screaming Eagle Booster Club started a new project to add a plaza and permanent seating around the football field as well as much needed lighting for all three sports sharing that facility. A concession stand (2008) and a restroom facility (2012) were also added to the plaza area.
After 23 years of annual increases in enrollment, Grace experienced our first ever decrease in 2008. What was initially thought an anomaly turned out to be a precedent as a number of factors converged to precipitate the most difficult period in our history. The economic downturn (2009) was followed by a series of difficult transitions in leadership.
In 2011, Bill Summers returned to serve as the interim administrator. During the next two years of transition, he led some exceptional volunteer efforts including renewed parent involvement. The school board established a search committee to take on a comprehensive process of securing a new Head of School.
In March of 2013, Matthew Pollock agreed to take leadership of Grace Baptist Academy. Bringing 28 years of experience with Christian education in California and Pennsylvania, he joined a veteran faculty and gifted staff, some who had served at Grace since the earliest years of its existence. Since Mr. Pollock’s arrival, the decline of enrollment has been arrested. The school has operated in the black while maintaining a 5% margin in the budget. New ventures have been launched and a renewed focus on high energy, deep student engagement and Biblical integration is being promoted throughout the faculty and staff. A fresh and research-based approach to institutional advancement has been initiated, including development of sustained financial support for long-term effectiveness.
Strides in the academic realm over the years can be noted as well. Joint enrollment classes are offered though a partnership with Chattanooga State Community College, as well as Bryan College. Advanced placement courses are also included in the high school program. The vocal music program has enjoyed significant success in a variety of competitions. The drama department presents their annual musical production gaining community-wide recognition and cultivating meaningful student growth. The Learning Support Center has allowed a good number of students who have had certain learning challenges to experience both improvement and advancement in their education.
By early 2020, over $500,000 had been raised in a three year period to complete a number of long-standing projects including construction of the Grace Fitness Center and air conditioning our high school gym . In March, the COVID outbreak forced us to go to a Distance Learning program. Then, just before midnight on Easter Sunday, April 12, the campus of Grace Baptist Church and Academy was struck by a category 3 tornado, causing catastrophic damage to the entire campus. The buildings were so damaged that 15 structures (over 148,000 sq. ft.) were lost and now must be rebuilt. Only the Children's Center was able to be completely remodeled and is now reopened serving over 100 children (infants to four-year olds) once again.
In spite of these challenges, the school finished the 2019-20 fiscal year in the black and enrollment held steady. The Academy is now blessed with a new host, Morris Hill Baptist Church. This church embraced the school by offering their facilities for a temporary home during reconstruction of a brand new campus. As a further testament to the progress of recent years, Grace Academy was voted ‘Best of the Best’, finishing second among all private schools in our area. In 2o21, enrollment has increased by 18 percent over the previous year with more and more prospective families expressing their interest.
After 35 years of serving families in the greater Chattanooga area on the corner of Shallowford and Jenkins, a complete transformation of the campus is now underway with a new master plan for both buildings and grounds being designed and construction beginning literally "from scratch".
Working together to bring transformation to our campus has brought changes in perspective to our entire Grace community. This is evident in our students, parents, and alumni, many of whom still live in the area. The conversation has moved from “can anything be done?” to “what’s next?” With God’s help, proper direction and the full engagement of the Grace community as well as external supporters, the answer to that question is “ANYTHING"!