Laconia Christian Academy Inc

LACONIA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY IS A COLLEGE PREPARATORY, NON-DENOMINATIONAL PRIVATE CHRISTIAN DAY SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS IN PRE-SCHOOL THROUGH GRADE TWELVE. LCA'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE AN INTELLECTAULLY STIMULATING EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT FOSTERS A PASSION FOR GOD'S TRUTH. LCA ACCOMPLISHES THIS MISSION BY COMBINING A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC PROGRAM WITH A STRONG EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY SERVICE. OVER THE RECENT PAST, LACONIA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY HAS EXPANDED ITS OPERATIONS TO INCLUDE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TIMBERNOOK PROGRAMMING. TIMBERNOOK IS A WELL-RESEARCHED BEST PRACTICES PROGRAM DEVELOPED BY ANGELA HANSM, A PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST WHO AUTHORED "BALANCED AND BAREFOOT: HOW UNRESTRICTED OUTDOOR PLAY MAKES FOR STRONG, CONFIDENT, AND CAPABLE CHILDERN NEW- HARBINGER PRESS 2016). TIMBERNOOK ADVOCATES AN APPROACH TO EARLY AND ELEMTARY EDUCATION THAT "INTRICATELY WEAVES THE THERAPEUTIC ASPECTS OF NATURE WITH ITS UNIQUE UNDERSTANDING OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT TO CREATE AN OUTDOOR PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS E

WITHOUT QUESTION, THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF LACONIA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY'S OPERATION AS AN INDEPENDENT NON-PROFIT WAS A CHALLENGE. THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC FORCED THE SCHOOL INTO A REMOTE LEARNING MODE OF INSTRUCTION ON MARCH 16, 2020. FORTUNATELY, FACULTY AND STAFF HAD BEEN PREPARING FOR THE TRANSITION TO REMOTE LEARNING A FULL WEEK BEFORE THE DECISION TO GO REMOTE WAS MADE. THIS LEVEL OF ADVANCED PREPARATION AND CONTINUED FLEXIBILITY ALLOWED FOR A RELATIVELY SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION. LCA ADOPTED AN ASYNCHRONOUS APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION THAT SERVED THE STUDENTS WELL. ALTHOUGH THE ACADEMY REMAINED REMOTE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, THE ACADEMY'S SENIORS WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE SOCIALLY DISTANCED END-OF-YEAR ACTIVITIES DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST.

WITHOUT QUESTION, THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF LACONIA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY'S OPERATION AS AN INDEPENDENT NON-PROFIT WAS A CHALLENGE. THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC FORCED THE SCHOOL INTO A REMOTE LEARNING MODE OF INSTRUCTION ON MARCH 16, 2020. FORTUNATELY, FACULTY AND STAFF HAD BEEN PREPARING FOR THE TRANSITION TO REMOTE LEARNING A FULL WEEK BEFORE THE DECISION TO GO REMOTE WAS MADE. THIS LEVEL OF ADVANCED PREPARATION AND CONTINUED FLEXIBILITY ALLOWED FOR A RELATIVELY SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION. LCA ADOPTED AN ASYNCHRONOUS APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION THAT SERVED THE STUDENTS WELL. ALTHOUGH THE ACADEMY REMAINED REMOTE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, THE ACADEMY'S SENIORS WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE SOCIALLY DISTANCED END-OF-YEAR ACTIVITIES DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST.

WITHOUT QUESTION, THE FIRST EIGHTEEN MONTHS OF LACONIA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY'S OPERATION AS AN INDEPENDENT NON-PROFIT WAS A CHALLENGE DUE TO THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. EVEN SO, OR PERHAPS AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, ENROLLMENT AT THE ACADEMY FOR THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR GREW BY 37% OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE ACADEMY EXPANDED ITS PROGRAM OFFERINGS BY INCORPORATING AN INQUIRY-BASED (IBL) SCIENCE PROGRAM IN GRADES 6 THROUGH 8 AND DEVELOPING A MIDDLE SCHOOL OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. THE FACULTY CONTINUED TO MORE GENERALLY EXPLORE IBL THROUGH ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROVIDED BY THE COMMON GROUND COLLABORATIVE.