School Spotlight: Westminster Christian Academy
We recently interviewed Lori-Ellen Hudnall, Marketing/Fundraising Director for Westminster Christian Academy. Westminster opened its doors in January of 1964, and next year marks their 50th year of serving the Huntsville community!
The School
- Name: Westminster Christian Academy
- Phone: 256-705-8000
- Locations: We have two campuses. Our Upper Campus, which houses 6th through 12 grades, is located at 237 Johns Road Huntsville, AL 35806. Our Lower Campus currently houses K through 5th grade, and will add a K4 program in the fall of 2014. Our Lower Campus is located at 375 Mt. Zion Road Madison, Alabama 35757.
- Website: www.wca-hsv.org
Grades/Ages of Students: Currently, we serve children ages 5 – 18 in our K – 12th grade program. In the fall of 2014, we will offer a K4 program. Anyone interested in our K4 program, should call Leslie Parker, our Admissions Director 256-705-8229.
Religious affiliation: We are a Christian school that serves families from all Christian denominations. Our doctrinal basis is founded on Presbyterian PCA doctrines.
Teacher/Student Ratio: In our Upper School the teacher/student ratio is 17 to 1. In our Lower School our teacher/student ratio is 18 to 1.
School mission: Westminster is a covenantal school that provides a quality education from a Biblical perspective.
What is your school’s predominant educational philosophy?
WCA is a distinctly Christian school that seeks to provide:
- A COVENANTAL EDUCATION, which recognizes that God is in relationship with Christian families and that, in partnership with such families, WCA assists in the academic discipleship of their children.
- A COLLEGE PREPARATORY CURRICULUM that enables students to identify and develop to their fullest their God-given talents and abilities and prepares them to be sensitive to and embrace God’s vocational direction following graduation. “For from him and through him and to him are all things” (Romans 11:36).
- A competent CHRISTIAN FACULTY AND STAFF, which embraces and models the beliefs and values taught by Christian parents at home, and assists them in their God-given responsibility to educate their children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
- An evangelical BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE, integrated into all learning that guides students in their acquisition of knowledge and skill, and equips them to discern truth and error and to make God-honoring decisions throughout their lives. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10).
- A challenging CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAM, providing academic, artistic, athletic, leadership, and social experiences which provide opportunities for students to integrate the teaching and principles of the Bible into their lives, both within and outside the classroom. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31).
In all of its curricular and co-curricular endeavors, WCA is guided by four core principles.
- WCA as a Learning Community
- Learning as Discovery
- Learning as Development
- Learning as Display
What sets your school apart from other area programs?
Westminster is not just a “private” school. We are a covenantal school, which means we partner with Christian families to offer a Christian environment. This sets us apart from other private schools of comparable size in our area.
What extracurricular opportunities exist for your students?
Westminster serves over 500 families and over 700 students. For a school our size we are proud to have the capability to offer numerous sports and extracurricular opportunities. We have 15 sports for students to choose from. This list includes football, cheerleading, basketball, soccer, baseball, swimming, golf, cross county, wrestling, marching band, music, and much more. Our extracurricular activities include: Drama Club, Latin Club, Spanish Club, Key Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Council, Leadership Team, Leadership University, Choir, Pep Club, I Am Second, Destination Imagination, Math Team, Mock Trial Team, Debate Club.
What advice do you have for parents looking for a school for their children?
When looking for a school for your children, we encourage you to make sure that you have an understanding of your expectations for your child’s education. We believe the best situation is one in which the whole child and not just one aspect of the child is addressed. We recommend a school that has a balance of co-curricular offerings that include college prep, sports, the arts, spiritual and vocational/real world opportunities, keeping in mind that all students do not need to be engaged in all offerings of the school. If a school is balanced, all children will find a place to belong.
Describe your admissions process.
Our open enrollment begins February 1, 2014, and the application can be found online under admissions. In addition to the online application we need report card grades and a pastor reference form filled out. After this initial paperwork, a formal interview is the last step in the process. There are weekly open houses and we offer the opportunity for potential student to spend a day on campus shadowing a current students.
Rocket City Mom is a website about raising children in and around Huntsville, Alabama. Started in late 2010 by a local mom and newcomer to Huntsville, Rocket City Mom has grown into a thriving community of local parents and now boasts a staff of four, thirteen regular contributors, and tens of thousands of Tennessee Valley readers making it the #1 Parenting Resource in North Alabama.