By Restoration Academy Staff
Restoration Academy is an urban Christian school in Fairfield where we believe that every student – regardless of his or her zip code, intellectual ability or previous educational foundation – deserves a high-quality education committed to meeting each student at his or her point of need.
Because the majority of our students come to us from low-income backgrounds, we receive a significant amount of support from community members and organizations who share our vision. Contributions and donations – which are not limited to monetary donations, but also include individuals’ talents, time and shared opportunities – open doors for our students that they never thought possible.
Christian & Small has been partnering with Restoration Academy in critical and impactful ways for the last two years. During the firm’s first year of involvement, it supported students requiring financial assistance in order to attend the school. Most recently, Christian & Small has supported our new Setting Up Success program, which is designed to meet students at their point of need through individualized academic attention – such as individualized tutoring, supportive academic programming, and workshops for parental involvement.
These opportunities have grown over the years, and Restoration Academy celebrated its 25th anniversary during the 2013-14 school year. It was a big year in other ways as well, as we saw our largest enrollment with 275 students grades K through 12. For the eighth year in a row, all 21 of our graduating seniors were accepted into college. Our anniversary luncheon highlighted the accomplishments and lives changed over the school’s history. As founder Dr. Anthony Gordon shared, the students who once faced dark futures – learning lifestyles from gang- and drug-related social groups – now see unlimited possibilities: learning to love the Lord their God with their heart, mind, soul and strength as a student, family and community member; college and professional opportunities once never before imagined; and lives committed to God-honoring lifestyles.
Restoration Academy continues to grow its student body and is excited about the addition of a new kindergarten class for the 2014-15 school year. We are encouraged that our school’s commitment to academic excellence and discipleship is drawing students not only from the community of Fairfield, but from across Birmingham.
Here are some other things that have been happening recently at Restoration Academy, as well as opportunities that are coming up for the new school year:
- We were pleased to receive a glowing report from the Association of Christian Schools (ACSI) accreditation agency this past year during our reaccreditation visit. Not only was the school reaccredited, but we had the highest scores the team has given any school, urban or suburban, in the Southeast.
- We are thrilled to have celebrated our Varsity Boys Basketball Team winning the 2013 AISA Class 2A State Championship; our 2013 Football Team competing in its state championship game; and we are excited about a new girls’ tennis team.
- Our curriculum continues to grow to meet new and rigorous Common Core standards.
- The Setting Up Success program will expand to include an ACE Class (Advancing Commitment to Excellence) which will be implemented as an experiential learning class that challenges higher performing students outside of the classroom.
- We’re championing new and expanded focuses on fine arts such as music and visual arts that will provide new opportunities for students to discover their talents.
As we move ahead towards the next 25 years, we continue to pray that the school will continue to meet students of all abilities and experiences at their points of need and provide them with opportunities for fully developing their God-given abilities and potential. We foresee continued expansion in student enrollment and extracurricular activities, including sports, and we look forward to Christian & Small’s ongoing support and involvement as we explore the ways the Lord will work in the lives of our students, families and community!