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Name: Mt. Bethel Christian Academy |
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Mt. Bethel Christian Academy was established upon the foundation of delivering a truly Christ-centered approach to educating our students. Viewed as a ministry of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, we have set out to offer private Christian education where academic excellence is pursued in an environment where the Christian ethic and understanding permeate all academic and non-academic activities of the Academy. As a Christ-centered school our educational philosophy differs distinctively from the secular education practiced in public schools and some of the practices in many private schools. While most Christian schools share certain foundational beliefs, we encourage parents to review thoroughly all elements of a prospective school before deciding on the appropriate environment for their children. Specifically, Mt. Bethel Christian Academy holds certain foundational beliefs as critical pillars to our educational philosophy. I. Parents are directed by God to be responsible for the education of their children. The Academy is delegated authority by the parents in this effort, but the Academy is not a substitute for parental authority. |
II. Jesus Christ spoke of the importance of Aeducation@ when giving us the greatest commandment Ato love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your MIND.@ Thus, at Mt. Bethel Christian Academy academic excellence is pursued in a curriculum which follows the biblical pattern of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. III. Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is an evangelical school. Students of any race, religion, etc. are eligible for acceptance, but all students will be encouraged to grow in the knowledge and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. IV. We believe small class sizes encourage development and absorption of material. Small class sizes also promote a love for learning as individual attention and creativity is enhanced. V. We believe the teaching of critical learning and reasoning skills must accompany the mastering of the building blocks of knowledge. In order to succeed in competitive environments, students must be taught to use what they learn. VI. We believe students in a Christ-centered education should achieve superior academics while at the same time be trained to think thoroughly and act in ways which make them Asalt and light@ and ultimately perform as disciples of Christ. |
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Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church has been a fixture in East Cobb since 1840. Today Mt. Bethel U.M.C. is one of the fastest growing churches in the nation and has many vibrant ministries for our members and the community at large. In the summer of 1997, a small group of Mt. Bethel members were commissioned to analyze the interest and demand throughout our community for Christ-centered education for our children. For over 20 years Mt. Bethel has offered one of our community’s most respected pre-schools, but our analysis in this case looked at education demands for children beyond pre-school age. Our analysis concluded the demand for quality Christian education far exceeded the supply of available options for parents. Following an extensive feasibility study our congregation voted overwhelmingly to start Mt. Bethel Christian Academy in the fall of 1998. On August 21, 1998, the Academy opened with 2 kindergarten classes and has since added at least one grade per year. The Academy now is a complete K-8 program and is fully accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS). In addition to our accreditation, the Academy maintains membership with the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), the National Middle School Association (NMSA) and the Atlanta Area Association of Independent Schools (AAAIS). |
As a ministry of Mt. Bethel U.M.C., the Academy is located on the 44 acres owned by the church. Our campus includes 3 soccer fields, 3 baseball fields, gym, pond and nature area, and 215,000 square feet of fixed buildings making our Acampus environment@ a very stimulating place for students to grow and learn. Due to the extraordinary growth Mt. Bethel U.M.C. and the Academy have experienced, an education building was constructed to provide additional space to better serve our students and the community. The education building opened in August 2002 and accommodates grades kindergarten through 8th grade. In January 2004, a new gymnasium opened to provide an improved facility for Mt. Bethel sports and recreation. Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is committed to offering excellent facilities to complement the challenging academic and Christian environment, which permeates our institution.
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