Vision Statement
Jefferson Christian Academy exists to provide a quality education in a Christian environment. According to Luke 2:52, “... Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.” Our goal is to help each student develop spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially in accordance with this Biblical pattern.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of Jefferson Christian Academy is to provide and maintain a safe Christian environment that promotes spiritual and academic growth. We are a Bible based school that focuses on the whole child; spirit, mind, body and a servant’s heart. Our goal is to prepare our students for life and eternity with each day centered on Biblical truth and its application to everyday life. We will encourage each child to develop and use the talents that God has given them so that they may be a role model for others. We will provide a clear model of Christian life through our faculty, staff and Board of Directors
and strive to train up each child to follow the example of Christ -
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” Luke 2:52.
History
In the spring of 1970, several interested individuals - all members of the church of Christ - began formulating plans to fund and develop a great school to provide quality education in a Christian environment for the young people of the Birmingham area.
In the fall of 1971, operation of Jefferson Christian Academy began with thirty students in kindergarten through the fourth grade, meeting in the old building of the Homewood Church of Christ. Enrollment grew to sixty students the following year, necessitating a move to larger facilities, which were provided by what was then the Woodlawn Church of Christ (now Roebuck Parkway Church of Christ).
The academy continued to expand there until it moved to the campus of the former Birmingham University School in 1975.
In February of 1985, JCA moved to its present facilities on a 15-acre campus on the eastern edge of Irondale.
Jefferson Christian Academy is founded on the belief that a true education is an enterprise in which the whole person, body, mind and spirit is developed in light of the Holy Scriptures. Academically, Jefferson Christian Academy is college preparatory. Through the academic training of its students, the academy aims for a more effective participation in the contribution to the community. An integral part of the academic aim is an emphasis on the acquisition and cultivation of spiritual values; those values through which God works in man to lift the human condition through compassion, sacrifice, and endurance.
The environment is one in which great friendships can be formed between those who share many ideals. It is also an environment that recognizes a student as an individual and that seeks to help each student reach his or her potential in constructive ways. Each student is taught to respect such individuality in every other person and to foster an acceptance of each other in order to achieve the ultimate individual accomplishments.
Why Choose Christian Education?
We are asked all the time what sets Jefferson Christian Academy apart from other schools. In our opinion, there are many things that set a small Christian school like JCA apart. The major difference is the Christian environment. The teachers and staff at JCA are committed and loving Christians who believe in the mission of the school.
“With God’s guidance, Jefferson Christian Academy will cultivate and maintain an environment where the student is nurtured and challenged to realize his/her potential in spiritual maturity, academic attainment, athletic achievement and social and emotional development.”
In accordance with our mission, we have daily Bible classes for K4-12th grade, daily chapel services for 6th-12th grade, and twice-a-week chapel services for K4-5th grade. The teachers at JCA are encouraged to teach the curriculum from a Biblical perspective. We feel strongly that God must be included in education. At JCA we hope to form a partnership between the home and school, where we help to reinforce Christian values at school that are being taught in the home.
In a time where many public schools are decreasing staff and increasing class sizes, we have worked hard at JCA to keep the size of our classes as low as possible. Our average elementary class size for the 2012-2013 school year was 14.7, and 19.0 in the middle and high school. This smaller class size allows for more one-on-one attention, less discipline problems and a safer environment.
We have been truly blessed with a great group of students at JCA. We work hard to have a safe welcoming environment that allows learning to take place with minimal distractions. In 2001, our Board of Directors passed a mandatory drug test for all 7th – 12th graders. In the past two school years we have not had any students test positive for drugs. We believe that says a lot about the type of students and families we have at JCA.
Another great benefit of a small school is the opportunity to get involved. Over 75% of our middle and high school students are involved in some type of extracurricular activity. Middle school and high school students have the opportunity to be involved in one of our many athletic programs, or clubs. There are also many extracurricular activities provided for the elementary students including soccer, basketball, cheerleading, chorus and the Science Olympiad.
Let us be the Christian education that you have been seeking.
Our Foundation
All that Jefferson Christian Academy has become, or hopes to be, is built upon the solid foundation of God’s word. It is why we are here. It helps us put the first things first. Our founders - concerned parents and educators - were determined to meet the spiritual, intellectual, physical and social needs of the children. Today’s parents and educators are no less determined to work together and meet the challenge of providing quality Christian education to this generation of young people. High academic standards built upon Christian principles are promoted at JCA. God calls us to offer our best and to be our best. At JCA we are striving to be true to our founding principles and answer our calling.
We believe:
- Students should have the opportunity to cultivate a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through knowledge and practical application of the scriptures
- Every student can learn and achieve
- Every student deserves a safe, clean, and Godly environment which is conducive to learning and teaching
- Each student is a valued individual with unique physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs
- All students deserve a professional, dedicated Christian staff united in promoting a successful learning environment
- Our school should develop Christian character, citizenship and leadership in all students
- Teachers, administrators, parents and the community share the responsibility for advancing the school’s mission
- Setting high standards encourages students to reach their highest level of accomplishment.
Our Faculty
Our ability to offer a truly outstanding Christian education to each child comes to life through the wonderful, committed faculty with which God has blessed us – teachers who love the Lord, who love students and who love teaching. JCA has an excellent faculty of qualified, caring teachers who gladly empty themselves to see our children filled with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.
Our Family
JCA is a family, a group of parents, grandparents, faculty and supporters, all working together to fuel the fires of progress in our children’s lives. Our future and the future of our students hold great promise because, as a family, we are encouraged to achieve great things for the children. We encourage you to take advantage of the many opportunities available and become a part of the family at JCA.
Accreditation
Jefferson Christian Academy has been awarded accreditation by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). The three listed regional agencies provide our school with a highly regarded accreditation that is recognized throughout the world. As of 2006 we are also accredited by NCSA (National Christian School Association). We play all our sports under the AHSAA (Alabama High School Athletic Association).
Admission Requirements
Admission to Jefferson Christian Academy is open to all students who have maintained an acceptable conduct record and who have maintained a "C" average academically. All students must meet the requirements stated in the Parent-Student Handbook. In the event of limited space in a class, eligible students who were enrolled for the previous year will be given first priority in acceptance. No students are accepted who have been dismissed from their former school for disciplinary reasons, nor are any promoted who have failed the previous year elsewhere. Jefferson Christian Academy does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion or national origin in any of its academic or extracurricular programs.