By: William “Buzz” Lance, Head of School
Our parents here at South Baldwin Christian Academy (SBCA) are really going above and beyond, and I’m excited about what’s happening on campus.
In the past, when there has been a need at the school, one or two generous donors have poured into the school to make it happen. We couldn’t be more grateful for what they’ve invested, but as our school grows, our needs are continuing to grow along with it.
This past school year, it became very apparent that we needed to focus on encouraging parent involvement; our Parent-Teacher Fellowship (PTF) does just that. This committee works together to assess our students’ needs and ask how families can support our teachers. One of the most obvious needs identified this year was a playground project. The current playground is sad, doesn’t meet code, and really falls beneath what our kids need.
This year, under the leadership of current PTF president Kim McClain, our parents and teachers have raised over $35,000 for Operation: New Playground.
Originally, the company that installs playgrounds quoted us a price of $50,000. A lot of that budget included ground preparation: removing the old material, clearing trees, creating proper drainage to handle Alabama rainfall, preparing the ground, and installing the mulch. Then, a group of dads with kids at SBCA told us they have construction connections and would take care of that ground prep for us, saving the schools thousands of dollars.
Thanks to the support of these parents, the playground company was able to lower their cost and will now only need to supply us with an installation supervisor and playground materials.
Look what happens when our parents get involved! I’m blown away. Our parents are getting involved in creating a safe, engaging playground for our students.
Be on the lookout for an announcement coming soon about the playground installation workday. Our goal is to have this project completed by mid-September and we’re going to put out a call for people who want to come help.
I’m looking forward to this coming school year very much, knowing that our kids will be able to engage in our campus and enjoy their scholastic world. In addition to the playground, we’re upgrading our gymnatorium, creating more preschool rooms, and preparing for a 29% growth in enrollment. Our athletic world is growing and we’re expanding staff in our arts program.
We’re in a really healthy place and I encourage all of our parents to continue getting involved. You’re making all the difference.
