First Baptist Christian School looking toward future

“That’s certainly our vision,” First Baptist Church Administrator Ed Necker said. “Right now, the only limitation we have is space.”

The school, which started about four years ago, recently added third-grade classes to its curriculum. Grades have been added each year as students are promoted, and Necker said the school’s long-term goal is to evolve into a full kindergarten-12th grade campus.

“We’re just trying to figure out how to make things work space-wise,” Necker said. “In the meantime, we’ll continue adding a grade a year.”

Necker said the school was started after his office received requests from parents seeking a faith-based school with a five-day-a-week schedule.

The area’s largest private Christian school, Faith Academy of Marble Falls, offers all 12 grades on a staggered meeting schedule, meaning students attend class every other day, with home-schooling filling he gaps.

“Faith is a wonderful school, but that schedule doesn’t work for some parents,” Necker said. “There’s really a need for a full-service Christian school, and we’re trying to fill that gap.”

Students at the church school use elements from two ready-made Christian school curriculums, which an emphasis on biblical studies.

“Our first priority is the biblical emphasis, then academics and eventually extracurricular activities,” Necker said.

So far, the school’s 160 students are too young to take advantage of extracurricular activities such as sports or band, but Necker said administrators are prepared for the day when teams can take to the field.

“We have a school mascot already, the Lions,” Necker said. “We also have our school colors, blue and gold.”

The school also has a budding Parent-Teacher Organization that has already helped raise funds for various programs and facilities, he added.

With First Baptist Church still in the middle of a planned move to a new facility near the La Ventana subdivision on U.S. 281 south of Lake Marble Falls, Necker said church leaders are still deciding what form the future school will take.

“We have a wonderful facility now, but it’s frequently used by community groups and activities, so it really is a space issue,” he said.

The school may stay in the current church building after the congregation is moved to its new location, or the school could be moved along with the church, Necker said. 

“It still remains to be determined, but it’s something we’re looking very seriously at,” he said.

In the meantime, school officials are working toward accreditation and forming a school board.

“It’s a God-sized task,” Necker said.

chris@thepicayune.com