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Christian School Moved By Growth

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 6, 2007

LUTZ - From the second floor of Berean Academy's new building, Headmaster Bruce Kirby stood before a wall of windows and scanned the grounds below.
Lake Stemper peeked out between the trees, beyond the green fields that one day will support soccer games and tennis courts. A patio will fringe the building downstairs for lunches outdoors.

'Kind of idyllic, isn't it?' Kirby said.

After five years of planning and 12 years as renters, Berean Academy is poised to move into its own home. A 47,000-square-foot building is under construction in Lutz on U.S. 41. The walls are up, electricity is coming and paint and carpet soon will add finishing touches. The private Christian school hopes to move in by December.

'This is our first home of our own,' Kirby said. 'It's wonderful.'

Additional space in the $12 million building will allow Berean to expand its enrollment as well as strengthen programs. The school will have a more complete science lab than it could set up when leasing space from University Church of God. It will have a larger library and computer lab, a soundproof music room and practice room and a gymnasium.

The gym under construction is cavernous with no bleachers in place and will be big enough for two basketball courts. It also will serve as a home for large community events, such as speakers the school invites for the public.

A coffee room, a hipper version of a teachers' lounge, will offer seating for more intimate events. Dubbed the Inklings room, - a nod to the Oxford literary group that included C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien - it will support collaboration, Kirby said. It will give teachers a spot to chat with other teachers, or parents to talk to faculty over coffee and snacks. Tenth-, 11th- and 12th-graders will get privileges to hang out in the room.

Berean enrolls 180 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The new building will let enrollment climb to 400. Plans call for construction phases that would double enrollment to about 800 and possibly add a performing arts center - a public performance facility - one day, said David Brittain, a Berean school board member for a decade.

Despite the growth, the board wants Berean to remain on the small side so it can keep its community and family ties strong, Brittain said. The board does not plan for enrollment to exceed 800, and the school will stay focused on theology and philosophy.

Berean follows a classical Christian education, reflected in teaching methods and topics that include lessons in ancient societies, Latin, Greek and logic and rhetoric. All students study the Bible and religion and learn how the present culture relates to the past. Teachers also follow classical methods of teaching, Kirby said, such as using different strategies for ninth-graders than fourth-graders.

Most days at Berean start with an assembly, where the younger children sing hymns, learn Bible verses and share news. They recite a timeline from the Egyptian pharaohs through Socrates' death, clapping to the dates and miming the events.

In Brenda Porter's second-grade classroom, a painting of Egyptian pyramids decorates the back wall. The children will study Egypt as they learn the traditional school topics and take on Greek and Roman culture, the Renaissance and eventually American history as they get older.

'Your minds?' Porter said, as they started a math lesson.

'Engaged,' the class answered in unison.

'Your hearts?'

'Happy.'

Porter smiled and passed out the math quiz.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503 or cpastor@tampatrib.com.

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