Berean Early Learning Academy: Nurturing Growth Through Academic Excellence and Spiritual Foundation

Berean Early Learning Academy provides a nurturing environment where children aged three and four can flourish. The academy's curriculum emphasizes both academic excellence and spiritual growth, laying a strong foundation for future learning and development.

Leadership and Staff

The leadership team at Berean Early Learning Academy is dedicated to providing a high-quality educational experience. Kaley, the Lower Campus Assistant Principal and Preschool Director, holds a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction and a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a K-8 licensure from Tennessee Tech University. Her experience and education equip her to guide the preschool program effectively.

The academy boasts a team of dedicated teachers with diverse backgrounds and experiences, all united by a passion for teaching children about Jesus and fostering their love for learning. One teacher, a graduate of Pensacola Christian College with a bachelor's degree, has extensive experience in youth and children's ministry, including directing Parents Day Out programs. Another teacher, with multiple degrees from U.T. of Knoxville, L.M.U., and E.T.S.U., holds an ACSI certification in education and administration and has taught in both public and Christian schools for years.

Tristi, a medical assistant by trade, has been a preschool teacher at Berean. Her love for travel, family adventures, reading, and coffee complements her dedication to nurturing young minds.

Curriculum Rooted in a God-Centered View

Berean Baptist Christian School's curriculum is rooted in a God-centered view of life, providing students with the opportunity to understand themselves and the world around them from a biblical perspective. All truth is found in God and is derived from His revealed Word and from objective observation of the world He created. In all matters, the Scriptures are supreme. The academy utilizes materials from several Christian publishing companies, including ABeka, Bob Jones, and Positive Action.

Elementary Program (1st-5th Grade): Building a Strong Foundation

The elementary program at Berean Baptist Christian School provides a strong academic and spiritual foundation for students in 1st through 5th grade. Dedicated teachers integrate biblical principles into every subject, helping students develop both academically and spiritually. The school uses a rigorous curriculum that challenges students while providing the support they need to succeed.

First Grade: A Year of New Beginnings

First grade is a time of new beginnings, where students make new friends and reunite with old ones. Much emphasis is placed on reading, with students practicing phonics charts, spelling rules, learning sight words, reading sentences, and completing stories and books. Daily reading groups provide opportunities for students to practice reading orally, using expression in their voices, watching for punctuation, and reading for fun. Math work is done each day through "hands-on" activities, where students learn addition and subtraction facts, telling time, metric measurement, and simple problem-solving. Other classes include Bible, penmanship, health, history, and science. Computers are used as a motivational tool to help build on existing reading and math skills. Each class is taught with the emphasis that every student should strive to do his/her best.

Second Grade: Eager to Learn

Second graders at Berean are taught and drilled phonics and language skills every day; this is the key to their advanced reading abilities. Math is exciting. The use of many manipulatives makes the class more exciting and easier to comprehend. The year begins with addition and subtraction problems, and includes a variety of other subjects as well: penmanship, history, science, health, and spelling. Music class rates right at the top in the minds of the children.

Third Grade: Building on a Strong Foundation

Third grade builds on the strong foundation taught in the first and second grades. Bible class offers the opportunity for students to learn about Bible characters, heroes of the faith, and missionaries. Students learn many Bible verses and a variety of fun songs. The main emphasis of the Bible class is to learn to follow after Christ and to have the attitudes and actions that please Him. In math, the focus is on learning the multiplication and division facts. Flashcards and speed drills enable many to learn quickly and precisely. Learning to identify subjects and verbs in a sentence and then diagramming them is a big part of the language curriculum. As the students learn the different grammar rules, they continue to practice creating well-written sentences. The literature style approach is used in the reading class. The study of great Americans and their contributions to our country is the focus of the history class, beginning with Christopher Columbus and ending with the great evangelist Billy Sunday. Science teaches us about the world and the amazing creatures that God put in it. Each student has the hands-on experience of putting together a required animal notebook as they study animal classification.

Fourth Grade: A Busy Year of Learning and Growth

Fourth grade is a busy, exciting year of learning and growth. In Bible class, students study Bible heroes and their character qualities, learn a new Bible verse each week and a new hymn each month. Math class introduces students to division, fractions, mixed numbers, decimals, and basic geometry. In history, students learn about great Americans and events that shaped the country, focusing on the Revolutionary and Civil War time periods. They also learn all about Illinois in an in-depth study of the state’s history. Science is exciting with hands-on activities and experiments as students learn about God’s hand in Creation. Fourth graders make an insect collection. Neat penmanship is stressed and drilled. Class contests and competitions add a spark to the year.

Fifth Grade: Preparing for Middle School

Fifth grade reviews concepts of previous grades and adds challenges to prepare students for Middle School. In Bible class, students learn how the Holy Spirit inspired many authors over a period of time to write God’s Word. English and Spelling is an exciting time for fifth-grade students, as they continue to learn about the parts of speech and punctuation. Reading is a special time, where students work on reading comprehension skills by taking bi-weekly speed drills and reading through an anthology of stories. Monthly book reports are required. Math is a continuation of concepts learned in previous grades, including addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, fractions, decimals, geometry, and algebra. History and science are both exciting classes enjoyed by the students.

Uniforms

Students attending Berean Baptist Academy’s Preschool wear a school uniform each day school is in session and are expected to present themselves neatly and cleanly. Students can wear a long or short-sleeved BBA logoed t-shirt, black or red polo, or crewneck sweatshirt any day of the week.

Boys: Non-cargo uniform-type pants, jogger pants (no athletic, fleece, or windbreakers), or walking shorts in black, khaki, navy, gray, brown, olive green, or denim may be worn. Pants and shorts may be purchased at your favorite store.

Girls: Skorts or non-cargo uniform-type pants, jogger pants (no athletic, fleece, or windbreakers), capris, or walking shorts that come to the top of the knee in black, khaki, navy, gray, brown, olive green, or denim may be worn. An elastic waistband is preferred.

Gym-friendly VELCRO or full slip-on shoes/sneakers or closed-toe sandals are the acceptable footwear. Boys may wear a rubber sports band bracelet. Girls may wear break-away necklaces, small earrings, and bracelets that do not present a potential hazard while playing. Boys’ hair cannot go below the eyebrow, the lower opening of the ear, the bottom collar seam of a polo shirt, or the top hem of a t-shirt. Hair must be its natural color for both boys and girls.

Beyond Textbooks: Character Education

At Berean Academy, character education is equally important as academics. Through Character First Education, the school helps parents support the development of their child’s moral character and personal responsibility.

Trivium Approach to Education

Berean Academy utilizes the Trivium, a three-fold approach to education that follows the natural development of the brain. The Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric stages are the first three of the seven liberal arts.

The Garden Years

The “Garden years” are a season in the life of a child where a sense of wonder, amazement, curiosity, and an eagerness to learn are innate. During this time, the main objective is to develop an excitement for the learning process through games, songs, chants, beautiful literature, rhymes, poetry, classical music, art, and imaginative play. Skillfully created lessons develop motor skills, memorization skills, number sense, phonetic awareness and reading. A love of nature and exploration are built into the day while Bible and Virtue studies begin to shape the student’s character.

The Grammar Stage (Knowledge Stage)

During these foundational years, the child’s brain is like a sponge, just soaking in the knowledge of the world around him. At this young age, students learn best through repetition, songs, chants, and memorization. Students have a large focus on memorization of the helpful information that they will need to be able to access throughout the rest of their lives. Students are learning the grammar of the world around them. Not just English grammar, but science terminology, historical events, biblical characters and stories, math facts, timeline events, and Latin vocabulary are all a part of the grammar stage. History is studied from Creation to Modern day, chronologically while incorporating all other subjects into the timeline of events. Students learn the “Who, What, When, and Where” of the subjects presented. A continuation of Virtue studies and Bible knowledge run through each day’s lessons.

The Logic Stage (Understanding Stage)

Children begin to question the world around them, including subject matter and their authorities. They are developmentally ready to explore independent thinking and reasoning. Therefore, the aim is to teach them how to seek out truth and to argue well, with respect and right thinking. Wise mentors facilitate conversation and probe the student for sound, true argument and application of what they are learning. The formal study of Logic is implemented in this stage. Students learn how to discern between truth and fallacy and begin to practice the art of argument through formal debate and open conversation, testing the integrity of ideas and their alignment with scripture. Once again, the students work their way chronologically through history, from Creation to Modern day, but now with a deeper understanding. All the knowledge acquired in the Grammar stage is now thoroughly investigated for the “Why’s and How’s” of the subject and students begin to form their own opinions on the matter. Latin grammar and translation are studied all 3 years in the School of Logic, while Virtue studies and Biblical themes are taught and examined on a personal level and applied to daily activities.

The Rhetoric Stage (Wisdom Stage)

The Rhetoric student takes the knowledge and understanding that he has developed over the past 9-11 years and begins to impart that wisdom through eloquent, articulate, and beautiful conversations and writings, focused on highlighting truth. This is a stage of self-teaching and examination. With deeper study into the “great books,” original ancient texts, theology, philosophy, and the masters of oratory the student becomes the teacher and can persuasively defend his thoughts and ideas. The capstone of this stage is modeled through a 12th grade thesis that the student then presents to a panel of peers, authorities, and critics alike.

Biblical Worldview

At BCA, Biblical Worldview cannot be compartmentalized into a “subject.” Every subject is approached as if it is an opportunity to view the character of God and to reflect on our response as individuals made in His image. Whether working in math, music, peer relations, or service to the community, all things should be done to the glory of God and seeking out His will in our lives. If students are trained to view everything through the lens of scripture, seeking out the true, good, and beautiful in life, they will inevitably find themselves at the foot of Christ.

Culture of Love and Respect

Schools can spend thousands of dollars on the best curriculum but the atmosphere or culture emulated is the true source of the child's education. At BCA, the school strives to create a culture of love for others before self, respect for authority, chivalry, and grace. Just a few examples of this can be seen through school-wide mission projects, upper and lower grade reading buddies, boys pulling out the chair for girls, or students standing when an adult enters the room. Teachers strive to create a calm atmosphere that decreases anxiety or barriers to learning. It is not uncommon to hear soft classical music playing, to see teachers reading to their students under a tree on a sunny day, or beautiful art displayed on the walls. Students daily serve the school and others by taking out trash, sweeping floors, or running errands. Singing in the classrooms, grandparents visiting to impart wisdom or read stories to the children, or even the occasional dance party might be witnessed. Field trips that reinforce the classroom learning or expert visitors sharing about real world experiences brings learning to life. Children are not treated as lesser beings, but as esteemed individuals, made in the image of God, who have valuable thoughts and ideas that we all can learn from. As opposed to legalistic rules posted on the wall, there are grace-filled high expectations of how children will strive to act. The school is not simply looking for a change in “bad” behavior but a transformation of the heart. Wrong choices are an opportunity to reflect on the child’s heart and impart God’s love.

Daily Learning Activities

Letters become friends, not assignments. Daily storytime teaches your child to listen, process, and share their thoughts. Pauses are taken for questions and celebrations when little voices contribute ideas. Listening extends beyond stories to following instructions, both for learning activities and life skills like cleaning up or waiting in line. Children move from touching and counting real things-classroom objects, walking steps-to recognizing and writing numbers on paper. This concrete-to-abstract approach helps mathematical concepts stick.

Daily calendar lessons and counting to 100 build the foundation they’ll need throughout elementary school. Every day begins with Bible lessons that start with Creation Week and journey through Old Testament character studies to Christ’s teachings in the New Testament. Children memorize portions of Scripture, so they can carry God’s Word in their heart.

When preschoolers learn to share toys or comfort a sad friend, they’re applying biblical truths in real time. Learning to share, wait your turn, and show kindness doesn’t come naturally to four-year-olds. Teachers create a nurturing environment with age-appropriate structure that helps these essential skills take root. Children learn interpersonal skills like sharing, patience, humility, and forgiveness through daily interactions with classmates.

Family Testimonies

Parents express immense gratitude for the positive impact of Berean Christian Preschool on their children's lives. One family describes the preschool as a "God-send," emphasizing the staff's genuine love for each child and their role in instilling a love for the Bible and learning. They appreciate the staff's individualized attention and proactive suggestions for supporting their child's progress both in and outside of school.

Another family highlights the program's ability to cultivate the whole child through weekly extra-curricular classes, including Spanish, music, art, and P.E. They believe that attending BBA's well-rounded program provides students with the ability to thrive in a routine, structured atmosphere filled with challenging academics and countless opportunities to create lasting friendships in a faith-filled, positive, and safe environment.

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