Restoration Academy exists as a compilation of families, faculty, communities, and churches.
At the core of our school is the Restoration Academy student. The goal of the school is to meet the academic, spiritual, and social needs of each student at our school in a Christ-centered environment. We believe that the school has been called to a unique educational mission to meet the needs of a predominantly urban and at-risk student body. We are also called to minister and meet the unique aspects of the Restoration Academy learner. Outlined below are the core beliefs of the school in regards to our view of our students. In addition, some of the practices we utilize in meeting the various aspects of the Restoration Academy learner are outlined as well.
The rational learner. As demonstrated in God's creation of the world in Genesis, God created by intentionally calling forth order from chaos, systematically bringing out a complete cosmos in a rational fashion (Gen. 1:1-2:3). As image bearers of the Creator, human beings mirror God’s rational nature (Gen. 1:26). In addition, the Lord calls His children to love Him with all of their minds. Restoration Academy believes that part of loving God with all of our minds entails delivering purposeful teaching that provides order and structure. Students are taught to develop and utilize critical thinking skills. This entails teaching taking place in organized classrooms. Each student is given a…
RA’s Twofold Accreditation
Seventeen years ago Restoration Academy obtained its accreditation with ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) and with Cognia (Formally known as AdvancED). This was an enormous milestone for the school. By being accredited, other accredited high schools and colleges acknowledge and accept the work RA students and staff have done in their education. Students at RA can go to college and the colleges will accept their studies and transcripts. When a school gets accredited, it proves to a national/governing association and to visiting administrators from other schools that it has met the standards and requirements through a robust self-assessment, an external review team assessment, student performance results, as well as stakeholder perceptions from parents, students, teachers, and administrators.
The External Review Team is comprised of professional peers with diverse experience and rich school perspectives. These professional educators assess and evaluate the RA’s effectiveness in meeting the requirements of accreditation. The external team noted three powerful practices at RA: passionate staff united with a shared vision and common purpose, differentiated instruction guided by assessment data, and intentional integration of volunteers and mentors into the educational process.
The review team gave Restoration Academy the following opportunities for improvement: add Fine Arts opportunities and develop a complete professional development plan.
Over the past 5 years RA has developed a more well-rounded professional development plan that has equipped and resourced its instructors and staff to improve in their craft and bring new ideas back to the classroom to bless their students. Each year RA allocates more than $30,000 to its teachers to grow. RA has also hired two visual arts teachers, a choir/music director for elementary and high school students, created drama and dance clubs for its students, and began its annual Heart for the Arts night where parents, students and staff come together to celebrate the art created by the students at RA.
Our Curriculum
Restoration Academy offers a rigorous, Christ-centered education for students K5-12th grades. All curriculum is carefully chosen and biblically integrated by Christian teachers and administrators to educate Restoration Academy students. All subjects are seen as valuable ways to know God through his creation. All teachers at Restoration Academy have a relationship with Jesus and they feel called to share and use their teaching gifts to benefit the RA community. At RA, Reading and Math are seen as gateway disciplines and have large amounts of focus given to them during the day in the elementary school in order to build a foundation to build on in the future. In the middle and high school, students will be placed in smaller classes to meet them at the point of their need. English classes normally do not have more than 10-12 students per class and Math classes range from 2-12 students per class depending on the course. Restoration Academy curriculum is normed to state and national standards. In most other courses, students and parents can expect to have no more than a 22 to 1 student to teacher ratio in middle and high school.
Restoration Academy offers all courses that fulfill Alabama State diploma requirements. Each student at Restoration Academy will have a Bible class each day with the hopes that students will develop their relationship with Jesus Christ and discover how to use their education and gifts to impact the world.
Restoration Academy also requires all students to participate in service in their community. In the elementary grades, teachers work with our chaplain to create age-appropriate service opportunities. Once a semester, elementary students participate in their service day with their class and teacher. Middle and high school students are required to serve a certain number of approved hours in their community as a part of their Bible class. We view this part of our curriculum as “Bible Lab” where Restoration Academy students can put into practice what they are learning in their classrooms - to love their neighbor as themselves.
The Arts have become an important part of the Restoration Academy culture and climate. Over the past five years, the school expanded its offerings in the Arts and is now offering elementary dance, elementary music/choir, elementary art, middle and high school art, art electives and independent studies, and high school choir.