One school closes, two new schools to open
By B.C. Manion
When classes recently ended at Berean Academy in Lutz, it wasn’t just for summer break.
The private school, which prided itself on its classical Christian educational approach, closed its doors for good.
“It’s been sad,” said Eric Taylor, president of the school’s board.
Parents were notified in March that the school would cease operations, Taylor said, attributing the school’s demise to the tough economic times.
“I think everyone had hopes about the continuing development of the area,” he said, but the crash of the housing market and the ripple effects on the overall economy hurt enrollment and donations, he said.
Berean Academy got its start in 1995 as a one-room school with 11 students in kindergarten through third grade. It graduated its first senior class in 2006.
It moved into its spacious, multi-million home at 17951 N. US 41 in 2008, but was unable to sustain itself through the recession.
On its last day — May 27 — it had 170 students and 30 employees, Taylor said. The property will be turned back to the mortgage holder, he said.
Although Berean is closing, some of its families have banded together and plan to begin a new school, Taylor said.
Hal Brunson, headmaster at Berean, said many of the students at Berean will attend Trinity Preparatory School, a school that plans to begin its first school year in the fall at 125 Country Club Drive in Tampa.
Brunson said a new board of trustees has been established and the plan is for the board to hire him to lead the new school. Like Berean, it will have a classical Christian curriculum. Students will read the classics, study classical languages including Latin, French, German and either Spanish, Greek or both. They also will be schooled in the fine arts of drama, music and visual arts.
The tuition will be around $11,000 a year and scholarships are available, Brunson said. For more information about the school, call (813) 918-3174.
While many students from Berean are moving to Trinity, the Berean building will become the new home of Lutz Preparatory School.
Lutz Prep, a new charter school in Hillsborough County, is gearing up to begin its first school year in the fall. It plans to move into Berean’s former home by July 1, said Tom Murray, president of Lutz Prep’s board of directors.
Lutz Prep will begin the 2011-12 school year for kindergarten through fifth grade, but the school ultimately aspires to be a K-12 school, Murray said.
Its future growth will be contingent on approval by the Hillsborough County School Board, and will be based on a record of economic and educational success, Murray said. Lutz Prep’s philosophy is to offer education that addresses the academic needs and abilities of every single student, Murray said. Each student will have an individual education plan and teachers will work with students individually to be sure that they are achieving their academic goals or to make adjustments when needed.
While it waits to begin operations, Lutz Prep is laying the groundwork for its inaugural year. It has appointed Jessica Clements to be its first principal. It has already reached its approved enrollment of 224 students.
“We’re small. We’re full,” Murray said.
Hand in Hand Academy, another Lutz school, is expecting changes in the coming year.
Hand in Hand has been operating at two sites, but next year will just be at one, said Wendy Alexander, the school’s founder. It also will be scaling back its elementary program. Next year, it will offer preschool instruction and one combined class for kindergarten and first graders, Alexander said.
Learning Gate Community School, another charter school in Lutz, also will be making some changes for the coming school year. It has leased a building at 15316 N.Florida Ave., where it plans to hold classes for grades seven through nine next year.
For more information about Lutz Prep, visit www.lutzprep.org or call (813) 618-1142.
