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Private school denies rumors it's closing
FPCA renegotiates bank loan
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First Presbyterian Christian Academy officials want to put to rest rumors that the private school is closing.
FPCA will start the 2013-14 school year for every grade, Pre-K through 12th, on Aug. 6 as scheduled, FPCA Principal Shannon Hickey said.
“The school is open and is operating as normal as it has been,” Hickey said. “There are a lot of rumors flying around that the school is closing. We are not, we are here, we are staying and we will be offering the same classes, honor classes and the same sports that we have offered in the past … it’s business as usual progressing forward, offering dynamite education for our students.”
The FPCA Board of Directors recently renegotiated the bank loan on the private school’s building with The Heritage Bank, extending the loan from one year to three years. The Heritage Bank Chief Credit Officer Stephen Parker said he would not comment on the loan due to privacy issues.
FPCA School Board Chairman Jerry Kicklighter said that in previous years the bank renewed the school’s loan one year at a time.
“That always leaves the speculation that the school is not going to make it,” Kicklighter said. “Every year, we go through that. This year, when we negotiated the loan with the bank, we asked for a three-year deal, which they agreed to.”
The school board chairman said FPCA has always, “done everything the bank has asked us to do. We’ve made every payment on time.”
Kicklighter said the school even raised $100,000 in three weeks one year to help make the loan payment.
FPCA serves more than 300 students, according to Hickey. The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Hickey estimated FPCA’s building to be about seven years old. The school has 22 classrooms, she said.
The FPCA website states the “$5.3 million, state-of-the-art main building houses classes for first through 12th grades” and “students in Pre-K and Kindergarten remain on newly renovated wings.”  
“The next phase of our building plan includes a gymnasium and lower school facility,” fpcahinesville.org reads.
The school touted its academic and athletic accomplishments in a July 8 newsletter sent to parents, asking for their continued support.
“We graduated our fifth senior class with 27 students and a 100-percent college acceptance rate,” the newsletter read. “Our graduates win a variety of scholarships, both academic and athletic.”
The newsletter also named the colleges FPCA graduates have attended, including the Air Force Academy, Georgia Tech, The Citadel, Emory, Mercer, Savannah College of Art and Design, the University of Georgia and the University of Kentucky.
In addition, the school won the national 2013 Under Armor Finding Undeniable Competition and received $140,000 in uniforms and equipment for its athletic teams, according to the newsletter.
FPCA’s athletic teams placed well in state competitions, the memo read, with the girls’ soccer team placing first in state this past school year, and boys’ soccer and basketball teams placing second in state in 2013.
The private Christian school is at 308 East Court St. in Hinesville. For more information about FPCA, call 912-876-0441 or go to fpcahinesville.org.

Patty Leon contributed to this story.

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BI hosts LCSS Gala
LibertyCountySchools

Bradwell Institute’s Friends Helping Friends will host the 3rdAnnual Liberty County School System Special Needs Gala Saturday at 7p.m.

The dance portion of the gala is free and open to the public.

FHF was started three years ago by BI special needs teacher Charlie Moon. FHF is comprised of a large group of general education students that connect special needs students with their general education peers. They have raised $20,000 in the last 30 months, for events like this, a new sensory room, music therapy equipment, and many other fun events. 

“FHF does so much for the special needs students. It really brings them out in their social skills. They become so much more comfortable around us all,” FHF Junior Danielle Hennessee said. 

FHF Junior Jada Naftzinger said it’s a two-way street. “It not only helps them, but us as well. It brings us out of our own shells and comfort zones.” 

Moon added, “For us, the Gala is not our calling card. I’ve told the students from day one, unless they truly know these special needs students, we won’t do the Gala at all. We’ll throw a big pizza party instead. The point is, we want the kids to really focus on the one-on-one, in-class work, hanging out in the halls, really talking to them. That’s the only way this program truly reaches its potential. Our motto is, “Changing lives, one friend at a time.”

During a private dinner which precedes the public dance, district office personnel, representatives from Congressman Buddy Carter’s office, district SPED staff, BI Football players and FHF members, parents and the honored guests – 50 special needs students from around the district will be in attendance.

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