New Christian school ready for business

By PAULETTE LASH RITCHIE

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 27, 2000

INVERNESS -- The idea for a school had been on the minds of the Fort Cooper Baptist Church members for some time.

"I'd say at least five years," said Mike D'Ambrosio, the administrator of Inverness Christian Academy, the newest Citrus County Christian school about to open. "We just want to provide a good, solid Christian education.

"We use the ABeka Curriculum," he said, a Christian-based curriculum developed by Arlin and Beka Horton, founders of the Pensacola Christian Academy and College.

"It's all taught through a biblical standpoint. You have the same core classes you have in the public school," D'Ambrosio said.

"All the educational requirements," Administrative assistant Doris Willis added. And all grades will have Bible classes.

The school is located behind the church on U.S. 41 south and will open Aug. 14, the same day as the public schools. It has preschool through eighth grade. The two preschool classes are called K-3 and K-4. The kindergarten class is called K-5.

There are six teachers right now and enrollment is at 50 students, 12 of whom are in the middle school. D'Ambrosio will be the middle school teacher and will have two aides. Willis will help with administrative chores. "My job's in the office this year," she said.

Classes have been combined this beginning year, with each group having one teacher -- K-5 and first grade, second and third grades, fourth and fifth grades, and the middle school. The preschool has two teachers. "We do intend to have separate classrooms as we grow," said Willis.

The middle school, D'Ambrosio said, will offer yearbook, art, music, physical education, spelling vocabulary and poetry. The school does have a full size gymnasium.

The school will not offer hot lunches, so students will have to bring their own.

In athletics, the school plans to offer basketball and soccer this year.

Tuition varies according to grade levels. It is $2,040 for seventh and eighth grades, $1,920 for first through sixth grades and $1,740 for kindergarten. There is a 10-month payment plan available. K-3 and K-4 tuition varies with different options.

For working parents there is before and after school care available beginning at 6:30 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m.

Eventually, the administrators say, there will be a new building that will accommodate the disabled. In the meantime, the nine-classroom school has been freshly painted, is being set up and will soon see its first students.

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