First Baptist plans Downtown elementary school

[thelakelander]

Maybe downtown advocates need to find a way to take advantage of the significant amount of people our churches continue to pull into the core on a daily basis?

DOWNTOWN -- First Baptist Church of Jacksonville plans to start a religious private elementary school in Downtown Jacksonville in the fall of 2009. Baptist officials studied the idea for about a year and made the official decision about a month ago.

The school, to be called First Baptist Academy of Jacksonville, is the first such effort for the church. It will start with kindergarten through third grade, with plans to add a grade each year up to grade six.

"We're searching for a headmaster and working on organizational matters," said the Rev. John Blount, First Baptist's executive pastor of administration. The church has already set up a Web site for the planned school at bcjaxacademy.com.

The cost of establishing the Downtown school will be greatly reduced because it will not require new construction, Blount said. The school will be in an existing building at the corner of Laura and Beaver streets that the church has owned since 2001. It is already configured for classrooms for First Baptist's Sunday School classes.

http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2008/04/28/story5.html

[fsujax]

Yep. more people coming to the core on a daily basis. As the school continues to grow so will the number of people coming Downtown.  All one has to do is look at the FBC Dallas Academy. This is where the idea comes from. Dr Brunson started that school and now he is doing the same for Jacksonville.

[Charleston native]

I'm surprised that FBC Jax didn't already have a school, considering its size. FBC Charleston is actually doing the opposite of this, unfortunately (a school is planned to be built on James Island, a suburban section of the city), but that is due to its campus being completely surrounded by historic houses in the tourist district. There's no way to expand.

The difference in FBC Jax's situation is that they have the ability to expand and acquire more land for an elementary school. It's a great idea. You'll have more people in the core: teachers, administrators, and commuting parents and their kids. I hope this plan becomes a reality.

[willydenn]

This will be a huge plus for downtown!  Once established, parents with young kids will no longer need to move out to the burbs out of fear of the public school system.   

[JeffreyS]

It will make downtown an option for more people. I hope this school gets a big enrollment.

[fsujax]

Well, we couldn't possibly do any worse of a job teaching actual history, science and or biology than New Life does at the beaches with Providence.

It would be nice to see a legitimate school open, but if theres going to be well funded brainwashing going on, it might as well be downtown.

How did I know a reply like this was coming! Guess, I am brainwashed too!  I dont see anyone else running Downtown to open a school. At least FBC is giving a shot.

[Driven1]

Yeah...i was waiting on these kinds of comments as well fsujax.  Easy Target. 

and speaking of being brainwashed, i have to force myself off these boards for periods of times because it sometimes feels like i am being "brainwashed" by some who post non-stop.

[Driven1]

Yeah...i was waiting on these kinds of comments as well fsujax.  Easy Target. 

and speaking of being brainwashed, i have to force myself off these boards for periods of times because it sometimes feels like i am being "brainwashed" by some who post non-stop.

Have you?  Maybe next time someone will notice.

on cue, you are. 

OOOOOH... SCUZZ ME!!!  Cut to the bone!!  Good one!!! 

[RiversideGator]

There are several old buildings available for sale in the vicinity of First Baptist.  Maybe they could buy one, restore it and reuse it as the school? 

[thelakelander]

from the first post in the thread:

The cost of establishing the Downtown school will be greatly reduced because it will not require new construction, Blount said. The school will be in an existing building at the corner of Laura and Beaver streets that the church has owned since 2001. It is already configured for classrooms for First Baptist's Sunday School classes.

If the city were smart, they would be coordinating this project along with the JTA Laura Street Business Center and FCCJ's Downtown Campus Master Plan.  Right now the other two projects are being designed with no awareness to how important it is for them to properly address the streets.  With a little coordination, these three projects can eliminate the gap between Springfield and Downtown on Laura Street.  Imagine a strip, where you can walk from the Springfield Historic District, Karpeles and Hogans Creek, all the way to the Landing, without being forced to walk stretches with huge surface parking lots.  That's possible with a little coordination between the private and public sector.

[RiversideGator]

Whoops.  Overlooked that.  Sorry.   

[thelakelander]

Whoops.  Overlooked that.  Sorry.

No big deal.  I'm not familiar with this particular building and its entry locations.  I would hope that they put a little money into the entry, so people are aware that there is a school there, as they move (walk or drive) down Laura.

[thelakelander]

I noted that the establishment of the school was in a preexisting building.....I dont think that building is large enough for a six year program with the type of enrollment that FBC will be able to garner.

They will add another class year on an annual basis until they have K-6, and if Providence academy is any guideline, it wont be long before the demand to continue on through graduation happens.

From the artiicle, it seems each grade will have a max of 60 students.  That puts the overall attendance at 420, when its all said and done.

Does FBC have recreational and playground facilities?  If not, it should be interesting to see how they handle that issue.

[fsujax]

The school will be housed in the Children's/Welcome Building that was built a few years ago.  The building was configured to accomodate a school. It is very high tech and extremely nice inside.  there is even a full gymnasium with a cafe on the 5th floor. As the school continues to grow, I am sure the church will begin to look at expansion. But, from what I can tell the entire school in the future K-12 will all be Downtown.  Check out FBC Dallas Academy. This is where FBC Jax is probably going to end up.

http://www.fbacademy.com/

[thelakelander]

Excuse my ignorance of FBC's facilities.  Is the Children's Building the modern glass building with the crosswalk over Laura?