As we move further into this spring season, there is a deep sense of energy and purpose across our campus. I hope your family is experiencing a meaningful and productive second semester. In recent weeks, we have shared in several moments that reflect the heart of The King’s Academy, including a successful Gala that not only celebrated our school but also reminded us of the generosity and shared commitment that make this community so special.

Spring athletics are now fully underway, and it has been encouraging to see our students competing with excellence, growing in confidence, and demonstrating character in ways that reflect who we are called to be. These experiences continue to serve as an important extension of our mission, providing opportunities for students to be shaped not only in skill, but in perseverance, humility, and teamwork.

As we look ahead, graduation is quickly approaching, marking an important milestone for our seniors. This season invites us to reflect on the ways our students have grown during their time at TKA, not only academically, but in their faith, character, and readiness to step into what God has next for them. We look forward to celebrating the Class of 2026 and the ways they have been known, loved, and equipped during their time in our community.

Re-enrollment

Thank you to the many families who have already re enrolled for the 2026 to 2027 school year. We are currently at approximately 92 percent and continue working toward our goal of 95 percent.

As we move through the spring and finalize planning for next year, re-enrollment remains one of the most important steps families can take to support the strength and stability of our program. If your family intends to return to TKA and has not yet completed re-enrollment, we ask that you please do so as soon as possible. The next few weeks are an important window as we finalize staffing and program decisions for the coming year.

If you have questions that are holding you back from completing re-enrollment, please reach out to Kari Polk at kpolk@thekingsacademy.net. She will be glad to assist your family and help you move forward with clarity.

School Start Time Update

Thank you to the many families who took the time to complete the recent survey and share thoughtful feedback regarding school start times. We are grateful for your engagement and the care you bring to decisions that impact our students and community.

After reviewing the feedback, it is clear that there is strong support for maintaining our current start time. Based on that input, we will keep our current school start time in place for the 2026- 2027 school year. 

Technology and Student Use Survey

In the coming days, we will be sharing a survey to gather parent input on student technology use and screen time.

As a school committed to developing the whole child, we are thoughtfully considering how technology impacts not only academic outcomes, but also attention, relationships, and overall well-being. Current research continues to shape this conversation, and we want to ensure our approach reflects both sound practice and our shared values.

Your input will be an important part of helping us move forward with clarity and alignment.

Strategic Priority Updates

Middle School and Upper School Schedule Update

Over the past several months, we have made meaningful progress in reviewing and redesigning our Middle School and Upper School schedule. As shared previously, this work has moved through multiple phases, including exploration, framework development, and detailed design.

As we moved deeper into the design and continued to pressure test the model, along with thoughtful input from faculty and those closest to the classroom experience, it became clear that several elements require further refinement as we finalize the schedule for next year. We are continuing to evaluate the structure and pacing of the school day to ensure it best supports student learning, engagement, and overall balance.

Our goal is not simply to implement a new schedule, but to ensure the changes we make are fully aligned with academic excellence, student formation, and a strong college preparatory experience.

With that in mind, we will take additional time to refine key components as we finalize the changes to next year’s schedule and ensure a strong, sustainable outcome.

Families can continue to expect:

• Daily Community Time will remain central and protected
• We will increase flexibility and expand academic opportunities
• The schedule for next year will be implemented with thoughtful preparation and faculty support

We are grateful for the work that has brought us to this point and are confident this continued step will lead to a stronger outcome for our students.

We will share additional updates, including key decisions related to the structure of the school day, as they are finalized.

We appreciate the partnership of our families in this process and the perspective you provide as we continue to make decisions that best support our students and the overall rhythm of the school day.

Teaching for Transformation

Because Christ-centered education is central to the mission of The King’s Academy, we continue to approach Teaching for Transformation with intentionality and care as part of a multi-year implementation.

We are pleased to share that we have been matched with our CACE Teaching for Transformation School Designer, who will guide our next phase of work.

In addition, Blake Fuller will serve as our Teaching for Transformation Coordinator as part of his role as Director of Spiritual Formation, ensuring this work remains closely connected to the spiritual life of the school.

We will continue building the foundation for this work as we prepare for implementation in the 2026 to 2027 school year.

Expanded STEM

We continue to make steady progress in expanding hands-on STEM learning through the J.T. Shen Science Center and our outdoor learning spaces as part of Phase I of our multi-year STEM plan. The greenhouse project is moving forward as planned and will be fully functional for the 2026 to 2027 school year. Our instructor is currently engaged in AP Environmental Science training, positioning us for a strong course launch. We are also continuing cross-curricular planning to ensure these resources support meaningful, hands-on learning across our STEM program.

House System (Grades 6–12)

We continue to make steady progress in the development of our House System for grades 6 through 12 as part of a thoughtful, campus-wide approach to student life. This work remains focused on ensuring strong alignment with the school day and clarity for both students and faculty. Throughout the spring and into the summer, we will continue refining the model and preparing for a responsible rollout in the 2026 to 2027 school year.

Student Leadership Development: Expanding Real World Learning

As part of our continued work to strengthen the Upper School experience, we are developing a new sequence of distinctive programming focused on entrepreneurial thinking, business application, financial stewardship, and leadership development.

This work is designed to give students increasing opportunities to apply what they are learning in meaningful, real world contexts, developing skills in problem solving, communication, and stewardship within a Christ centered framework. As students progress, there will be a growing emphasis on ownership, initiative, and leadership formation, helping ensure students are known, loved, and equipped to flourish.

We are also exploring opportunities for student led, real world experiences, including the potential for a student run business on campus as a future expression of this work.

As we continue to build toward this vision, we are being intentional about adding capacity in ways that serve multiple areas of student life. Mr. Jordan Skinner will be joining TKA as the Assistant Boys Dorm Director and will also support this programming through instruction and student engagement. He holds an MBA from Faulkner University and brings a background that supports the practical, real world application we are seeking to build into the student experience.

This remains in development, but it reflects a clear step forward in equipping our students for life beyond the classroom.

Co-curriculars (Athletics and Fine Arts)

Athletics

Over the past month, we had the opportunity to meet with our coaches and athletic leadership, and I am grateful for the level of engagement and commitment across our programs. These were productive conversations that allowed us to begin clarifying expectations, strengthening alignment, and casting a shared vision for TKA Athletics.

As we move forward, our focus will be on building greater consistency between our Middle School and Upper School programs so that students experience a cohesive culture and clear standards throughout their time at TKA. This includes continued work around communication, player development, and the type of Christ-centered culture we are committed to fostering across every team.

We will continue to build on this momentum in the months ahead as we deepen alignment, support our coaches, and implement structures that strengthen the overall student-athlete experience.

Fine Arts

Thank you to those who have taken the time to provide feedback as part of our Fine Arts evaluation process. We are carefully reviewing the data we have received and are grateful for the thoughtful participation from our community.

This is an area where we recognize there is meaningful work ahead. Strengthening a program of this importance requires time, clarity, and a thoughtful, step-by-step approach. Our focus will be on identifying clear priorities, building a sustainable path forward, and making steady, intentional improvements over time.

We are committed to this work and to ensuring that Fine Arts becomes an increasingly strong and valued part of the TKA experience. Additional updates will be shared as next steps are clarified.

Strengthening Alignment

As we continue through this semester, I am encouraged by the growing clarity and consistency taking shape across our school. In many ways, this season has been about strengthening alignment, ensuring that our programs, priorities, and people are moving together in a way that best serves our students.

This kind of work requires focus and discipline, but it also creates the conditions for meaningful, lasting impact. When we are aligned around a shared mission and clear expectations, we are better positioned to support our students in every area of their growth.

I am grateful for the way our community continues to lean into this work with purpose and commitment. There is a steady momentum building, and it is rooted in a desire to do what is right for our students and faithful to who we are called to be.

As we move toward the end of the school year, I also want to acknowledge this important season for our students and families, especially our seniors. This is a meaningful and often emotional time as they prepare to close one chapter and step into what comes next. My encouragement to all of our students is to finish well, stay engaged, honor the commitments in front of you, and make the most of the time that remains. These final weeks matter, and they are an important part of the story God is continuing to write in each of your lives.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we strengthen this foundation together.

“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” — Hebrews 12:1

In Christ,