Frequently Asked Questions

Why would I want to choose a small school?

Although a large school definitely has advantages over the small school in certain aspects like budget, facilities, sports programs, bus programs, hot lunches, etc., a properly overseen small school, with extremely low student to teacher ratio, provides greater opportunities for the students simply because of the significantly greater personal contact each student receives every day from their teachers.

This has proven to be the case here at HTCA. Instead of being "locked in" to a predetermined pace for advancing through their schoolwork, faster students, may, under close supervision, exceed the "normal" academic expectations. This, in turn, offers them opportunities to work on extra-curricular projects or advanced elective subjects that cater to their own interests and abilities. Because of our program and small size, other students, who, for whatever reason, have been left behind, are able to receive the consistent encouragement and attention they so desperately need to catch up in their weaker subjects. Simply put, our students do not (and cannot) get "lost in the crowd" or "left behind" by the system.

What distinguishes your school's mission from most others?

Three main things separate us from most other schools.

First and most importantly, we are a Christian school whose primary mission is to present Jesus Christ to each student as the foundation for life itself. We believe that the purpose of this life is to prepare us for our eternal lives after death. Jesus Christ gives the reason for this hope which, in turn, then gives us reason, purpose, and motivation to live and prosper. If we can first prove this foundational truth to our students, they will have reason, purpose, and motivation to learn during their school days and throughout their lives.

Second, our program strongly emphasizes moral character building, the patterning of our lives after the example of Christ himself. In addition to encouraging the memorization of Scripture, each student is taught sixty of the major Godly character traits as shown in the life of Jesus. We believe that an education that does not teach moral behavior would be very incomplete.

Finally, our academic program is mastery-based. This means that students may not advance until they master their currently assigned academic material. This prevents learning gaps that are commonly acquired through conventional classroom schooling where the student moves on with the rest of the class, even after failing an exam. At our school, mastery is considered an 80% or above, and a failure results in the student having to repeat the material until they achieve success.

Do the students spend the whole school day in front of their books?

Not hardly! In addition to their PACEs (regular coursework) and scripture memorization, students participate each day in either P.E., art, or music. Many students opt to take our greatly appreciated, school-sponsored, private piano lessons for their music credits. Students may also participate in an elective typing course, a speed reading program, Student Convention projects, the student-published school bulletin, student council, break-time and playground activities, and more.