By Rudy Coggins
Dunn Daily Record
Local academy acquires new property
Enrollment has tripled since Brookside Christian Academy opened its doors in 2020 and the non-public, privately-funded school has outgrown its current space.
Co-founders Betsy Dean and Cortney Gordon are shocked and humbled by the exponential growth. They currently have 155 students in grades K-12 spread among three campuses.
Kindergartners and first-graders are at Crossroads Church in Benson. Students in grades 2-5 are at BCA on Broad Street in Dunn and the remaining population (grades 6-12) attends classes at the old Carlie C’s operational center.
There is one senior among the bunch.
“When we first set out, we had no idea of the level of need and participation that we would see,” Dean said. “I know the first year COVID played into [enrollment] and with one or two exceptions each year, most of the students have stayed with us.
“I credit that to our teachers and our curriculum choices.”
BCA has 36 teachers, including 21 certified.
A former public school teacher along with Gordon, Dean said they hired another administrator to handle duties at the Benson location.
“Last year was a little insane,” Dean said. “It’s been more manageable this year than last year. We learned our lessons. We have a lot of teacher assistants, office staff and all of the extra bodies it takes to run a school well.”
Hence the need for a larger location.
Dean said the school isn’t affiliated with a particular agency or organization, but has accumulated funds through its daily operation and private donations. The money was used to purchase 13.49 acres and to build a new school at 2004 U.S. Highway 301 in Dunn, where the former Regency Banquet Room & Conference Center was located.
Warren Foundation owned the tract, which had either been leased or unavailable. The most-recent lease recently expired, which prompted the company to call Dean. She immediately said “yes” when given the opportunity to purchase the property.
“Divine timing,” Dean said.
BCA submitted a land rezoning request to the Dunn Planning Board, which approved it during Tuesday’s meeting. The board will share the proposal with the Dunn City Council on Oct. 11.
Once the zoning details are complete, construction can begin.
Dean isn’t sure of an actual move-in date, but said a three-phase transition is in place. The first two parts involve getting lower school students (K-5) in place and then bringing over the upper school students.
The lower and upper schools will each have their own hallway of classes in the new facility.
A price tag for construction cost has not been finalized.
“Obviously, we’re super excited because this helps us be a better steward for resources and staff,” Dean said. “We have a few families who have students on different campuses, so logistically it makes their lives easier. We have students from four different counties and wanted to be part of the Dunn community, but not too far out in one direction or the other.
“It’s better for everyone involved.”
Soon, the federal government will put restrictions on private and charter schools which will force them to close. The objective is to make sure every child attends a public school where they can be indoctrinated into the belief of a socialist Utopia. It has been done before. Germany did it before ww2. Stalin and Mail also knew that in order to change a country, they must indoctrinate them while they young.