Parents are preparing their children to return to school. Likewise, teachers are preparing their lesson plans and classrooms for September. But one private school in Duluth faced a difficult decision after reviewing some gaps in its budget. Lakeview Christian Academy was unsure if it would have to close its middle and high schools before the school year.
Lakeview Christian Academy had to fill a $350,000 gap in its budget because otherwise 100 students would have to transfer schools. Principal Heidi Wright says there are several reasons for the gaps in the school’s budget.
“We offer a lot of financial aid because we know not everyone has the means to pay tuition. As you can imagine, with the current economic climate, everything has become more expensive,” Wright said. “Our families have been hit very hard by this. It has created a huge hole in our budget, the biggest it’s been in many, many years. We’ve looked at a lot of things, but there aren’t a lot of grants available for an organization like ours.”
Wright says the school relies on donations and fundraisers from the community to keep the middle and high schools running. The administration asked families and people in the community for help through social media to invest in the children’s education through donations, sponsorships and even popcorn sales. Their efforts paid off, however, with more than $250,000 raised to help balance the school’s budget.
“The beauty of this community is that education is not the same for everyone. We feel it is very valuable for us to be part of the educational community in Duluth so that parents have multiple educational options so that their child can fully utilize their gifts and strengths. We go out into our community and ask if they would like to partner with us to make sure we remain an option for our families here in the Northland.”
Parents having to decide which school is right for their children is no easy task. Jensin Clark has three children, two of whom attend Lakeview Christian Academy. She said when she heard the news, she was scared for other families enrolling their children there this year. However, she remained hopeful that the people at Lakeview Christian Academy would help in their time of need.
“It was shocking, there’s no question about that. But at the same time, I know the Lord works miracles and it’s been quite a journey. But $175,000 isn’t that much to the Lord. So it was amazing to see the community pull together and the parents really come together and decide to work together to provide this opportunity for families in the Northland. And they did it.”
Clark says if the middle and high schools were closed, her children and other families would no longer be able to enjoy the quality education and values taught at Lakeview.
Several teachers and parents are trying to come up with more ideas for long-term, sustainable funding, although they are already grateful to the people who have donated to keep Lakeview Christian Academy open for many more years. But for now, the students, parents and teachers are happy that all of their classes will be offered this school year.
For more information about Lakeview Christian Academy’s fundraiser, click here. For more back-to-school stories, click here.
