Grace River Academy
Grace River Academy is a classical, Christian elementary school located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The school was established in 2021 and holds its first classes in January of 2022.
The vision of adding a school to the ministry of Grace River Church was birthed from a felt need in our community. With the quality of public education failing and an increase in unbiblical teachings being added to the curriculum standards, the leadership of Grace River Church decided that it was time to restore academic excellence that was based on God's truth.
When we envisioned Grace River Academy, we envisioned students who thought clearly and listened carefully with discernment and understanding; who reasoned persuasively and articulated precisely; who could evaluate their entire range of experience in the light of the Scriptures; and who did so with eagerness in joyful submission to God. We envisioned our students being able to recognize cultural influences as distinct from those of the Bible and to be unswayed towards evil by the former. We envisioned our students being well prepared in all situations, possessing both information and the knowledge of how to use it. We envisioned our students being socially graceful and spiritually gracious; equipped with and understanding the tools of learning; desiring to grow in understanding, yet fully realizing the limitations and foolishness of the wisdom of this world. We envisioned our students having a heart for the lost and distinguishing real religion from religion in form only. We envisioned students who knew and loved the Lord Jesus Christ. We envisioned our students knowing their God, knowing His Word, and knowing His purposes for their lives thus impacting their family, community, and world for Christ.
And so, our goals are simple. We seek to develop Christian worldview thinking so that students learn to evaluate their entire range of experience in light of Scripture. We week to teach all subjects as part of an integrated whole with the Scriptures at the center (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We seek to provide a clear model of the biblical, Christian life through our staff and board (Matthew 22:37-40). We seek to encourage every student to begin and develop his or her relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 19:13-15). We seek to emphasize grammar, logic, and rhetoric in all subjects. We seek to emphasize the development and flow of western civilization: history, science, math, government, art, literature, philosophy, and the historic Protestant faith. We seek to encourage every student to develop a love for learning and live up to his or her academic potential. We seek to provide an orderly atmosphere conducive to the attainment of the above goals. And ultimately, we seek to graduate students who know their God, know His Word, and know His purposes for their lives.