THE YEAR in REVIEW 2019-2020 | 1 TKA CAFÉ the TKA Café Was Renovated for the 2019-2020 School Year
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THE YEAR IN REVIEW 2019-2020 | 1 TKA CAFÉ The TKA Café was renovated for the 2019-2020 school year. The remodel included new tables, chairs, flooring, and accent walls with TKA branding, the school verse, and words of encouragement. The Café’s ambiance and included-in-tuition food service upgrade was a welcomed addition to TKA’s 50th school year! Mission Statement The King’s Academy exists to assist the home and church in their endeavor to “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Its mission is to share salvation through Jesus Christ and to graduate Christian leaders who seek to impact their world for the King of kings through academic excellence and spiritual vitality. A LETTER FROM TKA’S PRESIDENT After 50 Years, a Year Like No Other! ifty years old. The King’s Academy can celebrate this week, TKA reopened for remote learning and continued as golden milestone because of faithful men, women an online school for the remainder of the year. Suddenly, the Fand students who have gone before us; ensuring school with the “golden touch” faced an uncertain future. our present-day successes. This special 50th anniversary Athletic teams lost seasons and likely championships. President’s Report honors these pioneers and holds many Musicals, prom, elementary trips and graduations, and memories as well as current year accomplishments. As you the senior trip were postponed and ultimately cancelled read it, I hope you’ll join me in praising God for blessing our or virtualized. High school graduation was moved to July school throughout five miraculous decades. This year’s to allow an outdoor, in-person celebration of the Class of school verse was Psalm 78:4, “We will … tell to the coming 2020. The highest of highs had become the lowest of lows generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, for the TKA family. and the wonders that He has done.” And, this report does just that; documenting the all-powerful nature of our King. But through it all, TKA prayed, planned, and prepared I know that with His continued guidance, protection and and our King was faithful to bless our efforts. He was provision, we will overcome all obstacles (even COVID-19) faithful to His wonderful promise in Psalm 46:1, “God is and will see even greater days ahead! our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Five months to the day of King’s unexpected closing, the The 2019-20 school year was one like no other, with school reopened for in-person and remote learning in its tremendous highs and unexpected lows. We began the 51st year, welcoming faculty, staff, and students back to its year celebrating King’s milestone anniversary with a one- beautiful 60 acre campus at the corner of Belvedere Road of-a-kind Broadway Spectacular, featuring Broadway’s best and Sansbury’s Way. professionals, TKA alumni, and the newly endowed Smith Family Conservatory of the Art’s singers and dancers. We I know that our doors are open again today because of continued with a wildly successful Homecoming Game the faithful prayers of many in The King’s Academy family. welcoming former Athletic Director Jon Roncace and Which brings me to a request. Would you please lift The hundreds of alumni, all-star athletes and past homecoming King’s Academy in prayer daily? Our school recently lost kings and queens back to campus as Lions Football won its final founding board member, Al Brown, who often and The King’s Regiment and Dance Team debuted its spoke of the importance of prayer in King’s founding. Blues Brothers halftime show. We celebrated athletic TKA family, we are indebted to the many godly men and championships, incredible musicals, a sold-out Christmas women who have prayed for us since 1970. Let’s return the at the Kravis, Ivy League and highly selective university favor by praying for the many students whose lives will be acceptances, and even added $10 million to secure TKA’s impacted at TKA in the years to come. financial future through the Gift of a Lifetime Campaign. We served in Guatemala, building The King’s Academy’s 30th May God continue to bless each of you and His school, home for those in need, and we saw students make first The King’s Academy! time commitments to Jesus Christ and cheered many as Sincerely, they rededicated their lives to Him. Life at The King’s Academy seemed almost idyllic until March 13, 2020, when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Randal L. Martin ordered all schools closed due to the pandemic. The next President THE YEAR IN REVIEW 2019-2020 | 3 THE KING’S ACADEMY THE KING’S ACADEMY 50-YEAR TIMELINE • The Sceptre was dedicated to founding school president Dr. Kye Harris. 1970 1971 • Construction of the school’s 1974 King’s opened at King’s moved first “Matchbox” gymnasium School colors Belvedere Baptist to Cherry Road was completed, making changed from Church with campus King’s the only Christian green & gold to 196 students school in South Florida with a red, white & blue gymnasium. • Elementary teacher and administrator Jean Frazier began a 30-year career at King’s, retiring in 2002. 1973 • Lloyd Prouty was named the • Dr. Kye Harris visited West • The school’s first yearbook, Larry and Marie Davies school’s second board chair. Palm Beach to gain support The Sceptre, was dedicated to produced the first He served until his death in for a new Christian school. founding Headmaster William King’s musical, 1975. After establishing 47 other H. Vimont. Mr. Vimont The Nazarene • The school achieved full Christian schools across coauthored the Victory Drill accreditation by the Florida the country with Christian Book, a systematic approach Association of Christian Schools, Inc., he partnered to high speed phonetic Colleges & Schools. The with the elder board of reading, and implemented school received its most Palm Bible Chapel to form its use at the school during recent re-accreditation from a Christian school in Palm the 1970s and 1980s. FACCS in 2018, with an Beach County. • After purchasing 20 acres extension through 2023. • Founders of the school held a from car dealer Roger Dean, • A Fourth of July fire damaged fund-raising banquet at the school renovated a house a portion of the Cherry Captain Alex’s Restaurant and horse barn for academic Road administrative building hoping and praying to raise use. including the teachers’ $25,000. Donors generously • Due to delays in renovating workroom causing several • Beloved student Alan contributed $33,000. the new campus, some thousand dollars of loss. Reamsnyder, age 15, passed • King’s Academy, Inc. classes were temporarily held • Science teacher and away. King’s highest honor, incorporated as a Florida in rented space at Morrison transportation mechanic the Alan R. Reamsnyder non-profit on July 16, 1970. Field, today known as Palm Mark Reelitz began a 33-year Memorial Award, is given • M. Nelson Loveland was Beach International Airport. career at the school, working each school year in his honor. appointed the school’s first at the school until 2007. • Led by Coach Jon Roncace, board chair. He served until • Radio personality Paul Lions football played its first becoming King’s second Harvey spoke at a benefit to game ever against Tampa president in 1974. 1972 raise funds for the school’s • Dr. Kye Harris was appointed Temple Heights, losing 63-0. First senior class new cafeteria. the school’s first president. Its first victory against Palm of 10 students He served until leaving to Beach Country Day School graduated start another Christian school came in the third game of in Orlando in 1974. the season, with the team • The school’s first newspaper, winning 40-0. The Scroll, was published. • The student body voted to establish the Lion as the school’s mascot. 4 | THE KING’S ACADEMY | PRESIDENT’S REPORT 1970-1980 • Led by Coach Jon Roncace, Lions basketball won its first of ten consecutive FHSAA 1975 1976 district titles, winning each 1979 Lions baseball TKA’s Board personally district crown through 1986. Elementary and High won the school’s guaranteed $900,000 • A suspected firebomb School Dean first district loan for new buildings damaged the Cherry Road Sharon Caldwell began championship school store and storage her 25-year career room, causing several thousand dollars of damage. • A major construction project was completed, adding a cafeteria, science building, primary building, and garage to a growing Cherry Road campus. • Art teacher Andy Camizzi began a 39-year career at the • Quarterback Ken Soileau led • High School teacher Robert school, working at King’s until Lions football to its largest Fletcher began a 30-year M. Nelson Loveland 2016. appointed King’s margin of victory ever in career at King’s. second president a 92-0 drubbing of North • After Gold Coast Baptist Jacksonville Academy. Church was destroyed by • Coach Jon Roncace and Lions fire, the school opened football won its first district 1978 its gymnasium to the championship. Elementary Principal, congregation for church • C oach Lani Oestreicher and Chaplain & Teacher services. Lady Lions basketball won Jon Otto began the school’s first-ever girls his 39-year career district championship. 1980 Coach Caroline Sigmon • Stanley F. Frederick was led boys and girls track elected the school’s third 1977 to first district board chair. He served until Lions basketball championships 1987. won the first of • The Cherry Road campus’ ten consecutive west pond was filled in to district titles construct an on-campus • The Class of 1978 traveled athletic field.