School goes K-10

Don't expect a homecoming celebration this year at Harvest Christian Academy in Elgin.

Sure, there will be some three dozen high-schoolers roaming the halls this fall.

But it's going to be a few years before the school has any alumni to invite home.

For the first time in its four-year history, the school opened its doors this year to high school freshmen and sophomores.

Classes started in August, and academy officials say they are thrilled.

"I'm excited," said Sherri Smith, the academy's director of communication. "For students who have started in a Christian school education, they are able to continue to establish that foundation, that faith, before they go off to college."

The school -- a ministry of Harvest Bible Chapel -- has 38 high school students enrolled this year at the Elgin campus, located on the old Safety Kleen property along Randall Road.

"I think the leadership of the church sees this as a great opportunity to help the students be solidified in their faith," Smith said.

With the new high school, Harvest Christian Academy now serves 590 students from preschool to 10th grade.

Over the next two years, academy officials say, they plan to add classes for high school juniors and seniors -- meaning Harvest Christian would be a regular, four-year high school by the 2009-10 school year.

"We just think the high school is going to get exponentially bigger over the next couple years," said Jeffrey Mattner, school superintendent. "We anticipate it's going to fare very, very well. I think the future looks very good."

So what does a first-year high school look like?

A lot like any other school, Mattner said.

Students will have the full complement of freshman and sophomore classes, from basic English and science, to Spanish, graphic arts, band, choir and more.

"It's very much a college prep curriculum," Mattner said.

Students will have different bell times, different classes and some different teachers than the middle-schoolers.

They'll have sports -- girls soccer, cross country and maybe basketball this year.

They'll have a special term in January that's focused on vocational education, providing students an opportunity to learn about specific career paths.

And of course, being a Christian school, they'll have bible study each day.

"We want to lay the foundation," Mattner said. "A Christ-centered foundation combined with academic excellence. We want to see them graduate and then go wherever the Lord leads them, spiritually and academically."