Christian School Overcomes Obstacles to Continue Quality Education
Blanca Little welcomes students back to school in September 2020.
For Rev. Geoff and Blanca Little, navigating their church through Covid-19 was only half the battle; this ministry couple has done an exceptional job leading their school through the educational challenges a pandemic poses to children and families of New Haven, CT.
All Nations Christian Academy, now in its fourteenth year of providing inner-city, low-income families with the opportunity for high-quality private Christian education, has maintained an enrollment of just under 30 elementary-age students this academic year. Rev. Geoff, who serves as Director of Operations says 25-30 students is typical, adding “we have no space for more students, but we do not have a waiting list either.”
This size is usually a great advantage for learning since the student-teacher ratio is a remarkable 8:1 to maximize student learning, however, it has posed some unexpected challenges due to the pandemic.
Rev. Geoff explained, “we don't have the space for strict cohorting that might permit a partial suspension of classes after Covid-19 exposure. So far this year we have had to shut down the entire school for three weeks due to confirmed exposure in the school from students or teachers. Even so, we have been open twenty weeks, and that's more than any other school I know about in the city of New Haven.”
Teaching online classes in Spring 2020
While All Nations Academy did go to online-only instruction for the last four months of the 2019-2020 academic year, they found a way forward for in-person learning when school regathered in September. They take every recommended precaution for Covid-19 prevention, and Fr. Geoff noted the students’ cooperation in wearing masks and observing “boring” restrictions is encouraging.
Since the precautionary measures have been so well implemented, the school’s governing body along with staff and parents have courageously advocated to keep the school open despite being in a community where closing is the default course of action (New Haven public schools are only just now beginning to adopt limited in-person classes.) But as long as safety is followed, this is an education worth safeguarding: in addition to an accelerated learning curriculum, the school seeks the flourishing of their students’ whole selves with worship and Bible teaching every day, singing and dancing, and daily instruction in Christian conflict resolution and character development.
Rev. Geoff administering ashes to a kindergarten student from an Ethiopian family on Ash Wednesday.
Much of the school’s success is attributed to the passion of Academics Director Blanca Little, whose fingerprints are everywhere seen and felt in the life of the school.
When asked about their future vision, the main desire was that All Nations Academy carries on as a winsome witness to the Gospel of Christ in New Haven for years and years to come. As Rev. Geoff and Blanca have prayed into how to make more of an impact, they are exploring what it would look like to replicate the intimate and supportive environment of All Nations Academy in other communities of greater New Haven and beyond.
One final encouragement of this season is the tenacity of their prayer warriors and the generosity of donors who support the school now more than ever. If you are interested in learning more about the vision of All Nations Academy or would like to help support their vision to provide accelerated learning opportunities and Christian Living instruction to elementary school children in New Haven, please visit their website.
Rev. Geoff praying over a previous year’s graduating class.