By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

RESERVE – In 2009, Reserve Christian Church in Reserve changed its name to LifeHouse and closed the doors on the high school grades at the church’s adjacent academy. The light, however, never went out on the academy’s elementary school, which is now in the midst of a revamp of sorts.

The school, now known as LifeHouse Daniel Academy, reopened in 2009 as a kindergarten through seventh-grade school, but Principal Laura Aguillard said school administrators are working to add a new grade each year in an effort to expand it back to a full size academy.

“This year is our first with an eighth grade,” Aguillard said. “We’ve also instituted a day care center for nursery school and pre-school aged children. We want to continue to add each year after that.”

Aguillard explained the school gets its name from the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. The book follows the story of a Judean who is exiled to Babylon. The man, Daniel, becomes a high government official and delivers various apocalyptic visions.

“He is held in high regard,” she said. “He is skillful and endowed with great knowledge. That is what we strive for in our teachings. We want our students to stand strong and not be swayed by what the world may offer.”

Aguillard explained LifeHouse is a Christian non-denominational school that mixes spirituality and academics in everyday teaching. She said anyone is welcome but added administrators make it clear what is being taught so parents are not greeted with surprises.

“We lay everything out in advance so that they know what they are getting into,” Aguillard said. “We show every parent our ‘Statement of Faith’ that we abide by. As long as the parents are satisfied with the teachings they are welcome to enroll. We don’t want to ever force anything on a student that is not wanted by the parent or guardian.”

Aguillard said the school is relatively small with a total current enrollment of about 79 students but added they are not hurting for students.

“It is slow growth right now,” she said. “We are happy with the size, but we always welcome new students to the fold.”