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RESERVE — Assembly Christian School will open its doors August 14 at 3550 W. Airline Highway in Reserve to offer families academic excellence in a spiritual atmosphere. According to Pastor Jonathon Smith, the new school will prioritize Christian principles, safety, and a fundamental education.

The vision for the school began with a dream Smith had last year.

“I walked into a building that was filled with kids, and the atmosphere was something special. One of the children, about 8 years old, walked up to me and started telling me about his relationship with God,” Smith said. “I woke up and knew God had given me the dream, but I’m not one of those to jump at every dream I have. I waited on God to confirm it for me.”

The old Reserve Christian campus has been under the ownership of Lifehouse Church for several years. When Smith reached out to ask whether there were any intentions to open a school, he learned the building was planned to be bulldozed to the ground. From there, he answered God’s calling to purchase the building and transform it into the school from his dream.

Smith has been in LaPlace since 2009, and has pastored at First Assembly of God on Highway 51 in LaPlace since 2019. With the church also finding a new home at 3556 Airline Highway under the new name Assembly Christian, Smith looks forward to making a larger impact in the community.

Registration for Assembly Christian School is open now and will remain open throughout the upcoming school year for students in pre-K through eighth grade. One grade level will be added each year until the school is pre-K through 12^th grade.

An open house will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, July 7, offering families a look at the campus, teacher meet-and-greets, and information regarding uniforms, school supplies, and curriculum. Beginning August 14, the first week of school will be a “soft start” with a festival-like atmosphere for children to enjoy while parents have access to educational breakout sessions.

Smith said Assembly Christian will be committed to offering a strong foundation for children without moral compromise. As a father, Smith has grown increasingly concerned about content children are exposed to at a young age.

“One thing we’ve committed to from the beginning is to be completely privately funded rather than government funded,” Smith said. “In Louisiana, if we accept vouchers or any funding, we would have to go by their guidelines.”

All teachers at Assembly Christian will be required to have college degrees with certifications. Rather than using Common Core, Assembly Christian will present a unique curriculum tailored to promote student success.

“Everything we are doing is based on data that is collected from around the United States,” Smith said. “We looked at the top 10 schools in the state of Louisiana, found out what they were using, and blended it together to have the most effective curriculum for every subject. Kids’ minds work in different ways. Taking math for example, we want to teach them the different ways a problem can be solved so they can use the method that works best for them.”

Classes will not exceed 15 students to ensure teachers can have hands-on interaction with every child.

The school will also feature an apologetics-based Christian curriculum. By presenting information from all religions, Smith said children will gain a deeper understanding of the Christian faith along with the knowledge needed to defend their beliefs.

With safety as a major focus, Assembly Christian will have video surveillance in all classrooms. There will also be bathrooms attached to each classroom so kindergarteners will not have to share restroom facilities with middle schoolers. The campus will be fully gated during school hours for the protection of students and staff.

For more information, call 985-212-2818, visit www.assemblychristian.com, or follow the Assembly Christian School Facebook page for updates.