Success Comes From Success
at Bachman Academy

by Peter Vanderpool

An Unusual Child

A beautiful child is born in the usual way, but as she grows up, she discovers she is not a usual child. She processes information differently than her peers, and eventually receives their label: DUMB.

But she isn’t. The demands school makes aren’t easily satisfied, and so her natural talents go dormant. The answers to the teacher’s questions are there, but her responses aren’t quick enough to satisfy the people around her. All she wants is an equal chance.

Other labels begin to attach themselves to her. School officials add to the list: LD, ADD, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome. Drugs are prescribed to alleviate the situation, drugs like Ritalin and Cylert.

Self-esteem vanishes. Lying becomes commonplace. Teachers become inpatient and welcome transfers to special education classes. Life goes on, pressure mounting. Parents struggle with this child, and then with each other. And the child feels responsible. At this time the child’s attention may turn from parents to peers, to the detriment of their social growth.

An Unusual Solution

Enter Bachman Academy, a unique child care agency within the Presbyterian Church (USA) that offers something for both parents and child: Hope. Hope with a capital H. Here, labels are shed, medications are closely scrutinized and accurately administered, and patience is evidenced as encouragement. Class size is small because individual attention is fundamental to our program, and love is ever present.

We are fortunate to have a visionary CEO, one with charisma whose job is to develop our Board of Directors, to build relationships with the community, to write grants, and to put out fires. We have a Headmaster, whose job is to recruit teachers, assist with student recruitment, provide and approve curriculum and to ensure that class size is no more than eight children at a time, preferably only five. Since we are a boarding school, activity and/or supervision must be provided for any hour that instructional classes are not in session. Assisting in this task is our Outdoor Program coordinator.

Dorm parents must be recruited and trained by our Dean of Students, who is also available for disciplinary problems outside the classroom. We have a Financial Officer to balance the finances, pay the bills, and take care of the appropriate tax forms. We have a nutritionist to provide proper nourishment. We have a registered medical professional, a nurse, to supervise medications. We have a Chaplain for the Spiritual guidance, nourishment and counseling of students and faculty alike. All these jobs are critical to the operation and success of this or any Christian boarding school, especially one devoted to special needs high school students. All these people are doing their jobs with excellence, thereby creating a loving atmosphere for student development.

Here at Bachman Academy the atmosphere is one of joy, cooperation, support, and helpfulness. Teamwork is an overused word, but it describes the essence of who we are. Each member of the staff is willing to do whatever it takes. We work for our kids with love in our hearts, and they respond in kind.

An important influence on the size of our structure is our policy of revolving enrollment. Incoming students relate to our program at different rates. Some stay six months, some two or three years. We process them whenever they are referred to us. Once accepted, we must be ready to receive them. The structure must always be in place. On any given day we can tell you how many students we have on campus, and the number of staff available, but that doesn’t reflect the number of successes we have enjoyed or the number of parents we have served over the course of a year.

Encouraging Results

What are our results? We see children gradually changing their reactions from defiance and defense to acceptance and compromise. We see them learning to trust, to agree, and to embrace self-confidence. We watch as teamwork develops. We delight as they discover their talents, and accept our encouragement. We are proud of them as they pass those challenging courses that comprise their High School curriculum and graduate from Bachman Academy prepared to accept life’s challenges, which for many, begins with college.

Since we’ve only been in existence for three years, we don’t have a long list of famous alumni. We feel confident that we soon will, because they have left here as prepared as they can be to master life’s challenges. Without the Bachman Academy program, their chances for success would be exponentially diminished. We covet your continued prayers and financial support of this ministry.