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Genesis Christian Academy reporting major jumps in enrollment; Tonganoxie USD 464 anticipates having more clear numbers report early next week

By Shawn Linenberger - | Sep 2, 2020

Shawn Linenberger

Genesis Christian Academy

Genesis Christian Academy has been in session for just more than two weeks and is seeing a considerable jump in enrollment.

Denise Bixby, who is in her second year as academy coordinator, said there are 43 students enrolled grades kindergarten through fifth grade, along with 25 in preschool.

Bixby said the academy had been K-3 in 2019-20, with last year’s enrollment at 17 among those grades.

“We have had a great influx of students,” said Bixby, who has been at GCA in other roles since 2007. “Some are kids that have transferred to us. There are several families who are just new to the area.”

Bixby said the school brings in students from roughly a 20-mile radius, with students also from Lansing, Bonner, Basehor and McLouth. Classes started Aug. 18 with a half-day of school.

GCA has made one change so far this school year, as it is moving Grandparents Day from its originally scheduled date later this month to new date in the spring.

“We’re trying to do that in the spring out of an abundance of caution,” Bixby said.

It’s hoped that the private school’s fall festival will still happen, though, as well as Night of Knights in the spring. The 2020 Night of Knights was canceled due to pandemic restrictions and precautions at the time.

Bixby said the academy is anticipating a new date for the fall festival of Oct. 9.

GCA has four full-time teachers and two paraprofessionals, with combined classrooms for second and third grades and then fourth and fifth grades. Kerri Lynne is preschool director. The GCA preschool has three full-time teachers.

“It has been a challenge, but we’re moving forward,” Bixby said about school since the start of the pandemic. “By the grace of God, we’re moving forward.”

So far, so good at Genesis, which is offering traditional class five days each week. Students also bring their own lunches Mondays through Thursdays, but having food brought in on Fridays, often from Gambino’s Pizza.

“We’re trying to make normal of some crazy times,” Bixby said.

Tonganoxie USD 464 starts classes Thursday

Students in the Tonganoxie school district will start the new school year with distance learning or in-person instruction starting Thursday for students in grades 1-6 and freshmen. The first full day of classes for grades 1-12 will then be Friday, the same day as the first high school football game of the season, 7 p.m. at Basehor-Linwood.THS cross country will then have its first competition at 9 a.m. Saturday in Lansing. Pre-K and kindergarten students start classes Tuesday.

Asked via email about preliminary enrollment numbers, Assistant Superintendent Tonya Phillips told The Mirror in an email Tuesday morning that she expected to have more exact numbers early next week.