A Message From the School Board Chair
Dear TFA Family,
I pray this message finds you and your family well as we look ahead with excitement to the 2026–2027 school year. Each year around this time, I have the joy of sharing a few reflections and highlights from our current season at The First Academy—where a steadfast commitment to our Gospel-centered mission continues to guide our growth and success.
These are truly inspiring days at TFA, and I’m delighted to share some of the ways God is at work across our community:
The Jesus Way
Each week in chapel, students in every division are exploring the three pillars of our school-wide theme: Being with Jesus, Becoming like Jesus, and Doing as Jesus did. These lessons extend far beyond chapel; they’re lived out daily in classrooms, hallways, and friendships. Our students are walking The Jesus Way through acts of kindness, integrity, and service in the moments that matter most.
Service Before Self
TFA students have a remarkable heart for serving others. Our Middle School launched an Outreach Student Leadership Committee to guide service initiatives across the division, and together, students have completed over 50,000 service hours, assembled nearly 1,000 Thanksgiving baskets for families in need, and led more than 25 clubs focused on making a difference in our community.
Biblical Worldview Training
A Biblical worldview remains central to everything we do and who we are. This year, we strengthened our partnership with First Orlando to create even more opportunities for faith connection and spiritual growth. In the Upper School, our Visual Art students are collaborating with the Christian Service Center to design murals that minister to Orlando’s homeless community. Over 20 students in our Hybrid Home+School division made commitments to Christ during their first chapel of the year, and the number of faculty and staff serving as Commissioned Colson Fellows continues to grow.
A Growing Family
This school year brought our largest enrollment in TFA history, and early indicators from the Admissions Team suggest another record year ahead! What a blessing to live out The Jesus Way with outstanding students and families across every division.
Academic Excellence
We continue to celebrate remarkable academic achievements. Three members of the Class of 2026 were recognized as National Merit Commended Scholars, with two seniors being named National Merit Semifinalists. The Mathcounts competitive team has been relaunched, our Robotics program is expanding, and we’re proud to honor 49 AP Scholars, 17 AP Scholars with Honors, and 43 AP Scholars with Distinction.
As School Board Chair, I’m honored to serve alongside a dedicated board that focuses on long-term vision and strategic planning to support TFA’s mission and leadership. While we entrust daily operations to the Head of School and the administrative team, our work centers on ensuring the school’s spiritual and financial strength for generations to come.
Looking ahead, one of our top priorities for 2026–2027 is to continue attracting and retaining Florida’s finest Christian educators by providing competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits. Thanks to the Florida School Choice Scholarships, TFA families continue to experience some of the most reasonable tuition rates among K–12 FCIS-accredited schools in Orlando.
In fact, when adjusted for step-up, today’s average tuition closely reflects what it was during the 2019/20 school year.
Each year, the School Board prayerfully and thoughtfully sets tuition with a commitment to fiscal responsibility, accessibility, and excellence in Christian education. This process carefully considers the resources needed to support our students, faculty, and programs while stewarding the school’s mission for generations to come. For details on tuition and payment schedules for 2026–2027, please visit our Tuition Webpage. The Business Office team is always available to answer your questions and provide guidance.
Enrollment for next school year is already progressing strongly, and we anticipate full classes and wait pools once again. We are deeply grateful for the partnership we share with each family as we work together to raise up the next generation of Christian leaders.
Please mark your calendars for the Enrollment Status Change Period, February 15–25. More details will be shared as those dates approach. For additional information, visit our website for FAQs and contact details, or reach out directly to the Business Office team.
Thank you for continuing to share the good news about TFA and for allowing us to partner with your family. The best is truly yet to come!
Clark Keator
School Board Chairman