Last week, I stopped by First Baptist Academy for a tour and visit with Ms. Mary Torregrossa, Admissions Director. I was pleasantly taken by the warm friendly faces I saw all over campus. I walked through the halls of the pre-school area- There was color all over the walls and inspirational quotes. Although the school hugs the freeway, there was ample space to play. There is an outdoor and an indoor playground that any child would jump at the chance to play on. The school has a beautiful, spacious music room and nice-sized classrooms and science labs. Everywhere I walked, students were engaged and attentive. FBA has a strong curriculum for the average to above average student. The school has adopted state of the art technology and a STEM focus. Every student has a laptop starting at 5th grade. Electives offered are drama, music, band, and athletics, to name a few. FBA serves infants through 8th graders. The school has a unique program called Center for Academic Success to help students who experience academic challenges to succeed. The after school programs are robust and well attended. The Parent volunteer organization is huge. I want to make sure that I mention that often times a school name reveals it’s mission (refer to my previous post re The Joy School). In the case of First Baptist Academy, the reality is that only 30% of the student body is Baptist and the school doesn’t require students to be Christian. Bible classes are everyday and chapel every week; however the curriculum is not taught from a Baptist perspective. FBA is a competitive academic, athletic, and arts school that should be considered as a possibility for families looking for the things I mentioned above.