Trinity Christian Academy (Addison, Texas)

Trinity Christian Academy (TCA) is a conservative non-denominational Christian school in Addison, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The school was founded in the late 1960s during the racial desegregation of public schools as a segregation academy.[3]

Trinity Christian Academy
Address
17001 Addison Rd.

Dallas Metroplex

Addison
,
Dallas
,
Texas
75001

USA
Coordinates32.9821°N 96.8377°W / 32.9821; -96.8377
Information
School typeConservative Christian
MottoEducating and Developing the Whole Person for the Glory of God
Religious affiliation(s)Nondenominational Christian
Founded1970[1]
HeadmasterDavid Delph
Faculty156.3[2]
GradesPreK – 12
Enrollment1,470[2]
LanguageEnglish
Color(s)Blue and white
Athletics21 varsity level sports
Athletics conferenceTAPPS
MascotTrojan
AccreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools
PublicationThe Rock Magazine,
Trinity Today
Websitehttp://www.trinitychristian.org

History

In 1968, the school was planned,[4] according to school history out of a desire for a combination of rigorous academics within a framework of traditional Christian values.[4] The parents therefore rented a church facility to begin the school.[4] The space opened to eighty students in 1970.[4] However, the space became too small and in 1976 a new school was built among sorghum fields in rural Addison.[4] At the time this area was lacking in water and sewage lines, and only had a few homes.[4]

The area has become heavily urbanized, and today the school attracts over 1,500 students from 27 jurisdictions in the surrounding Dallas metropolitan area.[4] The school reports that its alums identify with 14 different denominations and religious groups.[4]

Campus growth

In January 1976, grades 7-12 moved into the new Addison facility; the Lower School moved in the next fall. Tom Landry Stadium and the Field House were completed by that fall, as well. In 1980, TCA sold a portion of its property and used the proceeds to retire debt and pay for the MCB (multi-component building), which opened in 1982. In 1986, the Town of Addison provided nearly $3 million in capital improvements in order to use the TCA athletic facilities after hours for the next 20 years. In 1994, the administration building was completed and Middle School classrooms were renovated. In 1995, TCA acquired land to the north for a new Upper School. In 1997, TCA moved into the new Upper School building. In 2002, a new Lower School building opened, double the size of the old. In 2007, TCA purchased a gymnastics center on Sojourn Road and transformed it into its Athletic Training Center. In 2010, the school opened a 35,000 square-foot Performing Arts Center with a 900-seat auditorium.[5]

Racial segregation

The school opened in the late 1960s as a segregation academy amidst the racial desegregation of public schools.[3] In 1972, the school's enrollment surged.[3] The headmaster, David Coterill, attributed the enrollment increase to "parents [who] are unsure and afraid of an unsettled situation".[3] Coterill claimed that the school was not intended to be a "escape hatch for segregation", but also acknowledged that interest in private schools like Trinity "was initially stirred up by the busing situation".[3][6]

In the 2020–21 school year, 58 of 1,442 students in grades 1–12 were black.[2]

James Barnett gay rights controversy
Main article: James Barnett (entrepreneur)

In 2004 and 2005 the school received national media attention when the administration controversially expelled a student for his sexual orientation.[7][8] James Barnett was expelled for what school officials described as his "immoral behavior and [for] supporting an immoral cause".[7][8] The officials were referring to Barnett's orientation and Barnett's involvement in the creation of the gay-themed website my-boi.com, a social network for gay youth.[7][8]

Curriculum and policy

According to the school's mission statement, it aims to provide an education that is independent, academically rigorous, and strongly Christian oriented.[9]

In addition to traditional subjects, visual arts, drama, band, and choir are also available as fine arts courses.

There are 132 faculty, and the financial budget is $28,000,000. The campus is over 40 acres (160,000 m2) in size.[4]

The school maintains a diversity program and non-discrimination policy to include all kinds of students regardless of their origin, as long as one parent self-identifies as being a follower of Christ.[10] The protected groups are national origin, race, color, ethnicity, culture, economic status, and physical ability.[10] This policy does not, however, protect or encourage students of different religions or sexual orientations, which has led to controversy.[10]

School life

Of the 1,523 students, 553 are in the lower school or elementary school, while 481 are in middle school and 489 in the upper school, which is the high school equivalent.

Eight percent of students receive financial aid totaling over $1 million annually. The school claims that 100% of graduates attend college.[4] The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.[4]

Academics

TCA offers over 40 AP, Pre AP, and Honors courses. Upper School students score more than 400 points above the Texas average on the SAT and more than 8 points above the Texas and national averages on the ACT.[11]

Athletics

There are 21 varsity level sports played and 54 athletic teams.

Fall sports - cross country (varsity boys, varsity girls, Middle School boys and Middle School girls), football (varsity, JV, 8th, 7th), golf (varsity boys, varsity girls), tennis (varsity boys, varsity girls), volleyball (varsity girls, JV girls, JV-B girls, 8A girls, 8B girls, 7A girls, 7B girls)

Winter sports - basketball (varsity boys, varsity girls, JV boys, JV girls, 9th boys, 8th-blue boys, 8th-white boys, 8th girls, 7th-blue boys, 7th-white boys, 7th girls), soccer (varsity boys, varsity girls, JV boys, JV girls, 8th boys, 8th girls, 7th boys, 7th girls), wrestling (varsity boys, JV boys, Middle School boys), swimming (varsity boys, varsity girls, Middle School boys, Middle School girls)

Spring sports - baseball (varsity boys, JV boys, 8th boys, 7th boys), golf (varsity boys, varsity girls, Middle School boys, Middle School girls), softball (varsity girls, Middle School girls), tennis (varsity boys, varsity girls, JV boys, JV girls, Middle School boys, Middle School girls), track and field (varsity boys, varsity girls, Middle School boys, Middle School girls)[12]

The school competes with other private and parochial schools in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) league, in the largest classification level, 6A, where it won state championships in 2006 for both varsity baseball and wrestling, and placed second in football. On November 10, 2007, the TCA girls' volleyball team returned to the TAPPS class 6A state title game and came away with a 3–1 victory.

The football stadium is named after famed football coach Tom Landry, due to his extensive involvement with the school.[13]

Mike Singletary coached the football team for the 2018 and 2019 season. Following a 1-10 2018 season and a 0-11 2019 season, Singletary's resignation from the post was announced on May 21, 2020.[14]

Fine arts

TCA offers courses in the visual and performing arts beginning in Lower School, where students take art and music. In Middle School, students can choose between art, choir, band and drama, and in Upper School students have the opportunity to participate in choir, band and an extensive selection of AP art courses.

In 2012, TCA opened the Trinity Art Gallery (TAG) on the second floor of the Upper School. The gallery features selected student works from grades K-12, as well as hosts regionally and nationally known artists and their work.[15]

Notable alumni

References
  1. https://www.trinitychristian.org/page/about
  2. "Private School Universe Survey". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  3. "Private School Enrollment $$$ Help for Institution". Baytown Sun. August 4, 1972. p. 8.
  4. "Trinity Christian Academy History". Archived from the original on 21 April 2015.
  5. "New Performing Arts Hall — at Addison's Trinity Christian Academy | Art&Seek". Art&Seek. 2010-08-05. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  6. McNeel, Bekah (August 26, 2020). "Some Christian schools are finally grappling with their racist past and segregated present". Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  7. "Expelled from Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, TX, for Being Gay". The Point Foundation. January 7, 2005. Archived from the original on 3 August 2011.
  8. Davis, Ryan (December 17, 2004). "Christian school kicked a teen out for being gay". Houston Voice. Archived from the original on November 24, 2005.
  9. "Mission Statement". Archived from the original on 21 April 2015.
  10. "A Diverse Community". Archived from the original on 21 April 2015.
  11. "2017 TCA School Profile" (PDF).
  12. "About TCA Athletics". www.trinitychristian.org. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  13. Addison's Tom Landry Stadium, TexasBob.com
  14. Caplan, Callie (May 21, 2020). "Pro football Hall of Famer Mike Singletary out as TCA-Addison coach; longtime leader Steve Hayes returns". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  15. "Ellen Soderquist & Sedrick Huckaby: Drawing and Painting the Figure – Glasstire". glasstire.com. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  16. "Candice Crawford Romo". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  17. "Gossip Girl Transformations – Chace Crawford". InStyle. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  18. "Braves stock up on pitching with college arm Hursh | braves.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  19. "Beau Morgan XFL profile". Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  20. "Like many Air Force coaches, Carrollton's Blane Morgan is an alum". Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  21. Elizabeth Neumann profile, DHS.gov, access date 09-22-2020
  22. David Purcey profile, BaseballReference.com, access date 07-11-2011
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