Holden Christian Academy 279 Reservoir Street, Holden, MA 01520

"Our daughter went here for 3 years and then tried public school. By the winter of that year she was begging us to return. She loves that she can love God openly here and that the staff do as well. She has grown not just academically but socially and spiritually in this environment. Her classmates (and their peers)are like extended family. The small classes help students to develop real relationships and problem solve together. We found the curriculum more challenging than public school, but support for all learning levels available. The teachers are honest when retention or remediation is needed. The 4 year revolving theme model is AMAZING. I have learned so much about our own history and other cultures. The school is surprising culturally diverse. We will keep her here for the duration. We would and have recommended this school to friends and family. This is how public school staff would run schools if they could."

"Going to this school changed my life! I spent less than 3 years at HCA and I wish it was more. As a kid, one doesn't realize how their time spent in a certain place impacts them. You don't realize how you were nurtured and protected until you grow up and look back. The staff are not there for the money, they are there for the children. They believe in pouring into the next generation (because the next generation is our future) and their actions stand by that belief. When you become part of HCA, you become part of something much bigger than just a private school or the family that it forms. You become part of a family that changes lives far beyond the young ones that stepped into that school in the first place."

"Throughout my three years as a student at Holden Christian Academy, I was not only surrounded by like-minded peers who sought to grow in their walks with God, but also with godly role models in teachers and staff who demonstrated as well as taught what a life with Christ can look like. At HCA, I was not only taught material to further solidify what I believed, but shown WHY we, as Christians, believe what we do. Rather than discourage questioning, the teachers at this school encourage and welcome it, using both curiosity and doubt to make our faith stronger, rather than it causing us to stumble. The staff truly care for every single child that walks through the doors, and work hard to establish lasting relationships with each of them. Even though I graduated four years ago, I still keep in contact with many of my old teachers and consider them an essential part of my support system. While the academics are challenging and prepare the students for high school, when I struggled I was never talked down to by staff, but rather shown the material in a new way that made sense. The small class sizes and number of students who attend HCA make the school feel less of an educational institution and more of a home away from home. The teachers become second parents and the classmates become siblings. Every space in the school is intentionally made to feel welcoming and comforting, adding to the feeling of safety established by both the staff and students who attend. Perhaps the most unique part of this school, however, is the way that they bring learning to life. There is no "boring" lesson at HCA. Lessons here are enhanced with hands on learning. Science class involves hands-on experiments, working in the garden, and middle school science fairs. History is re-enacted by special days where the sole purpose of the day is to learn and experience part of history by the whole school partaking in an re-enactment. Even Spanish class is made to be entertaining by having cooking lessons of different traditional foods. I can say with confidence that I would not be where I am today academically, socially, spiritually, and emotionally without this school and the people who work there who make it so amazing. HCA has truly been a blessing in my life."

"My three children attended HCA and am very glad they did. They were all well prepared for high school and had an extremely memorable and diverse education. They remember so many things, still! (They are all in their 20's now). Their favorite times were when the entire school would re-enact a portion of history or culture as an entire day at school. My daughter acted as Mary Cassatt (famous painter from the late 1800's) and my son was George Westinghouse- (I hope you know who he was) They still remember their teachers and even have a chance to visit from time to time. As a parent, the loving, family atmosphere is a very important feature for any school. This is very evident at HCA."

"We have a second generation there now. Love the school and the wonderful, caring people. Very personalized education with God at the center of school life. The curriculum is very unique and every year I learn new things through the children. My daughter loved it so much that now my granddaughter is a student."