Business Focus: Alpha Omega Academy

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Located on a beautiful 27 acre campus just west of downtown Huntsville on Highway 30, Alpha Omega Academy is a private school offering an outstanding educational experience for children from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade. The Academy was founded in 1997 with just 27 students and has steadily grown through the years to include over 380 students. Part of the mission statement reads, “It is the mission of Alpha Omega Academy to provide a classical, Christ-centered education that equips students…with the tools to be lifelong learners and to partner with parents in the training of their children to be effective Christian leaders.”

Alpha Omega Academy is not affiliated with any one specific church. Instead, the staff and educators bring a wide range of Christian faith backgrounds to the classroom. The top priority is to ensure each class—from science and math to language arts—incorporates God’s word and truths into every aspect of learning. There are also daily Bible classes and devoted worship time during chapel. Students are encouraged, but not required, to have a church home.

Paul Davidhizar,
Headmaster

Paul Davidhizar is the headmaster of Alpha Omega Academy. He, along with his wife Nancy, who teaches first grade at the school, have been involved with Alpha Omega Academy from its inception. All three of their children attended and graduated from the Academy. Paul says, “The reason we got involved—along with other parents—in starting the school was that we wanted our children to have a solid, Biblical, classical education. We started it for our kids, and everyone else just got to come along and join the fun.”

“The classical Christian method of education believes in infusing God’s Word into everything—called Biblical integration. It’s very important, because God’s truths and God’s principles are evident all throughout history, science, and math. His character is in evidence. Our teachers are trained to acknowledge those things and point it out to the kids as they go through their lessons. Then there are classes just on Bible study every day.”

Classical education is based on a pattern called the Trivium; a three part process of training the mind.  Early years (Pre-K through 6th)  are spent in the Grammar Stage laying a foundation for advanced study using singing, chanting, and rhyming. In the middle grades (7th – 9th), students begin the Logic Stage studying the why of things, cause and effect, and learning to think through arguments. In high school (10th – 12th), they learn to express themselves in the Rhetoric Stage.  This is the time they also learn to present themselves in a well-reasoned, winsome way.  “When our kids leave AOA, they are very comfortable standing up and speaking in front of a crowd,” said Mr. Davidhizar.

“When we consider a child classically educated, they are able to filter ideas through the grid of scripture as well as the grid of logic and be able then to form an opinion, support that opinion, and defend it. We want our children to be able to challenge the culture; we want them to stand for God’s word and God’s truth. We feel this classical approach to education does all that. It equips them to be life-long learners.”

In addition to rigorous academics, AOA has active extracurricular and sports programs. Fine art classes of music, art, and drama are available to students. The school’s membership in TAPPS (Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools) affords students wholesome competition in sports, fine arts, and academics among member schools.

The AOA Lions play plenty of sports! The school’s 50,000 square feet includes a full size gymnasium that hosts volleyball and basketball for junior high and high school ages. Additionally, there are baseball and softball fields, as well as football, soccer and track.  The school also boasts golf and tennis teams. In the school’s gymnasium is a sign listing the district, regional, and state championships the school has earned since its inception.

Mr. Davidhizar, or “Mr. D” as he is affectionately known, says Alpha Omega is committed to offering a classroom experience with small student-teacher ratios.  “Our commitment is to the families of our community.  We promise to nurture and to teach your child classically and in a Christ-centered environment.”

Alpha Omega Academy

Paul Davidhizar, Headmaster

www.AlphaOmegaAcademy.org

(936) 438-8833