Portsmouth Christian Academy (PCA) is a

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non-denominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. Overview The term has been used in the context of various faiths including Jainism, Baháʼí Fait ...

Christian school A Christian school is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization. The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country, according to the religious, educational, and political cultures. In some countr ...

Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maidstone ...

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

, United States. It is the largest non-denominational Christian school in

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

and is located on a riverfront campus in Dover. The school is divided into four sections: Preschool (PCAP), Lower School (K-8), and Upper School (9-12). The Upper School is designed as a

college preparatory A college-preparatory school (usually shortened to preparatory school or prep school) is a type of secondary school. The term refers to public, private independent or parochial schools primarily designed to prepare students for higher education ...

program.

History

PCA was founded in 1979 by Pastor Peter and Mrs. Bettie Miller and was originally called Bethel Christian Academy (BCA). Based in

Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 census it had a population of 21,956. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on the Piscataqua River bordering the state of Maine, Portsmou ...

, BCA served kindergarten through eighth grades. In 1992, under the new leadership of then-Headmaster Dennis Runey, the school changed its name to Portsmouth Christian Academy, and by 1995 expanded to include a high school. Jonathan Tymann was hired as the first Principal in 1996 and the first alumnus of PCA graduated in 1997. The first full graduating class was in 1998. In 1999, PCA moved to the current Dover campus and added the gym and Upper School facilities. The new facilities in Dover also provided a venue for a preschool; the first PCAP classes joined the PCA family in the fall of that year.

Curriculum

Portsmouth Christian Academy offers a faith-based education. The school's philosophy of education is based on the classical

trivium The trivium is the lower division of the seven liberal arts and comprises grammar, logic, and rhetoric. The trivium is implicit in ''De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii'' ("On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury") by Martianus Capella, but the ...

Dual enrollment and Advanced Placement

PCA offers dual enrollment with

Southern New Hampshire University Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private university between Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire. The university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, along with national accreditation for some hospitali ...

. This allows part-time students to earn college credit and high school credit simultaneously. In addition, students may enroll in

Advanced Placement Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board which offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. American colleges and universities may grant placement and course ...

courses and take the AP test to earn college credit, which gives a great way to get ahead in college.

Diploma options

PCA students choose from several tracks with result in several diploma options. These include a General Education Diploma, STEM Diploma, Fine Arts Diploma, or a Diploma of Distinction, which recognizes rigorous academic work.

Student body

PCA enrolls 600+ students from New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts.

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

PCA is a Division IV member of the

New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association The New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) is the governing body for sports competitions among all public and some private high schools in New Hampshire. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associatio ...

(NHIAA).

References

{{authority control Christian schools in New Hampshire Private high schools in New Hampshire Private middle schools in New Hampshire Private elementary schools in New Hampshire Schools in Strafford County, New Hampshire Buildings and structures in Dover, New Hampshire