By Bill Robinson
Senior News Writer
RICHMOND —
Will Bondurant, former principal of Berea Community School’s middle and high schools, is the new administrator of Bluegrass Christian School in Richmond.
A native of Fulton, Bondurant, 71, takes to place of Nora Thompson, who passed away in March after leading Bluegrass Christian for nine of the school’s 16 years.
In addition to being a BCS principal from 1992 until 2002, Bondurant taught at the Berea school for another four years before he retired. In addition to 25 years as an educator in Kentucky, the Murray State University graduate taught 13 years in Illinois and two years in Texas.
His teaching subjects include math, physics and industrial arts.
He also holds a master’s degree and Rank I certification from Murray State and completed the course work for a doctorate in education from the University of Kentucky.
Bondurant said he was enjoying his woodworking hobby and never expected to go back to work after retirement. However, he said he felt God leading him to the opportunity after a friend and Bluegrass Christian board member said, “I think you’ve got the qualifications we need.”
He takes charge of school at a challenging time. Not only is it recovering from the untimely death of its top administrator, the economic downturn makes private school tuition more difficult for families, Bondurant said.
Still, many families believe having their children schooled in a Christian environment is worth the cost, he said.
Tuition at Bluegrass Christian is $3,720 a year, with a 5-percent discount for additional children from a family. A $225 instructional materials fee also is charged. And, there is a one-time registration fee per family.
The school has commitments from the families of 91 students from pre-kindergarten through high school for the fall. Enrollment was 129 this past school year, and Bondurant said he is confident that children from 14 other families will be enrolled when classes start Aug. 16.
Enrollment peaked at 170 in 2008 when the school moved into new building on Pin Oak Drive. Its capacity is 250 students.
Bluegrass Christian uses the A Beka Christian curriculum, but also strives to meet Kentucky state standards, Bondurant said.
He will be meeting with faculty soon to go over the recently released new Kentucky standards for math and language arts. Those are the only two subjects for which new standards have been released since passage of Senate Bill 1 that reformed the Kentucky curriculum, he said.
Bondurant said Bluegrass Christian’s eighth-, ninth- and 10th-grade students will be taking the Explore and PLAN exams this year to assess their college preparation progress.
The new administrator said he is committed to leading Bluegrass Christian for the next three to four years. Among his goals, in addition to increasing enrollment, is seeing the school building’s basement completed. That will create six additional classrooms as well as a cafeteria and chapel.
Currently, middle and high school students are transported once a week to a local church for chapel services.
Eight local churches from three different denominations, including three in Berea, help support Bluegrass Christian, Bondurant said.
Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@richmondregister.com or at 624-6622.
