Secondary
Toni Shuman
Secondary Principal
Academic Dean
Meet Mrs. Shuman
As the Secondary Principal/Academic Dean for FBCA, I am blessed to be a part of a thriving community of teachers and students. I love education and I thoroughly enjoy teenagers. That’s a good thing because I’ve invested 40 years of my life in teaching, curriculum development and administration!
With a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Houston and a Master of Education from the University of St. Thomas, I hold certifications for social studies, journalism, gifted and talented education and as a principal for the state of Texas and have been certified as a principal by the Association of Christian Schools International.
A member of First Baptist Pasadena for 32 years, I count it a privilege to join with other believers in the union of faith and academics here at the academy. God continues to work in me and in the lives of our students and I look forward to every opportunity to serve Him. It’s great to be a Warrior!
FBCA promotes high academic standards and seeks to assist each uniquely created student realize their full academic potential.
- Help each student gain a thorough comprehension and command of the fundamental processes used in communicating and dealing with others, such as reading, writing, speaking, listening, and mathematics.
- Teach students how to do independent research and motivate them to pursue independent study in areas of personal interest.
- Teach and encourage the use of good study habits.
- Develop creative and critical thinking, the ability to reason logically, and the proper use of biblical criteria for evaluation.
- Promote good citizenship through developing an understanding and appreciation of our Christian and American heritages of responsible freedom, human dignity, and acceptance of authority.
- Promote and develop an appreciation of the fine arts through the development of the student’s understanding and personal expression.
- Promote and develop an understanding of current affairs in all fields and relate them to God’s plan for man.
SECONDARY MENU
First Baptist Christian Academy is a college preparatory school designed to meet the needs of students with average to above average academic ability. Students graduate from FBCA having earned the Distinguished Level of Achievement under the Texas Foundation Plan with Endorsements. Students have the opportunity to earn STEM, Arts and Humanities, and Multidisciplinary endorsements.
HONORS, PRE-AP and AP CLASSES
CURRENT ADVANCED COURSES INCLUDE
- AP English Language and Composition
- AP English Literature and Composition
- Computer Science
- Honors English I and II
- Honors Pre-Calculus
- Advanced Academic Topics
- Dual credit courses (Biology, Anatomy & Physiology) are taught on campus under the auspices of Colorado Christian University.
- Various dual credit courses at San Jacinto College such as English 1301/1302 or Math 1314.
DUAL CREDIT COURSES
Dual Credit in an option that provides qualifying high school students with the ability to earn college credit together with high school credit for approved courses.
Dual Credit courses taken at San Jacinto College
In-house dual credit via Colorado Christian University
Dual Credit courses taken at San Jacinto College
- Students must meet the score requirements for San Jacinto College entrance examinations and have at least an 80 average in the first three quarters of the previous year in the subject field the student desires to take as dual credit.
- Students may take an approved course during the school day if it can be arranged within their high school schedule. Students may also take the course after school, in the evening or on Saturdays if offered at those times.
- Students who fail a dual credit course or drop because of failing classes are not eligible to continue in the dual credit program and will have to make up the credit in a summer school or night school session. It is the responsibility of the student to keep track of their grades through the SJC online “Blackboard” and through communication with his or her professor. Students who make a 70 or higher on a dual credit course apply the earned college credits towards their FBCA transcript and graduation requirements.
- English 1301/1302, English 2322/2322, Math 1314/1316 and higher are considered honors classes and included in the weighted point system for all purposes.
Other courses such as, Psychology 2301, Speech 1318, or various fine arts classes may be taken subject to administration approval and the scheduled offerings of San Jacinto College, but will not receive weighted points. - Students wishing to take a dual credit class will be responsible for tuition at San Jacinto College. Students will also be responsible for full tuition at FBCA.
- Any First Baptist Christian Academy student who is enrolled in dual credit courses is also eligible for Early Admission College classes. This program gives dual credit students the ability to take a college course and earn additional credits at the college level. The EAC program does not earn the student high school credit.
In-house dual credit via Colorado Christian University
- Colorado Christian University (CCU) is a four-year college near Denver with more than 50 bachelor’s, master’s, and associate degree programs. In addition to a traditional undergrad program, the university partners with over 120 high schools in 20 states to offer dual credit enrollment. FBCA is one of these schools. Dual credit hours from CCU are accepted at any university on the same basis that dual credit courses from other institutions are accepted or rejected.
- FBCA will offer CCU dual credit opportunities in anatomy and physiology, and biology. Students who wish to take advantage of this opportunity, request dual credit with FBCA when they submit their course request form in the spring and then enroll for dual credit with CCU at the current course tuition fee after the beginning of the fall semester. (Cost is subject to change based on decisions made at CCU.) It is not necessary for the student to apply for admission to CCU to enroll in an FBCA dual credit offering. Eligibility for enrollment is determined by FBCA. There is a drop period in which a student can be removed from enrollment without grade penalty.
- Enrolled students have access to the University’s extensive online library.
- Dual credit courses taken via CCU will receive honors credit for purposes of the transcript GPA and for ranking regardless of whether the student opts to add the course to a CCU college transcript.
Academic Competition
FBCA students participate in several ACSI and TAPPS sponsored competitions with other private and public schools. Some of the academic competitions and activities include Mock Trial/Mock Legislature, Model UN, Texas History Day, Euro Challenge, World Affairs Council, TAPPS Science, Math, Social Studies, Current Events, Writing, Speaking and Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Spelling Bee, Science Fair, and Speech Meet.
