The history of Hawthorne Christian Academy reflects a deliberate and church-led effort to establish a Christ-centered educational institution grounded in academic excellence and doctrinal clarity. Founded in 1981 as a ministry of the Hawthorne Gospel Church, the Academy reflects a commitment to academic excellence, spiritual formation, and faithful service to families in the region.
Hawthorne Christian Academy traces its beginnings to a deliberate and prayerful process initiated by the leadership of the Hawthorne Gospel Church. In late 1977, the Elder Board of the Hawthorne Gospel Church commissioned a feasibility study to explore the establishment of a Christian day school. In response, a Christian School Committee was formed, chaired by Ray Heinze and including Bill Eelman, James Van Elswyck, Carol Gundlah, Carolyn Kumfert, Charlotte Allen, and Frank Tilley, along with Pastor Braunlin and Marvin Van Dyk.
After extensive research and consultation with administrators from Brookdale Christian School, Hackensack Christian Schools, and Ringwood Baptist Christian School, the committee concluded that a Christian school was both logistically feasible and strongly needed. These conversations helped shape the committee’s recommendation that the school be established with the highest standards from its very beginning, combining academic excellence with a clear and intentional spiritual emphasis.
From the outset, the doctrinal foundation of Hawthorne Christian Academy was intentionally shaped by the beliefs and teaching of the Hawthorne Gospel Church. As the Christian School Committee developed its recommendations, it was important that the school’s doctrinal positions align with the church’s understanding of Scripture. This clarity guided the Academy’s approach to biblical instruction, discipleship, and the integration of faith throughout the curriculum, fostering consistency between the home, the church, and the classroom.
By September 1979, the proposal for a Christian day school was formally presented to the congregation of the Hawthorne Gospel Church as a ministry designed to serve both the Hawthorne Gospel Church and other churches in the region. In March 1980, the congregation of the Hawthorne Gospel Church voted to move forward with the establishment of the school, setting the stage for the opening of Hawthorne Christian Academy in September 1981.
Hawthorne Christian Academy opened its doors in the fall of 1981 offering grades K–7, with an initial enrollment of 72 students. Grade 8 was added the following year. In March 1984, the congregation of the Hawthorne Gospel Church approved the addition of high school grades beginning with Grade 9 in September 1985, with one new grade added each year. The Academy celebrated the graduation of its first senior class in June 1989. What was originally projected to take until 1998—double sections at every grade level—was realized six years ahead of schedule, in 1992. By 1995, school wide accreditation was granted by the Association of Christian Schools International and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
As enrollment increased, the Academy expanded its facilities on the campus of the Hawthorne Gospel Church to support additional grade levels and programs. These expansions included the construction of the Youth Ministries Center in 1986, the addition of the Upper Gymnasium Wing in 2001, and new Lower School classroom space within the Fellowship Center in 2021.
Today, Hawthorne Christian Academy serves more than 500 students across its Preschool through Grade 12 program. Since its inception, the Academy has continued to grow as a ministry of the Hawthorne Gospel Church, pursuing excellence in Christian education while expanding its curriculum and extracurricular offerings to meet the needs of a growing student body.