The inaugural class of the Lake Orion First Baptist School will soon be winding down their first year in the church’s new education building.
The church constructed the building, added on to the already existing one, on Scripps Road. Former Kenya missionary Daniel Huffstutler was recruited from the Chicago area to serve as church administrator, a combination, he said, of “pastor and business manager.” Lake Orion First Baptist School’s administrator is Dennis Quattlebaum.
“I’ve been here about a month and a half,” said Huffstutler. “The school opened in October.”
The school offers classes for students K-12, and has 13 classrooms, a gymnasium/cafeteria, lobby and library. Huffstutler said there are plans to add on to the building as needed in the future, including a separate cafeteria.
The church held a dedication ceremony for the education building on April 13, with about 500 people attending. Huffstutler said the church’s regular Sunday attendance is nearly 600 people.
“We have about 100 students in the school,” he said, adding that that is not the school’s maximum capacity.
“There is no waiting list…but it’s not an open door policy. We’re trying to limit the enrollment to students of like faith and practice…we’re trying to keep the church preeminent.”
Classrooms in the education building are also being used for adult Bible fellowships (ABF) on Sundays. The Bible Institute will also be housed in the building.
“Part of the reason I’m here is to push (the Bible Institute) more towards a collegiate level as far as what’s required in the classroom,” said Huffstutler. “We want to upgrade the process, so there’s a curriculum and a certificate.”
Teachers in the Bible Institute will be ABF teachers, and the curriculum will be designed to add to one’s Bible knowledge. The certificate will be about half the credit hours a normal degree requires.
The education building is 16,000 square feet and there are plans for a playground, additional parking and more landscaping on the property.
The total project has a price tag of $3.2 million, and Huffstutler said the church was able to raise about half from its own funds, while the other half is being loaned.
“We can add a second floor later,” he said. “But we’re not even using all the classrooms right now.”
The school offers some varsity sports for students, including: baseball, girls soccer, boys soccer, girls basketball, boys basketball, and volleyball.
The school also has a fine arts focus, and recently won the District 3 Macs Award (Michigan Association of Christian Schools) at a fine arts festival. The school offers a variety of musical programs including choir, piano and band including string instruments.
For more information on The First Baptist Church of Lake Orion or the school, call 693-6203.