JCA begins demolition of burned building

Jun. 10—JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville Christian Academy is taking stock of its existing facilities after a fire consumed a major building on the campus April 23. The school's church, elementary school gym, preschool and a section of the elementary school were destroyed.

The affected building's demolition started Wednesday morning, with crews pulling it down and removing debris from the area, Jacksonville Assistant Fire Chief Justin Minton said.

The smell of burned paper and wood floated through the air as the claw-like machinery pushed and pulled blackened materials around the location the church once stood. The school behind the main building was now visible from the road.

"It's coming down very rapidly," school Principal Dr. Tommy Miller said, with three-fourths of the building down already by 2 p.m. Wednesday.

The process of rebuilding what burned in the blaze nearly seven weeks ago could take longer than a year, Miller said.

Staff members at the school say they hope the rebuilding process won't delay the reopening of the 2022-2023 school year. Some of the elementary grade classrooms were in the building that burned, Miller said.

Rebuilding will be a slow process, and the insurance payout was nowhere near the amount it would cost to rebuild, leaving the school to make up the deficit, according to Miller.

"Building materials have gone up so much, we could not build back what we had just from the insurance money," Miller said. "But we're going to do what we can."

Miller said staff members met Thursday to begin to compare numbers on how much the cost of rebuilding what was needed would be vs. the amount paid by the insurance.

"We know it's probably going to be in the hundreds of thousands," Miller said, lacking an exact number.

"We're going to have to make some arrangements to do something else for at least a year," Miller said. "The high school should not be affected, but the elementary will be affected somewhat, so we've got to make some arrangements there."

The senior class of 2022 had its commencement ceremony at Westside Baptist Church in lieu of having it at the school.

Meanwhile, community residents have banded together to help the school cover some of the cost it will incur in rebuilding. Amber Burdett, Tori Parris, and Miller's daughter Brooke Lee have decided to host a benefit concert, where the proceeds will go towards the loss.

"My girls, 7 and 5, have only known JCA as a school," Burdett said. "The lower school that burned is where their first years of artwork was displayed and so many other little items of seeming insignificance."

The concert will be this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. and features Parris and musician JustCordell at the Life Central Amp, behind the Covenant Life Church in Alexandria — who is also offering to set up the sound for the event.

"Tori had spoken and sang at several events for the youth so the community is near to her heart. She suggested JustCordell as they have worked together many times," Burdett said. "Both of these artists have graciously offered to donate their time for this concert to raise money. They have gone above and beyond in helping plan the event and promote it as well."

Burdett said the event will not sell tickets, but rather have an optional donation she called a "love offering." She said the school has also set up a Venmo account for anyone who can't attend the event but would still like to donate — @jcathunder.

Called Coffee will also be set up at the event, with a portion of their proceeds benefiting the fundraising efforts. Burdett said those attending should bring a lawn chair or some place to sit. There will also be a booth set up selling T-shirts and other concessions, as well as providing concertgoers with information.

Several other churches are also helping where they can to provide food or services for the event, according to Burdett. Wellington First Baptist, Faith Temple church and Cornerstone Baptist church are helping with drinks and food, while the Covenant Life Church is allowing Burdett and the others to host the benefit concert at its facility "free of charge," Burdett said.

"JCA was created to provide a means of Christian education to those that were seeking it for their children," Burdett said. "It is not meant to be a large profiting school or something that is out of reach for any family. It's an outreach that allows children the opportunity of a Christian education, to freely learn, pray and worship together."