Dear SouthLake Christian Family,

I hope your summer is off to a relaxing start. For those new to SouthLake, I send a school wide update on the first of each month called First Thoughts. We welcome you to the school and look forward to knowing you better in the months to come.

Graduation
This past Friday we held the 19^th graduation ceremony in our school’s young history. Here are some noteworthy facts about the class of 2021. Of our 58 graduates, one third are so-called “lifers” having attended SouthLake continuously since junior kindergarten or kindergarten. 50% of the class earned scholarships totaling nearly $3 million for academic achievement, leadership, and service to the community. 10% of the class will compete as student athletes at the collegiate level in soccer, baseball, basketball, and gymnastics. Our graduates were accepted to 72 different colleges and universities across the country. They will attend 31 different schools in 11 states and the District of Columbia. 53% will matriculate in state and 43% out of state, attending schools in the Southwest, Northeast, Midwest, and Southeast. During the pandemic, these students finished their senior year in person and thrived during arguably the most challenging year in the history of modern education. We are proud of them and pray for God’s wisdom to guide them as they take the next steps along life’s journey.

Enrollment
As of today, we have 594 students who have finished enrollment for the coming school year, 484 returning and 110 new. With almost three months to go in our enrollment cycle, we have already equaled this past year’s enrollment. Grades K, 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 are now operating on wait lists. Word of mouth remains the most common way new families learn about SouthLake, so thank you for telling others about our great teachers.

Summer Enrichment Camps
We have a full slate of enrichment camps on campus this summer, with 214 students enrolled in 38 different camps, 9 of which still have space available. Many of our campers will be new to SouthLake this fall, and some are non-SouthLake students. We have both morning and afternoon camps available throughout the summer for students in junior kindergarten through high school. Camp registration closes at midnight on June 7. For more information and to register online, go to https://www.southlakechristian.org/campus-life/summer-camps.

Facilities
This summer we will be doing significant work improving our campus. Many of our teachers will be moving to new rooms as we flex space for new classes. Additionally, we will be painting the exterior of our main academic buildings, reflooring several rooms and offices, and doing significant renovations to our large playground. Your Annual Fund contributions help make these improvements possible. So far this year, nearly 50% of our families have made charitable contributions to the school. If you would like to give before the close of this fiscal year, you may do so online at https://factsmgtadmin.com/give/appeal/zF58bxcdG.

In closing, I want to say thank you for our success this past school year. We knew we would need a strong combination of committed teachers, cooperative parents, and courageous students, and by God’s grace, we got all three in abundance. The doctors and medical professionals whose children attend SouthLake were a tremendous blessing this year. Their calm advice and encouragement helped us make fact-based decisions, avoiding the extremes of panic or denial. As I finish my third year at SouthLake, I am more grateful than ever to be a part of this remarkable community.

Matthew S. Kerlin
Head of School
SouthLake Christian Academy