Local Christian academy celebrates building expansion progress

Hamilton Christian Academy (HCA) is expanding its campus to address growing student enrollment. The school is constructing a new 1,600-square-foot multi-purpose building that will include two classrooms to accommodate students taking elective classes such as music and fine arts among other classes. The permanent structure will be constructed behind the main building on the academy’s 6-acre property.

On March 20, Hamilton Christian Academy held a “Topped Out Party” to celebrate the completion of Phase I of the building program. The new building provides two new classrooms with the capacity of up to 50 students. The building project was started in December of 2024 with an estimated final completion in the summer of 2025. 

Parents, staff, board members, and the public came together to celebrate the progress that was made. There were about 30 people in attendance. The festivities started outside in order to better see the progress that has been made. After an opening prayer, Dean Anglea discussed the current status of the building and then talked about the River Raft Raffle to raise funds to help complete the goal to match the $75k one-to-one matching grant from the Gianforte Foundation. On display was the raft and trailer that is being raffled off to help raise funds to meet this matching grant. Hamilton Christian Academy has raised approximately $45,000 toward the match and is actively fundraising for the remaining $30,000.

After this, attendees were also able to go inside the new building to see what the new classrooms will look like. People were free to roam around the new building and ask questions.

After touring the new building, parent JodieK Pratt was able to share what the school has meant to her family. As a single mother trying to raise two teenage boys, she has seen how much this school family has meant to her as she struggled with some major health issues. 

Anglea, the Head of School, shared the history of HCA, which started in 1963 as a pre-school, and is now a fully accredited K-12 school. In 2014, HCA acquired the old Grantsdale School Building and it has become the academy’s permanent home. 

Pastor John Weaver, pastor of the Hamilton Assembly of God, closed the formal event with a prayer, followed by cookies, snacks and fellowship. It was a great time together as participants celebrated God’s work at HCA and looked forward to the completion of the new building in the near future.

Serving the Bitterroot for more than 60 years, Hamilton Christian Academy boasts a 98 percent graduation rate. The private school started in 1963 at the Hamilton Assembly of God Church. Interdenominational and nationally accredited, HCA is now located at the historic Grantsdale School building at 778 Grantsdale Road in Hamilton.

Enrollment at Hamilton Christian Academy opened in March 2025 for the 2025-2026 school year. For information on becoming part of the Hamilton Christian Academy community or to support the school’s fundraising efforts, visit https://www.hamiltonchristianacademy.org or contact Anglea at 406-363-4534.