Academy Year at Kingdom Heights: A Transformative 9th Grade Experience in Huntsville, Alabama
Launching in the fall of 2025 - a year set apart
Academy Year
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9th Grade
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A Set Apart Year
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Academy Year ✦ 9th Grade ✦ A Set Apart Year ✦
9th Grade
9th grade is more than just another school year—it’s the anchor year for future success.
Prepare your 9th grader for high school success.
Academy Year at Kingdom Heights Preparatory School is a set-apart 9th-grade experience designed to guide students through the pivotal transition from middle school to high school.
This intentional, Christ-centered program equips students academically, spiritually, and emotionally for future success, while encouraging them to develop into confident leaders, independent thinkers, and servant-hearted world changers.
Prepare your child for high school success.
Why Academy Year Matters: A Year Set Apart
Academy Year isn’t just about academics—it’s about preparing students for life. This pivotal year at Kingdom Heights equips students to discover their strengths and shape their futures. Kingdom Heights Academy Year offers the support and challenge they need to thrive. At Kingdom Heights, the Academy Year distinctly provides:
Spiritual Formation: Students grow in faith and character through Bible classes, discipleship groups, and weekly chapel.
Mentorship: Every student is paired with a dedicated mentor who offers personalized guidance, encouraging spiritual growth, academic success, and personal development.
Personalized Success Plan (PSP): Students develop an individualized roadmap, identifying their strengths, goals, and career interests while receiving ongoing support to stay on track.
Physical Training (PT): A focus on health, wellness, and teamwork through physical challenges that build resilience and discipline.
Certifications: Students earn valuable certifications like First Aid, Mental Health First Aid for Youth, and other career-specific credentials based on their personal interests.
International Missions Trip: Academy Year culminates in an international missions trip, exposing students to other cultures, providing an opportunity to serve, share the Gospel, and gain a global perspective.
This year sets the stage for spiritual maturity, academic success, and servant leadership.
Academy Year Curriculum: Academics with Purpose
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Deepening understanding of Scripture and applying biblical principles to daily life.
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Building strong communication skills through reading, writing, and critical analysis.
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Strengthening logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities.
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Encouraging curiosity through hands-on experiments.
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Exploring history, culture, and citizenship from a biblical worldview.
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Promoting healthy habits, teamwork, and personal fitness.
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Developing critical thinking and reasoning skills.
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As the building block for Romance languages, Latin improves vocabulary, reading comprehension, and standardized test scores while enhancing problem-solving abilities.
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Students choose from a variety of elective courses to further explore their interests and gifts, including:
Fine Arts: Music, theater, visual arts, dance, and media arts.
STEAM: Integrating science, technology, engineering, arts, and math through hands-on projects.
Languages: Developing communication skills and cultural awareness.
Cyber/Robotics: Preparing students for careers in technology.
Debate: Sharpening public speaking and analytical thinking.
Academy Year students engage in a challenging, Christ-centered curriculum designed to foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
Explore how our curriculum prepares students for success:
SCIENCE
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TECHNOLOGY
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ENGINEERING
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ARTS
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AGRICULTURE
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MATHEMATICS
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SCIENCE ✦ TECHNOLOGY ✦ ENGINEERING ✦ ARTS ✦ AGRICULTURE ✦ MATHEMATICS ✦
S.T.E.A.M. & Career Readiness: Preparing Future Leaders
Our STEAM program (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) equips students with 21st-century skills, engaging them in hands-on projects, problem-solving challenges, and collaborative learning.
We also introduce students to the 16 Career Clusters, helping them explore future paths:
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We plan to develop environmental science projects, hydroponic gardens, and local farm partnerships, helping students understand sustainability, food production, and natural resource management.
Building a foundation in agriculture and sustainability.
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Our future plans include engineering challenges, digital modeling projects, and hands-on construction activities, allowing students to explore design principles and safe building practices.
Exploring architecture through hands-on learning.
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We aim to introduce media arts, digital storytelling, and video production, connecting students to Huntsville's creative and technology-driven community.
Inspiring creativity and communication skills.
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Our vision includes entrepreneurship projects, leadership workshops, and mock business ventures, helping students understand organizational management and financial literacy.
Encouraging leadership and business skills.
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We plan to offer peer mentoring, leadership development, and teaching workshops, encouraging students to become role models and future educators.
Developing future educators and leaders.
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Future programs will include budgeting exercises, personal finance projects, and classroom economies, teaching students how to manage money wisely.
Empowering students with money management skills.
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We plan to introduce mock elections, student government, and civic projects, teaching students about leadership roles and community service.
Inspiring future community leaders.
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Our vision includes first aid training, health education workshops, and wellness initiatives, promoting healthy habits and compassionate care.
Exploring careers in healthcare and wellness.
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We hope to introduce event planning projects, customer service activities, and tourism-focused learning, connecting students to Huntsville’s hospitality industry.
Building hospitality and leadership skills.
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Our future programs include community service projects, mentorship programs, and leadership training, promoting empathy and compassion.
Fostering empathy and service.
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We hope to offer coding classes, robotics projects, and cybersecurity challenges, preparing students for technology careers in Huntsville’s tech sector.
Empowering students with IT skills.
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Our plans include conflict resolution programs, safety drills, and first responder visits, teaching students about community safety and leadership.
Promoting safety and leadership
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We envision engineering challenges, simple machines projects, and hands-on manufacturing activities, connecting students to Huntsville's advanced manufacturing sector.
Introducing future innovators to manufacturing.
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Our future programs will include school store projects, branding exercises, and advertising campaigns, promoting entrepreneurial thinking.
Encouraging creativity and business skills.
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We plan to expand our STEAM curriculum with coding, engineering challenges, and real-world experiments, preparing students for STEM careers.
Fueling curiosity through STEM learning.
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We aim to introduce supply chain simulations, mapping projects, and transportation-focused activities, connecting learning to Huntsville’s logistics hubs.
Exploring the world of logistics.
At Presence Academy, we're preparing 9th grade students for life, leadership, and lifelong learning.
The Academy Year Missions Trip:
A Life-Changing Experience
The highlight of Academy Year is the International Missions Trip, designed to broaden students' perspectives while deepening their faith and compassion:
Trip Highlights:
Cultural Immersion: Students experience new cultures, developing global awareness and appreciation for diversity
Service Projects: Partnering with local ministries to meet community needs
Gospel Outreach: Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ
Leadership Development: Empowering students to step out of their comfort zones and lead with humility
Equip your child for a life of impact.
Spiritual Formation & Leadership Development
Academy Year prioritizes spiritual growth, equipping students to lead with integrity and serve others through:
Bible classes: Daily instruction rooted in Scripture and Christian values
Mentorship: One-on-one guidance from Christ-centered leaders
Chapel services: Weekly worship, prayer, and biblical teaching
Community service: Opportunities to serve locally and internationally
Help your child grow in faith and leadership.
ROYAL HOUR
Character & Leadership Development
At Kingdom Heights, we don’t just educate—we equip future leaders. Our students are encouraged to grow spiritually, academically, and socially. We foster biblical character traits like integrity, humility, resilience, and compassion.
Royal Hour: Each day, students participate in Royal Hour, a dedicated time for tutoring, enrichment, or extracurricular clubs. This encourages students to take ownership of their education, explore interests, and seek help when needed.
Empower your child to thrive.
Standards-Based Grading & Limited Homework
At Kingdom Heights, we believe education should be progress-driven, not pressure-driven. Our standards-based grading approach ensures students advance only when they’ve mastered each concept. If a student needs more time, they receive personalized support without falling behind. Likewise, students ready to move ahead can progress without unnecessary repetition.
We also believe in protecting family time. That’s why homework is limited, ensuring evenings are spent connecting, creating, and resting, not stressing over assignments.
Learn how we balance academic success and family life.
Admissions Assessment for grades 9th
Applicants in 9th Grade must complete the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam). This non-pressure assessment helps us understand your child’s current learning level and how we can best support them.
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![A 9th-grade student taking an admissions test at Kingdom Heights, a private Christian school in Huntsville, Alabama, offering online and in-person testing options.]()
AT HOME
- Remote Administration
- Online
- Individual Assessment -
![A student completing an online admissions test at Kingdom Heights, a private Christian school in Huntsville, Alabama, evaluating student readiness for high school.]()
AT AN ASSESSMENT SITE
- In-Person
- Online
- Group Assessment
Step 1: Apply Online
Begin your journey by completing the online application at Apply Now.
Step 2: Admissions Assessment (9th Grade)
All applicants for 9th grade must complete the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam). This assessment helps us understand your child’s current learning level—not to pass or fail, but to provide the best support possible. Register through the ISEE website, listing Kingdom Heights Preparatory School as a score recipient (School Code: 572185).
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![Three 9th-grade students holding a Kingdom Heights sign at Kingdom Heights, a private Christian school in Huntsville, Alabama, offering athletics and leadership development.]()
Athletics: Developing Character On and Off the Field
Athletics at Kingdom Heights focuses on both physical development and spiritual formation, offering students opportunities to participate in sports programs while developing teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.
Discover how athletics build leadership.
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![A student learning Latin at Kingdom Heights, a private Christian school in Huntsville, Alabama, emphasizing classical education and language studies.]()
Latin
As the building block for Romance languages, Latin improves vocabulary, reading comprehension, and standardized test scores while enhancing problem-solving abilities.
Equip your child with a strong academic foundation.
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![A teacher assisting students at Kingdom Heights, a private Christian school in Huntsville, Alabama, supporting diverse learning needs.]()
Learning Exceptionalities: Supporting Every Learner
Kingdom Heights strives to support students with exceptional learning needs. While we provide a nurturing and inclusive environment, we may not have the specialized resources required for some unique educational challenges.
Discuss your child’s learning needs.
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![A 9th-grade student at her desk at Kingdom Heights, a private Christian school in Huntsville, Alabama, offering small class sizes for individualized instruction.]()
Small Class Sizes: Personalized Attention
Our small class sizes ensure every student receives personalized instruction, fostering academic growth, spiritual formation, and stronger relationships between teachers, students, and families.
Learn how small classes make a big difference.
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![A parent meeting with a teacher at Kingdom Heights, a private Christian school in Huntsville, Alabama, fostering strong parent-school partnerships.]()
Parent Engagement & Communication
At Kingdom Heights, education is a partnership. We maintain open communication through regular updates, parent-teacher conferences, and opportunities for involvement.
Partner with us in your child’s education.
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![A parent meeting with a teacher at Kingdom Heights, a private Christian school in Huntsville, Alabama, fostering strong parent-school partnerships.]()
Campus Safety & Security: A Top Priority
Safety is paramount at Kingdom Heights. Our campus, located in the historic Butler High School, was originally built as a Cold War fallout shelter, making it exceptionally secure by design.
Planned Security Measures Include:
Full-time armed security team, including a School Security Officer.
Secure campus access, surveillance cameras, and magnetic-locked doors
Emergency protocols for student and staff safety
Bag-free entry for visitors
Protected learning spaces for each Academy
Discover how we keep students safe.
Tuition & Discounts
We offer several tuition discounts to make a Kingdom Heights education more accessible:
Multi-Student Discount: $250 off for the second child, $500 for the third, and $1,000 for the fourth or more
Full Payment Discount: 5% off total tuition for families paying in full
Active Military Discount: 10% off for active-duty military families
KH is a part of the Alabama Choose Act, which gives qualifying families access to up to $7k in tuition reimbursement for a private education.
Invest in your child’s future with flexible tuition options.