Letter from the Board of Directors
Dear Alumni, Parents, Students, Teachers, and Staff,
It is with great sadness that we confirm Sound Christian Academy has closed and will not reopen for the 2025-2026 school year. We know this news is incredibly difficult, and we share in the profound grief of our entire community. We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has been a part of our school’s journey and our Legacy of Faith and Education.
For over 65 years, our school, first as Tacoma Baptist Schools and then as Sound Christian Academy, has been a beacon of Christ-centered education in the South Sound. Founded in 1959 by James Bramblet with the support of six local churches, our mission has always been to educate and disciple students, fostering a culture where they can grow in their identities and callings in Christ.
The school’s history is a testament to the power of faith and community. We remember the “90-day Miracle” in 1965 when volunteers, with Nehemiah-like faith, built the new school in time for the first day. We recall Dr. Douglas Bond’s vision for a gymnasium, which was assembled with a giant steel structure from California. These stories are a part of our heritage and stand as a “monument to the faith and sacrifice that made it possible.” Our school has been a place where generations of families returned, a place where students were taught to be the “salt of the earth and a light in the darkness.” This legacy of spiritual formation, academic excellence, and community remains a cherished part of our history.
The Financial Challenge
Over many years, the school accumulated a significant amount of debt. This was not the result of any single decision or person but a complex, long-term growth of debt that required a comprehensive solution. About two years ago, new board leadership was established with a singular, primary focus: to address this financial burden and secure the future of our school.
The board and leadership team have worked with tireless dedication, integrity, and faith to navigate this incredibly difficult situation. Our efforts included significant restructuring and a painstaking search for a financial partner. We want to be clear that the current leadership inherited this debt and has poured their souls into finding a path forward. Our grief over this outcome is profound.
A Heartbreaking Outcome
We had a financial restructuring plan in place that offered a beacon of hope and a clear path to get beyond the debt. It was a plan that would have secured the school’s future, and it was the result of countless hours of prayer, meetings, and negotiations. However, in an unexpected and heartbreaking turn of events, this solution fell through at the last possible moment, just before the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. Without these funds, we simply do not have the resources to operate. This news was devastating for everyone involved, especially for the staff, families, students and alumni.
The Path Forward
The Board is now beginning the painful and complex process of closing the school’s affairs. Our foremost goal is to do this with honor and integrity, using all remaining resources to satisfy our financial obligations. This is our final act of stewardship, and we are committed to finishing this chapter in a way that honors God.
We understand that you have questions. We will work to address these in the coming weeks and months, and we will share more details as we are able.
In this time of grief and uncertainty, we ask that you join us in surrounding our school’s leadership, teachers, staff, and administration with grace and prayer. They have carried an unimaginable weight, and they need our support and compassion now more than ever. This is a time for unity and for remembering the profound and positive impact our school had on so many lives.
The building may be closing, but the spirit of this community, the faith it fostered, and the lives it transformed will never be extinguished. It lives on in all of us.
With shared sadness and enduring hope in our awesome God,
The Board of Directors of Sound Christian Academy