New Academy to Open in Former Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran School

Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and Focus Academy fit together like two puzzle pieces.

“This is a wonderful blend,” said Vickie Sufka, parish administrator at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and .

Now, Focus Academy, a high school for students ages 14 to 22, will open there in August. It will serve a maximum of 75 students who experiences learning challenges, such as autism, specific learning disabilities and language impairments.

When Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran School closed, church leaders started looking for another school to lease the property, Sufka said.

Josephine and Eric Isenbergh, founders of Focus Academy, contacted the church a few months later, according to a story on TBO.com. The school was created by a small group of parents with children with special needs.

“We are so excited!” Sufka said. “God always has a plan for us. When we met the Isenberg’s, there was just a great connection between us all!”

During the first year, the school will use six classrooms in the fellowship hall at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and School, according to TBO.com.

“The students can come from Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco and Pinellas counties,” Sufka said. “(Founders feel) that parents will drive any distance to get the best education they can get for their children.”

For more information, visit Focus Academy online or read the TBO.com story here.

See also:
Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran School Closes