Member, Board of Directors of the John Adams Academies Foundation
Parent of three John Adams Academy scholars
It is the best kind of good fortune when adversity confronts you, and within that adversity, you find, Providentially, something that profoundly changes the course of your life and your vision of what the future can be for your beloved children – and every child of their generation – and generations to come. Something that exposes you to ideas and concepts you never gave much thought to before…things like “public virtue,” “abundance mentality,” “mentors and classics,” “self-governance,” “greater than self,” and the nature of what a true education is and where it can take us if we pursue it relentlessly. Something pure and patriotic in the best sense of the word. Something beautiful in an often ugly world. Something different. Something BETTER. Such a thing rarely occurs by accident – it takes people of vision, dedication, and persistence; people with a steadfast commitment to promoting the public good in a truly generational context. It takes servant leadership.
That something, for my family and a great many others, is John Adams Academy. And John Adams Academy, very simply, would not exist were it not for my colleague and friend Dean Forman and his lovely, stalwart wife Linda. The best way to illustrate the wisdom, character, love, and leadership of these extraordinary people is to tell the story of one family’s journey into the world of John Adams Academy.
My children came to John Adams Academy in its 2nd year of operation at the original Roseville campus. Our concerns with public school, and one very ugly interaction with school administration when we attempted to address those concerns in good faith, convinced us we needed a change. But a change to what? Home schooling was not an option, and private school seemed out of reach. At that precise moment, when our need was greatest, we became aware of John Adams Academy. As I perused the website I couldn’t believe what I was seeing – could this be real? It seemed too good to be true. We moved to enroll our children immediately…and the penny dropped. Enrollment by lottery with a very long wait list. Even then, in 2012, a great many people wanted a change – they wanted a CHOICE. We despaired, but by a stroke of good fortune spots opened for our two younger children (2nd grade and Kindergarten) and they enrolled. Our oldest followed a few weeks after (6th grade). As they say, we never looked back.
As we came to see the profound impact the school’s culture and curriculum was having on our children, our passion and enthusiasm for the school’s Mission increased exponentially. My wife Cynthia volunteered regularly and I became involved in the school’s Parent Service Organization Executive Board serving two terms as Treasurer. Through that involvement I came to know Dean on a personal level. In the fullness of time I was honored to be asked to serve on the Board of the organization’s charitable Foundation, and I continue to serve humbly in that capacity. School choice, and more broadly the noble cause of Education, has become a focal point of my life – a battlefield worth fighting on, and a battlefield it is indeed. Given our current state, could the stakes be higher? Dean’s talent for bringing out the best in people is not limited to our scholars, and I’m grateful for his guidance and mentorship.
To come full circle on the story of my family’s journey into John Adams Academy…it’s hard to put into words the impact it’s had on all of us. Suffice to say our children excel academically, athletically, and socially. They are kind, thoughtful, hard-working and honest. Their time at John Adams Academy has a lot to do with that, and they know there’s a lifetime of growth and learning yet to come. Best of all, they are all well set on the path to become Servant Leaders and Restore America’s Heritage. I wish them well in that endeavor….
Thank you, Dean and Linda – from our hearts. We’re with you all the way.
The Bixler Family