Overview of Bhaktivedanta Academy
“If children are given practical guidance on the transcendental platform, above the bodily and mental conception of life, then they will develop into perfect citizens – moral, honest, hard-working, law-abiding, clean, faithful to home and country, like that. That is the unmatched success of our Krishna Consciousness schooling system.”
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Satsvarupa, 17 December, 1971, Bombay
History
Bhaktivedanta Academy takes its name from the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. “Bhakti” is the Sanskrit term for devotion to God, and “Vedanta” refers to the ultimate conclusion of knowledge. Just as Srila Prabhupada was both a scholar and a saint, we similarly train our students to be to proficient in both general academic subjects as well as topics of transcendence.
Bhaktivedanta Academy has been providing a Krishna-centered education to children in the Alachua, Florida area since 1990. The school currently serves over 50 Pre-K thru 6th grade students, making it the largest institution of its kind in North America. Our classes include a 3 to 6 year old pre-school/kindergarten (Bhakti Bhavan), a 1st through 3rd grade class (Audhurya Bhavan), and a 4th through 6th grade class (Madhurya Bhavan). With a staff of dedicated and professional administrators and educators, Bhaktivedanta Academy is focused on a becoming an exemplary educational institution that can provide both resources and a model for devotional schools throughout North America.
Vision
The vision of Bhaktivedanta Academy is to educate our students in Krishna conscious principles and practice based on the teachings and personal example of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Our dedicated staff, in strong partnership with family and community, will nurture and guide each individual in an environment that fosters spiritual and intellectual growth.
We pursue academic excellence through the utilization of Montessori teaching methods and we are committed to cultivating the priceless seed of devotion to Krishna in every child’s heart.
Graduates from Bhaktivedanta Academy will be self-disciplined, confident leaders, who are prepared to serve Krishna, the community, and the world with integrity.
Spiritual Program
As a religious school, Bhaktivedanta Academy prioritizes the practice of spiritual life alongside its regular academic curriculum through the following practices:
- Every morning, the school day begins with the older students reciting a Vedic mantra in unison to help focus everyone’s energy on the work ahead. This is also a time when students and staff discuss the “Quality of the Month.”
- Once they are in their respective classrooms, the students start the day with spiritual activities, consisting of chanting, deity worship, and study of scripture. The nature of these activities in each Bhavan is tailored to the maturity and understanding of the respective age groups.
- Throughout the day, the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness and Vaisnava character development are stressed through the choice of students’ reading and writing assignments, through relating modern history and science to the Vedic version and through highlighting examples of 12 quintessential devotional qualities taken from Srila Prabhupada’s books.
- On special occasions, such as Festivals, Appearance Days, and other devotional events, students have the opportunity to engage in thematic games, bhajans and projects, sometimes including a performance at the temple
- Outside school hours, we strongly encourage parents to bring their children to the temple morning program, particularly deity greeting and Srila Prabhupada’s guru puja.