New Birth Academy will reopen Thursday but school officials can't say how many students will be attending, or how many teachers have been hired.
Wednesday's press conference at the Lithonia campus marked the first time Bishop Eddie Long had faced reporters since September 2010, when four former New Birth Missionary Baptist Church members filed a sexual coercion lawsuit against the charismatic pastor.
The bishop took no questions, however, after delivering brief comments about the academy's revival.
"We operated New Birth Christian Academy for years at a deficit," Long said. In a letter sent to parents Dec. 22, school officials announced the 18-year-old academy was temporarily closing due to economic difficulties, leaving parents scrambling just two weeks before classes were to resume.
Days later, New Birth officials were contacted by Aurora Schools, which has state-accredited campuses in Tucker and Roswell.
"When I first heard about the closing I said to myself, ‘this doesn't have to be,'" said Aurora's CEO and founder, Kellie Huff. "We called New Birth and offered our assistance."
Just how the partnership will work remains unclear. The academy's mission will not change, Huff said, adding that Aurora will "assist with management."
New Birth and Aurora have formulated a "streamlined, cost-effective plan" to allow the school to be self-sustaining, she said.
"I'm just thankful we have this partnership," Long said.
Aurora officials would not answer questions regarding the lingering controversies that surround Long, who took a brief leave from the pulpit in December to tend to "family business," he said. Earlier this month his wife of 21 years, Vanessa, filed for divorce.
The pre-K-through-12 academy had already seen a number of defections, with enrollment declining from 221 two years ago to 79 at the time of the school's closing.
Now, "we'll be really happy if we see 40 to 50 [students]," said Bill Aragon, Aurora's chief operating officer. Some of those will be returning students, school officials said.
"What we're hearing from families is a great deal of gratitude," Aragon said.
Tuition, ranging from $5,253 for New Birth members to $6,198 for nonmembers with more than $1,000 in nonrefundable fees, will remain the same.
According to Aurora's website, school officials "are intent on preserving New Birth’s existing accreditation, and are moving quickly with reopening in order to do so."
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