Following a two-year review, Maranatha Christian Academy has been accredited for its kindergarten through 12th grade programs.

The 37-year-old academy enrolled about 57 students this school year and is sponsored by the McEver Road Baptist Church in Oakwood.

Pastor Ron Bell said he received word that the program was accredited by the Georgia Association of Christian Schools Monday.

"We have always maintained accreditation for grades 7 to 12, but this is the first time in school history that the full program is accredited," Bell said.

"Our goal in this was to strengthen the program and show people what we have to offer."

The academy's curriculum centers on the biblical viewpoint, and selected material is intended to lead students to the development of Christian character.

A preschool program was added in 2008.

The accreditation process began a year later, and included more than 1,000 pages of documentation.

"They go through our whole academic process and make sure there are no holes in core elements such as English, math, science and history," Bell said.

"They also make sure there is continual progress and that students are advancing."

Maranatha received its accreditation for six years.

The committee also gave the school a list of recommendations to help with advancement.

"They come at you kind of strong, but it's good for us. It helps us stay on our toes," Bell said.

In recent years, the focus for Maranatha leaders was to make improvements to the academic program, including offering low class sizes and college preparation programs, Bell said.

"We wanted to rebuild the school for the future and strong academics and character building are making a difference," Bell said.

He added that more changes are ahead for the academy.

Grades 7 to 12 were previously a DVD taught class with proctor instruction, but it will shift to a traditional classroom.

The academy will also offer violin instruction this school year and introduce Spanish to every grade level.