Two private schools near Hall County’s south end have announced plans to join forces in the 2016-17 academic year, a move that will create the area’s largest Christian school.

North Georgia Christian School and Heritage Academy announced the plans Wednesday. Leaders with both schools said the new K-12 learning institution, Lanier Christian Academy, will have a projected enrollment of nearly 400 students when it opens next year.

Teachers and parents were notified of the decision this week in meetings at the schools.

“We are using the word ‘unification’ to describe this brand-new school because it is not one school taking over another,” said Al Gainey, chairman of the board of trustees for North Georgia Christian. “It is a true blending of the best qualities of each.”

Fran Hasson, who chairs the Heritage Academy Board of Directors, said the name was chosen “to identify our region and reflect our faith-based mission.”

Currently located about eight miles apart, both institutions had been seeking permanent housing for several years. The 140-acre site off Poplar Springs — where Lanier Christian Academy will be located — was donated to North Georgia Christian in 2014 by Dale and Jackie Nabb, who had lived there on their family farm since the early 1980s.

Located north of both current campuses, Gainey said he’s hoping the new school will help “combine two successful teaching models, setting us apart from other Christian schools throughout the Southeast. Now, families will be able to choose which teaching style best fits their child.”

North Georgia Christian provides a traditional five-day program, while Heritage Academy features a three-day University Model that includes elements of independent home schooling. The combined new school also eventually plans to offer a third option for online learning.

Because the new campus won’t be ready by August 2016, students of Lanier Christian Academy will spend their first school year at North Georgia’s current location at Chestnut Mountain Church. Construction on the new site will begin when funds have been raised as part of a future capital campaign.

In addition to securing a permanent home, leaders at both schools said long-term financial stability was a factor in the decision to combine resources.

“The new school will ensure that Christian education will be available for many more generations of children throughout Northeast Georgia,” Hasson said.

Gainey said the enrollment increase will also provide more opportunities for athletics at the new school with a larger pool to field sports teams. There will also be a greater variety of academic courses and fine arts electives.

“It allows us to develop more energy and synergy … it provides so many more opportunities for these students,” Gainey said. “It’s going to be a great move for both schools.”

North Georgia Christian currently has about 200 students, and Heritage has 165.

Gainey said that despite the projected enrollment of nearly 400, Lanier Christian Academy will maintain class sizes of 25 students or fewer in the upper school (high school and middle school), and 20 students or fewer in the lower classes (elementary).

The next step will be the selection of new board members, a president, vice president of operations and programs, upper and lower school principals, an athletic director and director of institutional advancement.