We are passionate about three things!

1. What are we passionate about?
Hearts
Keeping our children’s hearts while we homeschool
Partnership
Partnering and empowering parents
Community
Creating community within HEART Academy
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HEART Academy - Home Educators Advancing the Kingdom of God & Restoring our children’s hearts to the Lord Together
Jere and Crissi Allen, Founders, 650 Davenport Drive, San Jose, CA 95127, 408-712-4646
Class Site: Bayside Community Church, 1901 Cottle Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125, Email: heartacademy@comcast.net
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2. HEART Academy Mission Statement
Our mission is to help parents keep their children’s hearts while teaching them the academics. Our focus is to
help train the students in their communication and writing skills in order to become world influencers for Christ.
We will also uphold Christian home education as an excellent educational opportunity; offer support, training
and expertise to families for a Lifestyle of Skillful Living; and help parents devote their time in training their
children “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17 Our focus is to help train the students in
their communication and writing skills in order to become world influencers for Christ.
Our Vision for the Homeschooling Community
We are a community of people intentionally partnering together to help mentor the next generation for Christ
for the purpose of living out sound doctrine!
Jere and Crissi Allen, Founders
Jere Allen: Jere’s 20+ years of teaching experience include
youth ministry, creating PE programs for elementary schools,
coaching basketball, baseball and track for middle schools. He
also spent several years as a teacher at Milpitas Christian
Middle School where he taught computers, math, science,
literature, and Bible. His professional experience in Silicon
Valley focused on training adults in various software
applications for many years. Jere graduated from San Jose
Bible College majoring in Bible and Theology with a minor in
Math. He is currently Director of Technology Education for
Beyond Technology Education (www.beyondteched.com),
helping schools use innovative technology tools to improve
teaching and learning. He volunteers as the Director of Family
Ministries and Outreach at Bayside Community Church.
Crissi Allen: Crissi’s main calling in life is to be a wife and
mother. In addition, her 10 years experiences include teaching
sewing, computers, and writing classes. She has also taught
workshops for creating unit studies, co-ops and home
education. It is a joy for her to help homeschoolers connect
through HEART Academy. Crissi graduated from San Jose
State University, majoring in Behavioral Science (Psychology,
Sociology & Anthropology). Jere and Crissi educate their 2
children at home, Jessica and Kathryn.
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
HEART Academy - Home Educators Advancing the Kingdom of God & Restoring our children’s hearts to the Lord Together
Jere and Crissi Allen, Founders, 650 Davenport Drive, San Jose, CA 95127, 408-712-4646
Class Site: Bayside Community Church, 1901 Cottle Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125, Email: heartacademy@comcast.net
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4/8/2010 1:01:20 AM

3. God's Ways, not My Ways
A Testimony of God’s Grace by Crissi Allen
Do you sometimes feel woefully inadequate when it comes to homeschooling? I do!
Jessica didn't read until she was 10 years old. She felt "stupid" and she even said so, her self-esteem was low, she had
difficulty in doing schoolwork, she cried when we worked on spelling, and she put up a wall every time I had her do
something with her eyes. It was horrible! She continued this cycle until she was finally diagnosed with mild dyslexia at
the end of third grade. The guilt I felt during those years was a "vexation" to me and it tore me apart.
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces
endurance."
As a new homeschooler, I compared myself and my daughter with other homeschoolers. I caved in to adult peer pressure.
Because of this, I actually tried to force my daughter to read and write. Forcing someone to do something does not capture
their heart for the Lord.
"…and let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing."
As I look back, this was a huge violation of her mind and heart, and I was losing her. My child was running away from me
instead of towards me. Our relationship was being torn apart. In desperation, I called out to the Lord because this wasn't
what I envisioned homeschooling and learning to be. I asked him to search my heart and reveal the hidden controlling
tendencies in me!
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all men generously and without reproach and it will be
given to him."
God answered my prayer by bringing specific people to me regarding her vision challenges. But first, I had to ask my
daughter to forgive me. We then worked together to build communication between us. She went to vision therapy for 36
weeks and she is now reading at grade level. Our relationship has been restored, by the mercy of God.
Just the other day, we were talking about "attitudes." I asked her why she didn't have a bad attitude anymore. She calmly
stated that it's because I (Mom) didn't have a bad attitude anymore. You see, I was an angry mother who wanted her way
and would try to force obedience. Unfortunately, that created seeds of rebellion because I was not "sowing" to the heart,
just the behavior. Bad fruit was the result and bad attitudes came with it.
Marilyn Howshall says, "True success in child training will be reflected in a child whose heart is teachable, open to his
parents and the Lord all the way into adulthood." Truly, if our children are open to us all the way through adulthood, then
I think we've sowed good fruit and given them vision in seeking the Lord themselves. This is what I am striving for in my
children's heart. I never, ever want academics to get in the way.
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
HEART Academy - Home Educators Advancing the Kingdom of God & Restoring our children’s hearts to the Lord Together
Jere and Crissi Allen, Founders, 650 Davenport Drive, San Jose, CA 95127, 408-712-4646
Class Site: Bayside Community Church, 1901 Cottle Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125, Email: heartacademy@comcast.net
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