The Cassel Family

Seven years ago, we walked onto Franklin Road Academy’s campus and knew this place was unique. Almost immediately we were sure of this place and had a feeling it would be special and monumentally impact our family. We had been to so many schools all over the country and continually had our children moving around, but this campus and community were the most special we had seen. After being greeted with smiles and warmth from each person across campus, we canceled all our other school tours in the Nashville area. We were ready to be a part of and invest in the FRA community.

FRA has a thoughtful approach for each specific moment on this campus. Our children are always coming first. From the leadership to the teachers, everyone is investing in our children and caring for them as well as we can ourselves. Teachers and staff want to love each child and make a positive impact on their future. The investment faculty member has made in our children has impacted on our family and brought each of us closer together. There is a partnership between teachers, leadership, and parents that allows us to create new experiences for our children.

Each student is met where they are and is provided resources and programs to help them grow from their comfort zones. FRA is unique to allow our kids to forge their own paths and try new innovative programming. Opportunities are so specific and specialized that our kids come home wanting to always try new, exciting classes the next school year. Our kids want to learn and want to be taught new abilities and skills that they can develop and be passionate about. Even this school year, with the new Entrepreneur Leadership program, our kids are already excited at the potential to be involved with that specific curriculum and mentorship.

FRA continues to grow in more than programming, but also in facilities and initiatives. The emphasis on community echoes through all that is planned for upcoming projects on campus. From new buildings, such as the Weicker Center, to the security initiatives on campus, we know our children are on a campus that guards and emphasizes the community itself. After realizing the peace, we had from FRA’s mission and the leaders of the school, we decided we couldn’t leave Nashville. FRA at large, the community, and the connection to the mission were one of the largest reasons we decided Nashville was where we needed to stay.

Since calling Nashville home, investing in our children and where they spend most of their waking hours has been an easy decision. In Corinthians 2, we hear about God being our greatest Giver. We have been given such a gift through FRA and it is our greatest joy to give back to this place and thank God in the process. We give through our time, through philanthropy, and through being all-in to FRA’s community, looking to impact each student beyond our own children. We seek places that we are passionate about and want to invest in a community that is always growing. When we give, we give with other families and the staff that will be pouring into our children, in mind.

You can give time, resources, and energy to FRA knowing that students are coming first. We watch our children become more well-rounded each day they return home. We see our kids grow spiritually from Spiritual Emphasis Week and want to lead the prayer at dinner. We notice that our family is sad leaving campus and always look for an opportunity to be here and be present. We are valued, and certain that we are a part of a community, mission, and place that will continue to grow and create bright futures for not only our children, but our family.