About Us

Church & School

Southside Baptist Academy is an academic ministry extension of Southside Baptist Church, founded in 2003 by Pastor Kerry and Mrs. Amy Nance. The emphasis of Southside is the primacy of Biblical preaching. We believe that it is the Word of God that changes families. Find out more about our Church.

Faculty & Staff

In compliance with Florida Statute 1002.421(1)(j), all of our teachers meet or exceed the following criteria:

Bachelor’s degree or higher
Prior teaching experience
Special skills, knowledge, or expertise that qualifies them to provide instruction in subject taught

Kerry Nance

Principal

Pastor Kerry Nance was saved and baptized as a young boy at the Landmark Baptist Church in Haines City, FL. He met his wife, Amy, while attending Bible College. Both he and his wife are from pastor-led homes and are blessed with godly heritages. They were married in 1993 while serving on staff at Calvary Baptist Church in Mannington, WV. In 1996, he became the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church and continued to serve there until 2003. In August of 2003, the Lord led them to Tampa, FL to start a church. Later that year on November 23, Southside Baptist Church was organized with nineteen charter members.

Leslie Nohrer

K5-2nd

Leslie Nohrer first came to Southside Baptist Church in 2014. In 2015, the Lord called Leslie to the ministry of education during teen camp. After graduating high school, she attended Heartland Baptist Bible College for four years. She graduated in 2022 as an Elementary Education Major.

Jamie Knickerbocker

3rd-5th

Jamie Knickerbocker has been working with children for over twenty years. Jamie graduated from Atlantic Baptist College in 2006 with a Bachelor’s in Education. She has served alongside her husband in the pastorate and on the mission field. She is the mother of five children and is excited about her role as a teacher at Southside Baptist Academy.

Luke Knickerbocker

6th-9th

Luke Knickerbocker has been working with children for the last twenty years. Luke graduated from Crown College of the Bible in 2003 with his Bachelor’s in Biblical Studies. Luke pastored for four years in Lake Placid, FL. He moved to Nepal in 2014 to serve as a missionary, where he served for seven years. He has five children and is excited about his role as a teacher at Southside Baptist Academy.

Cathy Schueler

Fine Arts

Cathy Schueler has been playing the piano for over 25 years and taught her first students when she was 13 years old. She studied music at Pensacola Christian College and participated in fine arts, choral accompaniment, as well as the traveling ensemble team. Since graduating, she has successfully opened her own piano studio. Before moving to Tampa with her husband, she served as the music coordinator for a Christian homeschool co-op in New York.

Statement of Faith

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We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and that they compose the entire Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed; and therefore, are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only English-language translation used by Southside Baptist Church. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21)

The Trinity

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each coeternal in being, coidentical in nature, coequal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:10, 26)
Jesus Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; II Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministries of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 9:24; 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2)
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person Who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14) We believe that He is the Divine Teacher Who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 1:17-18; 5:18; I John 2:20, 27) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12) We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. (I Corinthians 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22)
The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin, and the cause of the fall of man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; Revelation 20:10)

The Fallen Nature of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that all men are sinners by birth and by choice, and, of themselves, utterly unable to remedy their lost condition. (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17-19)
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; I Peter 1:18-19) and that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process.
The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5) We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)
The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men—the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13) We believe that the souls of the redeemed are at death absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6) We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain after death in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection when, with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment. (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15)
Creation
We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11)
Government
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: (1) the home, (2) the church, and (3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and are governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and has balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; I Peter 2:13-14)
Gender Identity
Our policy is to treat and address each student according to the gender associated with their biological sex as assigned at birth. (Genesis 1:27)

We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: (1) the home, (2) the church, and (3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and are governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and has balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; I Peter 2:13-14)

Standard of Conduct

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Southside Baptist Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

All employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner pleasing to God and set forth by the Bible and Southside Baptist Ministries. As an example to other believers, it is expected that all employees abstain from activities (whether online or in person) that would be a detriment to the ministry or testimony of Southside Baptist Church Ministries. These may include, but are not limited to, immoral sexual conduct, use of all tobacco products, association with the gambling industry, use of alcoholic beverages, use of illegal drugs, and the viewing of spiritually detrimental entertainment.

Any personal use of social media in any form should be monitored to keep in line with the philosophy of Southside Baptist Ministries.

Southside Baptist Academy values the worth and dignity of every person, as presented in Scripture, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship. Essential to the achievement of these standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal opportunity for all.

Our primary concern is the student and the development of the student’s spiritual, emotional, and academic potential. Instructional personnel will therefore strive for professional growth and will seek to exercise the best biblical and professional judgment and integrity.

With the utmost concern for the students meeting admission requirements, our instructional personnel:
Shall make reasonable effort to protect all students meeting admission requirements from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student’s spiritual development and mental and/or physical health and/or safety.
Shall not unreasonably restrain any student meeting admission requirements from independent action in pursuit of learning.
Shall not unreasonably deny a student meeting admission requirement access to diverse points of view.
Shall not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a student’s academic program.
Shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.
Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student’s legal rights.
Shall not harass or discriminate against any student meeting the admission requirements on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, or social and family background and shall make reasonable effort to ensure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination.
Shall not exploit a relationship with a student for personal gain or advantage.
Shall keep in confidence personally identifiable information obtained in the course of professional service, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law.

Employees of our school must display the highest degree of ethical conduct. This commitment requires that our employees:

Shall maintain honesty in all professional dealings.
Shall not on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, disability, or social and family background deny to a colleague professional benefits or advantages or participation in any professional organization.
Shall not interfere with a colleague’s exercise of political or civil rights and responsibilities.
Shall not engage in harassment or discriminatory conduct which unreasonably interferes with an individual’s performance of professional or work responsibilities or with the orderly processes of education or which creates a hostile, intimidating, abusive, offensive, or oppressive environment; and, further, shall make reasonable effort to assure that each individual is protected from such harassment or discrimination.
Shall not make malicious or intentionally false statements about a colleague.

All employees and administrators have an obligation to report misconduct by instructional personnel, staff members, school administrators, and pastors which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student attending Southside Baptist Academy. Examples of misconduct include obscene language, drug and alcohol use, disparaging comments, prejudice and bigotry, sexual innuendo, cheating or testing violations, physical aggression, neglect, and accepting or offering favors.

Reports of misconduct of employees should be made to the school administrator or the SBA principal.
Reports of misconduct committed by the administrator or SBA principal should be taken to the senior pastor.
Reports of misconduct by a pastor should be made to the administrator and the chairman of the deacon board.
Policies and procedures for reporting misconduct by staff, instructional personnel, administrators, and pastors which affects the health, safety, or welfare of an SBA student can be found in the staff handbook.