Voice Issue 1 2017-18

VOICE

THE MAGAZINE OF CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL • 2017-18 • ISSUE 1

Features 1

A DAY TO REMEMBER

Departments 7

In a special dedication ceremony, the ribbon was cut, and the muchanticipated Center for Worship and Performing Arts (CWPA) was opened.

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CCS SPORTS BROADCASTING

A DAY IN THE LIFE Charlotte Christian School senior staff went back into the classroom, as students of varying grade levels, to see what it feels like to be a student again.

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Six members joined the inaugural group to perform live, on-air commentary for sporting events.

Send story ideas to laura.goodyear@charchrist.com Send alumni news to alumni@charchrist.com Send address changes to margaret.jackson@charchrist.com

CCS Bible teachers were given the opportunity to travel to Israel for 13 days of Biblical study in June.

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KNIGHTS HEADLINES HELLO MY NAME IS ACADEMIC SPOTLIGHT ATHLETIC SPOTLIGHT FINE ARTS SPOTLIGHT DEVELOPMENT ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT CLASS NOTES ANNUAL REPORT

Dear Charlotte Christian Community, November 21 was a joyous day on campus as we opened the Center for Worship and Performing Arts. I was praising the Lord for His provision of this wonderful facility as I sat on stage that beautiful morning. My lasting memory of the Thanksgiving Chapel that officially dedicated the building was the smiles on the faces of Mrs. Goley, Mr. Humphries, and Mrs. Dennehy. They were beaming as they praised God for a building dedicated to chapels and the fine arts program.

The joy I felt opening the building turned into anxiousness when I watched students and teachers enter the building the following week. Are they going to spill their drink? Will they touch something they shouldn’t touch?

Are they going to scuff up the new paint or well-buffed floors? Are they going to leave their book bags all over the place?

“This is why we can’t have new things!”

I heard this growing up in a home of three active boys. With my own seven children, I, too, have found myself relying on this tired yet honest quote. There were a few Christmases when a new toy or gift was broken before New Year’s had even arrived.

As a parent, this is a tension I have lived with, and now as head of school, I feel similarly as we open the Center for Worship and Performing Arts.

Of course we do not want to prohibit the students from enjoying this new facility, but I will certainly try to slow down the imminent wear and tear on the building.

As Christ-followers we have a similar tension. When we first accept Christ, we are excited about the newness of Him living in us and the fellowship we have with other believers. We expect the Christian community to be without flaw, but as time marches on we become aware of the scuffs and spills that are a result of real people within the Church.

This is the beauty of Christian education. We come together not because we are perfect or without flaw, but rather we recognize the tendencies of sin and collectively journey together as we strive to be better. Churches and Christian schools cannot have nice things because we are full of sinners. Rather than trying to protect the newness or perfection of our school, we embrace the imperfections recognizing we are on a journey together, a journey that prayerfully points us and others to Christ.

I hope that you will be able to visit campus in the coming months and enjoy our new yet gently used Center for Worship and Performing Arts.

God Bless,

Barry Giller Head of School CENTER FOR WORSHIP AND PERFORMING ARTS RIBBON CUTTING

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A Day to

Remember

For thespians who spent years performing on a temporary stage in the Lamb/Johnson Gymnasium to praise team members who led worship in the same acoustically-challenged space, Tuesday, Nov. 21 was a day to remember. In a special dedication chapel, the ribbon was cut, and the muchanticipated Center for Worship and Performing Arts (CWPA), a dream of many long-time members of the Charlotte Christian community, was opened.

The dedication ceremony was broadcast live at the school’s annual all-school Thanksgiving Chapel held simultaneously in the Lamb/Johnson Gymnasium. Senior Terrelle Brown, head prefect, began the ceremony by welcoming everyone to the historic occasion. The upper school choir, which for the day included alumni members, performed, and a combination of lower, middle and upper school student praise team members led both venues in worship. Participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony were lead donors Rick and Linda Hendrick, along with students, teachers, trustees, and faculty members.

Throughout the morning’s festivities, Upper School Art Teacher Bryn Gillette and former Upper School Art Teacher Eva Crawford painted canvases onstage as the dedication ceremony was taking place. In addition, another piece of art, an original stained glass created by Middle School Principal Ken Rogers and Assistant Middle School Principal Karl Simon and designed specifically for the new building, was introduced and will permanently hang in the prayer room on the second floor.

The two-story, 21,000 square foot state-of-the-art CWPA houses the beautiful 511-seat Alkire Auditorium, named for Mr. and Mrs. David Alkire, grandparents to CCS students Ethan, Kelsey and Evan Eshleman. The auditorium will be used for chapels, full-scale theatrical productions and school assemblies. The new building also includes the Harmon Black Box Theatre, named for Ms. Angie Harmon, which will be used for smaller performing arts productions; a scene shop for set construction; an extensive costume closet; dressing rooms; and a window-line gallery for visual arts displays.

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On the ground level outside the auditorium is the Huge Gallery, named in honor of former Charlotte Christian Head of School Mr. Cal Huge and his wife, Bu. This space will be used for various events and currently houses original pieces of art created by art students in each division.

“I don’t think it really hit me until our dedication service, exactly what this building was going to mean for our fine arts programs,” said Director of Fine Arts Kelly Goley. “Sure, we’ve been planning, talking, and scheduling for over a year, but until the choir and worship team hit the stage that morning, I didn’t realize just how much of a difference it would make to be on a real stage with an excellent sound system. I also

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noticed our art students from all divisions showing parents and friends their artwork displayed in the Huge Gallery, where it could be shown in themed groupings.”

In the short time the CWPA has been open, it has been put to great use. The first event held in the new facility was the Vocal Tech concert in the Harmon Black Box Theatre. Each division enjoyed their first chapels in the Alkire Auditorium on Nov. 30, followed by band and orchestra concerts and the lower school’s Christmas presentations in early December. The Huge Gallery was home to the National Arts Honor Society’s annual holiday gallery fundraiser to benefit the Street Child Project in Uganda and Project 658 in Charlotte.

“We have been somewhat limited to the size and scope of our events due to our space constraints in the past, however, it was amazing to watch more than 100 students perform on stage at the band and orchestra concert,” said Goley. “This full-size stage will also come in handy when more than 75 lower school students perform Seussical, Jr. in March and again when we unveil the beautiful upper school production of Cinderella in April.”

Head of School Barry Giller had the privilege of speaking in the first middle and upper school chapels in the new building.

“Standing on the stage and speaking to the students was a wonderful experience,” said Giller. “I followed a beautiful time of worship, and everything, from the state-of-the-art lighting and sound to the video technology that made it so easy for me to teach, enhanced the chapel experience for all our students. The day we opened the Center for Worship and Performing Arts was an exciting one for us as a school community. I am grateful to our donors for their generosity and kindness, and I know our students are excited about having this new facility in which they will perform, worship and learn.”

Center for Worship and Performing Arts Construction

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For the past two years, school events and athletic contests have been livestreamed at Charlotte Christian. Members of the CCS community, and in particular grandparents, have enjoyed watching their children perform, achieve and play via the streaming platform, The Cube. However, even with the more digitally-connected community, there was something missing.

The missing piece came with the inception of the CCS Sports Broadcasting crew. Six members formed the inaugural group and performed live, on-air commentary for sporting events. Seniors Hunter Phalen and Hayden Fancher debuted the new format on Sept. 12 by commentating for a varsity boys’ soccer game against Covenant Day School. Hunter and Hayden’s immense knowledge of the sport and both rosters was impressive, but what really stood out was their wit, dry humor and conversational banter. Nearing the end of the first half, the play had slowed a bit and the seniors took the time to express their awe over sophomore Jed Giller while also keeping the broadcast humorous:

Hunter:

“Jed Giller! My goodness, marauding forward like a wounded antelope!”

Hayden: “Do you like antelopes?”

Hunter: “I do, I’m a big fan actually.

They’re very quick, can jump very high and can really do a lot of damage.”

Hayden: “You know, I heard a fact, the average antelope can jump higher than a house.”

Hunter: “Really!”

Hayden: “Yes, it’s because houses can’t jump.”

The next broadcast was on Sept. 22, a varsity football game against Ravenscroft commentated by freshman Bryson Byrnes and junior Brian Segovia. Bryson and Brian had done extensive research to prepare for the game, including interviewing Head Varsity Football Coach Jason Estep, speaking with CCS players and researching Ravenscroft’s players and football program. The broadcast viewership soared to over 900 views, further confirming that the community valued the new sports broadcasting crew.

The following week on Sept. 28, a varsity girls’ volleyball match was livestreamed for the first time and Hunter and Hayden were at the helm. Equally excited and engaged in the ladies’ competition, the seniors brought their hallmark humor and remarkable accuracy, bringing enthusiasm and accolade to female athletics. The following evening, on Sept.

29, broadcasters were back at it for the varsity football game against High Point Christian. Commentators Bryson Byrnes and freshman Joseph Sachtleben ushered in the first stream to top 1000 views.

means that skills can be further honed from experience. With some streams lasting in excess of three hours, the commentators are practicing their pacing, chemistry with their co-commentator, and stamina.

In January 2018, the sports broadcasting members will take a trip to the Charlotte Hornets arena to have a behind-the-scenes experience with FOX Broadcasting and Hornets’ Radio. This winter, both varsity boys’ and girls’ basketball teams will have livestreams with on-air commentary, and for the first time, a couple of wrestling matches will also be livestreamed.

Toward the end of the fall season, the crew added a new member, sophomore Will Allen, who joined as the post-production hype-video producer. Will spent long hours filming Knights’ athletic events and creating high quality videos. Will’s talent debuted as the pre-game promo and halftime special on Nov. 3. Also during this stream, commentators Bryson and Brian hosted the first pre-game show. The stream had a staggering 2,512 views. The final stream of the season was the NCISAA championship game against Charlotte Latin on Nov. 10. Another CCS pre-game show, a pre-game show from Providence Day’s broadcasters, and Will’s video, along with expert commentating from the CCS broadcasters, rounded out the inaugural season with a record 2,625 views.

In addition to athletic competitions, the school also livestreams band/orchestra/ choir concerts; special celebrations and all-school chapels/events; Head of School Forums; and graduations. To view archived streams or see upcoming events, please visit www.thecube.com and search for Charlotte Christian School.

As winter athletics ramp up, the boys are busy preparing and researching for upcoming broadcasts. With the fall season behind them, a time of reflection

Scan here to watch and listen to CCS Sports Broadcasting students.

All CCS livestreams can be found on thecube.com and then search for Charlotte Christian School.

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CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

A Day in the Life SHADOW A STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS Head of School Barry Giller Chief Operating Officer Shannon Edwards Chief Financial Officer Terry Efird Upper School Principal Shonn Brown Middle School Principal Ken Rogers Lower School Principal Sharon Humphrey Director of Academics Theresa Kasay Director of Athletics Andy Ross Director of Communications Laura Goodyear Director of Development Ken Griffin

If you were given the opportunity to go back to first grade would you go? How about high school, or the dreaded middle school years? That is exactly what members of the Charlotte Christian School senior staff did throughout the first semester – they went back into the classroom, in varying grade levels, to see what it feels like to be a student again.

Modeled after the successful 2016-17 Undercover Boss initiative in which CCS senior staffers spent a day in the shoes of someone from a department different than their own, the Shadow a Student project randomly paired each member of the leadership team with a student for the entire day. They did everything their assigned partner did, from playing soccer in middle school P.E., to solving equations in AB Calculus. They danced in second grade as rappers reinforced math facts and worked alongside the upper school yearbook staff. They discussed fantasy football at middle school lunch, played drums in the lower school band and used a variety of programs and apps specially designed to enhance learning including Typing Pal, quizlet, Kahoot, and BrainPOP.

Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 6 Kindergarten Grade 12 Grade 11 Grade 5 Grade 9 Grade 8

Among the other experiences the senior staffers enjoyed: • • • • • • • • • • • •

counting by threes differentiating fact from opinion labeling sentences dividing and multiplying fractions identifying parts of speech playing quarter, eighth, half, and whole notes in rhythm reciting the Lord’s Prayer in Spanish examining a modern translation of the Declaration of Independence discussing the symbolism of the 12 stones in Joshua 4 taking a quiz on inverse trig derivatives studying the decline of the church in the Middle Ages hanging out in the senior hallway

The goal of the initiative was to allow each member of the senior staff to get a true glimpse into the daily lives of the Charlotte Christian students and teachers while they are on our campus.

“As the leadership team focuses on the goals and objectives we feel are best in providing a Christ-centered, college-preparatory education, knowing and understanding what it looks like to be a kindergarten teacher, or a first-semester senior is important to us,” shared Head of School Barry Giller.

For Lower School Principal Sharon Humphrey, her opportunity to shadow a senior reinforced her confidence in the strong foundation being built in the earliest grade levels.

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“This experience showed me the importance of what we do in the lower school,” said Ms. Humphrey. “I was able to see in AP Calculus how lower school math has created a strong basis in thinking critically and problem solving.”

Though each senior staffer had a different experience, the common theme shared by all was their great appreciation for the excellent work being conducted in the classroom as well as the high caliber of students CCS is blessed to have.

“I had a wonderful experience in the upper school,” said Director of Academics Theresa Kasay. “I encountered many

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examples of excellence, but perhaps the greatest was the high level of student leadership. Throughout the day, I observed upper school students embracing roles including, but not limited to, leading CELL groups, presiding over clubs and serving as the yearbook editor. They are bright, confident, and well prepared for leadership.”

Chief Operating Officer Shannon Edwards echoed Ms. Kasay’s sentiments. “I was blessed to spend the entire day in the lower school,” she shared. “I have an ever-greater appreciation for the dedication of the teachers and was so impressed with the classroom energy, engagement, and differentiated learning.

I had a blast!”

CCS Bible Teachers Visit

Israel

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Four CCS Bible teachers, Mr. Sam Brady (middle school) and Mr. Jeremy Cummings, Mr. Rhett Davis and Mr. Brian Henson (upper school) were given the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Israel for 13 days of biblical study last June. The trip was primarily funded through a designated gift from a Charlotte Christian alumni parent. The teachers were led through Israel by Mr. Ray Vander Laan, a well-known Bible scholar and historian, who instructed them using illustrative sermons and the environment around them to highlight biblical truths as they traveled.

Mr. Vander Laan has been a teacher of Jewish Studies in the United States, Israel, Turkey and Egypt for 35 years and uses the top scholarly research in archaeology, history and theology to explore Biblical texts. Mr. Davis has long used Mr. Vander Laan’s teaching videos in his sophomore Bible classes, which he says made the trip an “unbelievable treat.”

The lesson locations ranged from Qumran, the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery, to the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem, where Jesus spent the night before His arrest and crucifixion. Using a combination of historical and cultural facts Mr. Vander Laan brought new meaning to biblical texts for the CCS teachers.

Just as ancient rabbis taught through parables and experience, Mr. Vander Laan brought his lessons to life in tangible, visceral ways. He would not tell his followers what they would be doing each day; they had to trust in him for everything. “Mr. Vander Laan wanted us to truly physically feel what it would be like to be one of the Hebrews coming out of Egypt or a disciple following Jesus, “said Mr. Davis.

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The physical landscape of Israel was part of what made the trip so transformational for the teachers.

“It’s was just mountains...I mean mountains everywhere,” said Mr. Brady. “The physical and spiritual paralleled each other throughout our entire journey. We endured such a physical strain at the same time we experienced incredible spiritual truths. Having to learn to trust and follow my rabbi was difficult for me at first. There were many times I thought his practices were slightly extreme and that we had climbed enough mountains, but I came to the realization that Mr. Vander Laan was instructing me from a different mindset than I am used to. The trip changed the way I view the Bible as I have new historical and cultural context to the Scriptures I didn’t have before.”

Upon their return, the teachers had the opportunity to share their journey with upper school students at Windy Gap this year. They each took a session to talk about what they had learned in Israel, and while they were speaking, Upper School Art Teacher Bryn Gillette painted live on stage. Following their talk, Mr. Gillette presented each teacher with an original painting based on their experiences in the Holy Land.

The lessons learned from their time in Israel have translated into new ways of teaching for the men. “My teaching is richer and much more full of detail and background stories,” said Mr. Davis.

Since being back, Mr. Cummings has also noticed a shift in his teaching style. “The trip to Israel was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I’ve ever done,” said Mr. Cummings. “You could say that my classroom goals have moved away from making sure I cover all the material to how is the material I’m covering helping my students love God and others more?”

For Mr. Henson, not only has he incorporated examples and stories from the trip into his classroom, but he is also bringing them home to his family. “I’m taking the principles we learned and implementing them into my family and teaching my children the importance of healthy community.”

In the middle school, Mr. Brady has also seen his experience impact his teaching. “Stories that used to be in black and white have now come to color. I don’t want my classes to just be about giving the students information, but providing them with an experience that will allow them to start or grow deeper in their walks with Christ.”

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KNIGHTS HEADLINES

Hendrick Scholarship Award Recipients

Charlotte Christian School seniors Meg Martin and Jajuan Wright were named the 2017 recipients of the Jennifer Hendrick and Kimberly Hendrick Memorial Scholarships during upper school chapel on Oct. 5, 2017. Mrs. Cathy Hendrick established the two scholarships in May of 2005 to provide full tuition for two seniors at Charlotte Christian School who exemplify a humble, Christ-like spirit, and heart of service to the Lord.

The scholarships are in memory and honor of her daughters, Jennifer Marie Hendrick and Kimberly Paige Hendrick, both Charlotte Christian graduates of the Class of 2000. Their precious lives, along with the life of their father, John Hendrick, family members and friends, were surrendered to the Lord on Oct. 24, 2004 in a tragic airplane accident.

Both scholarship recipients have been actively involved in the Charlotte community as well as life at Charlotte Christian and are also both members of the National Honor Society.

Meg is the athletics prefect and has played soccer, basketball and volleyball at CCS. In the summer, she serves as a camp counselor at Camp Lurecrest and previously participated in an engineering camp at N.C. State University. Meg is an active and dedicated student leader who plans on studying engineering in college.

Jajuan plays baseball for CCS and also plays club ball outside of school. He captained the JV basketball team his sophomore year.

In addition to working at Carowinds in the summer, he participated in the Summer Teen Volunteer Program at Carolinas Medical Center in 2016.

Ambitious yet humble, Jajuan plans to major in science on a pre-med track.

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Project One7 Club

Senior Lyndon Lloyd started the Project One7 Club at the start of the 2017-18 school year after spending time volunteering with One7 Ministries for a few months. One7 Ministries provides housing to refugee families from around the world and utilizes sports and relationships to assist in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lyndon started the service club at Charlotte Christian to provide his fellow students with the opportunity to serve the less-fortunate in our city.

One of the opportunites the students had was attending the ministry’s weekly event “One7 Live!” Each Thursday evening, volunteers share a meal, play games, disciple, and worship with the One7 refugee community.

“One7 is very kid-friendly, so it’s a great opportunity to build relationships and stretch the comfort zone of students who don’t work with children a lot,” said Lyndon.

“These kids come from broken places, but their hearts are genuine. We desire to come ready to serve without expecting anything in return. My prayer is for the CCS students in the club to begin lasting relationships with the One7 kids and be willing to forget about their phones and the pressures of high school for a few hours.”

Mike Brooks Retirement At the end of October, Mr. Mike Brooks retired from his position as director of technology after faithfully serving at Charlotte Christian for 28 years. During his time on campus, he chaired the upper school math and science departments and taught math, computer science and history classes. Mr. Brooks began the athletic department’s strength and conditioning program and served as both a strength coach and an assistant football coach. He moved into the director of technology position in 1996. His wife, Joyce, a former lower school administrative assistant, retired in 2016 after 26 years of service. Mike and Joyce have been married 48 years and their son, Scott, graduated from Charlotte Christian in 1993. They are the proud grandparents of two granddaughters.

Lower School

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Middle School

Total Items Collected Bath rugs 115 Irons Coffee makers 174 Hand towels Blankets 434 Towels Toasters 1115 Washclothes During the week of Dec. 4-8, the CCS family held a small appliance/linen drive for members of The Harvest Center’s Transformation Program.

This ministry “provides transitional housing for male and female program participants, with a three-phase, holistic approach, for spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial well-being.”

Our event, Helping Hands, assigned each school division to collect a specific item that was donated to the program participants. Lower school students collected towels/washcloths; middle school students collected irons; and upper school students collected toasters.

“Once again the CCS family responded generously when asked to help fellow Charlotteans in need,” said Mrs. Susan Edwards, PTF liaison. We are all blessed to be a part of such a warm, caring community.”

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HOMECOMING WEEK 2017

During this year’s Homecoming Week students dressed up for decades day, sports team day, superhero day and CCS spirit day. In addition to campus festivities, the middle school sponsored a coat drive. The 2016 homecoming king, Jackson Cannon, was there to crown the 2017 king and queen: Jack Curry and Callie Cain.

The varsity football Knights capped off the evening with a 62-15 victory over Metrolina Christian Academy.

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HELLOIS

MY NAME

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Libby Sikora

We continue our series on getting to know the different academic departments around campus. This issue we feature the middle and upper school English departments.

Patty Shropshire

Mrs. Patty Shropshire teaches Language Arts to sixth grader students and is in her first year at Charlotte Christian.

She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from Gordon College and her master’s degree in education from SUNY Geneseo. She is married to her college sweetheart, Todd, and they have four children, all CCS students. Josh is in eleventh grade, JD is also in eleventh grade, Ben is in eighth grade, and Kaya is in fifth grade.

Why is english the best subject to teach?

English is the best subject ever! It is essential to all other curriculum. My goal is to teach in fun and creative ways that students get “hooked” and become lifelong readers and writers.

What do you like most about working at CCS? I love how CCS feels like family. I love how the teachers have hearts for Jesus, for teaching, and for the students and their families. CCS is a remarkable place!

Mrs. Libby Sikora teaches Language Arts to seventh grade students and has taught at Charlotte Christian for four years. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English education from Oral Roberts University. 2018 will be a milestone year for Libby as she and her husband, Terry, will celebrate their 20th anniversary; her daughter, Emma Grace, a junior, will turn 18; and her son, Slade, a freshman, will turn 16.

Why is english the best subject to teach?

English is the best subject to teach because it has no boundaries; within my classroom, we have traveled the world, and explored the past, present, and the future. We have been to the reservations of the Lakota Indians of the Sioux Nation; we’ve explored a utopian society that we found out was really a dystopian society where choice and freedom were controlled by the leaders. We visit Poland and Germany and France as we become ensconced in the lives of the courageous heroes of WWII. We explore languages and cultures and how they intertwine, and we unwrap what unites us as sisters and brothers across the world as we discover universal themes.

What do you like most about working at CCS? I laugh every day when I come to work!

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the art of teaching from Morehead State University. Brooke is married to Matt, and they have two children at CCS, Mia, a fifth grader and Matthew, a third grader.

Karen Plettner

Mrs. Karen Plettner teaches eighth grade Language Arts and is in her second year at Charlotte Christian. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Converse College and a master’s degree from the University of Virginia. She has been married to her husband, Patrick, for 21 years, and they are the parents of three children Drew, a student at Appalachian State University; Charlie, a sophomore at CCS; and Virginia, an eighth grader at CCS. Why is english the best subject to teach?

Reading, writing, and communication is a foundational life skill. It is exciting to help students begin with an idea, develop and refine their thoughts and then craft these in written form.

What do you like most about working at CCS? The laughter! I LOVE my students, my colleagues and that I can teach from a Christian worldview.

Brooke Webber

Mrs. Brooke Webber teaches English 9 and English 9 Honors and is in her third year at Charlotte Christian. She received a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree in 17 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Why is english the best subject to teach?

It covers the written and spoken word all things communication! Being able to communicate effectively is a big deal. I love to teach literature the most, though, because it’s like we are trying to crack a secret code sent out by the author.

What do you like most about working at CCS? So much. I love the community. I love my department. Actually, I love the whole lot of us. I love these kids I teach. I love seeing my own kids at lunch or chapel or on the playground. I love coming to work and knowing that I can throw my passion for Jesus and my passion for writing and my passion for teenagers all into one big room, every day.

Ben Ector

Mr. Ben Ector teaches English 10 and English 10 Honors and also serves as the Accolade and Lancer advisor. He is in his 24th year of teaching at Charlotte Christian. He has a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s of education degree in curriculum and instruction from UNC–Charlotte. Ben has been married to his wife, Kathy, for 29 years and they are the parents of Evan who graduated from CCS in 2014. Mr. Ector himself was also a CCS student and graduated in 1981.

Why is english the best subject to teach?

I get to explore why writers write what they write by examining their thought

processes in comparison and contrast to a Christian world and life view. Along the way, I get to enjoy having a little influence on the lives of the best and brightest who will impact the culture for Christ.

What do you like most about working at CCS? It’s good to be home.

Renuka Szymborski

Mrs. Renuka Szymborski teaches English 11, English 11 Honors and A.P. Language and Composition and has taught at Charlotte Christian for 11 years. She received her bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Connecticut and her master’s degree in English literature from Trinity College in Connecticut. Renuka is married to Jim and they have two children, CCS students, Maya, a freshman, and Rohin in eighth grade.

Why is english the best subject to teach?

How fascinating that we can take just 26 letters, the English alphabet, and do so much with them! The ability to read and write is powerful. Learning how to read allows us to understand what we read; learning how to write allows us to share our thoughts and ideas with others. In our English class readings, we get to time travel to long ago and far away places, meet fascinating characters (and some not so different than us), grapple with transforming ideas, compare world views to God’s Word, and write about it all!

What do you like most about working at CCS? When I can work and pray with caring colleagues and friendly students, I know I am blessed.

Guess that teacher?

Krista Roth

Mrs. Krista Roth teaches English 11 and English 12 and is in her first year teaching at Charlotte Christian. She is a CCS alumnus (class of 2005), and she received a bachelor’s degree in human and organizational development from Vanderbilt University, a bachelor’s degree in English from UNC-Charlotte, and a master’s degree in secondary English education from UNC-Wilmington.

She enjoys spending time with her fur babies - two cats, Isabelle and Bruce Wayne, and a dog, Stella.

Why is english the best subject to teach?

English is the best subject to teach because it is so broad. I can tie in literally EVERY other subject. We can read about all kinds of topics and issues and bring in material that relates to a wide variety of student interests. Plus, there are a lot of opportunities to be right in English class. This is not the case in math. I know this first hand because I was wrong quite often in math class. :) What do you like most about working at CCS? I love my colleagues! The staff and administration here are so positive and encouraging and supportive. I have never been a part of a faculty where the morale was so high.

Karen Dean

Mrs. Karen Dean teaches English to seniors and is in her 22nd year at Charlotte Christian. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education with a double major in English and German and minor in math from the University of Nevada, Reno and University of Freiburg, Germany. She is married to Chris and they are the parents of Katie, (and her husband, Ben); Madie, and Jake.

Why is english the best subject to teach?

English is the best subject to teach because through the various genres students learn to think more critically and even abstractly about the information taught and presented in class. Coupled with our class Socratic Seminars, where students discuss ideas with one another, and the essays they write, students learn to improve not only their verbal and written communication skills but also learn valuable life skills that they carry with them after graduation.

What do you like most about working at CCS? Even though CCS is my place of employment, the aspect I like most about working at CCS is that I’m working with my “extended” family. I leave my home and come to work at my second home, where I am loved, valued, wanted, and respected; and I get to work with intelligent, hard-working, passionate, modest, and funny brothers and sisters in Christ.

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

Patty Shropshire Brooke Webber Krista Roth Ben Ector Karen Plettner Libby Sikora Renuka Szymborski Karen Dean

1. In 1983, while I was backpacking through Europe, two men attacked me on a moving train, and I jumped off to get away from them. I was hospitalized for three days with a broken collar bone and a concussion.

2. I will try almost everything once from skydiving to killing and skinning a copperhead, as long as the activity takes place outdoors.

3. My maiden name was Preacher. We always told people when they would question this, “Only by name, not ordained.”

4. I have a heart for Ethiopia and hope to go on yearly missions trip to serve there.

5. Luke Keuchly and I share the same birthday. It is rumored that I am the wind beneath his wings 6. The first Saturday of every February is Cupcake Day at my house. We decorate the house and bake cupcakes to give to teachers and neighbors (and ourselves). It’s a great time.

7. I can write backwards in cursive.

8. I don’t like chocolate.

1. D 2. H 3. E 4. A 5. F 6. B 7. G 8. C

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ACADEMIC SPOTLIGHT

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CSESA CONFERENCE In November, Mrs. Julie Bartlett, Mrs. Dana Brickner, Mrs. Tracy Fernandez, Mrs. Diep Stamps and Mrs. Beth Tiess, all lower and middle school science and STEM teachers, traveled to Grand Rapids, MI to attend the Christian School Educators Science Academy (CSESA) conference. The goal of the event was to assist educators to master current best teaching practices for science while incorporating a Biblical worldview seamlessly into instruction. Lower School STEM Teacher Mrs. Dana Brickner noted that the conference was particularly helpful because, “Biblical integration needs to be intentional and thoughtful as we teach the students inquiry-based learning through the scientific method and Engineering Design Process.”

On the first day of the conference, educators stepped into the shoes of a student while they explored Daphnia (microscopic aquatic crustaceans) under a microscope, and the following day they worked in groups on an engineering challenge to design and test tools for material transfer. Middle School Science Teacher Mrs. Diep Stamps noted that a highlight of the conference was touring the Van Andel Institute where PhD students are conducting research on parkinson’s disease. “One of the PhD students there said that 99% of the time their experimental research and trials fail. But when they succeed, it’s like winning the lottery. We need to remind ourselves and our students that each mistake they make teaches them something. It’s okay to not have the answer all the time, just trust God and try harder.”

WORLD LANGUAGE INDUCTION In early November, nine students were inducted into a World Language National Honor Society. Senior Lauren Hogg was inducted into the National Latin Honor Society; senior Savannah Kasay and juniors Nate McGrath and Kaitlin Walker were inducted into the National French Honor Society; and senior Jadon Elkins and juniors Christina Boelkins, Payton Jones, Abby Marco and Allie McCreary were inducted into the National Spanish Honor Society. All language honor students have completed at least through level three of their respective languages with at least an A average the previous three semesters before qualifying.

They also commit to completing at least one other level of language study beyond the year they are inducted in order to graduate with language honor cords.

SPELLING BEE Thirty-six students representing third through eighth grade participated in the annual CCS Spelling Bee. Olivia Kuo, grade 7, won the challenge and will now advance to represent CCS in the Mecklenburg County Independent School Spelling Bee to be held in January 2018. Matthew Leathers, grade 4, placed first runner-up.

NATIONAL MERIT COMMENDED STUDENTS This year the National Merit® Scholarship Corporation recognized five Charlotte Christian seniors with outstanding academic achievement. In the 63nd Annual National Merit Scholarship Program Josh Roddy was named a National Merit semifinalist and Ryan Chaffin, Reid Mayers, Hunter Phalen and Gabe Reynolds were named Commended Students. These students received the honor based on their 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Qualifying Test scores. They will receive a letter of commendation, and Josh will continue in the program to compete for National Merit scholarships. Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.6 million students who entered.

LOWER SCHOOL READING KNIGHTS Reading Knights is an incentive program to encourage reading and instill a lifelong love of books in our lower school students. For the first time since the program was updated in 2014, there was 100% participation from lower school students with 402 participants and 3,380 books read during the first quarter alone. The second quarter also saw 100% participation with 404 participants reading 5,929 books, bringing the first semester total to 9,309 books. First semester participants were recognized at a home varsity basketball game.

HILLRAP This school year Director of Academics Theresa Kasay, along with members of the Academic Services program, implemented a new program called HillRAP (The Hill Reading Achievement Program), which combines curriculum and instructional processes to improve reading skills for students in grades K-8. The methodology and application includes carefully selected materials that are used for instruction. Students use “decoding notebooks” to target specific phonetic patterns taught at each level and use EOC materials to supplement instruction in reading and comprehension.

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ATHLETIC SPOTLIGHT

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NCISAA DIVISION I STATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS On Friday, Nov. 10, the varsity football team defeated Providence Day School 47-21 to capture the NCISAA Division I State Championship, their fifth state championship since 2008. With a regular season record of 10-1, the Knights were seeded #1 in the playoffs and defeated Christ School 52-12 on Nov. 3 in a first round game to reach the championship game. The Knights’ roster featured 23 seniors this season who contributed to the veteran experience needed to return to the state finals.

Congratulations Knights!

FALL SPORTS SERVICE PROJECTS During their season, upper and middle school fall athletes had the opportunity to participate in service projects with their teams. According to Middle School Spiritual Life Director Mr. Luke Boythe, who helped to organize the service projects, “The goal was to get our students off of campus, and into the city to serve in meaningful ways.

We want them to understand that the privilege they have in attending Charlotte Christian is something to be leveraged for the benefit of others.” CCS student-athletes served primarily at two places: Rice ‘N Beans, feeding homeless people; and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Dream Center, where they served a meal and played with children and as part of the Adopt-A-Block program. Winter and spring sports teams will continue to partner with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Dream Center throughout their respective seasons.

FALL SPORTS SIGNINGS In a special ceremony held on Nov. 8, four Charlotte Christian student-athletes signed national letters of intent to participate in collegiate athletics: Blake Preston (Liberty University, men’s basketball); Jonah Beamon (University of South Carolina, baseball); Hannah Faulkenberry (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, softball); Rachel Lee (University of South Carolina, swimming)

FALL ALL-STATE/ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS Charlotte Christian student-athletes were well represented as NCISAA all-state and CISAA all-conference honorees: CHEERLEADING All-Conference: Camryn Bobo Ashlyn Brown Brynn Collins Kiara Cornelius Caroline Doyle Allie McCreary Alyssa Mederos Ashley Metz Lily Robinson Caroline White

FOOTBALL All-State: Terrelle Brown Ben Duyck JT Killen Ricky Kofoed Alex Nations Garrett Shrader Justus Woods

All-Conference: JB Awolowo Terrelle Brown Alex Cherne Ben Duyck Josh Eboboko Obi Egbuna Jeremiah Gray Keaton Gum Sam Henderson JT Killen Ricky Kofoed Jack Mitchell Alex Nations Garrett Shrader Luke Warner Justus Woods

LADIES’ TENNIS All-State: Margaret Carlton All-Conference: Margaret Carlton Lara Crosby SOCCER All-Conference: Nathan Collins Nate McGrath VOLLEYBALL All-Conference: Lily Walton

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FINE ARTS SPOTLIGHT

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MADAGASCAR JR.- MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSICAL On Oct. 19 and 21, middle school students performed Madagascar Jr.: A Musical Adventure featuring 21 student performers from grades 6-8. Mrs. Angela Blount, middle and upper school theater teacher, praised the students for all their hard work, especially with a brand-new musical. Madagascar was the final performance the Lamb/Johnson Gym prior to the completion of the Center for Worship and Performing Arts in November.

PATRIOTIC ART COMPETITION Seniors Allison Holbrooks and Addison Basham and sophomore Andrew Knotts achieved first, second and honorable mention prizes, respectively, in the Carolina Freedom Foundation’s Patriotic Art Competition.

Charlotte Christian students submitted 35 entries into the competition, the most of any contributor to the contest.

Allison, along with Upper School Principal Shonn Brown and Upper School Art Teacher Bryn Gillette, attended the American Airlines Carolina Freedom Foundation breakfast on Monday, Nov. 6. where she received her first-place prize of $1,000. Addison received a $500 award for second place.

NATIONAL ART HONOR SOCIETY GALLERY FUNDRAISER On Wednesday, Dec. 6, the CCS National Art Honor Society held a gallery fundraiser selling student artwork.

All proceeds from the sales of the original pieces went to The Street Child Project in Uganda and Project 658 in Charlotte. The Street Child Project formed in 2008 when American students and teachers partnered with a team of Ugandan artists. The organization is committed to rescuing children from life on the streets through education and resettlement with family. Project 658 seeks to aid at-risk families in Charlotte to break the cycle of poverty in our community.

ACT 1 AT NCTC The ACT 1 team participated in the North Carolina Theater Competition’s high school play festival at Gardner Webb University Nov. 3-4 and earned an excellent rating for their play, Variations on a Theme. In addtion, the group received the Festival Spirit award, and junior Alex Tan earned one of the 10 Excellence in Acting awards given out by the judges.

NEW CONCERT HOME The upper and middle school bands and orchestras held a combined concert on Dec. 6, the first concerts held in the Center for Worship and Performing Arts’ new Alkire Auditorium.

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DEVELOPMENT

Ladies Tennis Tournament Charlotte Christian’s

The fifth annual Charlotte Christian Ladies’ Tennis Tournament was held on Nov. 17 at Providence Country Club. More than 45 ladies enjoyed a fun day of tennis, lunch and fellowship together. The event was hosted by the CCS development department and sponsored

by Red Rocks Cafe. Participants played either in a tournament or in a clinic for recreational play.

Thank you to all the families who generously supported the 2016-17 Annual Fund campaign. More than $600,000 was raised to support multiple campus initiatives, including the Center for Worship and Performing Arts.

Please visit

www.charlottechristian.com/annualreport

for a list of families who have given for the 2016-17 school year.

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Charlotte Christian will host the fourth annual Sporting Clays Tournament to benefit the Annual Fund on April 27, 2018. During the sporting clay shoot, teams of four will compete as they cycle through 15 different stations. Participants will have the opportunity to bid on items through a silent auction. The tournament will take place at Meadow Wood, a private hunting and clay shooting club located in Waxhaw, N.C. Registration for the Sporting Clays Tournament will open in late January 2018. Sponsorship opportunities are available as well; please contact Mrs. Sara Blakeney at sara.blakeney@charchrist.com or (704) 366-5657, ext.

6400 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor.

‘18 charlotte christian school

Sporting Clays Tournament

Ladies’ Luncheon with

Meredith Brock

Thursday, January 18, 2018 • 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Crown Room, Calvary Church • $35 per person, includes lunch Join Charlotte Christian parent Mrs. Meredith Brock as she shares at the fourth annual Charlotte Christian Ladies’ Luncheon. Mrs. Brock grew up in Idaho in the bleakest of circumstances but saw God move mightily on her behalf when she surrendered her life to Him at age 17. He has taken her on an incredible adventure of faith from utter poverty and hopelessness to fulfillment and purpose beyond her wildest dreams. She now lives in Charlotte, N.C. where she is the executive director of strategy and business development at Proverbs 31 Ministries. Mrs. Brock and her husband, Mack, have two children; Harvey and Cyrus.

Please visit www.charlottechristian.com/annualevents to register online or contact Mrs. Sara Blakeney at sara.blakeney@charchrist.com or (704) 366-5657, ext.

6400. A special thank you to Charlotte Dentistry for sponsoring the luncheon again this year. Proceeds from the event will benefit Charlotte Christian’s Annual Fund.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

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MIKE METCALF (’00) Mike Metcalf is part of an elite team of athletes, but not where you would think. Mike currently works as the gasman for the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet that competes each week in Nascar’s Monster Energy series.

Mike came to Charlotte Christian his sophomore year of high school. He says it felt like starting over because even with a few familiar faces, he didn’t really know anyone at the school. “It was an adjustment,” he says, but he quickly flourished participating on several of Charlotte Christian’s athletic teams.

Through basketball, football, and track, Metcalf found and pursued his strengths. He notes that academically, he enjoyed all of his classes. “Not because I was good at [the subject],” he says, “but because my teachers were engaging.”

When Metcalf went to college, he felt well prepared academically and athletically. “I had harder classes at Charlotte Christian than in college. There was never a moment I felt overwhelmed.” The roots and foundations that were instilled in him through his senior year apologetics class helped Metcalf keep his faith through tough experiences, in particular, he says, “when professors, made it their life’s work to disprove the Bible.”

Metcalf is quick to point to his CCS connections for his current career path. Robert Walker, who was an assistant coach with the CCS middle school basketball team, has been instrumental in Metcalf’s career. “During summers, I would call him, and he would find work for me to do,” Metcalf says of his college years. Once he graduated from Appalachian State University in December 2004, Metcalf was looking for more active work than “just sitting in an office.”

Walker introduced Metcalf to the person hired by a race team to run their pit crews and after only spending half a day with the team, Metcalf was hired in January of 2006. “It all kind of hit at the right place at the right time.”

Metcalf says.

In addition to helping prepare Metcalf for college and his career, Charlotte Christian provided a community that still plays an important role in his life. “I’m still regularly in conversation about things related to Christianity or the Bible with people I went to high school with,” he says. Metcalf praises Charlotte Christian for facilitating a community that has provided him with many long-term relationships.

May 1, 2015 • Meadow wood 27 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

(Photos courtesy of Ganassi Racing)

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REID’S FINE FOODS ALUMNI FALL NETWORKING EVENT On Sept. 21, Charlotte area alumni were invited to Reid’s Fine Foods to enjoy a night of fellowship and networking. More than 45 alumni, staff, and board members attended the event. “This was an exciting opportunity for our young alumni to gather and meet with other alums in the area,” said Reid Fronk, CCS alumni liaison. “We are looking forward to having more events like this one and growing our network of alums seeking to plug back in to Charlotte Christian.”

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HOMECOMING 2017 On Oct. 13, more than 250 alums and their families returned to campus to reconnect with old friends and former teachers at the annual CCS Homecoming Alumni Tailgate. The group watched the game from just beyond the end zone at the alumni Homecoming tent. They enjoyed cornhole and a buffet dinner provided by Viva Chicken.

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CLASS NOTES Send your alumni news to: alumni@charchrist.com

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Roman Gray completed his second marathon (Charlotte Marathon) and beat his time by 30 minutes.

Chris Stueber was a part of Furman University’s men’s lacrosse team that won the 2017 SOCON championship in the Spring. He received his championship ring in October 2017.

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Tori Parker is excited about what the Lord is bringing about in her life and ministry.

Tori prayerfully made the decision to take a year off from university studies at UNC Charlotte, and currently finds herself on a three-month internship in Riobamba, Ecuador. She is working to become fluent in Spanish and assisting a missionary in sharing the gospel with unengaged/ unreached communities in the mountains as

well as discipling believers in communities already reached with the gospel. She feels privileged and overjoyed at what the Lord has been teaching her and how He has been working in her life. She will likely live in Ecuador and work as a full-time missionary two years from now, after completing her college education.

She is grateful for how the Lord has used Charlotte Christian to prepare her for His plans for her life that He is revealing more clearly day by day.

Alex Watkins spent his summer living in Seattle as an intern with Amazon in their web services group. As a computer science major at Georgia Tech, Alex was the lead author on a research paper regarding a project he was involved with on artificial intelligence. The paper has been submitted for publication in an academic journal.

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Lily Austin has a public policy internship with the American Apparel Footwear Association in Washington D.C. She is researching sustainable chemicals, brand protection, social responsibility and trade for companies in the textile industry such as: New Balance, Target, Kate Spade,

The North Face and 1,000 more brands.

She is also lobbying bills for the General Systems and Preference Bill (GSP) and the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) to members of Congress.

Allie Seelig and Harris Wilson were engaged in St. Joseph, Michigan, in June after five years of dating. They are planning a September 2018 wedding outside of Charlotte.

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Alex Johnson graduated from Georgia Tech in May 2017 with highest honors, majoring in computer science and minoring in economics. He is now working for Ultimate Software in Atlanta.

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Shelley Leazer is continuing her education at Duke Divinity School in Durham, NC where she is pursuing a masters of divinity degree. She is active with the Girls on the Run organization and will be supporting a chapter at an elementary school in the spring. She also works for Duke Engage, an organization that places undergraduate students in service opportunities.

ALUMNI ALBUM

Roman Gray (‘16)

Ian Richardson (‘10)

29 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Chris Stueber (‘16)

Tori Parker (‘15)

Courtney Culberson Whittington (‘08) Matthew Mielke (‘05)

Lily Austin (‘14)

Allie Seelig & Harris WIlson (‘14)

Kyle Benjamin (‘04)

Hayley Buckner Tousignant married Zachary Tousignant on Oct. 29, 2017 in Apex, NC at Oaks at Salem. Hayley and Zach both graduated from NC State where they met and will be living in Hawaii where Zach is stationed with the Army. The wedding was photographed

by Nell Redmond, CCS alum parent.

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Griffin Gum married Kassidy Sullivan on July 8, 2017. They met at UAB where he played baseball and she played volleyball.

They are currently working and living in Omaha, NE. Robin Reeves Sbardella graduated with her masters in art history from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, UK on July 4, 2016. She and Jordan Sbardella were married in Wilmington, NC on October 1, 2016. The couple now reside in Leland, NC. Ryan Watkins moved back to Charlotte, after more than a year living and working in Washington D.C. He is now a senior underwriting manager with Walker & Dunlop in the Charlotte office. Ryan has enjoyed reconnecting with several of his CCS classmates since returning.

Alex Johnson (‘13)

Calvin McRae (‘03)

Hayley Buckner Tousignant (‘12)

Randy Garcia (‘00)

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Kelby Brown and his wife, Angel, welcomed Etta Lynn Brown into the world in November.

Ian Richardson was married to Katie Crook on July 22, 2017. They spent two weeks in Italy celebrating their honeymoon. Katie is in her first year of law school at UNC-Chapel Hill, and Ian is a business owner in Raleigh. They live in Durham, NC.

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Courtney Culberson Whittington graduated in December from Lee University with a bachelors degree in Christian science concentrating in counseling.

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Elizabeth Newton is celebrating new homeownership, thanks to the help of fellow alum, Jackie Smith!

Elizabeth will also be running the Chicago Marathon in October 2018.

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Matthew Mielke and his wife, Caroline, welcomed their first child, Samuel James Mielke, on August 26, 2017.

Griffin Gum (‘11)

Matthew Ridenhour (‘96)

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Kyle Benjamin moved back to Charlotte and into motorsports broadcasting full-time in 2017 after five years as a news anchor. He joined his parents’ company, The Carolinas’ Production Group, to provide coverage of the F4 US Championship, TransAm Series and Honda North America’s motorsports division-Honda Racing HPD. Kyle also co-hosts F4 US Championship Today with his dad, Rick. The show is the only sports property to air in all 210 US television markets. Kyle and his wife Amy have a son, Tyler, who is two.

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Calvin McRae and his wife, Mo, welcomed their first child into the world in January 2017. “Emma is a wonderful kid and has made us incredibly happy. We’re living in Austin, TX and working in policy.”

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Zak Kamm was awarded “Mortgage Lender Trainer of the Year - Southeast” for 2017 during CV Magazine’s annual HR and Training Awards ceremony.

Robin Reeves Sbardella (‘11)

Troy Bronsink (‘91)

Kelby Brown (‘10)

Kimberly Hill Hight (‘84) 2017-18 ISSUE 1 n

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CLASS NOTES

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Randy Garcia founded Viva Chicken in 2013. This past October he opened the seventh location, and in 2018 will add five more stores totaling 12 locations.

Matthew Ridenhour and his wife, Abby, are excited to announce the birth of their son, Hobson, on August 18. There was no time to get to the hospital, so Matthew delivered the baby on the driveway at their home. Matthew and Abby are also the proud parents of a beautiful threeyear-old, Caroline.

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Troy Bronsink founded “The Hive: A Center for Contemplation, Art, and Action,� a nonprofit organization serving spiritual seekers in the Cincinnati area.

This year they were awarded a Cincinnati Social Enterprise Startup Fellowship and a National Presbyterian New Worshipping Communities grant. Troy and his wife, Kelley, are parents to two children, Eve (age 14) and Wakefield (age 7) and he continues to serve as parttime Presbyterian minister, author, and a contemplative leadership consultant with businesses and churches around the US.

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Traci Folk Rider was invited to participate in the SELA (School Executive Leadership Academy) at Queens University Charlotte, NC in June 2017.

She will receive a license as a school administrator in July 2018.

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Alicia Mungo Adamczyk received board certification in psychiatric nursing.

Kimberly Hill Hight and her husband, Mort, will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in May. They have two lovely daughters, Kayli and Bridget.

Kimberly is an interior designer and shares a retail co-op with four other designers in Durham, NC called Patina.

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Middle school staff watching the solar esclispe Lessons & Carols flutists Middle School Robotics Team Young Engineers Club Middle School Windy Gap Kindergarten Fall Centers Fourth graders mining for rocks Lower School Robotics Competition JK - Grade 2 Christmas Chapel Upper School Windy Gap Lower school teachers participating in S.L.A.M. Week

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2016-17 16-17 financial report 2016-17 OPERATING REVENUES tuition (net)

93.1%

contributions

3.2%

other fees/revenues

3.7%

Salaries/Benefits

65.3%

Plant/Operations

24.2%

Instructional Costs

5.1%

General Admin.

3.1%

Interest Expense

2.3%

2016-17 OPERATING EXPENSES

The financial results for Charlotte Christian School are audited on an annual basis by an external audit firm and presented to the board of trustees for review. A copy of the audited financial statements or the IRS 990 filing may be obtained by sending a written request to the address below. Questions on the financial data in this Annual Report or on other aspects of the financial operations of Charlotte Christian School may be directed to the chief financial officer.

Charlotte Christian School • Attention: Terry Efird, Chief Financial Officer • 7301 Sardis Road Charlotte, NC 28270 • terry.efird@charchrist.com

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ANNUAL REPORT CHRIST-CENTERED. COLLEGE PREPARATORY. EDUCATING THE WHOLE CHILD.

NET ASSETS (at June 30)

TOTAL DEBT OUTSTANDING (at June 30)

2015

2015

$18.6

2016

2016

$22.4

2017

$5.3 $1.3

*$25.6

$4.8 $1.3

2017

Bonds swap loc

$4.3 $.9 $1.1

MILLIONS

MILLIONS

*Net assets increased $3.2 million due to positive operating margin and designated gifts/pledges for capital improvements and endowment.

SWAP mark to market liability increases as interest rates decline and will decrease as rates move up. Line of credit added to bridge timing between construction and pledge receipts.

ENROLLMENT TRENDS

CASH RECEIPTS 2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Lower school

354

364

375

Capital $1,362,054 $1,935,953 $1,987,751 Improvements

Middle school

268

271

273

Annual Fund

upper school

414

410

407

1,036

1,045

1,055

retention

95%

94%

94%

Endowment Gifts Parent Partnership

diversity

19%

19%

21%

total enrollment

*Enrollment trends based on August data.

Miscellaneous Total Cash Receipts

$531,376

$555,622

$585,526

$34,100

$11,025

$1,549

$67,375

$68,708

$66,878

$370,490

$421,629

$287,167

$2,365,395 $2,992,937 $2,928,871

2017-18 ISSUE 1 n

16-17 Annual Fund Giving With the support of the 2016-17 Annual Fund, continued campus-wide improvements took place; projects were completed on the master campus plan; support continued of the technology initiative; and new curriculum was purchased.

Campus Improvement Plan: • Installed LED lighting in hallways and offices of the Lower School Building.

• New carpet and paint in the upper level classrooms of the Lower School Building.

• Purchased set of desks for lower and upper school classrooms.

• Provided picnic tables for visual art classes in Hendrick Center for Arts and Science.

Master Site/Campus Plan: • Replaced roof on Upper School Building and Dining Hall.

• Wireless bridge provided in the Early Education Building.

• Permitting for next phase of master campus plan that will include a loop road at Sardis Road/Sardis Lane intersection; competition fields for soccer and lacrosse; and tennis courts.

Support of Technology Initiative: • iPads for middle school students and iPad sync cart in the middle school.

• Network expansion with added access points.

• Continued network upgrades and MacBook replacements in the upper school.

In combination with the Annual Fund and a designated gift, a professional development trip was taken by CCS Bible teachers to Israel for 13 days of biblical study in June 2017. They were led by well-known guide Ray Vander Laan, who acted as their Rabbi for two weeks, instructing them as they traveled using illustrative sermons and the environment around them to highlight biblical truth.

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New Curriculum & Equipment: • Fine arts curriculum that explores ukulele, chorus, Orff, percussion and visual arts in grades 4 and 5.

• New middle school language arts curriculum entitled My Perspectives that is standards based to help measure growth in areas. It is driven by core essential questions in each unit and provides a diversity of genres to help broaden the range of learning for middle school students.

• New online math curriculum for upper school math classes.

• Equipment purchased such as timpani drums, keyboard and band room acoustical panels for fine arts; Hokki stools for academic services; goals for soccer and volleyball programs and track hurdles.

Additional Purchases: • Lower school collaboration furniture provided by Box Tops for Education funds.

• Flag pole at the softball field provided by designated gift.

• CCS Under Armour quarter zip pullovers given to employees.

• Books for LS and MS/US Media Centers.

16-17 capital Giving

Center for Worship and Performing Arts Charlotte Christian School hosted a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for the Center for Worship and Performing Arts in conjunction with the all-school Thanksgiving Chapel on Nov. 21, 2017. The new 21,000 square foot building that provides an auditorium and home for our worship chapels, concerts, musicals, and special events for our entire JK-12 community. The building is part of the school’s 2020 Strategic Vision Plan and was made possible by the generous gifts of friends and families of the school, including Mr. and Mrs. Hendrick.

7301 Sardis Road Charlotte, NC 28270 (704) 366-5657 Fax: (704) 366-5678

www.charlottechristian.com

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