Voice 1 2009-10

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THE MAGAZINE OF CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL - 2009-10 ISSUE 1

VOICE

leadership Team Chief Operating Officer Terry Efird Lower School Principal Thomas Tuttle Middle School Principal Amanda Poole Upper School Principal Allen Nielsen Director of Admissions Cathie Broocks Director of Athletics Tom Jamerson Director of Communications Laura Goodyear Director of Development George Courtney Director of Facilities Carmine Loiacono Director of Fine Arts Michelle Long Director of Human Resources Shannon Edwards Curriculum Coordinator/ Media Center Director Marcia Craig Director of Technology Mike Brooks

THE MAGAZINE OF CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

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CONTENTS

Features

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COLLEGE PLANNING MADE EASY

College Counseling Services helping students and parents navigate through the college planning process.

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experience of a lifetime

Fifth grade teacher translating shark diving experience into classroom instruction.

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female sportS initiative

Developing new goals to improve Knights athletic programs.

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greetings from the highlands!

Theatre students traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland to perform in the prestigious Fringe Festival.

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every day can be a windy gap

Senior recounts impact of Windy Gap experience on her life.

5 Academics 7 Athletics 9

Fine Arts

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Spiritual life & Service

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Community

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Campus notables

19 development Photo Credits Send story ideas to laura.goodyear@charchrist.com Send alumni news to christi.selby@charchrist.com Send address changes to trudy.haseley@charchrist.com

Accolade Staff Allycia Brown Communications Staff Eva Crawford

Development Staff Ryan Nunley St. John Photography

terry efird, coo

Q&A with Terry Efird, COO Terry Efird has learned to wear many hats during his tenure at Charlotte Christian School.

His first hat came as a Charlotte Christian parent when his son, Patrick, enrolled in 1996 as a sixth grader. His next hat was put on when he became an alumni parent as Patrick graduated with the class of 2003. While serving as a member of the school’s finance committee, he was asked to join the business office in September 2003 and later added responsibilities for admissions, communications and technology. He picked up one new hat this fall when he was asked to serve as the chief operating officer of Charlotte Christian School for the 2009-10 school year.

We recently sat down with Mr. Efird who answered questions about this new role and topics surrounding his background.

Voice: A lot of our families might not be that familiar with your background. Will you share with us your path to this new role?

Efird: I earned my bachelor’s degree from then Lenoir-Rhyne College, now university.

I started out working with North Carolina National Bank because I wanted to stay in Charlotte and work with a company that was headquartered in town. Five cities and 26 years later, I retired from NCNB – Nationsbank - Bank of America.

After enjoying retirement for about six months, my wife encouraged me to find a new passion to direct my attention.

After serving three years on the finance committee, the school approached me about coming to head up the business office. It seemed like a good way to use my financial experience in God’s service. At that time we were actively working to reduce the school’s debt burden; grow enrollment and tuition revenues; and restructure operating costs to establish a solid long term financial foundation for the school.

Voice: What are you responsible for as the chief operating officer?

Efird: I continue to manage the financial activities including overseeing the business office, the admissions and technology departments. I spend more time now on coordinating activities between our three principals, athletics and fine arts. As a JK-12 school, one of our key issues is collaboration and coordination in sharing facilities to make the most out of the resources that God has given us.

I am also charged by the board to implement the four priorities for the school this year Lighting The Way, head of school search, continuous improvement and professional development. I am surrounded by Godfearing, capable individuals who have stepped up to take on additional roles.

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CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

George Courtney, director of development, manages facilities and Shannon Edwards, director of human resources, coordinates communications, as well as health and safety issues. The head of school position is a job that requires a lot of time, focus and energy, and we are all looking forward to sharing this opportunity with our new leader.

Voice: What is something new you have learned about Charlotte Christian in this role?

Efird: I have learned that the school is a living, breathing place that never sleeps! It is a challenge to visit all the student activities on campus in a given day. It is really a joy to have the opportunity to interact with students, faculty, staff and parents in many more ways than I have had in the past. This responsibility has allowed me to see the time and effort that the faculty puts in to academic and co-curricular activities as well as the time parents commit to attend their children’s events. It is amazing to see the extra time that faculty, staff and coaches pour into each day such as tutoring before class, the zero hour classes, and after hours activities. Our people put a lot of time into making this a special place.

Voice: With the concentration on the search for the new head of school, are we making any changes this year?

Efird: Yes, as a private school committed to a Christ-centered, college-preparatory experience, we cannot afford to just maintain our position from year to year.

Our students are better prepared and our parents expect more each year. That is why one of our key goals for this year is continuous improvement. We received great feedback from parents during first quarter about things they appreciated and things they would like us to do better. We continue to look at the academic rigor of

our curriculum, sequencing of classes and elective offerings. We implemented early education curriculum changes in lower school and the Math Worx program in the upper school during first quarter. Middle school has refined the Discovery program for the second quarter.

We are also working on more consistency in the administration of discipline and dress code. This year from lower school to upper school, our principals have developed and implemented processes to manage these areas more effectively. While there is more work to do, we are progressing toward our goal of implementing a JK – 12 program that aligns age appropriate accountability and consequence in both these areas.

Voice: Ok, now help us answer some fun facts about yourself.

Favorite FLIK meal?

Hot dog and chips Hobbies?

Since school started, it has been fun to sit with kindergarten students and hear about their day as they wait in carpool. We compare notes on who has had the most exciting day – the kindergartener always wins.

People Don’t Know That…?

Favorite Vacation spot: Disney World or Outer Banks – toss up.

Favorite TV Show: 24 and Wipe Out Last Movie Seen in Theatre: Up Terry and his wife Kathy are active members of Matthews United Methodist Church. They have been married for 26 and a half years and have a son, Patrick, who teaches lower school math and sixth grade Bible at Charlotte Christian.

college planning made easy

College Planning Made Easy T

racking the process of planning for and applying to colleges can be frightening for students and their parents. Under the direction of Jodi Foxx, director of college and career counseling, a very detailed plan is in place at Charlotte Christian School to help both students and their parents navigate through the college planning process. Beginning as early as middle school and continuing until the very last senior has received a letter of acceptance, there are many steps to helping students choose the school where they can succeed with the gifts and talents God has given them.

Middle School Though not the time to begin the actual search for a college, middle school is still an important time in the early stages of the process. The middle school team helps sixth graders explore their interests by exposing them to different co-curricular activities.

Helping them to figure out who they are and what activities they enjoy is essential to the foundation of building an activities resume that accompanies applications.

Eighth grade is when the process really begins for middle school students. Eighth graders take the EXPLORE test, a middle school version of the ACT test. This allows early exposure to the format of the test they will take as juniors. Course selection is one of the most important factors in selective college admissions, and most middle school students do not realize that course selection begins in eighth grade. Teachers make ninth grade placement recommendations for students in the winter of eighth grade. Ninth grade honors enrollment is based on the grades and work ethic shown in eighth grade. Understanding how the tracks work within each subject, as well as the criteria for class placement, is important. This information is explained in great detail at the rising grade nine parent night held each February.

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college planning made easy

Grade 9 Students take the PSAT exposing them to the format of the SAT. Foxx works with students to explain the scores and to understand what they mean. In January and February, every student meets individually with Upper School Academic Counselor Patty Maday to go over what courses they should take during their sophomore year to best prepare them for the colleges they are interested in attending.

Grade 10 Students work with Foxx to converse back and forth in a journal format. Foxx poses questions to get students thinking about their values and ideas for life after Charlotte Christian School. Questions such as, “Do you prefer to work inside or outside?” or “Do you enjoy being in charge of a project or a behind-the-scenes worker?” helps Foxx gain insight into students’ hopes and dreams for their careers.

She answers each journal entry individually and considers this a crucial step in getting the students to begin thinking about their future.

Tenth graders also take the PLAN test, a higher-level version of the ACT than the EXPLORE test taken in eighth grade.

Both the PLAN and the EXPLORE tests come with career interest inventories students can use to begin to research career possibilities.

Grade 11 The majority of work done in the college planning process begins in a student’s junior year. From college visits, to testtaking, to attendance at college fairs, the activity level kicks up a notch.

Students take the PSAT again in a last effort to be completely prepared for the SAT. All juniors enroll in Junior Seminar, a semester course required for graduation. This course prepares students for their senior year as well as for college by: equipping them with test-taking strategies for the SAT and ACT exams; providing opportunity for the completion of college essays, inventories and resumes; and providing instruction in effective college visit strategies as well as various important relational and leadership skills.

The class includes many opportunities for Foxx to discuss the pros and cons of Christian colleges vs. non-Christian colleges, public vs. private, small vs. large. She uses these opportunities to de-bunk many of the myths surrounding the different types of colleges and goes over in-depth what colleges are looking for in potential students.

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As juniors, students take the ACT and the SAT standardized tests. Foxx recommends taking both because they are very different in format, and one may be better suited to a particular student’s learning or test-taking style. Colleges accept both scores and one is not generally preferred over the other.

Kaplan Test Prep offers a series of free practice tests for Charlotte Christian students each year. These practice tests, as well as the follow-up parent seminars, are held on the Charlotte Christian campus and are proctored by personnel from Kaplan. Following each practice test, students and parents receive score results and diagnostic information pinpointing strengths and weaknesses to help students improve in future testing. This information is provided in a parent night program held within a week of the practice test.

During their junior year, students also complete the first drafts of their resume and college application essay.

They continue to tweak their essay throughout the year and into their senior year before it is submitted with their application.

Crucial to the process of choosing the right college is attendance at at least one of two college fairs – the National Christian College Fair held on the campus of Charlotte Christian; and/or the Independent School College Fair held only for students attending Charlotte-area independent schools. Foxx works in advance to prepare her students for what they will encounter at these fairs. From the appropriate dress and body language to the right kinds of questions to ask the admissions representatives, students are coached on the importance of how they present themselves at these events.

Senior Hayley Raines attended the Christian College Fair during her junior and senior years.

“The college fair helped me to hear about schools that I had never heard about,” said Hayley. “It was so helpful to see people from the colleges and to talk to them first hand instead of just learning about the school on the website.”

The college visit series provides another chance for students to explore first-hand some of their options. Foxx organizes four one-day visits to colleges within driving distance and generally tries to rotate visits each year to provide a wider variety of schools. Schools that have been visited as part of this series include Appalachian State, UNC-CH, N.C. State, Duke, Wake Forest, Davidson, Elon, High Point, Furman, Clemson, Virginia Tech and more. Besides campus tours, these visits offer students opportunities to interact in a small group with admissions representatives.

Even more intimate than the fairs and college visits are when the colleges actually visit the Charlotte Christian campus.

On any given week throughout the fall there can be 5-10 admissions representatives on campus meeting with students

college planning made easy

during break or lunch. These personal meetings provide an opportunity for students to really get to know the people that often review the applications.

At the very end of their junior year, Foxx meets with each student individually to discuss their letter of recommendation.

She then spends the summer writing a personal letter for each student. Students are also advised to get additional letters from teachers or other adults who know them well.

“One of the pieces of feedback we get routinely from admissions representatives is that our letters of recommendation stand out from others,” said Foxx. “I hear that our letters always reflect how well our teachers really know our students, and I think that is special.”

Senior Year The senior year can be a flurry of activity from last-minute test-taking to the sending of applications and the writing of essays.

With the help of Upper School Registrar Katrina Cassier, Foxx helps students prepare their applications packet which can include the student’s essay, transcript, resume, letters of recommendation and a school profile outlining the merits of Charlotte Christian. Cassier is the “chief record-keeper” and keeps track of the progress and status of applications.

Foxx recommends students apply to three to six schools, so at any given moment Cassier is keeping track of between 300-600 application packets.

Hayley has applied to five colleges and hopes to attend Appalachian State.

“Even though Appalachian was at the back of my mind, Mrs. Foxx helped me narrow down my choices,” said Hayley.

“Mrs. Foxx helps every student even with the smallest question. She helps us calm down and not worry about the process because she knows what she is doing.”

Once applications are sent, either electronically or via mail, the waiting begins. This is Foxx’s favorite part because of the personal growth she sees during this time.

“It is a real spiritual journey as our students wait to discern God’s will for their future,” said Foxx. “There is so much growth that takes place during this time. Our students really discover that God is trustworthy because they are having to rely on Him.” Parent Involvement Beginning in tenth grade, Foxx hosts grade-level parent nights to help walk parents through the college planning process.

“Parents are often very overwhelmed by the college process,” said Foxx. “They want their child to be successful and go to the college that is right for them. They tend to have a lot of questions about things they have heard, and I

use these nights to answer some of these questions.”

These informative nights also help parents understand what they need to do and when they need to do it. Foxx paces them through the process helping them to understand the importance of not starting too early or late. On the senior college planning night Foxx actually gives handouts to the parents explaining to them what their role is versus their student’s responsibilities.

“It is important for parents to let their children ‘own’ where they go to college,” said Foxx. “This is part of becoming an adult.”

Paying for college is always a hot topic for parents so Foxx hosts a financial planning night and invites a representative from the College Fund of North Carolina (CFNC) to explain how the financial aid process works. Foxx also works hard to look for scholarship opportunities for students in need of financial assistance.

Networking In an effort to best position her students for success in the college planning and decision process, Foxx works hard to network with college admissions representatives. She attends both Christian college and non-Christian college admissions conferences and meetings held specifically for high school college counselors. Not only does this allow her to keep Charlotte Christian School in front of the decisionmakers, but it helps her to stay abreast of trends that are constantly changing in the admissions process.

“When colleges began to accept online applications, it changed the face of college admissions,” said Foxx.

“Another trend I see in the future is sending student records electronically.”

From beginning to end, planning for college can be an exciting, exhausting and often times overwhelming process.

However, with a little planning and guidance from the topnotch staff in the upper school, it can be a rewarding time of growth for students and their parents.

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ACADEMICS

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n late October, upper school students in French II (Honors), French III, French IV, and AP French spent the day in a French immersion camp at the International House, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the international community of Charlotte by encouraging cross-cultural communication. Organized by Upper School French Teacher Dawn Young, the camp was designed to improve the French-speaking skills of her students who spent the day singing, dancing, and interacting around Les fables fabuleuses de la Fontaine (the Fabulous Fables of Jean de la Fontaine).

Students were split into four teams and spent the day rotating among four different workshops.

The workshops included: Arts & Crafts - where the students made character masks based on Aesops Fables; Skits – ACT 1 member Evan Marcey rewrote three of Aesops Fables in simplified

French for the students to act out; Indoor games students played scrabble and taboo in French; and outdoor games such as Rouge Rover (Red Rover) and Canard, Canard, Oie (Duck, duck, goose).

AP French students Alexa Dexter, Evan Marcey, and Rachel Moreau acted as the camp counselors and led the workshops with the help of native French speaker Ayrton Vencatachellum, a French IV student. Young arranged for several native French speakers to be on hand to monitor how well the students did in speaking French throughout the day. The monitors interacted with the students by helping them recall words they needed

as well as engaging them in conversations.

Prizes were awarded to students and teams whose members exhibited the spirit of the event by speaking French for the entire day.

Freshman Chase Howard, a French II Honors student, enjoyed the day. “It was a great experience,” said Chase. “The camp forced me to put what I know into action. It showed me that I knew more than I thought I did.”

in Language Arts

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ollaborating together and using their gifts of creativity, middle school language arts teachers have found ways to reach their students that might be considered “out of the box.” It is precisely this way of thinking that has made learning language arts in the middle school fun.

Christina Sachtleben teaches sixth grade language arts and works diligently to make things come alive in her classroom.

Sachtleben uses the characters from the Wizard of Oz to help in teaching the Lucy Calkins writing curriculum adopted last year in grades K-8. She first shows them the movie in class then assigns different movie characters to different parts of the writing experience.

She uses the Tin Man to remind students to put heart into their stories; Daisy Munchkin to remind students to “follow the yellow brick road” and to have a logical progression in their story; the cowardly Lion to remind students to work courageously by thinking outside the box; and members 5

of the Lollipop Guild to remind students to use colorful language when choosing their words. At the end of the year she holds a writing showcase and gives out awards based on the Tin Man (heart) and Lion (courage).

Edy Holmes has been teaching for 32 years, 26 of them at Charlotte Christian.

Holmes made a recent discovery that proved to be a fun one for her students.

“Our desks can also be used as dry erase boards, so we started writing on our desks when we were studying grammar,” said Holmes. “The students thought this handson style of learning was a lot of fun.”

Eighth grade Language Arts Teacher January Reed uses her experience as a mom to incorporate new ideas into the classroom. “Having two very different children, I have always tried to figure out how I can make them see, hear and touch things to understand them,” said Reed.

“I like to dress in character to help my students see things.”

Donning a wig and some 70s’ clothing, Reed morphs into “Abstract Man” when trying to explain to her students the difference between concrete and abstract. Her alter ego, “Sgt. Scream” is useful when she holds Punctuation Boot Camp. During this lesson, her students pretend to be commas by literally moving into formation, which in Punctuation Boot Camp, is the correct place in a sentence.

According to Reed, students in middle school often have difficulty staying on topic when they are writing essays, a critical skill to have as they prepare to move into upper school. Reed recently tried out a new method of making this easier. She purchased matchbox cars for her students and supplied them each with a road map.

Once the topic of their paragraph or essay was chosen, Reed asked each student to write the topic on the top of their car. As they wrote, students moved the car along the road map, keeping it beside their pen at all times. Reed hopes this visual will remind them to stay on topic throughout their assignments.

Photo by Ryan Nunley

ACADEMICS: FACULTY PROFILE

Ryan Nunley:

Experience of a Lifetime

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ver the summer, Fifth Grade teacher Ryan Nunley fulfilled a lifelong dream: cage-diving with great white sharks in the aptly named “Shark Alley,” near the fishing village of Gansbaai, South Africa. Nunley has been able to take many of his experiences there and turn them into classroom lessons for his students.

Nunley and his friend began their expedition with a boat safety and emergency procedures briefing.

They then traveled approximately six miles off the coast towards Dyer Island where they anchored. After being lowered into a three-person galvanized steel cage, Nunley began the adventure of a lifetime.

With sharks swimming all around him, including some within inches of him, Nunley was able to bask in the fulfillment of his dream. He spent five hours in the cage enduring water temperatures of approximately 50 degrees. He loved it so much that he did it two days in a row.

“My experience gave me a newfound appreciation of the power of God,” said Nunley. “When I was in the cage with sharks coming at me I wasn’t scared, but I was humbled very quickly because of the size, beauty and power of these animals.”

Upon his return to the school this year, Nunley has shared his own photos, videos and experiences with his fifth graders. He has had many unique opportunities to incorporate what he learned into his classroom instruction.

As part of his library time, Nunley decided to teach his students how to conduct research and assigned them a group project about sharks.

Students spent six weeks researching sharks using reference tools in the library. They incorporated pictures from Nunley’s trip, and put together a power point presentation which they presented on the classroom’s SMART Board in front of their classmates and a panel of judges. The winning group received a pizza party, and all participants enjoyed a popsicle and extra recess when the project was complete.

“In learning how to use power point and how to conduct research, my students learned some very practical skills,” said

Nunley. “Incorporating sharks into the picture made it more fun for them.”

Nunley has been able to incorporate his experience into his Bible curriculum as well. When teaching his students about their uniqueness as creations of God, he related to them how many different types of sharks the experts on the boat could classify.

“There were 15 different types of species of sharks that the guides were identifying in the water,” said Nunley.

“I used that to show my students how much time God puts into creating each of them to be unique.”

He used the opportunity he had to see endangered penguins and seals to teach his students lessons about the environment. He shared with them the effects of pollution and illegal fishing and how certain species of animals are being killed off.

The trip was also the celebration of Nunley having finished his second master’s degree which he completed in leadership from Roanoke College.

Before he returned home, he spent time traveling around other parts of South Africa and had a small stay in Santorini, Greece.

“Since watching Shark Week on television as a child, I have always been fascinated with the great white shark, and it was a dream of mine to take this trip,” said Nunley. “It was truly the experience of a lifetime.”

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athletics

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A season to remember

oach Jamie Arnold is finally seeing the fruits of her labor. After taking over the volleyball program in 2007, Arnold’s varsity team finished this season with a 22-5 overall record, going 16-2 in conference play and a third place finish in the NCISAA state tournament.

“I’m so proud of our girls,” said Arnold.

“This has to be the best finish in school history for at least the last 10 years.

They took over ownership of the team this year and it paid off. They made it a priority to participate in open gyms, conditioning and play on club teams this summer, and it really contributed to our success this year.”

“It’s not about me” was the team theme opening the door to more cohesiveness on the court for 2009. Both junior varsity and varsity players, worked hard in the off season to prepare themselves. This past summer, open gym was available two to three times a week in addition to weight room hours. Eight players participated on club teams, and the jv and varsity squads traveled to the University of Georgia for a team camp. The

summer team camp helped the group bond together and gave the Charlotte Christian coaching staff a chance to learn offensive and defensive plays from the college coaches.

The season started off strong for the varsity squad with a big tournament win at the Forsyth Country Day School End of Summer Slam. The Knights defeated five teams along the way to the tournament win including a 3-2 win against Marvin Ridge and 3-0 defeats over Wesleyan Christian and Charlotte Country Day. Captain and Senior Outside Hitter Bethany Mitchell was named MVP with 261 kills. Freshman Setter Sydel Curry was named to the all-tournament team with 308 assists as well as junior libero Julia Buwick with 130 digs.

After the tournament, the varsity team went on a 10-game winning streak that would help propel the Knights to a 22-

Understanding the Mindset of a Student-Athlete

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pper school student-athletes and their parents were invited to attend a seminar on the “Six Tips for Parenting and Understanding Your Student-Athlete” this past September. Guest speaker Jeremy Boone of Athlete by Design spoke about using the science of sport axiology to objectively reveal an athlete’s current mindset. This information gives insight into how best to communicate with athletes and to help them reach their potential and perform their best.

The “Ready to Play” profile that Boone created objectively reveals an athlete’s current mindset, measuring 10 specific mental attributes common of all champions. Boone stressed to parents that knowing what motivates and doesn’t motivate an athlete helps coaches coach them better. Coaches are using this tool to help position their athletes for success. Head Varsity Football Coach Jason Estep encouraged his players to take this test so that he could tailor his coaching skills to them.

“I feel like the most important thing with this evaluation is that it allows coaches to see what is going on in the mindset of our student-athletes,” said Estep. “It allow us to be more of an impact as a coach and how to deal with the players from a relationship standpoint. These tools allow us to see how they process learning and teaching and give us a glimpse into the hidden details of our student-athlete.”

For more information, please visit http://www.athletebydesign.com.

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win season. The Charlotte Christian community supported the team with great crowd attendance making the Lamb/Johnson Gym a location hard for opponents to win with the team tallying a 8-1 record at home.

“This year we had great crowd support and our parents rallied around us,” said Arnold. “We earned recognition around campus and felt supported.”

With a three-seed in the NCISAA state tournament, Charlotte Christian went 3-2 vs. Covenant Day before falling to the eventual state champs in the semifinals.

Mitchell was named all-state and allconference and Buwick was named allconference. six Tips for Parenting & Understanding Your Student-Athlete 1. Define ‘Competition’ for Your Child • What does it mean to be involved in competitive athletics?

• What is competition about?

• What are the pluses and minuses from competing in sports?

2. Process vs. Outcome Focus Go beyond winning and losing.

You can’t control the outcome in most sports but you can always control the process.

• Did you give your best?

• Did you compete with integrity?

• Did you prepare your best?

3. A You vs. You Approach Not a You vs. Others Approach 4. Design an Engaging Environment 5. Separate the Performance from the Child: The performance is not WHO your child is.

6. Beware If You Compare Respect the individual developmental needs of your child.

athletics

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hen Athletic Director Tom Jamerson joined the Charlotte Christian staff in 2007, he was excited for the opportunity to help take Knights’ athletics to the next level. Now with two years under his belt, he has had time to carefully develop a strategic plan to help girl’s sports excel at Charlotte Christian.

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16

The plan, put together with the input of faculty, staff, coaches and parents, focuses on a complete overhaul of female athletics in three areas: 1 - Hiring more on-campus role model coaches for female programs.

2 - Program ownership and accountability. The varsity head coaches are the program directors from the intramural to the varsity level and are held accountable for the total program.

3 - Impacting the lower school students by engaging and educating them with additional intramural sport opportunities with the connection from varsity coaches and athletes. Lower school physical education classes will cover more sports.

The theme for the athletic program is “Developing Christian Character and Pursuing Athletic Excellence.”

“We are wholeheartedly committed to winning on two scoreboards: God’s scoreboard with our character, conduct, preparation and witness and the contest scoreboard,” said Jamerson. “We are unapologetic that we play to win.”

New Hires Sonya Curry was also hired as the assistant athletic director charged with training and mentoring female sport coaches spiritually, physically and mentally. Curry believes that the foundation for success is that the ladies have to feel that they are loved, respected, and given an equal opportunity to succeed. The next step is acquiring and investing in coaches that have a passion for Christ, a love for females, and help develop the skill and ability that God has placed in these student-athletes. By

investing in our female athletes, on and off the playing field, they will become good role models and strong leaders on campus.

In turn these young ladies can draw others to the school as well as motivate the younger girls to participate and excel in sports at Charlotte Christian.

“God has given me an opportunity to take my passion for sports and young ladies and contribute that passion to the revitalization of athletic excellence that runs deep in Charlotte Christian history. This reputation of excellence led Dell and I to choose Charlotte Christian for our children.

My focus will involve not only wins and championships but also our witness off the court. I would love for us to be a model of school spirit to show that the Holy Spirit is alive and active on our campus, win or lose!”

This fall the athletic department hired two new physical education teachers who have coaching responsibilities after school. Whitney Bennington, middle school PE and health teacher, coaches middle school girl’s basketball and junior varsity girl’s volleyball, and Joseph Connor, lower school PE teacher, coaches varsity girl’s soccer in addition to his men’s soccer coaching duties.

“We have found that most successful high school athletic programs start with on-campus leadership,” said Jamerson. “We are excited about having our soccer program head on campus with Coach Connor and having Coach Bennington impacting our volleyball and basketball programs.”

Involvement In Lower School Intramural Programs Three new athletic programs for lower school students were established in volleyball, football and soccer.

More than 50 girls in grades 2-6 participated in the first season of intramural volleyball this fall. In addition, more than 100 boys and girls in grades 1-6 competed in a youth punt, pass and kick competition during football season. For the winter, Coach Connor is offering a lower school soccer training camp in January for boys and girls in grades JK-5. Intramural basketball and cheerleading are also available for lower school students.

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FINE ARTS

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Greetings from the Highlands!

ew high school theatre students get the amazing opportunity to travel across the world to showcase their God-given abilities on an international stage while exploring life in another country. This summer, 12 Charlotte Christian students were able to do just that when they performed at the prestigious Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland as part of the American High School Theatre Festival. Acceptance to the festival was quite competitive with only 40 high schools from more than 1500 applicants chosen to participate.

Under the direction and leadership of Michelle Long, director of fine arts, the group left in early August for a 13-day trip of a lifetime as they prepared to perform a musical version of By Grace on the stage in Edinburgh. The play, which had been performed last season by the upper school, was written by Michelle Long with music by Mindy Damon, middle and upper school choral and drama teacher. The lyrics for the show were a collaboration of both instructors. The cast spent long hours and many weeks preparing By Grace, which focuses on the time of Grace Kelly’s marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco, specifically the bridesmaids, seamstresses and others who were busy preparing for the forthcoming wedding.

In addition to preparing for their shows, the students were also able to experience life in London and Edinburgh.

They began with traditional visits to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guards and a tour of Covent Garden. Perhaps one of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Shakespeare’s Globe Theater where the students participated in a 40-minute workshop with a professional Shakespearean actor. “It was such an amazing experience!” said cast member Carson Brannock. “I especially enjoyed the tour and workshop at the Globe Theater. The study of Shakespeare is such an important part of our program. It was amazing to witness a replica of his actual stage!”

The students also enjoyed several professional shows including a revival of Blood Brothers along with Billy Elliot, the Musical. “Seeing Billy Elliot really helped our students understand the importance of having vocal, acting, and dance training,” said Long.

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CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

From London, the group took the train to Scotland where they were housed at the University of Edinburgh along with other schools participating in the American High School Theatre Festival. The students enjoyed tours of the beautiful capitol of Edinburgh, Stirling Castle, and the Trossachs region of Scotland during their trip. At the festival, they saw numerous other high school shows, including other Fringe shows, musicals, comedies, and improv shows. “The trip was fantastic,” said cast member sophomore Erin McNaughton. “We learned a lot and were able to see a different side of the culture. It was good to see English theatre and see how they present; their interpretation was very interesting.”

“In addition to being a theatrical experience, it was a great world experience for our students,” expressed Long. “They learned how to use the metro, bus, tube, and train and were able to embrace it all with confidence.”

The students also walked the “Royal Mile” in costume, singing and distributing flyers in order to promote their upcoming shows. Their efforts were quite successful as the Charlotte Christian cast was the only group to sell out all four of their performances. “It was truly exciting!

I had never been on a plane before this trip,” said cast member junior Polly Hilton. “The best part was seeing kids from all over the world sharing the same passion and art that I experience everyday at Charlotte Christian.”

“Millions of people converge on Edinburgh every year for the Fringe Festival because they love theatre and the variety of offerings,” said Long. “We shared with our students that we are fortunate to use theatre as a light in a dark place. Our kids have the center of Christ that grounds them and gives them a moral compass that others do not have.”

The Charlotte Christian School Scotland cast included: Matthew Benson Carson Brannock Marta Case Katy Farrell Karin Haski Claire Hilton

Polly Hilton Erin McNaughton Jay Putnam Lynn Putnam Brewington Rosenblatt Cory Wagener

FINE ARTS

Art Competition

C

ongratulations to junior Jake Younts for winning first prize and a $250 U.S. Savings Bond in the high school category of the Carolinas Freedom Foundation Patriotic Art Competition. Jake’s work was also chosen as the grand prize winner for all of the Carolinas region participants for both middle and high school students and was awarded four roundtrip tickets to Washington, D.C. aboard US Airways. Jake’s awards were presented at the US Airways Freedom Breakfast on Nov. 6 which honored a group of selfless soldiers who had served in Afghanistan and celebrated the swearing in of new U.S. citizens.

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enior Annie Bartlett was inspired to use her love of photography to create a patriotic art piece that honors the families of military service men and women. “I wanted to focus on the families by using pictures of family members holding photos of their children in military uniform,” said Annie. Her piece features five different families, including several Charlotte Christian faculty and staff members, in interlocking frames that form a backdrop of the American flag. Annie’s older brothers are both active members of the military. Her brother Lyndon, 23, is serving in the Air Force, stationed in Charleston, S.C., and her brother Lawson, 21 is in the U.S. Army, currently at the University of North Dakota in training as an army helicopter pilot. Her piece was one of 18 submitted by Charlotte Christian students in the Carolina’s Freedom Foundation Patriotic Art Competition.

Zero Hour Classes

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edicated fine arts students in a variety of studies can be found on campus daily long before the cars begin to fill the lots at Charlotte Christian. These students are coming to school early in order to pursue an interest that they would not be able to fit into their regular school schedules. Upper School Choir, Upper School Jazz Band, Middle School Praise Band, and ACT 2 drama team are all courses offered before the first bell ever rings to start the day. “It is difficult to fit in all of the arts classes that students are interested in,” said Michelle Long, director of fine arts. “Zero hour classes allow our students the time to pursue more than one option.”

Alongside these eager middle and upper school students are dedicated teachers who are committed to rehearsals and practices before the beginning of the school day. Kelly Goley teaches Upper School Choir; Upper School Jazz is taught by Jane

Mendlik; Middle School Praise Band by Don Humphries and Elisa Dennehy; and Mindy Damon directs the ACT 2 drama team.

“It allows our students to be more rounded because they can take one class before school and then pursue (for example) Intro to Drama in seventh period. It allows them to choose another fine arts elective,” said Damon. “It also builds closeness in community because the students are coming together for a project, and there is a heavy level of commitment among them.”

Zero hour classes are also beneficial to students planning to pursue the arts in college. “If they really have an interest in pursuing the arts, these classes help them prep for college because students are afforded the opportunity to take a wider variety of courses in the fine arts,” said Long.

2009-10 ISSUE 1 10 n

SPIRITUAL LIFE & SERVICE

Every Day Can Be A Windy Gap

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enior Cameron Kallianos will always remember Windy Gap. The annual trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Asheville, N.C. has a special place in her heart as she accepted Christ there five years ago when she was new to Charlotte Christian as an eighth grader.

“On the bus ride this year I was preparing myself to take everything in,” explained Cameron. “I wanted to let God impact me and have an open heart and ears especially as a senior knowing that my world is going to change in a year.

My fear is that people will only be impacted for a day and then move back to their daily lives. Every year I have gone, I challenge myself that God’s grace isn’t just found in the mountains. Every day can be a Windy Gap.” Cameron spoke at open mic night for seniors and shared her story. She shared that before she enrolled at Charlotte Christian, she did not know much about the Lord. After coming to school here in the eighth grade, it was her Bible teacher Doug Damon who became a mentor, along with her teachers that prayed for her and Christian friends that helped her grow and become a young lady of Christ.

Cameron, along with other upper school students, stayed at Windy Gap after the upperclassmen left to hang out with the middle school students. She was given the opportunity to lead an eighth grade girls study about purity, guarding your heart, and understanding that living as a Christian is a big responsibility.

“I was really excited to stay for the middle school since my life changed in the eighth grade at Windy Gap,” said Cameron.

“I felt like I could connect with those kids. My goal this year is to do everything I can to leave my mark and make an impression here.”

11 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Everything came full circle for Cameron when she was asked to share her testimony the last night of middle school Windy Gap. This was the same time five years ago that she decided to receive Christ in her life. Now armed with the knowledge of God she was able to leave an impact on the middle school students.

Cameron was recently voted by her classmates as the 2009 homecoming queen, an honor that was put in perspective by her recent Windy Gap experience.

“Receiving the honor of homecoming queen, I realized that it doesn’t take a piece of material to feel special,” explained Cameron. “God looks at each of us as His princesses and princes every day, and we are to value ourselves as that and proclaim God as our king.”

SPIRITUAL LIFE & SERVICE

S.L.A.M.

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ower school created Spiritual Life and Meaning (S.L.A.M.) week this year to provide an enriching spiritual life experience for lower school students parallel to the Windy Gap experiences of middle and upper schoolers. It was a week filled with fun, games and worshipping God. Each day started off with competitions followed by chapels led by Jeff Smith of Salt and Light ministries. They sang songs to help memorize Bible verses and

watched videos that went along with Smith’s presentation.

There were daily themes from Hebrews referring to “the faith of the Hebrews passing through Red Sea”; “the faith of Noah”; “without faith it is impossible to please God” and “fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith.”

The relay games between the grades built spirit and unity.

The teams were combinations

of students from grades JK-5 dressed in unified colors of blue, green and red. The winner each day was awarded the spirit stick.

“I had a great time at S.L.A.M,” said Rachel Parsons, a second grade student. “The speaker was awesome, and we had fun playing the games.”

“S.L.A.M. was a huge success,” said Diane Ketron, fourth grade teacher. “You can tell it was a huge success because the children are still talking about it.

They are still singing the songs, reciting the memory verses, and talking about the Bible lessons that were taught. We (students and teachers) are looking forward to next year’s S.L.A.M. week.”

Teachers walked away with a positive spiritual message to follow up in the classroom.

Enhancing the Chapel Experience

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n order to enhance upper school students’ chapel experiences, chapel electives are being offered for the first time this year. The idea was proposed for teachers to submit topics that they are passionate about to teach students in smaller breakout sessions during chapel time. For the first semester, 12 topics were offered ranging from “Service” to “Public Policy” to “Music” and “Marriage.”

Students were given the opportunity to select a session to attend three times during the semester.

“We are all made differently and connect with God differently,” said Luke Boythe, spiritual life director. “We are trying to tap those sacred pathways – intentionally and subtly. We felt that if the students attended something they enjoyed, then the barriers

would go down and we would be able to speak into their lives easier.”

Susan Jones, upper school math teacher, cotaught about missions with Ben Doudt. She developed a love for missions as she enjoys travel and has since gone on multiple mission trips including 14 visits to the Dominican Republic.

“I hope from listening to my experiences, our students will be interested in going on a mission trip this summer,” said Jones.

“Something just happens when you pull students out of their world.”

Brian Henson, junior Bible teacher, presented on natural law also known as the moral law.

Henson explained that all nations accept

this moral law on how people should act.

This moral law is decreed from God so it teaches the students to appeal to this law when talking about their faith with nonbelievers. He presented case studies on marriage and family.

“The chapel electives are good options because you get to chose what you want to hear about,” said junior Michael Lenahan. “I was more attentive because I was connecting to God through a specific passion of mine.”

Other chapel elective topics included “Art/ Music”, “Athletics”, “Biblical Manhood”, “Lewis and Chesterton”, “Science”, and “Wealth. “ Students will have the opportunity to sign up for different chapel electives offered second semester.

2009-10 ISSUE 1 12 n

COMMUNITY

Eat Local Challenge

NetClassroom

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ating healthy became a lot more fun during the Eat Local Challenge held this fall by our dining hall provider, FLIK, and some local farmers from the Charlotte area. The day featured local farmers and their freshly-harvested products as part of an initiative to educate students on the importance of healthy eating and the benefits of eating locally-grown products. Students were invited to taste a variety of apples grown in our area and vote on their favorites. They were also encouraged to pick up more fruit during their lunch with the introduction of the Fresh Fruit Frequency Card. Students who buy nine pieces of fruit will get the next one free in this ongoing program.

“This is a wonderful educational opportunity for students to ask questions and understand more about the process of how food gets from the farm to the dinner table, right here in our own community,” said Phillip Barnett, food services director at Charlotte Christian School.

Participating farms included Rawl Farms, Prestige Farms, and Apple Wedge Farm. Their fresh products included sweet potatoes, potatoes, kale, collard green, radishes, fresh local chicken, and a variety of local apples. All items were featured on the salad bar or in the menu for the day. A farmer was also on hand to answer questions and provided recipe cards for students to share at home.

ith just a few clicks of the mouse, parents in grades 2-12 can access their student’s grades and information in a new program called NetClassroom. The system was introduced this year as a new parent-student information portal allowing parents the opportunity to monitor their child’s grades throughout the quarter, including daily homework grades, special assignments, tests and projects.

NetClassroom gives an up-to-the-minute snapshot of a student’s progress in each subject. Teachers may also use the site as a shared network to post class notes, study guides, and other class materials. The introduction of NetClassroom has eliminated the need for mid-term progress reports because of the daily availability of grades including grade averages for each subject. Students in lower and middle school will still receive quarterly report cards and upper school students will receive semester report cards. Each family’s account is password protected and can be accessed through the school website. Password information was sent to each family in early fall. Please contact Carol Grubbs at carol.grubbs@charchrist.com for password information or if you need assistance with NetClassroom.

Charlotte Christian School Annual Book Fair Presented by Cardinal Lane Book Fairs (formerly Bedford Falls)

December 4-11 Petty Media Center

Murals in Early Education Building

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tudents, parents and visitors to the Early Education Building (formerly the Kindergarten Building) are now welcomed with a brightly-colored mural featuring animated creatures from Noah’s Ark. “We chose a biblical theme that is timeless and universal to create a warm, inviting and friendly entrance for our students to enjoy everyday,” said Tom Tuttle, lower school principal. “The entrance is welcoming and loving and matches what the students experience in the classroom.” The new mural was painted over the summer by Havana Murals as part of beautification in the lower school. The new mural was paid for through the Quality Plus Fund in addition to other improvements including new carpet, upgraded bathrooms, and brightly colored classrooms.

13 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Faculty and staff at Charlotte Christian have benefited from numerous opportunities for professional development this fall.

COMMUNITY

Faculty and Staff Professional Development Programs included: • The Truth Project, presented by Focus on the Family, represents a starting point for looking at life from a biblical perspective. More than 20 faculty and staff members meet monthly as part of this project which features a series of twohour DVD lessons that discuss in great detail the relevance and importance of living the Christian worldview in daily life.

• The Impact of Humanism on Our Youth, taught by U.S. History teacher Steve Hoff, has been an ongoing monthly seminar allowing faculty and staff to learn about the impact of various aspects of our culture on our youth. Topics have included how Hollywood and music are affecting our youth and the overall affect of humanism on our families and culture.

• Three SMART Board training sessions were held to help faculty and staff fully utilize the new technology that we have on campus and to earn CEU (continuing education units) credit.

Ten additional SMART Board training sessions are scheduled throughout the year.

• A professional development day was held on Oct. 16 featuring a theme of Continuous Improvement. The day allowed staff members to review all areas within the schools and evaluate opportunities for improvement. The morning began with a devotion led by Doug Damon and moved on to an all-school meeting to discuss progress in the first quarter and goals for the second quarter. Break-out sessions followed including a customer service seminar called Service Plus in addition to a written communications seminar.

• Upcoming professional development opportunities include courses on technology along with a teamwork and collaboration seminar.

Update on the Head of School Search

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he search for our new head of school has been one of anticipation, careful consideration, and deliberate prayer.

The head of school search committee, led by Andy Calhoun, is excited to be moving forward in identifying the next leader of Charlotte Christian School.

In addition, a head of school search committee prayer team was formed with the leadership of Board Chaplain Kathy Trotter and has actively led our school community in dependent prayer for our school’s new head of school, including three communitywide prayer meetings.

During the months of September and October, the search firm and committee hosted a total of 31 listening and feedback sessions and had more than 200 parents, board, faculty, staff, alumni and students in attendance.

In addition, 150 participated in the head of school on-line survey. Based on benchmarking other schools of excellence and carefully considering the information shared during these listening sessions and surveys, a head of school profile was developed and used to recruit prospective candidates.

A total of 71 individuals expressed interest in the head of school position, of which 36 completed the application process. Thirteen of those candidates had a significant combination of credentials as identified and desired in the head of school profile. After reviewing those candidates, the search committee narrowed the applicants to six semi-finalists and is conducting reference checks on those six candidates. Video interviews of those semi-finalists are scheduled for Dec. 14 and 15 with a goal of narrowing

the candidates to three finalists who will visit onsite for interviews during the weeks of Jan. 11 and 18.

The head of school search committee looks forward to the board introducing our school’s new leader shortly following the interview process and anticipates our new head of school assuming the position in the summer of 2010.

2009-10 ISSUE 1 14 n

CAMPUS NOTABLES

Academic Honor Roll

(Grades 6 – 8)

1st Quarter - Middle School

magna LAUDE To be recognized for this distinction, a student must earn at least a 4.0 overall GPA for all subjects with no grade lower than a A.

CUM LAUDE To be recognized for this distinction, a student must earn at least a 3.5 overall GPA for all subjects with no grade lower than a B.

15 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Magna Cum Laude grade 6 Thomas Barnes Justin Brannock Taylor Burch Noelle Cassier Macall Collins Kelsey Holloway Bishop Jones Chandler Kellogg India Lindsay Caitlin Mehta Rachel Redmond Sarah Redmond Kara Richardson Natalie Schramm Jonathan Vines

Grade 7 Destin Cassier Colter Corish Leah Mell Mariah Shaw Sydney Weaver Sophia Youmans

Grade 8 Lily Austin Connor Clavin Kayla Donnalley Evan Ector Amelia Fritsche Sydney Goldstein Grant Hall Marianna Jones

Alex Kellogg Rebekah Lee Nick Linder Sean Lindsay Kristyn Richardson Mark Saleh Allie Seelig Walker Vermillion Mackenzie Wilson Harris Wilson Sarah York

Andrew Siverling Graham Smith Beau Snuggs Alec Stevanovski Anna Summers Christi Takac Mack Taylor Addie Vermillion Blake Wagoner Duncan Weller Avery Williams

Regan Huneycutt Alex Johnson Madison Killen Robert McLean Tanner Norris Jake Payne Kelsey Phalen Haley Putnam Emily Saba Michael Tan Christian Taylor Jeremy Timperio Josh Walker Aaron Walker Payton Walker Philip Walton Alex Watkins Alec Yoh

Alexander Gum Hunter Hammond Stephen Hart Erik Haski Jeanette Hasselberg Bo Hines Landon Kay Madison Kofoed Spencer Lackey Gavin Leary Emily Marco Justin Markwat Dallas McCorkle Catherine McCreary Amaris Norwood Akanima Okpokowuruk Cooper Parsons Cristina Pereira Megan Perelli Trey Phills Nathan Pillmore Emily Seaborn Alex Stubblefield Kyndall Sutherland Blake Thomas Jonathan Trull Ryan Weaver Jonah Wylie

Cum Laude grade 6 Jordyn Bobo John Boone Peyton Brown Avery Buie Sarah Burt Scotty Cameron Jake Compton Michael Crosby Elizabeth Davis Joshua Deuink Thomas Donnalley Jonathan Durham Anna Edwards Andrew Faris Alex Featherstone Luke Gentlesk Peyton Hibbard James Horner Michael Humphries Luke Irwin Lindsay Jamerson Brad Kesling Grace Ketron Brenna Knight Cali Kofoed Caroline Lubinsky Arden Norwood Kerstie Phills Heath Pulliam Jake Roberts Michael Saleh

Grade 7 Kate Benson Wood Boone Josh Broadway Sheppard Brown Nate Bryson Blair Burkhart Kalie Compton Connor Correll Caroline Dennehy Britton Edwards Christina Fleischer Sean Gallagher Hayden Girard Collin Greig Charisse Haines Faith Hanegraaff Meredith Harris Thomas Hodges Gena Horton

Grade 8 Christian Allen Miller Barbour Jeb Blazevich Garrett Bradbury Mary Bryson Connor Burnam Matthew Burt Alex Carl Bryce Durand Adam Durden William Griffin Zachary Griffiths

Hendrick Scholarships

Seniors Hayley Raines and Mitchell Hargett are this year’s recipients of the Jennifer and Kimberly Hendrick Memorial Scholarships which were presented in an allschool chapel on Oct. 6. The scholarships were established

by Mrs. Cathy Hendrick in May of 2005 to provide full tuition for two seniors at Charlotte Christian who exemplify a humble, Christ-like spirit, and heart of service to the Lord. The scholarships are in memory and honor of her two daughters who died in a plane crash in October of 2004.

Both girls were Charlotte Christian graduates of the Class of 2000.

National Merit Scholarship Senior Cameron Clavin has been named a semifinalist in the 55th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. He is one of more than 16,000 scholastically-talented high school seniors from across the nation who will compete for one of the 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards given out next spring.

CAMPUS NOTABLES

academics

Creative Communications Anthology Winners Several upper school students will see their writing published in the 2009 Creative Communications Anthology after competing in an annual writing contest featuring some of the best student writers and poets of the year. Students in Renuka Szymborski’s AP Language and Composition class enter two contests each year as part of their course requirements.

Congratulations to this year’s winners: Angela Acampora Alexa Dexter Cranford Blanton Will Green Megan Burton Jordan Lackey Megan Dennehy Rachel Moreau Jordan Deuink Sarah Wilkinson

Chloe the Therapy Dog said kindergarten student Jonathan Boelkins. “I got to pet her and it made me feel good because I never got to read to a dog before.” The new activity helps build the children’s self-esteem and peaks their interest in reading by making it fun and exciting. Children who might be uncomfortable reading out loud in class can practice and gain confidence by reading to Chloe.

The newest member of the kindergarten team is an unlikely four-legged friend who may just want to say hi with a little sniff and wag of the tail. Chloe is a gentle two-year-old golden retriever who has joined the team as an honorary reading teacher of sorts. Chloe is a certified therapy dog and an AKC certified Canine Good Citizen. Each week, Chloe visits all of the kindergarten classes and students take turns reading to her in the hall in an exciting new program designed to encourage and improve reading. Chloe’s owner is Karen Montgomery, a Charlotte Christian parent of two lower school students.

Montgomery joins each child in the hall with Chloe as the children choose a favorite book from their own book box to share with their new tail-wagging reading partner.

Chloe is not picky and enjoys books about everything from superheroes and bugs to princesses and fairies.

“The children just love Chloe, and she is so good with them. With little ones just learning how to read, it can be intimidating and frustrating,” said kindergarten teacher Carolyn Cornelison. “This is a nice way for the children to feel confident and comfortable and build their selfconfidence as they learn how to read.”

Chloe also made a recent visit to Connie Koch’s third grade class during their study of therapy dogs. Montgomery visited with the class and talked with the children about the process that she and Chloe went through for Chloe to become certified. The students also learned about the many ways that therapy dogs can help people like visiting hospitals, nursing homes, and the new reading program here at Charlotte Christian.

The program is special in that it invites children to practice the skill of reading in a fun and engaging way. The children enjoy Chloe’s company and focus on reading her a story. “I read Chloe the octopus book,” 2009-10 ISSUE 1 16 n

CAMPUS NOTABLES

academics

READING KNIGHTS

Reading Knights is an optional reading incentive program for lower and middle school students designed to building excitement and interest in reading. The program is in its tenth year and encourages students to read books on a variety of topics and to develop a habit and love of reading. In addition to the value of reading, students develop positive character qualities such as goal setting, determination, and perseverance.

Participants are recognized at the conclusion of each school year.

The levels for Reading Knights are:

• Reading Pages

• Reading Squires

• Reading Knights

• Reading Knights with a Pennant

• Reading Knights of the Round Table

• Reading Knights 1,000 Book Level For more information on how to get your student involved in the Reading Knights program, please contact your child’s teacher or Marcia Craig in the Petty Media Center at (704) 366-5657, ext. 6601 or marcia.craig@charchrist.com.

Reading Pages

(They have read 25 books and gave an oral report on one of them.)

Susan Davis • Kate Eubanks • Led Hinton Claire Lillie • Lily Robinson Gracen Strickland • Jacob Suarez

Reading squires

(They have read 50 books and gave and have prepared a written report on both a fiction and a non-fiction book.)

Kate Eubanks • Led Hinton Claire Lillie • Gracen Strickland

Reading knights

(They have read a total of 100 books and have turned in a summary recommendation on 10 of them.)

Andrew Bovee

Reading knights with A pennant

(They have read a total of 250 books and gave and created an artifact approved by media center personnel.)

Liesel Brehmer

national ap scholars Elise Young Rebecca Dunn Jonathan White ap scholars with distinction Tommy Bridges Stephanie Gunst Cameron Clavin Adam Kiihr Joni Clayton Meg Leary Andy Cummins Blaydes Moore Will Daniel Jonathan White Emily Dennehy Kathryn Wiley Rebecca Dunn Brian Wilkinson DJ Faris Elise Young Patrick Goley David Zittrouer Will Grey ap scholars with honors Jessica Cagle Bill McAbee Andy Clifford Michael Richardson Jordan Deuink Errett Roth Peter Hasselberg London Snuggs Averi Israel Andrew Sullivan Rae Manyika ap scholars Kelby Brown David Claborn Margaret Elmore Lui Galletto Maggie Hood John Humphries Matt Kearns Rachel Moreau

Amelia Neal Ian Richardson Mary Kathryn Robinson Erin Sayson Sallie Katherine Thompson Rachel von Gnechten Taylor Wagener

fine arts ACT 1 Drama Team Awards Congratulations to the ACT 1 drama team who competed Oct. 30-31 at the North Carolina Theatre Competition High School Play Festival and garnered the following awards: Twelfth Night Excellence in Acting: Cory Wagener, role as “Viola” Excellence in Costuming: Connie Farrell,

volunteer parent, designer Excellence in Music: Mindy Damon, music director Excellence in Directing: Michelle Long, director MULAN JR. Excellence in Choreography:

Lorrie Baines Cavanaugh, choreographer Band Student Honors Congratulations to junior CODY HAND on his selection to the Lee University Honors Band and for being the only North Carolina student selected to participate. Congratulations also to sophomore HAYLEY BUCKNER and freshman SCOTT ORTLIP on their prestigious selections to the 30th Annual Winthrop Invitational Honors Band.

17 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Youth Punt, Pass & Kick Competition Charlotte Christian students in grades 1- 6 were invited to participate in a Youth Punt, Pass & Kick Competition held this year during the fall football season. This first-time event was for girls and boys and served as a great way to include lower school families in the varsity football game experience. It was also a wonderful opportunity to instill good sportsmanship and Christ-like attitudes for our young athletes and served as a stepping stone for the upcoming spring 2010 lower school intramural flag football league.

Participants competed by completing one punt, one pass, and one placekick with scores based on both distance and accuracy. Students received a final score based on their cumulative total for the three individual events. The top 10 boys and girls for each grade moved on to the championship round and competed at halftime of one of the varsity football home games. Winners were awarded a replica Knights football jersey and custom football.

2009 Punt, Pass & Kick Competition Winners:

Grade 1 & 2 Girls: Grade 1 & 2 Boys: Grade 3 & 4 Girls: Grade 3 Boys: Grade 4 Boys: Grade 5 & 6 Girls: Grade 5 & 6 Boys:

Lindsay Noonan Joseph Slattery Christina Boelkins JT Killen Seth Damon Ellie Laymon Andrew Durden

Fall Athletic Signings National Signing Day at Charlotte Christian School was held on Nov. 11 and included a signing ceremony in the Lamb/ Johnson Gymnasium. The following Charlotte Christian athletes were recognized for signing national letters of intent to play at the collegiate level.

Akil Mitchell John Kincaid Trey Laney Jake Watson

CAMPUS NOTABLES

athletics

University of Virginia (Basketball) Appalachian State (Baseball) Western Carolina (Baseball) University of South Carolina (Baseball)

Oasis All-Star Shrine Classic Seniors David Durham, John Kincaid and Kelby Brown, have all been chosen to play in the 2009 Oasis All-Star Shrine Classic Game. The North Carolina team will play their South Carolina counterparts in the independent school all-star game on Friday, Nov. 27 at 1p.m. at Charlotte Latin. All senior football players were nominated by Coach Estep to the Shrine Bowl selection committee. The committee of North Carolina coaches selected three of our players to represent Charlotte Christian School.

intramural volleyball New this year, Coach Jamie Arnold developed the intramural volleyball program for girls in grades 2-6.

More than 50 girls participated during six Saturdays this fall. Arnold focused on teaching the basics and teamwork and having fun. This program allows younger students to learn about the game so by the time they reach middle school, they will have a good knowledge of the sport. “The varsity program is investing back into future generations and therefore into our program,� said Arnold.

2009-10 ISSUE 1 18 n

development

Annual Quality Plus Fund

every gift makes a difference

Many Hands Making A Difference

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t the start of the school year, Jim Edwards, serving as this year’s annual Quality Plus Fund (QPF) chair, used a picture of the two person arm lift to illustrate the impact of parents joining together to support the school. Each week parents use this important strategy as they lock arms all over campus to serve our students and community in various forms. Parent organizations like the Parent Teacher Fellowship, Touchdown Club, Sixth Man Club, and Friends of the Arts are only some of the ways that you will see this picture in action. These acts of kindness are incredibly beneficial to the students of Charlotte Christian and also an important part of the school’s legacy of serving others.

Imagine the challenge Imagine for a moment what it would be like to show up to volunteer for an event only to learn that you are going to do so alone. It would be challenging at best to adequately serve those who had come to watch a fine arts production, an athletic event or attend a parent fellowship. And although you would do the best that you could, it would not be as welcomed as the strength that serving and partnering together provides for the task at hand. I am sure that you have heard the phrase “many hands make light work.” How true that is for our community.

We are a community that cares Fifty-nine years and counting speaks volumes to the tremendous amount of time and resources that families have sacrificially given over many years to sustain our wonderful mission. With little research, you would quickly learn that Charlotte Christian has experienced both seasons of feast and those of famine. So what is it that has made us a strong, comprehensive, Christ-centered, college preparatory school? One simple phrase says it all; we are a community that cares. We care about the children, about honoring Christ, and about serving others.

We are a community that cares as well as one that wants to make a difference. This is why so many graciously respond when there are requests for volunteers and financial support.

Each year current families, alumni, parents of alumni and grandparents are asked to prayerfully consider their support to QPF. Through QPF the school is able to extend its mission even further into the lives of the students.

This year, our QPF goal is $450,000. As of Oct. 30 the school has already received more than $250,506 in gifts and pledges toward this goal. Given our current 19 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

environment and the tremendous opportunity we have with the students this year, it is critical that we once again meet this challenge.

Will you join us?

Each year it is amazing to see the number of donors that God brings as we together head toward our goal. Last year, 655 donors joined together to support QPF and celebrated the accomplishment of exceeding the desired goal. What a testament to God’s faithfulness and our caring community.

As you look around the school community and see the students engaged in their studies, remember the blessing and opportunity we have to be in a community that cares. Although the size of the gift may vary, the strategy of locking arms and working together will prove to once again be effective. Please consider how you might be a part of being one of the many hands to help make light work in this great legacy of Charlotte Christian.

Leaving it Better

For 724 donors, leaving Charlotte Christian better than they found it is a reality. Through the Lighting The Way campaign (LTW) these donors joined arms in a collective effort to transform educational and co-curricular space at the school. Since the beginning, these generous individuals and families have provided $7.3 million in gifts and pledges for capital improvements. Please continue to pray for and encourage others to support LTW as we make plans for the final stages of this campaign.

development

ALUMNI & PARENTS OF ALUMNI homecoming

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here was great turnout of both alumni and parents of alumni at the homecoming tent this year. More than 70 alumni from the classes of 1983 through 2009 enjoyed an evening of reuniting and reminiscing as they thumbed through yearbooks and met each others friends and families. Parents of alumni also enjoyed catching up and being back on campus.

The Saturday morning after the homecoming game, a reunions breakfast was hosted for alumni celebrating their 10 and 20 year reunions. Several members, and their families, from the classes of 1989 and 1999 attended the breakfast held this year at the Early Education Building. Katie Sturgis (’99) who headed up the 10 year reunion said, “the alumni breakfast on Saturday morning was a great addition to the weekend. My classmates and I enjoyed hearing about current issues with the school. We also enjoyed touring the campus, which looks completely different now!”

2009-10 ISSUE 1 20 n

CLASS NOTES

Class Notes 2008

anna vetter announces her engagement to Jacob Wright of Lancaster, Penn. The couple is planning a December wedding at Virginia Beach, Va. They are currently students at Regent University in Virginia Beach. Upon graduation, they plan to pursue careers in music and Christian ministry, following God’s call on their life together and doing all for His glory.

2007

thomas nicholas is transferring to Wofford College to play baseball for his remaining two years.

2006

jordon simmons completed his fourth year as Lenoir-Rhyne’s starting long snapper having earned multiple All-South Atlantic Conference preseason and postseason honors, as well as named a member of the All SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll during his studentathlete career. He will graduate in the spring with a degree in sports management and a double minor in exercise physiology and business.

2005

Private Christopher Craddock of 1st Battalion Delta Company, served as Charlotte Christian’s honorary game captain for the Sept. 11 football game. He concluded Marine Combat Training at Camp Geiger in Jacksonville, N.C.

2004

rick tanner is engaged to Savannah Marie Smith and plans to get married June 19, 2010 at Chateau Morrisette near Meadows of Dan, Va. Rick is the project manager in the Sprayed Fireproofing division at Warco Construction Inc. in Charlotte.

2002

Brooke HopkinsPowell graduated from GTCC with honors in dental hygiene May 2009 and is now practicing in the Charlotte area. She married Chad Powell on July 25, 2009 in Cozumel, Mexico.

1999

Andy Babyak and his wife Lauren had their third son, Caleb, in June. They are missionaries in Senegal, West Africa with the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Their web-page is www.babyakfamily.org.

Laura Booth married Troy Dunnam on Oct. 17, 2009. Laura graduated from Clemson University in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and is currently working at Carolinas Medical Center as a financial counselor while working towards a nursing degree.

1998

Kara Tabler and her husband, Nathan, are expecting their second child March 30. Son Aiden is 15 months old.

1996

Andy Smith (’96) and Samantha Bonk Smith (’97), along with their 15 month old daughter, Madison, moved back to Charlotte from Atlanta in September 2009. Andy accepted the position of pastor to youth and families at Providence Baptist Church and Samantha is employed by RBC Bank in commercial real estate.

Leslie Peterson Crowgey (’99) and her husband, Matthew, welcomed a daughter, Margaret Grace, on Aug. 25, 2009. The family lives in Matthews.

rosemary J. Nations is engaged to H. H. “Tripp” Alexander, III. The couple plans to marry Jan. 2, 2010 at Myers Park United Methodist Church.

Matthew Ridenhour finished second in the City Council At Large GOP primary.

2000

Tim Burns is CFO of Stewardship Partners and also served on the North Carolina Young CPA Cabinet. He and his wife, Jane, have five children: Madeline, 8, Annalisa, 6, Jack, 4, Alex, 4, and Isabella, 1. The family lives in Indian Trail.

21 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Mark Bray and his wife, Emily, welcomed Ella Grace on Aug. 19, 2009. She weighed 7 lb. 3 oz. and was 20.5 inches long. The family resides in the Chicagoland area.

1991

Matt Simontacchi and wife Kelly welcomed their second child, Dylan Kate, on June 30, 2009.

CLASS NOTES

Class Notes 1990

Shelli Simontacchi was named chair of the Paralegal Division of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys at the 2009 NCADA Annual Meeting and Seminar in Hilton Head this past June.

Shelli works as a litigation paralegal with Hedrick Gardner in Charlotte.

1988

Tim Duffey and his wife Kate welcome their second child, Parker Bennett, on June 2, 2009.

He weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz.

Parker joined his 2-yearold sister, Olivia.

They relocated from Charlotte to Carmel, Indiana at the end of September 2009.

Brian Sipe is serving in Iraq with the U.S. Army until April 2010.

His wife, Lisa, and their two children, Tyler, 9, and Ashley, 8, live in Concord.

1989

The Class of ’89 reunion, planned by Scott McClintock, Grey Mull and Christy Weed was held at Red Rocks CafÊ Charlotte.

Susie Snyder graduated from Wingate University and Regent University. She is teaching social studies at Monroe Middle School in Monroe, N.C. She was most recently selected to be a part of the Team 21 Program through Union County Public Schools. This program provides teachers with technology training and equipment to build on the concept of globalization and developing 21st century learners. She was also part of a pilot project for the state of North Carolina to develop concept-based curriculum for social studies teachers across the state.

1984

James Pait and his wife welcomed a son, James Edwin Pait IV, to their family on Oct. 7, 2009. He weighed 10 lbs, 8 oz. and was 21.5 inches long.

HRISTIAN SCHOOL CHARLOTTE C

ALUMNI EST. 1950

new alumni website Visit our new alumni website at charlottechristianalumni.com for news and upcoming events.

Help us stay in touch!

You can send any changes or updates to your contact info to alumni@charchrist.com.

For any questions, ideas or suggestions, please contact George Courtney at george.courtney@charchrist.com.

2009-10 ISSUE 1 22 n

ALUMNI PROFILE

Laura Osteen:

Recipient of CMC’s Pinnacle Award

I

f there was one word you could use to describe Laura Osteen it would be caring. Caring about others, appreciating those who have cared for her and caring about what she does.

Osteen attended Charlotte Christian from junior kindergarten until graduating in 2003. Before college, Charlotte Christian was all she had known, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I loved my classes, my teachers, my friends and the opportunities.” It was through many of these areas that Osteen was encouraged and inspired to be who she is today.

“I remember writing a paper my sophomore year about our desired career. I’d always known I would be in healthcare but it was through this paper that I honed in on being a nurse.”

Osteen graduated from the nursing program at Chapel Hill in 2007 with her BSN. She then returned to Charlotte and took a job at Carolinas Medical Center (CMC). In three short years, Osteen has proven that this is more than just a job to her.

Osteen works in the Progressive Care unit. This unit provides additional care than the regular floor, but these patients are not in as critical condition as those in the ICU. Each nurse on this floor only has two patients, allowing them to provide the most individual care possible. Some patients might be there for one week, others might be there for two months. However long they remain, Osteen’s going to be sure they are cared for.

23 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

“A hospital can be a scary place, and people are in a vulnerable state. As a nurse you should be caring and committed, and I try to treat each patient as I would treat one of my own family members.” She often visits the rehab facility on her lunch break to touch base with patients for whom she has cared for and goes out of her way to provide support and encouragement to their family members.

Osteen models a caring nature that she learned back in high school. “I never met a teacher that didn’t care in all 13 years that I attended Charlotte Christian School. They all cared about my schooling, my spiritual life as well as my personal life. I can still name each one.” Two in particular stood out: Mr. Angley, her math teacher and basketball coach, and Mrs. Poole, her AP government teacher. “Mrs. Poole was so great. I just loved her.

She was very real, and you could tell that she cared.”

Osteen was recently named a recipient of this year’s “Pinnacle Award” given by the Carolina HealthCare System in Mecklenburg County because she displays their core values of caring, community, integrity and teamwork. She is the youngest person to receive this award. Already a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, she is currently studying for certification as a Progressive Care Certified Nurse.

SCRAPBOOK

KnightsFest

Great Horned Ow l released by Carolina Raptor Ce nter

Boosterthon Fun Run

Homecoming 2009 - Tacky Day

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Charlotte Christian School is a Christ-centered, college preparatory school, equipping and developing students to effectively integrate Biblical truth and learning into their daily lives and to impact the culture for Christ.

december 2009

JANUARY 2010

februaRY 2010

Tuesday, Dec. 1 Artworks Art Fair

Tuesday, Jan. 5 Classes Resume

Friday, Dec. 4 Charlotte Observer Spelling Bee

Friday, Jan. 15 LS/MS/US Report Cards Distributed

Monday, Feb. 1 Rising Grade 6 Parent Meeting

Monday, Dec. 7 MS/US Choir & Orchestra Lessons & Carols Service

Monday, Jan. 18 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday - School Closed

Friday, Dec. 4 - Friday, Dec.11 Annual Book Fair

Tuesday, Jan. 19 Classes Resume

Friday, Dec. 11 Grades 1-5 Christmas Program

Tuesday, Jan. 19 Friday, Jan. 22 MS Stepping Up Week

Monday, Dec. 14 US Early Dismissal US Afternoon Exam Review Tuesday, Dec. 15 JK/K Christmas Program Tuesday, Dec. 15 Thursday, Dec. 17 MS/US Exams Dismissal following exams Thursday, Dec. 17 LS Early Dismissal Friday, Dec. 18 MS/US Make-up Exams Christmas Break Begins Faculty/Staff Brunch Monday, Dec. 21 Monday, Jan. 4 Christmas Break

Wednesday, Jan. 20 N.E.W. Parent Coffee Re-enrollment Mailed Monday, Jan. 25 Rising Grade 10 Parent Meeting

Tuesday, Jan. 26 Wednesday, Jan. 27 Ladders to Success Grade 8 Thursday, Jan. 28 Grades JK - 12 Open House

Tuesday, Feb. 23 Interfaith/Intramurals Pep Rally

Tuesday, Feb. 2 Rising Grades 7 & 8 Parent Meeting

Wednesday, Feb. 24 Men’s Fellowship League

Tuesday, Feb. 2 - Friday, Feb. 5 ERB Testing - Grades 2-8 Thursday, Feb. 25 Rising Grade 6 ENRICHMENT Camp Pottery Thursday, Feb. 4 Parent Breakfast (Grades 4-6) Discovery Place - ABC’s of Science Rising Grade 9

Parent Meeting Thursday, Feb. 25 - (Grades K-1) FairyTale Princess Feb. 28 (Grades JK-3) Sunday, Karate Harvard Model Congress (Grades K-5) Friday, Feb. 5 Super Summer (Grades JK-5) ALL-School Parent Coffee Day Camp LS/MS Progress Reports SPORTS Baseball (Ages 5-15) Monday, Feb. 8

MS Spring Sports Begin

Monday, Feb. 8 Thursday, Feb. 11 Winter Week

Monday, Jan. 25 Thursday, Jan. 28 LS Rising Parent Meetings

Monday, Feb. 22 PTF Teacher/Staff Appreciation Day

ENRICHMENT Hip Hop Dance

(Grades K-8)

SPORTS Tuesday, Feb. 9 Future Christian Football Stars (Grades 6-9) US Spiritual Renewal Day Friday, Feb. 12 Monday, Feb. 15 Winter Break School Closed Tuesday, Feb. 16 Classes Resume Thursday, Feb. 18 Rising Grade 6 Parent Breakfast

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

www.charlottechristian.com