Standing Ovation

NCCS Student Lindsay Nichols is a Triple Threat

by: Kate Hartley

North Cobb Christian School (NCCS) senior Lindsay Nichols is a triple-threat talent: first chair violinist in Mastery Orchestra, a stunning vocalist with the school’s Academy Singers, and a mainstay in the spring musical. Last spring found her high-flying above the stage as Mary Poppins.

And while God and good genetics are to be acknowledged for her gifts, Nichols credits NCCS for their development. “The arts programs at NCCS have played a crucial role in my musical growth,” she says. “I would not be the musician I am today, nor would I have had such amazing performance opportunities, without this school’s directors and programs.”

Developing students’ love for the arts begins with 3-year-olds at NCCS, with students in preschool through fourth grade enjoying weekly music class, chapel worship, and seasonal plays and performances, in addition to private lessons in guitar, piano and voice. In fifth through eighth grade, students participate in band, orchestra, visual art, chorus, photography, videography, and theater. In high school, students can audition for the Academy of the Arts, a deep-diving arts magnet program with tracks in vocal, visual, instrumental and theatrical studies.

The school’s annual spring musical brings together all four arts Academies, with visual artists making impressive sets, vocal and theater students comprising the cast, and instrumentalists performing in the orchestra pit. Last spring, Mary Poppins landed the NCCS orchestra with a Shuler Hensley nomination — the most prestigious honor given to Georgia high school musical theater.

“Any family interested in music or the arts would find a perfect fit at NCCS,” concludes Nichols. “This school is the perfect place to explore and build on God-given talents, providing me with memories I’ll cherish long after graduation.”

Scan the code or visit bit.ly/nccsmusicvideo to watch the NCCS Academy Singers latest music video!

Tour North Cobb Christian School: info@ncchristian.org, 770-975-0252, ncchristian.org.

Founded in Faith

In 2012, two mothers wanted to provide their dyslexic children with a specialized education in a Christian setting. GRACEPOINT School began with four students and has steadily grown to an enrollment of more than 135 students in grades one through eight.

GRACEPOINT Mission

The mission is to equip dyslexic students with the skills needed to develop into independent and con dent learners. They strive to instill a life-long desire for their students to grow in wisdom and knowledge of the Lord, so each will ful ll God’s purpose and bring Him glory.

Nationally Accredited by AOGPE

GRACEPOINT’s instructional program is 1 of only 20 programs in the nation to be accredited by the Academy of Orton Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. After completing remediation, students transition to area public and private schools.

Small Classes, Big Impact

GRACEPOINT utilizes the Orton-Gillingham method, a multisensory approach woven into all subject areas. Their students receive seventy- ve minutes of explicit reading instruction daily by a certi ed Orton-Gillingham teacher. The student / teacher ratio for reading is 5:1, while all other core subjects have a student / teacher ratio of 8:1.

GRACEPOINT School Prepares for a Home of Its Own

GRACEPOINT School was founded in Cobb County in 2012. Through the faith and effort of 2 determined mothers, this private Christian School for dyslexic learners has become a saving grace to over 300 families in our community. Curriculum is designed around the dyslexic brain, remediating areas of weakness while enriching and accelerating the individual student’s Godgiven strengths and gifts. By helping students and their families understand that dyslexia is not a disability to overcome but a learning difference to embrace, this quickly growing school is changing lives and restoring hope to future leaders of our community.

Now in its 11th year, GRACEPOINT school has reached full capacity in our current facility on the campus of Piedmont Church. In response to this growth, GRACEPOINT purchased the MUST Ministries building located at 1407 Cobb Parkway in April 2022. This 30,000-square-foot building is double the size of the present facility. It will allow GRACEPOINT to serve up to 50% more dyslexic students who could benefit from this life-changing specialized Christian education.

Renovation will occur during the summer and fall of 2023, with a projected opening in January 2024. GRACEPOINT’s new home will provide students and staff with many improvements including larger classrooms, an indoor recreation gym, a news-technology lab, a designated lunch area, and two science labs. The support of Cobb County businesses is vital to the growth and development of GRACEPOINT school. For information on supporting this essential resource for children in our community, contact Ed Lindekugel, Director of Advancement at 678-709-6634 or ed.lindekugel@ gracepointschool.org.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of Chattahoochee Technical College opening its first campus. The college began with one building in 1963 for 120 students at the colleges current 980 South Cobb Drive location in Marietta, which is approximately two miles south of the Marietta Square.

The evolution of Chattahoochee Tech over the past 60 years has been grounded in dynamic enrollment for programs of study designed to meet Georgias workforce needs. The college awards certificates, diplomas and associate degrees in more than 50 programs of study linked to the states fastest-growing, high-demand career fields. Students can transition easily from local high schools into the college and, if desired, on to four-year colleges.

Chattahoochee Tech is now the largest technical college in the state with campuses in Cobb, Bartow, Cherokee, Paulding and Pickens counties. Three of the Chattahoochee Tech campuses are located in Cobb County. The Chattahoochee Tech Marietta Campus continues to have the colleges largest campus enrollment each semester. Popular areas of study at the Marietta Campus include Practical Nursing, Dental Assisting, Phlebotomy Technician, Medical Assisting and Health Care Management. These programs are housed in the colleges 71,716-square-foot Health Science building, which features Technology Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL) classrooms and dedicated labs for anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics and physiology. The Marietta Campus is also home to Associate of Applied Science degree programs in Cybersecurity, Computer Programming, and Web Application Development, as well as degree programs in Accounting, Business Technology, Marketing Management, Early Childhood Care & Education, Automotive Technology and Criminal Justice Technology.

In East Cobb, the Chattahoochee Tech Mountain View Campus is located off Shallowford Road next to the Mountain View Aquatic Center. Popular programs of study based at this campus include Film and Video Production Technology, along with Design and Media Production Technology. Graduates of these programs may apply their skills in the states robust film and television industry. In South Cobb, the colleges Austell Campus is located on Veterans Memorial Parkway, with convenient access to I-285. This campus has a major focus on continuing education courses and professional development training offered through the colleges Office of Economic Development.

“Chattahoochee Tech students are gaining the skills and experience they need in programs of study that prepare them to become part of todays essential workforce,” said Chattahoochee Tech President Dr. Newcomb. “We are very proud of the fact that our graduates are meeting the demand from local employers for highly skilled employees to fill well-paying jobs available now in our community.”

A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Chattahoochee Tech provides students with an excellent, easily accessible college education at a fraction of the cost of other area colleges and universities. The college also offers customized workforce training, continuing education classes, and adult education programs that include free GED and HiSET preparation classes.

More information is available at www.ChattahoocheeTech.edu.