HICKORY GROVE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
The Pride
“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 VOLUME XI
INSIDE THE PRIDE: Spring Break: at time to relax and travel by Casey Chambers, pg. 2
Senior Pastor Clint Pressley sheds light on the future of the school with a clearly-defined, distinctly-Christian mission in a letter to the HGCS community about the state of the school.
Caitlyn Simmons Opinion Editor
Tuesdays with Hami:
Hickory Grove Christian School, a missional extension of Hickory Grove Baptist Church, strives to keep a Christ-centered focus in and out of the classroom for the 940 students it houses in grades TK-12. Every establishment has its trials, and this Christian school chooses to trust Christ in every challenge and transition.
Discipleship Groups by Tyler Robinson, pg. 3
Student + Job = Difficult but Worthwhile by Nick Beverage, pg. 4
Food for Thought:
A look at the lunch table by Jacob Carte, pg. 4
Grady Little, Big Shot by Ryan Mahone, pg. 5
Beardology 101
by Daniel Cavanaugh, pg. 5
Yearbook Profiles by Matt Ritch, pg. 6
Un-mask the Night:
Prom Photo Essay by Hannah Doby, pg. 6
Senior Athlete Signings
by Dillon Schoolcraft, pg. 7
The Stage is Alive:
Sound of Music Photo Essay by Wesley Smith, pgs. 8-9
A New Era of Spirit:
Buff Puff Photo Essay by Amya’ Gainey, pg. 10-11
College Logo Essay
by Hank Coffey, pg. 12
May 2014
Staying the course
A Challenging Transition by Amya’ Gainey, pg. 3
Issue 2
Therefore, when Head of School GT Freeman resigned on a Wednesday in the middle of February, a letter from Senior pastor Clint pressley came as no surprise when it stated that our efforts to stay focused on the school’s mission “must be the driving force behind everything we do.”
The letter
Freeman’s resignation on February 19th left the school, seemingly, without a leader. But pressley himself took on a greater role, becoming more involved to get an understanding of “where we are, where we should go, and some idea of how we might get there.” pressley quickly met with the faculty and sent out a letter to families to reassure all that “we are on solid ground” and are moving forward in these areas: a more distinctly-Christian Statement of Faith, leadership by pressley and the principals, a school board in place by the end of the summer, the qualities needed for a future Head of School, and cultivating a culture and attitude of service. The purpose of the letter was to provide clarity. “I wanted our Hickory Grove family to know that there is a clear direction, that we are going somewhere and that we are not sitting still; that the original mission is and continues to be carried out even without a
headmaster,” pressley said.
Stricter Discipline?
In the letter, pressley wrote “we have strengthened our approach to discipline, dress code and overall deportment” which raised the question, “Will discipline be stricter?” pressley responded: “When I used the word discipline, I didn’t necessarily mean harsher. What I meant
We desire to produce students who are academically robust, spiritually sturdy and joyfully prepared to live out God’s plan for their lives. was a clearer line of distinction between Hickory Grove Christian than, let’s say, a public school or even a charter school so that we are distinctly Christian.” He continued to expand on the matter, saying he meant it in its purest form. “I’m speaking on the disciplines of our faith, that will then extend and inform how we live our life, so that when you walk on this campus from the beginning to end you know that there is something different about this school.”
Not a Course Adjustment
Even though the letter may have caused some questions to float in the minds of students, parents, and teachers, pressley received a lot of positive feedback from the
Photo by Mike McCarn
Above: Senior Pastor Clint Pressley will lead the school along with administration until a new Head of School is put in place.
letter and did not receive any negative feedback. The majority of the responses were from families who were glad to hear that the school will continue doing the things that they sent their child here to do. pressley wrote in his letter, “We desire to produce students who are academically robust, spiritually sturdy and joyfully prepared to live out God’s plan for their lives,” keeping us on course with the school mission “to know Christ and make Him known through Christian education.” “[The letter] wasn’t a course adjustment; it was a continue to move forward,” pressley explained. To read the letter in full, go to www. hgchristian.org and click on “A Special Word from Clint pressley, Senior pastor” on the homepage.