Fall 2022 Impact Magazine

FALL 2022

MISSION

Legacy Christian Academy develops strong leaders with biblical convictions who are equipped to succeed in college and beyond.

We accomplish this mission through a balanced approach that honors and upholds:

Challenging academics

Competitive athletics

Positive mentoring relationships

Covenant partnerships with Christian families

Legacy Christian Academy will be the school of choice for committed Christian families in North Texas who desire the best Christcentered education for their children.

Board of Trustees

To view our new Relationships video, scan the QR code above.

Impact, the magazine of Legacy Christian Academy, is published once per year.

We encourage readers to submit feedback, story ideas, and photos to communications@legacyca.com.

It is the policy of LCA to maintain a school environment that is free from discrimination and to conduct its educational practices, admissions program, financial aid policies, hiring, and other school-administrative programs on the basis of an individual’s qualifications and abilities. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (unless it is required as a bona fide occupational qualification), sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law, unless a particular status protected by federal, state, or local laws contradict the deeply held religious convictions of LCA.

Contents

Message from Board Chair: Brad Brenneman 4 2021-2022 Revenue and Expenses 6

Message from the Annual Fund Chairs: Ronnie and Berkley Berry 8 Annual Report 2021-2022 10 Game Day Ready 16

Relationships- Doing Life Together 20

A Spiritual Journey 24

Unexpected: A Story of Hope and Community 26 Love on a Leash 28

The Guidance Department 32

Kingdom Impact: Mike Hall 36 Bill McGee: Retiring a Legacy 44

Legacy’s First Legacies 46 Legacy Night 2022 48

LEAD Legacy: Developing Servant Leaders 50

Welcome to the Board: Brad Struck 53

Early Learning Campus: New Campus, Same Mission, One Legacy 54

Growing Together With a New Head of School 56

The AARK Program: Channeling Creativity 58

Mary Poppins: A Soaring Success 62

LCA Alumni: The Class of 2022 Is All Moved In! 66

Upper School Girls Athletics: A Season of Success 70

Swish! Basketball Teams Serve at My Friends House 74

Kara Hermogeno: Commissioned as a Colson Fellow 76

A Fond Farewell from Bill McGee 78

A Last Word from the Head of School 80

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF TRUSTEES

DEAR FELLOW LEGACY FAMILIES,

On behalf of all of our Trustees, I extend our heartfelt THANK YOU for answering the call to support the vision espoused by our founding families more than 20 years ago — that LCA is and would always be the school of choice for committed Christian families in North Texas who seek the best Christ-centered education for their children.

It has been a privilege for Leanne and me to be a part of the Legacy community for 14 years, forming lifelong friendships for ourselves and our children. We’ve been blessed to have had three of them graduate from LCA — Abbi (`17), Jonathan (`20), and Matt (`22).

Over the years, we’ve experienced firsthand what LCA does best: Through an outstanding academic program and genuine, meaningful personal relationships, the school inspires and equips humble, curious, confident, serviceminded followers of Christ to excel in college and beyond.

This Annual Report on Philanthropy recognizes and celebrates those who have played an integral role in LCA’s growth and development. We, the Board of Trustees, realize that nothing our school accomplishes would be possible without the generosity and spirit of our Legacy families, grandparents, and friends who support our philanthropic efforts, and serve faithfully and sacrificially in a myriad of other ways. This show of community has been uniquely vital over the past few years, as it enabled us to invest significant resources in additional Indexed Tuition funds, faculty support, security, technology, athletic and fine art program enhancements, curriculum investments, and campus renovations. You have also equipped us to continue to expand the Legacy mission and community with the addition of the Early Learning Campus, a new vital piece of our growing community. Further, your generosity provides our Board with vital encouragement and momentum as we pursue key priorities to continue to enable LCA to achieve our mission, furthering God’s Kingdom.

Legacy Christian Academy is thriving. Our Head of School, faculty, staff, and members of the Board are all deeply committed to our mission, and I’m confident that Legacy Christian Academy will continue to flourish.

In closing, I want to say thank you for your philanthropic support, enthusiasm for our mission, heart for the Lord’s work, and commitment to our students and their education. We are very, very grateful.

Sincerely,

Brad Brenneman Chairman, Board of Trustees

SALARIES & BENEFITS

DEAR LEGACY FAMILY,

We consider everyone at LCA to be family. It’s the place where our daughter learns from caring teachers and staff, participates in an array of activities, and meets her closest friends. It’s also where we’ve found a community of friends we love doing life with because we hold the same ideals and values.

Legacy has gone through a tremendous period of growth, and it’s amazing to see how God’s Kingdom is advancing in Frisco, Texas. Legacy has become a premier destination for families who want to make an extra investment in their children by providing them with an exemplary education that’s grounded in the Word of God. We’re blessed to have the faculty, facilities, and faith that Legacy offers not only to our children but to us as parents as well.

With exponential growth comes increased needs for investments such as security, technology, staff development, facility renovations, and indexed tuition funds. As your Stronger Together Fund chairs, we’re asking that you invest above and beyond to make LCA an educational setting that’s even bigger and better than what we enjoy today.

We know it’s a big ask. We all pay tuition, but although that covers the school’s operational expenses, it doesn’t cover the cost of enhancements to the facilities and programs we all want to keep LCA on the cutting edge.

Last year the LCA staff reached 100 percent participation and contributed $40,000; our parent community achieved 48 percent participation with contributions totaling more than $2 million. We boldly ask for 100 percent parent

participation and that you pray about what God is calling you to give to fund the advancement of the school for your children and for the ones who will follow. As 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Our hope is that all of you will help to make this year’s Stronger Together Fund the most successful one to date.

We believe God’s hand is in all we do at Legacy and we, together with our outstanding faculty and staff, are raising children who will go on to college, the workforce, volunteer opportunities, and relationships sharing the goodness of God. We’re preparing children for college and beyond with an eternal perspective. We’re honored and grateful that we get to walk alongside you while we continue to support Legacy Christian Academy as a very special place, a light in the world and a city on a hill, for present and future Eagles.

Stronger Together,

ANNUAL FUND ENHANCEMENTS

Early Learning Campus Updates

CAMPUS IMPACT

“When we decided to send our three-year-old to LCA, we knew she would be surrounded by people who loved her and would take great care of her. We’re confident and trusting in our school’s daily operations and its protocols to keep her absolutely safe while she’s away from us. Officer Chris always has a presence on campus and never misses a drop-off or a pickup, times when our staff and children are very visible to passersby. That’s always comforting. From secure man traps to locked doors 24/7, I know everything is being done to ensure the safety of every person on the ELC campus.”

—Bailey and Justin Watson, LCA Parents

CAMPUS IMPACT

“Legacy made a lot of wonderful improvements to our newly acquired Early Learning Campus to make it ready for our little Eagles. We replaced the gravel on the playground with turf, classrooms and hallways got a fresh coat of paint, and our children are enjoying hands-on learning opportunities in our new tech and science labs. Cameras have been installed in the hallways and outside of our building and other security enhancements have been made to help ensure the safety of our campus.”

—Tiffany McCollum, Early Learning Campus Principal

ANNUAL FUND ENHANCEMENTS

Indexed Tuition

More Than $1.6 million in Indexed Tuition Funds

Legacy’s Indexed Tuition program enables students from various socioeconomic backgrounds to benefit from a Christian education.

1 in 8 students benefits from Indexed Tuition Average award: $9,830

Almost 50 percent of IT applicants were awarded an Indexed Tuition rate

CAMPUS IMPACT

“Thanks to the support and generosity of the LCA Indexed Tuition program, our family was blessed with financial relief: we were able to enroll both of our kids when we may not have been able to afford to without it. LCA has been a blessing to our family and our children’s education. The Lord opened the doors of this school for our children and showed us the meaning of a Christian foundation. We will forever be grateful to our LCA family.”

—Anonymous LCA Parent

CAMPUS IMPACT

“The Indexed Tuition program has been an amazing blessing to my family. My son is receiving a top-notch, God-centered education surrounded by teachers and staff who care about him and his future.”

—Anonymous LCA Parent

ANNUAL FUND ENHANCEMENTS

Christmas Blessing

CAMPUS IMPACT

“Our lives and the lives of our twins, Kendall and Carson, have been blessed beyond measure by the faculty and staff at LCA. The Christmas Blessing is the easiest donation decision we make all year. We know the countless hours these teachers give of themselves to make sure students are in the very best Christian learning environment possible. We’re thankful for the way each of them has touched and shaped the lives of our kids and their futures. We feel blessed in every way by their unselfish devotion, and giving back in the form of the Christmas Blessing is very fulfilling and rewarding for our family. Merry Christmas to all!”

—Julie and Patrick Droesch PAC ’22, Trustee

Project Lead the Way (PLTW)/ VEX Robotics

CAMPUS IMPACT

“As engineers, we see the need to help change the workforce pipeline in STEM to meet the urgent need for Christcentered engagement and leadership in the fastest-growing sector of the U.S. economy. We’re excited about the new STEM initiative at Legacy and look forward to seeing what difference LCA students can make in our world.”

—Charlyn

and Jake Plunk PAC ’22

ANNUAL FUND ENHANCEMENTS

CAMPUS IMPACT

“VEX Robotics is an educational design that gives students ownership over their learning. Robotics is not only the future; it’s also the present. Robotics can boost student engagement and motivation, make it possible for them to capitalize on their strengths, and enable them to meet their learning needs. Beyond science, engineering, and technology principles, robotics encourage creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, innovation, leadership, and communication skills. The goal is to develop student teams that will take part in a variety of competitions, and become future-ready for the workplace.”

—James More, Upper School Teacher

CAMPUS IMPACT

“Project Lead the Way is a curriculum framework that uses the Activity, Project, ProBlem–based model of instruction to provide students with hands-on experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. PLTW is not the only curriculum for Lower School students — it’s part of the overall academic program, which includes VEX and tech apps and lessons on digital citizenship. One of the reasons LCA utilizes the PLTW curriculum for all of its students is that it teaches valuable skills in such areas as communication, teamwork, computer work, problem-solving, and organization. These are skills employers look for in job candidates.”

—Victor Rodriguez Santiago, Lower School Teacher

GAME DAY READY

The Game Day Ready initiative seeks to improve LCA Athletics’ structures, surfaces, and technologies. Through donor investments, we’ll center our work on significant improvements to a variety of spaces, among them Comstock Field, the fieldhouse, the Upper School gym, the Jay Allison Baseball Field, and the softball field. Over the past year, you’ve helped us raise more than $1.34M in support of the Game Day Ready initiative. Phase 1 of this multiphase initiative needs just an additional $375,000 to be completed.

Fieldhouse Renovation

CAMPUS IMPACT

“I’ve played football at Legacy for six years and have naturally spent a lot of time in and out of the fieldhouse. The recent remodeling has blown me away. The changes to the locker room are incredible, we now have a meeting space, and everything feels much more open and organized. It means the world to me, especially that money was raised for the football team to receive such a gift. The entire team could never say enough thanks for this amazing space.”

—Kisor Walters ’23, Football Player

Comstock Field Turf Replacement

CAMPUS IMPACT

“Since the new turf has been installed, there’s been a spark throughout the football program. Everyone is excited and pumped to be playing on the new Comstock Field. It makes for a new beginning in the football program, and we’re all appreciative of the work done so we could play on it right now. The new turf isn’t as hot as what we had before, which means players don’t become dehydrated during practice, and it will keep us cooler and fresh every day for our games, too. The turf is also known to minimize injuries — which will be a changemaker during a long season.”

—Wes Norris ’24, Football Player

CAMPUS IMPACT

“Over the summer, new turf was installed on Comstock Field, for use by the football team and players of other sports. We practiced all over the place for a couple of weeks as we waited patiently for it. We didn’t know what it would look like; all we had was a vague description from our coach. The first day on the new turf was everything we’d hoped for. The color coordination and the eagle in the middle of the field really brought everything together. We started off the season with a bang: The stands were packed for the shutout win against HSAA. The turf is a huge blessing.”

—Jack Hanes ’23, Football Player

CAMPUS IMPACT

“When I found out we were getting new turf, I was extremely excited. I remember walking the turf for the first time with the seniors and Coach Page and talking about our goals for soccer this year. So far, I’ve noticed a couple of things about the new turf that have been beneficial. First, it’s a lot cooler than the old one. Second, it doesn’t stick to our clothing and gear. Now we can fall on the turf and stand up without hundreds of pellets on our clothing. I look forward to enjoying the new turf with the future state champs!”

—Luke Hanes ’23,

CAMPUS IMPACT

“It’s been exciting to have a renovated locker room and the new turf on the football field. We’re grateful for the generous donations that made these possible. We feel greatly appreciated, and we all feel extra motivation to perform well. The new turf has been amazing in reducing our injuries and turf burns. We’ve begun new traditions, and the facility improvements have started to form our new identity.”

—Kaiden York ’23,

CAMPUS IMPACT

“There are many positive aspects of the new turf: for example, it’s safer than the old one, cooler to play on, and has a more appealing appearance. It also demonstrates to current and prospective LCA students and students from other schools that LCA is implementing the best technology to make its facilities outstanding. In fact, every time I walk on that turf, I’m proud to be an LCA student-athlete. Go Eagles!”

—Abby Gleason ’23,

Upper School Gym Video Scoreboards

CAMPUS IMPACT

“Videoboards bring a professional atmosphere to sports, and our studentathletes are even more proud to be part of a school with so much team spirit. It’s extremely important to provide opportunities for our students to experience environments that inspire them to achieve their goals, and videoboards add a sophisticated flavor to this process.”

—Luiz Lima, Volleyball Head Coach

Softball Pitching Machine

CAMPUS IMPACT

“When the pitching machine arrived, I was very excited. Before, we could practice hitting only off the coaches pitching to us, which didn’t compare to the pitching we were seeing in games. The new machine enables us to hit faster, more accurate pitches and get ourselves ready to face the best in the state. We were able to practice our timing and get acclimated to faster speeds, which ultimately helped us win the State championship.”

—Lynlee Kennedy ’25,

RELATIONSHIPS

DOING LIFE TOGETHER

Building relationships begins even before a student applies to LCA. Our admissions coordinators are available to families when they’re researching Legacy.

For many parents, the first Legacy relationship is with these coordinators, who shepherd them through the process. Then, during a tour of the campus, families get a more in-depth look at the relationships that exist in the classroom and among colleagues. Many of them will be guided by a parent in the Parent Ambassador program.

Prospective students in sixth through 11th grade can experience a day in the life of an LCA student during a “shadow day,” spent with a student in the same grade. That’s an early relationship. Families also meet with either the divisional leaders or a program director, and strong connections are often formed during that interview (see Katherine Onstead’s testimony on page 43). In these first few encounters, families get a sense of the community that is the essence of LCA.

Switching schools can be a stressful time for students and their families. The Collins family was considering moving their three boys to Legacy (entering grades 7, 10, and 12). During the family interview, her oldest son, Gabe (’21), was somewhat aloof (to say

the least). He sat with his arms crossed, and his body language practically screamed that he didn’t want to make the move to Legacy for his senior year. After all, he played basketball, and didn’t want to leave his friends and teammates.

Andrea Collins remembers Athletic Director Cole Johnson not only taking note but also taking action.

“Cole just looked over at Gabe, and he was clearly sizing him up,” Mrs. Collins says. “Cole said, ‘You’re tough. A tough nut to crack.’” Though Gabe wasn’t immediately onboard, he was disarmed, and began

to open up to the possibility of coming to LCA. Right then and there, Gabe and Coach Johnson formed a tenuous bond, and when Gabe agreed to come to LCA, that bond continued to strengthen that entire year, and Coach Johnson was alongside him when he signed his letter of intent to play basketball in college.

The Collins family came from another Christian school, and Mrs. Collins says that for her family, connections were formed substantially quicker and felt more genuine. “In the Legacy community,” she says, “there are so many ways to get

Gabe Collins signs his NLI with Cole Johnson and his family by his side

Relationships are the lifeblood of Legacy Christian Academy.

They run deep. They’re an unwavering source of support and encouragement to students and their families every step of the way to graduation. They share in the joyful moments — and they’re there when you most desperately need them.

RELATIONSHIPS — DOING LIFE TOGETHER

connected and invested; they seek you out.

The grade-level coordinators plan summer events not only to get the new students introduced, but also to get the rest of the class together to forge deeper friendships.”

She feels more relaxed, and that she can just be herself. “The focus,” she says, “is on who you are as a person. When we decided to bring the boys to Legacy, we agreed to the covenant partnership. In some ways, it almost feels like co-parenting. We really trust that our boys are being nurtured at school the same way they would be at home, and that’s huge.”

The teachers at Legacy describe a level of intentionality in forming and building relationship with their students. This bonds them with students in a variety of ways, and it extends beyond the subject matter. Mr. Keyes’s science classroom is unlike any other. Memories and his personality permeate the room — from the famous silhouettes lining each wall, to his high school basketball team jerseys proudly hung throughout the room, to the photos of family, friends, and former students on display on every shelf. During curriculum night, one parent observed 18 notecards with the letter K dangling from his whiteboard. “That was when Blair Ehmer (’25) had 18 strikeouts in one game,” says Mr. Keyes, smiling proudly. “It was awesome. I’ll never forget that game, so I put those up there to celebrate it.”

The goal for Mr. Keyes, who teaches science in the Upper School, has always been to have a lasting, positive impact on his students. To that end, he thinks building relationships with them is paramount. To start, he likes to spark their curiosity. “Fireballs are always fun,” he says with a chuckle. “I mean, they’re great at getting people’s attention.”

But he says he forms the strongest connections when he and his students do life together.

That means dedicating much of his personal time to investing in them. Whether they’re after school or on weekends, he says, “all these cool things take place,” he says. “We have ball games and concerts and plays and musicals.

I still get a kick out of watching and participating with students — it’s just fun to me.” By investing in the students, he believes he’ll be able to have the greatest

impact on them, and that’s the reason he got into education in the first place. Even after 36 years, he’s delighted to come to work every day.

Another Upper School science teacher, Mrs. Ladd, appreciates the value of intentionality with her students. Mrs. Ladd grew a significant connection with her first advisory group, who just graduated last spring. She was matched with this group of nine girls when they were freshmen, and admittedly, she says, when the group first came together, it was a curious mixture of personalities. Over time and with diligence, she says, they tore down walls and built trust and love for one another. She refers to “my girls” as Ladd’s Angels, and they called her “Mama Ladd.”

Mrs. Ladd was a trusted confidante, and they knew she would always shoot straight with them. “The Lord has laid it on my heart,” Mrs. Ladd says, “not only to teach, but also to lead. I do it with absolute humility and honor.” Mrs. Ladd also supports her students outside of the classroom. “If you’re not intentional,” she says, “it’s very hard to be relational.”

Ladds Angels (left to right) Katie Pelham, Cianna Cesare, Mrs. Ladd, Tatum Plunk, Rachel Resch, Keeley Briggs, Haley Phillips, Lauren Burns, Kennedy Parker, and Olivia Clayton

Mr. Keyes and Blair Ehmer snap a quick selfie in his classroom

Third-grade teacher Ivy Adair Taylor is a Legacy alumna herself (Class of 2016), and the relationships she built during her time as a student and now as a teacher continue to fill her cup. Though she says she had “so many fantastic teachers” at Legacy, she credits Mrs. Mayberry, who was her third-grade teacher, with many of the teaching secrets she employs in her own third-grade classroom. “The way she talked to you was just so unarming,” Miss Taylor says. “You came into class and you felt relaxed.”

Miss Taylor’s academic life. Miss Taylor struggled with ADHD as a child, and, she says, “Mrs. Mayberry was the one who saw those signs. My whole perspective changed because of her support. She found ways to engage me that made sense to my brain. She had a tremendous impact on me then as a student and she really helped shape me as a teacher.”

Mrs. Mayberry would tell stories in fun accents that made the tales more interesting, Miss Taylor recalls fondly, and distributed Hershey’s Kisses on test days, calling them “brain food.” Miss Taylor employs those same techniques now that she’s a teacher.

“It’s fulfilling to see them doing what they’re passionate about outside of the classroom. I like to show up for my students — it’s important that they see I support them in everything they do, that it’s not just about English and math.”

Though the teachers at LCA look for opportunities to pour into the relationships they have with students and their families, they get to feel the love and support reciprocated on their end as well. Mr. Black, who teaches freshman English, is new to Legacy this year. He says he has witnessed firsthand the power of the community and the relationships at Legacy, even in just three short months. Mr. Black let his students know that his mother-in-law was recently diagnosed with cancer. “You can see the mindset that these Legacy students have,” says Mr. Black.

“They’ve learned not to think primarily of themselves but to put others first. It’s been wonderful to see and I hope to be a

Rooted in the Word and love of Christ, we travel hand in hand, raising up the next generation of leaders. Celeste Cordon, a Pre-K 3 teacher, perhaps says it best: “Legacy is a community that rallies around one another. If there’s adversity,

(left to right) Brooke McNeely, Charlotte Pattee, Miss Taylor, Ashlynn McNeely, Caroline Pattee, Alyssa Howard

Ivy Adair Taylor as a 3rd grader at Legacy

Mrs. Cordon (left) and Mrs. Owens embrace their new Pre-K 3 student Palmer Maynard

A Spiritual Journey RELATIONSHIPS

Recently, Kadynce Matsuoka ’24 was baptized in front of a packed sanctuary at Providence Church in Frisco. She was supported by her family, many of her close friends, and several Legacy staff, and even fellow Legacy student Ashley Webb ’24, who was baptized that same day.

Not all roads to baptism are smoothly paved, and Kadynce’s took some detours. She recalls attending church starting around the fifth grade, while living in California. She says she never felt connected to the people or to the material being taught. It felt like a waste of time, she says, and lacked any depth. She says she considered the heart of the people to be shallow, and it all felt like a big facade: people seemed to go to church because they were “supposed to.”

Two years ago, her family moved to Texas, she found her home at Legacy, and her world hasn’t been the same since.

Her first Bible class, as a 9th-grader, was biblical culture shock, she says, as they dove right into Judges, which is a heavy book even for a scholar. “I remember thinking How much do I not know?” she says now. She remembers feeling somewhat mortified but also mildly intrigued. Let’s face it, moving from California to Texas brings culture shock in general, but when you throw a biblical shock on top of that, it can be, well, shocking. Kadynce sharing her testimony before being baptized

Every year, dozens of Legacy students make the monumental decision to commit their lives to Christ and show this symbolically by being baptized. Some people make this commitment in front of just their family, some do it with a small group of friends and loved ones.

They just had more depth,” she says. “I saw more compassion, a greater heart for people, and people who knew how to be kind and care for one another. I saw that firsthand at Legacy.”

Kadynce also began to grow by leaps and bounds in her faith. At about the midpoint of her 9th-grade year, she recognized that she had developed a strong desire to know more. She was invited to a Bible study, where, she says, “the sense of community showed me that Christ was working and moving through me — putting me where I was supposed to be.”

Kadynce had the first of many spiritual breakthroughs after Revive Week in her freshman year. She had been hardened and guarded before coming to Legacy, but throughout that week, she says, she felt “God continue to break down the walls” she had been building to protect herself. She walked out of the auditorium after the final worship service of the week and was overcome with emotion. She encountered Mrs. Hermogeno out in the hall, and though they’d never met, Mrs. Hermogeno began to pray over Kadynce, and asked her why she was so stirred.

That vulnerability enabled these two strangers to bond in a way that couldn’t have been predicted. And that bond endures: Mrs. Hermogeno was at Kadynce’s baptism and with joy refers to Kadynce as “my girl.”

start taking some pretty big steps toward change. She discovered her drive to minister to other people as she joined both the Worship Team and the Spiritual Formation Team in LEAD Legacy. She wants to be a part of the community she’s found and also to give back. She wants to offer encouragement and bring classmates under her wing so they can learn and grow together.

After attending a sermon on baptism last summer, Kadynce knew it was something she wanted to do. She was ready to participate in the outward symbol of her inward devotion to Jesus, and once she was in, she was all in. She began inviting influential teachers and tons of Legacy students. She was overwhelmed at the number of people who showed up for her, but they’d been showing up for her ever since she came to Texas.

Though she remembers the challenge of getting to that point, the reality has set in that what she does now is what’s most important and the most frightening. Kadynce knows God has been working within her all along. She’s grateful and humbled, she says, that the students and teachers at Legacy have poured into her.

The road for Kadynce is now clear to have an impact on the world for Christ.

Mrs. Hermogeno has recently been commissioned as a Colson fellow. To read her story, see page 76.

RELATIONSHIPS

UNEXPECTED:

A Story of Hope and Community

It was just an ordinary Friday night for Karin and Brian Proctor. They were on their way home from a dinner celebrating birthdays with a group of Legacy friends. It was just a quick ride, as they lived just a few miles from where they had dined. As they approached a traffic circle they’d driven countless times, they came upon a stopped truck. Brian pulled his truck in behind it, and he and Karin continued to chat about their evening as they waited for the driver of the stopped truck to start moving. Brian flashed his lights.

What happened next is unimaginable.

“I looked and I saw the whole back window go down,” says Karin. “It was pure blackness. I felt like I could see evil pour out of the truck, like it was coming in waves.” She remembers two flashes of light. Flashes from a gun. And Brian had been hit. Karin immediately began tending to him. Suddenly, she heard the Holy Spirit say, “You’ve got to get down.” Just as she shifted back to her side of the couple’s truck, two more bullets whizzed by. Then two more. The shooters fired a total of six bullets into the Proctors’ truck before they sped off into the night. They were out to kill, steal, and destroy.

As soon as Karin realized the shooting had stopped, she looked at her husband again and saw the blood. She immediately began to pray. As she prayed, the bleeding ceased. Their Heavenly Father was protecting the Proctors that night, and when they reflect on that harrowing experience, despite the terror and the chaos, they both distinctly remember feeling a sense of profound peace. Karin recalled Psalm 29:11 — “The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”

The damage to Brian’s truck was extensive

Karin’s strongest testimony from this ordeal: “Jesus takes our prayers and intercedes for us. He brings them to the Father,” she says. The power of prayer can never be overstated. The Legacy community, likewise, is a powerful force. God is always moving in our lives, and “that night,” Karin said, “God really showed off the strength of the Legacy community, in every detail.”

From the instant the shots rang out, God protected the Proctors and put the Legacy community in place to come to the aid of the couple. A Legacy teacher lived just a few blocks away and when she heard the shots, she immediately began praying for whomever was involved in the shooting. She had no idea it was the Proctors. Karin texted the group they had just met for dinner: “Please pray, Brian has been shot.” One of their friends immediately called Karin and was a mighty prayer warrior for her. Then, as she waited with Brian in the ambulance, Karin glanced out the window and saw two of the LCA men they had just had dinner with. They had broken through the police line and were standing at the scene, sentries at the ready.

Another Legacy friend came to the emergency room and persuaded hospital staff to allow her into Brian’s room. Without hesitation, she grasped his bloodstained hand and told him, “We’re praying for you.” A Legacy dad who happens to be a doctor was called shortly after the incident. He threw on a pair of scrubs, grabbed his medical I.D., and left home for the hospital. He was able to make several quick and informed decisions that likely prevented permanent damage to Brian’s elbow.

Karin vividly remembers walking into a waiting room full of friends and receiving a strong hug from one Legacy dad, who said, “We’re all here for you.” The friends gathered in a circle and a dad said, “Let me pray.”

God was present in even the seemingly smallest of details. Brian was moved to room 777, a number that represents the perfectness of the Trinity, symbolizes angels, and signifies God acknowledging our faith in him. The next morning, when Karin came back to the hospital, she was greeted with “Hey, don’t I know you?” by the trauma surgeon who was there to perform Brian’s surgery. You guessed it, another Legacy dad.

The Legacy community was everywhere, and supported the Proctor family in all sorts of ways. “Every need, before we could even think of it, was being met within our Legacy community,” Karin says. There were countless hospital visits from LCA friends, faculty, and staff who were ready to pray for and help the family. The Proctors’ three kids, who were at the time 8, 10, and 12, were swept up and taken to the rock-climbing gym, or a play, or the movies, and all at just the right time. Even a simple gesture like bringing smoothies to the hospital boosted their spirits.

“They just met us with open hands,” marvels Karin. “‘How can we serve you and bless you?’ they wanted to know.” Every member of the Proctor family felt gently covered in love and prayers by the Legacy community.

It’s been more than 4 years since the shooting, and Brian’s elbow has mended well — perhaps miraculously well. The scar on his elbow from the bullet remains, but that scar reminds Brian and Karin of the love they experienced from God — and the Legacy community.

*If you would like to learn more about the Proctors story, they are happy to share their testimony.

ON A LEASH

Last spring, Legacy added two very special members to the counseling staff, and they answer to the names Annie Snyder and Shepherd Snear. They stand out in the crowd, with their fluffy, wagging tails and their cheerful dispositions. You really can’t help but smile when you see them walking happily through the halls. Annie and Shep (as he prefers to be called) are part of an exciting new therapy-dog program called Love on a Leash.

The idea was born in 2018, when our community experienced the unexpected passing of a student. Following this tragedy, Legacy brought in two licensed therapy dogs to help students process their feelings and grief. Jena Snyder saw firsthand the power of the therapy dog: “There was a student crying clear across the library,” she says, “and the therapy dog sweetly stopped what it was doing and walked over to the student, who began to smile through the tears. It was beautiful and so desperately needed.”

Though the dogs were here only temporarily, just their presence did a world of good, and the need for a schoolwide initiative became apparent.

Annie brings a smile to Zach Fleiner (’26)

Research has found that therapy dogs provide not only emotional support, but also cognitive, physical, and social benefits.

One day Mrs. Snyder and Dr. Snear met just as they normally would, and their conversation naturally drifted to a therapy-dog program. Dr. Snear had been considering it for some time and Mrs. Snyder had already seen the impact. Mrs. Snyder remembers the two of them thinking, “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could bring that to Legacy?”

After much animated discussion, they knew it was time to “hire” some therapy canines. They talked with the school’s administrators and were ready to take the next step, which meant finding just the right dogs for the job. Mini Goldendoodles were identified as the ideal breed for this type of work because

of their easygoing temperament and hypoallergenic and non-shedding coat. Mrs. Snyder began praying for the right match for herself and soon found Annie, and Dr. Snear found her match in Shep.

Make no mistake, therapy dogs work hard, and so do their handlers. It all starts with the proper training, for both handler and dog. Annie and Shep, along with the two counselors, took three six-week courses

Shep visits with Victoriah (’27) in Dr. Snears office

Mrs. Bales can’t resist taking a break to bond with Shep

at What a Great Dog. “Shep knows he’s going to ‘work’ when we put on his vest,” says Dr. Snear. “He knows playtime is over until that vest comes off and he’s off the clock. We have to do that anytime he’s training or when working with students.”

After completing this initial series, which was 18 weeks of courses and countless hours of practice and training outside of class, the pairs passed the first test and earned their Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certificates. But Shep and Annie weren’t ready to become therapy dogs just yet. Next, they each had to complete a course through a certified therapy dog training program. For Shep, it was through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs; Annie worked through her coursework with Therapy Dogs International. At the culmination of the course, each dog/handler pair had

TESTIMONIAL

to take another test. “There’s a lot on the line with the testing,” says Dr. Snear. “I mean, there was a lot of pressure on both me and Shep.” The test is often taken at an unfamiliar site, which adds to the difficulty, as a therapy-dog-in-training

must demonstrate adaptability and an even temperament in a new environment. Therapy dogs need to be ready for situations that can be unpredictable, and preparedness and practice are key to being able to do their jobs correctly.

I absolutely LOVE pulling up to the Early Learning Center at school drop-off and seeing Mrs. Gordon by the front door with sweet Shepherd. The kiddos’ faces light up as they gather round and get some love from the dog on the way into school. My twins are excited to get out of the car, and seeing Shep starts their day off in a great way. I also have a Kindergartner, in the Lower School, and he equally enjoys these days. Shepherd visits the classrooms and teachers and staff and warms everyone’s heart and brings a smile. I got some time with Shep when I was helping out in the copy room, and he made my day!

My kiddos struggle with some social anxiety coming out of the pandemic and I’m sure we’re not the only ones going through some emotions. It’s getting better as time goes on, but I know Shepherd’s visits help on this front. This, along with the love and joy the program spreads through the school, is heartwarming. I’m so thankful that our children are at a school that has a unique program like this and does everything to pour into our kids — not just educationally, religiously, and in character building, but also emotionally.

—Brittany Pearson

From the time the counselors first adopted Shep and Annie to the time they were ready to start working with students was just over two years. Working toward a therapy-dog certification is a labor of love for both the dogs and their handlers, but the rewards are immense. Kristin Gordon, our counselor at the Early Learning Campus and in the Lower School, has also earned a handler’s certification and is working with Shep until her young pup, Moses, can complete his certification.

Shep and Annie initially came to campus just once a week but have now transitioned to twice per week. Shep visits the Early Learning Campus with Mrs. Gordon one day a week, then the pair head to the Lower School that same day. The days when Shep comes to campus are noticeably brighter for everyone, from the students to the staff. Shep even works the carline in the morning with Mrs. Gordon.

Annie pops over for a quick hello with Brock Sims (’23)

Mollie Wiesendanger’s daughter, Bekah, is a Pre-K 4 student at the Early Learning campus. “Bekah has big feelings, as I’m sure many of our little Eagles do,” Mrs. Wiesendanger said. “I think having a therapy dog on campus is a great asset in helping turn days around when they’re having a hard time. One morning when I brought my daughter to school, she immediately greeted Shep by name and gave him a hug before heading down the hall to class. I can’t think of a better way to start the day!”

Love on a Leash has already been incredibly well received and successful. “Shep has a way of opening the door for students who otherwise would never enter my office,” says Dr. Snear. “He really provides me with great accessibility. On the days when he’s with me at school, he creates a warmer environment. It’s a palpable difference for students and teachers alike.”

For many students, having a therapy dog on campus has helped to remove the stigma of going into a counselor’s office. On Friday afternoons, there’s even “Annie’s family” in Mrs. Snyder’s office. A whole group of students, boys and girls, get together for time with Annie. They visit, they play, and they all start to open up just a little bit more.

During finals week, Annie comes to campus to help ease students’ anxiety. Mrs. Snyder brings her around during break times, and Annie’s presence is enough to lighten the mood and lower levels of stress. The anxiety about a final exam fades away as a student hears her little feet patter down the hall.

After a full day of working with students, Annie and Shep are wiped out.

Some days they absorb a lot of heavy emotions, so they sleep pretty hard on those nights. They usually get at least one vacation day before heading back into the “office.”

Legacy’s Love on a Leash program has shown that the wag of a spirited little tail and the love of the dog wagging that tail can help brighten a day, lighten a spirit, and even help the broken-hearted.

Shep waits to greet students at the ELC during carline

THE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT

IS ONE OF LEGACY’S GEMS.

When Bill McGee came on as Head of School, in 2016, he quickly saw the need to develop a guidance department. Now led by Jena Snyder, the LCA counseling department has three full-time guidance counselors who support all four divisions across our campuses. Its mission is to care generously for the social, emotional, and spiritual needs of the entire Legacy community — students, faculty, staff, and parents.

The guidance team, mindful that our students are navigating an ever-changing world with increasingly difficult social and emotional challenges, strives to provide innovative and dynamic support.

“The members of the guidance department see Legacy as their mission field,” says Middle School counselor Lana Snear, “and they’re constantly looking for ways to serve, minister, and equip kids and families.”

Mrs. Snyder, Dr. Snear, and Mrs. Gordon are as tight-knit as the Legacy community itself. They work together to support all Legacy students. “Though we have our designated levels,” says Lower School Guidance Counselor Mrs. Gordon, “we collaborate and consult often. It’s a blessing to work with such passionate and strong Christian women who are full of wisdom and eager to support.”

Mrs. Snyder says it’s important for everyone to know that they have “an open door for students to visit us for anything that’s upsetting their social and emotional balance. We want parents to know we’re here for them, too, because parenting in today’s world is no small task.”

Whether your student is five years old and working on interpersonal skills, such as making new friends, or 15 and trying to master the balancing act of managing rigorous academics, a healthy social life, and extracurricular activities, the Guidance Department is ready to serve your family. Our guidance counselors want their offices to be places of refuge and rest in a hectic world, places where all Legacy students, teachers, staff, and parents know they’re loved and supported.

The counseling team with Shep & Annie

Written by: Sam Martin

Kristin Gordon: Early Learning Campus & Lower School

Kristin Gordon — and the Early Learning Campus and Lower School guidance counselor positions in which she serves — is the newest addition to the Legacy community. Mrs. Gordon, a certified school counselor in early childhood–12th grade, holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and educational leadership. She’s currently completing her Licensed Professional Counselor certification. After 10 years of teaching elsewhere, three of which she spent supporting the counseling department, Mrs. Gordon says she was thrilled to join the team at LCA and no longer has to dim her light for the Lord during work

“Because of winter storm damage in February of 2021” she says, “I found myself teaching in a temporary classroom in a local church’s children’s wing, so our students could still attend in person. Being under the public school umbrella, we were requested to cover up biblical messages for school days. It was at that very moment when I realized what a blessing it would be to be able to work with children and also be able to do that while sharing God’s truths with them every day. I feel blessed to say that I’m working for a school that not only allows me to put my relationship with God first and vocalize his impact on my life, but also comes alongside me and supports me and helps me grow. The ability to merge my walk with the Lord with my passion for education is something I wake up grateful for every single day.”

A day in the life begins with opening car doors and welcoming students to another day at LCA. Mrs. Gordon says she appreciates this touchpoint to monitor students who may need extra support or a buddy to walk them to class. She then pops around to classrooms as students settle in for the day, keeping an eye out for those who may need practical help managing a backpack larger than their little body or emotional help in the form of an extra dose of courage. Some days, Mrs. Gordon will make an appearance as a mystery reader, sit in on a parent/teacher conference, or simply push students on the swings and talk about friendship.

At the top of her priorities is relationship-building. She’s always available in her office to listen, encourage, and pray with a student who needs her. Depending on the visit, that may involve learning a strategy or tool to manage a challenge; Mrs. Gordon will even go back with a student to the classroom to work together on implementing that strategy or tool when appropriate. But no matter the day or the specific situation, she’s always ready and excited to come alongside students and their families through life’s celebrations and most difficult trials, encouraging them with God’s constant presence.

Lana Snear: Middle School

Lana Snear joined the Legacy community four and a half years ago, after a career in private practice. She holds a doctorate and is a licensed psychologist, licensed specialist in school psychology, and boardcertified professional counselor. “Once I walked in the door of LCA, I could just feel the difference,” she says. “There’s love, grace, and a sense of family in the air at Legacy.”

Dr. Snear says she loves that there’s no such thing as a typical day. Students come to her seeking guidance for a variety of mental health concerns or simply for a calming and inviting space to mingle and laugh. She strives to make her office a space where students feel at home and seems to have succeeded, as many will eat lunch there or stop by to work on an assignment.

Because of the way divisions are organized, Dr. Snear has the opportunity to get to know and work with students across four pivotal years in their development. She meets them as fifth-graders, then finds joy in watching them grow and mature through their time in Middle School.

At the core of all she does is building connection and trust with these Middle Schoolers. During a season of so much growth, change, instability, and insecurity, she says she wants to be an anchor to which the students can turn for support — someone who will always point them back to the true anchor, Jesus Christ.

As a department, she says, “we’re not here for the ‘now’ but rather for the future of each child. We believe God is raising up an army and that Satan would love to destroy it, so we’re intent on making sure his army is ready for battle. It’s a great time to be a Christian and an even greater time to be at Legacy.”

Jena Snyder: Upper School and Director of Guidance

With a master’s in school counseling, Jena Snyder, a board-certified Christian counselor and licensed school counselor, has been at Legacy since 2009. She began as a sixth-grade English teacher and has been director of guidance counseling and the Upper School guidance counselor since 2018. She divides her time between caring for the Upper School students and staff and developing and overseeing campus-wide programs and policies.

If you or your student has ever participated in the LCA You program, a PEP Talk, or the Upper School Student Support Team, you can thank Mrs. Snyder. Although all her time could be spent coordinating these many programs, she’ll always drop what she’s doing to support a student in crisis. These “divine interruptions,” as she calls them, are when Mrs. Snyder shines and her heart is full.

“At the end of the day,” she says, “no matter the problem a student brings to my office, the answer is always ultimately JESUS, and being able to say that is wonderful. And I get to pray with students and parents. What a privilege!”

(’07) lives in Frisco with her husband Spencer and their two kids, Lachlan and Meryn. She serves on the board for Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas and volunteers with Hope Mommies.

KINGDOM IMPACT

MIKE HALL,

beloved teacher, coach, mentor, colleague, friend, and faithful Christian, went home to be with his Heavenly Father on July 30, 2022, after a hard-fought battle against pancreatic cancer.

As an educator, he spent 38 years at seven schools, seven of those years at Legacy. He brought his grateful heart to his fifth-grade science classroom, to the football field, and last year to the corridors in the Primary School as the Assistant Principal.

Coach Hall always had his trademark blue guitar at the ready to bring light and life to those around him. At times he would just sit in his office and play, providing a sense of peace and comfort to anyone within earshot. Not only was he a talented guitar player, but he also had a beautiful voice. In the spring, he visited each of the third-grade classrooms as part of their unit on the book Because of Winn Dixie. It was such a treat for the students as they listened in awe of his talent.

Andrew Wetzel, now a freshman, had Mike Hall as a teacher for fifth-grade and later as a football coach. He distinctly remembers Coach breaking out his guitar: “It was great watching Mr. Hall tie his love of music to his teaching,” Andrew says, “especially during Bible class. He would sing songs of praise and worship. It definitely had an influence on me to become involved in the worship team here at Legacy.” He also recalls the different

devotionals: “It was a perfect way to start each day,” said Andrew, “prayer and scripture, and then football.”

Billy Graham once said, “A coach will impact more people in one year than the average person will in an entire lifetime.”

Considering that Coach Hall was involved for three decades in just about every sport (football, basketball, softball, track) in addition to his teaching and leadership, his impact is surely immeasurable.

Coach Hall was a friend to all, and he had a way of letting people know they were not only seen but also important, not just to him, but to Him. He mentored some of the most experienced coaches. Phil Parlin worked alongside him during Mike’s final year of coaching. Despite 30 years of coaching himself, Mr. Parlin says he learned a lot from Coach Hall in just that one year. After Mike’s passing, he stole a few minutes to sit quietly in Coach Hall’s office. “It was a special moment,” he said. “Looking around his office and seeing the photos everywhere, you could tell he had an impact on people. We need more guys like Mike Hall.”

Coach Hall was a fighter. When he was a young man of only 23, he was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma and given a meager 15 percent chance of survival. He prayed fervently for his healing and one day announced to his doctors that he wouldn’t be completing his radiation treatments. And, miraculously, he was healed. God had bigger plans for Coach.

Mike Hall was an incredibly dedicated family man. Not long after his stint with Hodgkin’s, he met the woman who would become his wife. He was very candid with Raylene about his cancer treatment, and that the chances of him being able to father children were slim to none. The couple not only prayed to the Lord for a family, but they also believed He would bless them with children. And so He did. Kristi was born first, followed by Tiffani. God had bigger plans for Coach.

Then, in May 2007, he was diagnosed with a vestibular schwannoma, which is a benign tumor, that was wrapped around the auditory canal of his right ear and embedded itself in his brain. He endured a 16-hour brain surgery and experienced some hearing loss, but he recovered. God had bigger plans for Coach.

His third bout with cancer came in 2010, when he was diagnosed with melanoma. Once again, he fought for his health and won the battle. God had bigger plans for Coach. “He always defied the odds and didn’t let anything keep him down,” said Raylene Hall. Her husband was unequivocally a man of faith. “He always knew and believed that God was preparing the way,” she said, “before he even knew what way needed to be prepared.”

In April of this year, Coach Hall was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. As a survivor three times over, he knew the journey that lay ahead would be difficult, but he was steadfast in his faith and proclaimed that this would be another opportunity for an

When Coach told his Legacy family of his diagnosis, the prayers and support from the community were like a wave of faith and love that washed over him and the entire Hall family. LCA students, parents, and staff answered the call to fight with Team Mike shirts emblazoned with the purple ribbon, the symbol for pancreatic cancer. As he continued to fight, his Legacy family lifted him and supported him in every way they could imagine. Within a couple of months, the Halls had more than 150 visitors to their home. Some came to sing praise and worship songs with and over him, some brought him special mementos, and others came simply to sit and have a quiet moment with a man they revered and loved dearly.

When Coach Hall was asked about his favorite memory during his time at LCA, unsurprisingly it was the 2008 State semifinal football game at Baylor’s Floyd Casey Stadium. It was an extremely hardfought game that came down to a defensive stop on a two-point conversion. It wasn’t the win that captured his memory, however. “The best part,” he said, “was when the opposing coach told me how impressed he was with the character of our players.” Coach Hall was a man of impeccable character, and that his players displayed that same trait was the real victory for him.

As Mr. Hall neared the end, he had a sense of excitement about him. Surrounded by loved ones who continued to pray over him, his final words —“Let’s go” — were uttered with a sense of profound peace and confidence as he knew he was about to enter God’s eternal kingdom. He served his Father well, and his faith never wavered. Coach Hall was a blessing to all who knew him, and his Kingdom impact will be felt for generations to come.

Coach Hall with his family

Lower School Faculty and Staff showing their support for Coach, wearing their “Team Mike” shirts

COACH HALL – A FAITH-FILLED FRIEND

Coach Hall was an amazing friend during my Middle School days, and we continued to have a close relationship after he retired from coaching. What I always admired was his love for football — and for the Lord.

I had the honor of playing quarterback in the seventh and eighth grades, and every morning he was ready to work with his boonie hat and those shorts that went over his knees. No matter how cold it was or how early in the day, he was happy simply to go to practice. But what made him a great coach was that no matter what happened during the game or what the final score was, he never looked disappointed or angry with our team because he was just happy we got to play.

In the years I played for him, we didn’t have the best record. I was quite competitive and would get upset whenever we lost a game. Coach Hall gave me some advice I’ll never forget: He told me to give everything I have in the game because I might not have another chance. He went on to tell me that when he was young, doctors said he had about a 15 percent chance to live, and he fought hard. After that experience, he lived life to the fullest because Jesus was with him through it all.

A few weeks before he passed away, some teammates and I went to visit him. He had just finished chemo and we knew he might not be feeling well. When we walked into his house, the first thing we saw was his smile and how happy he was that we had come to see him. He had the same attitude he had when he was coaching me. He wasn’t afraid because if this was his last day, he knew where he was heading. I’ve never known anyone so filled with joy to finally meet Jesus.

Coach Hall was an inspiration, not only because of his coaching, but also because of the faithful man he was and the amazing friend he was to everyone.

—Ian Pulte ’25

Top: Ian drew a special portrait for Coach Hall based on this photo of their time together

MIKE HALL KINGDOM IMPACT

Adam Beck ’13:

Coach Hall is no doubt one of the greatest mentors and men I’ve gotten to know. We met when I was in eighth grade and our relationship grew past his time at Legacy, until his final days before going home to the Lord. Although he was an extremely talented and successful football coach, I came to know him more as a life coach. He filled each practice, workout, and conversation with advice that went far beyond sports and touched aspects of a Christ-centered life, what servant leadership looked like, and how a true man treats everyone he interacts with. His love, compassion, and interest in others were all things I picked up on and have tried to implement in my life. You couldn’t help but feel heard and cared for when you spent time with him. That’s a trait few are able to convey with sincerity, and Coach Hall was the best at it. His continued interest in the lives of others, their families, and their growth after he finished being their coach or teacher revealed his heart. I count myself lucky to have learned so much from a man like him. Coach Hall always left every place better than he found it — my life is just one example of thousands that are proof of that.

Blake Snider ’10:

Coach Hall came to Legacy during my junior year and changed my life forever. Coach Hall was the first coach to tell me I could play Division 1 football and he was going to help me get there. We went from being a team that didn’t make the playoffs to two State championships. He brought the Legacy football program to heights we never thought we could achieve. He coached us hard on the field but taught us to be great Godly men off the field. I still lean on the life lessons Coach Hall taught me as a young man. I feel blessed that I was able to play for a great man of faith.

Coach Hall pledges with the seventh-grade team during his final year of coaching football

Legacy students showed an outpouring of love and support for Coach Hall and his family with encouraging messages

Blake Snider #78, takes the field alongside Coach Hall and several teammates

MIKE HALL KINGDOM IMPACT

Nina Majerus (seventh-grade teacher):

I first met Mike Hall when he was hired mid-year to be the aide in our ever-increasing-in-size fifth-grade class. I’m not sure he knew what he was getting himself into when he accepted the job, but he seamlessly joined our all-female, type-A teaching team. He spent his days doing any number of random tasks, from grading papers, to helping the student who needed some extra love that day, to mediating the very competitive recess football game. Over the years, he became much more than a colleague — he was a friend, a fill-in grandparent for my daughter during Grandparents Day, and a mentor to me. He would always make time to be a sounding board when I needed advice or just to chat about our families. Mike was a “noticer.” He noticed the student who was acting out and knew there must be more going on in his life. He noticed the teacher who needed encouragement through a smile or a kind word. He noticed the parent who was struggling and needed a listening ear. He was fully present when you were with him, engaging, encouraging, and earnestly modeling a life lived for Christ. What a joy it is to know that he’s now fully present with Jesus.

Brooke Levassar (Admissions Coordinator):

Some of my all-time favorite conversations took place over the last three years, when I had the incredible opportunity to work alongside Mike Hall. Our offices were close, and we often got a chance to visit in between busy times during the day. As coaches, football and cheerleading were always a hot topic, as well as parenting two girls, which we had in common. He was several years ahead of me on the parenting path and offered insightful and faithful advice when I didn’t realize I needed to hear it. I don’t remember a day that Mike didn’t have a smile on his face, and as he talked about coaching football or his family, there was a twinkle in his eye. Mike’s love and trust in the Lord were an ever-present part of the conversation. He never missed an opportunity to say he saw God working in his life and the lives of those around him.

Those conversations cemented and grew my faith. His timing was always spot on, and his words were wrapped in wisdom, discernment, and grace. Mike not only touched the lives of the people around him, but he also had an impact on them. I had just a few short years to know Mike, but he left a lifelong imprint on my heart, as I’m sure he did with everyone else. The weight of his absence on earth is heavy, but the joy in knowing that he’s home, healed, and happy is exactly what Mike would have us celebrate. I know now that my interactions with Mike were not by chance. They were Mike living out his faith as an obedient servant to God. In those conversations, the Lord was speaking to me through his good and faithful servant, and that twinkle in Mike’s eye was Jesus.

Earlier this year, Coach Hall visited the third-grade classes and sang for them as the character Otis from the book Because of Winn-Dixie

MIKE HALL KINGDOM IMPACT

Candi Loe (sixth-grade teacher):

In mid-year 2018, the fifth grade started exploding in size, so we were allowed to hire a “teacher’s aide” to help alleviate the stress of having so many students in one class at a time. Several résumés came through our hands, but Mike Hall’s name stood out because I remembered him coaching the varsity football team many years before. During our interview, he was very open and honest about how God was calling him back to North Texas. He hadn’t been in the classroom, but he was very eager to learn whatever he could to help out our team. Just listening to Mike talk about his experiences over the past several years, you could see how much he loved and leaned into God for every aspect of his life. After the interview, our team all felt not just that his love of the Lord and willingness to jump in no matter the capacity would help our team, but also that his servant’s heart would benefit the students in the fifth grade. So Mike joined our team in the late fall of 2018. Immediately he made an impact on our students. They were drawn to his quiet, loving spirit as they shared their burdens and asked Mike to pray with them. It was beautiful to see how God was using him.

At the start of the 2019–2020 school year, the fifth grade had grown to the point that we needed another teacher. Mike was asked and accepted the position of fifth-grade science teacher. This was completely new for him, and he stepped up to the plate ready for an adventure. This year he became the junior high football coach, getting back into his love of sports. When I think back on the year he taught science, what I most vividly remember is that the students hung onto every word he said. He brought his guitar to the classroom and would start the day singing hymns with his class, praising God and teaching by example that loving God and sharing him with others is something to be proud of. Mike was humble and always proclaiming that God blessed him daily; through the brightest of days and the darkest of nights, he praised God without wavering. I believe that God brought Mike back to Legacy because we needed to experience him witness that God is good under all circumstances and remind us that we should praise him loud and often. Mike made me a better teacher and a better Christian because he touched my life. And I’ll forever be grateful for the influence he had on me.

Kristie Mitchell (fifth-grade teacher):

When Mike joined our Middle School team, in January 2018, we knew he was a keeper. Students were instantly drawn to his caring and compassionate nature and we appreciated him because he did whatever was needed — no job was too big or too small. He loved his family and always had stories to tell at lunch about the grandkids he adored. Mike was one in a million and he’s greatly missed.

Luke Lawrence (’26):

Coach Hall was a kind and a good mentor. I liked his calmness but he also knew when to be firm with us. I remember in science class he would tell us his life stories and play the guitar for us. Doing the morning football devotions was special and something I miss. I’m grateful I knew him and know he’s with Jesus now.

5th grade teaching team Coach Hall, Mrs. Loe, Mrs. Mitchell, and Mrs. Majerus

Lily-True Lenci ’26:

I met Mr. Hall in my fifth-grade year. It was my first full year at LCA and it was hard being the new, shy kid but he helped me and a lot of my classmates come out of our shells and be comfortable in our own skin. The first project we were ever given in his class was an “About Me” presentation and I, of course, forgot to prepare anything. When I told Mr. Hall this, his response was, “I know you can do this because you know yourself.” I walked up to the front of the classroom and went through the usual things: my age, my name, where I’m from, but then I ran out of stuff to say. “Keep going,” he said, encouraging me. Without thinking, I simply said “I like apples.” The class laughed (probably not as much as I thought) but boy, did I feel cool. I couldn’t stop talking and, for a second, the shy girl was gone. After 10 minutes of talking, Mr. Hall told me I did well, but I should probably sit down. From that day on I was a little more confident. Mr. Hall made all his students feel special, whether it was with encouraging words, tough love, or just hugs in the halls. You always knew someone knew you and you were seen. I’ve seen the impact he had on my friends and my classmates. In everything he did, he made people feel noticed and loved. His actions reflected God’s love and light and he will always hold a special place in my heart.

Coach Hall filled countless roles in his time at Legacy. One of the lesser-known aspects of his job as Assistant Principal in the Lower

process. Coach Hall prepared extensively for each interview and

“Ever since we first met Coach, as part of the interview process,” says Kate Onstead, “he just exuded faith, love, and integrity.”

The Onstead family connected instantly with Coach during their initial visit. After daughter Katherine started Kindergarten, she loved seeing him in the carline and his familiar and calming presence was always welcome. One day Coach Hall even filled in for Katherine’s teacher, Mrs. White. That day, he talked about his testimony of cancer survival with

When Coach fell ill, Katherine naturally had a lot of questions. His absence from carline was noticeable, and his absence from school was noticeable. Katherine’s mom explained that Coach was sick and that he needed to take some time away. The family

One quiet afternoon, mother and daughter were sitting together at the kitchen table, just as they had done countless other times. Kate’s heart was heavy as she prepared to tell her daughter that Coach Hall had passed. She said, “You remember that Coach

Uneasily, Katherine said yes.

“Well, honey,” said Kate, “our sweet Coach Hall went home to be with Jesus. You know he really loved Jesus.”

Then a soulful 6-year-old Katherine, said, “Yes. He really loved Jesus. He’s a great example.”

There the two of them sat, at the kitchen table, praying together. They talked about what it means to love God and accept him into your heart. “It was totally a God thing,” says Mrs. Onstead. During that innocent conversation, her sweet young daughter made insightful and surprising comments and ultimately made the decision that she was ready to love the Lord and accept him into her heart as her Lord and Savior. Katherine summed it up all on her own: “Coach Hall is a great example.”

He’s a great example, indeed, and lives are forever better because of him.

Coach Hall talks strategy with QB Luke Lawrence

BILL MCGEE: RETIRING

A LEGACY

by: Jorie Buie (’24)

After an impressive 42 years of service in education — six of them at Legacy — in June 2022 Bill McGee retired as our Head of School.

When the Board of Trustees interviewed him for the post, he said he thought a timeline between five to eight years would enable him to accomplish what he felt the Lord had called him to do at Legacy. Six years later, Mr. McGee is proud of the legacy he leaves. He’s also confident in his successor: “Mr. Mosley is both ready and equipped to succeed me,” he says. “I know he has prepared himself well to take on this new position.”

Mr. McGee hung up his coat and tie in exchange for a shortsleeved shirt and a pair of golf shoes, and you can tell by his relaxed demeanor (and attire) that retirement is treating him well. When he isn’t surrounded by his grandkids, you can catch him out on the links playing golf with friends and family.

In his tenure at our school, Mr. McGee led the drive to raise enough money to make LCA affordable to more families. “I think the thing I’m most proud of is that we’ve increased the indexed tuition funds to mission-appropriate families who otherwise couldn’t afford a Legacy education,” he says. “Indexed tuition funding has increased by 12 percent, which means so many more deserving students are now able to attend Legacy Christian.”

During this time of transition in Mr. McGee’s life, he says he has found Ephesians 3:20 to be incredibly fitting. “God is able to do far more abundantly than we could ever possibly think or imagine,” he says. “I’ve really embraced that verse because it

describes my career: I feel God has blessed me beyond what I could ever think or imagine. I look back and I can’t believe all the ways I’ve been blessed by this profession.”

The advice Mr. McGee leaves to all of those who pass through Legacy’s doors is to submit themselves to the Lord and listen to His calling on their lives. He’s a firm believer that God has more in store for us than anything we could ever plan, and he prays over Legacy students and all that God has waiting for them. “God will open the doors He wants His children to walk through,” he says. “Never regret those closed doors because God has the advantage of seeing the future and we don’t. Never believe that a closed door is a failure or a weakness; it’s a redirection for God’s glory. Closed doors are never a rejection, and if you believe that, God will bless you beyond anything you’re able to plan for yourself.”

Mr. McGee is now serving other communities and equipping other schools to educate Godly leaders. But he’s still involved with Legacy: he’s a special adviser to the Board of Trustees: “I’m here to serve the school in any way the members of the board feel I could be of value,” he says.

Jorie Buie (’24) is new to Legacy Christian Academy this year. When she is not in school, she spends her time as a family photographer and enjoys serving at her church.

LEGACY’S FIRST LEGACIES

This year we have the privilege of having not one but two

Our first graduate with a second-generation Eagle is Kylie Choisnet, who is married to Douglas. Kylie (and her brother) was a student from 2002 to 2008, starting in seventh grade, when the family had just moved to Texas. “We’d been going to a private Christian school in California and that was something our parents wanted for my brother and me,” says Kylie: “an education through a biblical worldview. That’s what we were used to and raised in.”

Back when Kylie entered LCA, the school was still in its infancy, but her parents, she says, “chose the school we would go to before picking a house!” The school was small, Kylie says, and she had a tight-knit group of friends — as a matter of fact, they’re still part of one another’s lives.

And now, Kylie and Douglas are the proud parents of a Legacy secondgeneration child: Carter, age 5, is in Junior Kindergarten.

Kylie had been a teacher in both public and private Christian schools and, she says, she always felt in her heart that her children should get the same joyful education she had, even though some sacrifice would have to be made. Now, she says, Carter loves his teacher and the friends he’s making. He’s always excited to come to school and is sad when the weekend comes around.

second-generation families at our school!

Carter Choisnet playing in his new classroom

Carter finds a moment to flip through a book

OUR SECOND family with a second-generation Eagle is that of Danny and Kristina Stockton. Danny started at Legacy back in 2001, in fourth grade, when it was still located at Frisco Bible School. His parents wanted a school whose mission statement aligned with their values, and were very involved in helping LCA grow and thrive. At that time, though, the school was so small, he says, that a rolling partition divided the room so two classes were in the same space. One side was for fourthgraders, the other side was for sixth-graders, which is where Danny’s brother started.

Greyson rides a tricycle along the track on the playground

“Teachers felt like family, students felt like family,” Danny says. “Being in such a small class, I was close with most of the kids. And some of the teachers and staff are still at Legacy.”

Danny and Kristina’s son, Greyson — our littlest second-generation Eagle — is in Mrs. Schuller’s Pre-K 3 class. Danny is thrilled that his son is at the same school he went to: “I always loved what Legacy did for me in my faith and academics,” he says.

Kristina, too, wanted Greyson at Legacy: “The way the teachers love the students,” she says, “the way they show Christ in everything that they do, I wanted a place where he felt safe. I knew he was going to be encouraged and loved.”

Krstina and Danny Stockton with their son Greyson at the ELC Ribbon cutting event in June

With over 450 families and staff in attendance, it was a huge success in celebrating God’s provision over LCA. Between the auction, talented electric violinists, and everything in between, we saw families join together to celebrate Legacy Christian Academy and those who have made a significant impact in our history. We shared a lot of laughs throughout the night as Christian illusionist, Jim Munroe, gave an incredible performance for the evening. Legacy Night wouldn’t have been a success without the Legacy Night Steering Committee, event sponsors, and staff who made the event a reality. We look forward to seeing what God has planned for LCA in this coming year and the impact we will have in our community.

1. These men were ready to SHINE! Donning their sequinned jackets, they were ready for an unforgettable night at the Omni.

2. Founding Head of School Jody Capehart and previous Head of School Bill McGee assisted Jim Munroe with his astonishing phonebook trick.

3. NBC 5’s Bianca Castro, took the podium and emceed the festivities.

4. Head of School Kevin Mosley came to the podium throughout the night.

5. Legends of Legacy recipients Phyllis and Bobby Ray, shared stories about Legacy Christian Academy’s inception and the barriers they faced to get the school started 23 years ago.

Omni Hotel in Frisco at The Star where we kicked off our annual Stronger Together Fund.

1. From staff, to Steering Committee members, to parents, Legacy Night was a time for fellowship and being in community.

2. Christian Illusionist Jim Munroe left the crowd in awe as he played tricks on Shannon Nelson and Legacy Trustee Trent Wood.

3. The 360-degree photo booth was a hit for everyone at Legacy Night showing off their outfits and keeping that memory with them forever. 4. Several LCA Alumni were delighted to present the Heart of Service Award to Sanda Clark.

5. The Heads or Tails game is always a hit and the competitive spirit was alive with a Date Night package up for grabs.

6. Electric violinists Finestrung Duo ended Legacy Night with incredible music and entertainment.

LEAD LEGACY: DEVELOPING SERVANT LEADERS

by: Madi Bixler

At Legacy, we seek to build strong leaders with biblical convictions. This tenet of the school’s mission statement relates to community, curriculum, athletics, and student groups. In the Upper School, one of the ways we develop leaders is through our student-led LEAD Legacy organization.

“LEAD Legacy was created several years ago to provide a ‘working lab’ for students to lead in the Upper School culture,” says Kevin Mosley, Head of School. Traditional studentgovernment models didn’t properly reflect the mission of LCA, “so,” he says, “LEAD Legacy was born with a distinct biblical model of servant leadership at its core.” LEAD Legacy provides students with a practicum to implement what they’ve learned,

LEAD Legacy, championed by Will Weaver and assisted by Cheryl Crawford, helps students develop character and build leadership skills, all within a framework of success and accountability. “The pillars of the program are GROW, KNOW, GO, and SHOW,” says Mr. Weaver. Students grow in personal awareness, come to know leadership skills, go into the culture and community, and show their leadership

Back row (l to r): Christian de Moor, Madeline Bryant, Keegan Wechsler, Will Mida, Landry Burkhalter Front Row (l to r): Karis Fulks, Ally Aycock, Joshua Chung, Kadynce Matsuoka, and Mackenzie Ridout

Our LEAD Legacy teams all serve the entire student body, but each maintains its own unique mission.

· Service is at the heart of leadership. The Service Team demonstrates God’s love and creates a lasting impact through community partnerships and serving the LCA community. Its members coordinate service opportunities for students — both on and off campus — and help students from the Lower School through the Upper School give time and energy to others. “Last spring, during Revive Week, our Service team arranged for the student body to assemble care baskets for the assisted living home we work with,” says Mr. Weaver. The team also works with Cornerstone Ranch, a ministry serving special needs adults. The team serves LCA as well: “Last year, every LCA Lower School student got a letter of encouragement from someone in the Upper School,” he says.

Top: Communications Chairs Keegan Wechsler and Joshua Chung lead a committee meeting

Bottom: The sevice team plans their next project

· The Special Events Team provides opportunities to involve students in what’s happening on campus, building strong relationships and memories that will last a lifetime. “This team upholds school traditions,” says Mrs. Crawford. The Special Events Team coordinates and plans Homecoming Week, Prom, the Thanksgiving Feast, and Christmas festivities, and even plans smaller events, such as cookies during finals.

· A critical part of LCA, the Spiritual Formation Team is devoted to building disciples. Its members encourage students to develop and deepen a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, grow in biblical wisdom, and become the “salt and light” of the world. Bible studies, worship nights, mentoring programs, and Revive Week are all organized by the Spiritual Formation Team. “It’s the little things, too,” Mr. Weaver says. “Last year, the Spiritual Formation Team decorated the school with scripture on sticky notes.” Its goal is to point our student body toward Jesus in big and small ways.

· The Community Team embraces all students. “This team centers its work on making connections with students to foster an inclusive culture,” Mrs. Crawford says. “Pep rallies, spirit crew, and student ambassadors — those are embedded in this team as well.” Building student engagement and promoting social initiatives help accomplish the Community Team’s purpose of uniting the student body. “Serving on this team has taught me how to communicate with a variety of audiences, as we communicate with all of the schools — the Lower, the Middle, and the Upper,” says Team Chair Karis Fulks, an LCA senior.

· The Communications Team helps keep our students informed to create connections and foster a Christcentered community. This team manages special recognitions, schoolwide email blasts, social media, and morning announcements. The Communications Team is important, says Chair Keegan Wechsler, a senior, because “we’re uniting the student body. We communicate and encourage people to go to extracurricular events. Personally,” he says, “I’ve seen more people attending these events than I’ve seen in earlier years.”

Top: Community Cochair Christian de Moor helps the committee map out a plan Bottom: Special Events team is busy planning homecoming

Madi Bixler (’14) attended the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating in 2017 with a BS in Supply Chain Management. She is a supply analyst and recently graduated with her Masters at UTD.

Welcome to the Board:

Brad Struck

Legacy Christian Academy is pleased to announce that Brad Struck has joined the Board of Trustees.

valuable strategic, organizational, and leadership wisdom to our board as we strive to further discern God’s will for LCA in the years ahead.”

“Brad and Erin have been a supportive LCA family for many years,” says Head of School Kevin Mosley. “They faithfully served our school as Annual Fund chairs and did a terrific job laying a foundation on which other families continue to build. Brad’s experience in the commercial real-estate business will be valuable to Legacy as we look to how God would have us impact His Kingdom in the years to come. We’re very excited to welcome Brad to our Board of Trustees.”

Mr. Struck and his wife, Erin, have one son, Caden (’26). The Struck family has always been invested in the LCA community. Brad and Erin served as the 2020-21 LCA Annual Fund Chairs. Erin has served on the Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) as co-chair of the spirit shop for two years and this year, with Caden playing JV basketball, she has assumed the role of team mom. The Strucks enrolled their son at Legacy in Pre-K because, they say, “it was important for him to grow academically, but even more so, we wanted him to have the opportunity to grow in his faith around others who held the same beliefs.”

“LCA has such a bright future,” Mr. Struck says. “I’m excited to be part of the board because there are many strategic paths to select, and these decisions could leave a legacy. We can have an impact on not only our students but also the broader community for years to come.”

Brad Brenneman, chair of the Board of Trustees, says, “We’re grateful that Brad has committed to serve LCA as a trustee. He and Erin have been active in our LCA community for many years as parents and in various volunteer roles. Besides being wholeheartedly committed to our mission, Brad will bring highly

Mr. Struck brings a depth of knowledge and expertise to the board with his strong leadership background. As a managing principal at Cresa (previously known as ESRP), Mr. Struck is directly involved with the firm’s vision, growth, and strategy for the Texas region. With over a decade of experience in representing office and industrial occupiers across North America in executing complex site selection, Brad develops data-driven strategies centered around clients’ business, financial and operational goals. His expertise includes transaction advisory, site selection, industrial sales, build-to-suits, sale leasebacks, and portfolio management. In addition to serving clients, Brad leads and brings together Cresa’s Dallas team of advisors. Mr. Struck holds an MBA from the University of Dallas and earned his bachelor’s in business administration from Texas A&M University.

Last year, Mr. Struck was on the executive leadership team for the American Heart Association’s Côtes du Coeur Gala. He spent several years coaching several LCA teams in youth football and basketball. He says it’s been rewarding to watch these boys grow into young men who now participate in LCA athletics.

The Struck family attends Hope Fellowship, in Frisco.

EARLY LEARNING CAMPUS:

New Campus, Same Mission, One Legacy

by: Madi Bixler

On June 1, joined by city officials, students, parents, faculty, and staff, Legacy Christian Academy celebrated the acquisition of its new Early Learning Campus (ELC) with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. The campus, located on Lebanon, west of the Dallas North Tollway, opened in August, ready to serve students in Pre-K 3 through Junior Kindergarten. Kindergarten classrooms will join the ELC for the 2023–24 academic year.

As Legacy continues to experience a schoolwide surge in enrollment, this new facility is ideal. Sitting on three acres, the building contains 14 classrooms that are designed for early childhood learning. It also houses a library, a technology/ robotics center, a music room, a gymnasium, a health clinic, a laundry room, and a catering kitchen. Students especially enjoy the expansive playgrounds, a greenhouse, and garden areas! The Early Learning Campus is just a few minutes from our primary campus, providing families with the same access to all of LCA’s resources.

The space is well-equipped and age-appropriate. Says Kristen Falatko, the mother of two LCA students, Emersyn (Kindergarten) and Remington (Pre-K 3), “From the moment we walked in, we could tell there was a significant amount of time and energy that had been put into making us feel at home. It has already exceeded our expectations.” Mrs. Falatko describes LCA as a village that partners with her and her husband in raising their children. “It’s a big deal to know that the ELC is a place of comfort to nurture our kids, “she says. “There’s a cohesiveness — something greater than just ‘school.’”

by LCA leadership regarding the acquisition of the building. “The Early Learning Campus was a gift from the Lord,” he says. “He brought it to us.”

With LCA at 97 percent enrollment and expanding rapidly, it became evident that the school needed a specialized place to grow and develop little leaders at the Pre-K level. “During COVID,” says Mr. Mosley, “we saw the community trend toward private education.” Most Christian schools are structured like an “inverted pyramid,” he says, “that is, with more upper school and middle school students than those who are younger. We believe that with the use of the Early Learning Campus,” he says, “LCA will resemble more of a cylinder, so we can welcome the same numbers of younger students as we do in the Upper and Middle Schools.”

Says Tiffany McCollum, Lower School principal, “Quite simply, this new campus will enable us to reach more children and teach them about Jesus.”

“Though it’s another campus,” says Mr. Mosley, “we’re still Legacy. We have one vision and one school, and that vision of building strong leaders with biblical convictions hasn’t changed.”

Just as LCA has a north campus for Upper School students, the school remains integrated. “We’ve made it a priority to stay connected with the other divisions at the main campus,” says Mrs. McCollum. “Our little Eagles will attend pep rallies, for example, and the Homecoming parade, and football players assist us with Friday-morning carlines. We’ve also continued our Early Ed Intern program, for Upper School students who aspire to become teachers.”

As Jeremiah 17:7–8 reminds us, a tree planted by water bears fruit and does not wither. “Our goal is to ground our children in faith, so they’re prepared for scorching times,” Mr. Mosley says. By “planting” students near “streams of living water,” LCA prepares them to bear spiritual fruit in times of cultural drought, when truth is relative and Christian values are villainized.

At the ELC, parents can be sure their children’s teachers have the same values — a biblical worldview within the context of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Says Kristen Falatko: “Who we are as LCA is replicated at the ELC. As parents, we know that Christian values are showing up there every day.”

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

L to R: Trent Wood, Bill McGee, Kevin Mosley, Nicole Franks, and Jeff Owens

Members of the Frisco Chamber add their names for the ribbon cutting

GROWING TOGETHER with a New Head of School

by: Jorie Buie (’24)

Kevin Mosley was recently appointed Legacy’s fourth Head of School. He has faithfully served the Legacy community for more than a decade, and when Head of School Bill McGee decided it was time to step down, Mr. Mosley was a natural successor.

Kevin and Cheri, his wife of 25 years, met at a church in Fort Worth, where he was a youth pastor. The couple now has two sons, Andrew (’18) and Jonathan (’20), and Cheri is LCA’s Senior Director of Enrollment Management.

Mr. Mosley is a graduate of the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!), where he majored in computer engineering. When he’s not wearing green and gold supporting the Eagles, chances are you’ll find Mr. Mosley sporting a crimson Alabama shirt. He’s a talented musician — piano and percussion instruments — and was part of the Million Dollar Band at Alabama.

He served in ministry for several years before he began his career in education. He earned his master’s degree in education from the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Fort Worth.

Mr. Mosley was the Upper School Principal for 10 years and last year became Assistant Head of School. His path to Head of School was clearly paved as he has consistently blessed LCA with joy, a servant’s heart, and exceptional leadership. Always relying on God’s timing, Mr. Mosley gratefully accepted the call to serve as Legacy’s new head. “I’ve learned so much under Bill McGee’s tutelage,” he says, “and I’ll forever be grateful for both his leadership and his legacy.”

Before he came to Legacy, Mr. Mosley was head of school at Russell Christian Academy, in Meridian, Mississippi. “Over my many years in education,” Mr. Mosley says, “I feel God has been preparing me for this role, as I’ve served in any capacity, both in the classroom and in administration.” He answered the call to come to Legacy, he says, for two reasons: “First of all, I wanted a Christian education of excellence for my two boys. Second, I wanted a place to continue growing as a Christian educator.”

Mr. Mosley believes in the LCA mission, which is to build strong leaders with biblical convictions. He has seen it embodied in his own sons, who, after graduating from LCA, are pursuing careers of their own. He encourages students at Legacy to pursue God-fearing and honoring lives.

Mr. Mosley is committed to strengthening the community after the challenges of the last couple of years, with the gospel at the center of all he does. He strives to cultivate the connections among LCA students, families, and the community as a whole, he says, “so we can continue to grow together.”

The AARK ProgramChanneling Creativity

Legacy Christian Academy is excited about its newest curricular expansion, the Advanced Academic Resources for Knowledge, or AARK, program. School leadership always search for options to enhance and diversify our student experiences. Over the years, parents repeatedly mentioned the need for an advanced program that would make it possible for students to collaborate and explore more STEM-based projects. AARK was the answer.

The AARK program had been a work in progress for several years as LCA leadership sought a way to provide more opportunities for students who are highly gifted in different-ability areas. A committee composed of the previous

Maverick Free proudly displays his final creation which he hopes will withstand the force of the Big Bad Wolf

Head of School, Bill McGee; Chief Academic Officer Daniel Townsley; and Early Learning Campus Principal Tiffany McCollum began to meet to discuss the best program to offer.

The name AARK has a twofold significance: It was important to find a name that has a biblical tie to it, and AARK is not only biblical, but also represents new beginnings, so it felt like

an ideal fit. LCA leadership tapped Julie Bratcher to head the program. She’s experienced in teaching gifted children, having received her 30-hours Texas Certification for Gifted Instruction. She previously taught at a magnet school in Richardson ISD, and served for five years as the gifted cluster teacher for third grade in Frisco ISD. She now works with AARK students in

Grades 1–4 to channel their creativity into real-world situations.

Now Mrs. Bratcher is in her second year as head of AARK. One of the critical components to the success and sustainability of the program, she says, is developing competent problem-solvers. She teaches lessons on deductive reasoning and executive functioning skills, and the class

Mrs. Bratcher works with Logan DeWald to approve his final design in his engineering notebook

navigates the design process in every unit. These excited learners channel their creativity by focusing on the 4 C’s: communication, collaboration, creative problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Logan DeWald is a fourth-grade AARK student. “I always get excited on Thursdays because that’s when I go to AARK,” he says. “It’s a fun way to learn more about each subject. It gives me confidence to learn like this and teaches me that I can do anything.”

Students are encouraged to work together, to think outside of the box, and to devise unique solutions to the challenges they face. In this class, Mrs. Bratcher not only allows but also encourages the students to give her their answer, not necessarily the “right” answer.

In her classrooms, Mrs. Bratcher wants her students to know that there’s no such thing as failure — there are only learning experiences. For example, she says, the pioneers who settled the region suffered numerous setbacks, but through perseverance, grit, and creativity they came up with a solution to every problem.

She has some activities planned for her students this year that should pique their interest and spark their curiosity. “We’ll be doing some experiments with plants,” she says, “and some with the type of things you can find in a kitchen to build a good bubble wand. We’ll also be figuring out different ways to build a bridge, along with what materials would make a strong bridge and what materials would make a weak one.”

Maverick Free ’32 is already pumped: “I’m an engineer,” he says, “and I want to

house was the only one that survived the huffing and puffing!

Lower School Principal Rachel Constantinescu says she’s delighted with AARK: “This rigorous curriculum challenges students in new ways. Our goal at Legacy is to individualize education, and this program means we can maximize students’ success and partner with their parents to provide them with the best education.”

reasoning ability as developed through experiences both within and outside of school. In its inaugural year, the AARK program had 40 students, between 10 and 12 at one time in the classroom, which was a manageable number but still facilitated project-based learning.

AARK has since grown to 76 children in the primary grades, and includes students in the Spanish Immersion program.

Grant Stallsworth tests the power of wind as a force on a pencil to see how far he could get it to go

Mary Poppins:

A SOARING SUCCESS

Judging from the laughter and the gasps and the clapping of hands and the stomping of feet, the audience was thrilled and astonished as they took in the spring, all-school production of Mary Poppins.

The Banks family live on Cherry Tree Lane, and there we meet the children, Jane (Payton Bond ’27) and Michael (William Ridout ’28). Having churned their way through countless nannies already, their parents (Nathan Ly and Katie Bardwell, both Class of ’22) are desperate for someone who can tame

Enter the mysterious Mary Poppins — brought to life by

Mary takes the Banks children on some exciting adventures: they go for a walk in the park and encounter a talking statue, they fly kites, and they visit Mrs. Corry’s Talking Shoppe, where they buy gingerbread as well as the letters to spell

. Each outing offers a lesson about polite behavior while filling the children with awe and wonder. But the children aren’t the only ones who learn a thing or two: Mr. and Mrs. Banks discover that no matter the circumstances, family is the only thing they need.

One of the most memorable moments was when Bert, the humble but charming chimney sweep (Will Mida ’23), sings upside down! And the crowd roared when in “Step in Time,” the entire cast tap-danced over the rooftops. They donned fanciful wigs inside Mrs. Corry’s Talking Shoppe, and sang and danced with an energy that enthralled the audience.

MARY POPPINS: A SOARING SUCCESS

No one was sure how the kids were going to pull it off after Kyle Aiden,

(Brayden Huber, JD Keck, and Noah Stillwell) how to operate the system. The guys had to perform a lot of physical labor, but they flew the kids effortlessly and wowed the crowd.

Legacy tech students, led by senior Jake Schroeder, were the crew for this production. They did everything from pulling curtains and changing sets to fixing hair and makeup.

Says Will Mida, who played Bert, “I have many great memories but the one

And who said our kids can’t fly? Mary, Bert, Jane, Michael, and George’s nasty

Our Class of 2022 Eagles have taken flight. Many have moved into their respective colleges and universities and are settled into their “dorm, sweet dorms”; one graduate left for basic training to serve in the military. We’re excited to discover what each accomplishes during this next chapter, and are praying for all of them to have a great first semester. We wish them well:

ONCE AN EAGLE, ALWAYS AN EAGLE.

1. Dorm, sweet dorm. Alexa Smith shows off her adorable dorm room at Baylor University.

2. Carson Cline is settling in on “the Hill” at the University of Arkansas.

3. Kendall Droesch is all smiles about her setup at East Texas Baptist University.

4. Erica Michelle Papp looks to be right at home at Texas A&M University.

5. Move-in day at the University of Oklahoma was a success for Jackson Farley.

With family by his side, Jonah Lester is at home at the Kaitlyn White is sitting pretty in her perfectly decorated dorm room at the University of Mississippi.

Three of a kind: Katie Pelham, Haley Phillips, and Julia Bowers are classmates at Texas A&M.

Oklahoma State University is the place to be for Luke Embry found his “sweet home” at the University Max Dunlap is adjusting well in Cowboy country as he begins his first semester at Oklahoma State.

year by storm at Oklahoma State.

5. A smiling Reagan Morrow is already blossoming at Texas A&M University.

6.

Belmont University freshman Riley Thornton looks happy as she moves into her new dorm room.

1. 2. 4.

It’s a thumbs-up from Sawyer Snear as he moves into his dorm room at Oklahoma State University.

Sophie Barber is eager to take freshman year by the horns at the University of Texas.

Texas A&M University at Galveston is where you’ll find Sam Pewterbaugh.

Roommates Kyle Brown and Philip Smith pose for a quick photo during move-in day at Baylor University.

Blake Johnson and Rush McCown snap a roomie photo at Texas A&M University.

LCA ALUMNI: COLLEGE MOVE-IN

LCA HIG HLIGHT

ATHLETICS

Upper School Girls Athletics:

A Season of Success

Athletics is an integral part of who we are as Legacy, and this past year our

by: Madi Bixler

In the spring, our softball girls won the State title (TAPPS 5A), the Girls Golf Team placed second at State, track placed fourth in the Regionals, and tennis came away with State runners-up.

The program’s success was the result of a lot of hard work. Lynn Dupree, Sr. Director of Athletics and Activities, explains how the girls got to this point. “First and foremost, quality coaches set us apart,” he says. “Ultimately, we want kids to compete at a high level and boost them to the next level. When interviewing coaches, I look for a handful of key characteristics.” In addition to experience, he looks for coaches who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and are involved in their church. “This is really the most important thing, and the first thing I look for,” he says.

Work in the off-season also played a role in how effectively our student-athletes performed. “It enabled kids to develop their

skills and to use the weight room more frequently,” says Mr. Dupree. “We had 30 to 40 girls lifting in the mornings during summer.” The result? Stronger athletes and unified teams. During the off-season, he says, athletes develop important relationships with their teammates and coaches.

Says Dwayne Hamilton, girls golf head coach, “Our off-season was critical to our success as a team this year.” In fact, the team’s average playing score decreased from 102 to 89 (a good thing in golf!) over just two months.

Our students were (and remain!) covered in prayer by their coaches and staff. “As Christians, we understand the power of prayer over our students’ development,” says Mr. Dupree.

The Girls Softball Team had an incredible year leading up to their winning the 5A State TAPPS title. Led by Rich Zdrojewski, or “Coach Z,” as the girls call him, the team grew from a small

The 2022 State Champion Girls Softball Team proudly displays their shiny new hardware and pennant

seen before in Girls Softball. More coaches were added: Coach Coe, Coach Warren, and former player Coach Phillips joined returning Coach Davis. “We scheduled very aggressively, including playing public schools ranging from 2A to 5A for the first time,” Coach Z says. “We rolled off seven straight wins and put ourselves in a position to win the District championship.” Although the team came up short of that goal, the girls finished second and earned the privilege of hosting a playoff game.

Over the course of the playoffs, memories were made, confidence grew, and different players were “heroes” each game. After a fantastic State semifinal game, the pressure was on. “Getting to the championship was one thing. Winning it would be another, and history wasn’t on our side — a North Texas team hadn’t won the Division II title in nine years,” says Coach Z. “Blair Ehmer was fantastic on the mound, and after striking out all three batters in the seventh, Legacy had its first softball State championship.”

A long journey to State in softball, Regional placements in track and tennis, and going to State with the golf team all attest to the strength of our rapidly growing athletics program. The future is bright for all of our Lady Eagles!

2022 Girls Tennis team placed 2nd in the TAPPS 5A State Tournament. (l to r) Coach Thrash, Abigail Diamond, Sophia Polanski, Heidi Taunton, Reagan Morrow, Keeley Briggs, and Coach Franco

The 2022 Girls Golf Team were District Champs (l to r) Coach Hamilton, Kennady Dismore, Alesha Afridi, Anastasia Manias, Katie Smith, and Ada Fee

Swish! Basketball Teams Serve at My Friends House

Last year LCA’s basketball teams — both girls and boys — volunteered at My Friends House, in Plano. Lynn Meger, head coach of the LCA girls basketball team, and Cole Johnson, her counterpart for the boys program, wanted to get their players together to serve the community.

Top: Boys and girls basketball team are happy to serve at My Friends House.

Left: Emma Kampe, cleaning up the landscaping in front of My Friends House.

My Friend’s House provides a space for young children and teens to escape from poverty, abuse, neglect, and homelessness. It got its name because if someone asked a teen where he lived, he could comfortably reply, “I’m staying at my friend’s house,” rather than saying a shelter.

Coach Meger was already familiar with My Friend’s House and knew it would be a great project for the basketball program. She wanted the students to give of themselves physically, but also take them out of their comfort zone. She contacted the organization to find out what its needs were.

Together, the LCA athletes helped spruce up benches, planted flowers, cleaned up the yard, trimmed trees, and painted. They were joined by their coaches and parents to assist in improving the home’s curb appeal. “In general, it’s important to serve others,” says Jennifer Keathley, a girls basketball coach, “but at a Christian school, thinking beyond yourself is very important to all of us.”

The students came away tired but also exhilarated. “When they finished,” says Coach Meger, “they felt good about what they did for their community. They learned to give without being recognized.”

Girls of the basketball team gather together for a quick photo with their coaches.

Left to right: Coach Lynn Meger, Kate Dunlap, Kendall Droesch, Harper Hanshaw, Tatum Plunk, Emma Kampe, Coach Jennifer Keathley, Macie Damon, and Lexi Thomas.

Boys on the basketball team bring the benches back to life with a fresh coat of paint to enhance the curb appeal of My Friends House.

KARA HERMOGENO

Commissioned as a Colson Fellow

Kara Hermogeno, Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology, was commissioned as a Colson Fellow on May 15. Becoming a Colson Fellow is no small feat. It takes 10 months of time- and study-intensive work that includes daily devotional exercises related to contemporary culture and its challenges, reading a curated series of books, and collaborating and studying under faculty and with fellow students.

Legacy’s former Head of School Bill McGee first told her about the Colson Fellows program. He would regularly forward to her emails from Breakpoint and John Stonestreet and, over the years, a seed was planted in her mind. She researched the program and began to contemplate her path. “I was really motivated to learn more about ways I could effectively incorporate a biblical worldview into my own life and, perhaps more important, into my engineering basics classroom.” As she continued to explore the program, she realized it could even help her become a better wife and a better mom.

Despite the considerable time commitment, Mrs. Hermogeno saw

Kara hiking in Nepal with a village elder as they shared Christ with surrounding villages

Kara receiving her certificate from Michael Craven during the commissioning ceremony

the benefits of participating in the Colson Fellows program and dove in headfirst, albeit a little late to the party. She submitted her application in late June, was accepted in mid-July, and attended her first meeting at the end of July, entering the program a month later than most of her peers, leaving her with two books to read and various written assignments just to catch up. A consummate goal-setter, she wasn’t deterred, and set her sights on completing the program by the end of the academic year. “I knew the coursework would be rigorous,” says Mrs. Hermogeno, “and I already have a pretty demanding schedule. My goal kept me motivated. I wanted to do it for the school and for my family, so I dedicated myself to reaching it.”

The 10-month study is really a preparatory course for the important work that lies at the end of the commissioning. Colson Fellows are charged with outlining a three-year teaching practicum and a personal mission plan that challenges them to take what they learned through their studies to become servants in God’s kingdom.

The study is designed to get participants to dig deep into their faith and their understanding of worldviews and other cultures and forming a theologically based response to the challenges we face daily. For Mrs. Hermogeno, as she worked through the program, the Lord made it apparent to her that she should devise a curriculum to reach Legacy’s parents. It surprised even her, she says, because as a teacher, she’d always been intent on reaching her students; before the study, she hadn’t really considered the parents. She began to realize the need to involve parents so they, too,

could have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the various cultural issues facing our students, as well as the gospel and differing worldviews.

in Russia, China, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, Greece, India, and Nepal, to name just a few nations.

“Now,” says Mrs. Hermogeno, “I have

After Kara (together with her translator) shared the hope of Christ with this elderly woman in India, she accepted the Lord as her personal Savior

Kara had the amazing opportunity to share her love of the Lord with this group on a mountaintop in India

FROM BILL MCGEE

DEAR EAGLE NATION:

(Ephesians 3:20, NLT)

In my final blog last May, I quoted this verse to summarize how I felt about my six-year tenure at Legacy. Throughout its 23-year history, God has been expanding His Kingdom through the ministry of Legacy Christian Academy. Thousands of students and families have benefited from an education that has prepared them to be “strong leaders with biblical convictions.” But only God knows the full impact of the school’s mission upon the students who are and will be His “agents of restoration.”

It has been my high honor and a privilege to have played a small part in His plan for Legacy, and to walk together as brothers and sisters in Christ to expand God’s Kingdom. I was blessed to be one of His lowly vessels. All glory belongs to Him!

Although I’m no longer on campus every day, I remain keenly interested in what’s happening at our school. Please know that I pray regularly for the faculty, administration, board, and families, many of whom I consider close friends.

Legacy’s impact on my life can’t be overstated. My heart is full of gratitude when I think about all the seasons we walked alongside one another. Six years ago we never could have foreseen the challenges (such as a global pandemic) we would have to overcome, but God has been faithful and blessed LCA abundantly.

A friend once said his vocational goal was “to leave the woodpile higher than I found it.” This homespun saying is another way to express the importance of stewardship, which Jesus described in the parable of the talents. I’m confident that the faithful servants who now lead Legacy will to add to the height of the woodpile. Please join me in praying that God will continue to bless this extraordinary school.

Faithfully yours, Bill McGee

Head of School (2016 - 2022)

NOW ALL GLORY TO GOD, WHO IS ABLE, THROUGH HIS MIGHTY POWER AT WORK WITHIN US, TO ACCOMPLISH INFINITELY MORE THAN WE MIGHT ASK OR THINK.

SO THEN, BROTHERS, STAND FIRM AND HOLD TO THE TRADITIONS THAT YOU WERE TAUGHT BY US, EITHER BY OUR SPOKEN WORD OR BY OUR LETTER. - 2 Thessalonians 2:15

DEAR EAGLE NATION,

I hope you enjoyed reading this edition of Legacy’s Impact magazine. I was particularly moved by the article and tributes to Coach Mike Hall. I knew Mike and his wife, Raylene, since 2001. Many things about Mike challenged me as a young coach and educator, but nothing more than watching him develop quality mentoring relationships. He cared about every boy and girl who crossed his path, whether in his classroom, in the corridors, or as an athlete. Most important, he wanted them to know Jesus.

Mike had a passionate relationship with his Savior. He talked about Jesus all the time and was tireless in spreading the gospel. As a result, Mike had an impact on our school that will be felt for generations.

God, in His trinitarian nature, exists in relationship with the Son and the Holy Spirit. As beings made in the image of God, we were created to exist in our relationships with others and with God. I heard someone say recently that we were made to live our days like bananas — in bunches. It’s a nice picture

and it’s why, for many, the after effects of the pandemic have been devastating. Compelled to live in isolation, people of all ages — from children to the elderly — have faced anxiety and depression in skyrocketing numbers. This burdens my heart and stirs me to action as we continue our work to ensure that our community stays connected during both bad times and good ones.

It is my prayer that this year we focus on the sweet spirit of Christian community. Ours should be a model for how to live and grow together in grace and love. I pray we seek a unity of purpose that is quite simply to know Christ. As we grow ever deeper in our faith, we grow together as a community.

Will you join me in seeking first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:13) in your personal life, in the life of your family, and in this special community we call Legacy Christian Academy? I believe that in doing so, we will produce much fruit for the Kingdom (Jeremiah 17:7–8).

Growing together,

Kevin L. Mosley Head of School