Vol. 1 No. 2 - Spring Edition

Experience pisgah post College Prep. Life Ready.

inside pisgah 2 Pisgah 2020: On a Mission Choosing Pisgah

4 New at the Lower School Manners Matter

6 New Service Program Pisgah Mission Trips

8 Pisgah Arts Update

10 Pisgah Athletics

13 Patriot Athletic Campus Progress Report

16 Board of Trustees Report

PAC Progress

Mount Pisgah Christian School 9820 Nesbit Ferry Road Johns Creek, Georgia 30022

PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID ATLANTA, GA PERMIT #3592

Construction of the stadium has begun and will be completed by September 2010. The baseball and softball fields, and eight-lane track are now open, wrapping up Phase 2 of the Patriot Athletic Campus, (more on page 13).

Highly Contagious & Spreading

I

by Bill Shelnutt, Head of Preparatory School

t’s not the flu, and in fact there is no vaccine against this one! A passion for learning and a genuine excitement for electives of their choosing just swept through the students and teachers in the Upper School and no one was spared.

IIf you have a child in the Prep School you have probably heard all about the Forensics Minimester schedule schedule, a specialized program that allows students to choose from up to 70 different academic electives ranging from Media Production and TV News Reporting to Robotics and French Impressionism. The course list is immense and the options for students are more than they could even complete in eight years of high school. The result has been a level of excitement that is unprecedented and has re-energized students at a time in the school year that research has shown can be the low ebb for student engagement.

Evidence of this engagement can be seen in the historic level of student attendance alone. In the nine days of the January Minimester, student attendance averaged 99.4% or less than two students absent each day in the entire high school--and this during cold and flu season.

Students had the opportunity to explore interests with tremendous variety in an intensive condensed format, and they did not want to miss a single minute of it.

The faculty and staff were no less immune, guided by the infectious passion for what courses they were choosing to offer. Teachers began working on their Minimester cours-

es six months in advance, devising courses in specific areas that are personal favorites. Some teachers adapted college courses that had special meaning or impact in their lives, such as Didacticism in Classic Television. Others explored hobbies that allowed them to demonstrate complex mathematical concepts in unexpectedly fun ways, such as in the Geometry of Woodcarving. Still others pushed students to Woodworki ng probe deeply into concepts of theology and morality in courses such as Theology of Evil or the popular Psychology of Criminal Behavior and Lying.

In all these courses, teachers had an opportunity to pause from their traditional curriculum and show students a different side of their academic pursuits and also a different side of themselves. Students reported how much fun it was to see their teachers get so excited about what they were teaching, and they became even more enthusiastic. The contagion was now out of control. Research shows that teacher engagement is the best indicator for affecting student learning; when this is coupled with intensely high student engagement, learning becomes a pandemic.

Baroque Pa intin g

The Minimester Reviews Are In… “Palates of the World was one of the most flavorful classes I’ve taken. It enlightened my sense of taste and made me look at eating meals in a whole new way.” Amanda Salyers, Senior

“Amazing! I thought it was going to be awesome, but it even surpassed that. I can see myself doing this for real in the future.” - Max Aden, Freshman, on the Psychology of Criminal Behavior and Lying.

Senior Signings

“Latin class made education fun.

I learned more in this class than a semester long language course.”

- Lindsey O’Sullivan, Senior

Additional signings and college acceptances will be reported in the next Pisgah Post!

Jo rd a n Ja n ico sig n s witity h Va n d e rbilt U n ive rs

FeDale H all sig ns wit h Air Fo rce A ca d em y

pisgah post Dea r Frie n d,

hip is in sp irin g rs e d a le l o o h sc f o e T h e p riv ile g ss ibilit ie s o p s u o rm o n e e th st u d e nts to se e n g th e u n iqu e a bility th e y ca n create u sis ble ss ed th e m. T h rou g h th e st rate g ic h a s sou g ht wit h w hich God h a e Pis g a h lea d e rs hip a n d co m m u n ity is ch a lle n g e. p la n n in g e ffo rt, thif ic p la n th at will co m p lete ly fu lf ill thlle n g e o f to e st a bli sh a spe c rs e nth u si a st ica lly e m b ra ce th e ch a in h e re ntly W hile m o st ed u catot ex pe ri e n ce fo r st u d e nts, sch oo ls a re bility. p ro v idin g a re le va n in p re fe re n ce to co n si st e n cy a n d st a d loca l re si st a nt to ch a n g e n d sca pe o f th e g lo ba l, n atio n a l, a ne u ri a l sp irit Give n th e vo latile laa h m u st utili z e th at sa m e e ntre p re n e nv iro n m e nts, Pis g ntry so g reat. th at m a d e this cou is u lt im ate ly ss e c c su , is t a h T ”. “t ea m spo rt th a n Ed u catio n is n ot a chie ve m e nt o f th e in div id u a l rath e r d o n th e m ea su red by th e a . Pis g a h d et e rm in e s it s su cce ss ba seh st u d e nt th e co lle ct ive w h o lels a n d m ile st o n e s a s d e fi n ed by ea c su ch a att a in m e nt o f g oa ily. T h e sch oo l re m a in s co m m itted to a n d his o r h e r fa m n g a g ed ex pe ri e n ce. pe rs o n a li z ed a n d e , fa cu lty, rs to a tr is in m d a s, e oa rd o f Tru st e la n. L et it B p e is th th to to u o d y te u k n ib a tr h n T frie n d s wh o co d n a , ts n re a p , ts n e st u d o n a m issio n! is h a g is P t a th n be k n o w

Choosing Pisgah

T

he beginning of the calendar year is a wonderful time of reflection and Ta mm y M ozi ng o, Di rector of Ad missions renewal. At Mount Pisgah Christian School, we are looking forward to re-enrollment and renewing our commitment to all that Pisgah has to offer. Each family that enjoys the Pisgah Experience understands the rich blessings that have become the cornerstone of why we value our school, and why we enthusiastically want to share it with others. From the many prospective families that I have met and the conversations that I have had with them, I have compiled a list of the main reasons that families choose Pisgah. There is no particular order of priority because that order varies from family to family.

The Main Reasons Families Choose Pisgah 1. Safety and Security Parents come to the Early School and the Lower School searching for a safe haven for their young children. They want a learning environment that is warm and nurturing, but what might be surprising is, that they often come to the Upper School for the same reason. All parents want that hedge of protection surrounding their children that Pisgah provides…no matter what the child’s age.

Continued on Page 16.

G rate fu lly y ou rs, Scott Ba rro n

Executive Leadership Mount Pisgah Christian School

Pisgah 2020: On a Mission  Peer Leadership Program  PAC Phase 2 with Phase 3 underway  More Elective Choices  Comprehensive Advisory Program  Prep Academic Council And that’s just a start! The implementation of the Pisgah 2020 Strategic Plan is well underway. In addition to the successful initiatives listed above, numerous others have been launched, including increased opportunities to showcase student talent in arts events, required community service hours for Upper School students, and establishment of the Mount Pisgah Foundation which provides creative ways for Kayley Jan ico, An na Froh sin, Ala ina supporters to give assets other than cash to the school. Intentional Gra nt efforts have also been made to preserve the Pisgah culture through enhanced communication, admissions selectivity, and limits on class sizes.

Hard-working committees continue their efforts to implement the strategic plan, focusing on Academics, Christian Foundation, Finances, and the Pisgah Culture. The formation of these committees was based on the common ground statements developed during the Visioning Conference last year, which included parents, faculty, students, board members, and administrators. Their collective efforts established a clear understanding of where Pisgah has been and where the school is headed.

Reenrollment Deadline

February 26th

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9820 Nesbit Ferry Road Johns Creek, GA 30022 678-336-3443 experiencepisgah.org

Scott Barron President Gentry Arnette, III Director of Development Blake Davenport General Manager of Athletics Tammy Mozingo Director of Admissions Ruben Rodriguez Chief Financial Officer Nancy Shaw Head of Primary School Bill Shelnutt Head of Preparatory School Dr. Bryan Smyth Executive Director of Academic Affairs & College Guidance Rebecca Williams Director of Marketing & Communications

Mount Pisgah Christian School

Vol. 1 | No. 2 | Spring Edition

No More SAT Scores?

by Trey Arnette, Director of Development

O

f the 9,000 students applying for admission to this fall’s freshman class at Wake Forest, not one of them is required to submit their SAT score with their application. You read that right, not one; no SAT workshops, flashcards, tutoring, or even a single four hour sit on a Saturday morning, not to mention the complete absence of stress, anxiety, and dampened self esteem assigned to those scores. Wake Forest is the first of the top thirty ranked schools in the nation to adopt the quickly growing trend of making SAT scores optional. Martha Allman, Director of Admissions at Wake Forest stated, “Removing the test requirement will demonstrate emphatically that we value individual academic achievement and initiative as well as talent and character above standardized testing.”

A few years ago I ran into a former student who left Pisgah after middle school to take advantage of the “opportunities” offered by one of the larger public schools in the area. I asked him how he was doing and how he liked his teachers and inquired if he had continued to excel in the numerous endeavors he had pursued at Pisgah. After about ten minutes of “No” and “Not really” and “Not anymore”, he concluded, “I mostly just hang out with my friends.” It saddened me to realize he had been lost in the sea of more than 500 other freshmen who had entered the same school, and with student to teacher ratios of almost 30:1, no one had noticed.

When I read the article about Wake Forest doing away with SAT scores, relying more on interviews, recommendations, and personal achievements, I immediately thought of the students in the nearby high schools with hundreds of classmates and thousands of students in grades 9th-12th. How would the vast majority of them get the opportunity to explore their gifts and talents in a sport or a performance? How would any teacher ever have the time to even notice those gifts and talents that might be hidden just beneath the surface of a developing adolescent’s awkward shyness? For that matter, with less than 200 faculty and over 2,500 students, would they ever have enough time to spend with any one teacher to ask for a true recommendation to college or even just develop the confidence of conversing with an adult to succeed in the interview?

Engagement: The New Measure of School Success

by Dr. Bryan Smyth Executive Director of Academic Affairs For years, the collegiate system has relied on SAT or ACT test scores to help understand who is most qualified and ready for admission. Despite evidence that test scores have, at best, mild predictive value for universities that want to determine who will perform best at the college level, most persist in making them a major portion of the application process. The colleges then publish their average SAT or ACT scores and college ranking groups incorporate this into their quasi-statistical system. It implies that the better colleges have the higher SAT scores. Consumers are then easily misled to think that the best colleges have the highest scores, when in reality; it is simply a reflection of their popularity. That is, because they are popular, they have far fewer slots available than applicants, which allows them to be selective, take the highest SAT scores, and perpetuate the myth.

This reliance on standardized testing, particularly the SAT, was then used to describe why our schools were not preparing students for college. In A Nation at Risk, the point was made that our national average SAT score was dropping. The resulting national panic spurned the government to craft and insist on accountability. This ended up taking the form of standardized test scores. Government schools have been held to making adequate yearly progress largely on the basis of these high stakes test occasions. What they have found, however, the mere presence of the test results in teachers “teaching to the test” and often rushing through content.

Continued on Page 16.

www.experiencepisgah.org

The value of an education at Pisgah is being realized in major universities nationwide. It cannot be reflected in a standardized test or in a statistical trend or data point.

It is the intangible value afforded to our students to have the opportunity to explore and develop one’s God-given abilities under the watchful eye of a loving and caring faculty, not for just a semester or even a year, but often times for well over a decade. It is the balance of having faculty who not only care how their students are doing in the classroom, but in life as a whole. It is the excitement for learning imbedded in the heart of a kindergartner by an innovative and creative teacher. It is the talent nurtured by a coach’s investment in an uncoordinated sixth grader, knowing in six short years he will be the captain of the team. It is the guidance provided by the teacher who spends her morning, planning period, and after school hours with an open door and listening heart for any student who might just happen to stop in for a chat. It is the leadership empowered and the character modeled when a senior sits on the cabin floor surrounded by middle schoolers. It is the confidence acquired when one’s elementary teacher attends graduation to tell her former students how proud she is of them.

I want to thank you for your continued generous support of the mission and vision of Mount Pisgah Christian School as it allows us to continue to provide above and beyond what tuition affords. We are well on our way to reaching our $1M goal for the Excellence Fund with $755,950 currently raised.

Road Trip Revelation Forty members of Pisgah’s junior and sophomore classes had many “ah ha” moments when they traveled to six colleges over President’s Day weekend. The trip, designed to expose students to a wide range of college options from large state universities to small liberal arts colleges, was again a huge success. At Davidson, Wofford and Furman, tour guides espoused the following virtues: • A strong honor code and safe environments.

Students could even leave their book bags around campus without fear of theft.

• Small classes with professors who get to know the students. They talked about professors knowing the students’ names and getting them engaged in and out of the classroom.

• January or May terms. Students were afforded the option of taking interesting short-term classes for credit.

• International Travel. Study abroad and mission-related trips were said to help students enhance their college experience.

• A strong, challenging curriculum that focuses on broad-based core knowledge.

The tour guides and admissions representatives presented these features as their “competitive advantages” over big schools. They announced each with conviction and excitement, anticipating the students would be in awe of these features. Ours weren’t. “At first I was a bit annoyed that they were not getting it,” said Dr. Bryan Smyth, Pisgah’s Executive Director of Academic Affairs.

“However, as I reflected on the bus ride to Clemson I realized, our students were not enamored with these features because they are not out of the ordinary for them. It is exactly what they have experienced at Pisgah.”

The picture shows not the dining hall at Davidson, but the halls at lunch in our own Upper School building--a symbol of the trust, safety, and security at Pisgah. Our small classes and mini-mester allow teachers to engage students as they explore interesting topics that expand their horizons. Our mission trips and travel opportunities, like this week’s AP Art trip to New York, enhance students’ experience and give them a global perspective. Finally our core-intensive liberal arts curriculum helps students be ready to go in any intellectual direction they choose at the next level. As our college road trippers discovered: Pisgah’s Experience = College Prep. Life Ready.

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pisgah post New at the Lower School The Sound of Music After much prayer and research, the Primary School is beginning a new Music program: Orff Shulwerk. The program allows children of all musical stages to learn to read music and play some musical instruments. The school has purchased “Orff Orchestra” instruments, including various sizes of xylophones and glockenspiels. These new high quality instruments will serve students for the next fifty years. Music teacher Erin Fink is looking forward to the change.

“Children as young as two years old can succeed on an instrument,” says Miss Fink, “as long as you give them the right guidelines and make it fun!” Miss Fink will attend intensive training classes this summer to prepare for teaching the new program this fall. More detailed information about Orff Shulwerk will be shared in the weeks to come.

Everyday Math How does the partial products multiplication method differ from the lattice method? Just ask Lower School math students, teachers, and parents involved in the Everyday Math program. Developed by the University of Chicago School of Mathematics Project, Everyday Math is a widely used math program in many of our area’s elite private schools. This is a field tested, research based program that encourages students to understand math on a deeper level than traditional math programs. The spiraling curriculum gives students many chances to practice concepts before being required to master them, and it allows students to become active participants in the development of algorithms and problem solving skills. Everyday Math coincides with the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and is highly recommended by the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition to Math Night last fall, Lower School teachers had the opportunity to attend a staff development seminar with Everyday Math consultant Keke Hammonds during January’s teacher work day. Teachers were introduced to the program’s updates and left with many new curriculum teaching ideas. And it’s not just teachers learning! The Lower School offered parents two math learning opportunities last fall: an information session with consultant Linda Salter and a methods workshop with fourth grade teacher Andrea Couch. Still craving more math information? Stay tuned for an upcoming workshop this spring, or check out these websites: www.everydaymathonline.com and www.wrightgroup.com.

Tennis Anyone?

In an effort to enhance students’ base knowledge in a wide variety of sports, the Physical Education Department will add a tennis unit to the curriculum for grades 2-5. Students will learn the fundamentals of tennis or participate in lead up activities that lay the groundwork for future tennis skills. Through a variety of drills, students will learn how to hit a forehand, backhand, volley, serve, and will learn basic tennis rules. “We are very excited to have the opportunity to add this unit to P.E.,” says Lower School P.E. teacher Darryl Brooks. “Tennis is definitely a sport that students can play throughout their lives.”

P.E. Instructor Keisha O’Hearn has attended two USTA sponsored clinics this year to learn the latest teaching methods and activities for the students. By joining USTA and participating in these clinics, Pisgah has also received $200 in free equipment from USTA. As part of its mission to promote and develop the growth of tennis, the United States Tennis Association is dedicated to introducing tennis to children of all ages through schools across the country.

M rs. Sh aw instru cts Jorri M osby

Manners Matter “Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right.”

Proverbs 20:11 Learning good manners is a meaningful part of the Pisgah curriculum. Students are taught the importance of manners and are given many opportunities to practice what they learn.

Pisgah fifth graders receive a comprehensive etiquette/manners class taught by Ms. Nancy Shaw, Head of the Primary School. Beginning second semester, students go to the Tea Room for manners instruction, including:  Five magic phrases (Please, Thank You, You’re Welcome, Excuse Me, and I’m Sorry)  Remove your hat or cap indoors  Appropriate audience manners  Making introductions  The proper way to shake hands  Home manners/Restaurant manners  Guest manners/Party manners  Fine Dining Manners As the grand finale, students are given a fine dining tutorial at the Brookwood Grill. The Panos family generously provides our students a delicious four course meal. The students practice the skills they learned in the Tea Room, while Ms. Shaw provides instruction as they enjoy each course. Traveling to the Brookwood Grill is a great field trip for Pisgah students and a terrific opportunity to reinforce the skills they learned in class.

100th Day of School Zero the Hero and his sidekick Zerona help Pisgah students celebrate the 100th day of school and reinforce important math concepts.

“I think that when Zero and Zerona made the number ‘100’ it was really cool!”

Chandler Copenhaver, Kindergarten

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Supe r Heroes Zero and Zerona

Mount Pisgah Christian School

Vol. 1 | No. 2 | Spring Edition

I Daycare vs. Preschool Do you want more each day for your child than coloring, naptime, recess and a snack? Imagine the advantage your child will have in school when his critical development years include: science exploration and experiments, instruction in art and music, chapel and character lessons, physical education, Spanish and much more.

There are key differences between daycare and Pisgah Preschool. Spend just five minutes in an active, engaged Pisgah classroom and you’ll immediately appreciate the value of providing this important experience for your child. After all, these years pass quickly and you only have one opportunity to make the most of them.

Early School Half Day

n January, Early School Half Day students stepped into the pages and celebrated the 20th anniversary of Jan Brett’s famous book, The Mitten.. Children came to school in their pajamas and were greeted by teachers with hot chocolate.

Exploring the world of hedgehogs, bears, rabbits, owls and woodland animals, students made snow, experimented with “ice” in the science lab, and even made their own mittens and had knitting demonstrations! The older children saw where Nicki comes from in the Ukraine and used a Smartboard to see the other side of the world.

Students had fun making prayer rocks to give to their Dads at Date for Dads. Experiencing a little of the world of a four year old, dads had donuts for breakfast with their children as they moved through the morning routine.

Once again, the Christmas season brought joy and special memories to the many children, teachers, and families of the Early School. The Christmas pageant and Operation Christmas Child were heart-warming experiences for all. Early School Director Charmaine Botha best described the blessing of this special Pisgah tradition: “How sweet to watch the innocence of little ones as they offered up their prayers to the Lord, hoping that their gifts would be a blessing to a needy child at the other end of the earth.”

Ch rist ma s Progra m

Date for Da ds

“Once there was a boy na med Nicki who wanted his new mittens made from wool as white as snow….” from The Mitten Goofy Gla sse s Da y

Early School Full Day

A

t Early School Full Day, teachers are always developing new, fun, and creative ways to enrich the learning process. In honor of “Bears and Hibernation” week, the Ark Room friends threw a Hibernation Party to learn about how bears, and other hibernation animals, prepare for winter. Children used flashlights to seek out the perfect cozy cave and brought sleeping bags and teddy bears to keep warm and cozy. They even went on a BEAR HUNT—what an adventure!

There is nothing quite like the wonder of a child at Christmas time. In the midst of the hustle and bustle, the shopping, and Santa, it is easy for us to so quickly forget the meaning behind it all. But not children. Somehow, despite all of the noise and distraction, they capture the magic with crystal clear clarity. And it’s contagious. As the Early School Dove room celebrated Christmas this year, they did so with the understanding that the holiday is more than presents, more than shopping, and more than Santa. It’s about Jesus. And so, their “Happy Birthday Jesus” party served as the finale to their Christmas celebration this year. The children were so excited to put on party hats, play games, and eat cake. And when time came for them to sing “Happy Birthday to Jesus,” they did so with a pure mixture of joy and reverence. For the Dove Room, friends captured the happiness that can be found in the simple things at Christmas time-- reading a story, sharing a meal with friends, and celebrating the greatest Gift of all.

Ha ppy Birthd ay Jes us Party

Operation Ch rist ma s Child

Watch D.O.G.S. Report

by David Dworkin, Watch D.O.G.S. President

Jam es an d Jim M ontgom ery

Pisgah’s Watch D.O.G.S. are really something to howl about! The first day back to school on January 5th started with a frigid subfreezing morning, but there were at least ten Watch D.O.G.S. dads present during drop-off to welcome students and parents back to school.

The Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) program began in the second half of the 2008-09 school year and has grown to include nearly 100 fathers, grandfathers and uncles. Watch D.O.G.S. dads come on campus and help with the drop off of students, then report for duty in the front office to help with the daily announcements. Then it is off to a full schedule of helping teachers, playing with kids on the playground, joining them in the lunch room, and assisting where needed.

www.experiencepisgah.org

A Watch D.O.G.S. dad is an extra set of eyes, ears and hands on campus for one day a year. It is the safe school initiative created

by Jim Moore of www.fathers.com and has been growing nationally as fathers take a more hands-on approach to being involved in their child’s day at school. All Watch D.O.G.S. dads are screened with a GBI background check. To become involved with this great volunteer program at Pisgah, simply contact one of the following to obtain the forms needed.

David Dworkin (david.dworkin@ieee.org) Mike Carter (carter1711@bellsouth.net) or Alison Powell (APowell@mountpisgahschool.org)

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pisgah post Where in the world are Pisgah Missionaries? on Ski p An de rson, Ry an Felice, Dylan Dix

New Service Program Launches Why? “Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back -- given back with bonus and blessings. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” Luke 6:38 (Message)

Who? All Upper School students

What?

Minimum of 25 hours of verified volunteer community service each academic year. This may be accomplished through a church, school, or any recognized community nonprofit organization. Service may include local outreach, school or church mission trips, non-profit community shelters/food banks, Goodwill, NFCC (North Fulton Community Charities), Service Day, VBS, etc.

Costa Rica Each year during spring break, Upper School students serve the Methodist School. Seminary, and Children’s Orphanage.

“The impact the children in Costa Rica had on my life was far greater than any impact I might have had on them” Matt Anderson - Junior (returning for third time) “It changed me a lot - it gave me a new perspective on life. It made me really value relationships so much more.” Hank Shaw - Junior (returning for second time)

Kenya Pisgah tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders work with the faculty of Mountain Park Academy in Nakuru, Kenya, sharing the hope and love of Jesus Christ with Kenyan children ages 4-14. Light construction projects including water -purification installation opportunities.

“The mission trip last year to Kenya changed the way I view the world. I saw how simply the Kenyan people lived but how spiritually full they were. I’m really excited that my mom is going this year as a chaperone to see what I saw.” Parsa Behnamiri - Senior (returning for second time) “My sister (Alex Knight class of 09) has talked so much about her experiences when she went to Kenya - I can’t wait to see for myself the culture and lifestyle of the Kenyan people.” Emily Knight - Sophomore “We did so much in Kenya. We did a lot for the kids, but they had more of an effect on me than I could ever have on them. I saw Jesus in the eyes of those kids.” Cameron Grey, Senior

When?

Montana

Outside of regular school hours, weekends, weeknights.

Provides an opportunity for ninth graders to learn leadership skills in a unique way as they begin stepping out and growing up. Projects include work at the Salvation Army, Food Bank, Head Start, area churches and nursing homes.

Where?

Here, There, and Everywhere.

How? Record your hours on a Community Service Verification Form and turn in to Mrs. Morris in H317.

Impact?

“Our goal in community service is to help students understand the joys and the responsibilites of giving.The happiest, most joyful people in the world are the givers.The more sober side of giving/serving is found in Jesus’ words, “To those whom have been given much, much is required.” Peyton Mosher—Chaplain and Director of Christian Leadership.

Gainesville Eighth graders are introduced to Pisgah mission trips as they serve their local community on their first overnight service experience.

“I really enjoyed the trip to Gainesville. I discovered a newfound joy of serving others and it really inspired me to want to go on other mission trips, including the upcoming trip with my classmates to Montana.” Taylor Carlson, Freshman.

Valdosta Class of 2011 Mission Work Camp. The class serves others and bonds together as they enter their senior year.

In conjunction with Group Work Camps, students complete minor home repairs, light construction, and painting for the elderly and low income families.

“I think this summer trip is a great opportunity to do something for the people in my own state and grow closer to my classmates as we begin our senior year together” Rachel Strang- Junior (has also been to Montana and Costa Rica).

Illinois Class of 2010 Mission Work. In conjunction with Group Work Camps, graduating seniors travel to Mount Vernon, Illinois to complete minor home repairs, light construction, and painting for the elderly and low income families.

Patriot’s Pa nt ry donations

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Mount Pisgah Christian School

Vol. 1 | No. 2 | Spring Edition

Pennies for Patients

y collection drive MS stude nts enjoy pizza party for winn ing Patriot’s Pantr

Patriot’s Pantry The brand new Patriot’s Pantry is off to a BIG start! During the debut drive, students and faculty of the Lower, Middle and Upper School collected more than 5000 much-needed food items for North Fulton Community Charities.

“Working at a Christian School provides many opportunities to teach the students about taking the basic principles we are taught and actually putting the words into actions,” said Jacque Solomon, Executive Assistant to the school President, who came up with the idea. “We are told to take care of the needy all of the time, not just at Christmas or for the ‘Great Day of Service’. Having a Service Project at other times besides the holidays, it does teach the students about giving from the heart and walking the walk.”

“It is wonderful that the school and the students can get something going like this,” said Karen Rupp, from NFCC. “It is truly appreciated by the staff here and especially by the families we are serving.”

Rupp said they have seen a huge increase recently in families needing assistance. She estimated they give out nearly two tons of food per day.

Solomon said she came up with the idea after seeing a picture of an empty pantry at NFCC. “I hate the thought of hungry children anywhere and especially in my own community,” she said.

The willingness to give back to the community is part of Pisgah’s goal to have students ready for both college and life.

When it comes to giving, Pisgah puts more than their two cents in to the Pennies for Patients campaign. Each year, students and faculty pour their hearts into raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

For 2010, Pisgah dedicates their efforts to Samantha Kee, an Early School Full Day teacher who is battling Leukemia. At press time, the total was still being calculated but organizers expect another record-breaking year. In 2009, Pisgah raised more money than any other school in Georgia and ranked third in the entire nation with more than $32,000.

“The Pisgah community has felt the pain caused by Leukemia and Lymphoma, and we are committed to developing a cure for these dreaded diseases. It is through such efforts that we are able to deliver lasting life lessons, demonstrating that generosity is an important element of servant leadership,” said Pisgah President Scott Barron.

“It is amazing how the entire Mount Pisgah Christian School community comes together to raise money for this cause. Their compassion and spirit helps others and honors their students, faculty, and parents who have been affected by blood cancers,” said Bridgett Molony, School & Youth Coordinator for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

“I love seeing how excited the students get about the program every year,” said Daryl Brooks, who helps coordinate the program at Pisgah. “It is amazing to see what some of the students do every year to help others.

From giving up their allowance to digging into their savings accounts – these students are truly a blessing.”

Hand in Hand What starts out as an opportunity to serve others, sometimes turns into a blessing for the servant too. Just ask four Pisgah students who get up early every Sunday morning to live out their faith and share God’s love in a very special way.

Hand-in-Hand is a student-led Sunday morning Bible study for special needs students who are in middle or high school.

The program is a part of the Student Life ministry at Mount Pisgah UMC in which several students are key leaders, including Pisgah’s Alexa Felice, Hannah Barron, Jake Brannon, and Hank Shaw.

“These students have done an incredible job of showing the love of Christ through their service at Hand-in-Hand,” said Alan White, Mount Pisgah UMC Student Pastor. Every Sunday morning, these students and others from several local public schools gather at 9:30am to lead the special needs students in games, crafts, music, and Bibles studies.

Hats 4 Haiti March 15 - 19th The Pisgah family will help bring hope and relief to earthquakedamaged Haiti this spring. All Pisgah students who participate at any level (by bringing in loose change) will be allowed to wear a special hat to school on Friday, March 19th. So please gather up some change and dust off that favorite headgear as we extend hands that reflect Christ’s love to those who are suffering.

www.experiencepisgah.org

“Hand in Hand has been an excellent way for me to serve people who are truly living with Christ’s love and spirit in their hearts,” said Alexa Felice. “I feel blessed to be a part of this ministry; watching these kids grow more in love with Jesus has encouraged me to be more outgoing and passionate about my own faith.”

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pisgah post What’s Happening in Pisgah Arts?

Pisgah Band and String Students Excel at Competitions Students enrolled in the Band and String classes have been participating in Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) and Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) auditions and events. Bryant Laursen participated in the first round of GMEA All State Jazz Band auditions, and passed the first round on both alto and tenor saxophone. He then went on to the final auditions in December, held here at Pisgah, and placed in the top ten in the state! In addition, Middle School students Sasha Popov and Conrad Venizelos participated in the first round auditions for the GMEA All State Orchestra, and both passed the first round to earn an opportunity to take Bry ant L au rs en the second audition in January. Both Conrad and Sasha also did an excellent job in their second round audition.

Nicholas Doss and Ben Otieno auditioned for both the GMEA District V Honor Bands and GMEA All State band. Both Nicholas (alto saxophone), and Ben (trumpet), earned first chair—top in the district! They both also earned the opportunity to audition for the GMEA All State band, and Ben received top honors by placing as the first trumpet. He will be traveling to Savannah on March 4-6 to participate in the All State weekend.

Six Pisgah Lower and Middle School students will be participating in the GISA All Select Middle School Honor Band program. Participating in the Middle School Symphonic Band is Lower School clarinetist, Sunita Wassan, Nich ola s Do ss and Middle School percussionists Sam Black and Ross Bullock. Playing in the Middle School Wind Ensemble will be Nicholas Doss and Christopher Corbet on saxophone, and Anup Wassan on trumpet. All of these students will be sharing their musical talents at the February 25, 2010 Band, String, and Chorus concert at 7:00pm in South Hall.

Pisgah Arts Advisory Council Many parents have expressed interest in seeing the arts continue to flourish here at Pisgah, and have shown their support by joining the Pisgah Arts Parent Association (PAPA). In addition, a smaller group of parents have committed to providing input regarding events, course offerings, fundraising activities, as well as oversight of volunteer support. These parents became members of one of the Pisgah Arts Advisory Councils. The Junior Council is made up of Lower School parents, and the Senior Council is comprised of Middle & Upper School parents. Each group meets monthly, and will continue to provide insight and manpower to the arts department throughout the school year.

Junior Council Members: Becky Baker, Ashley Brazzel, Scott Kasselmann, Happy Mayer, Kacey McCrosky, Liz Moore, and Vania Venizelos.

Senior Council Members: Leigh Anne Bishop, Jorge Blanco, Cathy Caldwell, Mimi Doss, Jolene Kellner, Happy Mayer, Gloria Ochs, Judy Raymer, and Beth Tanzy.

All those who attended the recent “Evening of the Arts” agree that Pisgah is filled with talented students. Please visit experiencepisgah.org to join PAPA or the Arts Advisory Council and support the Arts!

Chorus on the Risers The Choral Program has continued to grow exponentially!

Upper School Chorus has more than tripled in size; however, the greatest news is not the numeric growth, but the more significant explosion of enthusiasm for choral singing here at Pisgah. In addition to the already developing Middle School ensembles, on February 25 you will have the opportunity to witness some very fine singing by our Upper School Chorus. They will present a delightful juxtaposition of two R & B classics, “My Girl /My Guy” along with the center piece of their program, a moving adaptation of Langston Hughes’ “I Dream A World.”

The sixth grade chorus will perform “May the Road Rise to Meet You”, one of Ruth Elaine Schram’s best works. You will also not want to miss the Seventh/Eighth Grade Chorus singing an innovative arrangement of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Georgia On My Mind.” Join us in South Hall February 25th for a memorable night of incredible music.

Generally Music!

In addition to the Band and Chorus programs, Pisgah’s General Music classes explore various musical genres based on their grade level. Eighth graders listen to the music of America and practice their aural and analytical skills. They have been composing phrases and choosing rhythm styles as accompaniment. Seventh graders explore music around the world through rhythm. They have mastered Africa and have moved East to India! It amazes and enlightens them how similar rhythms can be, but how different they sound once performed on different instruments. Sixth graders trace the development of music beginning in the Middle Ages, delving into the wonderful Classical composers Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn. The students enthusiastically recall which “masterworks” are used in media of today. They also identify and explore the instruments of the orchestra by sound, and have moved from Strings to Woodwinds.

Middle School Theatre Production Sure to be a Rollicking Affair

Upper School Thespians Shine the Light Nine Upper School theatre students recently attended the Georgia State Thespian Festival in Columbus. Jake Brannon, Evelyn Barnes, Katie Ochs, Karli Barnett, Will Finnell, Allison Tanzy, Meghan McCarthy, Lindsey O’Sullivan, and Connor Goldman presented a variety of projects, including Solo Musical Theatre, Ensemble Acting, Improvisation, and “Freestyle Theatre,” which involved an original work written and produced by the students. Congratulations on a job well done...

Pisgah Arts was extremely well represented, and so was our Lord!

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Middle School Theatre Arts Production! Twentyone T.I.P. (Talent Improvement Program) students are in rehearsal for The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet. It’s a hysterical adaptation of the Bard’s work. English teachers may cringe, but audiences will roar when Shakespeare and Seuss collide in this One-Act play.

Performance dates are Friday and Saturday, March 19 and 20, with the curtain at 7:30pm in “The H-119 Theater” (lower level of the Upper School building). Tickets will go on sale in midFebruary, and sell-outs are expected. May the Lord be glorified by the efforts of our students.

On a related note, the Upper School will present “STAR 2010” on April 16 in South Hall. It will be a combination of individual and small group performance pieces (Act I) and a fully staged One-Act play (Act II). More details and information regarding tickets will be forthcoming.

Pisg ah Th espian s pe rform at Eve

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nin g of th e Arts

Mount Pisgah Christian School

Vol. 1 | No. 2 | Spring Edition

Snapshots from Daddy-Daughter Dance

M eg an an d Em m et

View event photos online at

PisgahPhotos.com Password: patriots

t Child re ss

PisgahPhotos.com is a fundraiser for Mount Pisgah Christian School

Ann a and Joe Met zger

M eredit h an d Dan ie

l Micke lson

Visually Artistic Upper School Students

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his year’s “Memory Projects” have been completed. In its second year, the National Art Honor Society sponsored participation for 20 individuals for this mission-based program. The Memory Project is a unique initiative in which art students create portraits of and for children around the world who have been orphaned, abandoned, neglected, or otherwise disadvantaged. The portraits are then sent to the children as part of the overall mission support they receive.

Pisgah AP Studio Art students spent four days in New York City experiencing visual and performance art in our first annual Art Excursion. The trip created artistic memories for years to come, but also exposed the students to the professional world that they may one day enter.

In Pisgah’s first round of Minimester classes, the visual arts offered Baroque Painting and The Art of Caricature Drawing. The three hours per class allowed students to fully focus on a specific genre in a concentrated manner, thereby progressing at a substantially faster rate than would be possible in classes that are stretched out over several days. Some of the Baroque students had the opportunity to paint a seated live model in period attire (our own Mary Ann Morris!), while others painted an ornate still life. The Art of Caricature class had the opportunity to meet Chris Neuenschwander, a renowned local caricature artist, who shared his work and demonstrated several of his techniques for the class.

Avery and Jeff Moore

Lower School Masterpieces

He len Ha rris

Featured in the Principal’s Gallery at the Lower School are self-portraits of our first grade students and the parent of their choice. The works are delightful and clearly show their parent’s “best side!” Our visual art students have also had the opportunity to view the actual paintings of mothers and their children created by master painters such as Bronzino, Monet, Cassatt and Picasso.

They noted the similarities, differences and clues about the various time periods. After the observations, they created their own pastel portraits in the same tradition. The arts continue to blossom at the Lower School!

www.experiencepisgah.org

Middle School Visual Artists “Explore” their Talents

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he current quarter of Visual Arts in the Middle School has students reviewing the various elements of visual art. Personal Rainbow Color Wheels, Mixed Media Lines and Geometric Cut-Out Animals are just a few of the projects that are showing up on the walls of the Middle School hallways and Art Room—all designed to brighten up winter days. Students will also begin to explore other areas in the arts, including Ancient Cultures (6th grade), European Art (7th grade), and American Art (8th grade), where their first tasks will include Cave Drawings, Illuminated Manuscripts and Watercolor Paper Baskets, respectively. Don’t walk through the Middle School without visiting the Art Room!

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pisgah post Fall Review “We had an all around tremendous fall season. All of our student-athletes gave their all to their sport and, more importantly, competed with sportsmanship and character,” said Blake Davenport, General Manager of Pisgah Athletics. Giving our teams a home field at the PAC has been a tremendous blessing and will do nothing but help Pisgah build all of our programs.”

Cross Country

The Pisgah boys’ and girls’ cross country teams both posted finishes in the top 12 at the GHSA Class A state meet. Sam Reilly finished 15th overall to lead the boys to an 11th place finish. The girls finished 12th.

Reilly posted a school record time of 17:22, which earned him status as a Georgia Elite runner.

Ha nk Sha w and Willia m Ha rrison Rounding out the scoring for the boys was William Harrison who finished 59th (19:03); Hank Shaw finished 61st (19:06); Alex Parker finished 95th (19:52) and Grant Thomas finished 113th (20:24). There were 188 boy’s competing in the meet.

Freshman Katie Strawinski led the girls’ team, finishing 36th with a time of 22:15. Emily Russell was second on the team, finishing 58th (23:20); Deborah Fang finished 94th (24:49); Danielle Shellman 108th (25:37) and Caroline Wayco 122nd (26:42) to close out the Pisgah scoring. 188 girls competed in the meet.

Softball

Bryant Laursen (78 tackles), Kyle Sloter (1169 yards and 11 touchdowns passing) and Danny Schneider (28 catches for 368 yards and five touchdowns).

Hall was also named first team All-North Fulton by the Johns Creek Neighbor. Offensive lineman Alex Dixon was a second team selection. Giglia, Laursen, Schneider and Sloter, were all Honorable Mention selections.

Cheerleading

Behind seniors Karli Barnett, Hannah Barron, Alexa Felice, Eleni Keeter, Mandi McSwain and Amanda Salyers, the varsity cheerleading squad dedicated themselves to keeping the crowd entertained at football games and pep rallies. The squad was constantly working to improve existing routines and learn new ones.

Middle School

Fall success at the Middle School level bodes well for the future of the varsity squads. The sixth grade football team lost just one game on the season and finished in third place. The Middle School football team finished 4-3 and made the playoffs, but would have improved on that mark if it were not for three rainouts. Starting what they hope will be many years of a home field advantage for all teams, the Middle School squad was undefeated at the PAC. Through it all the Middle School cheerleaders kept everyone excited and into the game.

Both the boys’ and girls’ cross country teams had successful seasons, finishing seventh at the Perimeter meet. Middle School softball finished 5-6 on the season, while the volleyball team finished 4-6.

The softball team made great strides in the fall, finishing 5-7 overall. The Lady Patriots picked up key wins over Galloway in the first game ever played at the PAC, as well as North Cobb Christian and Paideia.

Shortstop Nicole Peters, with a .444 batting average was named first team All-Region. Catcher Madison Claytor and pitcher Shea Church were named Honorable Mention. Church, who pitched every game for the squad, and Jordan Junior Patriots Delk were the team’s senior captains. rch Shea Chu The ten-year-old Junior Patriots football team captured the North Metro Football League championship with a 13-0 win over the Ray of Hope Jaguars. The team finished with an 8-2 record. “It felt exciting [to win the championship],” Volleyball Pisgah fifth grader Ryan Bostic said. “It was nice to win a championship for Behind a quartet of seniors, Coach Charles Pisgah.” “It felt really good to win – it felt like we accomplished our goal,” said Junn’s volleyball team finished the season 11teammate Alden Pascucci.

18-1. Megan Raymer was named to the All Area team. Raymer joined seniors Kate DeThe players said that Ray of Hope and Johns Creek were the teams’ toughGiori, Lindsey Major and Kelsey Van Stee to est opponents. The Patriots beat Ray of Hope three times, shutting them out lead the Lady Patriots. twice. After losing to Johns Creek 12-6, the team rolled past the Gladiators 34-7 in their next meeting.

“This year’s group of seniors has been the core of the volleyball program for at least the The defense pitched three shutouts during the season, while the offense avpast three years,” said head coach Charles eraged 20 points per game.

Junn. ‘Each has spent time working with the But the season was not all about winning and losing. Max Miller said that the underclassmen to improve their skills and highlight of the season was “definitely winning the championship”, but quickly court awareness.” With five upcoming freshadded, “and getting to know the men, four rising sophomores and one rising new kids.” junior Junn is excited about the future of the Pascucci said he learned that Meg an Raym er and Kelse y Van Stee volleyball program. “if you work as a team then you can win.”

Football The nine-year-old Junior PaThe varsity football team had a strong season, including the chance to qualify triots were runners up in the for the GHSA state playoffs for the first time in school history. After controlling Central Division. The nine and play for most of the game, the Patriots lost the season finale 24-20 to Land- ten-year-old Junior Patriot mark, thus missing out on the state playoffs. The team finished 5-5 overall cheerleaders did a tremenand 4-4 in the Region. dous job of cheering on both Led by FeDale Hall, the team placed five players on the All-Region squad. Hall squads. finished the season with 1228 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns on 144 carries. He added another 386 yards, three scores receiving and 72 tackles on 5th Gra de Jun ior Pat riot Ch am pions defense. Also named to the All Region team were Peter Giglia (102 tackles),

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Mount Pisgah Christian School

Vol. 1 | No. 2 | Spring Edition

Spring Preview The spring season brings twenty teams and hundreds of students in to action for the Patriots. Most of these teams will have a new home as baseball, soccer and track will be calling the PAC home this spring.

Below is a preview of the varsity teams for 2010. In addition to these varsity teams, each program also has Middle School athletes who are striving to improve so that they can one day make their impact felt on the varsity level.

Ha nk Sha w wit h Jos eph Ma rco and Ry an

Felice

Winter Records At press time, the winter season was in full swing with exciting Varsity, JV, and Middle School boys’ and girls’ basketball games. The energetic cheerleading squads kept the crowds into the action. A complete wrap-up of the season will be featured in the next Pisgah Post, but one exciting report will be posted in this issue.

Lightning struck twice for the Pisgah boy’s varsity basketball team in January, as Hank Shaw and Brian Ginty both made their way into the GHSA record books on consecutive nights. Both players hit eight three-pointers, which puts them in a tie for seventh place in the GHSA. Shaw had his three-point night on Friday, January 22 in the Patriots 79-61 win over Excel. Ginty’s came the next night as the team defeated Galloway 78-40.

Shaw had a chance to hold on to the school record for himself, but passed up an open three-pointer and assisted Ginty on one of his shots.“I thought I had my time to shine the night before,” Shaw said.

“I’m sure Brian would do the same for me – everyone deserves a shot.”

On their games Ginty said, “It felt like I was on fire and the basket was huge. I felt like I couldn’t miss.

While Shaw added, “I was feeling pretty good. I just kept thinking ‘Keep feeding me the ball!’”

Reflecting on their performances, Ginty said, “It’ll be good to see my name on a list of such great athletes. It feels good to be a part of history.” “It’s a great feeling to know that your name is in the record book with the best of the best, but the honor all goes to God,” Shaw said.

So what did Shaw say to Ginty after seeing his mark tied? “I told him he played a great game and then I asked him why he couldn’t let me have it [the record] for 24 hours.”

Brian Ginty

www.experiencepisgah.org

Tennis

The Pisgah varsity boys’ and girls’ tennis teams will go into the 2010 season trying to improve on the outstanding records that allowed both of the teams to advance to the state tournament a year ago. Head coach Ken Bomar says his teams have set high goals for this season. As part of the plan to achieve these goals, he has added several strong non-region opponents to the schedule to prepare the team for the playoffs.

The boys’ team will lean heavily on experience, since all members of last year’s team that advanced to the second round of the state tournament will return. Included in that group is the Will Jamieson team’s only senior Jeff Gabriel. With the other returning members, as well as the addition of several outstanding freshmen, the Patriots are one of the region favorites.

The girls’ team is led by senior Lacey Russell, who because of her outstanding performance last year, is being recruited by several college teams. They must rely on several freshmen to step up this spring. The new team members are no strangers to competition, having been key members of the strong middle school teams for the past two years. If these pieces fall into place, the Patriots hope to advance deep into the state tournament this spring.

Golf

After two consecutive trips to the state playoffs, the varsity golf team is gearing up for another run at the state title. The Patriots return their three top golfers in co-MVP’s Jordan Janico (senior), Billy Kennerly (junior), and Michael Motz (senior).

Janico and Motz will be continuing their golf careers collegiately on scholarship at Vanderbilt and Marquette University, respectively. Kennerly is ranked among the top junior golfers in the nation.

Returning player Chris Heinmiller is expected to add much needed depth to the squad. A ico Jord an Jan few new players are also expected to make the team. Among them are two freshmen, Evan Piedrahita and Mitchell Phillips. “Evan and Mitchell are two good young players and I will be counting on them to make significant contributions to the team this year,” said head coach Bryan Smyth.

Baseball

After narrowly missing the GHSA state playoffs last season, the Pisgah baseball team returns nine players with the hopes of qualifying for the playoffs this year. The Patriots look to build on last season’s 8-7 comeback victory over state qualifier Eagles Landing. With a strong junior class and a number of new players in the program, the Patriots will have depth they have not had in previous seasons.

Head coach Lou Llerandi will look to Danny Schneider (.382 batting average, 15 runs batted in and 16 runs scored) and Hank Shaw (.358, 13 RBIs, 13 runs, 9 doubles) to anchor the offense.

On the mound, returning pitchers Hank Shaw, Andy Pease, Joseph Marco and Matt Horan will be counted on to provide quality innings. “This team will be asked to come together and qualify to make the state playoffs. It will take unselfishness, desire and bonding as a team,” said Llerandi. “This is the toughest schedule that we have played, which will help us in region play.”

Continued on Page 12.

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pisgah post Spring Preview (continued) Girls’ Soccer

The Varsity Girls’ soccer team is preparing for the upcoming season. “We are excited to have a number of returning players from last year’s team and will be looking towards senior Lindsey Major for her strong on and off the field leadership qualities to spearhead the charge,” said head coach Andy Trevers.

The squad will be anchored by returning players Michelle delaGuardia, Laura Jordan, Mary Claire Shurina, Rachel Strang and Kristen Laukes. Additionally, newcomers Savannah Harper, Shea Church and Alyssa Walters will bring additional athleticism to the squad.

Kate DeGio rgi The addition of freshmen Carly Hadaway, Chandler Harbaugh and McKenna Campbell, who were all a tremendous asset to last year’s strong Middle School girls’ team, gives the Lady Patriots a well-rounded squad. Trevers added, “We are tremendously excited to have a home field at the Patriot Athletic Campus and look forward to a fun and growing season.”

Boys’ Soccer

Parsa Be hna miri

Having only lost two seniors last year and expecting a handful of new players to be added to the squad, the men’s varsity soccer team this year will be stronger than ever, according to head coach Trey Arnette.

Although the season didn’t get underway until February 1st, the team began running and workouts the first day back from winter break in order to be prepared for the long season ahead.

Under the leadership of captains Matt Reilly and Cameron Gray, the Patriots will take to the field at the PAC for the first home field advantage in the program’s history. “This year’s team is stacked stem to stern, with a strong defense, talented midfield, and dangerous strikers, it is easy to anticipate a winning season,” said Arnette.

Track & Field

After seeing both the boys’ and girls’ squads finish fourth in the region last season, head track and field coach Gary Downs is looking for a better finish in 2010. “I am very optimistic about what we can do this season,” said Downs.

On the boys’ side, Downs likes his distance runners, led by Sam Reilly. He anticipates the school record in the one mile and two mile to both be broken this season. Other school records may fall as well as Downs said he also expects Stephen Dyke to break his own school records in the 110 meter and 300 meter hurdles.

Sprinters Max Aden, Skip Anderson and Ben Otieno should also make an impact for the squad.

For the girls, Emily Russell and Katie Strawinski will anchor a stable of strong distance runners. Also included in this group are Caroline Wayco, Anna Russell and Rachel Potts.

Registration Now Open Pisgah Sports Summer Camps www.mountpisgahsports.org

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Joh n an d Joa n De lk

Dedicated Family From driving buses to selling concessions, there are few things John and Joan Delk have not done to help Pisgah athletics. The parents of senior Jordan and eighth grader Jacob, the Delks are a fixture with the Patriots.

“John and Joan have gone above and beyond to help make Pisgah athletics the best it can be,” said Blake Davenport, General Manager for Pisgah Athletics. “They have been involved for years and we could not do it without their leadership. They are great examples of what it takes to get our program to the next level.”

John said that they became involved in Pisgah Athletics through their children and their involvement picked up when Jordan began playing varsity softball as an eighth grader. “From then on we were team managers or team coaches or bus drivers or whatever.”

The ‘whatever’ has included providing meals for teams, selling concessions, opening and closing Old Milton stadium, and for the past two years serving as President of the Mount Pisgah Athletic Association. According to Davenport, as MPAA President John has:  Grown MPAA’s Executive Council to include other great parent volunteers  Produced each season’s sports journal  Helped coordinate all picture days  Logged countless hours setting up and breaking down for football games and other sports  Reached out to other booster presidents for ideas and answers  Led Pisgah’s incredible team of parent-coordinators with concessions, spirit wear, team managers and fundraising  Provided leadership for the annual Patriot Golf Classic A staunch proponent of Patriot athletics, John said Pisgah is able to strike a good healthy balance with its student-athletes. “We are here to win, but we are also here to develop the whole person,” said John.

“There are high schools who have won more championships, but are they developing their kids?

We feel we balance those things.” He added that Pisgah helps athletes to improve, either on a specific skill or their overall games, over the course of a season.

Getting more parents involved in Pisgah athletics is always important to the Delks. “With the PAC coming on line we are trying to take it to the next level,” John said. “There is plenty of room for parents at all levels, even as simple as concession sales.”

Mount Pisgah Christian School

Vol. 1 | No. 2 | Spring Edition

get in the game

PAC Update $14M $12M $10M $8M $6M $4M $2M $1M

it’s time for EVERYONE to

GET IN THE GAME Contact Trey Arnette and GET IN THE GAME!

678-336-3384

garnette@mountpisgahschool.org

Phase Two construction of the Patriot Athletic Campus is now complete just in time for spring training.

“Construction these past four months has been a challenge as record rainfall and freezing temperatures hampered progress,” says Project Manager Sonya Tablada. “Our entire team has worked hard to meet deadlines and everyone is so proud of what has been accomplished in only 18 months. Except for asphalt topping for the north parking lot, we are ready for the hundreds of athletes to start practice.”

Phase Two included the completion of the softball field and Freedom Walk last August and the varsity baseball field and eight lane track in January. These completions are in addition to the soccer & football fields wrapped up last summer in Phase One. The softball field has now been converted to baseball for use by the Middle School and Pisgah Sports Baseball Academy. The Patriots will have home field advantage for every outdoor sport. Some Pisgah athletes have already started conditioning on the new track and the response has been enthusiastic.

“The new track is outstanding, as fine as there is in high school,” said Gary Downs, head track coach. “It is very high quality and very well laid out. We are very appreciative and thankful to have a facility of such high quality.”

Blake Davenport, General Manager of Athletics, indicated that the track would be open to Pisgah parents and students alike during regular practice hours in late February. “We want the PAC to be a family friendly place. We are currently developing rules & procedures to ensure that the PAC stays in tip top shape for years to come.” As soon as these procedures are implemented and signs are in place, all families will be notified through the Pisgah eBlast, website, and “Inside the Patriots”.

The varsity baseball field includes 60 foot long dugouts. Shade structures were added to the baseball and softball dugouts and press boxes during Phase Two. Two double bullpens are in place along the left field and right field fences and 30 foot tall control nets protect the fans. Walking paths and spectator areas have also been expanded since the fall and the 26’ x 9’ scoreboard is operational. Lou Llerandi, varsity baseball coach, says of the new field, “This is an incredible complex everyone can be very proud of. There are many small colleges who don’t have what we have here at Pisgah. Everything on the baseball field is first class.”

The PAC will be a very busy place with nine teams practicing and playing their home games in one place.

Come out and enjoy the PAC and cheer for our Pisgah Patriots.

Pathfinders does it ALL Playful chatter can be heard in the hallways as the afterschool program students arrive with the age old question “What’s for snack? I’m starved!” After they enter their respective classrooms, the fun begins.

Many students scatter throughout the campus to join in the wide variety of sports practices and enrichment classes ranging from puppetry to writing to self-defense classes to building simple machines with Legos -- just to name a few.

Welcome to Pathfinders – a transitional year-round program offering before and after school care, (plus a fantastic, fun-filled Summer Camp for K-5th grade students).

Now back to our glimpse inside a typical Pathfinders day. After hunger pangs have been satisfied and homework is completed, students can be seen anxiously filing out to the playgrounds or ball fields to work off energy. As parents pick up students one by one, they feel assured their child has been in a safe, funfilled environment. Homework is done and they can go home to enjoy quality family time together before bedtime.

Excellence Fund Please support Pisgah by giving to the 2009-10 Excellence Fund www.experiencepisgah.org/giving

M o unt P is g ah Chr istian Sc h o o l | Th e E xcel lence Fund | 2009 ~

www.experiencepisgah.org

Based on age and comprehension, children engage in teacher-led discussions of scripture and the impact of world events on their lives. For the younger ones, simple devotions and Bible stories are shared.

The “Spirit of Giving” is a big event each Christmas. The Pisgah Pathfinders adopt a family through North Fulton Community Charities and the students graciously give up one of their own presents in order to make 2010 a contribution. This year a total of $824.23 was collected.

Continued on Page 14.

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pisgah post P.A.L.S. (Parents Are Loyal Supporters)

by Patti Pease, P.A.L.S. President 2010! Now I know how Rip Van Winkle felt after waking up from a long nap!

Where does the time go? P.A.L.S. hasn’t been napping! We’ve been busy working on many exciting events for the teachers and students.

The P.A.L.S. School Store on the South Campus, is open two days a week offering pretzels and popcorn every Friday. The new “Peace. Love. Pisgah” tie-dyed t-shirt is selling fast! Stop by after school on Tuesday or Friday to get yours.

In December the Middle School and Upper School Teachers were treated to a delicious catered luncheon.

November and February brought two more of the five Teacher Appreciation Days planned for this school year. The teachers were treated to lots of love and chocolate by the children and parents. Thankful Tuesday was a huge success for our Lower School students and guests. Service projects benefited North Fulton Community Charities and many other area agencies.

Our Operation Christmas Child project was a HUGE success! 991 boxes were donated, prayed over and sent to children in countries all over the world. Next year we want to collect more than 1000 boxes!

Pisgah Chick-Fil-A nights continue to be a favorite for the entire family. Join P.A.L.S. and your teachers at the next Chick-Fil-A night at the Rivermont loca-

tion (the last Monday of each month).

P.A.L.S. receives a percentage of ALL sales from the evening.

There’s a new opportunity to have a nice evening out with your spouse or some friends. Brookwood Grill is providing a delicious and easy way to raise money for Pisgah. Mark your calendars now for the week of March 21 – 27, when Brookwood Grill will graciously donate 20% of sales back to Pisgah. Brookwood Grill is open daily from 11:00 am, and offers an elegant table brunch every Saturday and Sunday from Jam es Wickli ne and Ope ration Christm as 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Child As always, P.A.L.S. appreciates the dedication and sacrifices of all the parents who work hard on these events. Thank you for your continued support!

Pathfinders, continued from Page 13 Pathfinders Director Pat Izer and Assistant Ali Weller then had the fun task of shopping with the family’s “wish list” in hand.

In addition to granting all the wishes of the sponsored family, additional gifts cards were purchased and donated to NFCC’s Santa’s workshop this year. The students were filled with pride in knowing they contributed to others less fortunate than themselves.

As spring break activities become a memory and the school year comes to an end, the party gets started ...fun, fun, fun and then more fun. Dressed in their Pathfinder T-shirts, slathered in sun screen, the campers head out for a day of Summer Camp adventure. From the Amicalola Falls in the north Georgia Mountains to Turner Field in downtown Atlanta and lots of places in between, they experience it all. Field trips are planned in advance to be certain that all campers t por Sa rah Kate Da ven Ka rly Gre ene, An na Hu dson, Pat are engaged and excited about the day’s activity. No matter where rty Pa Tea hfi nd ers an d the ir Moms enjoy the they go or what they do, they are guaranteed to be tired and hungry at the end of the day’s journey.

If you would like your child to be a part of this extraordinary family, just give the Pathfinder office a call at 678336-3375 or you may direct your questions to the program director pizer@mountpisgahschool.org. Pathfinder information is ready and registration has begun.

Popu la r Su m m e r Ou ti

n gs

Gratitude: For the Health of It!

By Scott Barron, President An attitude of gratitude is good for the soul, refreshes the spirit, even makes the body healthier.

A research project at the University of CaliforniaDavis studied the “Dimensions and Perspectives of Gratitude,” and produced some concrete results.

People who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis exercised more regularly, reported fewer physical symptoms, felt better about their lives as a whole, and were more optimistic about the upcoming week compared to those who recorded hassles or neutral life events.

People who kept gratitude lists were more likely to have made progress toward important personal goals (academic, interpersonal and health-based).

Young adults who exercise gratitude reported higher levels of performance, were more alert, enthusiastic, attentive and energetic.

Children who practice grateful thinking have more positive attitudes toward school and their families.

In an effort to maximize the benefits of such an attitude of gratitude, at right is only a brief list of people to whom I am grateful.

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 Thank you, Patti Pease, for your joyful and energetic leadership of P.A.L.S.  Thank you, Allen Hunt, for your courageous leadership of the school through some difficult times.  Thank you, Rhonda Dalton and your helpers, for the lovely South Campus school store that provides spirit wear and useful items for families.  Thank you, FeDale Hall, for your excellence on the field and in the classroom.  Thank you, Happy Mayer, for the joy you have inspired in young hearts.  Thank you, Jean McGarrity, for your wisdom and peace.  Thank you, David Dworkin, for your enthusiastic and disciplined leadership of the Watch D.O.G. Dads program.  Thank you, Doug Williams, for your leadership of the school board and your pioneering spirit.  Thank you, Jennifer Hughes, for your leadership of Moms In Touch and the discipleship training you have provided for young ladies.

 Thank you, Glenn and Hollyce Davenport, for leading the preparations for the Gala.  Thank you, Ben Mortimer, for your honorable service as the President of the Student Government Association (SGA).  Thank you, Steve Wood, for your support and efforts on behalf of the school.  Thank you, John Delk, for your dedication to the Pisgah student athletes through your leadership of the Mount Pisgah Athletic Association (MPAA).  Thank you, Curtis Hicks, for having the courage to see past the obstacles to appreciate what the PAC could become.  Thank you, Matt Tanzy and Chris Anderson, for your encouragement and listening ear.  Thank you, Jay Geier, for helping us see what the Advisory Program could become.  Thank you, Moms In Touch, for your prayers.  Thank you to the 269 families who donated to the PAC campaign, especially to those who believed and gave long before the turf was planted.

Mount Pisgah Christian School

Vol. 1 | No. 2 | Spring Edition

Two great opportunities for you from

Mount Pisgah and CURE for Childhood Cancer

Join the Pisgah family as we celebrate the Class of 2010.

Commencement May 15th - 10:00 am North Campus Baccalaureate May 14th - 7:00 pm North Campus

present a FREE screening of

Saturday, April 10 1:00 or 7:00pm Featuring Kirk Cameron a major motion picture from the makers of Fireproof and Facing the Giants

and special musical guest Warren Barfield

March 28

6:00 – 8:00 pm | Doors open at 5:30

Tickets available at

A love offering will be taken with 100% of all donations and concession proceeds going to support CURE for Childhood Cancer

www.itickets.org or by phone

1-800-965-9324

iQuest is an innovative program designed for those who seek a college-preparatory education and a more manageable schedule for today’s outstanding athlete.

iQuest Advantages: • Accredited Christian school • College preparation and advisement • Co-curricular opportunities, (sports, clubs, socials, prom, etc.)

Thank You $9,049,080 in gifts have been committed to Pisgah over the past 18 months. Thank you for your support. Your generous giving ensures an outstanding Pisgah Experience for students now and in the future. www.experiencepisgah.org

st ique

www.experiencepisgah.org 678.336.3443

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pisgah post Choosing Pisgah (continued from Page 2) 2. Excellence In Academics and Maximization of Each Child’s Performance Parents often come to us and say they feel that their child is getting lost in the crowd at their other school, a face without a name. They immediately notice that the students are the center of our classroom. They are drawn to the individualized instruction from Kindergarten through 12th grade.

Pisgah’s earliest grades begin with center-based learning that teaches responsibility and accountability to each student. Small student-to-teacher ratios allow teachers to know the learning styles, strengths and weaknesses of each child. That personal attention continues through the Middle and Upper School and can be most clearly seen in the advisory program where students learn to set goals and to know and utilize their strengths.

Parents notice that Pisgah has an actively engaged student population that is excited about learning.

3. Christian Foundation Many parents are searching for a school that upholds their commitment to Christianity. In the early years, it is critical to have those that you choose to teach your children reinforce the values and morals that are taught at home for the establishment of a strong foundation. In the middle and upper school years, the reaffirmation of the Christian worldview and the guiding principles of morality taught and lived by our coaches and teachers in the classrooms, on the mission trips, and on the playing fields are vital. Strengthening the student’s core beliefs prepares each for facing and overcoming the adversities of life…..they will be Life Ready!

4. Sense of Community More than a school, Pisgah is a community of people who care about one another. The relationships that are built between students, teachers,

and families are meaningful and lasting. It’s not unusual for students to return to Pisgah, years after graduation, to thank teachers and visit with friends. And parents often share stories with us of “above and beyond” moments when teachers have made a difference in their children’s lives.

5. Opportunities for Student Involvement Many parents come to us in the middle and upper school years worried that their child is not involved in the community of another school. They tell me a story of their child a few years back who was interested in an instrument, played really well on several recreational league sports teams, or had a passion for the arts. They feel their child no longer has those opportunities and they want to see that fire lit again. Pisgah students connect with teachers who help nurture that spark of creativity and imagination. The vast majority of students here are actively engaged in one or more activities, interacting with their classmates, their communities, and in some cases, the world. Arts, athletics, student government, service projects, mentoring programs, global mission trips and much more offer tremendous opportunities for our students to plug in and thrive.

In the midst of uncertain times, it is such a blessing and comfort to reflect on some of the concrete reasons we have made the choice to entrust Pisgah with the education our children. Now more than ever, we should share the “good news” and spread the attributes of our school to the surrounding community. External perception can’t be unwoven from the perceptions of our own families because you are our voice. Each of our divisions is unique and age appropriate in our mission to educate the whole child, but we are unified by our common desire to develop a Christ-centered community that seeks to meet the varied needs of the families that we serve…and it shows!

Engagement: The New Measure of School Success Continued from Page 3.

Students, bored and disengaged, are relegated to learning facts and content. Meanwhile, colleges are clamoring for students who are excited, engaged and able to think for themselves, rather than those who simply regurgitate facts.

The Gallup Organization for years has realized the pitfalls of judging institutions on the basis of tests that are fraught problems in their ability to capture those people who will be the most successful in the future.

They have found that the concept of engagement is the key to both measuring success and also improving school outcomes. Recent research has shown that students who are engaged, that is they are active in the school, feel an emotional connection to other students and teachers, and also feel they have an opportunity to do what they do best every day, will achieve at much higher rates than other students. In fact, their scores on their measure of engagement better predict college success than SAT scores! In other words, if a school wants to evaluate educational outcomes, they should stop looking at test scores and ask students how they feel about their school, their future, and their level of engagement.

What is very clear about Pisgah is that features such as the minimesters, the domestic and international mission trips, the Honor Council, the Peer Leadership group, the retreat at Sharptop, our multitude of athletics teams, and arts opportunities provide students an education full of engagement opportunities. That they are offered within a small Christian, close knit environment further enhances the positive culture here at Pisgah. One of the consultants who was on campus to help us build our strategic plan wrote the following after being her for a few days, “Everyone else ‘says’ they do these things – leadership, community, etc. – but here at Pisgah, you can see the evidence regularly in the ongoing life of the school.”

Board of Trustees Committee Reports Building & Grounds

Curtis Hicks, Chairman We would like to commend the ongoing efforts of Project Manager Sonya Tablada in managing the complicated development of the Patriot Athletic Campus. The project has remained on schedule under very difficult weather conditions. The baseball and soccer fields are ready for spring action.

At press time, work was being completed on the impressive eight-lane synthetic track.

The construction project team has worked well with the Pisgah Advancement Office and the Athletic Department to prepare the fields and facilities for spring sports. A complete update on the progress at the PAC can be found on page 13.

Finance

Glenn Davenport, Chairman Thank you to all who have given to the Excellence Fund. More than $756,000 of this year’s million dollar goal has already been committed. The Board of Trustees supports the school in many ways including giving to the Excellence Fund. For example, of the $756,000 already committed, 44% was given by the Board. Family participation (K-12) is currently at 45%.

The Excellence Fund ensures an outstanding Pisgah Experience by helping fund expenses above and beyond those covered by tuition. Speaking of tuition, the Board is responsible for setting the rate each year and it is a decision that is not taken lightly. Retaining current families is a high priority for the Board and every effort is made to ensure that each decision, including the setting of tuition rates, is made with considerable thought and prayer.

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The importance of your role in helping us share the Pisgah Experience can’t be overstated. You are our best promoters. Reenrollment and the new admissions season are in full swing and there’s never been a better time to invite others to visit our school and explore the experience.

Development

Happy Mayer The total money raised through gifts and pledge for 2009 was six million dollars. The Board thanks everyone for this tremendous level of giving.

The Board, Advancement Council, and friends are working on the upcoming Excellence Fund Gala dinner February 27th at the Country Club of the South. We look forward to your support in keeping Pisgah a “school of excellence”.

We have reached more than 200 families to thank them for the many blessings they have given to the school. These meetings and meals have answered many of their questions and also made them aware of the great aspects of Mount Pisgah Christian School. Our school has so much to be thankful for because of our great teachers, students, parents, and grandparents.

Strategic Plan Implementation (Ad-hoc committee) Chris Anderson In early 2009, a group of parents, faculty, students, and board members gathered for several days to craft a vision and strategic plan for Pisgah’s next ten years. The work that took place that weekend, under the leadership of an outside strategy consulting

firm, has led to Pisgah’s Strategic Plan through the year 2020.

As detailed on page two, the plan, which is divided into four primary “pillars”, is now being implemented by the school’s administration with support from faculty, parents and board members. The four pillars, or focus areas, are: Academic Excellence, Christian Leadership, The Pisgah Experience, and Ensuring a Sound Financial Future.

What role does the Board of Trustees play in the implementation of the strategic plan? Each pillar is co-led by a member of the Board and a member of the school’s administration team. This approach to team a school leader with a board member is instrumental to ensuring the support of these critical programs and gives the president, who ultimately owns the implementation of the school’s strategic plan, the opportunity to ensure linkages not only through each pillar but also across pillars as well.

Commenting on the progress made thus far, Board of Trustees’ Chairman Doug Williams said, “I am excited about the continued momentum we are seeing through the Pisgah 2020 Strategic Plan. It clearly is focused on the four biggest priorities required to continue to build a world class school.”

Mount Pisgah Christian School