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GASTON C HR I STI AN SC HO O L
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2015
ANNUAL REPORT
8
21
9 Contents 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
A Message from the Board From the Head of the School Academic Statistics Chapel and Worship Demographics and Summary Standardized Testing Honduras Mission Trips Class of 2014 Graduates College Offering Admissions
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ANNUAL REPORT
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 21 22
Early Childhood Education Elementary Education Middle School Education High School Education International Students Program From the Academic Dean Donors Fine Arts Year in Sports
2014-15 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Standing: Rhett Melton, Tommy Morrison, Ron France, Reid McGraw, Ray McKenney and Marc Stout Seated: Preston Guy, Barbara Vaher, Laura Egeln, Kelly Zukaitis and Sharon Spear
T
he Board of Trustees for Gaston Christian School is pleased with the information delivered to you through this 2014 – 2015 Annual Report and wants to say thank you to all who are part of the success summarized herein. As we shared
with you last year, the Board’s purpose is to establish the “Ends” that are the pursuits of the school, and to work with school leadership and other “moral owners” to achieve those ends. The board continued during the academic year to pursue the following ends: Students excel spiritually, physically, academically, and artistically according to their potential. Students
are
prepared
for
acceptance to the college or university W. Rhett Melton Board Chairman
of their choosing. Students are spiritually mature, evidencing a Christian worldview as
revealed in the Bible.
three of the many key stakeholder groups to provide feedback to the Board on the success of meeting the “ends.” Surveys were completed of past graduates of GCS, parents of the GCS alumni, and current faculty and staff of the school. The results of the surveys confirmed that Gaston Christian School is having great success at meeting the goals as outlined. We have much to be proud of and many evidences of accomplishment in meeting the desired outcomes. The surveys also confirmed something that we all know to be true – we are a work in process. Despite the success and despite the positive achievements in each of the five ends statements, we can be better. We must continually strive to create the most nurturing and safe environment for our students. We must continually strive to challenge our students creatively, socially, academically, and spiritually to help them grow to their fullest potential. We must always seek to enhance the love we show to each other and to demonstrate that love and provide an example to others. Finally, we must never be satisfied with how much we have spread the word about Jesus Christ. We can always do more and should never stop looking for ways to do more. May 2015 – 2016 be the year that we challenge each other as
GCS families and staff exhibit Christian love, service and joy.
brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s seek His direction, pursue His
Students and their families impact the world for the kingdom of
plan, and never become complacent or content but continue to
God. During the year, targeted input and feedback were sought from
build the blessing that God has given to us all in the form of Gaston Christian School. ANNUAL REPORT
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DR. MARC STOUT
T
From the Head of School
he 2014-2015 school year was filled with many wonderful achievements that I would like to share with you. Our theme verse was taken from I Corinthians 13:13: “Now these three remain, faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.” Our programs, chapels, and daily instruction built upon this theme throughout the year. What a blessing it is to see the love for God evidenced in the lives of all associated with Gaston Christian School. Our fifth-grade students began the year in a new annex to our Elementary building. This addition was designed to alleviate the transition to middle school by providing larger classrooms, Dr. Marc Stout individual lockers, interactive Head of School whiteboards in each classroom, and an overall “feel” just like middle school. By all accounts, this new instructional area has been extremely popular with the teachers, parents, and students of the fifth grade. Our middle school students saw some upgrades in the science department with new tables for Mr. Huitt’s classroom. It is amazing how much this addition has done to bring scientific focus for our students in the middle school. 4
ANNUAL REPORT
Not to be outdone, the high school implemented a “one-to-one” rollout of Chromebooks for all 10th-12th grade students; electronic textbooks were utilized in History and Psychology classrooms. Our College Board SAT results were outstanding this past year. Overall, our average went up 58 points! While nationally this year is known to show the largest decline in the past three decades, GCS students saw a dramatic increase. Special thanks to Mrs. McDaniel and her team for their diligence. Our Magazine Drive was very successful. Profits from the sale allowed us to purchase artificial turf for the playground and replace the rubber chunks that ended up in the classrooms, shoes, and stained clothes. Many parents appreciated this new addition to the campus. Due to the generous gifts of many parents, we were able to build The Pavilion by our tennis courts. While it serves as a great place for tennis spectators, it also has been used extensively for lunches, reading classes, class parties, and social gatherings for families throughout the day. It is my prayer that the faith, hope and love mentioned in I Corinthians 13 will guide our students as they seek to honor Him with their lives. Thank you for the trust that you have shown us by allowing your children to attend Gaston Christian School. Soli Deo Gloria!
CLASS OF 2015 BY THE NUMBERS
53
100
%
Graduates in Class of 2015
Going to College or Further Education
SAT scores 1591 Gaston Christian Score
1478
1410
North Carolina Average
Gaston County Average
49
%
Attended GCS K-12th Grade
9
AP Scholars
3.7 Million
$
in scholarship offerings for the Class of 2015
Source: 2015 College Board, AP Scholar Awards
ANNUAL REPORT
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CHAPEL
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
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ANNUAL REPORT
BY THE NUMBERS
STUDENT BODY PROFILE 103 36 16 60 66 42 55 57
Early Childhood / Elementary Full-Day Kindergarten Half-Day Kindergarten 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade Total EC/EM
435
Middle School Enrollment
High School Enrollment 73 9th Grade 74 10th Grade 57 11th Grade 53 12th Grade Total HS
65
6th Grade
56
7th Grade
57
8th Grade
178
Total MS
870
Total GCS Enrollment for 2014-15
257
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
FAMILY DEMOGRAPHIC
Fiscal Year July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015 Dallas
Operating Revenue $5,579,486...........Tuition and Fees $267,936...........Contributions/Fundraising $136,906...........Miscellaneous $5,984,328..........Total Revenue Operating Expenses $4,048,432...........Salaries and Benefits $412,404...........Operating Expenses $751,412...........Program and Office Expenses $295,931...........Interest Payments $14,652...........Miscellaneous Expenses $5,522,831..........Total Expenses $461,497........ Operating Profit Contributions/Fundraising $189,852...........Annual Giving $24,628...........Building On The Rock Campaign $33,630...........Magazine Sale $41,239...........Golf Tournament $84,943...........Designated Gifts $14,224...........Other
Mt. Holly
6%
5%
Charlotte
11%
Gastonia
47
%
Other
15% Belmont
16%
Other includes: Alexis, Bessemer City, Cherryville, Clover, Cramerton, Crouse, Huntersville, Iron Station, Kings Mountain, Lake Wylie, Lincolnton, Lowell, McAdenville, Ranlo, Shelby, Stanley and York.
ANNUAL REPORT
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STANDARDIZED TESTING SUMMARY REPORT
E
ach spring in Grades K-11, Gaston Christian administers the Stanford Achievement Test, a multiple-choice, standardized battery of tests designed to measure achievement (what the student has learned). As a normreferenced instrument, it allows educators to compare their students’ progress in reading, language, mathematics, science, and social studies with that of similar groups nationwide. This year’s Average Basic Battery percentile scores for the GRADE READING LANGUAGE MATH SPELLING BASIC BATTERY GRADE READING LANGUAGE MATH SPELLING BASIC BATTERY
K 95 NA 91 NA 91 6 81 72 83 79 79
1 79 84 87 80 80 7 80 80 79 85 79
Average Basic Battery Elementary School Average Basic Battery Middle School Average Basic Battery High School (9-11) Average Basic Battery Grades K-11 Average Reading Grades K-11 Average Language Grades 1-11 Average Math Grades K-11 Average Spelling Grades 1-11
8 73 77 74 78 74
Elementary School, Middle School, and High School are strong, putting GCS students well into the top quartile of students across the nation; within some grade levels, percentile averages place GCS student performance within the top fifth of the nation’s students. Score results for Gaston Christian School reflect the performance of all students for which the group report is given; there is no selectivity of data in scores representative of students at Gaston Christian School.
2 85 85 85 86 84 AVG 78.0 76.3 78.7 80.7 77.3
3 91 91 90 93 91 GRADE READING LANGUAGE MATH SPELLING BASIC BATTERY
2014-2015 84.8 77.3 78.0 81.3 82.2 81.4 82.0 81.8
4 82 86 77 80 80 9 79 78 78 78 78
5 85 86 80 88 83 10 72 71 77 72 73
2013-2014 84.2 79.0 82.0 82.3 83.2 83.6 82.9 82.5
AVG 86.2 86.4 85.0 85.4 84.8 11 84 85 83 81 83
AVG 78.3 78.0 79.3 77.0 78.0 Change 0.6 -1.7 -4.0 -1.0 -1.0 -2.2 -0.9 -0.7
* International and IEP student scores not included.
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ANNUAL REPORT
HONDURAS MISSION TRIPS
S
tudents from Gaston Christian School participated in two mission trips to Honduras during the 2014-2015 school year. During the week of March 6-13, high school teacher Mark Moore, four current high school students, one alumna and two GCS parents joined with others from Louder than Words Ministries on a backpacking mission trip through the mountains of western Honduras. These students hiked to five different Lenca villages sharing the Gospel and working with local church planters to start new churches in these rural mountain villages. Senior Will Wang said, “This mission trip was a life-changing experience for me.” This is the third year that GCS students have participated in this backpacking mission. During spring break, 15 GCHS students and six parents spent a week ministering to the Lenca people in the small mountain village of Las Mesas, Intibucá, Honduras. The group conducted a daily VBS program, evangelized door to door, participated in home building and reconstruction, and provided a free dental clinic each day. With funds from several high school groups and activities, they were able to supply a local orphanage with over $1,000.00 worth of food. What a wonderful opportunity this week provided for the students and adults to share the Gospel of Christ among the Honduran people.
Photos courtesy of Mark Moore/Louder Than Words Ministries
ANNUAL REPORT
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CLASS OF 2015
CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2015 First row (from left): Amanda Baunach, Emily Wilson, Kristina Bridges, Jamison Brown, Victoria Becker (Valedictorian), Nathan Foxx (Salutatorian), Anna Long, Paige Jones, Brandy Crenshaw, Star Zhang, Grady Pearson Second row: Shannon Jacobs, Allie Smith, Taylor Bridges, Jena Loftin, Grace Shi, Tiffany Cobb, Katie Cunningham, Mary-Madison Goforth, Sarah Adams, Katelyn Smith, Kayla Rivenbark, Taylor Withers Third row: Nick Barnhill, Drew Muana, Eric Hardin, Sam Adams, Cullen Beasley, Levi Kettelhut, Will Wang, Thomas Rhom, Parks Keiser, Trey Ballard, Nick Revels, Thomas-Ross Cloer, Nick Nichols, Zack Jackson Fourth row: Nathan Tian, Jake Wilkinson, Coy Monteith, Stephen Jackson, Ben Hughes, Denver Monteith, Nicolas Robinson, Steven Tate, Brandon Lucas, Davis Barnhill, William Anthony, Landon Guy, Noah Fazenbaker Not pictured: Josh Friday, Zac Lowman, Madalynn Nance
Number of Graduates: 53 Valedictorian: Victoria Lynn Becker Salutatorian: Nathan Alexander Foxx Recipient of Opal Parks Honor: Anna Katherine Long Recipient of M.O. Owens Honor: Landon Rhett Guy Recipient of Richard Hicks Service Award: Eric Thomas Hardin Senior Class President: Landon Rhett Guy Scholarship offerings for the Class of 2015: $3,755,901 10
ANNUAL REPORT
Photo courtesy of Mark Moore
SENIOR CLASS AT WINDY GAP
COLLEGES OFFERING ADMISSION Agnes Scott College • The American Hair Design Academy • American University • Anderson University • Appalachian State University • Armstrong Atlantic State University • Arizona State University • Auburn University • AZUSA Pacific College • Barton College • Belmont Abbey College • Belmont University of Nashville • Bluefield College • Brenau University • Brevard College • Brown University • Caldwell Community College • Campbell University • Carolinas College of Health Sciences • Catawba Valley College • Cedarville College • Central Piedmont Community College • Charleston Southern University • The Citadel • Clemson University • College at Southeastern • College of Charleston • Columbia International University • Covenant College • Davidson College • David Lipscomb University • DePaul University • Drexel University • Duke University • East Carolina University • East Tennessee State University • Eastern College • Elon University • Emmanuel College • Embry Riddle Aeronautical University • Emory University • Erskine College • Furman University • Gardner-Webb University • Gaston College • Harvard College • High Point University • Hillsong College in Australia • Houghton College • Jacksonville University • James Madison University • Johnson and Wales University • Korean University • Lancaster Bible College • LaSalle University • Lee University • Lenoir-Rhyne University • Liberty University • Lipscomb University • Maine Maritime Academy • Mars Hill College • Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Marshall University • Meredith College • Messiah College • Midway College • Milligan College • Mississippi College • MIT • Montreat College • Newberry College • New York State University • North Carolina A & T State University • North Carolina State University • North Greenville University • Ohio State University • Ohio Wesleyan • Old Dominion • Oral Roberts University • Palm Beach Atlantic • Peace College • Pennsylvania State University • Pfeiffer University • Philadelphia Biblical University • Purdue University • Queens University • Polytechnic Institute • Rensselaer University • Rhodes College • Rollins College • Samford University • Savannah College of Art and Design • Southern Wesleyan University • Singapore Institute of Management • St. Andrews Presbyterian College • Toccoa Falls College • Trevecca Nazarene University • University of California at Irvine • University of Georgia • University of Louisville • University of Mississippi • UNCAsheville • UNC-Chapel Hill • UNC-Charlotte • UNC-Greensboro • UNC-Pembroke • UNC-Wilmington • University of Rochester • University of South Carolina • University of Alabama • University of the South • University of Tennessee • University of Washington at Seattle • Vanderbilt University • Virginia Military Institute • Virginia Tech • Wake Forest University • Washington and Lee University • Washington State University at Seattle • Western Carolina University • Wheaton College • William Woods University • Wingate University • Winthrop University • Wofford College • Yale University • York Technical College • Young Harris College • YWAM’s University of the Nations at Monroe
ANNUAL REPORT
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EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Thankful for God’s blessings
H
ow thankful we are for another successful school year! God has been good to us as we have ministered to three-year-olds, pre-kindergarten four-year-olds, and kindergarten students. Our experienced staff and the excellent curriculum we teach produce a strong program. In addition, Gaston Christian is one of the few places in Gaston County to offer the option of a half-day kindergarten class, and that is very Mrs. Susan Jennings appealing to some Principal families. The teachers so appreciated the scheduled time to set appointments with their students’ parents at the end of the first quarter. A Thursday afternoon and all day Friday were set aside for parents to come in and sit with teachers, face-toface, to share information concerning each child. This time provides an excellent opportunity for building relationships with each family. The Early Childhood children love to participate in some of the service projects in which the “big kids” across the street are involved. Many of the little ones brought in grocery bags full of canned goods for the 12
ANNUAL REPORT
“Souper Bowl of Caring.” We also collected many coats for the coat drive. We all watched with excitement as the new Tennis Pavilion was built over the course of the year. Classes
walked out to see it “up close” as it was completed. The kindergarten classes even scheduled it to be the site of their big “End of the Year” party; it was the first official occasion in the structure, and it was certainly a big hit! How thankful I am that God has blessed me and all the staff here to work together as we strive to fulfill the GCS Mission Statement……. “to help students mature spiritually and excel academically……to impact the kingdom of God by living productive Christian lives.” God bless us all as we seek to be faithful to this high calling.
Early Childhood Secretary Debbie Barnhill Early Childhood Staff Charlotte Adams Amanda Chapman Susan Crisp Angel Freeman Sheila Funderburk Jackie Hardin Teresa Hoyle Geny Melton Sandra Parnelle Maureen Patton Vicki Peach Crystal Shields Annette Simmons Anne Tomlinson Katie Williams Teresa Winter School Nurses Melanie High Shawn Zill
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
How God’s love shaped us Elementary Secretary Janice Robinson Elementary Staff Glenda Bailey Kathy Byarlay Melinda Cleveland Suzanne Cunningham Amberlee Davis Carole Farmer Tammy Gordon Lisa Grubbs JoEllen Gruver Johnathan Gunter Amy Hawxwell Susie Howard Teresa Hoyle Benita Huffstetler Joan Jones Donna Lyman Geny Melton Todd Melton Lyndsey Miller Sandra Parnelle Kim Patterson Jayda Renfroe Trina Robinson Sherry Simpson Pam Thornburg Jennifer Whitlow Linda Wilson Academic Dean Shirley Huelsman School Nurses Melanie High Shawn Zill
O
ur theme in the Elementary program this year was “Love is the Best,” based on 1 Corinthians 13:13. We studied this theme in Chapel and looked at what the Bible has to say about God’s love for us and how that shapes our love for others. We were excited to welcome Jayda Renfroe to our staff and she had a great first year at GCS teaching Second grade. Student Service
The Elementary students gave $1,719.21 to our Chapel offering this year. We gladly donated this money to Samaritan’s Purse to be used for earthquake relief in Nepal. Mrs. Gordon’s First grade class also raised $900 through a bake sale for Children’s World Hunger Fund, a Christian organization that serves to fight hunger while going with the gospel all over the world. The Second grade raised $500 for Compassion International to be used to purchase supplies, build wells, and provide food for children in South America. Our students collected coats for Dream Center of Gaston County in November and collected food for the Second Harvest Food Bank for the Souper Bowl of Caring led by our Middle School Jr. Beta Club. We were also blessed to have two high school students, Allie Rae Grayson and Ashley Layne, lead a Bible study for Fourth and Fifth grade girls.
Academics
All of our stakeholders were involved in our reaccreditation process which culminated with a visit from the AdvancEd accreditation team in February. Our visit went very well
and
our
hard
work paid off as we were reaccredited for another five years. We are working to continue the
integration
of
technology as our Third grade team redesigned the
Third
Grade
Animal Notebook to a Adam Mehaffey computer-based project.
Principal
Enrichment
We continued our partnership with Bricks 4 Kidz® Lego program in an after-school program as well as a summer camp. Girls on the Run had strong fall and spring seasons, and Georgia Scott Toal finished in first place in the December Girls on the Run 5k. Many of our Elementary students took part in our afterschool tennis program during the fall and spring as this program continues to grow. ANNUAL REPORT
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MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION
Students with Senator Richard Burr outside the Capitol during Washington, DC field trip.
Jesus’ love in our community
“T
he greatest of these is love” was the school-wide theme for GCS this year, a theme which enabled middle school students to show the love of Jesus by serving their school, families, local communities, and also through opportunities for global outreach. A specific example of our school theme was the many generous contributions made by middle school students and families to the family of Holly Diggs. Holly was an eighth grade student who underwent serious brain surgery in January. Student Servant Highlights
The Junior Beta Club again provided leadership for Operation Christmas Child with the collection of shoeboxes in November. Under the direction of Miss Freeman, our new Middle School Guidance Counselor, GCS contributed 2,644 pounds of food items through the Souper Bowl of Caring to be used in local communities. Our Student Government continued to serve our school community through Virgina Conover Principal helping with morning announcements, sponsoring projects for Holly Diggs, school cleaning projects, and paper recycling. Students participated in the Juvenile Diabetes Walk in May. Academic Highlights
Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP): Twenty-one seventh grade students qualified for TIP recognition in the fall of 2014. Mikayla Gordon, Casey Hagaman, and Daniel Nivens received State Recognition and also qualified for the Academy of Summer Studies. Gazette Spelling Bee: Jackson Lee represented GCS at the Gaston County Spelling Bee held at Hunter Huss High School on March 25, 2015, placing fifth in the competition. Jayden Branch was our school14
ANNUAL REPORT
wide runner up. National Geographic Bee: After many rounds of competition, Drake Ballard was selected as the winner of the middle school Geography Bee. Over thirty middle school students participated. Science Fair: All middle school students participated in the Science Fair this year by submitting class projects. Projects from each grade level were then chosen to compete in the final round held on March 18, 2015. Ribbons and medals were awarded to the following students: Sixth Grade – Jack Current 1st Place, Chandler Jones 2nd Place, Luke Hoyle 3rd Place; Seventh Grade – Daniel Nivens 1st Place, Jessica Hoyt 2nd Place, Emma Plunkett 3rd Place; Eighth Grade – Chase Barker 1st Place, Ashley Tamberella 2nd Place, Will Niemeyer 3rd Place. The Junior Beta Club inducted thirty-eight seventh and eighth students qualifying for this honor. The Einstein Project: Our third Einstein Contest provided another opportunity for eighth grade students to test their knowledge of all middle school science content. Using a “Jeopardy” format, Carter Matolka, Aaron Radford, and Lucas Whitesides competed in the gym before the middle school student body. Aaron Radford earned the Einstein Award, a lab coat signed by middle school faculty and eighth grade students. Elk Lodge Writing Contest: Eighth grade students participated in a writing contest by submitting essays with the theme, “What the Pledge of Allegiance Means to Me.” Hannah Spear’s essay qualified for State Recognition, and Favour Spear was the local winner. Sports Highlights
Congratulations to our Boys Soccer team who enjoyed an undefeated season under the leadership of Coach Jon Huitt. These middle school teams also had winning seasons: Baseball, Boys Basketball, and Girls Basketball. The middle school welcomed three new staff members this year: Katie Freeman, Middle School Guidance Counselor; Joel Peckman, Algebra, Pre-algebra, and Math 7 teacher; Michael Slate, Middle School Athletic Director and Boys PE teacher. Photo courtesy of The Gaston Gazette
HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION
Students with Senator Richard Burr outside the Capitol during Washington, DC field trip.
Love in growth and service
“T
he greatest of these is love” (I Corinthians 13:13) has been our theme verse for the 2014-2015 school year; the staff and students have had numerous opportunities to show the love of Jesus to others.
continued to enhance learning; in addition, electronic curriculum was adopted for World History, US History, AP US History, and Psychology courses. Fine Arts Focus
Class of 2015: 53 graduates who received numerous recognitions and
The high school band and choral students presented “A Night of Music”
$3,755,901.00 in scholarship offers. Valedictorian: Victoria Lynn Becker;
in March; the Gaston Christian Players produced Our Town in October and
Salutatorian: Nathan Alexander Foxx
The Jungle Book in April.
Spiritual Focus Spiritual growth and worship are a vital part of the school’s purpose as we prepare our students to “impact the kingdom of God by living productive Christian lives”; each week the high school students participated in chapel services with student-led praise and worship. The annual Windy
International Student Program The International Student Program ministered to 22 high school students from China. Mock Trial Program Two
teams
participated
in
regional
Gap Retreat in September and the Spiritual Emphasis Day in March were
competitions in Asheville and High Point,
spiritual highlights of the year. In addition, the SGA sponsored a “Night of
with the Red Team advancing to the state
Worship” in early May. GCHS participated in two mission trips to Honduras:
competition in March and the national
8 students and adults spent a week in March on a backpacking trip into
competition in May. The teams are coached
the Honduran mountains; a group of 21 students and parents led by Mark
by Mrs. Jane Painter, a local attorney.
Moore (GCHS staff member) spent spring break serving the Lenca people in Honduras.
Service Opportunities The high school students and staff
Academic Focus
were busy this year serving within the
New courses added to the high school curriculum for 2014-2015
community. The Senior Service Day in
included the New Testament Survey for 10th graders, Costuming (Theatre
March allowed members of the Class of
Department), and Personal Finance. The high school offered seven
2015 to witness for Christ through serving
Advanced Placement classes this year and twenty honors courses across
at five sites. Other opportunities for GCHS
the disciplines. In addition, a partnership with SevenStar Academy and
students included participation in the Crisis Pregnancy Center’s Walk for
participation in the N.C. Career and College Promise Program allowed
Life and Baby Bundles project, CROP Walk, Gaston County Heart Walk,
Gaston Christian to offer classes beyond the traditional classroom.
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox project, blood drive for Community
2014 mean scores for the College Board SAT and the ACT indicated that
Blood Center of the Carolinas, Juvenile Diabetes Walk, care packages for
Gaston Christian’s overall scores continued to surpass the mean scores
alumni serving in the military, food drives for Second Harvest Food Bank,
for Gaston County, North Carolina, and the nation. In September the high
and collection of stuffed animals for children in the Least of These Gaston
school sponsored a Christian College Fair with 38 colleges/universities
program. In addition, the high school donated over $1000.00 to provide
represented.
food for the Faith, Hope, and Love Orphanage in Honduras; the Spirit Club
Nancy McDaniel Principal
Technology Focus
raised $2300.00 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and the SGA
With the one-to-one initiative of Google Chromebooks for all students
sponsored a love offering for a middle school student’s family to help
in grades 10-12, integration of technology into classroom instruction
toward payment of medical bills.
ANNUAL REPORT
15
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PROGRAM
L to R: Kevin Xiang, Larry Akramongkolrojn, Ocean Huang, Grace Shi, Will Wang, Dora Hou, Alex Wang, Jessie Wang, Nathan Tian, Louisa Wang, Max Xu, Veronica Song, Marcus Li, Candice Ye, Caitlin Wang, Mandy Lui, Yani Nie, Jay Du, Maria Gu, Star Zhang, Leo Li, Karen Brooks and Alexander Jiang
你好! — Greetings from China!
G
aston Christian School was host to 24 international students from China for 2014-2015. We had seven 9th graders, six 10th graders, five 11th graders, and four 12th graders. During the second semester, we added two 8th graders to the middle school program. If it were not for the willingness of host families to participate and become a part of the lives of these students, we would not be able to have this program. God placed our International students into homes filled with a sense of belonging, attention, and the love of Christ. Our program included 22 host families this year. The major role of the host family is to provide for the physical needs of the student who is in their home. Food, shelter and transportation are the basics Karen Brooks Coordinator for but the emotional and spiritual support International Students means so much to the program. When and Online Education a student comes into a family, they become a part of the family. Lifestyle evangelism becomes a major component in sharing Christ with these students. The host families take the student to their church to become an active member of the youth group and Bible study but even more importantly, the family plants seeds of faith into the lives and hearts of the student. Then, it is the Holy Spirit that causes the seeds to grow. The “mission team” for the International program consists of
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ANNUAL REPORT
the Holy Spirit, host family, GCS faculty/staff, GCS students, and the respective church and youth group. When one of our International students makes a profession of faith, all of the members of the team have played a part. It is always exciting when we hear that International students have made professions of faith and followed up with believer’s baptism. Out of the International Student Program has come the International Club here at GCS. American and International students work together to help our students become aware of other cultures and participate in mission opportunities around the world. Our primary mission focus is to sponsor and serve Samaritan’s Purse. We served as volunteers at Operation Christmas Child on two different occasions and sponsored a fundraiser for the Honduras Mission Trip. Five of our Internationals went with Mark Moore and Louder Than Words Ministry to Honduras on a mission trip over Spring Break. Will backpacked with the group to share Christ with the Lenca Indians. Star, Grace, Louisa, and Larry went with the ministry over spring break to work in an orphan camp. They had an incredible time playing games with the children, going door-to-door with teams to share Christ, and working construction. The experience was one they will never forget and, hopefully, will never be the same because of it. This past year in the international program, God continued to remind us to be faithful to plant a good seed of faith, then step back and let God cultivate and water the seed. The Holy Spirit will do a much better job than we can. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:9
FROM THE ACADEMIC DEAN
T
2014-15 in Academic Review he Lord’s gracious provision is at the heart of the following important advancements in the life of our school:
Following the External Review Team visit in February, the AdvancED Accreditation Commission sent official documentation in June that Gaston Christian School has earned the distinction of accreditation by AdvancED for another five-year term through June 2020. Based on the three distinct areas of Teaching and Learning Impact, Leadership Capacity, and Resource Utilization, our school’s Index of Education Quality (IEQ) is a measurement that reflects how well we are performing compared to expected criteria. The IEQ score for Gaston Christian surpassed the AdvancED Network Average in all areas. The traditional October Teacher In-Service Day became a Teacher –Parent Conference Day this year. This change is a response to our accreditation Parent Survey results that indicated the need to strengthen the school’s communication with stakeholder families.
During the fall of 2014, the Academic Dean met with all Elementary School teachers by grade level and with all Middle School and High School teachers by discipline to share the standardized test results of the spring 2014 administration of the Stanford Achievement Test for grades K-11; scores have continued to be strong. A three-year history of score reports and performance data in all test and subtest areas provided the basis for the discussions; all teachers received written documentation of practical classroom applications to strengthen the teaching-learning process and to support student achievement. The GCS Mentorship Program welcomed the five faculty members new to GCS this year; the Principals and Academic Dean assisted them throughout the year as they transitioned to their assigned positions. There were eight new resources added to the GCS Professional Development Library. The Dean also completed the academic profiles for all eighth-grade students; these profiles include a three-year history of each student’s Stanford Achievement Test scores, Student Ability Index scores, subjectarea grades, grade-point averages, and attendance records. High
school personnel use these histories that are updated yearly to assist students in their course selections. Working with program principals, the Academic Dean continued to research the best digital textbook options for the High School and Middle School Programs. Advanced Placement US History, Spanish I, and Government-Economics courses will have digital textbooks for fall 2015; mathematics will be the initial digital textbook for the Middle School program. GCS professional development for 2014-2015 included the following: Summer 2014 Teaching & Learning Conference – A total of 48 teachers attended 255 professional development sessions for 399 hours of credit at this Gaston County-sponsored event. The opening Teacher In-Service Day on Monday, August 11, featured Dr. Phil Graybeal, well-known consultant nationally and internationally in the area of educational leadership. As a result of the accreditation process, Dr. Graybeal Dr. Shirley Huelsman spoke to the GCS Faculty to clarify the Academic Dean responsibilities and limitations of our GCS Board as outlined in the Carver Model. An overview of the Board’s stewardship of GCS by Chairman Rhett Melton preceded Dr. Graybeal’s informative morning sessions entitled “Do We Call 911 for the Board?” and “Does the Board Love Me?” “Accreditation Initiatives and Lockdown Training” – This session on January 5, 2015, was a presentation of the final format of the Gaston Christian School Initiatives, or school improvement plan, that our school submitted to AdvancED as part of the accreditation requirements. This review of the GCS Initiatives not only prepared teachers for the External Review Team visit but also focused the faculty on the areas of concentration over the next five years. The required lockdown training was a review of scenario procedures and communication options for internal and external lockdowns.
ANNUAL REPORT
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2014-15 ANNUAL FUND DONORS Mr. & Mrs. Erwin Alexander Dr. & Mrs. W. Edward Anthony Arrochem, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Eddie Barrett Mr. & Mrs. Ted Beachley Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Beasley Mr. & Mrs. Robert Becker, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Ty Berry Mr. & Mrs. Robert Blake Mr. Randy Boyd Mr. & Mrs. Curtis Brooks Mr. & Mrs. Don Brown Mr. & Mrs. Martin Brown Mr. & Mrs. Charles Burch Mr. & Mrs. Dale Burkett Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Campbell Center for Affirmative Parenting Mr. & Mrs. Doby Chapman Mr. & Mrs. Bo Chriscoe Mr. Bo Chriscoe Mr. & Mrs. Robert Coffman Community Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Mike Conder Mr. Kenneth Connell Mr. & Mrs. David Conner Mrs. Virginia Conover Mr. & Mrs. Christian Cook Mr. & Mrs. Richard Cook Mr. & Mrs. Rhett Cozart Mr. & Mrs. Jim Crisp Dr. & Mrs. William Current Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Will Current Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Mark Forbes
Liveops
Mr. & Mrs. James Ramsey
Mr. & Mrs. Tommy Forbes Ms. Gaynell Foster
Ms. Kaethe Lorch M & M Electric Services Co.
Mr. & Mrs. Tim Ramsey
Mr. & Mrs. J. Scott Foxx Mr. & Mrs. Leo Foxx
Ms. Jan Mahannah Mr. & Mrs. Woods Martin
Mr. & Mrs. Dan Ratchford
Mr. & Mrs. Ronald France Miss Katie Freeman
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Matolka Mr. & Mrs. Nils Matthews
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Reynolds
Mr. & Mrs. Ethan Gallagher Mrs. Becky Garrison
Mr. & Mrs. Jason McAllister Mr. & Mrs. Roger McAllister
Mr. & Mrs. Joe Risha
Mr. & Mrs. Tony Giardino Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Goforth
Mr. & Mrs. Jon McBee Mr. & Mrs. Michael McCoy
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Roach
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Grahl Mr. & Mrs. Randy Green
Mr. & Mrs. Tony McCraw Mr. & Mrs. Sam McDaniel
Mr. Daniel Rooney & Dr. Allison Evanoff
Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Guy Mrs. Myra Guy
Mr. & Mrs. Gene McDowell Mr. & Mrs. J. Reid McGraw
Rouse & Associates, Inc.
Mr. & Mrs. Preston Guy, III Mr. & Mrs. Mike Hagaman
Mr. & Mrs. Ray McKenney Mr. & Mrs. Bill McKinley
Rouse Builders Inc
Hannleb Inc. Mr. & Mrs. D. Scott Hardin
Mr. & Mrs. David McSwain Mr. & Mrs. Russ Moore
Rudisill Enterprises, Inc
Ms. Annette Harris Mr. & Mrs. W Michael Haven
Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Morgan Mr. & Mrs. Tommy Morrison
Mr. & Mrs. John Hedgepath Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Hedges
Mr. & Mrs. Quay Moss Ms. Laura Myers
Mr. & Mrs. Grady Herman Mr. & Mrs. Brad Hillier
Mr. & Mrs. David Nanney Mr. & Mrs. Pat Nanney
Mr. & Mrs. Rick Hodges Mr. & Mrs. James Holler
Mr. Robert Nash National Christian Foundation Twin Cities
Mr. & Mrs. Rodney Hollowell Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Horsley Ms. Patty Hostetler Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Hovis
Amanda Bridges Mr. & Mrs. Johnnie Nichols Mr. & Mrs. Michael Nicholson Dr. & Mrs. Charles Niemeyer
Mr. & Mrs. John Randolph Mr. & Mrs. Richard Rayne Mr. & Mrs. Don Rhodes Mr. & Mrs. Turner Rivenbark Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Roberts Mr. & Mrs. Bernat Rosner Mr. & Mrs. Carlton Rouse Mr. & Mrs. Wade Rouzer Mrs. Linda Russ Mrs. Bethsy San Millan Mr. & Mrs. Gene Sanders Mr. & Mrs. George Sandor Mr. & Mrs. Shon Sbarra Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Scarborough Mr. & Mrs. Carl Simms Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Simpson Mr. & Mrs. Charlie Smith Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Smith Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Spear Stephen G. Cochran & Melissa D. Matulis Charitable Fund
D & S Travel Tours Mr. & Mrs. Mark Davis
Mr. & Dr. Glenn Huelsman J.E. & Mildred Waggoner Family Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Davis Mr. & Mrs. Jay Diggs
Mr. & Mrs. David Jackson Mr. & Mrs. David Jennings
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Parker Mr. & Mrs. Ken Parks
Mr. & Mrs. Ernie Summey
Mr. & Mrs. Marshall Dilling, III Mr. & Mrs. Donald Dixon
Mr. & Mrs. Grady Johnston Mr. & Mrs. Reggie Keistler
Rev. & Mrs. Tom Parnelle Mr. & Mrs. Rich Pasqualone
Mrs. Elizabeth Teague
Duke Energy Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Dan Dunkin
Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Kettelhut Elisabeth King
Dr. & Dr. Jorge Paulino Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Pearson
TIAA-CREF
Mr. & Mrs. Jeremy Eastburn Mr. & Mrs. Bill Eckard
Mr. & Mrs. Robert King Mrs. Barbara Knouse
Mr. & Mrs. Plato Pearson Mr. & Mrs. Robert Pearson
Mr. & Mrs. Don Trapp
Mr. & Mrs. Allan Edwards Mr. & Dr. William Egeln
Kraft Employee Involvement Lakeview Baptist Church
Mrs. Mary Lou Pearson Mr. & Mrs. John Peoples
Wachovia-Wells Fargo Matching Gift Program
Mr. & Mrs. Donald Ellis Mr. & Mrs. Garry Farmer
Mrs. Mary Lancaster Mr. & Mrs. Norman LaVriha
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Poche Mrs. Faye Porter
Mr. & Mrs. Trent Walker
Mr. & Mrs. Jamie Farmer Mrs. Bettie Faulk
Mr. & Mrs. Danny Lawrence Dr. & Mrs. David Layne
Mr. Robert Pressley Mrs. Valarie Pressley
Mr. & Mrs. Alan Welfare
Mr. & Mrs. Lee Faulkenberry Mr. & Mrs. Sam Fleeman
Mr. & Mrs. Doyt Ledford Dr. & Mrs. Jack Leff
Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Price Mr. & Mrs. James Price
Mr. & Mrs. Howard Yellets, Jr.
FMC Foundation Matching Gift Plan
Dr. & Mrs. Edward Lineberger
Mr. & Mrs. George Ramsey
Drs. Mark & Kelly Zukaitis
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ANNUAL REPORT
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Niemeyer Mr. & Mrs. Chris Painter
Mr. & Mrs. Everett Still Dr. & Mrs. Marc Stout Dr. & Mrs. Mike Tamberella Mr. & Mrs. Craig Thornburg Mr. & Mrs. Watson Tomlinson Dr. & Dr. Harald Vaher Mr. & Mrs. Lonnie Waggoner Mr. & Mrs. Don Warren Mr. & Mrs. Trent Wilson Dr. & Mrs. Robert Zickler
2015 COMMUNITY FOUNDATION RUN DONORS Dr. and Mrs. Ed Anthony
Mr. and Mrs. Plato Pearson Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert J Becker Jr.
Mr. Dan Ratchford
Mr. Randy Boyd
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy F. Roberts
Mr. and Mrs. David L Conner
Mr. and Dr. Daniel M. Rooney
Mrs. And Mrs. Thomas E. Forbes
Mr. and Mrs. William C Rouse
Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Forbes
Mr. and Mrs. Gene Sanders
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth J. Grahl
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Scarborough
Mr. and Mrs. Rick Hodges
Stephen G. Cochran & Melissa D. Matulis Charitable Fund
Mr. and Mrs. J. Reid McGraw
Mr. and Mrs. Lonnie A. Waggoner III
Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Niemeyer Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Mark G. Zukaitis
2014-15 CAPITAL CAMPAIGN DONORS Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Barnhill Mr. and Mrs. Doby Chapman
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Dunkin Mr. and Mrs. Luke Ellington
Dr. and Dr. Jorge Paulino
ANNUAL REPORT
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MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL AND ADMINISTRATION PERSONNEL
MIDDLE SCHOOL Principal Virginia Conover Secretary Karen Parker Faculty Julie Barker Melissa Brandon HIGH SCHOOL Principal Nancy McDaniel Dean of Students Kevin Hartley Secretary Barbara Smith ADMINISTRATION Head of School Dr. Marc Stout Administrative Assistant Debra Brown Admissions Director Amber Karr 20
ANNUAL REPORT
Tina Cook Julie Denham Patty Grahl Johnathan Gunter Diane Thompson Jonathan Huitt Joan Jones Sharon Lease David Morrow Karla Pursley Trina Robinson
Joel Peckman Sherry Simpson Terry VanZant
Faculty Melissa Brandon Ken Connell Robin Ferguson Dorothy Groner Johnathan Gunter Ashley Hartley Justin Huitt Renee Jordan Adam Lynn Trey McKeown Maralie Medlin
Mark Moore Jill Overton Karla Pursley Bethsy SanMillan Les Schofield Gary Stiltner Thomas Walls Susan Weakley Cathy Whitley Paula Wyatt
International Student Coordinator Karen Brooks
Business Office Kristen Lowe Nancy Roach Karin Slate
IT Specialist David Jordan Academic Dean Dr. Shirley Huelsman Media Specialist Debra Barton
MS Athletic Director Michael Slate Counselor Katie Freeman
After School Care Julie Diggs Academic Dean Dr. Shirley Huelsman Nurses Melanie High Shawn Zill Chaplain Tim Barrett
Academic Dean Dr. Shirley Huelsman
Athletic Director Tom Hawxwell Chaplain Tim Barrett Counselor Kim Faulk Nurses Melanie High Shawn Zill Maintenance Chris Brown Greg Farmer Todd Melton
AdvancEd Coordinator Fred Chase
Jason Moore
Operations Director Steve Matolka
Communications Director Randy Erwin
FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT
Jungle Book production
Chorus performed during Night of Music
Band performed during Night of Music
Our Town production
Art projects displayed during Fine Arts Night
ANNUAL REPORT
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BOOSTER CLUB AND YEAR IN SPORTS
Annual GCS Golf Tournament at Pine Island Country Club
T
GCS Booster Club update he purpose of the Gaston Christian Booster Club is to provide support to the athletic program at GCS through assistance in fundraising, marketing,
and promotions. During the 2014-2015 school year, the Booster Club generated gross revenues of $100,000 through gate receipts, concessions, corporate advertising, fall festival, spirit wear sales, golf tournament, softball tournament, basketball tournament and private donations. Our annual golf tournament held last May
Booster club contributed to the following projects: Purchase of two buses Soccer bleachers Sidewalks around tennis courts and soccer field
at Pine Island Country Club was a continued
Tennis courts
success as the tournament generated over $40,000 of total revenue.
While there are many awards given to GCS athletes at the close of each season, the following conference and state recognitions were given to GCS athletes or teams: VARSITY BOYS SOCCER Finished 3rd in the MAC Conference All Conference – Alfredo Cacho, Davis McBee, Denver Monteith VARSITY VOLLEYBALL Finished 3rd in the MAC Conference All Conference – Alison Faulkenberry, Mary-Madison Goforth CROSS COUNTRY Girls finished 6th in the MAC Conference Boys finished 3rd in the MAC Conference All Conference – Jordan Putnam, William Anthony VARSITY GIRLS TENNIS MAC Tournament Champions All Conference – Meredith McCraw, Caroline Moore, Casey McEown, Lauren Sbarra #12 seed for the NCISAA Tournament 22
ANNUAL REPORT
If you would like to get involved and support the GCS athletic program through the Booster Club, please feel free to contact me or Tom Hawxwell in the Athletic Office. Everyone is welcome to attend any of our meetings during the year to share your thoughts and ideas. For a complete schedule of Booster Club events, please check the school website under the Booster Club section of the athletic page. Sincerely, Ben Beasley, President bfbeasley3@gmail.com
VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER MAC Tournament Champions All Conference – Taylor Helms, Abby Hoover, Katie Moore, Emma Shearer, Favour Spear #10 seed for the NCISAA Tournament VARSITY BASEBALL All Conference – Landon Guy VARSITY BOYS GOLF MAC Conference Champions All Conference – Cullen Beasley, Harrison Connor, Josh Friday, Levi Kettelhut Qualified for NCISAA Tournament – Josh Friday, Levi Kettelhut VARSITY SWIMMING All Conference - Ashley McGraw, Jillien Zukaitis VARSITY BOYS TENNIS Regular Season Champions MAC Tournament Champions All Conference – Brandon Hostetler, Bryce Martin
2014-15 ATHLETIC SEASON RECORDS
2015 MAC Conference Tournament Championship
Regular Season Champions and 2015 MAC Conference Champions
VARSITY SPORTS TEAM Baseball Basketball - Girls Basketball - Boys Cheerleading Cross Country Golf – Girls Golf – Boys Soccer – Boys Soccer –Girls Softball Swim Team – Girls Swim Team – Boys Tennis – Girls Tennis – Boys Track / Field Volleyball JUNIOR VARSITY SPORTS TEAM Volleyball MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS TEAM Volleyball Soccer - Boys Tennis - Girls Cheerleading Basketball - Girls Basketball - Boys Softball Baseball Soccer - Girls Tennis - Boys
RECORD 10-9 (5-8) 7-16 (2-12) 2-21 N/A Boys – 3rd in MAC, Girls – 6th in MAC 3-5 12-3 12-9-0 15-7-0 12-10 (5-4) Finished 6th in MAC Finished 6th in MAC 7-4 8-3 5th in MAC 14-11 (8-6)
2015 MAC Conference Championship
2015 MAC Tournament Championship
COACH Tim Brown, John Mullis Arliss Knouse Travis Holmes, Zip Stowe, Earnest Stowe Meredith McMillan Megan Slate, Jason Moore Marc Stout Thomas Griffin Justin Huitt, Johnny Hoover Justin Huitt, Johnny Hoover Mark Foy, Marvin Foy, Hoyle Foy Spencer Hopper Spencer Hopper Sharon Avants Sharon Avants Jason Moore Roy Goforth, Lisa Revels
RECORD 7-11
COACH Wayne Helms, Ashley Jones
RECORD 8-7 14-0 0-6 N/A 9-7 12-6 4-10 13-2 6-6-3 0-4
COACH Angel Freeman Jonathan Huitt, Johnny Hoover Sharon Avants Rachel Lawing Mark High Michael Slate Hailey Beaty, Rick Humphries Ricky Martin, Justin Ottinger Jonathan Huitt Sharon Avants
ANNUAL REPORT
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OUR MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Gaston Christian School is to help students mature spiritually and excel academically by offering a Biblically integrated, college-preparatory program that will enable them to impact the kingdom of God by living productive Christian lives. OUR VISION STATEMENT Soaring to Excellence in Christ
GASTON CHR I STI AN SC HO O L 1625 LOWELL-BETHESDA ROAD, GASTONIA, NC 28056 EARLY CHILDHOOD (PS3-Kindergarten) Phone: (704) 824-9893 FAX: (704) 824-9895
ELEMENTARY (1st-5th Grade) Phone: (704) 824-9011 FAX: (704) 824-9013
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WWW.GASTONCHRISTIAN.ORG MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL (6th –12th Grade) Phone: (704) 349-5020 (HS) Phone: (704) 349-5030 (MS) FAX: (704) 349-5027