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GASTON C HR I STI AN SC HO O L
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2017
ANNUAL REPORT
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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 2016 Graduates Colleges Offering Admission
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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
2016-17 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2016-17 Board – L-R: Kelly Thornburg, Timothy Roberts, Sharon Spear, Keith Gunter, Dr. Laura Egeln, Thomas Griffin, BarbaraVaher, David Nanney, Dr. Marc Stout, Ray McKenney.
T
hank you for your continued support, prayers and confidence in Gaston Christian School. In addition to the continued strength of the academic programs, the school continues to grow as a result of the steadfast focus on the
Lord and His will. This year has been a very exciting year on campus: the addition of an 8-lane track, lights on the baseball field, and breaking ground on the new Fine Arts Center. All of these improvements have been made with fiscal responsibility as the Lord commands us to be good stewards of His provisions. We have learned a great deal from the journey
Dr. Laura Egeln Board Chairman
the upcoming school year. It is vital that the board of trustees not just review policies and oversee compliance, but that they ensure the mission of Gaston Christian remains focused on the Lord. In keeping with the mission focus, the board completed a study of Mission Drift by Peter Greer and Chris Horst during the past year. The study included numerous examples of Christian organizations that didn’t stay true to their Godly mission and presented the reasons for the drift. I am happy to report that much was learned from the study and additional precautions were put in place to ensure that GCS doesn’t experience drift, remaining focused on the Godly mission established. What does this mean to you as a member of the Gaston Christian family?
of improving the campus, especially
It means that the board has proactively established procedures and
with the Fine Arts Center. While we
check points to ensure that the current ways of our culture such as
celebrated ground breaking in the fall,
money, power and pride don’t take us from the focus on the Lord
no one anticipated the time it would
and His will for the school.
take to progress. As you well know at
Serving on the board has been an honor and I greatly appreciate
the end of the school year we had a beautiful mound of dirt! We
the opportunity to serve you and your family. As my term comes to
teach our children that patience is one of the fruits of the spirit (Gal
an end, I am confident that the oncoming chair Timothy Roberts will
5:22) and what a blessing it has been to lead our children by example
lead the board with grace and steadfast commitment to the Lord.
as we wait patiently for the completion of the Fine Arts Center. You
In His service,
will be very excited to see the progress as you return to campus for
Laura S. Egeln ANNUAL REPORT
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DR. MARC STOUT
A Stout family gathering
A
From the Head of School
s I reflect on the 2016-17 school year, there are many outstanding accomplishments that should be remembered. With our theme verse taken from III John 4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth,” we as teachers and administrators sought to weave the truth of this verse into our year. What a joy it was to see 22 GCS students go to Honduras to minister to those who need so much. To hear how God used these mission trips, not only to the Lenca Indians but also in the lives of our students, is a true blessing. To see our elementary students share the story of Christmas in a way that is consistent with Biblical teaching brings further joy. To hear from Mr. Mehaffey of children who have made a decision to follow Christ and commit their lives to Dr. Marc Stout living for Him gives me great joy. Head of School To experience our kindergarten graduation and hear our children cite long sections of scripture from memory brings tremendous joy to me. This year was one filled with great joy! The 2016-17 school year also recorded the largest enrollment in the history of Gaston Christian School. With 930 students on September 1, we surpassed our previous high of 911 several years ago. Amazingly, our average Stanford Achievement Test scores showed an increase across the school of 1.7% for grades K-11! That brought our 4
ANNUAL REPORT
overall average up to 82.7% against all students nationally who take this test. Our teachers and students did an amazing job!! Our facilities have also expanded as we have completed the eight-lane track around the soccer field. We installed lights for the baseball field, and we continue to work on the Fine Arts Center. Technologically, we have added Chromebooks for the eighth grade, five mobile Chromebook carts for middle school and three mobile carts for the elementary school. We have Smart TVs in all fourth-grade classrooms and Smartboards in every grade level (K-5). We expanded our electronic curriculum to include all Spanish and social studies classes in the high school, and some science and mathematics classes have adopted online textbooks. We have increased our technology end points over 300 to a total of 1700. We also installed 24 Mac mini desktops in our high school computer lab to provide Adobe instruction for our students. Financially, we had the best year in the history of the school. This allowed for a portion of our surplus funds to be dedicated to the construction of the Fine Arts Center. Due to your generous support, we have been able to accomplish many projects that would otherwise not have been possible. With a visionary Board, outstanding administrators, fantastic teachers, hard working successful students and supportive parents, GCS is fulfilling its mission: “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.” My hope and prayer is that you will experience the joy of knowing that your children are walking in the truth. May God continue to grant us success as we seek to honor Him in all that we do. For His glory.
CLASS OF 2017 BY THE NUMBERS
65
97
Graduates in Class of 2016
Going to College or Further Education
SAT scores*
1115 1074 1053 Gaston Christian Score
North Carolina Average
%
37
%
Attended GCS K-12th Grade
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AP Scholars
Gaston County Average
3.24 Million
$
in scholarship offerings for the Class of 2017
*The College Board changed the test format and scoring for 2016-2017; therefore, this year’s scores should not be compared to scores from previous years. AP Scholar Awards
ANNUAL REPORT
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CHAPEL
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” III John 4
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ANNUAL REPORT
2016-17 BY THE NUMBERS
STUDENT BODY PROFILE 89 58 21 62 49 54 76 59
Early Childhood/Preschool Full-Day Kindergarten Half-Day Kindergarten 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade Total EC/EM
468
Middle School Enrollment
High School Enrollment 69 9th Grade 61 10th Grade 63 11th Grade 65 12th Grade Total HS
60
6th Grade
66
7th Grade
69
8th Grade
195
Total MS
921
Total GCS Enrollment for 2016-17
258
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
FAMILY DEMOGRAPHIC
Fiscal Year July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017
n
erto e
9%
Dallas
Cram
Contributions/Fundraising $ 106,210...........Annual Giving $ 208,494...........Capital Campaign $ 28,604...........Magazine Sale $ 38,593...........Golf Tournament $ 276,688...........Designated Gifts $ 14,278...........Other
Mt. Holly
li Wy ke
$1,358,826........ Operating Profit
4%
La
Operating Expenses $4,348,219...........Salaries and Benefits $ 636,650...........Operating Expenses $ 387,266...........Program and Office Expenses $ 273,742...........Interest Payments $ 55,188...........Miscellaneous Expenses $ 5,701,065..........Total Expenses
% 4% 4
r/ ve Clo
Operating Revenue $6,316,377...........Tuition and Fees $ 672,867...........Contributions/Fundraising $ 70,647...........Miscellaneous $ 7,059,891..........Total Revenue
Other
Gastonia
10%
45
%
Charlotte
10%
Belmont
14%
Other includes: Alexis, Bessemer City, Cherryville, Kings Mountain, Lincolnton, Lowell, McAdenville, Ranlo, Shelby, Stanley, 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 88 NA 92 6 85 76 85 81 82
1 84 87 89 88 84 7 83 87 87 85 84
Average Basic Battery Elementary Schools 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 1-11
8 82 80 85 83 81
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 87 87 89 84 86 AVG 83.3 81.0 85.6 83.0 82.3
3 85 83 85 83 84 GRADE READING LANGUAGE MATH SPELLING BASIC BATTERY
4 87 91 81 84 84 9 81 75 77 85 80
5 82 87 77 84 81 10 74 73 77 79 75
AVG 86.6 87.0 84.8 84.6 85.2 11 79 81 81 76 79
AVG 78.0 76.3 78.3 80.0 78.0
2016-2017 85.2 82.3 78.0 82.7
2015-2016 83.3 81.3 76.0 81.0
Change 1.9 1.0 2.0 1.7
83.7 82.5 83.4 82.9
82.2 82.6 81.3 80.8
1.5 -0.1 2.1 2.1
* 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 2016-2017 school year. During the week of March 10-17, high school teacher Mark Moore, 4 high school students, and 1 GCS parent joined with others from Louder than Words Ministries on a backpacking mission trip through the mountains of western Honduras. These students hiked to 5 different Lenca villages, sharing the Gospel and distributing Operation Christmas Child boxes to the children. During spring break 19 high school students and 3 parents spent a week with Mark Moore ministering in the small mountain village of Las Mesas. The group conducted a daily VBS program, led worship services in a home at night, and participated in home building/ repairs. With funds from several high school groups and a donation from a local church, they were able to supply a local orphanage with over $1,500 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 2017
CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2017 First row (from left): Emily Egeln, Ellise Zukaitis, Breanna Barrett, Ashley McGraw, Stratton Guy, Andie Ervay, Yiqing Song, Taylor Hinson Second row (from left): Harrison Conner, Mary Kate Bowman, Taylor Williams, Allison Bowman, Regan McNiff, Sofia Cano, Alexis Friday, Kayleigh Jones, Gabriella Jakob, Lauren Adams Third row (from left): Lauren Sbarra, Katelyn Pruett, Jillien Zukaitis, Clara Ellington, Amber Loftin, Jingya Ye, Abigayle Hoover, Grace Suter, Anna Mullis, Hannah Overton, Davis Pittman, Kyndall High, Carmen Trantham, Abigail Moon, Yani Nie, Laura Littlejohn, Alexys Bean Fourth row (from left): Daniel Moore, Erica Stockton, Ryan Doutt, Zeyu Wang, William Morrison, Luke Springs, Chris Adams, Tanner Leonard, Susan Colvin, Alexis Tomlinson, Brianna Brewer Fifth row (from left): Brice Turner, J.P. Rooney, Tianyi Jiang, Brandon Melton, Nicholas Rednour, Bodie Arthur, Chayathorn Akramongkolrojn, Alex Blake, Christian Forlines, Dillon Frye, Madux Price, Andrew Morgan, Blake Cobb, Thomas Williford, Jacob Noblett, Alex Mills, Jiawei Xiang, Andrew Lineberger Not pictured: Paul O’Meara
Number of graduates: 65 Valedictorian: Stratton Key Guy Salutatorian: Ashley Reid McGraw Recipient of Opal Parks Award: Breanna Leigh Barrett Recipient of M.O. Owens Award: Stratton Key Guy Recipients of the Servant’s Heart Award: Christopher George Adams II and Brandon Todd Melton Scholarship offerings for the Class of 2017: $3,240,000
Photo courtesy of Mark Moore
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ANNUAL REPORT
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 • Bryan College • Brown University • Caldwell Community College • Campbell University • Cape Fear Community College • Carolinas College of Health Sciences • Catawba Valley College • Cedarville College • Central Piedmont Community College • Charleston Southern University • The Citadel • Clemson University • Cleveland Community College • Coastal Carolina 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 • Flagler 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 • Michigan State University • 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 • Regent University • 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 • UNC-Asheville • UNC-Chapel Hill • UNC-Charlotte • UNC-Greensboro • UNC-Pembroke • UNC-Wilmington • University of Rochester • University of South Carolina • University of Alabama • University of California at Davis • University of Chicago • University of the South • University of South Carolina at Beaufort • University of Tennessee • University of Virginia • University of Washington at Bothell • 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
Young learners at work & play
G
od blessed us with a great year in the Early Childhood Department of Gaston Christian School. The three-year-olds had lots of fun in
their pre-school classes—they enjoyed learning about letters and numbers, the weather, Bible lessons, and lots of fun art activities. They especially loved the monthly visits from Mrs. Rene’ Crump from the Gaston County Library. She
shared
a
special
book with the classes Mrs. Susan Jennings Principal
each month, some with a seasonal emphasis, and included lots of fun extras
with her presentations. The children love her!
times, and we all looked forward to these sweet times together. The kindergarten classes loved being in “big school.” Phonics classes progressed through the year, and by May, kindergarten students could sound out words with two vowels, marking the first one as a “long” vowel sound and the second vowel as “silent.” Numbers lessons included telling time, counting money, sequencing, and figuring out patterns. These students enjoyed art, music, computer, library and PE special classes, also. One of the highlights of the year was the “Jog-athon” that was conducted to help raise money to put a finishing surface on our new track. The whole school took turns out on the track, running, walking, skipping, and strolling around the track to help raise money for this worthy projec All the Early Childhood classes thought this was especially fun, and they all agreed we should make this an annual event.
The four-year-olds had lots of fun also along with the
I am so thankful for Gaston Christian School and
academic lessons to help prepare them for kindergarten.
what it means to these children placed in our care. My
Each day began with a Bible lesson, then moved to
prayer is that we will always be found faithful to provide
phonics, numbers, and extras such as community
for the spiritual, academic, and physical care for each
helpers. Of course, lots of music and art were included
one and to provide it in a way that is pleasing to God.
to provide fun and active learning. The second part of
As the Psalmist stated, “Let the words of my mouth and
the year included bi-weekly chapel meetings with Mrs.
the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
Jennings. We shared a Bible lesson, songs, and prayer
O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.”
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ANNUAL REPORT
Early Childhood Secretary Debbie Barnhill Early Childhood Staff Charlotte Adams Amanda Chapman Susan Crisp Angel Freeman Jackie Hardin Teresa Hoyle Geny Melton Sandra Parnelle Maureen Patton Vicki Peach Crystal Shields Annette Simmons Anne Tomlinson Emily Trakas Teresa Winter School Nurses Melanie High Shawn Zill
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Blessings from a living God Elementary Secretary Teri Stacy Elementary Staff Glenda Bailey Karen Chew Melinda Cleveland Amberlee Davis Carole Farmer Tammy Gordon Lisa Grubbs Johnathan Gunter Amy Hawxwell Susie Howard Teresa Hoyle Benita Huffstetler Joan Jones Lindsey Kelly Buffy Kirkman Donna Lyman Geny Melton Todd Melton Lyndsey Miller Sandra Parnelle Kim Patterson Jayda Renfroe Trina Robinson Paul Struwe Avlon Taylor Pam Thornburg Jennifer Whitlow Linda Wilson Academic Dean Shirley Huelsman School Nurses Melanie High Shawn Zill
I
have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth. 3 John 4 The 2016-2017 school year was exciting and full of new things for the Elementary program. Our focus in Chapel was on the truths and attributes that make the living God we serve different from the other gods of the world. The Lord blessed our program with several new staff members this year. Buffy Kirkman joined our first grade team, Lindsey Kelly served on our 2nd grade team, Avlon Taylor and Karen Chew in 4th grade, and Paul Struwe joined us to teach 3rd-5th grade PE.
competition on December 3 and won First Place in the Teamwork competition. They traveled to Greensboro to compete in the State Finals on Saturday, January 14. Our Girls on the Run team competed in the Girls on the Run 5K on December 3. Katie Walker, Katelin Vaher, and Ava Russell led the way for our GCS team. Student Service
In November, our
Academics
students took part in both
The 5th graders enjoyed time with WBTV meteorologist Al Conklin on February 13. The students had a great conversation with him about weather and the science of meteorology. Charlie McAlister, Priya Patel, Addyson Painter, Colin Hawxwell, Camden Price, Katelyn Spangler, and Aniyah Wilson all represented the Elementary program in the 2017 GCS Spelling Bee.
Operation Child
for
Christmas Samaritan’s Adam Mehaffey
Purse as well as a coat
Principal
drive for the homeless of Gaston County along with the High School Beta Club and Student Government Association. The Elementary students also collected over 900 items for the Souper Bowl of Caring Food Drive for Second Harvest Food Bank in February
Enrichment
Kristina Vaher, a GCS high school student, began a book club for students in 3rd-5th grade. Our First Lego League Robotics team went to
Mrs. Gordon’s first grade class raised $1,200 for Children’s World Hunger Fund through a bake sale. The Elementary students raised $2,000 for flood relief in Louisiana through this year’s chapel offering. ANNUAL REPORT
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MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION
Receptive hearts to God’s Word
“I
have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 4. What a privilege it has been to see this verse lived out in the lives of middle school students this year: student-led girls and boys Bible studies before school on Tuesday mornings, collecting donations to help a church suffering through floods in Louisiana, ministering to residents of a local nursing home. All are evidences of hearts receptive to the Truth of God’s Word. Student Servant Highlights
The Junior Beta Club again provided leadership for Operation Christmas Child with the collection of shoe boxes in November. They also continued their partnership with the residents of Meadowood Nursing home creating cards and candy gifts. Under the direction of Miss Freeman, Middle School Guidance Counselor, GCS contributed 3,632 pounds of food items through the Souper Bowl of Caring to be used in local communities. Our Student Government continued to Virgina Conover Principal serve our school community through helping with morning announcements, school cleaning projects, the Christmas Door contest, and paper recycling. They also led students in providing contributions of $1,000.00 for flood victims in Louisiana through “Hats On 4 LA.” Middle school students participated in the Jog-A-Thon and Juvenile Diabetes Walk in April. Spiritual Emphasis Day
On September 30, 2016, middle school students gathered in the gym for an afternoon of praise and worship. Our speaker was Kevin Loveland, who, using our year’s theme verse challenged students to stand firm in their faith and avoid being pulled away from the Truth of scripture. 14
ANNUAL REPORT
Academic Highlights
Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP): Forty-one seventh grade students qualified for TIP recognition in the fall of 2016. Gillian Allen, Giulia Chitu, Jonathan Purtell and Emma Still received State Recognition. Gillian Allen, Trey Baker, Lacie Gribbs, Izzy Hoover, Jonathan Purtell, and Emma Still qualified for the Academy of Summer Studies. Guilia Chitu qualified for the Center for Summer Studies. National Geographic Bee: After many rounds of competition, Lily Grace McCollough was selected as the winner of the middle school Geography Bee. Over forty-five middle school students participated in the competition. 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 in the gym on March 29, 2017. Ribbons and medals were awarded to the following students: Sixth Grade – Anna Vella Ramsey 1st Place, Makenzie Karr 2nd Place, Micah Stiwalt 3rd Place; Seventh Grade – Emma Still 1st Place, Adam Hoyle 2nd Place, Jonathan Purtell 3rd Place; Eighth Grade – Maggie Ferguson 1st Place, Chandler Jones 2nd Place, Luke Hoyle 3rd Place. The Junior Beta Club inducted forty-nine seventh and eighth grade students qualifying for this honor during chapel on March 16, 2017. The Einstein Project: our annual Einstein Contest provided another opportunity for eighth grade students to test their knowledge of all middle school science content. Using a “Jeopardy” format, Luke Hoyle, Chandler Jones, Annabelle Pearson, and Walker Shields competed in the gym before the middle school student body. Chandler Jones earned the Einstein Award, a lab coat signed by eighth-grade students. Technology Highlights
In preparation for the transition to our high school program, eighth grade students received Chromebooks this year. Wacky Wednesday Programs
Students enjoyed watching nine movies chosen to lead into discussions exploring making good choices, standing up for what you know is right, and handling adversity.
HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION
“I
Joy in the Journey
have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the Truth”: Throughout the year staff and students have focused on 3 John 4, a verse that challenges us to a commitment and heartfelt obedience to His Word. Class of 2017: 65 graduates received numerous recognitions and $3,240,000 in scholarship offers. 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”; weekly chapel services focused on a study of the Psalms and included student-led praise and worship; weekly small group Bible studies were also available. The annual Windy Gap Retreat in September and the Spiritual Emphasis Day in March were spiritual highlights of the year. In addition, the SGA sponsored a “Night of Worship: Joy in the Journey” in March, a special time for the entire school community to come together for praise and worship. GCHS participated in two mission trips to Honduras: 4 students and 1 parent participated on a backpacking trip into the Honduran mountains in March; a group of 19 students and 3 parents spent spring break serving the Lenca people in Honduras; both trips were led by faculty member Mark Moore. Students, staff, and a local church donated over $1500 to provide food for the Faith, Hope, and Love Orphanage in Honduras. Academic Focus
New curricular adoptions were implemented for Spanish II and Biology. A new Bible course, The Life and Teachings of Christ, was put in place for 11th graders.. The high school offered 7 Advanced Placement classes this year and 20 honors courses across the disciplines. In addition, a partnership with SevenStar Academy and participation in the N.C. Career and College Promise Program allowed Gaston Christian to offer courses beyond the traditional classroom; approximately 30 students were enrolled in these online programs. The School Counselor organized Information Nights for each grade level and also a Christian College Fair with 30 colleges represented. The National Beta Club inducted 58 new members, and 30 juniors and seniors were inducted into the National Honor Society.
Technology Focus
With the one-to-one initiative of Google Chromebooks for all high school students, integration of technology into classroom instruction continued to enhance learning; e-texts were in use for the following courses: Government/Economics, World History, US History, AP US History, Psychology, AP Biology, Biology, Spanish I, and Spanish II. Fine Arts Focus
The Concert Choir, Honors Ensemble, and Band performed at Fine Arts Evenings in December and May; the Visual Arts classes also showcased their work at these programs. The Gaston Christian Players produced For Such a Time as This (inspired by the biblical story of Esther) in October, Miss Nelson Is Missing as the Children’s Theatre production in February, and William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing in April. Service Opportunities
The high school students and staff were busy this year serving within the community; opportunities included Crisis Nancy McDaniel Pregnancy Center’s Walk for Life and Baby Principal Bundles project, Operation Christmas Child Shoe box project, Juvenile Diabetes Walk, a coat drive, nursing home ministry, a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank, a “flip flop” drive for the Honduran mission trip, and campus fundraising activities for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Mock Trial Program
Two teams participated in regional competitions in Gastonia and High Point, with the White Team advancing to the state competition in Raleigh. Quiz Bowl
The Gaston Christian Quiz Bowl team placed 4th in the Gaston County Quiz Bowl. ANNUAL REPORT
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INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PROGRAM
你好! — Greetings from China!
G
aston Christian School was host to 22 International students from China in 2016-17. We had three 9th graders, eight 10th graders, four 11th graders, and 7 seniors. Along with these 22 students, we had 22 host families. We are blessed to have had no double placements among our students due to the willingness of families to open their homes and hearts to welcome students from across the world. Host families include their student in their daily lives, extended family, and family of faith. They plant seeds of faith that, hopefully, one day will take root in the hearts of our students. We are excited that one of our students made a profession of faith this year and hopes to follow up with believer’s baptism. 2016-17 brought opportunities for the international students to tour some top 100 colleges/universities (according to U.S. World News and Report ) in the U.S. We toured Emory University and Karen Brooks GA Tech over fall break and UCLA over Coordinator for spring break. Also over spring break, 3 International Students students (Snow, Larry, and Alexander) and Online Education went to Honduras with the GCS mission team to minister to the Lenca Indians. Mrs. Brooks and Ms. Whitley (Biology teacher) took 16 of our International students to Los Angeles, CA over Spring Break. While there, they toured the Griffith Observatory in LA, Hollywood’s Walk of Fame on Hollywood Blvd., the Warner Brothers’ Studios in Burbank, the San Diego Zoo, Santa Monica, Long Beach, and Disney Land. This was a first visit to La La Land for many of our students and a great opportunity to experience some of the Americana that they see in the movies. Before coming to school in America, the students’ expectation of what it is to
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ANNUAL REPORT
live in the United States is seen through the lens of Hollywood. They have all found life to be very different once they are here, especially in North Carolina, but the slower pace of different is pretty good. Heyu “Betty” Chen (11th grade) attended a summer session open to high school students at the University of Pennsylvania. Betty had the opportunity to select a course from a list of over 300 courses and chose to take a Math course for college credit, along with a non-credit enrichment course designed to complement and enhance undergraduate study. Tenth grader, Suwen (Frank) Wang, attended Wake Forest University’s Summer Residential Immersion Program for Business and Entrepreneurship. During the week long program, Frank had the opportunity to develop practical skills and the ability to think critically while gaining valuable exposure to important business topics and methods of analysis. He participated in institute-sponsored field trips and activities, as well as worked alongside experienced faculty. The International Club has evolved out of the International Student Program. The Club sponsored a high school-wide “Flip Flop Drop” during the week of March 20-24, collecting flip flops of all sizes to be sent to Honduras. 337 pairs of flip flops were sent with the high school mission team as they traveled to Honduras with Louder Than Words Ministries over spring break, April 7-14. The students delivered the shoes to La Choguara, one of the poorest regions of Honduras in the department of Intibucá, according to Mark Moore, the team’s leader and teacher at Gaston Christian High School. Mr. Moore is also the Director of Louder Than Words Ministries. Also, the Club purchased two wells for 2 villages in Africa to supply water for over 500 people in each village through Samaritan’s Purse and volunteered at Operation Christmas Child, processing shoe boxes filled with hope that would go to children in undisclosed countries. We continue to see God at work in the International Student Program as families share their lives with students from across the world.
FROM THE ACADEMIC DEAN
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2016-17 in Academic Review
he goodness of the Lord paved the way for several important advances at Gaston Christian during this school year: On Friday, August 12, the Academic Dean held the New Teacher Orientation Day for thirteen new faculty members — the greatest number of New Teachers in the history of our Mentorship Program that is designed to provide new faculty with an understanding of the multi-layered mission of Gaston Christian School. In conjunction with our AdvancED School Initiative #3 to strengthen the learning environment for all students at our school, the GCS faculty welcomed Gina Stiwalt as our Learning Support Specialist, a position created to provide curricular and instructional support for students with learning difficulties documented by their psychologists or pediatricians. Gina’s expertise, professional experience, and detailed documentation of student progress provided the basis for a very successful first year of our Learning Support Program — and the anticipation of continued success and expansion of this intervention program. During this school year, the GCS administration and faculty reviewed the online teacher resource PD In Focus that offers teachers on-demand professional learning. GCS plans to make this resource available to our faculty during the 2017-2018 school year. Given our purchase of two year’s worth of standardized testing materials for the Stanford Achievement Test that we administer each spring, the Assessment Division of Pearson extended to our school a significant 40% savings on our scoring costs for 2017 and 2018. In response to the two Required Actions specified in our last accreditation External Review, the Academic Dean drafted the Accreditation Progress Report (APR) that was reviewed by accreditation Facilitators and Principals. Approved by the Head of School, the APR was submitted to AdvancED on May 1, 2017. The 2017 Stanford Achievement Test scores have remained strong, designated by the uppermost quartile with a majority of percentiles ranging from 80-86. Annually, the Academic Dean holds 16 meetings by grade
level with Early Childhood/Elementary School teachers and by disciplines with Middle School/ High School teachers to review test results. Teachers receive a digital copy of the three-year history of student performance scores and a separate document of suggestions to plan strategies and interventions to address weaker student skills. The Academic Dean provides the academic profiles for all eighth-grade students; these profiles provide a threeyear history of each student’s Stanford Achievement Test scores, Student Ability Index scores, subject-area grades, gradepoint averages, and attendance records to support student course selections for high school. The Professional Development Library has seven new resources available for teachers. GCS professional development activities for 2016-2017 included the following highlights: August 8-9: 2016 Teaching & Learning Conference sponsored by the Gaston Dr. Shirley Huelsman County Public Schools – 166 research- Academic Dean based professional development sessions attended by 32 GCS teachers for a total of 267 hours of credits related to current topics in education Opening In-Service Day, August 15: “Preparing Students to Live in the Uncertainties of the 21st Century” presentation by guest speaker Merida Brooks, retired Superintendent of Westminster Christian Academy in Louisiana. In-Service Day on March 10: ASCD Skype demonstration of PD In Focus by Stacy Costello – “Drug Awareness” session presented by Director of Safety and Security Mike Robinson – specimens of common drugs made available by Sergeant Brent Roberts for teachers to view. ANNUAL REPORT
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2016-17 ANNUAL FUND DONORS Albemarle Foundation Mr. and Mrs. James Armstrong Bank of America Matching Gifts Program Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Barnhill Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Barton Mr. and Mrs. Charles Blair Mr. and Mrs. Don Brown Mr. and Mrs. Doby Chapman Mr. and Mrs. Bo Chriscoe Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cloninger Community Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John Connor Mr. and Mrs. Jim Crisp Mrs. Kay Currence Dr. and Mrs. William Current Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Mark Davis Duke Energy Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Dan Dunkin Mr. and Dr. William Egeln Facet Foundry Mr. and Mrs. Joel Faggart Mr. and Mrs. Paul Farris First Wesleyan Christian School Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Forbes Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Franklin Mr. and Mrs. Preston Freburger Mrs. Becky Garrison
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Goforth Mr. and Mrs. W Michael Haven Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hines Mr. and Mrs. James Holler Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hovis Mr. and Mrs. Larry Hunsucker J.E. and Mildred Waggoner Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Drew Jahn Mr. and Mrs. David Jennings Mrs. Gail Kenefick Mr. and Mrs. Don Killian Drs. Laurence and Inga Kish Mr. and Mrs. Danny Lawrence Mr. and Mrs. Doyt Ledford Mr. and Mrs. Allan Lindstrom Loyal Systems, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Adam Lynn Mr. and Mrs. Woods Martin Mr. and Mrs. Jason McAllister Mr. and Mrs. Charles McGinnis McKenney Dealerships Mr. and Mrs. Bill McKinley Mr. and Mrs. Rhett Melton Mr. and Mrs. Pat Nanney Mr. Robert Nash Mrs. Virginia Neustadt Mrs. Amanda Bridges
Mr. and Mrs. Tim Nicholson Mr. and Mrs. Rich Pasqualone Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pearson Mr. and Mrs. John Peoples Mr. Michael Poole Mr. and Mrs. Bill Reinhardt Mr. and Mrs. Michael Reynolds Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Roach Mr. Daniel Rooney and Dr. Allison Evanoff Mr. and Mrs. Bernat Rosner Mr. and Mrs. Peter Setzer Mr. and Mrs. Carl Simms Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Spear Mr. and Mrs. Everett Still Mr. and Mrs. Charles Summey Mr. and Mrs. Larry Swabby Mrs. Elizabeth Teague Mr. and Mrs. Craig Thornburg Mr. and Mrs. John Thrower Dr. and Dr. Harald Vaher Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Van Scyoc Wachovia-Wells Fargo Matching Gift Program Mr. and Mrs. Trent Walker Mr. and Mrs. Earl Watson Jack and Janis Webb Mr. and Mrs. Peter Wu Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Yates
2016-17 BASEBALL DONORS Mr. and Mrs. Keith Burgess Mr. and Mrs. Doby Chapman Choice U.S.A. Beverage, Inc Fidelity Bank Mr. and Mrs. Mike Hagaman Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hines J.E. and Mildred Waggoner Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Ledford Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Morgan Stowe’s Nursery Mr. and Mrs. Marty Venn
2016-17 TRACK AND FIELD DONORS 2017 Jog-a-thon
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Spear
Mr. and Mrs. Doug Bell
Dr. and Mrs. Marc Stout
Custom Building Systems & Custom Paving Co
Mr. and Mrs. Watson Tomlinson
Mr. and Mrs. Rick Patterson
Mr. Richard J Valeo
Mr. Daniel Rooney and Dr. Allison Evanoff
Mr. and Mrs. James Van Pelt
Salisbury Community Foundation
Wachovia-Wells Fargo Matching Gift Program
Mr. and Mrs. Shon Sbarra
Drs. Mark and Kelly Zukaitis
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ANNUAL REPORT
2016-17 FINE ARTS BUILDING DONORS Gaston Christian School Fine Arts Center
2016 Magazine Sale
Mr. and Mrs. J. Scott Foxx
Mr. and Mrs. David McSwain
Mrs. Linda Ackerson
Mr. and Mrs. Keith Gunter
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Monza
Albemarle Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hager
Mr. and Mrs. David Nanney
Mrs. Nita Albrecht
Mr. and Mrs. D. Scott Hardin
Dr. and Dr. Jorge Paulino
Annonymous
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Hedges
Mrs. Norma B Price
Bank of America Matching Gifts Program
Ms. Kimberly Herrin
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Barton
Mr. and Mrs. Rick Hodges
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Beasley
Mr. and Dr. Glenn Huelsman
Mr. and Mrs. Ty Berry
Mr. and Mrs. David Jennings
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Blake, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Jordan
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Blake, Jr.
Mr. Benjamin King
Mr. and Mrs. Keith Burgess
Ms. Elisabeth King
Mr. and Mrs. Doby Chapman
Mr. and Mrs. Robert King
Mrs. Miriam A Stiling
Dr. Stephen Cochran, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Lanier
The Howe Foundation Inc
Mrs. Virginia Conover
Mr. and Mrs. Jon McBee
Wachovia-Wells Fargo Matching Gift Program
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Davis
Mr. and Mrs. Sam McDaniel
Mrs. Judy Walker
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Dunkin
Mr. and Mrs. J. Reid McGraw
Rev. and Mrs. Wavey Williams
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Roach Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Roberts Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Russ Mr. and Mrs. John Russell Mrs. Bethsy San Millan Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Scarborough
2017 COMMUNITY FOUNDATION RUN DONORS Annonymous
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Niemeyer
Mr. Randy Boyd
Mr. and Mrs. Plato Pearson
Community Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John Connor
Mr. Harry G. Petrey Mr. and Mrs. Gene Sanders
Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Forbes Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Grahl Mr. and Mrs. Rick Hodges
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Scarborough Mr. and Mrs. William Thrower, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Howarth
Dr. and Dr. Harald Vaher
Mr. and Mrs. J. Reid McGraw
Drs. Mark and Kelly Zukaitis
ANNUAL REPORT
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MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL AND ADMINISTRATION PERSONNEL
MIDDLE SCHOOL Principal Virginia Conover Secretary Karen Parker Faculty Melissa Brandon Tina Cook HIGH SCHOOL Principal Nancy McDaniel Dean of Students Kevin Hartley Secretary Barbara Smith Faculty Becky Abromaitis ADMINISTRATION Head of School Dr. Marc Stout Administrative Assistant Debra Brown Admissions Director Rachel Johnston 20
ANNUAL REPORT
Julie Denham Rebekah Engle Patty Grahl Johnathan Gunter Jonathan Huitt Joan Jones Pattiann Rabb Karla Pursley Trina Robinson Joel Peckman Diane Thompson
Terry VanZant Teresa Williams
After School Care Kay Currence
Athletic Director Paul Struwe
Academic Dean Dr. Shirley Huelsman
Athletic Dept. Assistant Leigh Van Pelt
Nurses Melanie High Shawn Zill
Counselor Katie Freeman
Chaplain Tim Barrett
Melissa Brandon Ken Connell Eric Engle Johnathan Gunter Ashley Hartley Justin Huitt Renee Jordan Adam Lynn Maralie Medlin Mark Moore Jill Overton David Parker Christa Pratt
Ingrid Purtell Karla Pursley Bethsy SanMillan Les Schofield Michael Slate Susan Weakley Cathy Whitley
Athletic Dept. Assistant Leigh Van Pelt
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
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 Jason Moore Marty Perkins
AdvancEd Coordinator Fred Chase
Communications Director Randy Erwin
Operations Director Steve Matolka
Security Director Officer Mike Robinson
FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT
Much Ado About Nothing
Mrs. Pursley High School Chorus at Fine Arts Night For Such a Time as This
Middle School Chorus at Fine Arts Night
Mr. Gunter and the Band students at Fine Arts Night
Artwork display for Fine Arts Night
Miss Nelson is Missing
ANNUAL REPORT
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BOOSTER CLUB AND YEAR IN SPORTS
GCS Jog-A-Thon
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 2016-2017 school year, the Booster Club generated gross revenues of $90,500.00 through gate receipts, concessions, corporate advertising, fall festival, spirit wear sales, golf tournament, softball tournament, and private donations. Our annual golf tournament held last May at Pine Island Country Club was a continued success as the tournament generated over $38,793.00 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 MAC Conference Co Champions MAC Conference Tournament Champions All Conference – Alfredo Cacho, Frank Lopez, Davis McBee, Jacob Neely, Lucas Whitesides VARSITY VOLLEYBALL Finished Second in the MAC Conference All Conference – Lily Chapman, Amber Loftin, Sedonia Tringali CROSS COUNTRY Girls finished 3rd in the MAC Conference Boys finished 2nd in the MAC Conference All Conference – Molly Jahn, Brendan Rooney, Luke Springs 22
ANNUAL REPORT
Booster club contributed to the following project: Track
VARSITY GIRLS TENNIS MAC Conference Tournament Champions Ranked #7 in the NCISAA Tournament. Hosted first ever NCISAA playoff match All Conference – Sofia Cano, Giulia Chitu, Meredith McCraw, Casey McEown, Lauren Sbarra VARSITY GIRLS GOLF Finished 4th in the NCISAA Tournament All State - Taylor Hinson, finished 2nd VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL All Conference - Hannah Bonisa VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER MAC Conference Tournament Champions All Conference – Abby Hoover, Katie Moore, Favour Spear VARSITY BASEBALL All Conference – Strat Guy
If you would like to get involved and support the GCS athletic program through the Booster Club, please feel free to contact the Booster Club at: boosterclub@gastonchristian. org or contact 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, Booster Club
VARSITY BOYS GOLF Finished 3rd in MAC Conference All Conference – Jacob Hinson, Caleb Smyre VARSITY BOYS TENNIS MAC Conference Champions MAC Tournament Runner up All Conference – Chase Chriscoe, Dakota Cundiff, Will Farris, Alexander Jiang VARSITY SOFTBALL Finished 3rd in MAC Conference All Conference - Lauren Adams, Anna Crenshaw, Mia Holmes, Amber Loftin #8 Seed for the NCISAA Tournament VARSITY TRACK & FIELD Finished 4th in MAC Conference Won the 4x800 and awarded All Conference - Noah Oliver, Luke Springs, Brice Turner, Brendan Rooney
2016-17 ATHLETIC SEASON RECORDS
Varsity Boys Soccer MAC Conference Co Champions/Tournament Champs
Varsity Girls Tennis MAC Conference Tournament 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 Boy’s Basketball Volleyball MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS TEAM Volleyball Soccer - Boys Tennis - Girls Cheerleading Basketball - Girls Basketball - Boys Softball Baseball Soccer - Girls Tennis - Boys
RECORD 11-9 7-14 6-18 N/A Girls 3rd, Boys 2nd in MAC 6-3 3-6 18-3 13-2-1 10-8 Finished 5th in MAC Finished 5th in MAC 12-5 11-7 4th in MAC 13-9
Varsity Girls Soccer MAC Conference Tournament Champions
Varsity Boys Tennis MAC Conference Champions
COACH Tim Brown, John Mullis, Preston Guy, Matthew Morgan Zip Stowe, Chad Fowler Jeremy Webb, Aaron Waters, Andrew Lanier Traci VonEgidy , Kirby VonEgidy Jason Moore, Leigh Van Pelt Bart Hinson Derec Smyre, Tim Barrett Justin Huitt, Johnny Hoover Justin Huitt, Johnny Hoover Danny Craig, Kirby Holmes, Johnny Crenshaw Chandra Barck Chandra Barck Tim Owens, Ashley Owens Tim Owens, Ashley Owens Jason Moore, James Ford Lisa Revels, Chad Fowler
RECORD 3-16 3-13
COACH Chad Fowler Chad Fowler
RECORD 2-14 15-2-1 3-4 N/A 3-11 10-5 5-6 10-3 2-8-3 1-6
COACH Rebecca Hinson Jonathan Huitt Ashley Owens Lisa Grubbs Nicole Todd Paul Struwe, Andre Howell Jay Oliver Paul Struwe, Walker Darnell Jonathan Huitt Ashley Owens, Eric Engle
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