Ready, set,
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HOST! TCA’s new admission team sets a high bar for excellence in hospitality BY A M Y PR I D E AU X , D I R E C T O R O F A D M I S S I O N
TCA became a part of my life when I was a new fourth-grade student in 1980. Fast forward over forty years, and I now have the privilege of educating prospective families about our incredible school and guiding them through the admission process. Though the Lord used years of great experiences at TCA to prepare me to do my job, I could not do it without the amazing team in our Office of Admission. They have been incredible in welcoming new families as well as facing the challenges of introducing those families to our wonderful campus and community in the midst of COVID restrictions.
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I marvel at how God orchestrated the path for me ultimately to become the director of admission three years ago. I never would have imagined landing in such a dream role. Besides being a TCA parent (Peyton—just graduated, Parker—incoming junior and twins Carsen and Lauren—incoming eighth-graders), I served six years in the kindergarten classroom as a teaching assistant and then decided to interview for a position in the Middle School. The same day God closed the door to the Middle School position, our headmaster, Dave Delph, called to see if I would be willing to come alongside the newly hired director of admission and help him, given my history and knowledge of the school. I was honored and thrilled at the prospect of working in admissions and happy to have the chance to share our school with others. In the spring of 2019, I was asked to take over as the acting director, and then I officially became director of admission in the spring of 2020 (right after the pandemic hit). I’ve always been up for a challenge, but taking on a new role with a new team during a pandemic was not what I had necessarily envisioned. I am beyond proud, though, of all that our team has accomplished these past two admission seasons, and I would love to officially introduce the admission team to you and give you a peek into our world.
SHANNON FRANTZ serves as my assistant and is usually the first person prospective families encounter. Shannon and her husband Joel have one son, Jared, a 2018 TCA graduate who is currently an engineering major at Texas Tech. Shannon served in the Lower School Library for twelve years, and her joyful nature and contagious laugh make our office a very happy place each day. Shannon has been instrumental in streamlining the online enrollment process for our applicant families, and we are grateful that she keeps us all organized and the office running efficiently.
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HEATHER LIPSCOMB is an admission associate, and her focus is working with those families applying to the Middle School and Upper School. Heather has also been instrumental in helping with the student ambassador program and shadow days we offer to our Middle School and Upper School applicants. Heather first served as the Upper School receptionist, but her background in admissions at another Dallas private school made her the perfect choice for the TCA admissions team. Heather and her husband Chris have three children. Johnny will be a senior at TCA in the fall, Baker a sophomore at St. Mark’s School of Texas and Kate an eighth-grader at Providence Christian School. I am personally grateful for the professionalism and calm demeanor Heather shares with the families she encounters.
LESLIE McCABE is an admission associate and focuses on working with our alumni families as well as those families applying to the Lower School. Leslie graduated from TCA in 1990, is married to Randy (a 1990 TCA grad as well) and has four boys: Cole, class of 2019; Gray, class of 2020; Westy, an incoming senior; and Hayes, an incoming seventh-grader. Given her history and love of TCA coupled with the fact that she is also a third-grade teaching assistant, Leslie is the perfect person to help those families looking at the TCA Lower School. Leslie has also served as a soccer coach, and she is one of the most creative and compassionate people I know. Her servant heart and genuine love for others make her a perfect fit to round out our team!
More than anything, we desire our guests to feel the warmth, love and commitment to excellence that the TCA community embodies.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2021-22 ADMISSION SEASON:
• Successfully converted in-person previews for all three schools to a virtual format.
• Conducted in-person tours for over 200 •
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families while many private schools did not allow on-campus visits all year. Worked with families relocating from thirteen states: New Jersey, California, New Mexico, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Alabama, Oregon, Colorado, Washington, South Carolina, Illinois, Ohio and New York. Reviewed three times as many applicants for first grade than in previous years. Multiple grades are at capacity and have a waitlist.
Our team’s desire is to be as authentic and transparent as possible about our school community. Given today’s culture, I often tell prospective parents that we are not trying to be a school for everyone, but if they are looking for a school committed to academic excellence and biblical truth, then they have found the perfect school home here at TCA. More than anything, we desire our guests to feel the warmth, love and commitment to excellence that the TCA community embodies.
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