Submitted by CALVARY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | Special to the Palisadian-Post
The 2016-17 school year at Calvary Christian School will undoubtedly be one of continued growth and development on campus and in the school community. When classroom doors opened on Sept. 6, CCS continued the long-standing tradition of delivering a mission of academic excellence and Christian values, preparing all students in preschool through eighth grade for leadership and service.
With more than 420 students and 75 faculty members, Calvary Christian School was proud to celebrate the return of its entire administrative team: Vince Downey will return for his fifth year as Head of School, Marti Willens as Middle School Head, David Ludwig as Elementary School Head, Erin Ahders as Preschool Director and Leslie Clark as the Director of Admissions and Marketing. This coming school year, Calvary welcomed back all but two full-time staff members, and was excited to fill these roles with qualified staff from within, beloved preschool teacher, Ms. Brittany Gleason, will be moved up to second grade, and Mr. Chad Martin, Calvary’s technology teacher, will also be teaching eighth-grade history.
This summer, Calvary Christian School revitalized the elementary classrooms for students in transitional kindergarten through third grade. The new state-of-the-art learning environment supports Calvary’s commitment to provide a stimulating environment for exploration and growth. In addition, Calvary’s turf sports field underwent a full overhaul, allowing students to have the best field on which to practice, play and compete. As Calvary strives to provide the safest environment for students in all aspects of their time on campus, a new turf field of cork infill was installed for the 2016-17 school year, based on current research regarding safety concerns for the long-term effects of utilizing crumb rubber for turf fields.
In transitional kindergarten through eighth grade, Calvary continues to place an emphasis on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) by expanding the innovative programs, which effectively teach these subjects. By incorporating technology into classroom instruction, Calvary offers project-based learning opportunities to teach students specific problem solving steps used in the real world. All students—kindergarten through eighth grade—spend time weekly in science laboratories, the performing arts center and a fully equipped art annex, allowing them to stretch their imaginations and develop creativity.
Calvary Christian School is committed to fully integrating technology schoolwide to strengthen the core curriculum and further enhance each student’s educational experience. Students in transitional kindergarten through fifth grade participate in coding and programming curriculum using robots, drones, microprocessors and 3-D printers. For example, at the first-grade level, students apply math and geometry concepts to learn programming for the Dot and Dash Robots.
Photo by Nick Oullette
Calvary continues to expand its enrichment offerings to ensure a diversified and well-rounded education for all students. Calvary is committed to developing excellent communication skills as a primary learning objective and provides a multitude of opportunities, at every grade level, for students to perform, speak, debate, sing and play a musical instrument in front of an audience. In middle school, exploratory classes include entrepreneurship, short film production, fashion photography, leadership and pastry making, to name a few.
students are presented with various opportunities to express themselves through various creative outlets, including music, theater, and fine arts.
Photo by Nick Oullette
Finally, building on the growth and success of last year’s athletics and winning seasons in many sports, Calvary will continue to emphasize its athletic program and the tradition of highlighting marquee events, such as our Cougar Bowl, each season.
To learn more about Calvary Christian School’s academic, enrichment, sports, technology and leadership programs, please visit our website at calvarychristian.org.
Online applications for the 2017-18 school year are now available. Open Houses will be held on Oct. 13 (Preschool), Oct. 27 (Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten) and Nov. 17 (All Grades) at 9 a.m. Families are encouraged to RSVP for the Open Houses online. If you would like additional information, please contact Leslie Clark, Director of Admissions, at 310-573-0082 ext.111.
Calvary Christian School’s Annual Christmas Boutique will take place on Friday, Dec. 2. Everyone is welcome to attend.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
