Calvary Christian School

The campus news "archives" includes news and articles from prior school years at Calvary Christian School.

Highlights from 2009-2010

2010 Valedictorian and Salutatorian

Calvary Christian School's valedictorian for this year's senior class is McKenzie Harrison, and the salutatorian is Tyler Farmer.

The valedictorian has earned the highest numeric average in the senior class for 9th-12th grade. The salutatorian has earned the second highest numeric average.

McKenzie plans to attend Samford University in the Fall, then either Law school or Pharmacy school. Ty plans to attend Columbus State University in the Fall, then transfer to the University of Georgia. He plans to pursue his Master's defree and major in Foreign Affairs.

Congratulations to McKenzie and Tyler who both worked so very hard to earn these honors.

"Be The Light"

CCS Annual Spring Choir Concert

The CCS family and friends recently enjoyed Calvary Christian School's Annual Spring Choral Concert, "Be The Light," which was performed at Northside Baptist Church.

Photos submitted by Margaret Bragg

The concert featured the vocal talents of the elementary chorale (The Knightingales), the middle school choir (Refuge) and the high school choir (Latrevo), our state champion men's quartet and various ensembles. Music selections included pieces in Latin and Spanish, jazz music, sacred music, 50's music, and music from The Beatles and Glee.

If you were unable to attend the concert but wish to purchase a cd or dvd, please contact Angie Bacon.

For more information email Angie Bacon.

CCS Essay by Emily Mabry Wins Competition

Recently, an essay contest was held in Mrs. Ahlman's AP English class for possible publication to the Columbus newspaper, Northland Neighbor. The students were instructed by Marketing Coordinator, Krista Pettry to write an essay about what makes Calvary Christian School different from other schools.

The winner, CCS Senior Emily Mabry, was chosen because her essay best communicated that the faculty and staff at Calvary Christian School have prepared her for success both in her academic endeavors and in life.

If you are a parent who is looking for a private school for your child, this essay should help you to see exactly what our school is all about.

If you are a current parent or student of CCS, I hope this essay will solidify in your mind what you already know about our wonderful school.

Click HERE to Read and/or Print Emily's Essay >>

Scenes from Grandparents Day, 2009

1st Day of School, 2009-2010

CCS Now Offers Online Access to Britannica

Britannica Online School Edition offers encyclopedias and related materials for students of all levels. Users have access to a collection of educational exercises, activities, and study guides. Search for answers to your questions plus video and multimedia clips, photographs, illustrations, and interactive timelines. When you search Britannica you will find people, pleaces, history, science, math and much more!

Parents: If you do not already have the username and password to access the website, you may contact your child's school office for login information.

A link to the Britannica School Edition is posted on the individual school news pages in the right column and at the top of this page for easy online access.

or ... Login Here

For more information, call or email Christine Brooks, ext. 211.

CCS's "Accelerated Reader" Testing Program

The school has changed its "Reading Counts" testing program to the "Accelerated Reader (AR)" testing program. One benefit of the change is that the school has a subscription to AR that will allow our students to have access to over 100,000 quizzes. Because "Accelerated Reader" is web-based, we will always have the most up-to-date quizzes available, plus all the quizzes that the vast AR program already offers to schools.

We offer the AR quizzes at the school. Quizzes are available for students in upcoming second through twelfth grades. First graders are not required to take reading tests until later in the school year. Therefore, the program will not be available to upcoming first graders before the start of school.

One of the many benefits of the Accelerated Reader program is the ability for parents to see if any book has a test available. If you purchase a book or check one out from the public library you need only go to the AR Book Finder to determine whether the book has a quiz and the grade level of the quiz. Simply follow the directions on the website

.

The website is www.arbookfind.com.

For more information, call or email Christine Brooks,
CCS Media Center Director, ext. 211.

Highlights from 2008-2009

New Bus for CCS!

Calvary Christian School was the recipient of a special donation from Little Blessings Nurturing Center. Little Blessings recently discontinued operations and graciously donated one of their buses to CCS. It has been painted and lettered for our use and now is available for school functions.

The bus is a 2003 Chevy with 35.000 miles. It has been well-maintained and is in excellent condition. It holds 14 passengers plus the driver. The bus has regular seat belts for children and adults and built-in child restraint seats for small children. A special license is not required, however, any driver must be placed on our pre-approved list with our insurance company.

We are so blessed to have this new piece of equipment for our students. Scheduling is being coordinated by Middle School Administrative Assistant Susan Gray.

For scheduling or for more information, please email or call Susan Gray, ext. 222.

Highlights from 2007-2008

The Ark, the Reed, & the Fire Cloud by Jenny Cote

Children's Book Author to Visit CCS Campus
Monday, October 6

Children's author Jenny L. Cote will visit Calvary Christian School on Monday, October 6. She has a new book coming out in October entitled The Ark, The Reed & The Fire Cloud.

“Wow! A “bird’s-eye” view of the story of Noah’s Ark - not to mention a cat’s-eye view and a dog’s-eye view. Jenny L. Cote gives us an imaginative re-telling of Noah’s story through the eyes of a menagerie of distinctive animal characters, drawn from all parts of the world. The story is captivating, inspiring, and entertaining as we get a sense of how God so loved the world that he found a way to preserve creation in the largest lifeboat ever created. Come on board!”
- Doug Peterson, VeggieTales™ Author

Click here for more about the Book and the Author >>

Jenny developed an early passion for God, history and young people, and beautifully blends these passions together in her new fantasy fiction series, The Amazing Tales of Max and Liz.™ The series will take heroes Max and Liz through pivotal points in Biblical and world history.

Jenny is currently working with a movie studio to bring book one to the big screen and also is writing book two, The Dreamer, The Schemer and The Robe, about Joseph. She also is researching for book four, The Voice, The Revolution and the Jewel, where Max and Liz will help Patrick Henry and the Marquis de Lafayette with the Revolutionary War.

The author holds two marketing degrees from UGA (BA) and Georgia. State University (MS). Her career has focused on strategic planning and marketing, and she loved working for kids at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for nine years. She now writes and speaks full time and lives in Roswell, Georgia, with her husband Casey, son Alex, and of course, the REAL Max and Liz. Jenny works with students at Dunwoody Baptist Church, and enjoys reading, research, museums, travel, meeting new people, fitness and finding any excuse she can to get to the beach.

photo submitted by Alisha Fowler

CCS Sets Record for Collecting Pop Tabs for Charity

Calvary Christian School came in 3rd place this year for the most "pop tabs" turned in of all of the area schools - public, private and homeschool - that participated in collecting pop tabs to donate to the Ronald McDonald House to help pay expenses.

Our total was 191 pounds of Pop Tabs!

Last year we finished 5th place with 161 pounds. The year before, we collected 121 pounds.

"I’m thrilled that we keep collecting more and more each year," said CCS's Alisha Fowler who was in charge of the program at CCS. "Thanks to everyone who collected and turned in their pop tabs all year. Now start collecting for next year!"

Photos submitted by the Morris Family

South African Students Visit CCS Campus

Calvary Christian School hosted five high school students from South Africa April 14 - 18. These students were in the United States to attend an ACSI Leadership Conference being held in Orlando, Florida. The entire group that landed at Hartsfield Jackson International consisted of 25 students from Doxa Deo School in Pretoria, South Africa, which is about 35 miles from Johannesburg.

The students arrived a week early to spend time in local Christian schools around the state as a cultural experience. One highlight that impressed each of the students in Columbus was the “southern hospitality” that was been shown by students, teachers, and host families alike. The South African students expressed their surprise at how quickly and easily close friendships developed. They spoke in elementary, middle, and high school classes throughout the week.

The students also had the opportunity to visit many sites around the area such as the Riverwalk, Columbus Museum, Callaway Gardens, lots of shopping, and dining out. In addition, they were our guests at the CCS Junior/Senior Banquet.

Each of the students said they loved Columbus and wanted to stay longer. They left with many email addresses and plans to stay in touch. The visit was a very positive experience for all.

Homecoming King & Queen Crowned

CCS homecoming king and queen, along with freshman, sophomore and junior class members who were chosen as "prince and princess" of their class.

Recently I was asked about how and why my husband and I chose to commit to Calvary for the long term. My daughter Brooke started at Calvary last year in Ms. Shiver’s K3 class. She took an immediate liking to school and her teacher. As the year moved along, we wondered, “How we could keep paying for Brooke to attend Calvary Christian?” I remember Ms. Shiver telling me that God provides and we would find a way.

At the time we were looking for a home to buy and thought maybe we could move into a good school district. At the same time, we were really upset at the thought of Brooke not attending the school we had all fallen in love with. Brooke was growing both academically and spiritually…it was wonderful to watch. The day that changed everything was back in February 2007.

Glen Schultz, author of Kingdom Education gave a speech at the Parent Meeting about raising our children to be able to fight evil and that required sacrifice. Part of that sacrifice meant giving our children a Christian education. I left that meeting telling my husband I didn’t care if I had to sell my right arm and live off bologna sandwiches…we were going to keep Brooke at Calvary. So, we purchased a modest house in a good neighborhood and made other choices in our lives. I won’t say it’s always easy, but the sacrifice has been worth it. We recently re-enrolled for K5 and I hope you do too!

God Bless!
Becky Young
Proud Mother of Brooke Young (K4 – Ms. Kirkland’s class)

Memorial Ceremony in Honor of Linda Carr
New Flag Pole Dedication

CCS students, faculty, parents and friends are invited to attend a special dedication program on Friday, February 1, at 1:30 pm, honoring the life of Linda Carr. Linda's family and friends will be in attendence at the ceremony where the new flagpole in front of the preschool playground and a memorial plaque will be dedicated in Linda's memory.

"Linda's service and dedication to the CCS booster club and Calvary athletics was unmatched, and she truly showed her love for Calvary Christian School over and over again," says Mark Walker.

Everyone will meet outside at the new flagpole in front of the preschool playground at 1:30 for the ceremony, then all will go into the Student Center for the Homecoming pep rally where another special memorial will be presented in honor of Mrs. Carr which will be displayed in the Student Center lobby.

Franklin Graham Speaks at Annual Fund Banquet

CCS was honored to have Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the Reverand Billy Graham as keynote speaker at the CCS Annual Fund Banquet in September.

See More Photo Highlights >>

A Perspective on Christian School Education
Recommended reading for parents by CCS Headmaster Len McWilliams

Take a moment to read a "Christian School Comment" written by Ken Smitherman, President of ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International).

Title: It Really Is War

"You have made a significant effort and probably a significant sacrifice to enroll your children in a Christian school. You have recognized the importance of integrating faith and learning, an integration that focuses not only on intellectual development but also on the nurture and development of the spiritual from a Biblically based, Christ-centered perspective. These are crucial days for the development and nurture of our children..."

Read more >>

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Highlights from 2006-2007

Pop Tabs Donated to Ronald McDonald House.

CCS is happy to announce that we exceeded last year's total of 121 lbs and collected 161 lbs of "pop tabs" this year that were recently donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus.

According to a representative of the Ronald McDonald House, CCS finished 5th place in the total number of pop tabs donated by the region's schools (public and private). These little pop tabs pay for 80% of the charity's utilities for the year so we are doing a good deed by participating in this project every year.

Thanks to everyone who donated their "pop tabs" this year. We have now begun to collect tabs for next year so be sure to save and turn in your tabs from now throughout the next school year.

Collections boxes are located in each school office and you can bring them in at any time.

Father and Son Collect Over 20 lbs of Pop Tabs!

CCS Sophomore Ryan Tait and his father, Bruce Tait, have been collecting pop tabs for a very long time. They started collecting them when Ryan was in the 2nd grade. Nine years later they had collected a whopping total of over 20 pounds of pop tabs! CCS commends the Taits for their efforts in making a difference in the community.

CCS students are also collecting pop tabs all year to benefit our local Ronald McDonald House. Please remember to save your tabs and bring them to the school often. Collections points are located in each school office.

Thank you for your support.

CCS Faculty Members Experienced Tornado
First Hand!

Darlene Tucker

Written by Marti Ahlman

Around 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, my husband Al had brought me a Subway meal as I tried to catch up on schoolwork and get ready for a field trip the next day. Jim Kincaid, high school principal, came by to talk just before he left the building. My door is about 20 feet from the double-door exit to the parking lot. We walked and talked to the exit, and as he put his hand on the door and opened it slightly, the wind picked up. I said he shouldn't leave yet. We had heard a siren shortly before, but we knew we could take shelter quickly if we needed to, and Al had been watching the weather in my room. We lost power, and as we headed back to my room, a wall of rain blanked out the scenery, and the noise began to build. Al yelled for us to come down the hall, and we ducked into an alcove in front of the girl's bathroom and began to pray aloud for protection. We heard the freight train sound somewhere in the middle of the confusion. The school's emergency alarms began to go off, and when we stood up to look around, our building was secure and we were untouched. Even with a pounding heart in a crisis situation, and an intense need to pray, there was deep peace in my soul. Not for a second did I feel threatened.

In the meantime, Middle School principal Darlene Tucker had gone into her office to call and cancel the meeting with eighth-grade parents. She heard the front doors banging in the middle school and went out to stop them before they broke. When the wind increased, she saw a trash can hurtle by, then saw and heard the awning ripping away. As Mrs. Tucker headed for the corner of the hall, the glass on the front doors blew out, showering her with fine particles. She wedged into a small opening where the two hallways meet until the wind went down. She just thought it was a really strong thunderstorm, so she headed home to safety.

As we all compared notes over the next few days, we realized that every building where people were taking refuge, there was little or no damage. The high school was surrounded by debris and damage, but showed little evidence of having been in the path of the tornado.

"The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121: 7 We’re so thankful that as believers we can live at any moment ready for whatever comes - life or death. The Lord watches over us now and forevermore.

Marti Ahlman, High School English Teacher

CCS Library / Media Center Gets a Makeover!

Special thanks to all the parents and students who gave their support to the Fall book fair. The proceeds earned from the book fair were used to make improvements to the CCS Library Media Center. CCS would like to issue special thanks to the following people who helped make the library "makeover" possible:

Steve Pate (for his decorating expertise!), Chance Galloway (for painting), Joe and Donna June Waller of Innovative Marble (for the beautiful marble desk top), Aracelis Williams and Lisa Heffernan (for moving and organizing all the books!), and Pam Williamson.

As you can see from the photos, students are enjoying spending time in the CCS Library Media Center!

New Sideline Chairs Dedicated During Ceremony

Brand new NBA-style sideline chairs were dedicated to the school during a special dinner and dedication ceremony held in the gymnasium on August 28, 2006. The purchase of the chairs was made possible through the "Leave Your Legacy" campaign sponsored by the CCS Athletics Booster Club.

The chairs were purchased for $115 each by several CCS families and individuals who purchased them in honor of, or in memory of, a special loved one. Each chair has an engraved plaque on the back to commemorate the loved one. The booster club would like to thank each of these families who made the purchase possible.

As part of the ceremony the booster club dedicated one of the chairs in honor of Linda Carr. "Linda has been an active part of Calvary athletics for a number of years," says Booster Club President Mark Walker, "Her service and dedication to the booster club has been unmatched and she has truly shown her love for Calvary Christian School over and over again." The Carrs have two sons, David and Peter who graduated from CCS.

Elementary Students Featured in Publication

Several CCS elementary girls were recently featured for their fundraising efforts in the Fall 2006 issue of Hopegivers Journal, a publication of Hopegivers International.

Last year, several girls in Mrs. Ferguson's fourth grade class raised $129 to help the orphans of Hopegivers International. The girls spent hours making bracelets, pinwheels and crafts, which they sold to school staff, family and friends to benefit the abandoned children. Their donation was enough to house, feed, clothe and educate four needy children for an entire month in a "Hope Home."

The photo features the girls standing with Dr. Bill Bray, Hopegivers' Development Director.

Highlights from 2005-2006

Photo submitted by Alicia Fowler

CCS Collects Buckets of Pop Tabs for Ronald McDonald House!!

Calvary Christian School has been collecting "pop tabs" this school year to benefit the Ronald McDonald House. During the month of April, elementary classes competed to see who could collect the most filled buckets of pop tabs. Three of the classes tied for first place by collecting 8 buckets each. The prize was extra fun time in the computer lab.

Calvary’s first grade students were very excited to have the opportunity to tour the Ronald McDonald House recently. They were able to hand-deliver the pop tabs collected by the school and witness first-hand the results of their efforts. They were amazed at the outstanding service the Ronald McDonald House provides to families with children in need of medical attention. Afterwards, they enjoyed lunch and playtime at a local McDonald’s restaurant.

Thanks to everyone collected and donated their pop tabs this year. Please continue to save your pop tabs over the Summer. CCS will continue to collect them next school year.

Scenes from Grandparents Day 2005-06

In response to a recent donation of text books to a school in Louisiana to help hurricane Katrina victims, CCS received the following letter from Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education, Washington, DC.

On behalf of the students, parents, and teachers at CCS, I want to thank the following volunteers who made our new playground a reality:

Greg Burnett, Chance Galloway, Jim Kincaid,
Tommy Montgomery, Larry Ready, and Jeff Robinson

Their contributions of time, materials, and equipment made it possible to relocate the playground to its new position. Also, steps have been taken to make access to the playground and the equipment itself safer for the children. A new safety gate has been put in place to block traffic while students cross. Please watch carefully and travel slowly around the west side of the campus.

The new road connecting Moon Road to the CCS campus is now open. Please be careful and watch for children as you drive, especially at the cross-walk between the middle school at student center as students will be crossing the street here. Thank you for your cooperation and patience.