Mrs. Joan Dayton, Headmaster 3130 Gillespie St Fayetteville, NC 28306-9231 Document Generated On March 25, 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Description of the School 2 School's Purpose 4 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement 7 Additional Information 8
Introduction Every school has its own story to tell. The context in which teaching and learning takes place influences the processes and procedures by which the school makes decisions around curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The context also impacts the way a school stays faithful to its vision. Many factors contribute to the overall narrative such as an identification of stakeholders, a description of stakeholder engagement, the trends and issues affecting the school, and the kinds of programs and services that a school implements to support student learning. The purpose of the Executive Summary (ES) is to provide a school with an opportunity to describe in narrative form the strengths and challenges it encounters. By doing so, the public and members of the school community will have a more complete picture of how the school perceives itself and the process of self-reflection for continuous improvement. This summary is structured for the school to reflect on how it provides teaching and learning on a day to day basis. Page 1
Description of the School Describe the school's size, community/communities, location, and changes it has experienced in the last three years. Include demographic information about the students, staff, and community at large. What unique features and challenges are associated with the community/communities the school serves? For over twenty years Joan Dayton and Hall Powers have worked together to support Christian education in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and the surrounding area. In December of 2008, after seeking God's will for their lives through prayer, they felt that He was calling them to form a new Christian school. Through His word, He not only named this school, but also established its mission. Galatians 5:13 says, "For you were called to FREEDOM brethren; through love serve one another." With no building, no teachers, no students, and no money, it was clear that a faith journey was beginning. In the fall of 2009, help came in the form of Pastors Wiley and Wendy Hughes of Mt. Carmel Church. Initially, (FCA) rented classroom and office space at their facility. On our opening day a staff of twelve teachers and four administrative staff members along with the advisory board welcomed 104 students with God's assurance that He would be with us. In December of 2010, God revealed the location of our school's permanent home: the Technimark Building. Then an empty warehouse, it was put on the market, and after a few months of discussion, Freedom signed a contract to purchase it contingent upon securing a bank loan. Finally, after nine banks turned FCA down, New Century Bank said yes along with several investor friends. A general contractor and an architect came on board, and soon many tradesmen descended upon the Gillespie Street location. In only five months the "warehouse" was converted into a "schoolhouse." Upon receiving an occupancy permit, the entire school moved to its current location on September 30, 2011. Faculty, staff, students, board members and families all gathered to move the school into its new location in one day, creating a seamless transition with no break in learning. FCA is located at 3130 Gillespie Street in southeast Fayetteville, NC. Conveniently located along Highway 301, it is only 45 minutes from the South Carolina border and an hour from the North Carolina state capital, Raleigh. We draw most of our students from Fayetteville, but many carpool from surrounding areas including Stedman, Eastover, Hope Mills, and Lumberton. In only three short years, has: 1. purchased a building, completed extensive renovations, and made it the academic home for nearly 400 students in the 2012-2013 school year. 2. sought and received accreditation through the National Association of Private Schools (NAPS) in May of 2012. 3. was invited to join the Coastal Plains Independent Conference (CPIC) Athletic Conference and voted unanimously into the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA). 4. developed Freedom Courts with the help of investing families at the school. This four-court facility occupies 42,000 square feet of FCA's building and hosts statewide basketball, volleyball, and wrestling tournaments. 5. competed successfully in district and regional spelling bees and Math Olympics. 6. cultivated the 2013 senior class comprised of sixteen students, one of whom received honorary recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Association. Our faculty is diverse, crossing denominational and cultural backgrounds. On staff, we have members from Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Page 2
Pentecostal Holiness, CMA, Church of God, and non-denominational congregations. Faculty and staff members come from diverse cultural backgrounds as well, with Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, and Native American cultures represented. Based on a informal PTO survey completed by the families, the demographics of our student body mirror those of the city of Fayetteville: 70% Caucasian, 25% African-American, and 5% Native American/Hispanic. Most of the students' families are middle class, and 40% are connected to the military. Because is not affiliated with one particular church, its student body represents a variety of Christian denominations: Baptist, Pentecostal Holiness, Methodist, CMA, AME, Catholic, as well as nondenominational. The diversity of our students' life experiences is one of our many strengths. However, it also presents our biggest challenge. Because of the transient nature of our mobile military, we must eagerly welcome new students and assimilate them seamlessly into all aspects of our program. Athletic tryouts are a good example of how we accomplish this goal; they remain open for a good part of the season as long as we do not violate conference standards. Another challenge for a new Christian school is the number of other private schools that already exist in the area; at last count in Fayetteville there are twenty-three. This not only reveals something about the public schools, but also speaks to the desire of many families to claim a Christian education for their developing children. It is paramount that we clearly communicate our mission, our values, and what sets us apart as we market ourselves in this community. Page 3
School's Purpose Provide the school's purpose statement and ancillary content such as mission, vision, values, and/or beliefs. Describe how the school embodies its purpose through its program offerings and expectations for students. OUR SCHOOL VERSE Galatians 5:13 "For you were called to freedom brethren... through love serve one another." OUR MISSION STATEMENT To create a nurturing environment that encourages and equips its students to fully seek truth for their lives producing citizen-leaders of excellence, wisdom, and Christian faith. At the core of our beliefs about children is the knowledge that every one of them is a gift of God. Therefore, providing a safe environment where we can nurture the treasure within our children is of the utmost importance. In order for them to reach their full potential, our teachers utilize a variety of strategies to enhance their learning. With an emphasis on church and community involvement, students learn at an early age the blessings of teamwork, membership, citizenship, and service. OUR VISION Vision is looking ahead to the future and seeing your destination. Even though our world has become secular and selfish, we are dedicated to building student-leaders who want to serve the Lord for His glory here on earth, to think biblically in all situations, and to keep their eyes on their heavenly home. To accomplish this task, students are trained to become self-reliant learners and independent thinkers. We emphasize the ABC's for leadership success everyday: Accept personal responsibility Build relationships with God and others Cultivate sound judgment and mercy OUR GOALS The primary goals of FCA are directly connected to our values and beliefs as we partner with parents in developing a non-denominational Christian school that does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity or denomination. FCA encourages and seeks to develop leadership potential in every student. In order to accomplish this, we have developed eleven major objectives: 1. To provide a God-centered curriculum teaching the basic doctrines of the faith so as Page 4
to embrace all Christian denominations. 2. To inculcate pupils with a desire to know and obey God as revealed in the Bible. 3. To lead students to confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord so they may lead others to do the same. 4. To encourage, support, and guide the Christian home; to aid families in their growth; and to cooperate with parents in every phase of their child's development. 5. To promote a standard that encourages excellence, particularly in its academic standards, so pupils may realize their full potential. 6. To help pupils gain a thorough comprehension and command of the fundamentals of interpersonal communication with a strong emphasis on reading, writing, speaking, and listening. 7. To teach and encourage good study habits; to teach pupils to work independently and cooperatively, reason logically, to apply themselves, and to fulfill their student responsibilities. 8. To provide activities designed to arouse curiosity, stimulate creativity, enrich understanding, and foster an appreciation of the arts. 9. To provide opportunities for all children to exercise, participate in organized outside activities, and be a part of an athletic team if they should so desire. 10. To promote good citizenship through an understanding of the American heritage and the Judeo-Christian tradition of responsible freedom, human dignity, and acceptance of authority. 11. To develop an appreciation of God's world, an awareness of man's role in his environment, and his God-given responsibilities. OUR CORE BELIEFS At the heart of every great school is its understanding of how best to be effective, and for us that means both the teacher and the learner must be engaged. Both must be stimulated from without and motivated from within if they are to connect, to communicate, and to achieve what we have set out to accomplish. Even though our roots are humble and our school quite new, the staff has been excited and unified in spirit about Freedom from the beginning. That enthusiasm has been transmitted to our parents and students, and together, our positive collaboration is fueling our growth. We all clearly see Freedom's potential for our community. We believe that God has raised up this school for Himself and, therefore, nothing is impossible. We believe that God will supply all of our needs according to His riches in Glory. We are the school of first, second, and third chances because that is the nature of God. We are blind to race, wealth, and social status because it is of no consequence to God. We believe that the thumbprint of God is on every child for His grand purpose. Consequently, no child is a hindrance to the kingdom on earth or in heaven regardless of his/her I.Q. Page 5
We believe that healthy relationships between adults and children must be based on mutual respect and carefully cultivated with love. We believe that we should expect excellence from all stakeholders so that our combined potential can be realized. We believe that children travel through different stages of development, and so our curriculum is divided into different stages to accommodate their abilities: Elementary School (Knowledge Stage): Questions of who, what, when, and where are the focus. This stage is designed to build a core of fundamental information. Middle School (Understanding Stage): Questions of how and why are addressed. This stage brings the information and data into its proper ordered relationship through the use of independent thought and heightened communication skills. High School (Wisdom Stage): Students are encouraged to apply knowledge, understanding, and technology to the problems they must overcome as Christianleaders and good citizens. We want them to employ faith, courage, and persuasion as they seek to answer the rhetorical question, "Why not?" Page 6
Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement Describe the school's notable achievements and areas of improvement in the last three years. Additionally, describe areas for improvement that the school is striving to achieve in the next three years. There is no doubt that Freedom's most notable achievement is its birth. The fact that we have both survived and thrived is a testimony to the Lord. The inside of our building has been transformed by talented local artists into a visual testimony of our love of God and country. The addition of Freedom Courts has brought community awareness of our school and has allowed us to reach many new families from nearby neighborhoods. This has brought not only new students to Freedom, but also new teachers. Freedom's achievements all have one common denominator: our people. FCA has been able to find, time and time again, the right person for each task whether it was advising, investing, teaching, technical support, promoting, fundraising, or bartering. A new venture can't take shape without dreamers, but it must also have workers whose hands will build it into something of substance and worth. We all know the dreaded fifty percent failure rate predicted for new business ventures. However, our support system includes folks of all ages, and together they provide the team spirit we need to succeed. Other achievements include cultivating relationships with the City of Fayetteville and the County of Cumberland. As FCA was undergoing its transformation, we faced many challenges such as those presented by public utilities, building inspectors, and fire marshals. But out of these struggles we have also made good friends with congressmen, councilmen, and contractors who have helped us continue to grow. Individual achievements at Freedom include the Fayetteville Observer's Readers Choice Award for our Head of School, Mrs. Joan Dayton, as "Best Principal" for 2009-2010. Rising senior Kendal Carter was named to the first qualifying National Merit Scholarship List for her outstanding PSAT score. One recurring area for improvement is being financially solvent; this is crucial. We continue to seek new investors and new ways to generate income other than relying upon our stakeholders. We derive income from Freedom Courts each month in the form of rent, and we also rent our auditorium and kitchen for award banquets, birthday celebrations, and most recently to a newly-established church, which rents space on Sundays and Wednesday nights. A second area for improvement would be added security because we are located in a part of town that is not considered a low-crime district. Several students' fathers are city policemen, and they have helped us to develop a good initial plan for school security. Their continued suggestions are helpful, but added cameras and on-site personnel would be valuable additions. At the present time we rely on volunteers who are posted in parking lots, drop-off and pick-up lines, both lobbies, and at athletic events. Another area on which we would like to focus is additional technology for classrooms. We currently have a full computer lab, a mobile lab with twenty google chromebooks, and twenty computer stations in the library which are available for student use. Both middle and high school students may bring their own devices for classroom use as well. Teachers have been provided with computers/laptops and projectors for instruction, but we would like additional technology including touch interactive. Page 7
Additional Information Provide any additional information you would like to share with the public and community that were not prompted in the previous sections. It is the desire of all of us at to strive for excellence as a staff: if we succeed, we are confident that the same principle of excellence will trickle down to everyone of our students. Our library wall has four words painted on it that we believe are the cornerstone to achieving excellence at Freedom: SCHOLARSHIP DISCIPLESHIP LEADERSHIP CITIZENSHIP Many of our students have already embraced that excellence. Keeping all eyes focused on those goals is our job as educators. If we can succeed in communicating those principles through Christian teachers and staff in a nurturing environment, we will have produced young adults ready to take up the challenge of this ever-changing world in a manner that would please their Lord. Page 8