|
Welcome to the 2026-2027 School Year! Baker Mitchell, FounderGood morning, everybody. Welcome to a new school year at CCSA. It’s great to see 400 teachers and staff gathered here to kick off a new year for our four schools.But before we look ahead, we should pause and recognize what we’ve already accomplished. Our schools are the among top-scoring schools in each of your areas on the state’s tests.For the national Classical Learning Test, Leland and Whiteville ranked tied for 1st and 3rd in the nation! These results are not accidental. Our high scores happened because we all chose, day after day, to prepare carefully, teach patiently, and hold students to high standards. Our high scores happened because we believe that children can rise to excellence when we expect excellence and when we model it ourselves.So today, I want to begin by saying thank you for making these top scores happen. Thank you for studying your lesson plans. Thank you for grading papers carefully. Thank you for the data meetings, the hallway conversations, the parent phone calls, the extra help before school, and thank you for maintaining safe and beautiful campuses. Much of the most important work in a school is never seen by the public, but it is reflected in the lives of our students and for this you are all due thanks.And as much as we like our successes, we are not here to just admire what we did in the past. We are here to begin again with a resolve not only to maintain excellence, but to improve it. The question we have is not, “Are we doing well?” We are. The real question is, “How can we become even better for these children who are entrusted to us?”One of the most important answers is uniquely found in the First Law of our schools: Reward good behavior—you’ll get more of it. That simple sentence contains a great deal of wisdom that’s based on laws of human psychology. It reminds us that children are always learning from our responses. They learn from what we notice. They learn from what we praise. They learn from what we allow, what we correct, and what we celebrate.In every classroom, students are asking themselves questions, even when they do not say them aloud: “Does my teacher see me? Does my effort matter? Is this classroom a place where doing the right thing is noticed?” When the answers are “Yes,” a powerful relationship begins to form. A student who feels seen by a teacher is more willing to listen. A student who is encouraged for effort is more willing to try again. A student who receives warmth for doing right is more likely to repeat it.Rewards do not have to be elaborate. In fact, the most effective rewards are often the simplest: a sincere thank you, a smile, a high-five, a pat on the shoulder, a word of praise, a smiley face on a paper, a quick “I noticed how hard you worked,” or “Thank you for sitting up and tracking the lesson.” These small moments cost us almost nothing, but to a student at any level they can mean a great deal.Each one creates a brief moment of joy in the student’s spirit. That moment of joy matters. It is foundational and tells the child, “This feels good. I want to do it again.” Over time, those little moments build habits. Habits build character. And character builds classrooms where learning can flourish to ever greater heights. We should never underestimate the power of a joyful glance, an approving nod, or a well-timed word of encouragement with a smile.This is not soft or lax discipline. It is wise discipline. A productive classroom is not built by correcting what is wrong; it is built by multiplying what is right – the proven 4 to 1 ratio of praises to corrections. Correction has its place, but if correction is the dominant tool we use, children will come to believe that adults notice them only when they fail. Our First Law teaches a better way: catch them doing good, name it, reward it, and watch it grow and displace those unwanted behaviors.That is how strong teacher-student relationships are formed—not by lowering expectations, but by joining high expectations to tangible encouragement. Our students should know that we are for them. They should feel that we want them to succeed, that we delight in their growth, and that we are ready to recognize every honest effort toward virtue and learning.As we begin this 2026–2027 school year, let’s remember that excellence is not preserved by habit alone. It is renewed by purpose. Let’s come to school determined to reward the good actions that we want to see more often. Let’s be alert to obedience, effort, kindness, neatness, courage, honesty, attention, and perseverance. Let us make goodness tangible.If we do that, we will do more than maintain or even improve our test scores. We will strengthen the culture that makes those scores possible. We will build classrooms where students are eager to learn, where we are able to teach, and where families can see that their children are being formed in both knowledge and virtue.Thank you for the work you have done and thank you for the work you are about to do. May this be our strongest year yet—with clear teaching, high standards, joyful classrooms, and students who grow in wisdom, virtue, and achievement.Welcome back and now let’s begin.
——————————————————————————————————————————————-
We are excited to have our students back on campus and for another amazing school year to begin! Mark your calendars for these upcoming dates:
Be sure to stay up to date with CCS-America’s 2026-2027 school calendars: **************
2025-2026 Employees of the Year All four CCS-America campuses have named their Teacher of the Year, Beginning Teacher of the Year, and Teacher Assistant of the Year for the 2025-2026 school year. These outstanding educators were selected for their dedication, commitment, and willingness to go above and beyond for their students. We are proud to recognize and celebrate their hard work, passion, and impact. Congratulations to our 2025-2026 Employees of the Year! CCS-Leland: Ms. Nikki Chaney, Teacher of the Year Ms. Stephanie Doyle, Beginning Teacher of the Year Ms. Tiffany Suita, Teacher Assistant of the Year CCS-Whiteville: Ms. Alexis Reynolds, Teacher of the Year Mr. Dylan Scott, Beginning Teacher of the Year Ms. April Coleman, Teacher Assistant of the Year CCS-Wilmington: Ms. Chelsea Nichols, Teacher of the Year Ms. Carly Krussow, Beginning Teacher of the Year Mr. Aaron Wyatt, Teacher Assistant of the Year CCS-Southport: Ms. Samantha Lawson, Teacher of the Year Ms. Olivia Endler, Beginning Teacher of the Year Ms. Kimberly Boumpani, Teacher Assistant of the Year CCS-America Employee of the Year Pictures **************
CCS-America Staff Professional Development At CCS-America, we hold our teachers and staff to the same standard of excellence that we set for our students, always striving to grow and improve. On July 17, CCS-America welcomed staff back for Staff Orientation and Professional Development Day in preparation for the 2026-2027 school year. Throughout the day, faculty and staff participated in a variety of breakout sessions focused on professional growth and collaboration. Founder Baker Mitchell also addressed staff as they prepare for a new school year dedicated to educating students through joy across all four campuses. A highlight of the day was welcoming back CCS-Southport alumnus and former valedictorian Gabriel Hughes. In a speech given to staff, Mr. Hughes reflected on how his CCS-America education and the support of his teachers helped shape his success and prepare him for the future. His words served as a meaningful reminder of the lasting impact educators can have on the lives of their students. Thank you to our dedicated staff for their commitment to this professional development and their continued pursuit of excellence. We are ready and excited to begin another successful school year! **************
Join Our Community! The 2026-2027 school year has begun, but there is still time to enroll! We have seats open in select grade levels across all campuses. All prospective students can enroll online at www.EnrollRBA.com for any of our four locations. To access the application, click the “Visit and Enroll HERE” text next to the logo for the campus where you wish to enroll. REMINDER: A Chrome or desktop browser are the best options for accessing the application. **************
|
