Happy Mother’s Day!

In honor of Mother’s Day, we want to recognize the wonderful Mother and Daughter/Son duos who work together every day at Classical Charter Schools of America. Mrs. Sherwood and Mrs. Reid at CCS-Leland Mrs. Thompson and Mr. Thompson at RBA and CCS-Leland Mrs. Kilpatrick and Mrs. Weaver at CCS-Southport Mrs. Walters and Mrs. Mash at CCS-Whiteville We hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day Weekend! Thank you, moms and parent figures for your continuous support for our students here at CCS-America!

Slideshow

Foundations of Poetry with the Founder

Baker Mitchell, the Founder and CEO of The Roger Bacon Academy, has stepped back into the classroom after twenty years to teach the art of writing poetry to Mrs. Jones’ fourth-grade English class at CCS-Leland. Learning to write poetry allows students to understand the meaning behind a poet’s words and meter, or rhythmic structure. Students are taught to write poetry using proper meter and rhyme, a lost skill not taught in many of today’s classrooms. Students are taught that “we write poetry because it is a challenge and is fun.”  Students have thoroughly enjoyed having Mr. Mitchell as their poetry teacher. He teaches for twenty minutes each Tuesday and Thursday at the end of English class. The students have learned everything from how to count syllables to the difference between the various metric forms. Here is an example of a student’s iambic couplet after reading Robert Frost’s, Stopping by Woods: Can I, at least, have something good To bring into this scary wood? Click on the links below to read some of the poetry written by Mr. Mitchell, also read by CCS-America students in sixth-grade history.

Leonardo Da Vinci: “Knowing How to See” Roger Bacon: Bringing Peace to the Mind **************

What Was the American State Named for Charles I, King of England from 1625 to 1649?

North Carolina. This question was among one of the nearly 1,400 questions that students potentially could have been asked at our 6th Annual History Bowl!  On Friday, April 29th, teams of students in grades 5-8 came from each CCS district school to compete in the final History Bowl Competition. These students have competed in two mock bowls and studied countless hours in preparation for this event. With this level of commitment and dedication, each team undoubtedly brought out their best effort and it resulted in a fierce competition. We even had two grade levels tie and advance to a Sudden-Death round! We are so impressed by the wealth of historical knowledge, sportsmanship, and professional attire students displayed during the event.  If your student is interested in a higher level of competition and has a sincere interest in history, consider joining our History Bowl Team for the 22-23 school year!

Click to see our CCS-America History Bowl Champions!

EOG Tips & Tricks

The end-of-grade (EOG) testing period begins a week from today for grades at CCS-America’s four campuses. In order for students to do their best, consider the following: Set aside a quiet place and time for your child to complete and review homework. Ask your student to teach you what they learned in school. Have your student go to bed early and reduce late night activities. Help your student review any classwork or study review materials. Eat healthy, well-balanced meals, especially for breakfast. Manage stress and anxiety by giving your child the opportunity to talk about expectations, fears, and hopes. Start the testing day in a calm manner. Remind your student to take the test seriously and to listen carefully to all instructions. If your student feels anxious during tests, remind them to take a few deep breaths to ease nerves and to take advantage of the test breaks. When the test is done, your student should feel good about a job well done! Help them celebrate, and encourage them to enjoy their favorite activities.

NC DPI EOG Information 

Teaching is Heart Work

We are incredibly proud and grateful to all of our extraordinary educators who have worked tirelessly with students and families to ensure every student has the tools to learn, grow, and thrive. We wanted to give a special shout-out to our 20-21 RBA Top Performers. Last year, these teachers and their hardworking students earned the overall highest growth out of our RBA school district! Specifically, these classes displayed ten or more points of growth overall in a whole group setting with all of their students (online and on campus) combined.  Kathryn Bannerman, CCS-Leland, 8th Grade Lisa Fairweather, CCS-Southport, 1st Grade Amanda Sauls, CCS-Wilmington, 4th Grade Stefanie Smith, CCS-Southport, 3rd Grade Nora Terry, CCS-Whiteville, 1st Grade Katherine Tripp, CCS-Leland, 4th Grade Teacher Appreciation Week at CCS-America will take place on May 2-6. We are using this time to honor teachers and recognize the lasting contributions they make to students’ lives. Check your school’s calendar, Facebook, or reach out to your child’s teacher directly to see how you can participate!

RBA Top Performers Slideshow

Alumni Spotlight

Meet Crystal Payne! Mrs. Payne graduated from the Leland campus in 2011, and has returned to Classical Charter Schools of Leland as the Computer Teacher. Her son is also following in her footsteps, and is enrolled in Kindergarten at CCS-Leland. Learn more about Mrs. Payne and her CCS-America experience as a student, parent, and teacher here! 

Earth Day Celebrations at CCS-America

Students at CCS-America celebrated Earth Day by learning about our environment and participating in fun activities. Students tidied up and beautified our campuses, planted flowers, learned about the animals in our environment, painted rocks, and so much more! Earth Day is a wonderful reason to celebrate our beautiful campuses and to remember to take care of them so that we can provide our students with the best learning environment possible! Thank you to the parents who joined us and enjoyed these celebrations at each CCS-America school!

CCS-Leland

CCS-Southport

CCS-Whiteville

CCS-Wilmington

Students of the Month

Character education is an important part of the CCS-America curriculum. Each month, students are recognized for displaying a specific character trait that they are not only learning and practicing, but also recite daily in our Pledge. March’s character trait was Gratefulness. Students who are grateful show appreciation for what they have and do. Gratefulness is seen in the Pledge as “I Pledge to be virtuous in all my deeds.” These students apply these words to their everyday lives by appreciating the people in their lives. And by saying “please” and “thank you”, and enjoying what they have instead of wanting what someone else has. Congratulations to all of these students who demonstrated exemplary gratefulness. Check them out on the links below!

CCS-Leland

CCS-Southport

CCS-Whiteville

CCS-Wilmington 

Electives… Educational and Fun!

At Classical Charter Schools of America, we value extracurricular activities as part of a well-rounded education. Electives provide many educational opportunities that allow students to learn skills, work together, and sometimes even compete. Our electives include the fine arts, life skills, and academic and athletic competitions. Each year our CCS-America Middle School students participate in at least two electives. During winter break, they have the opportunity to stay where they are or switch to a new elective. This allows students to partake in a variety of electives to explore their interests. If you have any questions about our elective programs, please contact our Dean of Resources and electives, Mrs. LaFave at jlafave@rogerbacon.net.

Elective Descriptions

Employees Celebrate Good Times and Invite You to Join Our Team

The Roger Bacon Academy hosted, celebrated, and honored its 371 employees with a fun-filled night of dancing, dinner, and friendship March 26 at the Wilmington Convention Center. This tradition has occurred every other year since CCS-Leland’s opening in 1999. During the event, employees were acknowledged for their years of dedicated service and the growing list of names is a testament both to The Roger Bacon Academy’s commitment to its employees and the employees’ commitment to our mission and to CCS-America students. Teachers of high growth were recognized, as well as the schools’ Teachers of the Year. Not only were there drawings for gift cards throughout the evening; but each guest received a golf umbrella and polo shirt as a party favor to end the night.  “This is my fifth gala and each time it is fun to see the event grow in size, the same way our schools have grown over the years!” exclaimed, Dean Heather Greco.  Please consider joining our team for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year!

Employment at CCS-America Years of Employment 

Staff Spotlight

All four CCS-America schools recently named their Teacher of the Year, Beginning Teacher of the Year, and Teacher Assistant of the Year, all of whom were honored at RBA’s Gala on March 26. The Teachers of the Year are nominated by their colleagues for embodying the high ideals of The Roger Bacon Academy. At CCS-America schools, we are fortunate to have a richly-talented group of individuals who serve as excellent role models for our students. This makes the awards highly competitive, and we are so proud to recognize these remarkable teachers.

The CCS-America Teachers of the Year

I Pledge to Keep Myself Healthy in Body, Mind, and Spirit

Students recite these words every morning in The School Pledge. However, it is important to go beyond reciting and apply these words to daily life. Especially as students approach the end-of-grade (EOG) testing period, self-care makes all the difference in handling school and personal stressors. Keeping students and ourselves healthy in body, mind, and spirit is, as The Pledge states, staying physically fit, mentally awake, and morally straight. How can we do this? Follow these steps for a great start: Get an adequate amount of sleep. Eat a healthy breakfast. Have a technology “curfew”. Encourage students to talk to a parent, trusted adult, or friend. Have FUN! As stressful as testing and school can be, encourage your student to participate in activities that bring them joy.

More ways for your student to improve on self-care!

Alumni Spotlight

Meet Austin Morgan! Mr. Morgan graduated from Columbus Charter School, now Classical Charter Schools of Whiteville, in 2017. He is a Freshman at High Point University and is planning on pursuing a Nursing Degree. Learn more about Mr. Morgan and how his CCS-America education prepared him for high school and college here!

CCS-America Middle School Students Bring Home Science Olympiad Medals!

We are proud to announce that our CCS-America middle school students from Whiteville and Leland earned several medals, including three First Place medals, in the Science Olympiad competition held at UNCW on March 12th. The First Place wins qualify the teams/students to compete in the upcoming statewide competition, to be held April 22-23 at NC State University. Science Olympiad students compete in 23 events in genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering, and technology. CCS-America fielded three teams in the regional competition, with two or three students competing in each category. Science Olympiad is offered to CCS-America middle school students as an elective. If your child is interested in this elective for the 22-23 school year, registration will open in the spring! “Science Olympiad is an excellent model for the types of tasks they would be given on a daily basis in a career in science and technology,” explained RBA founder Baker Mitchell, and an engineer by training, “In competition, students are given a problem, a set of guidelines, and a set number of resources to solve the problem to the best of their ability. They get to creatively apply what they’ve learned in our classrooms to a real-world situation. They see firsthand why science and math are so important our lives.” Here are the results:  CCS-Whiteville *Coach: Mr. Schmucker Read It, Write It, Do It – 1st Place *Qualified for State Competition  Rocks and Minerals – 4th Place CCS-Leland Varsity *Coach: Mr. Johnson Bridge – 1st Place *Qualified for State Competition  Storm the Castle – 2nd Place Experimental Design- 2nd place Mission Possible – 6th Place Electric Wright Stuff – 7th Place   CCS-Leland Junior Varsity *Coach: Mr. Johnson Crave the Wave – 1st Place *Qualified for State Competition  Ornithology – 2nd Place Bottle Rocket – 3rd Place

See All Results from the Competition Here!

The Living Literature Event Congratulations CCS-Whiteville Beta Club!

CCS-Whiteville Betas are headed to Nationals after an outstanding performance at the North Carolina Convention. With 11 top five wins and a state leadership position, they represented CCS-America in the finest manner. The mission of the Beta Club is to promote academic achievement, character, service, and leadership. At State and Nationals Conventions, Beta Clubs compete in various events that relate to classes at CCS-America. The National Convention will be held in Nashville, Tennessee June 27-30^th. We look forward to cheering the CCS-Whiteville Betas on!

See Winners Here!

Guest Perspective: Laurie Benton, CCS-Leland Headmaster  

CCS-Leland’s 8th Grade Takes on the Nation’s Capital

It was a privilege to attend the 8th Grade Washington, D.C. Field Trip. Being able to enjoy new experiences and build relationships with our 8th graders and their parents was an honor.  We visited several museums and historic sites, such as the National Archives Museum, home to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and the Washington Monument. We also toured Ford’s Theatre, site of President Lincoln’s assassination. One of the most exciting things our students got to see was a group of presidential helicopters landing on the back lawn of the White House! Witnessing students gain an experiential connection to the ideas, concepts, and subject matter taught throughout their time at CCS-Leland was an unforgettable experience for me. I sincerely hope students look back on this trip with fondness and a desire to learn even more about our country’s history!

Photos

Students of the Month

Character education is an important part of the CCS-America curriculum. Each month, students are recognized for displaying a specific character trait that they are not only learning and practicing, but also recite daily in our Pledge. February’s character trait was Dependability. Students who are dependable do what they say they will do, even if it is difficult. Dependability is seen in the School Pledge as “I Pledge to be truthful in all my works.” These students apply these words to their everyday lives by being responsible decision makers others can rely on. Congratulations to all of these students who demonstrated exemplary dependability. Check them out on the links below!

CCS-Leland

CCS-Southport

CCS-Whiteville

CCS-Wilmington

“Celebrate good times, come on!”
What’s the best way to show off all your hard work? With celebrations of course! On March 11^th, kindergarten students put on a Letterland Parade! Dressed as their favorite Letterland characters, they marched around campus to celebrate mastering the alphabet while being cheered on by the rest of the elementary school! Following the parade, students who have met the goal of being a fluent reader participated in the “I Can Read” ceremony. These readers were awarded a certificate and read a story to all in attendance. Way to go kindergarteners!

CCS-Leland Letterland Parade
CCS-Whiteville Letterland Parade
CCS-Wilmington Letterland Parade

Drivers, Start Your…PENCILS!
We are thrilled to bring back our FASTAR® tournament this year! Students have been working hard and have shown great progress during their Tune-Up sessions. We look forward to cheering on our racers as they compete at the big race events at the end of April and then on May 12th for the Race of Champions! FASTAR® is a voluntary, extra-curricular academic tournament and it stands for: Fluent Academic Skills Tournament in Arithmetic and Reading. The goal of FASTAR® is to encourage students to improve their basic skills through practice in an exciting and rewarding tournament modeled on automobile racing. Research shows that practicing to the point of fast, smooth, nearly automatic response – fluency – has several benefits: memory of the skill is retained longer, the student is able to perform the skill for a longer time before getting tired, comprehension may be improved, complex tasks are easier with a stronger foundation in basic skills, and homework times may decrease.

See our FASTAR® Promo video here! FASTAR® FAQs are located at the bottom of this webpage.

20-21 NC School Report Card Determines CCS-America Outperformed… Yet Again!
We have recently been given access to a preview of the North Carolina School Report Cards for the 2020-2021 school year. While there is no way to measure the hard work our educators and staff pour into our students each day, it does contain snapshots of information about our schools. In the data linked below, we compared CCS-America to the State of North Carolina’s average. Parents, you can expect to receive a copy of your school’s detailed North Carolina School Report Card this spring.  We are incredibly proud of our students and staff for their hard work and drive. Year after year, we continue to outperform our peers, and we are especially pleased to say that last year was no different. Thank you for choosing CCS-America! We are thrilled to provide a quality education to students in southeastern North Carolina!

CCS-America EOG Results Comparison to the State of North Carolina NCDPI Report Card FAQ

Let’s Go RBA!
Congratulations to all of The Roger Bacon Academy Cheer teams for placing in the top five of their divisions at The Quest National Championship! These athletes and coaches put RBA values into their practice and continue to make us proud! Cheer Parent MaKesha Murphy said, “RBA Cheer has given my daughter the confidence to push herself further in her gymnastics and cheer abilities. Her determination in cheer has carried over into the classroom. She even has the confidence to compete in FASTAR this year!” All six teams have been invited to another National Championship in April! Amazing job coaches and athletes!

Pictures

Staff Spotlight
This week’s Staff Spotlight is CCS-Wilmington 5th Grade teacher, Ms. Amanda Sauls! Ms. Sauls started as an Assistant Teacher at CCS-Wilmington five years ago. Within those five years, she has been Teacher of the Year twice and is now Lead Teacher. Learn more about Ms. Sauls and her incredible impact in the video below!