School News- 1/15/2025
Welcome to Quarter 3!
Welcome back! Here is what to look forward to this quarter:
For a look at the entire 2024-2025 calendar, click on the link below.
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Leslie Smith Named CCS–Wilmington Headmaster
We are excited to welcome Leslie Smith as the new Headmaster of Classical Charter Schools of Wilmington.
Mrs. Smith holds a Masters of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education from UNC at Pembroke, as well as a Bachelor of Science from Fayetteville State University.
For the past five years, Mrs. Smith has been a valuable member of the CCS-America community. She has served in various roles, including teacher, head teacher, and most recently, operations coordinator at CCS-Whiteville, where she fostered an environment of mutual respect, curiosity, and growth. She will bring this same passion and dedication to her new role as Headmaster.
Throughout her career, Mrs. Smith has earned several accolades, including Teacher of the Year for 2023-2024 and multiple National Handwriting Classroom Awards. Her commitment to education and excellence make her an inspiring leader for CCS-Wilmington.
We are excited for Mrs. Smith to bring her experience, ideas, and support to the already outstanding CCS-Wilmington team. Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Headmaster Leslie Smith.
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The Power of Cursive
Just in time for National Handwriting Day, officials in Washington are rediscovering something that CCS-America has known all along– that cursive writing is a valuable skill.
The National Archives is looking for volunteers to help transcribe historical documents that were written in cursive. Unfortunately, cursive handwriting is becoming an increasingly rare skill, as many students in the U.S. are either not taught it or don’t continue to use it regularly in their daily lives.
Many historical documents, including our country’s founding papers, were written in cursive. Without the ability to read cursive, one must rely on someone else’s translation to understand these original texts.
Cursive is a core element of CCS-America’s classical curriculum. Students begin learning to write in cursive in 2nd grade, and by 4th grade, they are expected to write exclusively in cursive—a practice they continue throughout their years at CCS-A. Research shows that cursive writing has many benefits over typing or printing, including increasing information retention, and engaging the brain more deeply. Studies have found that due to the fluid motion involved, cursive engages more areas of the brain and creates more elaborate brain connectivity patterns. This can enhance memory, fine motor skills, and cognitive processing.
With National Handwriting Day (1/23) just around the corner, be sure your student is practicing their cursive reading and writing in their everyday lives. We’re proud that our students are a part of the effort to keep cursive alive.
Check out the full article to learn more about this cursive reading opportunity:
Can you read cursive? It’s a superpower the National Archives is looking for.
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Students of the Month: Generosity
Virtue is an important part of CCS-America’s classical curriculum. Students are recognized monthly for displaying a specific character trait that they are not only learning and practicing, but also recite daily in our School Pledge.
December’s character trait was Generosity. Generous students are careful with what they have so they can share with others. Generosity is seen in the School Pledge as “I pledge to be virtuous in all my deeds.” Students apply these words to their everyday lives by doing good for others without seeking anything in return.
Congratulations to all CCS-A students who demonstrated outstanding generosity. Check out December’s honorees using the links below!
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Enrollment is OPEN for the 2025-2026 School Year!
Spread the word- Open Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is here! Tell your friends and family!
This year, we are offering a new incentive for current CCS-A parents and staff members. When a new student applies for enrollment at a CCS-A school between 12/1/24 – 6/30/2025 and puts a current parent or staff member’s name down in the “Referred By” section of the application, that parent/staff member will be awarded a $25 Shop RBA gift card for each referral!
BE SURE TO PROVIDE ALL NEEDED INFORMATION: The application must have the first and last name of the person providing the referral in order to receive the gift card.
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Spotlight Nomination Form
If you believe you or someone you know deserves a RBA shoutout, let us know! Fill out THIS FORM to nominate someone for a newsletter spotlight!
