God's Blessings

Palmetto Christian Academy of Greenwood was conceived in the minds of several families over the past two years, but serious and formal work began in July of 2007. Although many people have put in a lot of volunteer hours to see the school become a reality, there are so many things that are clearly God's blessings that we could have never planned or worked hard enough to provide on our own. Some examples include:

A well qualified and capable administrator being available at the right time for work on the school to begin.

A motivated and like-minded steering committee rapidly developed.

A facility (Hyde Park Baptist Church) that perfectly meets the needs of the school provided just at the right moment.

A healthy sized library donated.

A donation of $20,000 for a computer system which will include 15 to 20 laptop computers operated through a secure and safe wireless network.

A hard working contractor volunteer to lead our facility preparations.

Many donors who have given thousands of dollars without any solicitations made on our part.

Many volunteer who have helped with painting, cleaning, decorating, library organization, curriculum planning, etc.

An experienced and motivated core of faculty members.

God's blessings are evident in so many ways - we give Him all praise and glory for PCAG and its’ future.

Our main challenge currently is to have enough students to make the budget less challenging. We have a great core group of students already enrolled. Many others have expressed their intentions or interest in enrolling, but are not officially included until applications are in and fees are paid. If you are considering PCAG for your child's future, please apply sooner rather than later, so that we can hire appropriate faculty and order curriculum in a timely way. Please pray with us for God to provide the students He wants to be at PCAG for the next academic year. And join us in praise to Him for His many blessings.

Accreditation

“I want to enroll my child in Palmetto Christian Academy but I am concerned that the school is not yet accredited.” This is a legitimate concern for parents as they seek to provide the finest educational opportunities for their children. Will Palmetto Christian Academy graduates be at a disadvantage due to the school’s lack of accreditation in the early years? I contacted the admissions offices of several schools, including Clemson University, Lander University, Furman University, and the University of South Carolina. In each case I was told that the accreditation or lack of accreditation of the high school issuing the transcript is not considered when evaluating a student for admission. Each college publishes its admissions requirements on its website. For the most part the requirements are similar with regard to courses required. Palmetto Christian Academy’s college preparatory curriculum meets and exceeds these requirements. Our students will be fully prepared to be attractive to colleges and universities as competitive applicants.

Accreditation is important. The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) defines accreditation as “ . . . a process—a self-study and analysis, a comparison to established standards, an assessment of a school’s mission, a commitment to quality education, and a willingness to be accountable. Christian schools can use all of these components of the process to reach toward their goal of excellence in education.” Because accreditation is a process we will not be accredited in August when we open our doors. However, it is our goal to be accredited by ACSI, the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA), as well as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Each of these agencies has its own requirements and standards. Some require a minimum number of students; others require the school to be in operation for a specific length of time. We will apply to begin the process as soon as we meet the eligibility requirements for each agency.

Joan Gore, Principal

English Curriculum

Palmetto Christian Academy’s motto is “A love for God, a passion for learning.” We seek to challenge our students to think and learn using tools which have been proven effective. We want our students to develop a passion for learning and to become life-long learners. Our principal, Joan Gore, and a committee of parents and teachers have been researching curriculums which are effective, motivating, and creative.

Shurley English is such a curriculum. The committee has selected Shurley English for K-5 through 8th grades. Shurley stands out among other curriculums according to a wide variety of research done in the past thirty years. Shurley English contains all of the key elements necessary to promote language development for effective communication and successful participation in society. The Shurley method merges a strong foundation of basic skills with writing. It also engages students in the learning process in a “brain-friendly” manner.

The program has been effective with students who have different learning capacities and styles. Teachers and students have expressed an enthusiasm for learning English through the Shurley method. The curriculum is creative, fun, and motivating. First graders are introduced to grammar through musical jingles used to teach the definitions and the functions of the parts of speech. The curriculum uses steps to relate a definition to a concept, a concept to a skill practice, and a skill practice to writing and editing. Multi-sensory group work is also a feature of Shurley English. It encourages teacher-student interaction and provides immediate feedback and ongoing review of learned concepts. Perhaps the best result of all is that students apply what they learn to writing. Please visit the Shurley English website at http://www.shurley.com/new/index.jsp to preview the curriculum.

Shurley English is one example of the kind of curriculum to be used at Palmetto Christian Academy. We want to enable and encourage our students to love God and develop a passion for learning. To that end, our curriculum committee will continue to seek the best available tools to be used in our classrooms.