First Year Firsts

As we approach the end of our first academic year, I look back on the many “firsts” that we’ve experienced as a school with amazement and appreciation of God’s goodness to us. Here are just a few of those “firsts”:

First Family: We are blessed with an outstanding group of pioneering parents, students, and teachers. It’s amazing to me that 41 bright students with supportive parents and 12 experienced faculty, including our principal, have come together to begin a tradition of rigorous academics and warm Christian mentoring.

First Monuments to God’s Gracious Provision: We are thankful for the provision (in chronological order) of a dedicated Steering Committee, our principal, our facility (we are blessed to share Hyde Park Baptist Church’s building), our faculty, our finances (over $40,000 in donations and the ability to start with limited debt), our library (over 2600 books), and many other provisions.

First Year Extracurriculars: We have been able to offer sports. The PCAG Lions have competed in cross country, intramural basketball, and tennis. Other activities have included our successful Robotics Club (Team Data qualified for the State Championship meet), Junior Master Gardeners, Chess Club, students participating in Spelling Bee and Geography Bee (congratulations on your first place finish, Ian Burch!), art classes, and participation in community arts and enrichment programs.

First Year Traditions: Some of our early traditions include our Fall Middle School/High School retreat, Non-Prom Prom, publication of our first yearbook, The Legacy, the week-long Middle School camping adventure at Nantahala and Pisgah, the High School caving trip in Tennessee, High School lunch-out, and chapel programs.

First Board: Our parent-elected board is dedicated to governing and leading at a level that I have not experienced on many other community boards. The board has taken a disciplined approach to keep in touch with its constituency, to maintain a future-oriented agenda, and to evaluate and measure only those things that really matter in the life of the school. The board is committed to keeping its focus on proactive global policy issues and to evaluating its own performance.

First Graduate: We’re proud of Carolyne Cain, who will walk the stage on June 4th as our first graduate. She plans to attend Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and pursue a nursing career.

Thanks to each of you who have walked this road of faith with us during our first year.

Randy Cain MD, Board Chair