The Spartan Blog

Hello Calvary family! 

We wanted to put together an update to briefly detail some of the happenings with the new campus as well as share some fun new photos of the big building project! It’s been one month since we received occupancy to use the unfinished phase 1 addition at CR9. The construction crew added a few temporary heaters to make this space comfortable and usable for the remainder of this school year as one large open area. This addition is currently playing host to activities like indoor recess, lunch, art classes, music classes, and library. It’s a nice temporary bonus space that we hadn’t originally planned to use! Once the school year ends, the walls will go up and the classrooms will be finished. Our K5 classrooms will move over this summer to fill two of the three new rooms (the other room will have various uses in the fall and will be a science lab next spring).

At the same time those classrooms are getting finished, another crew will be working hard putting together a freshly paved driveway (ooooooo-ahhhhhhhh). The crews will be moving fast in the summer months to asphalt the entire drive, the phase 1 parking lot, the new phase 2 parking lot, and the lane that will surround the campus. There will be an overflow lot where our busses will sit behind the phase 2 building that will remain stone for the time being. At the completion of these paving jobs we’ll have a few more parking spaces at CR9 than currently exist at the Rush campus. (and a big thank you to Joe Spiers for helping make the current stone driveway drive-able in the meantime!)

As the work on the big building continues, you’ll soon see the plumbing going in as well as getting it all enclosed. Wade Wylie at Link Construction has been working on 3D models of the project to assist the team in planning and design. We’ll share more renderings of the very soon-to-be Home of your Calvary Christian Spartans as they become available!  

(the stage can present to either the gym or cafeteria area which you can see in the background)

(Bleacher area has seating for 600. With floor covering to protect the gym floor and chairs on the gym floor we could fit 1,000 in this space!)

(Below are views from the main entrance which will face north. As you drive down our long drive you'll see the flat facing part of the building that has the academic C icon) 

Upon returning from Christmas break, the students of CCS had a special, three-day chapel event that went by the title, “Spiritual Reset Week.” Instead of just having the typical Friday morning chapel, Spiritual Reset Week consisted of a worship chapel on Wednesday and a two-part sermon series on Thursday and Friday.

The aim of this event was simple: to remind the students of the hope they have in Christ. Breaks from school are always a welcomed respite for both students and teachers. And yet, they can also be a source of false hope. Sometimes, we are looking for a break from work or school to more than rejuvenate us—we’re often looking for them to fulfill us. With such heightened expectations, we can come back to “real life” feeling a bit let down by the break we just had.

Spiritual Reset Week was designed to combat this post-break melancholy. As Christians, our hope is not found in breaks from school (or, for that matter, any other earthly thing). Our hope is found in none other than Jesus Christ. Jesus is our hope of eternal life because he is the resurrection (John 1:25). Jesus is our hope because we are crucified with him (Galatians 2:20) and because we are raised from the dead with him (Romans 6:5).

I am confident that the Lord used this week to stir the hearts of our students into greater faith and joy in Christ. To him be the glory forever and ever!

In Christ,
Pastor Joey 
 

Greetings, Calvary Christian School community!

Today marks a significant moment in the history of Calvary Christian School as we proudly usher in a new chapter – a narrative of growth, commitment, and an unwavering dedication to providing top-tier education rooted in Christian values. I am thrilled to share the vision for the future of Calvary Christian School, where Christian values seamlessly blend with an exciting new brand that goes beyond a mere logo.

You might be wondering why we decided to embark on this journey of re-branding. Well, it was a meticulous process, working hand-in-hand with Northstar Marketing, a specialized company dedicated to helping private schools like ours convey their message to the surrounding community. What made this process truly special for us was initiating it with prayer. Our account manager, a key member of the team, asked if she could pray with us before we ever began our very first meeting.. This set the tone for a series of discussions that delved into who we are as a school community, our values, key philosophies, and what we wish to convey to the surrounding community. After months of collaborative meetings and revisions, we have developed something we believe will serve us well into the future.

Over the 44 years of Calvary, we've undergone seven logo changes – a new logo approximately every six years. However, with this new brand, our commitment is to consistency. It's not just a design; it's a visual representation that will create continuity for our students throughout their entire Calvary experience.

"Why now?" you might ask. Amid various changes, we are unveiling our new brand alongside the opening of our new 40-acre campus and a 49,000 ft² building. Additionally, our website company has mandated a complete rebuild, set to launch in the Spring. It's a time of transformation, growth, and a renewed commitment to our Christian values that were set way back in 1979.  The new brand isn't just a change in the logo; it's a celebration of this exciting new chapter in the story of Calvary Christian School. Imagine our 40-acre campus as a refuge – not just a physical space, but a place where students, teachers, and families come together in the pursuit of knowledge, faith, and unity. We are creating an environment where God's grace is felt in every step.

Calvary is not just a school; it's a diverse, vibrant family. We work hard to be that welcoming place where every type of learner is cherished. It's a community where everyone feels seen, valued, and part of something special. Step into our classrooms, and you'll witness more than desks and chalkboards; you'll experience a genuine Christian education. Our new brand symbolizes our dedication to providing an educational journey where faith seamlessly intertwines with academics, molding not just bright minds but strong Christian characters.

As our athletes step onto the fields, our new brand signifies a commitment to sportsmanship and Christian character. It's about the journey where our athletes, adorned with the new brand, carry the values of integrity, respect, and Christ-like conduct. Our commitment to the arts isn't just part of the curriculum; it's a celebration of God's creativity. The new brand reflects this commitment, representing our belief that artistic expression is a way of glorifying God. The arts at Calvary are not an extra; they're an essential part of the experience, nurturing creativity and inspiring big dreams.

The unity we share at Calvary is not just a concept; it's a living reality reflected in our new brand. It symbolizes the strength found in community engagement, making a positive impact locally and globally.  Our new brand is not just a logo; it's a visual representation of our unified message.

Whether on the athletic field, in a classroom, or at a community event, the message of Biblical teaching and values will resonate consistently. This brand unifies our diverse experiences into a singular, powerful message of faith, community, and purpose.

In the spring, we're launching a brand-new website – a platform that mirrors the energy, warmth, and vibrancy of Calvary Christian School. It's not just pixels on a screen; it's a virtual space extending the Christian values of our campus to every visitor, offering an immersive experience that reflects who we are as a school community.

Whether you're a potential family dreaming about stepping onto our campus for the first time or a current family enjoying our beautiful community space – we've got you covered. Our commitment to Biblical values, mentorship, and individualized attention is the heartbeat of Calvary.

Our new brand isn't just a change; it's a continuation of our Christian legacy. Thank you for being part of our Calvary family, and for joining us on this exciting journey!

We have a new bus! And I have a story to tell you! And it has to do with these cute third graders, well, sort of!!

It all started back in 1979, when I was 16 years old (that has nothing to do with it!). That was the year that Calvary Baptist Church started our Christian school. The school served somewhere around 100 to 150 kids, per year, K4 through eighth grade, for the next thirty-plus years. In 2013, they decided to start a high school and have now had eight graduating classes. There have been six administrators and Mr. Hyde has been leading our school since 2016 (he started teaching in 2009). In the last four years, Calvary has grown like crazy and this year we have 450 students! We have become accredited, part of OHSAA, landowners (thanks to the gift of Calvary Baptist), and own the CR9 building and land valued at $2.5 million. We are now in the middle of an 8.5 million dollar building project that, when completed, will allow us to expand to 750 kids!!

Transportation for kids – very important, and very expensive! We are thankful to have the public schools (using your tax money) transporting kids from home to school. But we also have buses to take field trips, and athletic trips and get kids from one building to the other. We have often had to live with old buses that need a lot of work and a lot of tender care. In the last year, we have been able to buy two, yes two, genuinely nice, dependable busses and have a crew of incredible bus drivers ready to do the things that make a school run smoothly!

And every step of the way, from 1979 to now, the progress that has been made has happened through people’s sacrifices as laborers and leaders and a whole lot of giving!!  We could not do what we have done, we could not have the buses we have, we could not have the land and current building, we could not have the project we are jumping into, we would not qualify for the bank loan we have, and we cannot move to the next milestone, without giving. 

The execution is happening, the building is sitting in the parking lot! Yet while this is in “go mode,” we still need $1.5 million (a 17-month deadline).

Think of it this way: $7.5 million builds the building and $1.5 fills up the inside – gym floor, athletic equipment, tables, chairs, student desks, office furniture, bleachers, technology, phone system, safety systems, parking lot lights, and on the list goes.

Praying for 328 people to find a spot on the following chart that makes sense of what God is calling you to do. We are also looking for ways to expand our reach, whether it be grandparents, church friends, alumni, or community supporters. Who are the people (can you help us find them) that will be excited about the mission and vision of Calvary Christian and how do we effectively communicate with them?

This is big! This is exciting! We can do nothing but praise the Lord for what He has done and what He is doing! We are excited to move towards the vision and calling He has orchestrated and see this building go up!

So yes, we have two new buses, but more importantly, we have thirty-five third graders, which is way more than the 10 to 15 we had in each grade over the past years. The point is, that we are growing, and we must do things differently. We are set up for a new day in Calvary Christian Education. It is the same mission with an expanded vision! That is right – Calvary is on the move!! Jump in and be a part of the crazy growth at Calvary Christian School! These wild third graders are excited about the future we will build!!

Give to Calvary Building on the Rock: Phase 2

It’s one of those topics that rarely comes up in casual conversation although it is a common question from families interested in sending their kids to CCS…what security measures are in place at Calvary? The truth is, I think every school would say safety is a priority and we’d be no different. Every year we evaluate our campuses and look for ways to improve the safety of our students and peace of mind for our families. When you go through ALICE or other types of safety training, it’s regularly mentioned that schools have many fire and tornado drills each year, but data says those are hardly the events that threaten safety. So, while this article won’t share all our safety information (some is confidential for security purposes), we wanted to provide an update on what processes are in place and what’s new. 

Ohio recently passed a bill called HB99. This bill outlined a new 24-hour class that school personnel would be required to take to be a member of a school’s armed security response team. This summer, Calvary was able to put double digit staff members through this class, which included training on first aid and a shooting range certification. As part of our security plan, these HB99 approved staff members are armed each day and are at both campuses.       

We have also made improvements to our existing security measures this summer by improving our security doors with new software at Rush campus. You’ll notice the new unit on the entry doors near our Rush Campus main office. There’s still a button to press and have the door unlocked. We’ll have improved visibility and communication abilities with this unit.  

We’ve also added cameras to our CR9 campus as well as magnetic locks for all exterior doors at CR9, including phase 1 and the new phase 2 building that’s being built now. This will give us the ability to immediately lockdown either facility. All CR9 and Rush campus academic areas are also outfitted with anchorman units which can be engaged from the inside to lock our doors.  

Calvary is also a member of the Ohio School Safety Center. This is an Ohio agency that we stay in compliance with regarding our safety plans. Each summer we communicate with local law enforcement to discuss safety plans and get approval from local EMS, Fire, and Police.  

Psalm 27:1 tells us “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”. We’re actually told over 350 times in scripture to “fear not”, so we don’t want to be people that are gripped by fear or overwhelmed by the what-ifs of life. We want to be diligent in our work and careful in our thoughtfulness and planning, but ultimately, we want to be people that rely on God and recognize that He is the stronghold of our lives.

Ryan Hyde

 "Read, read, and read some more! The summer slip or learning loss can be a real thing and the biggest way you can help your child over the summer is to read daily with them! Whether they read to you, you read together, or you read together. Have them sit down each day and read something! This will first help them foster a love for reading and secondly help them keep their reading stamina that they worked so hard on all school year long! While reading, you can simply ask them some reading comprehension questions such as; What is the setting of the story? Who is the main character of the story? What problems and solutions did you see in this story? These simple questions can help them and you gauge their understanding of what they read! It doesn’t have to be for hours and hours of the day but 15-20 minutes each day will have a big impact and help prevent some of that Summer learning loss." - Marissa Smith, 2nd Grade Teacher

 "I often get asked "what should" or "what can we be working on during the summer." First, I want to say... do not stress about creating or buying a bunch of things. :) I love to keep it as simple and FUN as possible. My goal is that they love learning, so I try to incorporate it into normal, everyday life at my house. 

Some fun, simple, practical ways at home.

1) Read with your child! It doesn't have to be a ton...just wind the day down together before bed with one or two stories. There is even a Book-it program! As a parent, you can Google the Pizza Hut Book-it program, create a profile and track your child every day. They earn a free mini pizza on top of the fun time together! Woohoo!

2) Play board or card games with your child! I know this may sound silly, but so many amazing skills are learned through this. Patience, cooperation, teamwork, sportsmanship! Obviously, different games depend on age/ability level, but skip the extra screen time and have them pick out a game to play together. If you don't have any, let them pick one out at Walmart for a fun weekend activity!  

3) Limit screen time! The weather is gorgeous ... have them go outside and play! Fill a bucket or bowl with water and let them go to town. Or if they stay inside, use a bowl or bucket and fill it with rice, dry corn, and put spoons or smaller scoops/bowls to have them play with. Painters tape on the floor as a racetrack... use cars to "drive around. "Does NOT have to be a huge thing. Pinterest is full of fun ideas too! If your child is used to screen time, it may be rough at first, but stay at it! It will get better. 

4) Practice with scissors! Take your child to Walmart & let them pick a pair out. They can sit outside on the grass and practice cutting, you can put a blanket out with paper and let them go to town. Fold the blanket in and shake it into the trash when they are done. There are also some really awesome cut/paste activity pages on Pinterest too! 

5) Talk with your child- about any and everything! Again, this may sound silly, but as you drive to the store, play "I Spy" with different colors, point out shapes, and ask them questions! Point out letters on a cereal box and tell them what it is and the sound it says. 

Summer is supposed to be fun! Do not get overwhelmed by things you should/shouldn't be doing!  We are so looking forward to a great year together! Hope these helped encourage you! :)" -Cari Hyde, K4 Teacher 

"Don't allow your summer fun to lead to learning slide. Students can enjoy their break from the classroom and keep their skills sharp in fun, creative ways. Make a plan to incorporate learning into your daily/weekly routines. Have your child help around the house, make grocery lists, help with meal planning, play math games, visit the library & check out some books, do crafts, listen to audiobooks, serve others, write letters,  go on scavenger hunts, etc.  

Specifically:

Looking ahead to 4th grade, students need to know their addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts 0-12 without using fingers or counting patterns. Please plan to include fact practice into your summer activities. Try flashcards, online games, dice math games, etc. Make it fun!" -Melissa Printz, 3rd Grade Teacher

"Here are some things you can focus on and do this summer to make sure your child is ready for first grade! Please continue to read with your child as much as possible. Challenge your child to read signs, menus, and more when you are traveling and spending time together. Please continue to review letter sounds and special sounds as well as sight (popcorn) words. In regard to math, look for everyday opportunities to practice counting, addition, subtraction, using analog and digital clocks as well as navigating days on the calendar. Most importantly, I pray this summer you will read the Bible with your child and review the lessons and verses we have learned. I appreciate you all and am blessed by you!" -Danae Dray, K5 Teacher

Each year we welcome a new class of Calvary families. We're excited about each family that partners with us and it’s our goal for everyone to feel welcome and to quickly become a part of the amazing community that exists at Calvary. To help that transition, here are 5 things to help new families at CCS.

1. School Communication Channels: Learn about how information is shared at Calvary!

• Primary Facebook page: This will be used to share stories and snapshots of life at school 
• Primary Instagram page: This will be used to share stories and snapshots of life at school (crosspost from FB)
• Calvary Families Facebook Group: This will be used to share school announcements and allow families to connect with each other. If you have a question, ask away! Families are typically very fast at helping each other out.
• Youtube: We'll upload school videos to our YouTube channel.
• Website: Our school website is geared toward prospective families
• CCS App (search Calvary Christian School in your app store to download our free app): the app is designed to share information and notifications with our current families. Current families should download the app and opt into the groups if they wish to receive calendar updates and notifications.
• One Call: Texts will be preferred to quickly inform current families of announcements or changes
• CCS Newsletter: We'll send a newsletter 2 or 3 times a month on Fridays with information on upcoming events for current families. 
• Classroom Programs: Teachers may use individual texting platforms to have 2 way communication with their students' families.

2. Signup for fall sports! Sports are a great way for students to build friendships outside of the classroom (and for parents to get to know each other). Our fall sports registration is currently open (with our lowest price available through the month of June). K4 has an intramural soccer league with no fee and no registration (just check the athletics tile in the app for the posted practice dates and times). Other teams include U6-U13 coed soccer, JH-Varsity Volleyball, JH-Varsity Soccer, JH-Varsity Cross Country, and Varsity Golf. Just click athletics on the website or app and then register to signup online.

3. Where to find supply lists? You can find supply lists for 23-24 on the supply list tile of the app.

4. Need to contact a teacher during the school year? To find staff email addresses, you can go to the CCS app and click on the faculty and staff directory tile. You can also find this directory under the “About” navigation on our website ccsspartans.com 

5. PTSF Events! Each year we’ll have a handful of family events hosted by PTSF to give our families a chance to hang out and have fun.  We’ll have a pool party at the Hoffman pool in August and a Back to School Event in September.

Bonus Items!

• You can always find school events on the school calendar icon in our app (click the calendar button at the bottom) or on our website under the calendar button on our homepage.
• You can also find our Parent and Student Handbook by clicking About>Handbooks. 

We're excited about seeing you all in the fall!

Starting in the 2023-24 school year, the Calvary Christian High School course catalogue will include two in-person dual enrollment courses from Cedarville University! The two Cedarville University courses taught at Calvary will be CCS junior level “Politics & American Culture” in the fall semester and “Economics” during our spring semester. Cedarville coursework will be taught in person at Calvary by CCS history teacher Ms. LeCrone and supervised by Cedarville faculty.

Students with a 3.0 GPA may apply to receive dual credit for this course. That means that this in-person course (which is also a state requirement to graduate) will be recorded on their Calvary and Cedarville University transcript.  Students that don't qualify or don't wish for this class to be recorded for dual credit will have the option to be enrolled only for CCS credit.

We’re excited about this partnership as it gives our students the opportunity to conveniently receive Cedarville University’s quality, Christ-centered courses on our campus and with our teaching staff. We’ll launch these courses for the upcoming 23-24 school year and will evaluate expanding these offerings in subsequent years.       

The Comprehensive Calvary Parents Guide to Surviving the End of the Year!

It doesn’t slow down at the end does it!? To help our Calvary families keep up with the end of year craziness, here’s your official cheat sheet to make sure we wrap things up well and are prepared for the fall!

1. Did you submit your variable tuition form? This should be filled out by each family, we use this to establish each families tuition for the next school year. Fill out Variable Tuition here!
2. Do you qualify for Ed Choice? This is a budget year for Ohio so Ed Choice scholarship amounts and income qualifications will change. Our tuition has links to Ed Choice so our variable ranges will shift once this process is final at the start of July. This can only make a family qualify for an ed choice scholarship or reduce their tuition based on our variable, nobody will see a tuition increase due to the states next budget. This is something to watch out for though because the House has already passed a 200% increase to Ed Choice levels (proposed now at 450% the federal poverty level!) and the Senate is considering universal Ed Choice (which means everyone qualifies to receive this scholarship!). Follow this link and scroll down to the middle of the page to see how families can apply for an ed choice scholarship. 
3. You don’t qualify for ed choice but you’d like to apply for CCS financial aid? Here’s your link!
4. We have a parent satisfaction survey open to current families until 5/22! Help us improve Calvary by sharing your feedback! 
5. Do you need to sign up for fall athletics next year? Here’s your link! Note- K4 soccer is intramural and does not require registration or a fee. We’ll add practice info to the app when we have it and families can show up if available!
6. Need transportation next year? Here’s your transportation survey! Please follow up by calling your public school district to confirm that you’re planning to ride the bus. You can go to the transportation tile in our app to find contact information for surrounding districts.
7. Are you in 7-12 grade next year? You need to make your initial ESM Week selection by 5/19!This doesn’t lock you in to the trip, service, or shadow week but it does give us initial numbers.
8. Want to support our Building on the Rock Campaign and run in an awesome Twilight 5K? Sign up here for our 2023 Spartan 5k! June 23 @ McKinley Fields 8:00. 
9. Need next years school calendar? BAM! 
10. Wow that's a lot of things!? I know!
11. Want to give to our building campaign!? Here’s a link!
12. Need to know when graduations are? All at Rush Campus.
    1. K5 Dray 5/18 7:00
    2. K5 Inman 5/19 7:00
    3. HS 5/25 7:00

It’s been an awesome year working with you all! We’re praying you all have a great summer and we’re excited to see you back in September!

Jump in the time machine with me and let’s go way back…to 2010. life at Calvary was a little different! Our K-8 school had a little over 100 students and we were all very excited about a new property that Calvary Baptist Church had purchased. Those of us that were involved at that time remember this project as the Vision 20/20 campaign. Would high school expansion be a possibility? Would the church and school move there together? There was a lot of excitement and dreaming about what could become reality, but the first thing that happened was the development of a 20-acre recreation area that came to be known as “Calvary Fields”. Soon, Calvary Fields included a baseball diamond (needs some work today!), several soccer fields, and a pavilion.

While most of us have primarily used that area, the reality is there are 105 total acres that need attention. Grass everywhere needed mowed, paths needed to be created (some beautiful walking paths were added behind the soccer fields, walk those sometime if you never have), and ongoing regular management of the new facilities was a never-ending task. Enter Jeff McKinley! Being recently retired from Honda (and always a volunteer anyway), Jeff jumped in from the start and adopted this location as his own project (and it was always just one of his many projects). Jeff regularly spent 40+ hours keeping the pavilion clean, performing needed maintenance, regular 8+ hour summer days running the mower, and specifically trimming the fields when soccer games were approaching so the fields were in ideal shape.

We’re so thankful for Jeff’s heart and love doing the Lord’s work. It never seemed like work to him. He loved his family, his church, and Calvary Christian School. He loved doing God’s work.

To show Jeff appreciation for all that he’s done for this property specifically, Calvary Fields has been renamed McKinley Fields with immediate effect. We’re ordering new signage now and we’re working on updating it online as well (google specifically) so anyone can search McKinley Fields in your phone and be taken to the property at 1668 N 68. Thank you Jeff!

A Playground is Coming!

On April 18, 1775 Paul Revere & William Dawes rode throughout the New England countryside giving warnings of British military plans which they believed would result in colonial weapons destruction and the arrest of influential leaders. They didn’t have app notifications in 1775 so they had to warn people individually and by lighting 1 candle if the attack was coming by land or 2 candles if they were coming by sea. Paul Revere’s midnight ride turned him into a colonial hero and we believe if he were still with us today, he’d be riding through Bellefontaine, Rushsylvania, Belle Center, North Lewisburg, West Liberty, and Russell’s Point letting our families know that a playground is coming!    

We’ve recently purchased several pieces of playground equipment from Riverside schools including a large playset, monkey bar and balance set, basketball hoops, and several swing sets. These will pair with another set we received from Noah’s Ark to build an amazing playground area at our new campus. We think this is going to be an amazing area for our students to enjoy!

This area will be safely tucked behind our buildings and will have a surrounding fence to keep students away from traffic on the back side. We see a lovely patio area with some seating and tables, different playground sets, and a place to play basketball or 4 square.

We believe some playground components will have to be phased in to match with construction timelines (for example- any asphalt would be poured at the same time the driveway is getting done) but we anticipate this space being able to be used starting this fall 2023. If Paul Revere were still with us today, he’d be letting everyone know A PLAYGROUND IS COMING! (or he’d just send some texts).

Building on the Rock Campaign Update

Hello Spartan Families and Friends! As we march towards spring break our minds begin to think about the warmer weather, summer break being just around the corner, and ultimately school returning in the fall. So how will things look both in the short and long term for our Calvary families? That’s exactly what we’ll discuss here so read on if you are curious!

Phase 1 Update + Thoughts

I’ll start by telling you all that this first step in a new campus for Calvary families has provided so many “God stories” where it’s amazing to sit back and reflect on our recent history and be in awe of what He has done. I’ll share a few brief moments here and then talk about what we’ll be doing over the summer with phase 1.

What got us here- I’ll begin by saying our focus each day is working to improve what happens at CCS; this includes many things but to give some examples: we’re always working to communicate and clarify our mission, be clear on who we are and what we do, make sure our actions/programs are in alignment with that mission, evaluate curriculum, improve programs, evaluate and improve the current family experience, teach our culture and work to maintain it, monitor our staff culture, and the list goes on. While that focus is never on growth, we do want to see as many kids as possible spend their 17,000 hours of K-12 education in a Christian environment. So as our enrollment has grown, we’ve had discussions on how to best grow a small school with it. The discussions about space though aren’t new and didn’t just begin a few years ago due to increased enrollment. For nearly a decade, we’ve had discussions with Calvary Baptist Church [TC1] because as the school has needed more space, it also meant the church was relinquishing areas of the building to allow  the school to flourish. With space being limited at our Rush Ave facility (for two large ministries to operate in) our search for space kicked into high gear. Our early internal discussions revolved around renting modulars, renting local buildings, or renovating older buildings. We’re thankful God protected us from those avenues! As we sit now, we can look back to see how God has blessed us as we have an independent organization that (thanks to Calvary Baptist Church) has nearly 40 acres of land, a location ready to build, utilities are ready, and our first building is already completed.[TC2]  What an incredible upgrade from the modulars we were dreaming about!

What will happen next- We’ll be targeting an area for our students to play in during recess. We plan to do more landscaping so students will have plenty of grass area next year to play in. We also have our first playground that we plan to install soon (our phase 2 plan will provide another playground. We’ve submitted a grant for the 2nd playground project and hope to receive funding). We also plan to put a wall between the double classrooms this summer to provide the space for another 3rd grade classroom next year. That will necessitate a change in 1st-3rd grade specials. We have a few options to relocate those classes, as the whole master schedule comes together this spring, we’ll be able to pick the option that logistically makes the most sense. We also know that we have one more year of cafeteria disruption. We currently rotate which classes eat in the double room and we can do some rotating next year (with one other open room) but we’ll be pleased when the new cafeteria opens in phase 2. Students at either campus will still be able to order hot lunch whenever they’d like. We do not expect significant changes at our Rush campus for the 23-24 school year.

Phase 2 Updates + Thoughts

Our vision for campus development has always included the entire school being relocated to our CR9 campus. With that being our goal, we’re open to whatever strategies accomplish that in the best way possible. Our goal for the phase 2 building is to build a space that for the long term will serve our elementary and middle school population but design it in such a way that it’s functional right now for everyone PreK-12th. This building is jam packed with amazing upgrades that Calvary students will be able to use for decades to come. Let’s take a look at the floor layout, an early 3D rendering, and highlight a few areas.

Highlights from the layout

Safety highlights

• Visitors during the school day will enter the air lock doors and enter the building through the school office first. This will allow us to easily screen visitors and check them in before they have access to the entire building.
• We still plan to utilize anchorman locking units like we currently do

Gym area

• The court will feature a wood floor and is high school regulation size
• Retractable bleachers creates additional space in gym when needed
• For basketball practices, 2 courts will be able to run horizontally at the same time
• For volleyball- includes a full ceiling height as well as multiple practice courts that can run simultaneously.
• For events: a protective floor would allow us to add tables or chairs to increase seating capacity to 1,000 people
• Locker rooms are accessible from the gym
• Easy access to cafeteria/concessions area, primary bathrooms, and secondary bathrooms near locker room area  

The stage

• With folding walls, the stage can present to either the cafeteria or the gym side (we love that addition)
• Stage would have sound equipment and would be used for chapel, assemblies, concerts, plays etc…
• Close proximity to music storage provides easier setup for concerts

Cafeteria

• Equipped to provide full lunch service
• Large enough to only need 3 lunch periods
• Provides a large space that can be used for other purposes such as study hall or large group meetings
• To be compliant with food laws includes a separate concession stand which will be in use for school events
• Easy access to primary bathrooms

Classroom Areas

• Large media center/library area. Library will become a regular class for certain grade levels
• 1st-3rd grade classrooms at the bottom include a shared space. This can provide a quiet space for tutoring, make-up work, testing, or meetings.
• Separate intervention area with a common area for tutoring as well as 3 tutoring rooms to help students that need to avoid distractions
• Larger art room with attached storage area
• K classrooms have their own bathroom and are located inside of the official storm shelter
• Enough classrooms to provide two per grade level, as well as a potential expansion to include K3 program in the future.
• Classrooms are larger than current Rush Ave. classrooms
• Close proximity to phase 1 building, everyone connected without having to go outside

Phase 1 Expansion (not shown on drawing above but available)

• Addition of 3 classrooms to phase 1 building which includes chemistry lab, junior high science lab, and one more general use classroom.
• 1 classroom from our phase 1 building will be used to create more admin offices to facilitate everyone moving to that campus

Funding the Phase 2 project

The total cost of the phase 2 project is estimated at 8.5 million dollars. That’s a crazy number! While the scope of this project is massive, we know that our God is so much bigger than an 8.5 million dollar project. So with much planning, praying, and trusting we continue to take the next step (until and unless God says to stop!). I’ll also stop here and say that this is a continual prayer request, that we’re following God’s leading, even when there’s an intimidating price tag attached! We are so passionate about this school, but this isn’t our school, it belongs to God. It’s our job to be obedient and follow His will and we never want to confuse that with our own.

Out of the 8.5 million owed for phase 2, here’s where we’re at with financing this project

• We are working through banks now to finalize a mortgage that would be for 6 million dollars. It appears our loan would be around 6.875% interest for at least the first 5 years of this loan.
• we currently have 1.5 million designated through school budgeting and gifts/pledges
• Our goal is to raise an additional 1 million by September 2024 

*those wishing to donate can click this link to give online!

Phase 2 Timeline

Our “BHAG” (big hairy audacious goal) is to move into this building by the 2024-25 school year. The initial schedule shows what the construction process could look like.  This will undoubtedly encounter some delays along the line but what we want to communicate is that we’re working hard to move this process along!

What is this ESM thing anyways?

During the week of March 13-17, a new CCS program called E.S.M (Enrichment.Service.Ministry) will kick off for the first time! Since everything about this is new, we wanted to write a brief article so everyone knows what this week is all about. While this obviously only affects our current 7th-12th grade students, this is something that will grow each year in our offerings so future students can plan and get ready to join in on the action in the coming years! We expect those who elect to take the trips may want to plan them out in advance, possibly years in advance!

Our goal for ESM week each year is to find ways for students to learn outside the normal classroom and experience, with hands on, what it means to participate in what God is doing in world. Students will receive a .25 credit for the unique experiences they are participating in for this week.

This year we have kids doing one of five “classes.”

1. Mrs. LeCrone is taking 25 kids plus parents to Washington DC.
2. Mrs. LaBelle is taking 10 kids to a theatrical production at Sights and Sounds in PA.
3. Mr. Carter and Mr. Adams are leading 30 of our kids in service projects around the community which include a lot of work at Marmon Valley farms as they get ready for the camp season. Another day is spent at Camp Wesley. Normal school hours and the students will use the Calvary bus transportation.
4. Dr. Bragg orchestrates the Shadow and Practicums where kids are involved in career and ministry exploration and spend 30 hours or more in real life work situations followed up by a reflection essay.
5. Mr. Moore and a team of teachers are leading the Junior High in Relational Leadership which includes several fun activities with a focus on working together and becoming leaders. Also, normal school hours and the students use Calvary bus transportation.

The Relational Leadership does have an $80 fee that will be added to your FACTS Account to pay for activities at Marmon Valley Farm, Skating, Bowling, Youngs Dairy Farm, hiking, archery, and several low ropes course activities.  Parents – we need the Marmon Valley forms (attached) sign and brought to school by next Thursday March 9th.

There is a newer federal program called ACE which will give families the opportunity to opt in (if you’d choose to) and you would potentially be eligible to receive up to $500 of reimbursements per child. Families under 300% of the federal poverty level will qualify (see chart below) School field trips (like this $80 experience) and activities would be eligible to be reimbursed through this program. You can visit the CCS app for more information on ACE, just look for the tile at the top when you open the app. We expect that next year this fund will raise to $1,000 per child so it has the potential to be very helpful. (we're working to get our afterschool care program included you can get reimbursed when you use our program). With the ACE program in our sights, next year’s courses/trips are going to be even bigger and better! We are currently researching historical trips such as Washington DC and Boston, as well as international missions trips and a big, big trip that many parents might want to join – to Israel, the Holy Lands. We expect more details will be out soon on ESM 2024, our goal is to have information to families in late April/ early May and allow students to make their selections for next years ESM week before we head to summer break. 

Just as a note – the final day of ESM – Friday March 17th is also Grandparents Day for kids in K4 through 4th grade. And then after that Spring Break!  The year is flying by! Thanks for being a part of The Calvary culture.  Exciting days ahead!

Dr. Bragg + Mr. Hyde

Read on below if you want to learn a little more about the "ACE" program that was mentioned.

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What is ACE?

Program Overview

The ACE Educational Savings Account program provides qualifying families with a $500 credit that can be used to pay for a variety of enrichment activities that will accelerate learning for students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds can be used for:

Before- or after-school educational programs;

​Day camps, including camps for academics, music and arts;

Fees for learning extension centers;

The purchase of curriculum and material for home-school families;

Educational, learning or study skills services;

Field trips to historical landmarks, museums, science centers and theaters – including admission, exhibit and program fees;

Language classes;

Musical instrument lessons;

Tutoring.

Which Students Qualify?

The ACE Educational Savings Account program is available to any student between the ages of 6 and 18 years old whose family income is at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. Qualifying children include those who attend any Ohio public or nonpublic school or are home educated by their parents and have been excused from the compulsory attendance law for the purpose of home instruction. An eligible student can be enrolled in a public or nonpublic school or has been excused from compulsory attendance law for the purpose of home instruction.

300% Income Levels to Qualify based on household size

43,740

59,160

74,580

90,000

105,420

120,840

136,260

151,680