School News- 1/15/2025
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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. **************
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 Master 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 The National Archives is looking for volunteers to help transcribe historical documents that were written in cursive.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 Many historical documents, including our country’s founding papers, were written in cursive.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. 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. **************
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! CCS-Leland **************
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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Happy Holidays from CCS-A!The Roger Bacon Academy wishes you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thank you for being a part of our incredible school community.We hope you all have a wonderful and safe break, and we will see you all on January 6th for the start of an amazing Quarter 3!**************
CCS-A Basketball Season BeginsThis year’s middle school basketball season has officially begun! We’re excited for another year of thrilling plays, impressive shots, and great sportsmanship on the court.At the start of each game, teams line up to wish each other good luck before playing. This practice emphasizes the importance of sportsmanship and encouragement among all CCS-A athletes.Congratulations to the CCS-Leland boys’ team, the CCS-Southport girls’ team, and both CCS-Whiteville teams for their wins in these early games! We can’t wait to see where the rest of the season takes us.Each team will play six games during the season- three home games and three away games. Don’t forget to mark your calendars; we will continue the 2024-2025 basketball season right after the break! On Thursday, January 9th, CCS-Whiteville will face off against CCS-Southport at Missionary Alliance Church. Come cheer on our athletes!Go CCS-A basketball!Click the links below to see pictures from the first basketball games of the year:
Parent Spotlight: Representative Brenden JonesBrenden Jones, a North Carolina State Representative and House Deputy Majority Leader, is a proud CCS-Whiteville parent and supporter. Brenden and his wife, Angela, have been involved with the school for many years, and it is support such as theirs that has enabled CCS-Whiteville’s growth and success.The Jones family’s journey with CCS-Whiteville began in 2008 when their eldest daughter began kindergarten, later going on to graduate as valedictorian in 2017. A younger daughter also attended CCS-Whiteville for many of her elementary years, beginning kindergarten in 2012.Angela Jones was a constant presence in the classroom, volunteering for various activities and supporting the school’s events. As her daughters advanced in their education, Angela became a substitute teacher, helping out whenever needed.Brenden Jones has always been a strong advocate for CCS-Whiteville. In his own words, he states:“Classical Charter Schools of Whiteville is a top-notch institution of public education and a tremendous asset for our community. From its principled and high-quality curriculum to its dedicated teachers and staff, the school is a compelling choice to meet the educational needs of all students. Evidenced by its solid growth—now known as Classical Charter Schools of America with a footprint of four schools in southeastern NC—and strong student outcomes, I fully recommend the school to all parents and prospective students in our area.”We are grateful to have such supportive and involved parents like Brenden and Angela Jones in our community!**************
Enrollment is OPEN for the 2025-2026 School Year!Spread the word- Open Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is finally 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
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Enrollment is OPEN!Spread the word- Open Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is finally here! Tell your friends and family!Enrollment is now open for the upcoming school year. This means that all prospective students- including siblings of current students- can enroll online at
Thanksgiving CelebrationsCCS-America schools celebrated Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends!On November 26th, all campuses hosted Thanksgiving Celebrations. Some campuses learned about the history of Thanksgiving and did holiday-themed crafts. Others hosted a Thanksgiving Feast, where parents and family members were invited to come to campus during their student’s lunchtime and eat together. Others even had Thanksgiving Parades!We want to give a big thank you to our staff, school community, and parents for working together to make these celebrations fun and memorable for all!From our Classical Charter Schools of America family to yours, we hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! We are always thankful for the trust you put in us to provide your children with an excellent education.**************
Extracurricular Spotlight: History BowlEvery year, CCS-America holds it’s highly anticipated History Bowl, an exciting event that allows students to show off their historical knowledge. This competition brings grade 5-8 students from all campuses together for a fun, fast-paced competition. The event is not only a test of academic skills, but also of teamwork and sportsmanship.Students prepare for the History Bowl for months, studying up to 400 questions that may be asked during the competition. These questions align with The Roger Bacon Academy’s chronological history curriculum.On November 21st, CCS-Leland hosted the first mock History Bowl of the school year. Students did a great job, showcasing their knowledge and dedication to history. Congratulations to all who participated!Be sure to mark your calendars for the official History Bowl, which will take place in April. We are excited to see more impressive performances from our students!