Georgia-Cumberland Academy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Georgia-Cumberland Academy |
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| Founded: | 1965 |
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| Location: | Calhoun, GA, USA |
| Principal: | Greg Gerard |
| Enrollment: | 251 |
| Faculty and Staff: | 42 |
| Classes offered: | 48 |
| International Students: | 16 |
| 2007 Graduates: | 55 |
| College Bound: | 75% |
| Teacher : Student Ratio: | 1:17 |
| Hours in School Day for Students: | 7 hours |
| Website: | www.gcasda.org |
Georgia-Cumberland Academy (GCA) is a private co-educational Seventh-day Adventist high school operated by the Georgia-Cumberland Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Located five miles southwest of Calhoun, Georgia, GCA provides a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accredited college-prep and standard diploma program for grades 9-12.
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[edit] General Information
[edit] Location
The GCA campus is situated on more than 500 acres near the banks of the Oostanaula River, which flows along the foothills of the Chattahoochee National Forest. GCA is approximately 70 miles from Atlanta, Georgia and about 65 miles from Chattanooga, Tennessee on the Interstate 75 corridor.
[edit] History
Opening its doors on August 30, 1965, Georgia-Cumberland Academy has averaged and annual enrollment of 200 in its four decades of operation. The student enrollment for the 2006-2007 school year stands at around 240, having reached a record peak of 253 earlier in the year. Approximately two thirds of the student body resides on campus in the boys and girls dormitories. One third of the student enrollment comes from the community. The majority of the student body are residents of Georgia and Tennessee, while the remainder come from various other states as well as Korea and Brazil.
[edit] Academic Overview
The teaching and administrative staff includes 21 full-time certified teachers and administrators, six part-time certified teachers, and a support staff of eight. With experience in business, industry, public and private education, technology, medicine, marketing, finance, archeology, art, ministry, music, and performance, three of the staff hold Doctoral degrees, three more have Master’s degrees, and all teaching staff are credentialed.
Georgia-Cumberland Academy challenges each student to reach full academic potential. Above all else, GCA seeks to provide students with an education that prepares him or her for eternal life with Jesus. A loving relationship with the Creator God is foundational to all that occurs at GCA. The staff seeks to instill in each student a desire for a relationship with Jesus, and to foster a sense of responsibility for service to others as they become productive citizens of this world.
The coursework at GCA includes a variety of experiences in the liberal arts, the sciences, the fine arts, and the performing arts. Students are taught to develop in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, technology, and creative expression with focus on communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Instructional staff encourages critical and creative thinking that assists students in developing the ability to work with others in a climate of collaboration and cooperation. Students are encouraged to become life-long learners with the capability to be successful in a rapidly changing world.
Georgia-Cumberland Academy receives its national and state accreditation through the Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities, and through the Georgia Private School Accreditation Council (GaPSAC). GCA is part of the Seventh-day Adventist educational system which currently has more than 1 million students attending some 6,000 schools in more than 100 countries of the world.
[edit] Courses Offered
[edit] English Courses
- English I (Patricia Muriel)
- Applied English I (Debbie Klein)
- English II (Cornelia Scribner)
- Applied English II (Debbie Klein)
- English III - American Literature (Mike Martling)
- English IV - British Literature (Cornelia Scribner)
- AP English Literature and Composition (Debbie Klein)
- English as a Second Language (Cornelia Scribner)
- Reading & Composition
- Conversational English
- American Culture
[edit] Mathematics Courses
- Pre-Algebra (Durward Hass)
- Algebra I (Wayne Stickney, Ric Stitzer)
- Algebra II (Wayne Stickney, Durward Hass)
- Consumer Math (Durward Hass)
- Geometry (Wayne Stickney)
- Honors Pre-Calculus (Durward Hass)
- AP Calculus (Durward Hass)
[edit] Science Courses
- Geology/Ecology (Doug Nesmith)
- Biology (Fred Anderson)
- Chemistry (Fred Anderson)
- Physics (Fred Anderson)
- Physical Science (Fred Anderson)
- Anatomy & Physiology (Fred Anderson)
[edit] Social Studies Courses
- World History (Mike Martling)
- Career Exploration (Terry Pottle)
- American History (Don Short)
- Honors American History (independent)
- AP US History Exam (optional/independent)
- Economics (Mike Martling)
- U.S. Government (Don Short)
[edit] Foreign Language Courses
- Spanish I (Patricia Muriel)
- Spanish II (Patricia Muriel)
[edit] Religion Courses
- Religion I (Greg Harper)
- Religion II (Greg Hudson)
- Religion III (Greg Harper)
- Religion IV (Greg Gerard, Nancy Gerard, Don Short, Don Keel)
[edit] Fine Arts Courses
[edit] Music
- Chorale (Candace Nesmith)
- Camerata - Advanced Chorale (Candace Nesmith)
- Concert Band (Charles Zacharias)
- String Orchestra (Charles Zacharias)
- Cantabile Ringers - Bell Choir (Charles Zacharias)
- Private Lessons, Voice or Instrumental (Nesmith, Zacharias)
[edit] Arts & Drama
- Drawing/Painting (Mike Martling)
- Art Independent Study (Mike Martling/independent)
- Drama (Ken Scribner)
[edit] Extracurricular Arts (no grade administered)
- Sinfonietta - Advanced Strings (Linda Chung)
- Chamber Singers - Select Camerata (Candace Nesmith)
- Hands of Praise - Signing Group (student-led)
[edit] Health Courses
- Health & Wellness(Wally Fox)
- Physical Education (Wally Fox)
- Tennis & Badminton (Wally Fox)
- Fitness & Weight-training (Wally Fox)
- Gymnastics (Travis Epperson)
- Driver's Education (Wally Fox)
[edit] Computer Classes
- Computer Skills (Carrie Staats)
- Web Development Basics (Ernest Staats)
- Network+ (Ernest Staats)
- Video Production (Ernest Staats)
- Programming (Ernest Staats)
- Computer Animation (Ernest Staats)
[edit] Principals Have Included
- E.F. Reifsnyder (1965-1968)
- W.A. Sowers (1968-1970)
- James Clizbe (1970-1973)
- Lyle Anderson (1973-1978)
- Wayne McNutt (1978-1982)
- Cyril Connelly (1982-1988)
- Victor Kostenko (1988-1989)
- John Thomas (1989-1997)
- Arnold Schnell (1997-1998)
- Fordyce Koenke (1998-2002)
- Greg Gerard (2002-Present)
[edit] Current Faculty & Staff
- Fred Anderson (Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, Chemistry, Physical Science, Physics)
- Woody Davis (Assistant Boy’s Dean)
- Rickard Dickerson III (Assistant Intern Boy’s Dean)
- Travis Epperson (Head Gymnastics Coach)
- Mary Ellen Fox (Librarian)
- Wally Fox (Basketball Coach, Driver's Education, Fitness & Weight Training, Health, Intramurals & Rec Director, Physical Education, Tennis)
- Greg Gerard (Principal, Religion IV)
- Nancy Gerard (Alumni and Development, Religion IV)
- Greg Harper (Religion I, Religion III, Testing/Guidance Director)
- Durward Hass (Algebra II, AP Calculus, Pre-Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Consumer Math)
- Clint Higginbotham (Assistant Gymnastics Coach)
- Shannon Higginbotham (Assistant Gymnastics Coach)
- Greg Hudson (Chaplain, Religion II)
- Todd Hunt (Basketball Coach, Accountant/Assistant Business Manager)
- Don Keele Jr. (GCA Church Pastor, Relgion IV)
- Debbie Klein (AP English Literature and Composition , Applied English I, Applied English II)
- Kelli Leeper (Assistant Intern Chaplain)
- Mike Martling (Art-Independent Study, Drawing/Painting, Economics, English III, World History)
- Dianne Moon (Temporary Food Services Director)
- Patricia Muriel (Enhlish I, Spanish I, Spanish II)
- Janet Naus (Girl's Dorm Dean)
- Candace Nesmith (Camerata Director, Chamber Singers Director, Chorale Director, Private Voice Lessons)
- Doug Nesmith (Boy's Dorm Dean, Geology/Ecology)
- Jeanette Oblander (Secretary)
- Dana Pottle (Assistant Girl’s Dean)
- Terry Pottle (Career Exploration, Industrial Development)
- Tim Roberts (Assistant Food Services Director)
- Charles Schmidt (Grounds Director)
- Karen Schmidt (School Nurse)
- Melissa Schmidt (Off-Campus Work Driver)
- Cornelia Scribner (English II, English IV, ESL Reading & Composition, ESL Conversational)
- Ken Scribner (Director of Enrollment Services, Drama)
- Don Short (Government, Religion IV, US History, Vice Principal)
- Nikki Smith (Assistant Intern Girl’s Dean)
- Patti Speer (Registrar)
- Carrie Staats (Computer Skills)
- Ernest Staats (Network +, Network Security, Web Development, IT Director)
- Tom Sterndale (Maintenance Director)
- Wayne Stickney (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry)
- Ric Stizer (Algebra I, Principal of John L. Coble Elementary School)
- Deborah Theus (Treasurer/Business Manager)
- Michaela Totpal (Assistant Food Services Director)
- Charles Zacharias (Cantabile Ringers Director, Concert Band Director, Private Instrumental Lessons, Strings Orchestra Director)
