Georgia-Cumberland Academy

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Georgia-Cumberland Academy

Established 1965
Type Private 9-12 High School
Religious affiliation Seventh-day Adventist Church
Principal Greg Gerard
Location Calhoun, GA, USA
Campus size 500 acres (2 km²)
Enrollment 259
Faculty 42
Average class size 60
Student:teacher
ratio		 1:17
International Students 16
Classes offered 48
(2007) Graduates 55
College Bound 75%
Hours in A School
Day for Students		 7
Athletics Varsity Guys Basketball, Varsity Girls Basketball, Varsity Volleyball, Varsity Soccer,Varsity Softball, Acrosport Gymnastics
Color(s) Blue & White
Mascot Jaguar
Yearbook Fountain Reeves
Newspaper GCA Voice
Conference Georgia-Cumberland Conference
Webpage 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.[1]

Contents

[edit] General information

[edit] Location

The GCA campus is situated on more than 500 acres (2 km²) 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.[2]

[edit] History

Opening its doors on August 30, 1962, Georgia-Cumberland Academy has averaged an annual enrollment of 200 in its four decades of operation. The student enrollment for the 2007-2008 school year stands at a record 255 students. Approximately four-fifths of the student body resides on campus in the boys and girls dormitories. One fifth 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.

An aerial photo of Georgia-Cumberland Academy campus
An aerial photo of Georgia-Cumberland Academy campus

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.

The campus of Georgia-Cumberland Academy
The campus of Georgia-Cumberland Academy

[edit] Academy of Excellence

In 2004, GCA was named the 2004 Seventh-day Adventists Academy of Excellence by The Alumni Awards Foundation.[3]

[edit] Courses offered

[edit] English courses

  • English I (Patricia Muriel)
    • Applied English I (Debbie Klein)
  • English II (Bruce Boggess)
    • Applied English II (Grant Graves)
  • English III - American Literature (Cornelia Scribner
  • English IV - British Literature (Cornelia Scribner)
  • English as a Second Language (Cornelia Scribner)
    • Reading & Composition
    • Conversational English
    • American Culture

[edit] Mathematics courses

  • Pre-Algebra (Wayne Stickney)
  • Algebra I (Carrie Staats)
  • Algebra II (Durward Hass)
  • Consumer Math (Wayne Stickney)
  • Geometry (Carrie Staats)
  • Honors Pre-Calculus (Durward Hass)
  • AP Calculus (Durward Hass)

[edit] Science courses

  • Geology/Ecology (Fred Anderson)
  • Biology (Melanie DiBiase)
  • Chemistry (Fred Anderson)
  • Physics (Fred Anderson)
  • Physical Science (Fred Anderson)
  • Anatomy & Physiology (Melanie DiBiase)

[edit] Social Studies courses

  • World History (Bruce Boggess)
  • Career Exploration (Terry Pottle)
  • American History (Don Short)
    • Honors American History (independent)
    • AP US History Exam (optional/independent)
  • Economics (Bruce Boggess)
  • 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, Sharlene Carmon, Grant Graves, Doug Nesmith)

[edit] Fine Arts Courses

[edit] Music

  • Chorale (Candace Nesmith, accompanied by Jonathan Harper)
    • Camerata - Advanced Chorale (Candace Nesmith, accompanied by Jonathan Harper)
  • Concert Band (Charles Zacharias)
  • String Orchestra (Charles Zacharias)
  • Cantabile Ringers - Bell Choir (Charles Zacharias)
  • Private Lessons, Voice or Instrumental (Nesmith, Zacharias, Linda Chung, Watson)

[edit] Arts & Drama

  • Drawing/Painting (Cornelia Scribner)
  • 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 (Bruce Boggess)
  • Driver's Education (Wally Fox)

[edit] Computer courses

  • Computer Skills (Wayne Stickney)
  • Web Development Basics (Ernest Staats)
  • Network+ (Ernest Staats)
  • Video Production (Ernest Staats)
  • Programming (Ernest Staats)
  • Computer Animation (Ernest Staats)
The front view of the Administration Building
The front view of the Administration Building

[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)
  • Gerald Bliven (Food Service Director)
  • Bruce Boggess (English II, Economics, World History, Head Gymnastics Coach)
  • Sara Chase (Assistant Girls' Dean, Assistant Girls' Basketball Coach)
  • Woody Davis (Assistant Boy’s Dean)
  • Travis Epperson (Assistant 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)
  • Greg Harper (Religion I, Religion III, Testing/Guidance Director)
  • Durward Hass (Algebra II, AP Calculus, Pre-Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Consumer Math, Basketball Coach(guys))
  • Clint Higginbotham (Assistant Gymnastics Coach), (Soccer Head Coach)
  • Shannon Higginbotham (Assistant Gymnastics Coach)
  • Greg Hudson (Chaplain, Religion II)
  • Todd Hunt (Basketball Coach (girls), Accountant/Assistant Business Manager)
  • Chelseigh Inglish (Assistant Chaplain, Nursing Home Ministry Coordinator)
  • Don Keele Jr. (GCA Church Pastor)
  • Debbie Klein (AP English Literature and Composition , Applied English I, Applied English II)
  • Dianne Moon (Assistant 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)
  • Jeanette Oblander (Secretary)
  • Dana Pottle (Assistant Girl’s Dean)
  • Terry Pottle (Career Exploration, Industrial Development)
  • 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)
  • Patti Speer (Registrar)
  • Carrie Staats (Algebra 1, Geometry)
  • Ernest Staats (Network +, Network Security, Web Development, IT Director)
  • Tom Sterndale (Maintenance Director)
  • Wayne Stickney (Algebra I, Computer Skills)
  • Desmond Suarez II (Assistant Chaplain, Nursing Home Ministry Coordinator)
  • 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)

[edit] GCA Voice

The GCA Voice is the student run weekly newspaper put out at GCA

  • Editor: Ryan Priest
  • Assistant Editor: Keith King

GCA Voice online

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.gcasda.org/_sections/about/index.asp
  2. ^ http://www.gcasda.org/_sections/about/index.asp
  3. ^ The Alumni Awards Foundation - Alumni Awards Foundation - Programs/Grants

[edit] External links