Head of School Communication

Dear CCS Families,

I trust the second semester has started well for you and your family. I would like to take a moment to communicate the main themes from the first semester parent survey. It is important to note this survey was not nationally-normed. Meaning, I do not have data from other schools to draw comparative conclusions. The purpose of this short survey was to simply ask for input regarding two important questions.

Over 40% of our families completed the survey. As a reminder, leadership uses a 30% participation rate as a measuring point for a valid survey. The survey responses were evenly divided between lower school, Academy, 7th and 8th grade and 9th through 12th grade parents. Also important to note, parents whose children have attended CCS from 0 to 3 years, 3 to 6 years, and more than 6 years participated in the survey in almost equal percentages.

The first question dealt with the lunch changes implemented from the 2024 spring survey. Although parents noted the changes, there is still room for improvement. The three issues mentioned the most include healthier food choices, long lunch lines, and running out of some food options during 9th-12th grade lunch. I have already discussed these concerns with ChefAdvantage, and their leadership is taking steps to address these issues.

The second question asked for parent feedback regarding cell phone usage during the school day. Although parents desire to stay in touch if needed, they overwhelmingly indicated that cell phone use be restricted during school. Using the recommendations from parents, leadership and the board will revise our current policy for the 25-26 school year.

Several additional points are also worth mentioning. First, parents are overwhelmingly pleased with their child's experience regardless of the grade level. The second major theme revolves around the amount of homework assigned to students. Faculty, staff, and administration have worked to find a healthy balance to homework over the last few years and will continue to dialogue moving forward. Two other areas mentioned by parents were the desire that CCS remain committed to Kingdom Education and the cost of tuition. Both of these topics will be discussed in upcoming planning sessions with the appropriate groups, including the board.

Finally, leadership and the board are closely monitoring the voucher program the legislature passed last week. The legislative committees still need to work out rules and procedures this spring. At the same time, the board is working to develop policy on how the legislation will apply to CCS. I will continue to communicate as information becomes available.

I would like to thank you for the great trust you put in our faculty, staff, and administration at CCS as we partner together in Kingdom Education. This partnership is a trust we take seriously and prayerfully. As always, please reach out to me if I can assist you in any way.

Pressing on Together, 
Philippians 3:14, 

Dear Concord Families,

Happy New Year! I trust your family had a joyful and restful Christmas break. As we prepare for school to resume tomorrow, I want to inform you about a personnel change that may affect all CCS students. Our school nurse, Jake Stough, met with me before Christmas break and informed me of his decision to resign his position here at CCS in order to continue his education towards becoming a medical doctor. His new class schedule does not align well with CCS school hours. I would like to thank Jake for his hard work and dedication to CCS students and wish him well as he moves in the direction of fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a medical doctor.

For now, lower school students (grades K-4) and academy students (grades 5-6) needing assistance for illness or medication will report to the lower school office. Upper school students (grades 7-12) will be directed to the upper school office on the third floor for similar needs. Principals and teachers will communicate this information to students tomorrow.

On most days, we are fortunate to have as many as five certified nurses on staff who can respond to an emergency if needed, ensuring coverage for urgent situations. Leadership will use the spring semester to evaluate the nurse position and determine the best path forward. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s principal.

Thank you to those who have already taken the first semester parent survey. This is a reminder that the survey  will remain open until January 8, 2025.  I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a few moments to share your thoughts.

There are a few other personnel changes that only affect certain divisions of the school, and principals will communicate those changes to you in the coming days. The faculty and staff are excited about the spring semester and the opportunity to pour into your children, both educationally and spiritually. We look forward to those possibilities in the coming months, and we covet your prayers as we pursue Kingdom Education together. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if I can be of any assistance to you.

Pressing on Together, 

Philippians 3:14

Donald Snider

Dear Concord Families,

With the holidays upon us, I would like to announce a new student-life initiative designed to support students in the upper school (5th - 12th grades). Starting Monday, December 2nd, upper school leadership will introduce a dedicated care line. This resource is designed to provide a safe, accessible way for students to voice personal concerns or share issues involving their peers.  

The care line will be monitored by Mrs. Amy Stuart, CCS Upper School Counselor, who has been instrumental in her counseling role the past two years. This initiative aims to provide students who might feel hesitant about visiting the counselor’s office another way to access support.  

Students will have the opportunity to leave a message or send a text to the careline number. If a student is reporting a concern, he/she can do so by leaving a message anonymously. Schools across the nation have used this approach with great success, and leadership is trusting that CCS students will also find the careline to be a helpful resource.

Here’s how the care line will work:  

• The careline will only be monitored Monday through Friday during school hours when school is in session. 
• The careline is NOT an emergency hotline
• Information can be reported anonymously if needed
• Reports are looked into by the school counselor or a staff member on the Student and Spiritual Life Team
• Serious reports only
• Careline Phone number: 865-266-8206 (same for text)

Mrs. Stuart will visit Bible classes after Thanksgiving break to introduce this initiative to upper school students. She will emphasize this initiative as an additional avenue for students to receive counseling support. Since returning from COVID, national trends continue to indicate that students are still processing the unintended consequences of school closings. In addition, students sense pressures from almost unlimited social media access. Leadership is hopeful this outlet will provide an additional safety net for students to voice their concerns. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to any member of the upper school leadership team. 
We are reminded in Psalm 136:1, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever...” and again in  James 1:17 that, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” As we pause this week to enjoy time with family and friends, let’s remember to give thanks to God our Father for His provision in our lives.

Pressing on Together
Philippians 3:14,

Donald Snider

Dear Concord Families,

I am confident that your family may know someone affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.  As we continue to process this historic disaster, I'm sure you have considered how to respond and offer help in some way. Maybe your family has made a financial donation or volunteered your time with a relief organization. I know that every interview that I have watched on TV or read online still brings a sense of awe for me in two ways. First, there is the total sense of loss in many areas. Secondly, there is a great sense of gratitude from those affected regarding the outpouring of help they have received from around the country.

As an organization, FBC & CCS leadership have discussed how we might help. For various reasons and mostly the connections we have, one of the ways our leadership team has decided to assist Asheville Christian Academy (ACA) located in Swannanoa, North Carolina. You may have seen the devastation on their campus caused by the flood water reported on the news recently. The damage estimates are running in the tens of millions of dollars. Even with this staggering financial challenge, ACA is committed to continuing Kingdom Education in the Asheville area with plans to reopen school at different locations in the coming days.

CCS leadership typically does not make an ask for another organization; however, we believe these circumstances are an exception. I am asking faculty, staff, and parents of all three school divisions to prayerfully consider how your family might help ACA financially during this challenging time for their school. If your family would like to help ACA financially, please click the following link or use text to give # (865) 351-2110 and enter the word: Hurricane. No donation is too small and all donations are tax-deductible. Asheville Christian Academy will use donations at their discretion for their most pressing financial needs. The link will remain open until the end of the day on Friday, October 25th. I will report back to everyone the amount raised next week.

Marcy and I plan to donate. Will your family prayerfully consider helping as well? If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
 

Philippians 3:14,
Donald Snider
Head of School

Dear Concord Families,

I would like to bring to your attention that Bill Evans, CCS board chair, passed away recently after a short illness. Bill was a member of First Baptist Concord and a valuable member of the CCS board. Bill became involved at CCS after he and his wife Carol hosted an international student several years ago. He would often talk about what a tremendous opportunity it was for them to host a student from China who did not understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It was through this experience that Bill became more involved with the school and eventually ended up joining the school board. At his memorial service recently last week, every speaker spoke of his great love for Jesus and his willingness to share Christ without hesitation. The board will certainly miss his strategic planning skills as well as his steady, calm leadership style. Please join me in continuing to pray for Carol and the Evans family as they mourn the loss of Bill.

Jennifer Burton was recently approved by the FBC Council to finish Bill's term as board chair. The board will follow the processes outlined in the constitution and bylaws to fill the position long term. Jennifer has also served on the board for several years and has a firm understanding of how the board operates along with board policies. She has recently served as the lead board member on the governance committee. If you ever have questions for the board you can email Jennifer at ccsboard@concordcs.org. The board chair will check the email several times a week.

Since winter weather will be upon us soon, I would like to remind you about how the school handles school closings or delays. I communicate closely with all area heads of schools and have communication with leadership in Knox County Schools when deciding about a delayed opening or closing school. CCS leadership is always vigilant as to weather that could possibly close or delay school. If school is closed or delayed due to inclement weather or unexpected events, parents will be notified using the following outlets of communication:

● CCS Website (www.concordchristianschool.org)
● CCS App
● Social Media
● Local TV Stations – WBIR, WATE, WVLT

Please note that no email will be sent from CCS administration, so please use the above listed outlets of communication to receive the most updated information. Concord Christian Preschool and KidzConnect will communicate information for their departments. In addition, the principals and athletic director may send out information regarding school activities. As always, parents have the discretion to keep their children at home if the conditions in your area are unsafe for travel. We have families from 8 area counties, and it's almost impossible to make a decision that is correct for every family.

Once again, I want to thank everybody for all of the prayerful messages, cards, and texts sent to me during my recovery from my recent stroke. I am back at work half days and plan to be back full time after fall break.

Philippians 3:14,
Donald Snider
Head of School

Dear CCS Families,

The first day is in the books, and the students are adjusting to the new floor and flow patterns very well. The lunch lines for the main entree were a little long today; however, principals were able to extend lunch so students could return for seconds if they desired. As you know, the long lines will resolve themselves in a few days when students understand the serving lines better and when we move into the student gym for lunch.

Starting tomorrow, upper school students (5th-12th grades) who are non-drivers can be dropped off in the horseshoe area. This also includes upper school students 5-12th with a sibling in K-4th grade.

Parents desiring to turn left on Kingston Pike after drop off or pick up should do so using the south and west parking lots continuing to the light on Federal Avenue. Leadership will continue to monitor traffic patterns and will implement necessary changes as needed.  

Finally, during the afternoon carline, parents of preschool through 4th grades are asked to please leave your cartag with your child’s name visible for teachers to see until after your child is safely in your car.

It is a great day to be a LION!

Dear CCS Families,  

I would like to welcome all our families to the new school year! I hope that your summer was restful. There are several items that I would like to bring to your attention.

For the past 4 months, the leadership team, the School Board Governance Committee, and an outside consultant have worked to reformat and revise the 2024-25 Parent/Student handbook. This is the first complete revision of the handbook since my tenure as Head of School started in July of 2018. Leadership had several goals in mind with this review. The first goal was to reformat the handbook so the policies therein are easier to understand and locate. The next goal was to ensure that the different sections of the handbook do not contradict each other across the different levels (Lower, Academy and Upper School). Finally, it was our goal to reword policies to current operational procedures (such as covid policies) and to add new information such as an Artificial Intelligence policy or Tennessee state policies concerning graduation requirements. You can access the handbook located on our website under the “Parent Page.”

I have listed other major changes to our handbook below.

• Extracurricular Eligibility - The extracurricular eligibility policy was changed to reflect the TSSAA policy. The policy will be applied to all extracurricular activities. The policy is easier to follow and enforce.
• Absences - There are no longer excused and unexcused absences. Students have 8 absences a semester to use as your family desires. This change also closely aligns with the state mandatory attendance law of 10% absences per semester. Most private and public schools in the area have a similar policy in regards to absences.  Students who have extenuating circumstances and accumulate more than 8 absences will require an administrative review.
• Tardies - There are no longer excused or unexcused tardies. Students will receive 5 tardies to school per nine weeks. Once a student exceeds the allotted number of 5, the administration will take corrective action.
• Dress Code - Students must always wear a CCS approved polo except for dress down days and other special days announced by the administration.
• Harassment/ Bullying - In the spring, the state legislature passed a law that defines bullying and linked the new policy to the harassment policy already on the books. In short, bullying is now under the Tennessee Law covering Harassment, Cyber-bullying and Intimidation. CCS will follow the requirements for reporting written into the law.
• Artificial Intelligence Policy - The board approved AI policy was written after extensive research into the educational  literature now available. This policy is a starting point and will be reviewed regularly by leadership and the board as AI platforms change.
• Lower School / Academy / Upper School structure - The handbook terminology now reflects the new operational structure of the Lower School, Academy, and Upper School.
• New Website - In addition, leadership worked closely with the same consultant over the same timeframe to overhaul the CCS website. I’m excited to announce that our new website is LIVE! While many things on the site are updated, please remember that it remains a work in progress. We look forward to continuing to make ongoing improvements in the weeks ahead.  

I would like to introduce Jake Stough who will be serving as the school nurse for the 2024-25 school year. He has worked in emergency services as a medic and wildfire firefighter, as well as, in a hospital setting in emergency, urgent care, or intensive care departments. His history with Concord Christian School runs deep as he has been a part of FBC since he was 11 years old. His office is located in the new Lower School office area.

In the next few weeks, I will send parents an executive summary of the 2023-2024 Parent Survey. The Board discussed the summary and asked questions at the most recent board meeting. One area mentioned often in the survey was the lunch program offered by Chef Advantage. Over the summer, leadership from FBC/CCS worked closely on significant kitchen upgrades. At the sametime,  Chef Advantage management implemented  several corporate changes that should satisfy the concerns mentioned in the report. Again, I will send the executive summary in a few weeks.

As you drive on campus tomorrow, you will notice several construction projects still in progress. One project that is nearing completion is the refurbishment of the student gym and student ministries area. Both projects are scheduled for inspection this week; however, for the first few days, students will eat either in their classroom, the FLC area or the Gathering Space. Leadership is expecting this delay to last only a few days. We should be back in the student life gym for the second week of school.

We covet your prayers for the 2024-25 school year and believe that the Father has something very special in store for CCS this year. As we make praying for our school a priority, I believe He will hear our prayer and work in a mighty way this year. As always, if I can assist you in any way, please reach out to me.