North Cross School

North Cross School
Motto	Discover the Possibilities
Established	1944
Academic staff	100
Students	545
Location	Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Mascot	The Raiders
Website	www.northcross.org

North Cross School is an independent, co-educational, college-preparatory day school that serves children in Junior Kindergarten 3 through twelfth grade

School Stats

545 students
71% Faculty with advanced degrees
8:1 Student-to-faculty ratio
13 Average class size
20% Students of color
9 International students
18% Students receiving financial assistance
77 Campus acres (310,000 m²)
9 Buildings
3 Foreign languages taught JK-12
6 Full days devoted to community service
31 Senior speeches to be delivered this year
28 Interscholastic sports teams, 6-12
100% College matriculation

Accreditation

North Cross is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools.
In December 2008, and again in December 2009, the School was recognized as the "Best Place to Educate Your Kid" by Valley Business Front in Roanoke, Virginia.

Memberships

North Cross is a member of National Association of Independent Schools, National Association for College Admission Counseling, and Potomac and Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling, the Cum Laude Society and the Counsel for Advancement and Support of Education.

Honor Code

The students and faculty at North Cross School believe that they should work together in a spirit of honesty, fairness, and trust in which everyone is treated with dignity and respect. This spirit is embodied in a traditional Honor Code, which consists of three principles:

I will not lie.
I will not cheat.
I will not steal.

These principles are clear and obvious. They must inform and guide the behavior of every North Cross School student. The Honor Code demands that each student’s work be his/her own; that credit be given to those sources from which work may be derived; that no student give or receive help on any assignment without fully acknowledging that help; and that each student be honest and forthcoming in his/her relationship with faculty or fellow students.

At the start of each year, and throughout the academic year, faculty members and members of the Honor Council lead discussions with the student body about each aspect of the Honor Code. Each student is encouraged to live by the Honor Code and to report infractions of the Code. Each student must accept the responsibilities associated with the Code for it to be successful.

Academics

Lower School

The lower school has several different missions for its students. The lower school faculty focuses on academic progress of students, along with growth socially and academically. In that regard, the lower school program combines an outstanding educational program with a curriculum that stresses personal growth, initiative, and responsibility. Children in the lower school are encouraged to explore and develop their own talents, even as they are made increasingly aware of their relationship and responsibility to their peers, their teachers, and their families. To that end, faculty in the lower school work closely with parents to set appropriate and reasonable expectations and to provide support that fosters excellence, achievement and, at each step, the confidence needed to succeed.

Middle school

The middle school years are designed to challenge students academically as they develop and learn more about themselves individually. The middle school at North Cross School focuses on the educational, intellectual, social, physical, and emotional development of each student. By promoting scholarship, honor, integrity, and community responsibility, as well as providing an environment in which the students’ best interests are at the heart of every decision, the middle school has an immediate goal of preparing students for the academic rigor of the upper school.

Academic Program

Middle school students are surrounded by a faculty and staff who seek to help each student with their own academic and personal success. Teachers communicate regularly with parents, believing that a close partnership between the School and its families contributes greatly to the success of each child.

In a challenging but nurturing environment, students in grades six through eight sample courses from a broad curriculum: English, history, math, science, foreign language, fine arts, health, and physical education. Through these classes, students are given added instruction in study skills, organization management, and technology.

After each trimester, the middle school honors its most successful scholars at Academic Awards assemblies to announce honor roll recipients. Although North Cross School does not modify its curriculum for struggling students, formal support systems may be established, usually under the oversight of the student’s advisor.

A middle school play is performed each winter, and middle school students are encouraged to audition for the spring musical that is presented by students in grades four through twelve. Band and chorus classes perform in concerts twice a year, and a student art show is exhibited annually.

Various field trips are offered for middle school students. They participate in outdoor education excursions at each grade level and go on an annual ski trip. Likewise, many enriching programs from outside of the school are brought to NCS. A sampling from the 2006-07 school year include a Mill Mountain Theatre performance of "And Then They Came For Me," a play about the Holocaust; a concert by a championship barbershop quartet; and a presentation on art and archaeology from North Cross School alumni, Rick Brown (’66).

Upper School

The program in the upper school is guided by the notion that young people learn and grow most effectively when they are in a challenging environment surrounded by adults who know them well and who value them by maintaining clear, rigorous expectations with kindness.

Academic Program

The upper school faculty delivers a demanding, creative and innovative college prep curriculum culminating in college level work in every discipline. Indeed, academic offerings in the upper school most closely resemble those of a fine liberal arts college: introductory, honors, and Advanced Placement courses are available in English, math, the sciences, history, the arts, and foreign and classic languages — Spanish, French, and Latin. Students who graduate from the upper school find that their ability to read critically, write thoughtfully, and speak clearly and convincingly make the transition to college life a seamless one.

A central part of the curriculum is the Senior Project, a thesis-based research paper begun in the spring of the junior year. The end result is a three to four thousand word, fully documented paper submitted the following January. During the winter each student delivers a formal 15 minute address on his or her topic to the middle and upper schools. Other opportunities for independent work include a science research course, individual portfolio work in the fine arts, literary independent research (all formal courses in the curriculum) and independent studies in each discipline. North Cross School honors its top scholars with induction into the Cum Laude Society, the independent school equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa. North Cross School is one of only 13 schools in Virginia who have been accepted into the society.

Formal support systems can be put in place for struggling students under the oversight of the student’s advisor.

Advising Program

Each upper school student has an advisor on the Upper School faculty. Advisors are responsible for overseeing their advisees’ academic program by helping them with course selection, meeting with them to go over grades, and serving as a first contact point for parents. Advisors call parents at the beginning of the year and at each midterm and other times as needed. They also oversee academic support for struggling advisees. Students and advisors eat lunch together each Monday and work together on Community Service days.

In keeping with the philosophy of the upper school to have a relaxed atmosphere outside of the classroom, students are allowed to manage their own time during free periods. Ninth graders; however, begin the year in a supervised study hall (students who achieve First Honor Roll are excused from this). The building is expected to remain quiet and suitable for studying, but students may relax, listen to music and have conversations. They may leave the building. Students in academic difficulty (earning a C minus or below in one or more classes) are assigned to a supervised study hall until their grades rise.

Thursday Programs

Built into the upper school schedule is a block of time each Thursday after lunch for programming important for young adults that does not fit into academic courses. These programs are a mix of community-building, cultural and class-based events. Typical ones in a term might include a talent show, a trip to the Grandin Theater to view a film, a speaker or artistic presentation, or grade level meetings to address issues particular to a particular grade: preparation for the PSATs or SATs and ACTs, getting ready for a class trip, or work on college essays or the senior project.

Student life

Middle school

North Cross School encourages students to be involved in extracurricular activities in order to enrich their education. In the middle school, interscholastic athletic teams are offered. Students are also involved in the Student Council Organization, various clubs, and arts opportunities.

All students, regardless of ability or experience, are invited to participate on North Cross School athletic teams. Beginning in the 2007-08 school year, all middle school students will be required to play on a North Cross School team at least one season during the year. Options for boys in grades six through eight include football, cross country, basketball, wrestling, baseball, lacrosse, and soccer. Options for girls in grades six through eight include cross country, field hockey, volleyball, basketball, soccer, and softball. Eighth graders may also choose to participate in swimming, golf, or tennis.

To strengthen the bond across grades in the division, an intricate Intramural program exists where students compete in a variety of events. Approximately once a month, the middle school dedicates an hour to this program. Additionally, there are Red and White Days, which are school-wide competitions.

Middle school students participate in the Community Service program three times per year. Each advisory spends an entire day off campus volunteering for one of thirty-five local agencies.

Upper School

Although upper school classrooms are for the most part traditional and structured, outside the classes the environment is open and relaxed. In this way the upper school tries to balance its students’ growth by exposing them to a rigorous academic program and a wide variety of extracurricular experiences and by providing them with freedom and responsibility at appropriate developmental levels.

The upper school extra-curricular program is a mix of required and optional activities and events, all intended to expand student experience, increase community feeling and identity, and provoke intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth. All students attend weekly assemblies in the auditorium, which consist of talks by the Upper School Director on various topics ranging from morality to poetry to school life. The upper school also gathers as community for assemblies in the Commons before lunch for community announcements and during which the Director shares a “Quote of the Day” intended to provide thoughtful reinforcement of the School’s mission or commentary on current events. Three times a year students and faculty participate in the Community Service program. All students participate in intramurals which consist of a combination of class competitions and the Red and White days. Each grade takes a class trip designed to promote class cohesion and designed around a theme of importance to that grade. The junior class trip is a visit to two college campuses; the other three grades have outdoor trips.

In keeping with the philosophy of the upper school to have a relaxed atmosphere outside of the classroom, students are allowed to manage their own time during free periods.

Athletics

Opportunities for participation in team sports begin in the sixth grade. Coaches of teams at the middle school and junior varsity levels are encouraged to keep all players who try out for a team. The goal is to increase the player’s knowledge and understanding of the sport, and to teach basic skills. Junior varsity programs attempt to prepare players for varsity participation. At the varsity level winning takes a higher priority and teams are coached to play at the highest level of competition. Displaying good sportsmanship, a true sense of fair play, discipline, and high skill levels are important, regardless of the outcome of the contest.

Since 1975, the athletic program has benefited from participation in two athletic conferences. The girls compete in the Blue Ridge Conference which consists of sixteen schools, and the boys compete in the Virginia Independent Conference which consists of fifteen schools. North Cross students have the opportunity to participate on thirty one teams in thirteen sports.

Carter Athletic Center

The Carter Athletic Center (CAC) is a 62,000-square-foot (5,800 m²) facility that offers something for everyone, including swimming lessons for four-year-olds to exercise classes specifically for senior citizens. The CAC is home to the CCA Marlins, a nationally recognized USS swim team.

The CAC originated as the vision of Beirne Carter, the parent of a North Cross School graduate and a member of the Board of Trustees for many years. With the gracious support of Mr. Carter, a well-appointed center was designed with the purpose of providing North Cross School and the surrounding community a facility that promoted the values of healthy competition and physical fitness to the development of well-rounded citizens.

AMENITIES INCLUDE:

• Three basketball/volleyball/badminton courts
• Indoor track
• Cardio equipment
• Heated six lane, 25-yard indoor pool
• Squash and racquetball courts
• Free weight room
• Cybex strength training equipment
• Over 20 group exercise classes per week
• Spacious group exercise studio
• Outdoor tennis courts
• Clinical Exercise Specialist on staff
• Free fitness orientation with membership
• Nationally certified personal trainers

Going Green

North Cross School students and their families, along with the faculty and staff, have embarked on an ambitious effort this year to reduce the School’s carbon footprint and increase sustainability by “going green.”

Appointed by Seeley, Spanish Teacher and Community Service Director Malcolm Douglas is spearheading the effort as the chair of the School’s newly formed Environmental Action Committee (EAC). The committee began its work over the summer and has developed an extensive plan that involves the entire School community and focuses the School’s energies on a coordinated program. The program has three components: recycling, energy conservation, and education.

In addition to the EAC, three student groups are helping to run the program: SAVE (Students Actively Volunteering for the Environment), the middle school Environmental Club, and the lower school SCA.

One of the first changes the School made in its efforts to “go green” was the transition to environmentally friendly supplies and materials across campus – in classrooms, common spaces, and the Lemon Dining Hall. Additionally, recycling containers are now located in dozens of places across campus.

Under the leadership of former Director of Information Technology, Ray Baughman, the School has programmed energy conserving programs into all campus computers, and faculty and staff have been advised to turn off monitors nightly and shut down computers completely each weekend.

The Athletic Department, thanks to the diligence of Athletic Director Donna Satterwhite, has doubled up off-campus game schedules to reduce the number of miles buses travel.

Dr. Anthony Curtis’ Advanced Placement Environmental Science class continues to lead an on-campus paper recycling project in all campus buildings.

On Nov. 13, 2008, Seeley challenged the entire School to reduce the amount of electricity and natural gas consumed by 10 percent between the first day of the Winter term, Dec. 2, and the last day of April. Other elements of the challenge include reducing the amount of solid waste sent to landfills and instituting school-wide “Grey Days,” in which a concerted effort to turn off unneeded lights will be encouraged. Also on the horizon is a composting program in the Lemon Dining Hall, run by middle school students.

Adding to the educational component to the program, the lower, middle, and upper school each have a special “Green Board,” where energy use, solid waste and recycling numbers is posted, and information about energy issues and programs is displayed. The Boards will be maintained by the student groups involved.

Fundraising Events

Big Flea

Each year, North Cross School holds its annual Big Flea event. This is one of three Red and White fund raising events which supports the mission of North Cross School while increasing important outreach and service to the greater Roanoke Valley. Red and White events consist of three annual events designed to bring the community together to raise awareness about campus resources. The Big Flea raised more than $23,000 in 2008 and was attended by over two thousand people.

This enormous “yard sale” held for the last 30+ years, sells clothing and household goods donated to North Cross School by families, friends, and local businesses. At the conclusion of the sale, all unsold items are donated to local charities. Proceeds from the Big Flea help support the educational programming that make North Cross School the Roanoke Valley's premier independent school.

Mosaic

Mosaic is an online auction, featuring nearly 100 items, including artwork created by students in every grade level at North Cross School, held in the spring of each year.

Now in its third year, the Mosaic Online Auction is an innovative, creative and interactive way for the School to help raise some of the funds used each year to provide its independent school education to more than 500 students.

Other auction items include rentals at vacation homes/condos, tickets to various events, jewelry, items for the home, and sports memorabilia. Student artwork included in the auction is displayed in the Hancock Library, located on the North Cross School campus.

One of the greatest benefits of this online auction is that geographic location doesn't matter -anyone and everyone can log on and bid to help support the School.

Art with a Twist

Art With A Twist is one of five art shows held in the Logan Gallery each year. The shows, highlight the work of local, regional, and sometimes nationally known artists. With the exception of Art With A Twist, which kicks off with a Friday evening reception, each show is typically on display for about two months and kicks off with a Sunday afternoon reception. Community members are invited to visit the Gallery throughout the year. The exhibits also serve as an educational opportunity for students who may not otherwise be exposed to professional artwork on a regular basis. Community members are invited to attend North Cross School's annual Art With A Twist reception on Friday, May 2, at 6:30 p.m. in the Logan Gallery located in Slack Hall. The work of more than 40 local artists are displayed each year and proceeds from the show are used to support NCS educational programs.

Field Day

Field Day is the annual “Red and White Festival” that supports the School’s programs. Attended by hundreds of students and parents, plus members of the local community, the two-day event includes an art show, family picnic, athletic competitions, games, music, a food court, bake sale and raffle. In 2008, around 2,000 people attended and over $25,000 was raised.

Games and booths, such as a moon bounce, bungee run, cake walk, and face painting are set up for children. Homemade foods like casserole and individually wrapped treats are available for purchase, along with a garden shop with a variety of plants. There is also a raffle drawing each year, giving away prizes like gas cards, jewelry, grocery gift cards, and cruises.

Coordinates: 37°13′33″N 80°00′01″W / 37.225836°N 80.0004°W / 37.225836; -80.0004