Raleigh Christian Academy

Infobox School
caption = School Mascot
name = Raleigh Christian Academy


image_size = 190px
established = 1977
type = Private
grades = K-12
accreditation = AACS, NCCSA
tuition = $4,815
administrator = Dwight Ausley
location = 2110 Trawick Road
city = Raleigh
state = NC
zipcode = 27604
country = USA
religion = Protestant Christian
denomination = Free Will Baptist
affiliation = [http://www.ahomeforyourfamily.com/ Beacon Baptist Church]
conference =
staff = 70
students = 600
campus = Suburban, 25 acres
free_label = School colors
free_text = navy, white, and red
color box|#000080 color box|white color box|#FF0000
mascot = Eagles
website = [http://www.raleighchristian.com/ www.raleighchristian.com]

Raleigh Christian Academy is a private, Christian, coeducational, primary and secondary day school located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Also known as Raleigh Christian or simply RCA, the school seeks to educate students in a traditional Christian environment.

History

In the fall of 1977, 17 students and 2 teachers met together in the facilities of Beacon Baptist Church (then named First Free Will Baptist Church) in the inaugural year of Raleigh Christian Academy. Pastor Emeritus Randy Cox chose Richard and Gwen Tippett to come and help start the school. With both teaching (and Dr. Tippett doubling as the academy principal) the school began simply with combination classes of kindergarten four and five year olds and first and second graders. Each year, another grade was added, as well as a teacher for that grade. Adding growth slowly and deliberately was by design so that the church could adjust to classroom and faculty needs in a gradual manner.

In 1987, under the leadership of Dr. Tippett, Raleigh Christian Academy produced its very first graduating class with 11 seniors receiving diplomas from the school. Since then, hundreds of students have graduated from Raleigh Christian Academy. Today, RCA has an enrollment in preschool through 12th grade of nearly 600 students, a faculty of 45, and a total staff of 70. [ [http://www.raleighchristian.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=7&id=19&Itemid=28 Raleigh Christian Academy - History ] ]

Educational Philosophy

"Raleigh Christian Academy operates with a traditional philosophy towards education meaning that:
*1. The teacher is in charge of the classroom.
*2. The teacher is responsible for providing a structured atmosphere of order in which the students will learn.
*3. The teacher has the authority to administer discipline to each child.
*4. Homework is assigned regularly and expected to be completed on time.
*5. Our textbooks are God-centered, teaching spiritual truths, morality, and patriotism.
*6. The curriculum is paced for the average student.
*7. Drill work and memorization are key tools in instruction.
*8. Reading is taught by phonics.
*9. The teacher is professional in manner, but servant-minded.
*10. True learning takes place in this order: 1st Control, 2nd Communication, 3rd Learning
*11. Rules and standards are not obsolete and outdated.
*12. God’s Word is truth.

We are in opposition to progressive education in which the emphasis is upon the following:
*1. Questioning the answers
*2. Experimentation
*3. The innate goodness of man
*4. The suppressive nature of discipline
*5. The relativity of all things (including morals)
*6. Omitting God and His Word from the educational processWe hold that Christian education is a mandate from God to the Christian family (Matthew28:18-20). Because of Scripture verses like Proverbs 19:27; 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:69;
Colossians 2:8, we feel we must provide an atmosphere more conducive to the precepts of the Bible.We support parents that teach their children morals, such as truthfulness, purity, honesty,patriotism, faithfulness, and a high regard for standards. Every subject is taught in light ofBible truth. We accept God’s Word as the final authority. Our school is a ministry and apart of Beacon Baptist Church. We exist because of our church, and we operate in harmonywith our other church ministries." [http://www.raleighchristian.com/cms/images/pdf/student%20parent%20handbook%20ms-sh.pdf]

Academics

Preschool

RCA offers a preschool program for children aged four. They are introduced to phonics, cursive writing, language development skills, and the Bible. Raleigh Christian Academy's stated goal is to provide essential academic skills and character traits that will prepare them for kindergarten and elementary school.

Kindergarten

In the kindergarten program, students are taught the phonics approach to reading. In math, students count up to one hundred. Using the A Beka Book Curriculum, RCA's kindergarten students are taught cursive writing, adding, subtracting, telling time, recognizing and counting money. Science, social studies, health, and the Bible are also taught in the program. [ [http://www.raleighchristian.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=8&id=24&Itemid=34 Raleigh Christian Academy - Preschool/Kindergarten ] ]

Elementary school

RCA's elementary school students are taught in a classroom setting focusing on the basics. Each elementary grade has daily classes in Bible, math, phonics/language, spelling, writing, as well as health, history, science, and foreign language. First graders learn sentence structure, while multiplication and division skills are taught in second grade. Parts of speech are introduced in third grade, and students learn to diagram in grade four. Fifth grade students do a complete research paper in preparation for their middle school years. [ [http://www.raleighchristian.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=8&id=25&Itemid=35 Raleigh Christian Academy - Elementary ] ]

Middle school

Students have the option to enroll in the academy's accelerated math program. RCA's middle school includes changing classes, lockers, and more prominent field trips. With the academy's curriculum, students also prepare science projects, research projects, take computer classes, and participate in physical education daily. [ [http://www.raleighchristian.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=8&id=26&Itemid=36 Raleigh Christian Academy - Middle School ] ]

High school

High school students are offered honors courses as well as accelerated math program. The school has a small teacher-student ratios in order to keep instruction personal and allow for more individual attention. Raleigh Christian Academy is accredited by the North Carolina Christian School Association (NCCSA) and is in the final stages of gaining accreditation through the American Association of Christian Schools (AACS).

The stated goal of the academy is to meet the needs and challenges facing students as they prepare for college. During the last fifteen years, RCA's SAT results for graduating seniors has averaged 150 points higher than the North Carolina average and over 100 points higher than the national average. SAT scores average between 1150 and 1250. [ [http://www.raleighchristian.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=8&id=27&Itemid=37 Raleigh Christian Academy - Senior High School ] ]

Fine Arts

Music

Weekly music classes are taught to all students beginning in kindergarten. Students may try out for choirs beginning in fourth grade. The senior high choir, chorale, and ensemble have received numerous awards and recognized nationally for their performances.Fact|date=February 2008 Students may join one of RCA's three band programs and begin individual lessons starting in fourth grade. Individual piano lessons are offered before, during, or after school. The school offers a strings program after school four days each week. Students may take private voice lessons that are taught by the academy's music faculty. Two handbell choirs are offered to students in middle school and senior high.

Art

Weekly art classes are available to all academy students beginning in kindergarten. Art electives are offered to students at RCA beginning in the middle school grades and continuing into senior high school where students can take art courses for credit.

peech and oratory

Senior high students at Raleigh Christian Academy are required to take a half credit speech and public speaking course as a part of their graduation requirements. Students participate in regular speech and oratory activities on campus and participate in fine arts competitions during the spring semester. [ [http://www.raleighchristian.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=9&id=29&Itemid=40 Raleigh Christian Academy - Fine Arts ] ]

Athletics

RCA offers a range of sports for both middle school and high school students. Girls' sports include volleyball, cheerleading, basketball, golf, and fast-pitch softball. Soccer, basketball, baseball, and golf are offered for the boys. [ [http://www.raleighchristian.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=12&id=45&Itemid=92 Raleigh Christian Academy - Philosophy ] ]

Controversy

In 1984, RCA assistant principal (and current school administrator) Dwight Ausley was found guilty of child abuse, after he paddled a ten-year-old student who failed to complete a homework assignment. When the child's mother complained to then RCA principal Richard Tippett about the punishment of her child which left bruises for three weeks, Tippett responded by giving her a taped sermon by Pastor Randy Cox (then pastor of the church associated with Raleigh Christian Academy). In the sermon, Pastor Cox paraphrased a passage from the Bible by stating, "Better a son dead than disobedient." During the trial, District Attorney Deborah Shandles stated that "the child lost his breath and lost his balance and he (Ausley) was so engrossed in the beating he did not notice.... He chose to beat a 10-year-old child to teach him a lesson he would not forget for a long time, all for a homework assignment. That is not an accident, that is malice." [ [http://www.nospank.net/vcb.htm How to Prevent Violent Criminal Behavior in the Next Generation ] ]

On appeal, Mr Ausley was found not guilty by an 11-1 vote. The superior court judge dismissed the case. The state appealed the dismissal which brought the case to the court of appeals. The appeals court upheld the superior court’s decision to dismiss all charges.Fact|date=August 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.raleighchristian.com/ School website]
* [http://www.ahomeforyourfamily.com/ Beacon Baptist Church website]