Dear Classical Charter Schools of America parents, families, and friends, 

With the end of the 2023-2024 school year approaching, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude for all that our students and staff have accomplished. This year has been marked by growth, achievements, and unforgettable moments.

The year began with our schools being recognized by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University as educational top performers in the country, specifically identified as “gap busters.” This means that our schools are among the best in the nation at ensuring students from all backgrounds succeed in school. In addition, We were thrilled to achieve a national Top 20 ranking on the CLT8, a Classical Learning Test administered to hundreds of schools nationwide. CCS-Leland, in fact, was the only public, open to all, and tuition-free school in the top 20. Both recognitions are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire school community.

This year also brought many exciting firsts within the CCS-America system, including the launch of

middle school sports with the inaugural basketball season and our first Spelling Bee. We celebrated the opening of two new auditoriums that provide spaces for these events and more. Students also continued to compete in FASTAR and the History Bowl; showcased their talents in state and national competitions in archery, cheerleading, and Science Olympiad, and proudly represented the CCS-America community in Beta Club, the national student society that promotes “the ideals of academic achievement, character, leadership, and service.”

Throughout the year, we maintained a focus on school safety while upholding our traditional, classical values and curriculum. Students honed skills like cursive writing and Latin while excelling in subjects such as history, math, science, and reading.

As we reflect on these successes of this past year, I am excited about the future and continued

achievements that lie ahead in our 25th year of academic excellence. I extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated staff, supportive parents, and hardworking students for making this year truly memorable. We wish you all a restful and enjoyable summer break.

Warm regards,

Baker A. Mitchell, Founder

Visit ShopRBA for Your Uniform Needs! 

Get ready for the upcoming school year by purchasing your student’s uniform at ShopRBA! The online store carries long lasting, quality clothing at an affordable price. Orders are conveniently delivered to your student’s campus within 7-10 business days.

Please take note of the uniform requirements and changes for the 2024-2025 school year. Navy bottoms, navy dresses, and hoodies will not be permitted. Visit www.ShopRBA.school to see approved items and easily place your order.

We are excited to see you all in uniform for the 2024-2025 school year!

ShopRBA

Uniform Policy

Classical Charter Schools of Southport Welcomes New Headmaster

It is with great pleasure that we announce Mr. Luke Laslovich will assume the position of Headmaster at Classical Charter Schools of Southport for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year. With over 20 years of teaching and administrative experience in Montana and at two of our CCS-America campuses, Mr. Laslovich stresses high-quality instruction, commitment to the RBA curriculum and methods, and strong communication skills with students and families. We are thrilled for him to bring his expertise to lead CCS-Southport and further strengthen our classical approach to education.

Over the past quarter, Mr. Laslovich has been working side by side with Mr. Stidham to ensure a smooth transition into the Headmaster role. We extend our gratitude to Mr. Stidham for his stellar leadership at CCS-Southport and are pleased to share that he will be returning to the classroom for the 2024-2025 school year.

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Laslovich to the leadership team at CCS-Southport. We look forward to the continued growth and success of the campus under his guidance.

Basketball Season Comes to a Close

The first CCS-America basketball season has officially come to a close. Congratulations to all of the athletes for their hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship displayed throughout the six games.

In celebration of the end of this season, we invite you to join us today at 4:30 for the long-anticipated student-staff basketball showdown in the CCS-Leland gym. Not only will we enjoy some friendly competition, but we also will be presenting the season champions with their first-place trophies and medals.

As we wrap up this season, we are already looking forward to the 2024-2025 CCS-America sports programs! Soccer will kick off in August, basketball will return in December, and baseball and softball are set for March. If your middle school student is interested in joining our sports programs, please get in touch with your athlete’s PE teacher for sign-up information or contact Dean LaFave at jlafave@rogerbacon.net.

Thank you to all of our athletes, coaches, and supporters for making this inaugural season a success. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for CCS-America sports.

Staff and student basketball game information

It’s National Charter Schools Week! 

This week, May 12-18, we celebrate the power of YOUR voice in your student’s education!

We are proud to honor and acknowledge the 8,000 charter schools, 251,000 teachers, and the countless lawmakers who advocate for the nearly 4 million charter students nationwide. Every student and family deserves access to a high-quality public education, and student-centered charter schools have the ability to cater to the needs of each family and community in ways that traditional district schools cannot.

We are grateful to you for choosing Classical Charter Schools of America and for being a vital part of the movement that is improving the lives of millions of students across the nation. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to educational excellence.

Celebrate National Charter Schools Week

EOG Tips and Tricks 

As we approach the end-of-grade (EOG) testing period, we want to ensure our students are prepared and supported for success. This Friday, 5th and 8th graders will be taking the Science EOG, followed by the Reading EOG on Tuesday, May 21, and the Mathematics EOG on Wednesday, May 22 for grades 3-8. To help our students perform their best, here are some tips for parents and guardians to assist them during this crucial time:

Create a quiet and dedicated space for your student to complete and review homework.
Encourage your student to explain what he or she has learned in school to reinforce their understanding.
Ensure your student gets enough rest with an early bedtime.
Help your student review any classwork or study review materials.
Be sure to serve healthy, well-balanced meals, especially for breakfast, to fuel your student’s day.
Help your student manage stress and anxiety by discussing expectations, concerns, and aspirations.
Start the testing day calmly to set a positive tone.
Remind your student to take the test seriously and to listen carefully to all instructions.
To combat test anxiety, encourage your student to take deep breaths to relax and utilize breaks during the test.
When the tests are complete, celebrate the hard work and achievements of your student!

NC DPI EOG Information

Race of Champions 

Classical Charter Schools of Southport held the 10th Annual FASTAR® Race of Champions on Wednesday, April 24th. Competitors from each CCS-America campus showcased incredible skill, speed, and accuracy.

Following four quick races, each with four “laps” of reading and math, CCS-Southport emerged victorious by a mere 2 seconds. Congratulations to all of the champion racers, with a special acknowledgement to CCS-Southport’s pit crew and racers for securing their second consecutive victory.

If your student is interested in participating in this thrilling academic race, make sure to sign them up for FASTAR® in the 2024-2025 school year!

Pictures

The 8th Annual History Bowl 

The Roger Bacon Academy hosted its 8th annual History Bowl last Friday, April 26th at Classical Charter Schools of Leland. Throughout the year, students have been studying up to 400 questions that may be asked during the competition. These questions align with The Roger Bacon Academy’s chronological history curriculum. The students showcased an impressive display of historical knowledge, sportsmanship, and competitive spirit.

This year marked a significant achievement as all four schools won a grade level! The competition was close, with the final round of the 8th grade competition even going into double sudden-death overtime. Congratulations to the following grades and campuses for bringing home trophies. All students should take pride in their hard work and performance.

 5th grade: CCS-Wilmington

 6th grade: CCS-Leland

 7th grade: CCS-Whiteville

 8th grade: CCS-Southport

We would also like to recognize 8th graders Gabriel Hughes and Josie Baroski of CCS-Southport, Walter Davis of CCS-Leland, and Macy Young of CCS-Whiteville for competing in the History Bowl since 5th grade.

Pictures

Students of the Month

CCS-America students are recognized monthly for displaying a specific character trait from our School Pledge that they not only say but also practice in their daily lives.

April’s character trait was Respect. Students who show respect treat others with honor and dignity. Respect is seen in the School Pledge as “I pledge to be obedient and loyal to those in authority.” CCS-America students apply these words to their everyday lives by treating adults with courtesy, using good manners, and treating their peers the way they want to be treated.

Congratulations to all of these students who demonstrated exemplary respect. Check them out on the links below!

CCS-Leland

CCS-Southport

CCS-Whiteville

Did You Know? A Cautionary Tale. 

Starting in kindergarten, consistent absence, whether excused or unexcused, can lead to children falling behind in school. 
Missing 10 percent of school days, that’s just two days a month, increases the chance that your student will not achieve the same level of reading and math proficiency as their peers.
Even missing a day or two every few weeks can hinder a student’s academic progress.

When a student accumulates 10 or more unexcused absences, the parent/guardian may be in violation of North Carolina’s Compulsory Attendance Law and could face prosecution if the absences cannot be justified under the established attendance policies. Recently, a parent at CCS-America received a jail sentence due to their child’s attendance record. Monitoring attendance closely, with letters sent home after 3, 6, and 10 unexcused days, aims to prevent families from being referred to the district attorney’s office and facing criminal court appearances. This offense is classified as a Class I Misdemeanor and could potentially result in up to 120 days of incarceration of the parent/guardian.

We miss your students when they are not in school, and we value their contributions to our community. We would like your help in ensuring that your student attends school regularly and achieves success academically. If your student is going to be absent, please contact the child’s teacher and send in a written note from you, the doctor, etc., excusing the absence.

It’s FASTAR Championship Week! 

CCS-America students competing in the annual FASTAR® (Fluent Academic Skills Tournament in Arithmetic and Reading) competition will race to the finish line this week, with the Race of Champions scheduled for next Wednesday, April 24th. CCS-Whiteville and CCS-Wilmington checkered-flag champions have completed their preliminaries after two exciting race days filled with close competition!

CCS-Leland will race today, April 17th, and CCS-Southport will race tomorrow, April 18th. All schools will then meet at The Race of Champions on April 24th, where the school with the most speed and accuracy will take home the final trophy!

Congratulations to CCS-Whiteville and CCS-Wilmington FASTAR® racers, pit crew members, and champions! Thank you to everyone for practicing with their student and for cheering the racers on!

CCS-Whiteville Pictures

CCS-Wilmington Pictures

RBA Cheer Excels at US Finals; Consider Joining! 

The RBA Athletics’ cheerleaders won several top prizes in the US Finals last weekend in Myrtle Beach. The US Finals is one of the largest competitions in the country, and RBA students came out strong with three National Titles and two Grand Champions for levels 1 and 2. Congratulations to all athletes and coaches on amazing performances!

RBA Athletics has been a reliable source of cheerleading excellence in the community for more than two decades and offers year-long competitive cheerleading to students at all four CCS-America campuses. Founded by Daryl and Jeane LaFave in 2004, the program started as a member of Coastal Pop Warner and quickly grew into a powerful force in recreational cheer. The program’s cornerstone values of discipline, teamwork, and integrity have been developed over time through the founders’ own experience in the sport. These values are instilled in every athlete who joins RBA Athletics, creating not just a team, but a family that works hard, supports each other, and extends beyond the gym.

The program’s impact on the community is evident in the many athletes who have returned to coach or bring their children to the program. While the program has earned many awards and accolades over the years, its greatest success is undoubtedly the lasting relationships it has helped nurture and build.

Join RBA Athletics today, and become part of a family that values excellence, hard work, and community.

Pictures

Join our email list

Science Olympiad Team Competes at State Tournament

This past weekend, CCS-Leland’s Science Olympiad team competed in the State Tournament at NC State University in Raleigh. The CCS-Leland students competed in the events for which they qualified at the regional competition last month. Thank you to the Science Olympiad team’s coaches. And congratulations to CCS-Leland competitors for placing in several events!

 4th place – Towers

 5th place – Air Trajectory

 7th place – Microbe Mission

 10th place – Wind Power

Science Olympiad is offered to all CCS-America Middle School students. Be sure to sign up for the elective to compete in next year’s events!

Pictures

Welcome to Quarter 4! 

We hope you all had a wonderful Spring Break! This year has flown by, and we are excited to finish the 2023-2024 school year strong! Here are the highlights to look forward to:

What are parents and teachers telling the State about CCS-Leland? Here is the State’s Report.

Every 10 years, each charter school must go through the NC state renewal process, and it is now CCS-Leland’s turn. Part of this process includes a site visit from personnel of The Office of Charter Schools to review the school’s progress toward meeting its charter’s mission. To get a complete picture of the school, the Office of Charter Schools personnel toured the school and met separately with three groups composed of parents, teaching staff, and administrators. Some of the comments from the renewal board’s site visit report are:

“The teachers and administrators have excellent communication with families. Families found that administrators were very accessible, and modes of communication were effective.”
“Teachers are responsive to student needs – they provide extra resources to families, tutoring, small groups, and parent conferences to ensure student success and well-being.”
” The school encourages parent and family engagement through events and promoting volunteerism in classrooms.”
“Staff are dedicated to school improvement and discussing student progress through the use of data meetings, meeting often with curriculum coaches, and progress meetings.”
“School administrators have a long history with the network of schools (Roger Bacon) and have all previously served as teachers and/or assistant administrators within the network. The network intentionally works to provide a pipeline of teacher leadership.”
“Administrators and curriculum coaches provide ample support for teaching staff and provide feedback related to instruction on a regular basis.”

Congratulations to all at CCS-Leland for such a glowing report!

Students of the Month 

CCS-America students are recognized monthly for displaying a specific character trait from our School Pledge that they not only say but also practice in their daily lives.

March’s character trait was Gratefulness. Students who are grateful show appreciation for what they have and do. Gratefulness is seen in the School Pledge as “I Pledge to be virtuous in all my deeds.” Students apply these words to their everyday lives by appreciating the people in their lives, saying “please and “thank you”, and enjoying what they have.

Congratulations to all of these students who demonstrated exemplary gratefulness. Check them out on the links below!

CCS-Leland

CCS-Southport

CC-Whiteville

CCS-Wilmington