Teachers are hired; tuition set at $4,500; 35 children are enrolled
By Ceri Larson Danes • Staff writer • June 3, 2009 Eastern Shore News
CAPE CHARLES — It was just about a month ago that Berkley Rayfield appeared before the Cape Charles Town Council to ask for a work session to explore locating an independent Christian school in the town-owned former high school.
Today, the local pharmacist and a cadre of supporters are set to open their doors on Sept. 8.
It won’t be at the high school location at first –Rayfield and others never anticipated such early occupancy of the long-unused building in need of a major overhaul.
Instead, classes likely will be held in space at Cape Charles Baptist and Trinity United Methodist churches with hopes that a deal with the town over the use of the school will soon be struck and renovation work started.
If all goes according to plan, and so far it has, classes would begin in the fall of 2010 in the rehabilitated school that anchors the revitalized Central Park, once again filling the high-ceilinged halls with the sounds of children.
So far, local families have signed up 35 children. The first year offers instruction to ages pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, with plans to add at least one grade every year through 12th grade.
Longtime Kiptopeke Elementary Principal Gwyn Coghill will sign on in the same role at the new school. She announced her retirement earlier this year.
Andrea Price, also a former Northampton Public School administrator and middle school principal, will serve as principal for grades six through eight, while Coghill focuses on the younger grades.
Three certified teachers and an aide have also been hired. Carrie Cabello will teach pre-kindergarten through first grade; Leslie Savage, second and third grades; and Kate Tayloe, fourth and fifth. Victor Abrahamian has joined as a general teacher’s aide.
School enthusiasm
Rayfield and Kate Brown, an enthusiastic supporter, walked the property Friday. The sense of the school-to-be was palpable despite peeling paint, falling ceilings and windows and asbestos floor tiles in need of replacement.
“We’ll get it all fixed up,” she said. “I’m not worried about that.”
Brown, the mother of two future students aged 3 and 1 moved to the Shore a few years ago from Dallas, but her mother is a Cheriton native and grew up with Rayfield’s mother.
“We are trying to teach or address the whole child,” Brown said, “not just academics but the body, spirit and social consciousness.
“We are really trying to be an extension of a really strong church and family, rather than a replacement for them.”
The mission is to prepare students for the world, not to protect them from it.
Class sizes are expected to range from eight to 10 students with clustered grade levels that will facilitate independent learning and teaching.
The enthusiasm for the school is reflected in the sign-ups and the interest of faculty and administrators, most if not all working at reduced compensation rates from the public school system, where teachers routinely speak out about low wages.
Coghill, Rayfield said, offered to work the first year without pay.
“All the teachers are taking a cut to do this,” he said. “They are so excited.”
“One said it is a teacher’s dream to start a new school,” Brown said.
Rayfield is counting on the enthusiasm of the local community. He’s still determined that his original fundraising plan to find 2,000 sponsors to pledge $500 each will pay for the needed $1 million in improvements to the former high school.
Local Realtor Linda Buskey is organizing corporate sponsorships and support, some of which may help establish scholarships and financial aid. She hopes to match the local $1 million contribution through corporate gifts.
There will be a big emphasis on parental and community involvement. Brown and Rayfield plan to bring in people from the community — from builders to local artists –to add to the learning environment.
All teachers are certified in their subject areas and Rayfield said the school is already working toward accreditation, a two-year process.
Diverse curriculum
The curriculum will have a greater emphasis on literature, with more local environmental, ecological and historical study, too.
Overall, core subjects include English, math, science and social studies, with special areas of study in Bible, health and physical education, library and computer, the visual and performing arts and community service.
The former school provides a natural spot for sports, too, with adjacent town tennis courts and the open fields of central park in front.
A crew team is in the works, and other sports will likely include basketball, track, cross country, soccer, volleyball and others.
Teachers — two of those already on board are Sunday school teachers — will use the Bible to teach values and will work with local pastors.
“Obviously it is a Christian school,” Brown said of the new non-denominational option. “We are not going to gloss over that.”
The application for 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit status is in process and in the next few weeks Rayfield plans to roll out a promotional DVD to help with fundraising and community support.
Local churches can pool parishioner support to sponsor a child’s education.
“Part of the preparing, not protecting, is having diversity,” Brown said of the school’s mission. “We don’t want just one segment of the county’s demographic. We want a mix.”
Tuition for the first year is $4,500, but some discounts may apply. Families can save $500 on the first child and $1,500 on the second child by signing up by June 8.
The organizers are forming a board of trustees and seeking nominations. Contact the school at 757-331-1717 or www.questions@capecharleschristian.org for more information or to make a nomination. Follow the school’s progress at www.capecharleschristian.org.
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