Dade Christian School
Encyclopedia
Dade Christian School is a private school (kindergarten
-twelfth grade
) located in Country Club, Florida
and operated by New Testament Baptist Church. DCS has a 2011-2012 enrollment of 793. In 2008, it was the second largest private school in Miami-Dade. The school was named a Blue Ribbon School in 1984. Its sister school is The Master's Academy in Broward
which is a K-8 school
with a 2009-2010 enrollment of 305.
, the American Association of Christian Schools
, and the Baptist University of America
. The next pastor E.G. Robertson pastored until 1986 and oversaw Dade Christian when it was named a Blue Ribbon School in 1984.
ruled in favor of the plaintiff in what was considered an open question left by the Supreme Court at the time. The court failed to produce a majority opinion, though, deciding to limit themselves to the specifics of the case. They concluded that even if it was a part of the school's religious beliefs, it was a minor one and thus outweighed by anti-discrimination rules. This brought up questions regarding the free exercise of religion
if courts can determine what a religion holds.
concert at the Orange Bowl
. School officials sent a letter to parents justifying this decision and stating that "rock music is associated with dancing, drinking, the drug scene and other unacceptable behavior."
followed and pastored from 1995 to 2009.
Under the direction of Mike Sonneborn, the DCS football team had its best performance ever in 2006. It had a 12-1 season combined with postseason; it ultimately lost to the FHSAA
Class 1A champion, Glades Day School
from Belle Glade, in the State Semifinals 34-12. It was the closest loss of any Belle Glade playoff game as Glades Day had defeated Northside Christian High School 61-18 in the Regional Semifinals, Fort Meade High School from Fort Meade, Florida
44-0 in the Regional Finals, and after the DCS game went on to beat North Florida Christian High School
at Dolphin Stadium
42-9 to take the championship. Sonneborn was selected as one the Miami Dolphins
coaches of the week in 2006 and $1,500 was donated to the DCS football program.
, the junior high team won first place with a rendition of Grease. The elementary stunt group also finished first, and Christina Irizarry won first place in the 9th & 10th grade division with an almost perfect score. She was given a National Champion Title.
In 2007, she was captain of the Junior-Varsity team at DCS, which had a winning record in the 2006-2007 season. Before leaving to Las Vegas, Tiffany got to shoot around with the Miami Heat and try on the 2006 championship ring.
church with two locations: Dade Christian School and The Master's Academy. The President and Senior Pastor was Dino J. Pedrone
before he left to be the full-time president of Davis College
on November 22, 2009. Former Miami Dolphins
player Don McNeal
is currently the Children's Ministry overseer.
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
-twelfth grade
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
) located in Country Club, Florida
Country Club, Florida
Country Club is a census-designated place and an unincorporated suburban community located in northwest Miami-Dade County, Florida. The population was 36,310 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Country Club is located at ....
and operated by New Testament Baptist Church. DCS has a 2011-2012 enrollment of 793. In 2008, it was the second largest private school in Miami-Dade. The school was named a Blue Ribbon School in 1984. Its sister school is The Master's Academy in Broward
Broward County, Florida
-2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,623,018 people, 654,445 households, and 411,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,346 people per square mile . There were 741,043 housing units at an average density of 615 per square mile...
which is a K-8 school
K-8 school
A K-8 school in the United States is a school that combines both elementary school and middle school students in the range from kindergarten through eighth grade.- Examples :* David Lawrence Jr. K-8 Center, North Miami, Florida...
with a 2009-2010 enrollment of 305.
History
Founding
New Testament Baptist Church was founded in 1954 and Dade Christian School in 1961 by Pastor Al Janney. Al Janney founded Dade Christian School in reaction to court decisions removing mandatory prayer from public schools and as a segregation academy. Al Janney pastored New Testament Baptist Church until 1976. He also founded the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and SchoolsFlorida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools is an organization that accredits Florida's Christian schools. It holds teachers conventions and annual competitions for its member schools...
, the American Association of Christian Schools
American Association of Christian Schools
The American Association of Christian Schools is a United States organization, based in East Ridge, Tennessee, that unifies individual Christian schools and statewide Christian school associations across the country for the purpose of accreditation, competition, and group benefits.-State...
, and the Baptist University of America
Baptist University of America
Baptist University of America is a now defunct college that was located in Decatur, Georgia near Atlanta.It was made up of a merger of five separate seminaries.-History:...
. The next pastor E.G. Robertson pastored until 1986 and oversaw Dade Christian when it was named a Blue Ribbon School in 1984.
Segregation ruling
In 1973 a lawsuit was brought against Dade Christian School by an African-American couple named in the court documents as Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Brown, Jr. At the time, Dade Christian was an all-white school. The Browns sought injunctive and monetary relief against the school for not allowing their two daughters to attend. The couple had been handed a card that said the policy of the school was "one of nonintegration" and had been asked to leave. The school claimed in their defense that it was against their religious belief to have a desegregated school because of their belief objecting to interracial marriages. The school lost, leaving Brown's attorney to comment that the last quasi-legal segregation had been eliminated. Surprisingly, the Browns still wanted their children to attend the school. When Dade Christian School appealed the ruling in Brown v. Dade Christian School, Inc. (581 F.2d 472) in 1977, The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Louisiana* Middle District of Louisiana...
ruled in favor of the plaintiff in what was considered an open question left by the Supreme Court at the time. The court failed to produce a majority opinion, though, deciding to limit themselves to the specifics of the case. They concluded that even if it was a part of the school's religious beliefs, it was a minor one and thus outweighed by anti-discrimination rules. This brought up questions regarding the free exercise of religion
Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment
The Free Exercise Clause is the accompanying clause with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause together read:...
if courts can determine what a religion holds.
Jackson 5 concert
In 1984, the school forbade students from attending The Jackson 5The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
concert at the Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
. School officials sent a letter to parents justifying this decision and stating that "rock music is associated with dancing, drinking, the drug scene and other unacceptable behavior."
Subsequent pastors
Kirk Nowery pastored from 1986 to 1994 and founded the Master's Academy. Dino PedroneDino Pedrone
Dr. Dino J. Pedrone is the President of Davis College. He had served as Senior Pastor of New Testament Baptist Church in the South Florida from 1995 to 2009. He oversaw New Testament Baptist Church's two locations and its two school Dade Christian School and the Master's Academy...
followed and pastored from 1995 to 2009.
2006 football team
Under the direction of Mike Sonneborn, the DCS football team had its best performance ever in 2006. It had a 12-1 season combined with postseason; it ultimately lost to the FHSAA
Florida High School Athletic Association
The Florida High School Athletic Association is an organization whose purpose is to organize sports competition for high school It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations ....
Class 1A champion, Glades Day School
Glades Day School
Glades Day School is a K-12 private school located in Palm Beach County, northeast of Belle Glade, Florida. It accredited by the FCIS . It was founded in 1965 by parents and continues to be governed by parents....
from Belle Glade, in the State Semifinals 34-12. It was the closest loss of any Belle Glade playoff game as Glades Day had defeated Northside Christian High School 61-18 in the Regional Semifinals, Fort Meade High School from Fort Meade, Florida
Fort Meade, Florida
Fort Meade is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,691 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 5,761...
44-0 in the Regional Finals, and after the DCS game went on to beat North Florida Christian High School
North Florida Christian High School
North Florida Christian School is a private school located in Tallahassee, Florida, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Florida Association of Christian Colleges, and the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation. It was founded in 1966 by Pastor...
at Dolphin Stadium
Dolphin Stadium
Sun Life Stadium is an American football stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami. It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins National Football League team, and the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. It also hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football bowl game. It...
42-9 to take the championship. Sonneborn was selected as one the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
coaches of the week in 2006 and $1,500 was donated to the DCS football program.
FACCS spelling bee
At the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (FACCS) 2006 spelling bee, three DCS eight graders were represented. Michael Olagbemi placed 1st, Peter Lo 5th, and Teresa Kilzi 12th in all of Florida.Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders national competition
At the 2006 Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders National Competition in OrlandoOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, the junior high team won first place with a rendition of Grease. The elementary stunt group also finished first, and Christina Irizarry won first place in the 9th & 10th grade division with an almost perfect score. She was given a National Champion Title.
National Jr. WNBA
In February 2007, Tiffany Suarez, a DCS 6th grader during the 2006-2007 school year was chosen to be one of the ten members out of 750,000 candidates of the Jr. NBA/WNBA national team. She got to travel to Las Vegas where she participated in the NBA's All-Star Weekend. Tiffany is part of the Tony Fryer's One-on-One Basketball Academy in South Florida and plays on the Girls Got Game travel team. She has earned the following awards on the team:- Amateur Athletic UnionAmateur Athletic UnionThe Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
State Champion - USSSA Regional MVP
- USSSA National All-Tournament Player
- USSSA National Three-Point Shooting Champion
- USSSA National Champion
In 2007, she was captain of the Junior-Varsity team at DCS, which had a winning record in the 2006-2007 season. Before leaving to Las Vegas, Tiffany got to shoot around with the Miami Heat and try on the 2006 championship ring.
New Testament Baptist Church
New Testament Baptist Church is an independent BaptistIndependent Baptist
Independent Baptist churches are Christian churches generally holding to conservative Baptist beliefs. They are characterized by being independent from the authority of denominations or similar bodies. Members of such churches comprised three percent of the United States adult population according...
church with two locations: Dade Christian School and The Master's Academy. The President and Senior Pastor was Dino J. Pedrone
Dino Pedrone
Dr. Dino J. Pedrone is the President of Davis College. He had served as Senior Pastor of New Testament Baptist Church in the South Florida from 1995 to 2009. He oversaw New Testament Baptist Church's two locations and its two school Dade Christian School and the Master's Academy...
before he left to be the full-time president of Davis College
Davis College
Davis College is a Bible College located in Greater Binghamton, New York in the Village of Johnson City, New York, USA.-History:Davis College began back in April 1900 in the mind of its founder the Reverend and Evangelist John Adelbert Davis. He wanted to start a school similar to that what was...
on November 22, 2009. Former Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
player Don McNeal
Don McNeal
Don McNeal is a former American professional football player who played defensive back for the Miami Dolphins in the 1980s....
is currently the Children's Ministry overseer.