Raleigh Christian Academy
Encyclopedia
Raleigh Christian Academy (RCA) is a private
, Christian
, coeducation
al, primary
and secondary
day school
located in Raleigh
, North Carolina
, United States
. Also referred to as simply Raleigh Christian, the school seeks to educate students in a traditional Christian environment.
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 350 students, a faculty of 35, and a total staff of 60.
"Raleigh Christian Academy operates with a traditional philosophy towards education
meaning that:
We are in opposition to progressive education in which the emphasis is upon the following:
We hold that Christian education is a mandate from God to the Christian family (Matthew
28:18-20). 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 of
Bible truth. We accept God’s Word as the final authority. Our school is a ministry and a
part of Beacon Baptist Church. We exist because of our church, and we operate in harmony
with our other church ministries."
, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
, chorale
, and ensemble
have received numerous awards and recognized nationally for their performances. 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.
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.
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.
, cheerleading
, basketball
, golf
, and fast-pitch softball. Soccer, basketball
, baseball
, and golf
are offered for the boys.
, after he paddled
a ten-year-old student who failed to complete a homework assignment. School officials stated the paddling was due to the child's defiant behavior when confronted by the teacher and not due to the missed 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." This account has been disputed by the school. 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
."
On appeal, Ausley was found not guilty by an 11-1 vote. During the appeal, it was discovered that the noted bruising was in fact caused by corporal punishment administered post-incident at home by the child's own father. The superior court judge subsequently 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.
The school no longer uses employee-administered corporal punishment.
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
, Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al, primary
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
and secondary
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
day school
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
located in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Also referred to as simply Raleigh Christian, 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 350 students, a faculty of 35, and a total staff of 60.
Educational Philosophy
RCA states its educational philosophy to be as follows:"Raleigh Christian Academy operates with a traditional philosophy towards education
Traditional education
Traditional education or back-to-basics refers to long-established customs found in schools that society has traditionally deemed appropriate. Some forms of education reform promote the adoption of progressive education practices, a more holistic approach which focuses on individual students'...
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 process
We hold that Christian education is a mandate from God to the Christian family (Matthew
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
28:18-20). Because of Scripture verses like Proverbs
Book of Proverbs
The Book of Proverbs , commonly referred to simply as Proverbs, is a book of the Hebrew Bible.The original Hebrew title of the book of Proverbs is "Míshlê Shlomoh" . When translated into Greek and Latin, the title took on different forms. In the Greek Septuagint the title became "paroimai paroimiae"...
19:27; 22:6; Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy
The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch...
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 of
Bible truth. We accept God’s Word as the final authority. Our school is a ministry and a
part of Beacon Baptist Church. We exist because of our church, and we operate in harmony
with our other church ministries."
Preschool
RCA offers a preschool program for children aged four. They are introduced to phonicsPhonics
Phonics refers to a method for teaching speakers of English to read and write that language. Phonics involves teaching how to connect the sounds of spoken English with letters or groups of letters and teaching them to blend the sounds of letters together to produce approximate pronunciations...
, cursive
Cursive
Cursive, also known as joined-up writing, joint writing, or running writing, is any style of handwriting in which the symbols of the language are written in a simplified and/or flowing manner, generally for the purpose of making writing easier or faster...
writing, language development skills, and the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. 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 kindergartenKindergarten
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...
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.
Elementary school
RCA's elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
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.
Middle school
Students have the option to enroll in the academy's accelerated math program. RCA's middle schoolMiddle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
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.
High school
High schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
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
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...
(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
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
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.
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 choirChoir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, chorale
Chorale
A chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
, and ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
have received numerous awards and recognized nationally for their performances. Students may join one of RCA's three band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
programs and begin individual lessons starting in fourth grade. Individual piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
lessons are offered before, during, or after school. The school offers a strings
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
program after school four days each week. Students may take private voice lessons that are taught by the academy's music faculty. Two handbell
Handbell
A handbell is a bell designed to be rung by hand. To ring a handbell, a ringer grasps the bell by its slightly flexible handle — traditionally made of leather, but often now made of plastic — and moves the wrist to make the hinged clapper inside the bell strike...
choirs are offered to students in middle school and senior high.
Art
Weekly artArt
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
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.
Speech and oratory
Senior high students at Raleigh Christian Academy are required to take a half credit speechSpeech
Speech is the human faculty of speaking.It may also refer to:* Public speaking, the process of speaking to a group of people* Manner of articulation, how the body parts involved in making speech are manipulated...
and public speaking
Public speaking
Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners...
course as a part of their graduation requirements. Students participate in regular speech and oratory
Oratory
Oratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus...
activities on campus and participate in fine arts competitions during the spring semester.
Athletics
RCA offers a range of sports for both middle school and high school students. Girls' sports include volleyballVolleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, cheerleading
Cheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, and fast-pitch softball. Soccer, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
are offered for the boys.
Corporal punishment controversy
In 1984, RCA assistant principal (and current school administrator) Dwight Ausley was found guilty of child abuseChild abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
, after he paddled
Paddle (spanking)
A spanking paddle is an implement used to strike a person on the buttocks. The act of striking a person with a paddle is known as "paddling". A paddling may be for punishment , or as an initiation or hazing ritual, or for erotic purposes.A paddle has two parts: a handle and a blade...
a ten-year-old student who failed to complete a homework assignment. School officials stated the paddling was due to the child's defiant behavior when confronted by the teacher and not due to the missed 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." This account has been disputed by the school. 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
Malice
Malice may refer to:* Malice , a legal term describing the intent to harm* Jerry Tuite , American professional wrestler also known by the ring name Malice-Entertainment:...
."
On appeal, Ausley was found not guilty by an 11-1 vote. During the appeal, it was discovered that the noted bruising was in fact caused by corporal punishment administered post-incident at home by the child's own father. The superior court judge subsequently 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.
The school no longer uses employee-administered corporal punishment.