This video discusses how to use the CLA Communicator.
Remember:
1. Return to school
2. Keep at Home
3. Test/ Quiz Planner
4. Check Tabs

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While the earthly ministry of Jesus focused mainly on 12 men, the ministry impacted and was impacted by countless others.  Think about our understanding of the Bible today.  Our lives have been enriched and challenged by the story of Anna praying for a Savior in the temple, by the story of the woman anointing Jesus’ feet with oil, the demoniac who was healed and turned into an evangelist, by the 5,000 who ate and were full, by the prodigal son who returned to his father, by the woman with the issue of blood, by the lepers who were cleansed and the one who returned to say thank you, by blind Bartimaeus, by Zaccheus and his repentant heart, by the widow who dropped two mites into the temple treasury, by the thief who accepted Christ as he was being crucified and  then saw Him in paradise, by the women who found the empty tomb, and by the disciples who saw Christ on the Emmaus road.

The ministry of Christ was not a one-man-show.  It was an effort that Christ led but was supported by the friends and families of those who heard the good news.

It has been said that the more things change, the more they stay the same.  While 2000 years ago, society looked much different…it still takes people…some seemingly ordinary, other seemingly extraordinary, to further the cause of the kingdom.

Christ Legacy Academy is not the church.  We do not intend to be.  We have not been called to be.  We are an organization that seeks to assist the church in fulfilling the mission to disciple Christian families.  Our aim is to graduate young men and women that excel academically and have a strong biblical worldview.  Leaders that will impact society.

I believe that God chose you to be here tonight and to be part of the foundation of Christ’s Legacy Academy.  Your appointment here is not by chance.  You have a part to play…and we need everyone to do their part.  Just as Jesus’ primary earthly focus was on discipling 12 men…our focus this year has been on discipling 25 students.  Yet the story of CLA does not end with our students, it only starts there.  God has chosen YOU to be a part of this story.  You are to help CLA lay a solid foundation.

Most of you have sacrificed in one way or another already to help this vision become a reality…and for our first year, we are almost there.  We need your continued prayers, we need your word of mouth advertising and we need your continued financial support.

I pray that the Lord will touch your heart in ways that you have not expected.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Robert McCready
Headmaster

Classical education, while not outlined in scripture, seeks to teach a student following their pattern of physical and intellectual development.  God used a similar approach as He instructed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Genesis 1:26 indicates that God created man in His image.  As an image-bearer of God, humanity –individually and corporately- are a revelation of God.  Biblical scholar Anthony Hoekema says, “Among all creatures only man is the image of God, the highest and richest revelation of God, and therefore head and crown of the entire creation.”  God uses man to teach man about who He is.  The first instance of this is in the planting of the Garden of Eden.  The scriptures share that God planted the garden Himself and placed man in the midst of it.  Through His toil, God was exercising His dominion over the created order.  He used the best of His handiwork to create a utopia for His crowning achievement.  Once completed, God transferred dominion to Adam.  Adam’s task was to cultivate and care for the garden God had made.  As God had dominion over Adam, Adam now enjoyed dominion over creation.

The cultural mandate of Genesis 1:28 provides a second instance of the divine application of teaching and learning.  “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply…”  The triune God created the fullness of the heavens and earth within the context of relational community.  Once woman was created to fill the relational void within man, the two were commanded to reproduce according to their kind.  While the scriptures are clear that God is the ultimate giver of life, He no longer creates humankind ex nihilo.  The ability to propagate human life was bestowed upon Adam and Eve and their posterity.    Although the fall has perverted much of God’s original intent, similar conditions of relationship and intimacy are still required.  In studying God and His purpose for creation, man learns the best circumstances within which to bring new life into the world.

These two illustrations provide an example of God’s revelation of Himself.  The lessons in horticulture and biology were not learned through a didactic exchange nor were they learned through a Socratic process of endless questions.  They were learned however, through imagery and physical activity.  God created the garden, then Adam followed by cultivating and tilling it.  God created woman out of man, then man created children with woman.  The physical activity superseded rational explanations.  Anthropologist Anthony Moran states, “No mother of an infant begins the practice of teaching by explaining things to her child.  She beings by showing the child how to do something, a physical activity in which there may be few if any words.  When words initially appear in teaching they are used as direct commands rather than rational explanations.”  God also used this pattern of physical activity followed by commands with Adam and Eve.

Classical education is not the only educational methodology.  It is, however, a means that seeks to recover the focus of the academy being an environment where students learn to think independently and articulate gracefully.  Parents seeking to instill a biblical worldview in their children would do well to consider the classical approach.

Just before the time of Christ, the Greeks instituted an educational mindset that sought to teach a child naturally and create a love of learning.  This approach was refined in the Middle Ages and today is known as classical education.

Classical education seeks to complement the physical development of a child.  For instance, in the very early years memorization is a key component.  Songs, rhymes, and chants all help a child remember material that in later years will be recalled to further enhance and refine.  As the child grows, he or she moves through a three-stage process called the trivium.  The end result of this process is to produce an adult who is a life-long learner, knowledgeable, articulate, and gracious.

Classical education also complements the faith development of a child.  It provides the tools to develop a worldview based on absolute truth.  Starting from this foundation, children are encouraged to explore and interact with their world through timeless literature, historical understanding, mathematical precision and scientific inquiry.  Subjects are integrated with each other to produce a holistic perspective.

The conclusion has yet to be written about the long-term effects of the modern educational system as formulated by psychologist John Dewey in the early twentieth century.  Classical education on the other hand has been proven by two millennia of practice and refinement.  It has generated notable scholars, practitioners, philosophers and theologians.  It actively seeks to avoid producing persons with a “belly full of words;” rather, it strives to produce individuals with wisdom and the knowledge to use it.

The meeting will begin with an introduction of McCready and he will speak on his “calling” to the CLA. A brief question/answer session will follow. There will also be an opportunity for students and parents to talk with McCready and/or the Board of Directors. A brief presentation on uniforms and the school’s facility will also be discussed.

The event will take place in the lower level of SouthEast Bank and Trust on Thursday, June 18 at 6:30 P.M. For more information call 423-649-0040 or e-mail the school at info@clak12.org. The school’s website is found at christslegacyacademy.org.

McCready resides in Cleveland, with his wife, Nicole, and their three children. He received his B.S. in Pastoral Ministry from Lee University and his Master’s Degree from Church of God Theological Seminary in Church Ministry. He is currently a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for his Ph.D. in Leadership. Some of the responsibilities that McCready held over the past eight years include: counseling, preaching, teaching, working on financial procedures/budget and overseeing various building projects.

A “Meet the Headmaster” event has been set for June 18, at SouthEast Bank and Trust. The event will begin at 6:30p.m. It is open to the public for all who are interested in employment, attending, or supporting the school.

Also, a change to the name has been made. The word “Christ’s” has been added to the former name, Legacy Academy, in order to give acknowledgement to the rightful owner of the school.

Christ’s Legacy Academy is now accepting applications for teaching positions, both part-time and full-time. Interviews for these positions will begin in June. Applications for students are also being accepted and scheduled family interviews are being set.

The school is also accepting financial donors from supporters towards the opening budget. The date to pay tuition in full and receive the 6% discount is June 15. To contact the school visit christslegacyacademy.org or call (423) 649-0040.

The meeting was hosted by the Board of Directors. Dr. Shane Roberts, Chairman of the Board, gave a presentation which explained the approach of classical Christian education. Joe and Evi Huntsman ,who serve on the Board of Directors at Cornerstone Academy in Morristown,Tn , attended as guest speakers. A question and answer session followed the presentation at the well-attended meeting.

The school has also announced the 2009-2010 tuition costs. The tuition will cover all operating expenses for the opening year. This includes curriculum, headmaster and teacher compensation, and all other overhead cost of the school. All field trips and fees (with the exemption of the $150 application fee) are covered as well. The Board of Directors prayerfully came to set the tuition with four objectives/principles in mind that were central to determining the how the tuition was calculated which included the goal of keeping the tuition as low as possible. The average cost of a classical education in the state of Tennessee is $5,300-$5,800. Legacy Academy was determined to come in under those numbers. The tuition costs are as follows:

- Half-day Kindergarten=$3,796
- Full-day Kindergarten=$4,845

There are multiple opportunities for tuition discounts. Families who pay in full by June 15 are eligible to receive a 6% discount. If tuition is paid in full by August 5, families are eligible to receive a 4% discount. Tuitions paid on a quarterly basis will receive a 2% discount. Families with four children or more receive a 4% discount and families with three children attending receive a 2% discount. The maximum discount for any student is 6% with exception for students of faculty members. Teachers and staff worker’s children will receive discounts based on part-time and full-time employment.

Christ’s Legacy Academy is now excepting donations which are to be applied to the “opening budget” of the school, not the operating expenses. The school is excepting teacher and student applications. Contact to the school can be made by calling (423) 649-0040 or by e-mail at info@clak12.org.