By Mindy Daniel
North Hills Christian School

It has been said that “great things happen to those who don’t stop believing, trying, learning and being grateful.”

Recently, 14 faculty and staff members of North Hills Christian School attended a conference to do just that — learn.

“Repairing the Ruins” was the theme for the annual conference of the Association of Classical Christian Schools, which is dedicated to the restoration of classical Christian education. The goal of this conference “is to unite the classical Christian movement and bring new insight, encouragement and core training to those involved in classical Christian schools.”

Kristen Sabia, the lower school principal, said the conference “allowed our NHCS faculty and staff the opportunity to collaborate with other schools and educators who support Christian education.”

Many who attended said the conference was particularly affirming to the mission, vision and values of North Hills.

One workshop, “Including and Supporting Students With Disabilities in the Classical & Christian Classroom,” was presented by Leslie Collins. According to the synopsis, this breakout session focused on “sharing strategies and principles for supporting students with disabilities in the classical and Christian classroom at all grade levels.”

Doris Plummer, North Hills’ director of academic individualization and modification, attended this session.

“This workshop was very affirming to me, in that the school featured in the presentation does not have as many special needs students nor the staffing that North Hills offers,” Plummer said. “I felt so grateful for the doors God has opened for us and for the impact that we are making. While many schools are only beginning to address the needs that exist, North Hills is truly providing for many who need academic individualization and modification.”

Many lower school instructors attended “Incorporating Station Rotation in Your Pre-Polly or Grammar Classroom.” This workshop was “a presentation on how to practically implement learning stations in the classroom. Station Rotation is a wonderful tool to review, reteach, and assess content, all while encouraging cooperative learning with the use of small groups.”

The workshop aimed to provide “practical methods of teaching students in the grammar stage by actively engaging them with small groups, manipulatives, activities and games.” Students returned to campus for the fall semester Aug. 14, so the impact of this conference is already being seen.

North Hills is a nondenominational college-preparatory Christian day school serving students in junior kindergarten through high school. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a division of AdvancEd, and by the Association of Christian Schools International, an organization recognized by the North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education.

To learn more about the school, contact Jeannie Ogg at 704-636-3005, Ext. 109.