Cornerstone comes of age
By Troy Heald
Cornerstone Christian Academy (CCA) has been educating children in the pre-Kindergarten to eighth grade since September of 2006. What started out with general discussions about the possibility of having a Christian school in Central Aroostook County has, five years later, turned into a successful endeavor that is growing each year.
The non-denominational, Christian school has been leasing space from a local church since its beginning and each year has seen the number of enrolled students grow. The first year of operation saw 21 students with teacher/supervisors working with no financial compensation and utilizing DVD teaching material. The second year brought a little growth with the addition of two students. The staff also began to receive compensation, while still using the DVD material. Having the ability to compensate the staff was proof that things were moving in a positive direction.
However, in 2008 there was a major shift. Teaching staff was hired for each classroom and 29 total students were enrolled. CCA also began to offer “after school care” providing care for students until 5:30. This allowed parents the benefit of being able to have their children stay at the facility even after the school day was finished so they did not have to transport to another childcare provider mid-day.
In 2009 CCA saw its greatest jump in enrollment ending the year with 41 students. Again, all classrooms were staffed with qualified and certified teachers and the “after school care” program was staffed by a state licensed care giver.
As CCA continues into the 2010-11 school year they currently have enrollment of 43 students. They are always accepting applications for prospective students and are looking to the future.
The future does look bright for the school which considers itself an alternative to public education. CCA indicates that its goal is not to compete with the public school systems. Most communities are very proud of their public schools, and rightly so. Cornerstone’s goal is to offer an alternative option to those parents and students who are looking for a quality education in this type of environment. The school offers very good teacher/student ratios and students excel in the classroom with 70 percent of students making the “Honor Roll.”
CCA’s building lease coming to an end in June, 2011 and the school is currently looking for a new location in the Presque Isle area. The 501c3 organization is currently raising funds to help them obtain and, if necessary, renovate a facility to occupy in the 2011-12 school year.
Experience with other Christian schools has shown that when CCA finds its own facility, enrollment will typically increase. Plans are in the works for expanding classrooms, adding additional staff (as needed), and developing a high school program in the next couple of years. If you would like more information about the school or wish to donate to any of their programs, please contact the school at 207-768-6222, visit their website at www.cornerstoneme.com or contact theald@cornerstoneme.com.
Troy Heald of Washburn is Cornerstone’s promotion/fundraising chairperson working with the buildings and grounds sub-committee. His wife Marcy is a pre-K teacher at the school and their son Martin attends the third grade. The Healds also have a daughter Hannah who is an eighth-grader at Washburn District Junior High School.
