Education
Cornerstone Christian Academy Expands with $4M Renovation
Twenty-three years ago, Cornerstone Christian Academy started a Christ-centered school with eight students. With enrollment for the fall semester at 459 students and 68 faculty members, the school’s leadership decided it was time to make more space. When classes resume, the new renovation to the K-8 facility will be a welcomed addition.
“For the last four years, Cornerstone has participated in the AJC Top Workplace anonymous survey through Energage,” said Headmaster Colin Creel. “At the conclusion of the survey a couple of years ago, we received high-level results. The survey showed our staff loved working here, but desired more space, specifically in the middle school.”
Andrew McDonald – Director of Operations
Joe Wallo
Keeping up with growing needs
After careful planning, school officials decided to add additional science labs, student spaces and offices that would remedy the challenge. The renovation of 2,500 square feet and additional 5,500 square feet will cost approximately $4 million and is expected to be complete and fully usable by January, said Creel.
“The new science labs will only be used by sixth, seventh and eighth-grade classes,” he said. “Any unscheduled time is intentional so our science teachers will be able to set up and break down labs accordingly. To this point, they have never been afforded this luxury since every space was used each period.”
There will also be breakout rooms for one-on-one conferences with parents and students and a breakroom for teachers.
“If teachers need to meet with students or if they have a parent-teacher conference, they’ll no longer be displaced,” Creel said. “Now there are four additional little, smaller rooms. One is going to be used for our counselor and the other three will be flex spaces.”
There will also be more administrative offices. Director of Operations Andrew McDonald’s office is currently inside a closet.
School administrators believe that with the new space, the school will be just right for its mission of partnering with parents to provide a quality academic education designed to develop students who will follow Christ, embrace biblical truth and live lives that glorify God.
“This addition is a great example of responding resoundingly to a specific need,” Creel said. “I desire to serve our students and teachers as much as humanly possible. I always choose to maximize the dollars spent on our teachers and students.”
“We enjoy our current student size, and do not desire to increase our student enrollment; rather, we always are looking for ways to enhance the student and teacher experience. One of the reasons why Cornerstone is so special is that the board and the administration listen to the needs of the community and respond accordingly,” he added.
Beyond the bricks and mortar
It’s obvious that teachers are the backbone of America’s schools, but the future of the profession has been in a precarious state in the last few decades. Many researchers believe the COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated the decline.
According to its annual report, The State of Teaching, the EdWeek Research Center, the expertise and skill required to do the job well is often underestimated, while the ever-increasing demands of the job are not well understood or sometimes misrepresented.
Creel agrees.
“In the last few years, it has become harder and harder to keep and attract teachers. We’re always trying to figure out ways to get more qualified teachers to apply,” he said. “There’s an additional layer that makes it a little more challenging for us because it’s not just about great teaching, we also need people who love Christ and then love kids and not all teachers love kids.”
But Cornerstone is rising to the challenge. Creel said they meet it head-on and look for creative and effective ways to find and keep the best and brightest teachers in the area.
“In the last few years, we’ve been pretty aggressive about trying to make our pay scale as competitive with the public schools as possible,” he said. “We’re probably never going to be at the same level as public schools, but we try to offer additional benefits.”
Cornerstone matches retirement savings at an aggressive level, provides a step-up pay scale that rewards seniority and offers professional development opportunities.
“My life philosophy is I want our teachers to be inspired,” he said.
Over summer break, the school paid for teachers to get extra training in programs in Denver and California.
“We want them to become the best in their fields because I feel like when teachers are excited about what they’re doing, then the kids will be excited and parents will be happy,” said Creel.
The secret to Cornerstone’s success
“We try to make sure that our kids know the truth and we keep it pretty simple,” he said. “I think our culture is changing pretty rapidly and we want to continue to keep our kids grounded and we want to keep them encouraged.”
He explained that the mental health crisis affects every sector of the population – his students included.
He referenced a book called, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.
“It has data to support what we as educators know already that cell phones and smartphones, at a young age, are bad for kids’ self-esteem,” he said.
Although Cornerstone hasn’t been forced to use cell phone lock pouches like many schools across the country, it has a policy that phones are not to be in use during school hours. There have been no problems with compliance so far.
The Cornerstone “village”
Like many private schools and some public schools, Cornerstone asks parents to contribute volunteer hours.
“That’s going to look different for parents based on if they work full-time, but lots of different ways to get people plugged in,” Creel said. “Our parent-teacher fellowship does a great job.”
He recalled a former teacher who had taught in public schools for a while and when she came to Cornerstone, she’d tell people it was like Disney World – the happiest place on earth in part because of the parents’ willingness to participate.
“This is a special place and one of the hallmarks is that we have so many great parents that get involved,” he said. “They are supportive of our community. We have big events here out on the field, and you’ve got parents signing up to volunteer to help with whatever needs to be done. There’s always a core of people who want to come out and be a part of it.”
Creel added that there’s a kind of open-door policy where parents are invited to come to school throughout the year – not just for school functions, but to share birthday celebrations with their kid’s class or eat lunch with students in the cafeteria.
“We want the family to be a part of their children’s education – not just dropping them off. We’re not at daycare. We’re here to teach but be a part of that life experience,” Creel said.
That ethos so moving for Director of Operations Andrew McDonald that it inspired him to become an employee as well.
“My background is in operations and there was one year I was at a fundraising dinner, and I saw this little spot on the board that said, ‘operations director office’ and so I asked Colin, ‘What’s the plan for this position?’ And he said oh it’s years down the road’” said McDonald.
He and Creel worked out the details and soon McDonald was on board, where he’s been for the past three years.
“It’s great to ride into school with the kids in the morning and home in the evening,” he said. “Not a day doesn’t go by where they’re not excited about something that happened and want to share those great experiences that are foundational to their life kindergarten through eighth-grade education.”
Creel noted that 95% of a child’s moral development occurs between the ages of three and 13.
“That’s why we’re here, to help these kids have a foundation for where they go next; private school or public school, it’s usually about 50/50, that they stand out in a good way because they’re used to taking ownership of their education,” he said.
“They’ve been given leadership opportunities in middle school that you typically give to juniors and seniors in high school. They just stand out in a good way and that’s our goal: to prepare them for life so that they can be a light out in the world,” he explained.
For more information about Cornerstone Christian Academy, visit cornerstonecougars.org.
To read more about local education, click here.
The Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA) awarded local high school senior, Heidi Chung, a $1,000 scholarship during their April 24 Business After Hours event. Heidi and her family were presented with the scholarship and introduced to the organization’s members and guests at the monthly gathering.
Heidi was accepted by several colleges and has selected the University of Kentucky to continue her education, pursuing a degree in nursing. When asked what lessons she has learned from her experiences volunteering and serving in the community throughout her life, Heidi commented, “I have learned that true leadership is about service, taking initiative and persevering through challenges.”
Scholarship Chair Donna Linden and Outreach Director Suzanna Martinez shared that the scholarship committee was impressed with Heidi’s many accomplishments, “whether she was organizing fundraisers, leading performance groups or helping athletes recover from injuries, Heidi demonstrated a positive impact on the community, as well as outstanding academic results.”
Funds for the PCBA Community Outreach Program are raised throughout the year from PCBA membership, sponsorship and an annual charity event. Donations and scholarships are awarded at PCBA’s monthly events so that members have the opportunity to learn more about the individuals and organizations.
“We are so proud that the PCBA has … awarded 20 scholarships to outstanding future business leaders and donated in excess of $173,000 into our metro Atlanta community over the last 13 years,” stated Lisa Proctor, PCBA board president.
About Peachtree Corners Business Association
“Where Businesses Come to Grow,” the Peachtree Corners Business Association is a business membership organization that focuses on innovative approaches, programs, shared resources, community outreach and opportunities for member businesses and professionals to connect, develop, grow and prosper.
The PCBA is made up of businesses of all sizes and types who want to expand their reach and grow their business within Peachtree Corners and the greater metro Atlanta area.
For more information, call 678-969-3385, email membership@peachtreecornersba.com or visit peachtreecornersba.com.
The adage “good things come to those who wait” could be true for Peachtree Corners city officials and administrators at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
After nearly a decade of planning, a vision for the technology-forward municipality and the higher education cultivator of innovation has come to fruition with the new Georgia Tech Atrium at Peachtree Corners’ Curiosity Lab.
With 200 or so attendees present, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Peachtree Corners Mayor Mike Mason, and Georgia TechPresident Ángel Cabrera cut the ribbon on this first-of-its-kind space.
“I actually came to this exact building with Georgia Tech’s former president in 2016 when we just began to think about what this partnership could be,” said Dene Sheheane, president of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association. “The wheels of higher ed turn slowly, so I’m excited to see it finally come together.”
The opening of the GT Atrium in Peachtree Corners is the first of many planned collaborations to come between the school and municipalities throughout the state and beyond.
An initiative of the Center for 21st Century Universities at the Georgia Tech College of Lifetime Learning, each GT Atrium will offer a space for the institute’s faculty, staff, students, alumni and partners to advance their academic and professional interests in the country or region that it serves. It will provide tailored programs, event space, a study abroad base, co-working and co-learning spaces, as well as opportunities to engage and associate with Georgia Tech.
What purpose does the project serve?
Nelson Baker, interim dean of the College of Lifetime Learning agreed that Peachtree Corners was the right place to start the Atrium project.
“Support and leadership from cities like yours, that both fuel the growth and give our next generation of technology leaders what they need to lead their projects and to be successful, in many ways, is the ultimate expression of what a university, especially a research university like Georgia Tech, is all about,” he said.
Baker went on to explain why such an endeavor is necessary.
“Today’s world is changing pretty rapidly, and one of the biggest changes is learning itself,” he said. “Today, people are living longer, they’re working longer and they’re changing jobs more often than ever before.”
He added that they face broad, intense career and technological disruptions, and although a degree is a good foundation for many careers, the individual must continue to learn for as many as 50 years past graduation.
“How can a four-year degree last more than half a century in a person’s lifetime? At the same time, geographically dispersed companies and communities across our state need ways for workers to develop, to up-skill and re-skill,” he said. “Our universities and schools — all of our learning systems must adapt.”
Connecting with communities for lifelong learning
Instead of attacking the problem piecemeal, leaders at Georgia Tech sought to address the problem as a “coherent whole.”
“The institute set out to better connect to our communities, to be present, to expand access, amplify our impact and to tie it all together,” said Baker. “That’s how we got here today, with the first new college at Georgia Tech in 35 years and the first Georgia Tech Atrium meant to extend our campus into communities in new ways.”
For a century, universities have been focused on research and study, on teaching and on founding colleges of education that improve the discipline of pedagogy and the transfer of knowledge, he added.
“The College of Lifetime Learning brings a new discipline to learning itself, empowering the person through research technology and a lifelong access to enable agency over one’s lives. It’s the other side of the equation — the person side,” he said. “Rather than influencing stages of learning separately, the College of Lifetime Learning comprehensively applies research and technology to empower people. We’re focused on operating through K-12, through research and through professional education. We build on the experiences across all stages of learning and are adding faculty to develop and teach in this new field.”
Empowering learners with access and options
Georgia Tech has also vowed to apply the practical technology and deep research to empower people with access, with options and with community.
“Ultimately, we hope to ensure expanded access to high-quality education so all learners, regardless of their background or the stage of life or career, have the opportunity to succeed, thrive and get ahead,” Baker said. “This will improve our system and carry the disciplines and knowledge across our state and world.”
One vehicle to help do that is the GT Atrium — a reinvention of Georgia Tech’s physical presence on a global yet localized scale.
“Think of it as a piece of Georgia Tech, a communal space where we can contribute to the community, even as we serve our own learners and alumni,” he said. “Here we offer networking, upskilling and learning opportunities to communities.”
He reiterated that none of these perceived advancements would be possible without strong community support. The dream that started with Peachtree Corners founder Paul Duke continues.
Goals and growth
Georgia Tech President Cabrera was quick to point out that the institution doesn’t exist just for a few.
“We’re not the Atlanta Institute of Technology or the Buckhead Institute of Technology — we’re the Georgia Institute of Technology,” he said. “Our goal is to amplify impact, the value that we create for the state that we serve.”
It’s no secret that Georgia Tech attracts — and produces — talent that researches and creates ideas that drive the innovation economy in this state. But it’s not going to rest on those accolades.
“We’re working on some big bets that seem a little overwhelming, but the crazy thing is, we’re delivering on them,” said Cabrera.
One goal is doubling the number of degrees awarded every year.
“We are almost two-thirds towards that goal,” he said. “We’re right now the fastest growing university in the country and … the largest university in the state. We’re the third largest recipient of federal grants for research in the nation.”
With those rewards, comes a great responsibility, he added.
“That’s a big deal because we all pay into the federal budget with our income tax. It’s only fair that we bring our fair share of those resources back here. And many of the ideas that we produce end up turning into innovation startups that activate the economy of our state,” he said.
A prototype that will work anywhere
Georgia Tech wants to continue to create one of the most thriving, exciting, energizing hubs of entrepreneurship and innovation right here in the Peach State, and that’s why the Atrium is so vital.
“We’re laser focused on these goals, but how do we produce more talent? How do we do more research? How do we support entrepreneurs that can really drive the innovation and knowledge economy?” he asked.
Answering his own rhetorical question, Cabrera announced another goal — Georgia Tech must have an impact on every county in the state.
“What if we developed in key locations across our state?” he asked. “Locations, rooms, spaces, buildings — it doesn’t have to be a big campus, but a space where entrepreneurs can come and receive the support that they need.”
He ended with a sharp gaze sweeping the room.
“This is the first one,” he said. “So to my dear colleagues, don’t screw it up.”
Impact on economic and workforce development
“This pro-business environment that we have is essential to Georgia’s success, and it’s why we’ve been named the number one state in the country for business for 11 consecutive years,” said Gov. Kemp. “But it also means we’re delivering real impact for the people of our state.”
During his time in office, Kemp said the state has announced 193,000 new jobs, and private sector partners have created more than $90 billion of investment.
“These projects choose Georgia because they recognize the unique assets that our state can offer, including a talent base that is supported by institutions like Georgia Tech,” he said.
“Workforce development has been, and will continue to be, a top priority in my administration, after business leaders made it apparent that there was a great need for qualified workers to fill really thousands of jobs that are coming to our state, not only today, but many that will be created over the next four or five years.”
State leaders, including those at Georgia Tech, have taken great steps forward in efforts to build that workforce of tomorrow. Kemp referenced the Georgia Match program, the largest direct college admission program in the country.
“I was proud to report last fall that following the launch of Georgia Match, we saw an increase in enrollment of all our higher education institutions, including a 6% increase at USG (University System of Georgia) schools,” he said.
He also mentioned that the state legislature passed the Top State for Talent Act, which, he said, will better align K-12 and higher education curriculum with the needs of businesses in this state.
During the last fiscal year, technology and corporate hubs created at least 4,400 new jobs, including 400 at Cargill’s Atlanta office hub. Other announcements included insurance company AIG opening a new innovation hub in DeKalb County that can accommodate more than 1,000 employees and California-based TriNet announcing a 150,000-square-foot office in Dunwoody creating 750 new jobs.
“The Wall Street Journal recognized Georgia Tech as the second best public college in the nation, and top 10 amongst all higher education institutions,” Gov. Kemp said. “They specifically rated Tech high in the value it added to its graduate salaries in comparison to the cost of attending.”
He closed by saying “We’re fortunate to have a team here in Georgia made up of government, business and educational leaders committed to working together to deliver results for our people. I want to again thank everyone here for your work and that mission, and say congratulations again on today’s milestone.”
About the GT Atrium
The Georgia Tech Atrium, developed and overseen by the Center for 21st Century Universities (C21U), the research arm of the College of Lifetime Learning, is a cornerstone for institutional development as delineated in the institute’s Strategic Plan for 2020-2030.
The GT Atrium is based on a multi-year study of the factors influencing higher education and how a modern university should adapt. Insights from this study and additional research conducted since the initiative’s inception have guided its vision and planning.
Hence, it has been designed to enhance the Georgia Tech experience by transcending the boundaries of conventional physical and digital classrooms by fostering learning opportunities that accommodate individuals across all stages of life.
Each Atrium location will be designed to reflect the surrounding culture and community, creating a vibrant environment for exploring new opportunities. GT Atrium promotes partnerships with local and international communities, strengthening collaborative relationships with individuals, government entities, neighborhoods and school systems.
While GT Atrium is best considered a platform for innovation, it currently comprises six core areas. These are:
- Co-learning spaces: Dedicated spaces to bring together Georgia Tech online learners with the broader institute network and expand the services offered to them.
- Advising: Customized services designed to guide stakeholders in the need for upskilling and reskilling as they navigate their evolving professional futures.
- Networking: Facilitate the online connection of the school’s students and alumni with the broader professional network of the Georgia Tech family.
- Lifetime learning: Targeted programs designed to enhance workforce development and positively impact local economies.
- English as a second language (ESL) programs: International (and some domestic) GT Atriums will feature a program run by the Georgia Tech Language Institute, designed to enhance the communication skills of non-native English speakers.
- Georgia Tech connection: A dedicated space for the institute’s faculty, staff and students to participate in events featuring Tech speakers and engage with alumni, local business leaders and other key stakeholders.
To learn more about the GT Atrium program, visit atrium.gatech.edu.
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