Unity + Diversity

A group of Upper School students meets regularly with school leadership, including Mr. Clingman and Dr. Houston, to provide feedback and perspective on the culture and student experience at NCCS. These conversations provide leader accountability and transparency with the student body, as well as a chance to brainstorm how to ensure an authentic experience of belonging for every student at NCCS. 

The Unity + Diversity Council at North Cobb Christian School is comprised of a diverse group of parents, faculty and staff members who meet throughout the year to strategize and speak authentically about how NCCS is doing at addressing and celebrating diversity in the four categories above -- teaching + learning, parent experience, student experience, and employee experience. Through the council, initiatives are identified and next steps solidified. The council also advises on student issues and school communications related to cultural celebrations, topics, and more.

Student Life activities provide unique opportunities to include diversity across ability, race and culture, so that every student sees themselves modeled during strategic discipleship opportunities throughout the year.

Whether through weekly chapel speakers for K3-12th grade, annual fall retreat for 5th-12th grade, Spiritual Emphasis week for all middle and upper school students, service projects for preschool through senior year, or Spring Term trips for 5th-12th, students have many opportunities to see Christianity modeled for them by adults and older teens both with whom they can relate -- and through whom their worldviews can be broadened. 

Recent chapel topics + speakers that reinforce NCCS's Unity + Diversity vision:

• Head of School Todd Clingman and Assistant Head of School Dr. Chip Houston annually speak on identity in Christ, finding your truest identity as an image-bearer of God. 

• Algernon Tennyson is a regular chapel speaker each year (and a recurring retreat speaker, as well). His topics often cover kindness, diversity, identity, and bravery through forgiveness.

• Pastor Chris Norman annually speaks during chapel, encouraging students by his testimony of choosing to follow Christ at all costs, even giving up being a top NFL draft pick to become a pastor.

• Joshua Goodling recently spoke to students on how God uses people from all backgrounds, abilities and experiences to make a big impact in the world. 

• Speaker Daniel Ritchie, born without arms, has been a keynote speaker during Spiritual Emphasis Week, bringing a message centered around knowing your worth in God despite differences, abilities, or the world’s view of you. 

NCCS makes it an intentional priority to cultivate a diverse student and faculty population. Intentional efforts include working with national recruiters, developing relationships between our college counseling department and HBCUs, growing our participant base in the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program, and publishing job postings via multiple outlets and connections to promote a broad and diverse applicant pool. 

Through the generous donations of several NCCS families and businesses in partnership with Georgia GOAL, NCCS is honored and humbled to provide annual scholarships to children at Calvary Children's Home, who are a treasured part of the fabric of our school community. 

Every spring, each Lower School class sponsors an Upper School Spring Term team, learning about the cultures reflective of each team's destination while also building relationships with each other across age, culture and background. 

The Upper School students meet with their Lower School counterparts to learn about their trip and geographic area, pray together, and explore ministry opportunities. Some teams also connect virtually with their Lower School classes during their trips, connecting live to show their younger peers the culture in which they are immersed. 

Spring Term offers every student from K3 through twelfth grade the opportunity to explore, appreciate and impact cultures different from their own -- from socioeconomic diversity in their own backyard to linguistic and cultural diversity abroad. 

North Cobb Christian School founded and annually hosts the World Language Summit, spearheaded by the NCCS World Language teachers and originated by French teacher Mrs. Andrea Dignon.

This one-day interactive summit invites language educators from schools throughout the state and southeast to collaborate in a think-tank-style intensive seminar. The goal is to strengthen best practices, making language and culture studies relevant to today's teens, broadening global perspectives and understanding. 
 

Held annually, the NCCS Great Kindness Challenge is a school-wide initiative that challenges students during chapel, classes, and extracurriculars to foster a culture of belonging. Students are encouraged to be welcoming and kind to all -- especially to those not within their daily social sphere. 

January 24-28, 2022 | Great Kindness Challenge
During chapel, special guest Joshua Goodling spoke to all MS + US students. At the age of four, Joshua was diagnosed with a deadly type of cancer. The doctors said he had one week to live, and his chance of survival was zero. That was 50 years ago. He daily faces obstacles and health challenges resulting from the cancer, and life has not been easy, but he uses his faith, experiences, and lessons learned to impact and encourage people all over the world. Joshua encouraged our students that God works in mighty ways through people of all backgrounds, experiences and abilities. 

January 2022 | Great Kindness Challenge CHOA Family Pantry Drive
Students tangibly put themselves in the shoes of children and families experiencing serious illness or transplants and held a drive to restock the Family Pantries at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The drive was completely student-led, spearheaded by Lilly Aabye (class of 2022), and students from every grade level brought in so many donations that every Family Pantry at CHOA was fully stocked -- plus there were enough items leftover to then also stock the pantry at the Ronald McDonald House in Atlanta, as well. The student-led efforts were featured by WSB-TV.

Article by Berndt Petersen, WSB-TV
February 07, 2022 

Lilly Aabye says at her school they do everything they can to help those in need.

“I wanted to be able to help give back to these people in any kind of way I could,” Aabye said.

Last week, students at North Cobb Christian School donated and boxed up a large load of snacks and sent it to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

The donation restocked special food pantries the hospital provides free of charge to parents whose children are there for treatment.

“There are parents and families. And with COVID, I know it has impacted the donations. So this was our chance to refill the pantry and bless those families in a real tangible way,” Siller said.

Siller is not just a counselor at the school; her daughter receives treatment at CHOA. She says parents often spend hours, or even days and weeks, at the hospital.

Having a few snacks within reach is more important than most realize.

“They filled the pantry at CHOA and had an overflow to send to the Ronald McDonald House,” Head of School Todd Clingman said.

The Ronald McDonald House also does great work supporting families with children in the hospital. Aabye was happy to help.

“This is one of the ways we could show we’re there in support of these families by giving them snacks and food and just comfort,” Aabye said.

Pedestal Foods hosts international food celebration days throughout the school year, highlighting authentic menu items from different regions of the world. Our students are exposed to traditional food, decor, music and more during these festive lunchtimes in our own Blue & White Bistro!

October | Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Day hosted by Pedestal Foods for all Middle + Upper School diners, with menu input from NCCS faculty members, including Yvette Romine (Cuban heritage) and Lupe Guerrero (Spanish and Mexican heritage). Sample Past Menu: Homemade Taquitos, Homemade Bean Burritos, Cuban Sandwiches, Plantains, Authentic Spanish Rice, Refried/Black Beans, and Authentic Mexican "Pizza."

November | French Heritage Day
A delicious and authentic French heritage day is an annual highlight, hosted by Pedestal Foods along with our French language students and Madame Dignon for all Middle + Upper School diners! Sample Past Menu: Croque Monsieurs, Tourtières, Charcuterie, Cordon Bleu, Crêpes, La Pizza Française, Poutine, Soupe à L'Oignon, Éclairs, Tartes au Beurre, Salade Verte, Perrier & LaCroix

March  | Oceania Heritage Day     
Pedestal Foods presentes an authentic menu and cultural decor from nations of Oceania, with input from NCCS international students from this region. Past Menu: Kiwi Kebabs with Beef, Chicken, Shrimp, and fresh vegetables options; Fish and Chips: Hand Breaded Cod with Steak Cut Potatoes (Like England, New Zealand is an island nation; therefore fish is an important part of their diet); Meat Pie: Personal size pie with meat, cheese, mushroom, and onions; New Zealand Bushman Sandwich: Sliced Ham, Roast Beef, Avocado, Cucumber, Provolone, with a dallop of garlic aioli, and BBQ sauce on the side.

Annually, NCCS hosts a round of the Black History Bowl on campus in the Fine Arts Building. Our 5th - 8th grade team made it to the semi-finals and finals in 2020, 2021 and 2022. 

North Cobb Christian School was featured by Fox5 Atlanta on January 16, 2022. 

While the history of Black Americans is taught throughout the year in all subjects, Black History Month provides a unique opportunity to celebrate and recognize the contributions of lesser known historical figures to our amazing nation. 

Black History Month at NCCS kicks off annually with the Black History Bowl, a round of which has been hosted at NCCS in the Fine Arts Building during the past two years. 

Throughout the month, Lower School, Middle School and Upper School celebrate Black History Month by reading books, studying historic people and events, focusing on influential Black Americans during morning announcements, walking through a Google presentation called Those Who Led the Way (compiled by first grade teacher Melissa Nelson), and having intentional classroom discussions about the beauty of all cultures. Lower School Assistant Principal Mr. McDonald has also traditionally hosted Black History Trivia during lunch for all LS students.

Click to view slideshow, below:

North Cobb Christian School has partnered with Dr. Aaron Howard and Dr. Michael Evans to provide professional learning on biblical diversity, unity and belonging to our faculty and staff. 

Dr. Aaron Howard has specifically led all faculty and staff through aligning spiritual formation, academic excellence, and a biblical lens on unity and diversity. Discussions also included classroom applications of spiritual formation and unity and diversity.

Diversity consultant Dr. Michael Evans has also worked extensively with NCCS faculty, as well as with our Unity + Diversity Council, to audit curriculum materials and foster a movement from exposure to empathy with regards to diversity instruction and perspectives. During ongoing professional learning sessions, Dr. Evans met with faculty across Lower, Middle, Upper, Arts and Athletics. He has also led an in-depth diversity training session for the NCCS Leadership Team, as well as a half-day retreat for the NCCS Unity + Diversity Council. 

North Cobb Christian School partners with families from around the world to host and educate students through our International Student Program. Since launching the International Student Program in 2006, our school has welcomed students from China, Korea, Vietnam, Brazil, Germany, Panama and more. In fact, 10 percent of recent graduating classes was comprised of international students! These students are given a top-notch education as they experience true American life alongside one of our amazing homestay families. In turn, they impart a beautiful, diverse element to our school family.

As part of our mission to “impact culture,” we recognize the unique opportunity that this program provides for students to grow in their understanding of their world. The NCCS Global Impact Program (GIP) is designed to provide both domestic and international students with intentional opportunities to form relationships with each other and to celebrate and appreciate cultures from around the world. 

Lower School Counselor Carol Ribeiro hosts an annual lunch group for 3rd and 4th grade students who wish to participate, focusing on food and customs from countries around the world, presented by NCCS parents and faculty members. In recent years, the program has included sessions about Lithuania, France, Brazil, Scotland, Haiti and more.