We the People… of CCS-America

On September 17, 1787, the United States Constitution was signed by delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

239 years later, each CCS-America campus held its annual Constitution Day celebration to honor and celebrate this historic event. Students marched and cheered in campus-wide parades and participated in activities to learn more about the principles and freedoms that make our country unique. Each classroom created a poster to display in the parade, adding creativity and school spirit to the celebration.

Many special guests joined the parades, including ROTC members and marching bands from local high schools, fire trucks, police cars, CCS-America Employees of the Year, and even James Madison, the Father of the Constitution! He gave a short speech about the history of this important document and marched in the parade.

Students spent the day celebrating, learning, and reflecting on the powerful opening of our Constitution: “We the People.”

Constitution Day Photos

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25 Years Later: Remembering 9/11

In honor of the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, students and staff came together to remember and reflect on the lives impacted by this tragic day.Campuses began the morning gathered together for the Pledge of Allegiance, our School Pledge, a patriotic song, and a moment of silence to honor the victims, first responders, and families affected by the attacks.

Throughout the day, students participated in lessons and watched videos that helped them better understand the significance of 9/11 and its lasting impact on our country. As we recognized this milestone anniversary, students demonstrated respect and gratitude while honoring the courage and sacrifice that took place on one of America’s most difficult days.

September 11 Assembly Pictures:

CCS-Leland

CCS-Southport

CCS-Whiteville

CCS-Wilmington

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Staff Spotlight: Katie Boyce Runs in the 9/11 Promise Race

We are proud to recognize our school social worker, Katie Boyce, for participating in a relay race from the Pentagon to Ground Zero to support the 9/11 Promise organization. The race honors those affected by the events of 9/11 and raises scholarship money for the children of fallen and injured first responders. This year, over $160,000 was raised and fundraising efforts are ongoing.

The journey covered 240 miles and brought together runners and supporters from seven states, including Ms. Boyce. They stopped at 25 firehouses along the route. At each stop, they held a special ceremony featuring a historic flag that was raised at Ground Zero shortly after the attacks and placed a piece of steel from the World Trade Center towers at the base of the flagpole.

Katie shared that one of the most impactful parts of the experience was hearing from guest speakers, including first responders, military veterans, and a recipient of a 9/11 Promise Scholarship.

“We came together across seven states for one reason,” Katie reflected, “to remember those we lost, honor those who served and continue to serve, and keep the promise to their families.”

We are grateful to have team members like Katie who embody service, compassion, and a commitment to honoring the sacrifices of others.

Learn more about the 9/11 Promise

Watch Katie run on the news!

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A GRAND Morning with Grandparents!

National Grandparents Day is celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. This year, it fell on September 13th. To honor this special day and celebrate the important role grandparents play in the lives of our students, CCS-Whiteville hosted a “Grand Morning with Grandparents,” where all grandparents had the special opportunity to spend time with their grandchildren, enjoy breakfast together, visit classrooms, and participate in CCS-America’s daily pledges.

Thank you to all the grandparents and family members who came out for this fun and memorable morning! We had a great time sharing the many exciting things happening at CCS-Whiteville and creating memories together.

GRANDparents Day Photos

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CCS-Leland Students Win 1st and 2nd Place Honors in Statewide History Contests

Two CCS-Leland students earned high honors in the annual youth history contests sponsored by the North Carolina chapters of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).

The SAR is an organization dedicated to preserving America history, promoting patriotism, and educating future generations about Revolutionary history. Each year, they hold contests at the regional, state, and national levels that challenges students to research a Revolutionary War topic and creatively showcase their knowledge.

This year, Stella Lynch earned first place in the state poster contest for her project on the Battle of Moore’s Creek. Cheyenne Cummings received second place in the state brochure contest for her project on the Bill of Rights. Both students were rewarded with monetary prizes for their exemplary work.

After advancing from the regional competition, both students impressed judges with their historical knowledge, creativity, and attention to detail.

“We are incredibly proud of Stella and Cheyenne for their hard work and outstanding accomplishments,” said Jessica Lopez, Dean of Classical Humanities at CCS-America. “These contests provide students with an opportunity to engage deeply with our nation’s history, and it is exciting to see their hard work recognized at the state level. They have represented CCS-Leland exceptionally well and have continued CCS-America’s growing tradition of excellence in the SAR contests.”

Congratulations, Stella and Cheyenne! Your CCS-America family is proud of you and your dedication to American History!

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Soccer Season Kicks Off!

It’s finally here! The CCS-America middle school soccer season has begun and this year is already looking to be a great one.

Following tryouts, 6th-8th grade students were selected for their teams in early August and have spent the time since then working hard, practicing, and preparing for upcoming games. The competition began last week, with players not only demonstrating their soccer skills, but also their good sportsmanship, an important part of CCS-America’s Foundations of Virtue curriculum and a trait coaches make sure to emphasize.

Congratulations to CCS-Leland for winning the two opening games! We are very proud of all our teams and are excited for another year of competitive games, fun competition, and school spirit.

Be sure to cheer for your team at the next soccer game, Thursday, September 10th at the Southport campus when CCS-Whiteville takes on CCS-Southport. Check the Middle School Sports calendar for more information.

Soccer Game Pictures

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Back to School Community Events

Our campuses celebrated the start of an amazing new school year with their annual Back to School Community Events! These events are a school and community favorite and are always highly anticipated by families, staff, and prospective students.

CCS-Whiteville and CCS-Wilmington held their events after school on August 14th. CCS-Leland hosted theirs on August 27th, while CCS-Southport held the final event on August 28th. While each event was unique and had its own special elements, each campus welcomed families and local community members for an evening filled with food, vendors, games, bounce houses, and a whole lot of fun.

The community also had an opportunity to learn more about CCS-America and what makes our classical curriculum so successful. Each event also had a ‘curriculum fair’ where families were able to take a deeper look at all aspects of CCS-America.

Thank you to everyone who came out and made the events ones to remember!

Check out pictures of the fun at each campus:

CCS-Leland

CCS-Southport

CCS-Whiteville

CCS-Wilmington

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The CCS-America Advantage

Attending a CCS-America school and learning with our unique classical curriculum sets students up for success and gives them multiple advantages as they continue with their education.

One of these advantages is that CCS-America eighth grade graduates enter high school with up to five of their required twenty-two high school credits already completed. That puts them nearly a year ahead of other incoming students. Students can use these credits to explore additional elective courses, take a lighter course load each semester, or even position themselves to graduate early.

CCS-America offers the following courses for high school credit: English 1, Math 1, Earth and Environmental Science, Latin 1, and Latin 2.

The coursework is challenging, rewarding, and prepares students for success in both high school and beyond. By completing these courses in middle school, students gain important academic experience while also getting a head start on their high school journey.

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Dress for Success Days

Research shows that dressing professionally can boost confidence, improve performance, and strengthen communication skills. Learning to present oneself in a polished and professional manner is a valuable life skill that can have a positive impact in both academic and professional settings, including interviews, internships, business meetings, and other future opportunities.

To help students build this important skill and develop this habit early, CCS-America schools hold monthly Dress for Success Days throughout the year. While participation is optional, these days give students an opportunity to practice presenting themselves with confidence and professionalism.

Students will have several opportunities to participate in Dress for Success Days throughout the school year, and we encourage all students to join in.

2026 Dress for Success Days:

August 27 (Tomorrow!)

October 1

October 29

November 24

December 17

Parents can find Dress for Success attire and accessories by visiting ShopRBA’s Dress for Success Collection.

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New Referral Program: Help Us Spread the Word!

Do you know a family searching for a school where students are challenged, supported, and inspired to succeed? CCS-America is launching a new referral incentive program to encourage families and staff to share the benefits of a CCS-America education with others.

Beginning this week, current families and staff who refer a new student will receive a $50 Amazon gift card for each student who enrolls and is in a seat by September 21, 2026. In addition, newly enrolled students will receive a $100 ShopRBA gift card to help with uniform purchases. To quality, the applicant must put the first and last name of the parent or staff member in the “Referred by” section of the enrollment application.

Sometimes, the most persuasive invitation is simply one parent saying to another “You should come take a look at our school.” This program is designed to help more families discover the CCS-America difference, including a structured learning environment, strong character development, a classical curriculum, high academic expectations, and the joy that comes when hard work is noticed, praised, and rewarded.

Attendance will be verified before incentives are awarded, and gift cards will be distributed through each school’s office following fall break.

Thank you for helping us give more children the opportunity to succeed with a CCS-America education. Have prospective families visit www.EnrollRBA.com to apply today.

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Starting the Year Strong

We are two weeks into the new school year, and things are off to a fantastic start! Classrooms at all four campuses are already buzzing as students get back into their routines and prepare for new opportunities to grow.

In Kindergarten, our youngest learners are learning about, and becoming familiar with, school life. In middle school, students are diving into their coursework and preparing themselves for the future. Teachers and staff have worked hard to cultivate welcoming learning environments, setting the stage for a successful year.

Thank you to our dedicated staff, outstanding students, and supportive families for making this transition back to school so seamless. We are excited to see what the school year has in store!

First Week Photos

We are still accepting applications in select grade levels across all four campuses! If you know a family looking for the best quality education, encourage them to visit www.EnrollRBA.com. If the applicant puts your name in the referral section of the application, you will receive a $25 ShopRBA gift card. Help us grow the CCS-America family.

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Introducing Foundations of Virtue

The Character Education program has always been an important part of CCS-America’s curriculum. This year, we are excited to launch Foundations of Virtue, a new curriculum that expands and enhances our previous program.

The purpose of this enhancement is to help students better understand the virtues recited daily in our School Pledge. The new lessons reinforce the idea that the pledge is more than words— it is a promise kept through daily actions.

To help make these virtues meaningful and memorable, students will study historical figures and literary characters, such as George Washington and Florence Nightingale, who demonstrated virtues such as truthfulness, prudence, justice, courage, temperance, and faithfulness through their actions.

Because Foundations of Virtue is synchronized with both our history and literature curriculum timelines, students will learn how people they are studying exemplified these character traits. Students will learn by example that strong character is built by consistently choosing what is true, wise, and good, preparing them to put into practice the virtues they pledge to uphold each day.

Our Student of the Month ceremonies will also reflect this change. The virtues recognized each month will now align with the Foundations of Virtue curriculum.

Our goal is to help students understand the words of the pledge, remember worthy examples, and practice virtue in their daily lives.

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Investing in Excellence

Before students returned to campus, teachers and staff were hard at work preparing to make this a great school year. Over two weeks in July, all educators participated in an extensive professional development program that went beyond just our Staff Orientation Day. The training focused on a variety of important topics, including curriculum, classroom instruction, school safety, technology, and student support.

These sessions were tailored to specific grade levels and subject areas. Teachers collaborated with colleagues, explored effective strategies, and planned for strong student outcomes. They also participated in workshops covering classroom management, student engagement, and the principles of classical education.

At CCS-America, we believe that great schools are built by great educators who are committed to continuous growth. We are grateful for their hard work and dedication as we begin another exceptional year of learning and academic excellence.

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Welcome to the 2026-2027 School Year!

We are excited to have our students back on campus and for another amazing school year to begin! Mark your calendars for these upcoming dates:

Be sure to stay up to date with CCS-America’s 2026-2027 school calendars:

Academic Calendar

Sports Calendar

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2025-2026 Employees of the Year

All four CCS-America campuses have named their Teacher of the Year, Beginning Teacher of the Year, and Teacher Assistant of the Year for the 2025-2026 school year. These outstanding educators were selected for their dedication, commitment, and willingness to go above and beyond for their students. We are proud to recognize and celebrate their hard work, passion, and impact.

Congratulations to our 2025-2026 Employees of the Year!

CCS-Leland:

Ms. Nikki Chaney, Teacher of the Year

Ms. Stephanie Doyle, Beginning Teacher of the Year

Ms. Tiffany Suita, Teacher Assistant of the Year

CCS-Whiteville:

Ms. Alexis Reynolds, Teacher of the Year

Mr. Dylan Scott, Beginning Teacher of the Year

Ms. April Coleman, Teacher Assistant of the Year

CCS-Wilmington:

Ms. Chelsea Nichols, Teacher of the Year

Ms. Carly Krussow, Beginning Teacher of the Year

Mr. Aaron Wyatt, Teacher Assistant of the Year

CCS-Southport:

Ms. Samantha Lawson, Teacher of the Year

Ms. Olivia Endler, Beginning Teacher of the Year

Ms. Kimberly Boumpani, Teacher Assistant of the Year

CCS-America Employee of the Year Pictures

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CCS-America Staff Professional Development

At CCS-America, we hold our teachers and staff to the same standard of excellence that we set for our students, always striving to grow and improve. On July 17, CCS-America welcomed staff back for Staff Orientation and Professional Development Day in preparation for the 2026-2027 school year.

Throughout the day, faculty and staff participated in a variety of breakout sessions focused on professional growth and collaboration. Founder Baker Mitchell also addressed staff as they prepare for a new school year dedicated to educating students through joy across all four campuses.

A highlight of the day was welcoming back CCS-Southport alumnus and former valedictorian Gabriel Hughes. In a speech given to staff, Mr. Hughes reflected on how his CCS-America education and the support of his teachers helped shape his success and prepare him for the future. His words served as a meaningful reminder of the lasting impact educators can have on the lives of their students.

Thank you to our dedicated staff for their commitment to this professional development and their continued pursuit of excellence. We are ready and excited to begin another successful school year!

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Join Our Community!

The 2026-2027 school year has begun, but there is still time to enroll! We have seats open in select grade levels across all campuses.

All prospective students can enroll online at www.EnrollRBA.com for any of our four locations. To access the application, click the “Visit and Enroll HERE” text next to the logo for the campus where you wish to enroll.

LEARN MORE AND ENROLL NOW!

REMINDER: A Chrome or desktop browser are the best options for accessing the application.

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