A Personal Message From Mark Jago
A few weeks ago I made known to the Board my intentions to make this coming year at GHCA my last as Head of School. I informed the staff shortly later, and have also informed the school family so that everyone would be in the loop as quickly as possible. There are many factors that have led to this decision. Most have been looming on the horizon for a while, and I knew three years ago that I might be making this very difficult decision in the near future. After nearly 30 years in Christian school administration and believing that God wasn't done with me yet in ministry, my wife Beccy and I began talking and praying about serving in ministry together. This is a real and strong desire and sense of calling on both of our parts. With our five daughters all grown and moved away well below the Maine state line, and with an “empty nest” in our big house, we knew we would want to be closer to them some day. We also look forward to having great impact into our grandchildren's lives when tht time comes. And so I felt this was the time to step out of my “comfort zone” and made the decision to retire from Christian schooling and to trust the Lord that He would lead us into another kind of ministry.
The school is now in a transition phase. We have completed a comprehensive strategic plan for the future (2008-2013) and are currently looking at the completion of a three year dual accreditation project this November. I believe that this would be a good starting point for the next Head of School to take the school to the next level. It is in fact, an opportune time for transitioning to new leadership.
To continue reading this message from our current head of school, click here for Mr. Jago's blog.
Head of School Mark Jago Retires after 30 years in Christian Education and Administration
Mr. Mark Jago, Head of School at Greater Houlton Christian Academy (GHCA), has recently announced to the GHCA Board of Directors his intention to retire as Head of School. Jago will continue to serve in his current capacity as Head of School through 2009 to assure completion of the ongoing work toward GHCA's receiving dual accreditation with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the Association of Christian Schools International. Jago said he has spent 30 years in service to the Lord in the academic arena and believes he is being called to focus on other types of Christian ministries. The Board of Directors is actively developing a succession plan for a smooth transition.
Jago, his wife Beccy and their 5 children came to GHCA in 1993, shortly after which GHCA reorganized from a church-sponsored school at County Road Baptist Church to an independent and non-denominational, association-supported school. The school occupied its present location at 27 School Street in Houlton in 1996 with approximately 80 students. Mr. Jago has helped expand the school to its current enrollment of nearly 175 students. Under Jago’s leadership, the school has enhanced its efforts toward academic excellence, including the introduction of the Laptop Initiative in the high school and the Learning Resource Center (LRC). Jago has also incorporated a fine arts program and comprehensive sports programs, and has developed an effective internal leadership team among staff and faculty.
GHCA has benefited from Jago’s dedication and leadership, shaping a strong foundation for the school to continue its mission of providing quality education based on a Christian worldview. The GHCA Board of Directors is appreciative of Jago’s excellent years of service and the growth and academic rigor that Jago has brought to GHCA. He will be greatly missed by faculty, staff, students and the Board of Directors.
GHCA is focused on offering diverse academic opportunities as well as fine arts, music and MPA-approved athletic programs to students from Pre-K through grade 12. For more information about educational opportunities at GHCA contact the school at 207-532-0736 or email office@ghca.com. We also invite you to view our promotional video.
Summer Break Begins
As you can imagine, activity on our website will soon slow considerably as teachers and students transition to a much-earned summer break. We will continue to post pertinent information about summer events, enrollment, and news regarding the upcoming 2009-2010 school year. Parents are encouraged to continue to check our online calendars as GHCA schedules various summer activities. Some teachers may even elect to update their blogs over the summer! So on a rainy summer day, feel free to check in to www.ghca.com and see what's happening!
GHCA buzzing with activity over the summer
Even though it is summer, the Academy is buzzing with activity. One of the largest projects is the removal of our old heating system in preparation for a new, efficient, and much-needed upgrade. Volunteers have been busy ripping out old radiators and piping, and we are thankful for everyone who is helping us keep the cost down through your donated labor!
Another project has been the replacement of rugs in the Junior High rooms and the Computer Lab. Speaking of the Computer Lab, it is undergoing a complete rebuild this summer - see Mr. Surran's blog for details.
GHCA CONCESSION STAND UPDATE
The Academy Food Booth is anticipating a busy summer. A special thanks to Steve Bither and Dale Korhonen for their hours of labor in getting a new axle installed on the food booth. The season kicked off with the 2009 Soap Box Derby. Our next event is the Houlton Agricultural Fair July 2-5 at Community Park. One week later we will head for Fort fairfield for the County Gospel Festival on July 11. On July 24-26 we have been invited to the County Bluegrass Festival also in Fort Fairfield. Our next stop will be an 8-day event at the Northern Maine Fair, July 31-August 8. Our "road trip" will draw to a close September 4-6 when we return to Fort Fairfield for the County Bluegrass Labor Day event.
As you can see we have an aggressive schedule to fulfill, but we have already had good initial response to the need for workers. We have much more to fill so please call Kelly at 538-9737 or 694-5144 if you are available to help in any way.
Laptop Initiative goes into full deployment in 2009-2010
After a successful transition phase this year, our High School is now fully implementing laptop technology in the classrooms and curriculum of all nineth through twelfeth graders. This means that laptop ownership is required of High School students starting this Fall. It also obviously means that students need to be consistent in bringing their laptops to class. Our Laptop Initiative section of our website has been updated to reflect some minor changes regarding our move from phase-in to full deployment of LI. If you have questions regarding the implementation or policies of our Laptop Initiative, please contact our Head of School. For answers to technical questions or purchasing tips, contact our System Administrator.
17 inch CRT monitors available
GHCA has a number of 17 inch CRT monitors available. These are X-Flat monitors, and they are "flat" in the sense that the glass is flat, providing a nice picture. These monitors are "tube" monitors, which we recently replaced LCD monitors. We disposed of any blurry, old, or damaged monitors. The ones we kept are still in good condition and provide a great picture.
We are making these monitors available for personal / business use for a minimum donation of $25 per monitor to the GHCA Annual Fund. If you are a non-profit organization - a church, food pantry, etc., and you depend on donated computer equipment to operate, we can offer these monitors to you free-of-charge.
Our supply is limited, so we'll provide these on a first-come, first-serve basis. Contact Mr. Surran at msurran@ghca.com for more details! Visit www.ghca.com/computers to actually see what these monitors look like.
Music lessons offered this summer
One of the extra opportunities here at GHCA is private music lessons. Available in the afternoon hours, students can take lessons on string, brass, and woodwind instruments. Guitar and piano lessons are also offered. There is an extra charge for these lessons, but having them right at the school building saves parents time and money in transportation fees. If this is something you'd like to take advantage of next year, contact Mr. Harris.
Mrs. Mortland is offering summer piano lessons in the Houlton area on Thursdays. Lessons are $10 per 30-minute slot and are payable on a week-by-week basis to allow for summer activities and vacations. If interested, please contact Mrs. Mortland at 764-4636 or lmortland@ghca.com.
Introducing The Fosters
Mr. and Mrs. Foster are our "guests" in this year's final Teacher Feature. As a married teaching team who are also graduates of GHCA, you are in for a treat! Take a moment to get to know them better.
Mr. Zimmerman regularly sits down with an individual teachers and "interviews" them so that the rest of us can better know the people educating our children at GHCA. If you missed any of the previous teacher interviews, check the side menu on the Teacher Feature page for a list of previously featured teachers.
2009-2010 Calendar Available
Are you already planning for the new school year? Get a head start by downloading the new school calendar! Of course, we highly recommend that you continue using the online calendar to stay up-to-date on the latest events, including sports schedules and exam dates.
Greater Houlton