School | Lake Park Academy | Charlotte North Carolina

Who We Are

Staff And Administration | Parent's Comments | Board of Trustees

CENTRAL ACADEMY at Lake Park FACTS:

Central Academy is open to all students in grades K-12th.

We are a Church of God, Christian, board run, private school. Within our school family many different denominations are represented (i.e. Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Evangelical Free...). Our Statement of Faith states the Academy's beliefs.

The school day begins at 8:30 a.m. for all students. Our kindergartners are dismissed at 2:00 p.m. while 1st -12th grades are dismissed at 3:30 p.m.

Our student body comes from all over the Charlotte/Union County area...Matthews, South Charlotte, Monroe, Wingate, Waxhaw, Midland, Marshville, Mint Hill...chances are there are Central Academy students in your area.

After school care can be arranged from 2:00 until 6:00 p.m. with a nearby facility at a reasonable cost.

We offer computer instruction and a computer lab with internet access. Classrooms are networked. Elementary classrooms have computers available for student use. Older students receive computer instruction within various core classes and through elective classes.

Classes are offered in the core subjects of Mathematics, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies. In addition, classes in Spanish, Computers, Physical Education, Art and Music are taught.

We practice hands-on, cooperative style learning. We believe that the more a student is involved, the more he or she will learn.

Kindergarten begins our phonics based reading program. This is reinforced through the 2nd grade, with added emphasis towards comprehension.

There is strong emphasis placed on reading and creative writing throughout all grades.

We emphasize mastery in all of our subjects. Caring, qualified teachers know how to challenge and equip each student.

The high school program is college preparatory and emphasizes service learning.

We offer optional extra-curricular athletic activities in Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, and Volleyball. We offer a student Praise & Worship team for Chapels. These activities incorporate both girls and boys at various age levels.

to enhance our curriculum the Academy plans regular field trips to age appropriate locations.

Annual overnight trips are offered for LPCA older students:

4th - 6th graders travel to different regions of the Carolinas, focusing on the history and geography makeup of each area.

7th and 8th graders participate in a Spring mission trip every other year.

High School students participate in a retreat and various community service projects.

Personal tours may be scheduled at your convenience.

Lake Park Academy Facts | Parent's Comments | Board of Trustees

STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION

	HEAD OF SCHOOL Carrie Neller holds an undergraduate degree from Houghton College in New York and a master's degree in Education from DePaul University. Ms. Neller has been in the field of education for 20 years. She was the Director of Supplemental Programs at Hawaii Baptist Academy, a K-12 college prep school of 1,000 students. She also served as High School Assistant Principal at ASSETS School, an independent K-12 school in Honolulu. In addition to administrative positions, Carrie has taught in private Christian schools. She has also held administrative positions in the corporate world. In her leisure, Carrie enjoys traveling, walking, camping, reading, and doing jigsaw puzzles. She and her husband reside in Monroe.
	ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL Dr. Mildred Similton is a native of Charlotte, NC. A graduate of Pfeiffer University and UNC-Charlotte, she earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from North Carolina State University. Prior to joining the academy, Dr. Similton worked in higher education for fifteen years as an academic assessment officer, a professor and as director of a college preparatory program. She joined the Academy in 2003 to begin development of the high school program. Since that time she has served as interim administrator and academic dean. Her scholarly research has included evaluating the effectiveness of Freshman Seminar Programs and identifying indicators of healthy family functioning. Dr. Similton serves as vice president of the Greater Charlotte Association of Christian Schools and will assume the role of president beginning in August, 2008. A member of Central Church of God, she resides in Lake Park with her husband and two children.
	ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR Robin Bowlin graduated from UNC-Charlotte with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She has been an Academy parent for six years and served as president of the LPCA Parents' Association for three years. Mrs. Bowlin is a native of Charlotte and is a member of Faith United Methodist Church in Lake Park. She enjoys reading and spending time in the Virginia mountains with her family. Mrs. Bowlin resides in Lake Park with her husband and two children.
	ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Ashley Fowler earned her Computer Applications Specialist Diploma from King's College in Charlotte and has a background in human resources and administrative support. She is originally from the Wesley Chapel area and currently resides in Monroe and is a member of Eastwood Forest Baptist Church in Matthews.
	DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Shari Tuz is originally from Hershey, Pennsylvania and has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Business Administration from Grove City College. She joined the LPCA staff in 2004 and has 11 years of experience in non-profit fundraising and marketing. She lives in the Charlotte area with her husband and their son. She enjoys photography, aerobics and traveling.
	MEDIA SPECIALIST/TESTING COORDINATOR Sherry Watts earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from UNCC. She has taught in both public and private schools. She and her husband reside in Weddington and have two children. They are members at Southbrook Community Church . She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, dancing, reading, scrapbooking, and hiking.
	MUSIC TEACHER Jerry Kemper is a worship leader and Christian recording artist with a B.S. in Elementary Education. His desire is to develop students not only musically, but also spiritually. Mr. Kemper teaches Elementary music, leads the Praise Band, and provides private music lessons. This is Mr. Kemper's third year at Central Academy of Lake Park. He and his wife reside in Matthews.
	MAINTENANCE/CUSTODIAL Vasiliy Kotsyuba is originally from Ukraine. Before coming to LPCA, he worked at a private elementary school in Albany, NY doing maintenance/custodial work. He now resides in Lake Park with his family. He also serves as associate pastor at Slavic Evangelical Church-Emmanuel.
	KINDERGARTEN Bonnie Platzer graduated from State University of New York -College of Buffalo with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. She has 8 years of experience in public and private schools. Mrs. Platzer and her family reside in Charlotte.
	FIRST GRADE Kim Hucks graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BA in Early Childhood and has 14 years of teaching experience. She enjoys spending time with her family, playing piano, singing, reading, vacationing at the beach and hiking. She and her husband reside in Monroe and have three children.
	SECOND GRADE Carrie Perkins grew up in South Carolina and Georgia. She received her BS in Education from Columbus State University. Ms. Perkins is involved with the young professionals group at her church and enjoys reading, jet skiing, snow skiing, and golf.
	THIRD GRADE Pam Ketchie has over fourteen years of teaching experience in public and private schools. She was one of the first teachers hired at LPCA the first year the school began. She received her Bachelor’s and Master's Degree from Valdosta State University in Early Childhood Education. She and her husband have one daughter who is a student at LPCA. The family resides in Charlotte. Mrs. Ketchie’s hobbies include eating chocolate, gardening, boating, reading, and hiking.
	FOURTH GRADE Toya Hope received her BA degree in English and French from Claflin University (SC) and is pursuing a masters degree in Education. She has four years of experience in Christian and public schools. Mrs. Hope lives in Charlotte with her family and is a member of Nations Ford Community Church.
	FIFTH GRADE Christina Corpening earned her B.A. degree in Elementary Education from UNC-Charlotte. She taught in public and Christian schools for seven years, working with grades second through ninth. Ms. Corpening and her family live in Charlotte and attend Mecklenburg Community Church.
	MIDDLE SCHOOL Brenda Goodbrad teaches middle school Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Bible and Health. She will also be coaching the girls' volleyball team. She earned her B.A. degree from Gardner-Webb University. Miss Goodbrad enjoys music, volleyball, being outdoors, Bible study and being with friends.
	MIDDLE / HIGH SCHOOL CONSUMER MATH TEACHER Lori Gruginski graduated from Missouri Southern State College with a BS in Education and is in her 14th year as an educator. She and her husband are budget counselors for Crown Ministries and she tutors adults through the Literacy Council of Union County. She enjoys nature trails, scrapbooking, reading and spending time with friends. She and her husband live in Indian Trail and their married daughter lives in Florida.
	ATHLETIC DIRECTOR and MIDDLE / HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER Loreta Eggers was born in West Tennessee near Memphis. She graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education and General Science. Married 25 years to a landscape architect, she and her husband have three children and are active members of Resurrection Lutheran Church. She has over ten years experience coaching girls' basketball. Encouraging young people in the core values of the Christian life is her passion. She also has a heart for missions. Mrs. Eggers' hobbies include reading, exercising, golf and tennis.
	MIDDLE / HIGH SCHOOL Kevin Aycock teaches middle and high school courses with a primary focus in history and social studies. His bachelor's degree was earned at UNC-Charlotte, where he is currently completing a masters degree in History. Kevin has experience teaching at other Christian and public schools in the Salisbury and Concord areas. He lives in Concord and enjoys reading and spending time with his family.
	MIDDLE / HIGH SCHOOL Michael Mason teaches high school Bible and middle school Language Arts. He graduated from Ohio University with a B.A. degree in Middle Childhood Education. He is currently enrolled in Southern Evangelical Seminary where he is earning his Masters of Arts in Christian Apologetics. Mr. Mason enjoys reading, movies, mountain biking, hiking/backpacking and playing with his dog, Riley. He and his wife reside in Mooresville.
	MIDDLE / HIGH SCHOOL Tom Ward teaches middle school science, math and social studies in addition to high school World History and science. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from Drew University (Madison, NJ) and a B.A. in Biblicial Education from Florida Bible College (Hollywood, FL). Also, he studied secondary education at Pensacola Christian College. He has 22 years teaching and /or administrative experience in Christian Schools in North Carolina and New Jersey. Mr. Ward and his wife reside in Monroe. His hobbies include cartooning, writing, 1/43 scale slot racing and playing bluegrass harmonica.
	MIDDLE / HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH Jacqueline Williams graduated with a B.A. from the University of Georgia, and is currently pursuing her M. Ed. She has been teaching for several years in both academic and corporate environments; she also has extensive experience with private tutoring, having been named a recommended tutor by the Georgia Learning Disabilities Association. In addition, Mrs. Williams has been involved in several cultural research projects in Oaxaca, Mexico upon the request of the university Spanish professors, and she is currently co-writing a Spanish textbook. She lives in Charlotte with her husband and dog, and she enjoys reading, traveling and knitting.
	MIDDLE / HIGH SCHOOL Olga Zhushma teaches high school math and conceptual physics. Her impressive educational background includes undergraduate degrees in Mathematics (The College of Saint Rose, NY) and Mechanical Engineering (Union College, NY) as well as a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute). Originally from the Ukraine, she now resides in Lake Park with her husband and their three children.
	HIGH SCHOOL Michelle Jackson teaches part-time in the English department. Ms. Jackson earned her B.A. at Pfeiffer University, her M.A. at UNC-Charlotte and will complete her Ph.D. in English at UNC-Greensboro in July, 2007. She lives in Concord with her two dogs.

Lake Park Academy Facts | Staff and Administration | Board of Trustees

PARENTS' COMMENTS

One of the best ways to find out more about a school is to hear from the its current parents. If you are new to the world of private schools, it is helpful to hear from parents with a broader perspective, as well. In the video clips below, parents who are not a part of the LPCA family offer their insights about private/independent schools. Each clip is one to four minutes long. To view them, simply click on the title of the clip you'd like to see. Following the clips are comments from our parents about their experiences at LPCA.

Nurturing Environment (1:03)

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Knowing What You Get at an Independent School (3:04)

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Academically Challenging (2:15)
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"God truly directed our family to [the Academy]. The administration, faculty and staff are dedicated to nurturing the whole child both spiritually and academically. The curriculum is challenging and it is unbelievable how fast the students pick up on the material. Our daughter is excited about doing her homework and cannot wait to get to school every day. Being accepted into the Academy was the best gift we could have received for our daughter's education and future." -parent of a Second grader

"My daughter came home from school one day and said, "This school is just like a big family - everyone knows everyone and the kids are so nice." This is just what I needed to hear to be at ease about her new school! We feel truly blessed to have found LPCA after much prayer and deliberation. I know she is happy and well cared for, and am constantly amazed at how much she is learning. At dinner she is always teaching me something new!" -parent of a Fourth grader

"[the Academy] is a place where Christian values and Biblical teachings are reinforced. It provides a wholesome, nurturing and loving atmosphere and provides quality, well-rounded education from the basic academics to art, music, and physical fitness." -parent of a Fifth grader

"[the Academy] has great teachers, whose lifestyles exhibit their Christian beliefs. They care about academics, but also the whole child, i.e. character, spiritual life, and emotional and physical needs. It gives us peace of mind to know that at [the Academy], our children are in a safe environment, where we don't have to worry about how and what materials are being presented in class. The teachers, who influence out children's lives, have Christian morals and principles." -parent of a Second and Fifth grader

"My son is in the sixth grade at [the Academy]. He likes the school and has made new friends there. I love the small class size. The teachers care about the students and can tell when they need help in specific areas. The curriculum is challenging and has a Christian basis. I think [the Academy] was a very good choice for our family. I would highly recommend it to anyone." -parent of a Sixth grader

"[the Academy] and its faculty has become an extended family to us. The faculty knows all the students and helps in each child's growth. Our son's teacher has given the opportunities to enhance his confidence, spiritual growth and self-esteem. Her nurturing has helped him to flourish. I've talked with other parents and we have concluded that [the Academy] has given us back our true and natural child after not so pleasant experiences in other educational environments." -parent of a Third grader

"[the Academy] has been a true blessing for my daughter and our family. The teachers and staff are superb and care deeply about every single student. The small classes let each child get quality one-on-one time with the teachers on a frequent basis. At [the Academy], my child has grown spiritually, academically and emotionally. Sending her to this school is one of the best decisions I've ever made." -parent of a First grader

"What really comes through is the teacher's high commitment to educating the kids. There is a great willingness to spend extra time to help them succeed." -parent of a Seventh grader

Central Academy Facts | Parent's Comments | Staff and Administration

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

More information on additional Board of Directors is forthcoming.

Photo

Forthcoming

Greg Baker - Board Chair
A former educator, Mr. Baker serves as an administrative pastor at Central Church of God.