Welcome to our Newsletter!
Thanks for taking the time to check it out!
Please send us your comments and suggestions! |
|
I put a few demographic facts together that I would like to share with you. Having graduated 32 classes from 1978 to 2009, our numbers are building, and spreading across the continent and beyond! By our records, we have graduated 296 people. We have email addresses for 160 of them, and mailing addresses for 76 more. As you can see, we still have some detective work to do! (Thanks to Mary Thomas Piehl and Sharon Crews for doing most of the initial leg work!)
Our biggest class was in 1983 when we had 17 graduating seniors. We had 16 in 1984 and 1987, and 14 in 1979, 1980, and 1996.
It was fun for me to review the names on our list, and some interesting things jumped out at me! Our most common girl's name was Cynthia/Cindy with 6. We also had 5 Kellys, with 3 different spellings (Keleigh, Kellie, Kelly). For the guys, we had John and Steven/Stephen tied with 5 each. If we added the 5 Stephanies to the Stephens, we had our most common first name with 10! Last names were very interesting! We had 5 Smiths, which you might expect, but tied with them were the Pelles! FCS really cranked out the Pelles for a while from 1993 to 2002. Interesting enough, Kristen Smith married into the Pelle family, and can now claim Smith and Pelle!
In addition to a few military and overseas missionary addresses, FCS Alumni are represented in 17 states! DE, MD, OH, AZ, AL, SC, VA, KY, TN, GA, FL, PA, MA, TX, IN, CO, and HI! Yes, that's Hawaii! As soon as we grow enough to have an expense account, I plan on making a personal visit (just kidding!)
While our numbers are beginning to add up, we are praying for our enrollment, and would like to see our classes grow! Please pray with us for the strength and ministries of our school and Alumni Association.
HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE AT AN ALUMNI EVENT SOON! |
Guest Column - Neil Webster
Mr. Webster has served the last four years as principal at FCS. He has played an enormous role in several key advancements in the development of our school. He is now enjoying his retirement!
Greetings Fairwinds Alumni:
It has been a real pleasure to work at FCS the past four years. After many years in the public sector it gave me a great opportunity to witness firsthand the inner workings of a Christian school. Over the past four years FCS has undergone many changes. First and foremost was the effort to improve the technological program at the school With the help of my friends at Howard R Young Correctional Institute we were able to place computers in all of the teacher’s classrooms and establish a new and improved computer classroom, in addition to a Learning Resource Center. All of these computers have Internet access and enable our teachers and students to add a technological component to the daily curriculum. By adding these items, teachers are now able to enter grades, lunch orders, and prepare stored lesson plans. With our improved Internet access our school now operates under the Renweb management system that enables teachers to post weekly homework, tests, and quizzes. Parents may now see not only their children’s homework, but have access to their children’s grades. Thanks to additional efforts by church members we are continually able to update our computers and make them more effective learning tools. LCD projectors have been installed in all high school classrooms that now enable teachers to use the Internet to provide additional learning materials for their students, as well as make use of power point presentations to present curricular materials. The process of installing LCD projectors will begin in the elementary classrooms this year.
A new writing program was started in grades 3, 4, & 5 two years ago and by the end of the 2010/2011 school year we will be able to evaluate the impact of this program on our students’ writing ability. Students in our elementary school now have computer classes every week and last year began taking elementary Spanish instruction. FCS has begun to change from a basic Abeka curriculum to Bob Jones in the past two years. Curriculum and textbooks from BJP encourage and place a greater emphasis on writing and creative thinking. By the 2012 school year, FCS will be using the BJP curriculum in all classrooms.
During the past four years our students have competed with students all across the country in writing projects and have consistently been awarded honors for writing. Many of our students’ names are now in publications that represent some of the most talented writers in our nation. In addition, we have entered the News Journal’s Black History Month writing contest the past four years and our students have consistently been awarded 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place recognition for their writing. FCS not only continues to excel in the classroom but has been very competitive on the athletic fields as well. Our boys’ basketball team has won the conference championship for the past seven years and has competed at the nationals the past three. Our girls and boys not only are competitive on the athletic field but last year won the Conference Christian Character award in boys’ and girls’ soccer and girls’ basketball.
Lastly and most importantly as FCS has made many strides academically and athletically, it continues to make every effort to ensure that biblical studies and the life of Jesus Christ are at the very center of everything that we do. I encourage you to come and visit FCS and see God’s work being carried out by a staff of dedicated teachers who love children and demonstrate God’s love in their daily instruction. God bless you and your family!
|
FCSAA BBQ Reunion - July 18, 2009
 After watching thunderstorms in the forecast all week, the Lord cleared the skies and gave us a perfect day! Everyone enjoyed great food and great company. We had moon bounces, snow cones, face painting and playgrounds for the kids. Some of the adults engaged in friendly games of horseshoes.
We were thrilled to see former faculty members Tom and Barbara Smith and Carol Holmes. Vicki Murray and Craig Daliessio were among those who traveled from out of state to attend. Jerry Factor, Jr. even walked all the way down the lane and across the softball field to attend!
 I would love to mention everyone who was there, but we were so happy to see Dale Bendler, Lydia Alexander, Janet Ferguson, James Dowell, Tom Newburn, Donna Keller, Will Cisneros, Michelle Phillips, Melody Parrish, Sherri Phillips, Tammy Coldiron, Kate Kelley, Brittney Long, Pastor Carlo and Mrs. D, Neil Webster, Jerry and Renae Factor, Mike and Sharon Phillips, Bill Targett, Eddie Burgess, Bob Brown and Stephanie Frye (married names left out to protect the guilty!), Stephanie VanVeen, Franklin and her parents, Tracey Colon and fiance, Joyce Clemens, Anne Cane....maybe I did mention everyone! (I'm sure I'll hear about someone I failed to mention!)
 Roughly 50 adults attended, along with the kids and grandkids. THANKS EVERYONE FOR A GREAT DAY! (By the way, we recovered about half of our expenses...thanks for chipping in!)
|
|
Thanks for reading down this far! Even though we just wrapped up the BBQ Reunion, we're already thinking about what's on the horizon! We hope to host our 2nd Annual Fall Concert in October...stay tuned for details as this is hot off the press! The 2010 Homecoming will be in January, so please mark your calendars. Both events were well represented last year, but we want to exceed those numbers and keep building the Alumni Association!
THANKS!
Denny Kinsey
FCS Alumni Association | |
|
In This Issue
|
| Editorial |
| Guest Column |
| BBQ Reunion |
|
Featured Bio
Keith Wilson (1978) |
|
Keith graduated as Valedictorian of our first senior class, and has dedicated his life to Christian education ever since. He currently teaches Social Studies, and is the High School Principal at Elkton Christian School. Through the Alumni Association, I have had several people tell me that "Mr. Wilson" was their teacher. His name is always reflected upon with a smile and warm memories!
Keith was also one of the first FCS grads to finish college, having graduated from Liberty University in 1982. He is also a member of the Liberty University Band Alumni. He helped pave the way for FCS grads to assimilate into the college realm, reporting back home on dorm life, college-level classes, and tight schedules!
"I have lived a charmed life. I have been married 26 years to a wonderful woman, Christina. We have been blessed with 3 awesome children...Travis (21), Kami (19) and Ryan (8). I also have hundreds of students that I have taught that I consider my kids."
It's no secret that Keith is a big Phillies fan! He recently had the opportunity to try on one of the 2008 World Championship rings! Personally, I'll always remember riding up to the Vet with Keith, his brother Ken, and Chuck Short. We always stopped at Gino's for a bucket of chicken and sat up in the 700 level. Keith's teaching instincts were evident even then. "If Biff Pocoroba is batting .300, and he's had 200 at bats, how many hits does he have?"
It's awesome to see that Keith has answered his true calling! He has faithfully served the Lord, and has been blessed in return with a loving family and many friends. | |
