In 1999, Jeff and Amber Rowe and Michael and Michele Parks started discussing the possibility of an alternative educational option in Clinton.
When they decided to move forward, the first person they contacted was Sandra Braithwaite, Jeff said, who was superintendent of the Clinton School District. The second was Fr. Tom Hearnes at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. What the two founding families of Clinton Christian Academy wanted to make clear, Jeff said, is that CCA was not organized because of any lack of confidence in the teachers and staff of the public and parochial schools.
What started with those discussions has grown to a K4-12 grade school with 180 students and 34 staff members. CCA is now celebrating its 25th year, and is about to launch a building program on the school campus, west of Clinton just off Hwy. 18.
“It’s not so much an expansion as a facility enhancement to make things better for the students who are here,” said Robin Ritchie, head administrator.
Ritchie joined the staff in 2018, after 31 years in public school systems as a teacher and district superintendent. CCA had grown by adding grades, she said, and when she joined as the school’s second administrator, CCA had just added year 2 of the upper (high) school.
Before Clinton Christian Academy was built between 2000 and 2003 on 8 and half acres on the west edge of Clinton, the students stood in a circle and prayed over the land, Ritchie said.
“It grew pretty quickly to 90 to 100 kids,” Ritchie said of the school’s first five years.
Like many local non-profits, the school started in the basement of a church, in this case the white-steepled First Baptist Church on Second Street, with 27 students and three teachers. Before the school opened, the founding families researched Christian curriculums and other Christian schools in the area, Ritchie said, and chose Abeka grade school curriculum. CCA also uses the BJU Press curriculum, she said, which integrates Bible verses into all areas of learning.
“Every kid has a daily Bible lesson,” Ritchie said, “and the upper school students, 5th through 12th grades, take Bible classes.”
The first principal at CCA was Carolyn Thornton, Ritchie said, who also taught classes. Thornton set the tone and culture of the school, including having the lower school students wear uniforms.
Clell Stephenson, who passed away in 2018, taught speech and debate at CCA starting in 2004, after retiring from teaching at Clinton public schools.
Roger Bancroft taught at CCA for 15 years, and started the girl’s basketball program. Roger is inviting all former CCA teachers and coaches to a reunion on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 1 p.m. in the CCA cafeteria. Refreshments will be provided. Call Roger at 660-885-1468 for more information.
“The purpose of the meeting is to be connected to each other and stay connected to CCA through prayer and whatever other needs we can meet,” Roger said.” Sometimes they need a tutor, and even though some of us can no longer teach full-time, we can continue to serve the Lord and CCA and be a part of it.”
Volunteers are crucial to CCA, and include parents and grandparents who help keep the grounds mowed, the gardens weeded, and help Jackie McClure serve 110 hot meals a day and clean up in the cafeteria.
The average class size now is 11 students, with the high school growing from four students the first year, 2016, to 16 in three years. CCA has eight seniors who will graduate next spring, Robin said. CCA has five core courses — four like public school (English, math, science and social studies), she said, plus Bible.
New at CCA is a student-led Praise Team, she said, which will be leading songs at weekly chapel services, on Fridays at 7:45 p.m.. The service is open to parents and the public. There is also a new Patriots performing arts club, called P-PAC.
CCA already received plans to build an enclosed bus barn for the school bus and a designated weight room. Weight-room equipment was donated to the school, Ritchie said, but up until now, the equipment has lived on the stage of the gymnasium, which is used for weekly chapel services, assemblies, graduation ceremonies and sports. The additions will be built on to the west side of the gymnasium, Ritchie said, using a volunteer contractor and funds donated in the last two years.
CCA is launching a capital campaign this fall to raise funds for phases 2 and 3 of the facilities enhancement. Phase 2 calls for the removal of the modular classrooms, and the construction of a larger cafeteria with commercial appliances. A bigger lab for science classes is also planned. Phase 3 is not set in stone, Ritchie said, but will entail reconfiguring office space.
CCA is non-denominational, Ritchie said, having students whose families are Catholic and Mormon and a non-denominational board of directors. What surprised her, she said, was the number of students from unchurched families who are enrolled. What she likes best about working at the school — she can use prayer and scripture with students and their families in counseling sessions. Teachers and staff start the day with a brief devotional and prayer. Every staff member, from the minister who teaches Bible classes through all the support staff, is a role model for students on what it means to be a Christian.
The cooperation that CCA’s founders showed with the Clinton School District from the start resulted in a collaborative relationship with the public schools. CCA students can attend classes at Clinton High School, Ritchie said, and upper school students are enrolled at Clinton Technical School, spending mornings in computer, automotive and health career classes.
CCA students can also enroll in Junior ROTC at Clinton Schools, and take online classes on Launch through the school district. And home-schooled students are welcome to sign up at CCA for two or more classes, she said.
The Parks moved to the Kansas City area, but all of Jeff and Amber Lowe’s children attended CCA, where their youngest child, Parker, is now a freshman. For more information, go to cllintonacademy.org.
