RBA Cheerleading Teams Capture Three National Championships

We are proud to celebrate an outstanding achievement by our RBA Reign Athletics Cheerleading program! Earlier this month, our RBA cheerleading teams traveled to Disney World to compete at the Quest National Championship in hopes of reclaiming the title of national champions. After multiple days of competition and lots of hard work, RBA brought home national titles in three divisions!

This year’s national champion teams are:

Silver Flame – 10U Level 1

Black Ice – 12U Level 2

Royalty – 14U Level 1

All of these athletes have demonstrated exceptional commitment and hard work throughout the year. Their success on the national stage reflects their dedication and passion for the sport, as well as their values of perseverance and teamwork.

We would also like to extend a big thank you to the RBA coaches and staff! These victories would not have been possible without their guidance and support.

Congratulations once again to all our athletes and coaches on this remarkable accomplishment. We are incredibly proud of you!

For those interested in joining this award-winning program, please contact Coach Lafave at rbaathletics@gmail.com for more information.Go RBA Cheerleading!

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Mastering the Alphabet: Kindergarten Letterland Parade

The mastery of the alphabet is essential for every young learner. Knowing the shape and sound of each letter (both uppercase and lowercase) ensures our kindergarteners have a good foundation to build on as they continue their education.

To help students learn the alphabet, they are taught the ‘Letterland Song,’ which assigns a character to each letter. Through the Letterland song and characters, CCS-A kindergarteners master all 44 sounds in the English language and their major recurring spelling patterns.

To celebrate this mastery, each CCS-A campus recently had its annual Letterland Parade. Students and teachers dressed up as their favorite Letterland characters and proudly marched around their campus. Parents, staff, and older students cheered them on and helped them celebrate this accomplishment.

Congratulations, kindergarteners!

Check out pictures from each campus’s Letterland Parade below:

Leland

Southport

Whiteville

Wilmington

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Exploring Washington, D.C.

On March 12, eighth grade students from CCS-Southport and CCS-Leland traveled to our nation’s capital, Washington D.C., for an educational and unforgettable field trip.

Our eighth graders have spent the past nine years at CCS-A studying our nation’s history and founding. This trip provided them with the opportunity to experience that history firsthand, making connections to what they have learned in the classroom while deepening their understanding of American history and government.

They spent the weekend touring many historic landmarks and monuments, including the U.S. Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Washington Monument, Ford’s Theatre, the Lincoln Memorial, and more.

They also explored several museums within the Smithsonian Institution.

By learning alongside their classmates, our eighth graders created memories that will last a lifetime. They will carry these experiences with them beyond their time at CCS-America and continue to understand the importance of being active, informed citizens of the United States.

Washington, D.C. Trip Photos

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We Still Have Spots Open!

The 2026-2027 school year is quickly approaching. There is still time to enroll! We have seats open across all grade levels and all campuses.

All prospective students (including siblings of current students) can enroll online for the upcoming school year at www.EnrollRBA.com for any of our four top-ranking locations. To access the application, click the “Visit and Enroll HERE” text next to the campus logo that 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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NC Office of Charter Schools Praises CCS-Whiteville

On February 25, the NC Office of Charter Schools (OCS) visited and toured CCS-Whiteville. Brandi Gill and Julie Whetzel, representatives from the OCS, performed an extensive on-site inspection and did observed classrooms.

During their visit, they observed many positive practices. Among those praised in their evaluation were CCS-Whiteville’s strong communication system, setting clear behavioral and instructional expectations, effective curriculum materials and resources, valuable professional development for staff, and promoting teacher and student retention. They also commended CCS-Whiteville for improving academic growth in 2024-2025, exceeding growth expectations.

The full list of CCS-Whiteville ‘glowing practices’ can be seen here: OCS CCS-Whiteville Glowing Practices

Gill and Whetzel also held both parent and staff focus groups.

In the parent focus group, parents praised CCS-Whiteville for its effective communications, providing an education that meets student needs, instructional methods, structured environment, and year-round schedule.

In the staff focus group, staff members praised CCS-Whiteville’s effective curriculum, positive atmosphere, environment of support and collaboration, and mission. They also noted how the staff truly feels and acts like a family and emphasized how students who graduate from CCS-Whiteville are excelling after graduation.

We are grateful to the OCS for taking the time to visit and are very proud of the praise and positive comments CCS-Whiteville received.

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Students of the Month: Dependability

Virtue is an essential part of CCS-America’s classical curriculum. Students are recognized monthly for displaying a specific character trait. Throughout the month, they learn and practice this trait. They also recite it daily in our School Pledge.

February’s character trait was Dependability. Dependable students keep their word and do what they say they will, even if it is difficult to do so. Dependability is seen in the School Pledge as “I Pledge to be truthful in all my works.” Students apply these words to their everyday lives by being responsible decision-makers on whom others can depend on.

Congratulations to all these students who demonstrated exceptional dependability. Check them out on the links below!

CCS-Leland

CCS-Southport

CCS-Whiteville

CCS-Wilmington

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CCS-America Staff Spotlights

CCS-America prides itself on having the best, most encouraging, and most positive staff members. Law 1 of the Roger Bacon Academy states “Reward good behavior- you’ll get more of it.” Teachers who consistently encourage and reward positive behavior will get more of it in return and foster meaningful, lasting relationships with their students.

While we value and are grateful for all our amazing staff members, we would like to highlight a few who have stood out on recent parent surveys as going above and beyond to reward positive behavior and build impactful student relationships.

Alexis Reynolds: CCS-Whiteville

“She loves each and every student that enters her classroom. She is such a positive influence in their lives. I am so grateful for all she does for my child each and every day.” -Kindergarten Parent

Mrs. Reynolds serves as the Lead Kindergarten Teacher at CCS-Whiteville. She began at the campus as a Teacher Assistant in 2021 and worked her way up to Teacher and then Lead Teacher. Mrs. Reynolds truly cares about each of her students and approaches her class with patience and positivity. She is passionate about teaching and instilling a lifelong love of learning in every student she interacts with.

Click HERE to see what goal Mrs. Reynolds aims to accomplish by teaching.

Samantha Summerlin: CCS-Southport

“She holds herself to a high standard when it comes to the kids, their safety, and communication with parents. She puts a lot of thought into making the classroom a very fun, safe, and educational place.” -First Grade Parent

Mrs. Summerlin serves as the Lead First Grade Teacher at CCS-Southport. She has been part of the CCS-America family for almost four years. She is a terrific teacher and always encourages her students to give their best, guiding them towards excellence. She works hard and is a strong leader for her team. She makes a special connection with every student in her classroom and ensures they feel comfortable and heard.

Click HERE to see what Mrs. Summerlin’s favorite part of teaching is.

Melissa Sprankle: CCS-Wilmington

“Her empathy empowers my child to show kindness to others. Her encouragement helps my child build confidence.” -Kindergarten Parent

Ms. Sprankle serves as the Kindergarten Teacher Assistant at CCS-Wilmington. She started with the school in 2024 and quickly became an integral part of the CCS-Wilmington family. She finds joy in helping students learn and understand new concepts. She forms personal relationships with all the students around her, even taking the extra step to learn about their hobbies and interests to better connect with them.

Click HERE to see Ms. Sprankle’s favorite part about being a teacher.

Stephanie Stone: CCS-Leland

“She has been so kind and patient with my child. My child is so appreciative and talks so highly of her.” -Fifth Grade Parent

Ms. Stone is a Fifth Grade Teacher at CCS-Leland. She joined the school in 2022 as a Grant Instructional Specialist and returned in 2023 in a teacher position. She is a kind and caring teacher who is deeply invested in her students’ progress and success. She consistently goes above and beyond to support their academic and personal growth, making sure each student receives the guidance and encouragement they need.

Click HERE to see what Ms. Stone loves about working in education.

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We Still Have Spots Open!

The 2026-2027 school year is quickly approaching. There is still time to enroll! We have seats open across all grade levels and all campuses.

All prospective students (including siblings of current students) can enroll online for the upcoming school year at www.EnrollRBA.com for any of our four top-ranking locations. To access the application, click the “Visit and Enroll HERE” text next to the campus logo that 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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CCS-America Spelling Bee

On February 18th, the CCS-Leland auditorium hosted the annual CCS-America Spelling Bee! Students who won both their classroom and grade-level spelling bees from all four campuses gathered for the final spelling showdown.

First through eighth-grade students faced off against the winners from other campuses, showcasing their extraordinary spelling skills. The competition was fierce, and many grade levels had very close races. The eighth grade competition was so intense that it went over twenty rounds!

In the end, our champions spelled their way to victory and were named the Grade Level Champions!

List of winners:

1st grade- Allen Johnston from CCS-Leland

2nd grade- Jaxon Craven from CCS-Southport

3rd grade- Kendall Hufman from CCS-Southport

4th grade- Remi Rivera from CCS-Southport

5th grade- Luke Byron from CCS-Southport

6th grade- Emma Evans  from CCS-Southport

7th grade- Titan Robles from CCS-Leland

8th grade- Enzo Didomencio from CCS-Southport

Congratulations to all our Spelling Bee participants! You did a wonderful job representing your schools and we are so proud of you.

CCS-America Spelling Bee Winners

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CCS-America in the Media: Classic Learning Test Spotlight

The Classic Learning Test (CLT) recently highlighted CCS-America as a ‘CLT Spotlight School.’ Check out the full CLT Journal article HERE to learn more about CCS-America’s mission, what makes us unique, and the key ingredients that led to our campuses ranking #1 and #3 in the country on the 2025 CLT8 test.

Next, CCS-America’s Dean Lopez and Dean Cause-Nance sat down for CLT’s ‘Anchored’ podcast. They went into detail about CCS-America’s one-of-a-kind classical curriculum, the direct instruction method, and the classical education movement. The podcast episode is available on all podcast platforms (including Spotify and Apple Podcasts) or HERE on YouTube.

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CCS-America Staff Spotlights

CCS-America prides itself on having the best, most encouraging, and most positive staff members. Law 1 of the Roger Bacon Academy states “Reward good behavior- you’ll get more of it.” Teachers who consistently encourage and reward positive behavior will get more of it in return and foster meaningful, lasting relationships with their students.

While we value and are grateful for all our amazing staff members, we would like to highlight a few who have stood out on recent parent surveys as going above and beyond to reward positive behavior and build impactful student relationships.

Debra Greene: CCS-Leland

“She shows so much kindness and compassion to her students. Her open arms and warm heart mean so much. We appreciate her greatly!” -First Grade Parent

Ms. Greene serves as a First Grade Teacher Assistant at CCS-Leland. She will reach her ten year anniversary at CCS-America this year! For the past decade, Ms. Green has been a caring and kind teacher who is personally invested in the success and happiness of her students. She takes the time to build meaningful connections with them, ensuring they feel supported, valued, and understood. Her compassion and genuine interest in her students’ well-being create a positive and nurturing learning environment.

Click HERE to see why Ms. Greene is passionate about teaching.

Twyla Mckenzie: CCS-Wilmington

“She loves each and every student she comes in contact with. She creates a personal relationship with her students and goes the extra mile everyday.” -First Grade Parent

Ms. McKenzie serves as the First Grade Teacher Assistant at CCS-Wilmington. She has been a apart of the CCS-America family for over five years, starting out as a bus monitor and substitute teacher. She goes above and beyond to create personal, genuine relationships with every student she encounters. Her love for teaching and her students is clear to anyone who meets her. While now a Teacher Assistant, Ms. McKenzie still serves as a bus monitor to help ensure all her students get home safely.

Click HERE to see what Ms. McKenzie loves about working in education!

Stefanie Smith: CCS-Southport

“She manages so many responsibilities and still makes learning engaging and meaningful. She helps her students stay focused, grow their confidence, and take on more responsibility. My child truly benefits from her hard work.” -Fifth Grade Parent

Ms. Smith serves as the Lead Fifth Grade Teacher at CCS-Southport. She has been working at the Southport campus for over five years. Her dedication to her students shines brightly each day as she guides them through both the daily challenges of the classroom and their upcoming transition to middle school. She works hard to grow a hunger and love for learning within her students that continues to guide them to success after they leave her classroom.

Click HERE to see what Ms. Smith aims to accomplish through teaching.

Tessa Cheek: CCS-Whiteville

“She is open, transparent, and always willing to go above and beyond. She has never ending dedication and hard work and made my child’s transition to a new school so smooth.” -Sixth Grade Parent

Mrs. Cheek serves as a Sixth Grade Teacher at CCS-Whiteville. She has taught at CCS-Whiteville for almost three years, showing her dedication to her students time-and-time again. She works hard to make learning fun, finding unique ways to get students excited about history. She is pictured here with a 3D-printed medieval village she made for her students to illustrate what life was like in the middle ages. The lesson, which included a discussion of feudalism, captures both her love of history and her affection for her students.

Click HERE to see what Mrs. Cheek loves about being a teacher!

We Still Have Spots Open!

There is still time to enroll for the 2026-2027 school year! We have seats open across all grade levels and all campuses.

All prospective students (including siblings of current students) can enroll online for the upcoming school year at www.EnrollRBA.com for any of our four top-ranking locations. To access the application, click the “Visit and Enroll HERE” text next to the campus logo that 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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CCS-Wilmington Walks in MLK Parade

Every year, on the third Monday in January, our country honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with MLK Day. The City of Wilmington joins in this celebration with its annual downtown Parade.

After a hiatus in 2025, this well-loved event returned this year, with Classical Charter Schools of Wilmington proudly marching alongside nearly one hundred other participants. Despite the cold weather, Third Street in downtown Wilmington was lined with people celebrating, watching, and cheering.

This marks the eleventh year that CCS-Wilmington has participated in the Parade, and we are honored to once again be part of an event that brings the community together to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s message of peace and perseverance.

Check out pictures of our participation in the Parade:

CCS-Wilmington MLK Parade Pictures

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Mock History Bowls

As a classical charter school, history is an important part of CCS-America’s curriculum. Beginning in Kindergarten, students begin learning chronological classical history. Content from other classes lines up with the time period being discussed in history class, allowing students to reach a comprehensive understanding as each subject informs the other. This continues as students rise in grade level.

Once students reach fifth grade, they have the opportunity to participate in the CCS-America History Bowl, a highly anticipated event that gives students the chance to show off their historical knowledge. Each campus puts together four teams, one for each grade level from fifth to eighth grade.

Students prepare for the History Bowl for months, studying and memorizing up to 400 classical history questions that could be asked during the fast-paced competition.

To practice, the teams from all campuses meet twice before the real competition takes place for Mock History Bowls, where students can see and understand the flow of the competition. The first Mock History Bowl took place on November 13th, while the second took place on January 21st.

Students improved so much from the first practice to the next. The teams are very competitive and are looking forward to showing off their skills and winning their grade level’s trophy. We are excited to see their impressive performances at the Final History Bowl, which will take place in March!

Mock History Bowl #1

Mock History Bowl #2

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CCS-America Staff Spotlights

CCS-America prides itself on having the best, most encouraging, and most positive staff members. Law 1 of the Roger Bacon Academy states “Reward good behavior- you’ll get more of it.” Teachers who consistently encourage and reward positive behavior will get more of it in return and foster meaningful, lasting relationships with their students.

While we value and are grateful for all of our amazing staff members, we would like to highlight a few who have stood out on recent parent surveys as going above and beyond to reward positive behavior and build impactful student relationships.

Meagan Faircloth: CCS-Southport

“She has a beautiful personality and greets us at drop off every morning. You can tell she cares a lot by the way she starts her day with high energy, positivity, and putting extra in. She SHINES.”-Southport Parent

Mrs. Faircloth serves as an Exceptional Children (EC) Assistant at CCS-Southport. She has been working at the campus since 2021 and has spent the past five years building positive relationships with students, parents, and staff members. She is a shining example of positivity on campus, always going out of her way to brighten the day of everyone she interacts with. She is known by the CCS-Southport community for bringing joy to the mornings and setting an incredible tone for the day.

Click HERE to see what Mrs. Faircloth loves most about being an educator!

Mary Singletary-Hinson: CCS-Whiteville

“I am truly thankful for her dedication and the way she continually goes above and beyond to help my child learn and grow.” -Fifth Grade Parent

Mrs. Singletary-Hinson serves as the Lead Fifth Grade Teacher at CCS-Whiteville. She has spent the last five years fostering growth and learning within her students, starting as a Teacher Assistant and now a Lead Teacher. Even on difficult days, she pours love into her students because she knows that she is teaching them to do the same to others, making the world a little better every day. She calls her students her “greatest teachers” because they teach her patience, endurance, and how to be courageous.

Click HERE to see what being a teacher has taught Mrs. Singletary-Hinson and why she loves to educate!

Nikki Chaney: CCS-Leland

“She does an amazing job building relationships with her students so that they admire, trust, and respect her.” -First Grade Parent

Mrs. Chaney serves as the Lead First Grade Teacher at CCS-Leland. She has taught at CCS-America for over 11 years, consistently showing her love and dedication to her students. Her energy and positive attitude radiate through her classroom, making learning engaging, fun, and interesting for her students.

Click HERE to see what motivates Mrs. Chaney to be a teacher!

Michel’le Pendergrass: CCS-Wilmington

“She is an absolutely amazing teacher who builds lasting relationships with her students! We are so thankful for her and the love she pours into my child.” -Kindergarten Parent

Ms. Pendergrass serves as a Kindergarten teacher and Lead K-2 Teacher at CCS-Wilmington. She has taught at CCS-America for almost 10 years, always going above and beyond to make sure her students are prepared to succeed after Kindergarten. Her patience, empathy, and encouragement inspire her students to keep working and learning, even when they encounter obstacles.

Click HERE to see what Ms. Pendergrass finds special about being a teacher!

2026-2027 Enrollment is OPEN!

The time to enroll for the upcoming school year is NOW! The Open Enrollment period ends THIS FRIDAY, January 30th. Enroll before then to secure your spot for the 2026-2027 school year!

All prospective students (including siblings of current students) can enroll online for the upcoming school year at www.EnrollRBA.com for any of our four top-ranking locations. To access the application, click the “Visit and Enroll HERE” text next to the campus logo that 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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