Enrichment

At Campbell Christian Schools, we make our music and theatre programs a priority. Music is taught on a weekly basis to all grade levels, from pre-K through 5th grades. Students are taught a varied and well-balanced music curriculum, including music notation and terminology, famous composers and their works, periods in music history, and instrument families. They also learn to play recorders and numerous percussion instruments. Students are encouraged to perform in chapel and various music programs throughout the year, and all children perform in the Christmas and Spring school concerts by singing and/or playing instruments. Fourth and fifth grader students have the unique opportunity to audition for and participate in the annual Spring Musical production.

Mrs. Sunny Ahrens began her teaching tenure at Campbell Christian School in 2004.  She holds a Bachelor’s of Music degree specializing in Music Education from the Hartt School of Music in Connecticut. Mrs. Ahrens has been a music teacher for over twenty years, with experience teaching students in pre-K through eighth grade. Mrs. Ahrens has also directed vocal and instrumental ensembles. We are very excited about the musical background and expertise she brings to CCS.

CCS has a comprehensive Physical Education program that is designed to help provide students with the knowledge, habits, and attitudes that will equip them for a fit and healthy life. Health and nutrition education is included with fitness and movement activities, and instruction in sport skills. In addition to the weekly P.E. Classes for each grade, CCS holds yearly sports events to promote fellowship, team building skills and sportsmanship. Parents are encouraged to come and share in these events with their children. Some of those events include our annual cup stacking “Stack Off” that is usually held in November and December of each year. This activity promotes small and large motor skill improvement as well as brain to motor development—the children really love the activities as well. Physical Education testing occurs at the beginning of the academic year. This testing provides parents with a variety of physical development markers to gauge student development. The P.E. department also sponsors an annual Field Day. Held during May of each year, Field Day is a fun day of relay races and activities among the students, staff, administrators, and parents. Families are welcomed to attend this fun activity, and it is a nice bookend to a successful academic year.

Mrs. Cheryl Ruby, our PE teacher, graduated from Lubbock Christian University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. She has worked as a personal trainer as well has been teaching here at CCS since 1989. Her two children attended CCS. She is very excited about sports, kids and life.

 

Computer classes are held for all pre-kindergarten through 5th grade students. Computer class is viewed as a useful tool in helping CCS teach core subjects and familiarizing students with the various uses of computer technology. Computer instruction includes the use of specific subject instructional software, educational games, word-processing, and the role of computers in real-world applications. All Internet connections are filtered for objectionable content.

Unless your child is struggling with their computer assignment, it is not necessary to buy the software listed here. Some of the software used in class is:

Jumpstart Phonics	Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing
Reader Rabbit Reading	Mavis Beacon Teaches Microsoft Office
Reader Rabbit Math	Microsoft Word
Math Blaster	Microsoft Powerpoint
Math for the Real World	Microsoft Excel
Grammar for the Real World	Microsoft Internet Explorer (filtered)
Read, Write, & Type	FableVision Animation-ish

 

Mrs. Sheryl Pasquinelli joined our staff in 2001 as our computer teacher. She graduated from the University of Puget Sound in Washington with a degree in Computer Science and Math and a minor in Writing. She says, “I have enjoyed teaching in the corporate world, but cannot imagine how it could compare to opening the eyes of a child to something new.” We feel blessed to have her. She has two children that graduated from CCS.

 

Campbell Christian School offers an outstanding art education program to all elementary classrooms. Art education at CCS focuses
on teaching the elements and principles of art through a hands-on approach. These principles are broken down to the basics,
allowing all students to participate, create, and enjoy the art experience. Students also have the opportunity to critique famous works
and apply other artists’ techniques and concepts to their own artistic projects. Though some schools have cut art programs, children
love and benefit greatly from art. We will continue to keep art education as a focus at CCS.

Mrs. Rhonda Jose began teaching at CCS in 1999 and brings an enthusiasm and sense of humor to our school and art education program. She graduated from California State University in Chico with a degree in Social Sciences.  Both of her children are graduates of CCS. She continues to inspire and challenge her students, creating a dynamic and fun art education program for CCS.

 

To support this love of reading, CCS maintains an extensive collection of elementary school level reading materials. Each class in the grades Pre-K – 5th visit the library on a weekly basis. During this time they are taught the importance of reading through a variety of experiences, including some fun reading comprehension activities and other skills such as research and use of encyclopedias. Grade appropriate library skills are a focus. The library also hosts an annual Book Fair in November where students can choose books to read, donate them back to their classrooms, or get them for future gifts. All proceeds from this book fair go to the CCS library for the purchase of new books.

Some highlight programs for the library:

• The school library purchases a membership for all students at the school to World Book Online, an online encyclopedia that students can use for projects or for fun, either at school or at home.
• The school has instituted the Accelerated Reader Program. This reading program is designed to create reading goals through identifying reading levels in the students. Students will read books inside his or her personalized reading zone (level) and then take a comprehension test based on the book. Students earn points throughout the month and reading tests help the teachers and parents monitor reading progress. By giving students reading goals and access to reading level books, we are able to set up challenging and fun reading experiences that foster reading growth.
• The school library has over 3500 books for students to check out on a weekly basis. We keep updating and growing our library with new items, and the library has roughly a $4,000 annual budget to update and buy new books.
• Our library is outfitted with an LCD projector, dvd/vcr player, and the teacher teaches from a tablet pc, where the librarian can write items on the computer and it shows up on the LCD screen. Our library is also attached to our computer lab, which provides student access to the internet and to Accelerated Reader testing.

 

Mrs. Catherine Hickinbotham joined the CCS staff as our librarian in 2005. Previously, Mrs. Hickinbotham worked as a teacher's aide in our preschool and as a substitute teacher in the Elementary School. Mrs. Hickinbotham has a degree in Liberal Studies from San Jose State University. She has a love for children as well as the hope that the students of CCS will become independent, life-long readers. Her daughter attends CCS and her son is a graduate..

 

Elementary students attend chapel once a week, on Tuesday mornings from 8:15 AM to 8:45 AM. Each classroom is responsible for two chapels per year. During these chapels the students will usually perform a skit that relates to our yearly chapel theme. Students also sing praise songs and will listen to lessons related to the chapel themes from adults from time to time.

Because of our commitment to providing the necessary consumables and equipment for the children in our care, the Campbell Church of Christ and Campbell Christian Schools jointly operate a resource room. This resource room provides staff members with printers, a copier, a scanner, paper, bulletin boards supplies, arts and craft supplies, and die cuts, just to name a few of the items. The resource room is an area where parents can come to gather items for in-classroom projects, as well as help teachers by volunteering services.

Campbell Christian Schools operates an extended care program designed to both enrich the students’ lives when not attending class and to provide care opportunities for working families. Although care is not given on major holidays, extended care is open almost all days school is not in session, including certain days during Christmas break, the entire week of winter and Easter breaks, and during teacher in-services days. Extended care schedules include homework time as well as arts, crafts, athletic activities, game time, and computers, just to name a few. Extended care is open during classroom days from 7:00 AM to 7:45 AM and reopens from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Students must always be signed in and out of extended care by an approved adult with valid identification.

During the summer months Campbell Christian Elementary Schools offers around a 10 week summer program for all students, both our current elementary students and those who just finished grades kindergarten through fifth. This program is designed to provide a diverse range of fun and educational activities to the young individuals in our care. Activities include swimming, games, arts, crafts, theme days, computers, and athletic competitions. Almost every week the students attend off-site field trips to locations such as Great America, Raging Waters, The Exploratorium, and Gilroy Gardens, to name just a few of the destinations. Academic classes are available throughout the week to provide refresher instruction so the students retain academic information from year to year. Field trips and the calendar change yearly, so contact the school office if you are interested. Open enrollment to the public begins April 1st of each year. View the summer program page