ACADEMICS
The ACADEMIC MISSION of Evangelical Christian School is to create a vigorous academic culture that kindles a passion
for learning, develops intellectual gifts and cultivates a Christian worldview, so students are prepared for collegiate success and
equipped to lead lives of integrity and influence for Christ.
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY ACADEMICS
Our classrooms are redesigned to not only integrate current technology but also to foster critical thinking, group collaboration, project-based learning and focus on identifying problems as well as finding solutions. Engaging students in class to become owners in their learning creates a dynamic learning culture and teaches them that exploration is endless.
EXPO WEEK – FULL OF FUN LEARNING
ECS’s EXPO WEEK (March 7-11) was a week dedicated to expeditionary learning, much like a mini-term offered by many colleges and universities. It is a week to explore learning outside the typical school curriculum, and that has taken many of our students outside the walls of the classroom and onto field trips as close as Shelby Farms and the Memphis Botanic Gardens to as far away as Dallas and New York City!
Members of the fine arts department traveled to New York City; some students toured Tennessee colleges, eighth graders went to Dallas, and sixth graders spent the night in the museum at Discovery Park. Lower School students enjoyed field trips to Discovery Park, the Memphis Museum of Science and History, and the Memphis Botanic Gardens and participated in experiential learning on campus.
Other in-town adventures offered upper school students options such as camping, horseback riding, and hiking, and touring local theaters and museums to learn more about the musical heritage of Memphis.
On-campus workshops have offered a wide variety of options to upper and middle school students. Creative options included learning how to smoke meats, make candy, decorate cookies and cupcakes, create art, wreaths, pottery glazes and prints, and build pizza ovens.
STEM-oriented offerings included designing and building a boat from cardboard tested by the designers in a nearby pool, building clawbots, a catapult and building and testing rockets. Other students enjoyed teaching Lower School students this week.
For fun, some chose workshops on board games, golf, pickleball and rock climbing. Still others chose to document EXPO WEEK in photography.
Other upper school students chose to experience daily internships and shadowed specialists in medical, legal, engineering, logistics, city administration, nutrition and health professions.
All in all, it was an action-packed week of fun learning for students and teachers.
EXPO WEEK 2022
Jenny Shorten
Assistant Head of School; Academic Dean
Suzanne Acuff
Director of the Academic Resource Center
Dona Welch
Academic Counselor
Tina Greene
Director of College Counseling
Alicia Armes
Associate Director of College Counseling
Allison Thetford
Registrar/ARC Administrative Assistant
Priscilla Bland
Upper Scho0l Learning Specialist
Christy Vargo
Academic Resource Center Assistant
Academic Support Coordinator