"Was sending Kyle and Kent to Cornerstone worth all the money, time and effort?  Absolutely!  I know that a solid foundation has been laid for their continuing education.  Kyle's adjustment from 80+ students to 800 has been smooth.  He keeps up easily with his homework and shows respect for his teachers."

Melanie Schumacher, mother of Kyle and Kent

Innovative Curriculum
Cornerstone Community School offers an education founded on the word of God that celebrates his sovereignty over all creation, including science, language arts, mathematics, the arts, history and all other academic subjects. If our children are to take their places as members of the Kingdom of God, then they must be equipped to reflect God's wisdom in every area of life. To accomplish this, Cornerstone Community School utilizes an integrated curriculum that approaches studies thematically, showing both the interconnections of academic disciplines and the unity of all things under a sovereign Lord.

We know that what we believe about God and ourselves as creatures inevitably shapes how we look at the world around us. For us as educators, what and how we teach our children about the world reveals our true understanding of God. We are convinced that a truly Christian education will reflect who God is, who we are in his eyes and what he intends for us in creation. We want this to permeate everything in school--how we view skills, what activities and materials we use, what view of knowledge we accept, how we evaluate students' work, and how we interact as a community.

SCHOOL HISTORY

In the early 1980s, a Christian school was established in Pittsburgh, PA. At the same time several founding members of CCS lived in Pennsylvania and were impressed by the joyful attitude towards school held by students in this new, innovative Christian school. These CCS founders were convinced that when they had children, they would want them to attend a school like this one. Meanwhile in Kent, Ohio, Christians were praying about the future of Christian education in their community.

Between the early 1980s and 1994, the Lord brought to this area numerous people who would eventually become involved in the establishment of Cornerstone Community School. When many of the school founders had children approaching school age, the question arose, “Should we send our children to one of the schools that presently exist, opt for home schooling or consider starting the kind of school that we really want to have our children attend?” After much prayer and seeking God’s will in this matter, several families came together to consider starting Cornerstone Community School. Since it seemed as though the Lord was opening many doors, efforts were begun to establish a new school.

This group of about 20 people attended a variety of churches and denominations but shared a common vision for pursuing education which would contribute to the building of God’s reign on earth. These dedicated people met together monthly as a large group and more frequently in smaller groups to work through the details of creating a new organization. These gatherings resulted in a clarification of  foundational beliefs, school philosophy and policies. God’s continued blessing upon this school community has been evident in a remarkable unity in vision and thought.

Once the groundwork was prepared, financial donors helped to lay a solid economic foundation for the school. Our first two years of classes were held at First Christian Church in Kent. For our first year, God provided CCS with a teacher experienced in every facet of the type of education the school espouses, and she directed the initial class of eight kindergarten/first grade students during the 1995-96 school year. CCS has since grown according to plan to accommodate a new grade level during each successive year.

As we approach the future, Cornerstone Community School intends to be a learning organization, preparing students to meet the challenges of a fast-paced, constantly changing world. We are confident that the Lord Jesus Christ is indeed our Cornerstone, and we will endeavor to build faithfully upon that foundation as we grow and change. We will seek to honor the Lord in all we do as a school community, serving the families and children with whom God has entrusted us.

“I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter hidden things, things from of old–what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done” (Psalm 78:2-4).