Some 100 parents, faculty, and staff gathered the evening of Monday, May 21 for the Annual Meeting of the Atlantic Christian School Association, spending time together in fellowship and prayer, electing new Board members, honoring the dedicated service of 10 ACS teachers, and listening to state of the school reports highlighting this year’s academic and financial progress. Members of the ACS Board of Directors served up a buffet dinner that preceded the formal opening of the meeting.
Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen touched on highlights from the past school year, noting that this year’s enrollment of 487 students was the highest in the school’s 47-year history and praising God for His goodness and faithfulness. Board of Directors Chair Pearson announced that in response to the steady growth in enrollment the Board and administration have begun working on a conceptual plan to add a new school building, which could include a gym and a performing arts venue. “We are working on a vision so that we grow well and if it’s God’s will, we know He will provide the funds to do it,” Pearson said.
During the meeting, two new members were elected to the Board, which oversees the governance and policies of the school. The new Board members, who will serve 3-year terms alongside eight other Board members, are school parents Lina Lomangino and Rob Barberio, pictured above with current Board Chair Pearson (center). School parents Jason Lewis, Eric Hoover, and Courtney Mitchell were also elected to serve on the Board’s Nominating Committee.
Oblen recognized and thanked 10 teachers who will be leaving ACS at the end of the school year due to retirement, relocation, or being called to a different vocation. Those present (pictured above) were presented with certificates in appreciation of their service, including faculty members Deanna Bailey, Anne Dice, Karan Erlandson, Casey Hopwood, Joelle Howard, Gregg Laskow, Matt McKnnnon, Charlie Moore, Shirlene Perini, and Ariel Richvalsky.
Newly-elected Board member Lomangino, whose son Ryan is an ACS junior, has been a long-time parent volunteer, serving on the PTF, the Servant’s Heart Club, and Parents in Prayer. She holds a degree in special ed from Rowan University. Barberio, who is in his second year as head coach of the ACS Middle School Boys’ Baseball team, has two children currently at ACS, 4th grader Ava and 7th grader Robert. He is the co-owner of Olympic Physical Therapy and is the founder/operator of the Barberio School of Massage in Linwood.
In their financial reports, Board Treasurer Chris Loeb and Business Administrator Kelly Flynn noted that God has once again blessed the school with the necessary financial resources, including gifts to provide for a second year of tuition assistance for needy families in the 18-19 school year. The annual audit of the school’s finances has also been completed and the recent obtaining of a new commercial loan for the school’s mortgage is resulting in an annual savings of $24,000 in interest payments over the next 10 years.
Parent Teacher Fellowship President Terry Vogel gave a year-end update on the volunteer organization’s activities and reported that PTF fundraisers, such as the Spiritwear sweatshirt sales, collection of Boxtops, and Shoparoo, had netted over $4,000 to benefit school programs. She announced that next year the PTF plans to give 10% of the total Shoparoo proceeds to the class who comes in first in participation.