Over 140 parents, faculty, and staff gathered on May 16 for the Annual Meeting of the Atlantic Christian School Association, listening to state of the school reports highlighting this year’s academic and financial progress, electing four members to the Board of Directors, and honoring four individuals with the Servant’s Heart Award.

Board Chair Les Tomlinson opened the meeting with a devotion from Ephesians 1:16-19, encouraging everyone to be faithful in prayer on behalf of the school, its students, and staff. “We want to ask God to give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we are able to better prepare our youth for the future,” Tomlinson said. Those in attendance broke into small groups for a time of prayer.

Board member Chaz Wyckoff then announced and introduced the recipients of the school’s annual Servant’s Heart Award — Amanda Costello, Curtis Dull, Katelin Klingert Oglesby, and David Scheidegg.

Costello is a current parent and serves on the Parent-Teacher Fellowship Board. With several sons active in ACS athletics, Costello is always ready to help the teams and coaches, with transportation and other needs that arise. Dull served ACS for several years as a security guard and after retiring from that position returned to volunteer with the facilities staff wherever needed.

Oglesby, who has three children at ACS, has faithfully served in the school lunchroom for the past four years. Schiedegg, an alumni parent, is an engineer with SNS Engineering in Mays Landing and has provided advice and professional services to the school for over 10 years as various additions have been made to the campus, including the modular Annex Buildings and the outdoor basketball court.

A new video about ACS was then shown that focused on the spiritual development theme — Deeply Rooted — and featured interviews with current students and alumni explaining how their education at ACS has helped them develop and become deeply rooted in Christ and His Word.

Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen touched on highlights from the past school year, referencing a 2021-2022 Annual Report PowerPoint that was displayed on a screen to the attendees.  Other administrators also spoke on various developments in their particular areas, including Early Education Director and Elementary Principal Gail Alford, Athletic Director Pam Hitchner, and Upper School Principal Meg McHale. Business Administrator Kelly Flynn and Board Treasurer Chris Loeb spoke on the financial state of the school.

Oblen said plans are underway to relocate the Early Education Center and kindergarten classrooms to the Annex Buildings across the parking lot and that the main school school building in September would house students in the 1st to 12th grades. She praised God for the continued growth in the school’s enrollment that reached 669 students this year and is expected to exceed 700 next year, with three classes at each grade level from kindergarten to the 8th grade.

Kris Jacoby, chair of the Board’s Nominating Committee, announced the names of the four candidates running for the Board, selected out of some 20 who initially expressed an interest in serving. Each nominee came forward to give remarks before Association members participated in the election. The newly-elected members to the Board of Directors, who will oversee the governance and policies of the school, are: Giannine DiSciascio, Alisun Klingert, Andy MacPherson, and David (DJ) Schrag.  Their official term of service will begin on July 1.

Five Association members who are school parents were nominated to serve on the Board’s Nominating Committee representing the Association next year — Cindy Barberio, Charlie Costello, Kris Jacoby, Jason Kiefer, and Paul Vogel. Association members will be receiving an electronic ballot to select three representatives from this list of nominees.

In closing remarks, Board Chair Tomlinson recognized and thanked Board member Kris Jacoby, who was stepping down from the Board after nine years of service.  “Kris is going to be greatly missed and we are so grateful for her faithful service, particularly serving as the Board’s Secretary for a number of years,” Tomlinson said.