| About Us |
Greater Beckley Christian School is dedicated to inspiring children to lead Christ-centered lives. We support parents in their God-given responsibility of educating children by striving to provide quality spiritual, academic, personal, and social instruction in the light of GOD'S WORD. Greater Beckley Christian School of Prosperity, WV was founded in 1973 as a ministry of Prosperity Fundamental Baptist Church (now Faith Baptist Church) for the purpose of providing a general education with high academic standards using subject matter taught from a Biblical perspective. Greater Beckley Christian School opened with thirty-nine students in kindergarten through grade three. During the past five years the student body has averaged 203 students in grades K-12. Classes range in size between 15-20 students. Elementary (K-5th grades) students comprise approximately 45% of the student body and attend classes on the upper campus of the school--separate from the middle and high school campus. Since 1983, the year of the first graduating class, 347 students have graduated from GBCS. The state of West Virginia began offering the Promise scholarship to graduating seniors in the spring of 2002. Since that time 33%-50% of Greater Beckley seniors have qualified for the scholarship, and of those students who have chosen to use the aware nearly 100% have retained the scholarship throughout their college attendance. This compares to a state retention rate of 10%. Greater Beckley students have consistently scored in the upper percentiles of all standardized tests including Explore, Plan, Writing Assessment, WESTest, ACT, and SAT tests. Graduates have proven their academic preparation by attending colleges and universities across the United States. Greater Beckley students have also won the state Golden Horseshoe contest and advanced to the state spelling bee level. In addition, our students have won state and national essay and poetry contests. In 2006 Greater Beckley received candidacy status with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). We are currently fulfilling requirements for full accreditation with the ACSI organization. GBCS continually strives to provide an atmosphere in which students can grow spiritually while at the same time acquire an education of academic excellence founded upon a strong, Biblically based, college readiness curriculum. The Helping Hands parents' organization plays a vital role at GBCS. This group, made up of elementary and secondary parents, serves many functions at the school. The leaders of the group help to organize parent volunteers and plan school functions. In addition, they play a pivotal role in ensuring that the communication process between parents, faculty, and staff remains open. The group continues to grow and hopes to become more involved in other aspects of the day-to-day operation of the school. Faculty members of Greater Beckley Christian School are certified through the West Virginia State Department of Education and/or the American Christian Schools International. Teachers vary in experience from one to over twenty-five years. This variety allows new teachers to draw on the experience of their peers. All faculty members are required to participate in continuing education in order to stay abreast of up-to-date teaching innovations and techniques. Each member of the GBCS faculty and staff remains committed to the practice and ideology of quality Christian education. GBCS offers two college preparatory diploma programs. The first requires students to take the advanced math and science courses of trigonometry and chemistry in addition to each of the general diploma requirements. A total of twenty-seven credits and a GPA that meets Promise Scholarship guidelines is required. The second advanced college preparatory diploma requires the advanced courses of trigonometry, calculus, chemistry, and physics. A total of twenty-eight and a GPA that meets Promise Scholarship guidelines is required. Seniors at GBCS are given the option of participating in a dual credit English program. Greater Beckley partners with Appalachian Bible college to offer college credit for English 101, English 102, and Bible 101. If students choose not to attend ABC, credits can easily be transferred to the college of choice. Students are also given ACT and SAT preparation information beginning in their junior year. As seniors they also take a class devoted to scholarship and college entrance applications. Greater Beckley Christian School is located in Prosperity, West Virginia. GBCS is just outside the city limits of Beckley and is within twenty minutes of Daniels, Shady Spring, Beaver, Oak Hill, Fayetteville, Crab Orchard, Mc Arthur, and Sophia, West Virginia. The school is within minutes of I77, I64, as well as several shopping malls, parks, and restaurants. |