April Helms to join GCA Faculty

April Helms joins

GCA Faculty for

2018-2019 School Year!

We are happy to announce that April Helms will be joining our staff next year as our 3rd grade teacher. She has a BS and a Masters in Early Childhood from Valdosta State University. She comes to us with 20 years of experience in 3rd grade!

We will certainly miss Ms. Loeffler, but she thrilled to be handing the reins to Ms. Helms.

Welcome April!

New Faculty for 2017-2018 School Year

The GCA Board of Directors and Administrators are excited to announce the addition of  four (4) new faculty members for the 2017-2018 school year.  Jessica Miller will be joining the GCA team as our new first grade teacher, Jorden Gamble will be coming on board as our new 4th grade teacher, Margie Nour is our new MS Science teacher, and Dorothy Strong will be teaching HS English and Spanish.

Jessica Miller has 12 years of experience in Elementary Education and comes to us from Seminole County Elementary School.  She has a BS in Early Childhood Education from Valdosta State University, a M.Ed.  in Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, and her Education Specialist in Teaching and Learning.  She also has a Gifted and Reading Endorsement.  She is looking forward to our awesome 1st grade.  Mrs. Glennie Cox will be her paraprofessional.

Jorden Gamble comes to us from Cairo and has 4 years of experience.  She has her BS Degree in Elementary Education and a Masters of Library and Media Science from East Tennessee State University.  Jorden will be the 4th grade teacher but also team teaching with the 5th grade teachers, Mrs. Ragan and Mrs. Barber.

Margie Nour has more than 30 years of experience in middle and high school science.  She has a BA in Biology with a minor in Secondary Education from West Georgia College and her BS in Science Education from Florida State University. She will be our middle school science teacher.

Dorothy Strong has a BS in Communication and Business from Florida State University, she has certification from the State of Florida Dept. of Education in English (grades 6012), she has certification in Exceptional Student Education and has a Reading Endorsement.  She and comes to us with 11 years of experience.  She will teach our high school English and Spanish.

Julie Willis Joins the GCA Team!

The GCA Board of Directors and Administrators are excited to announce another addition to the GCA faculty this year.  

Julie Willis will be joining our team as our new fifth grade teacher.

Julie has 30 years of experience as an elementary and middle school teacher.  She has a BA from Valdosta State University and a Masters in Education from Troy State.  She is certified K through 8th grade.

Welcome Julie!!!

Five GCA Faculty and Staff Members Retire.

The GCA Faculty and Staff honored and celebrated each of these wonderful ladies during the year-end luncheon on May 27th.  They have all given so much of their time, love, and hard work to our school over the years and they will be greatly missed.  

Many, many thanks to Joyce McCook, Kelley Harrell, Rachel Worsley, Sherry Morgan and Delrose Betts!

Yancey Hired as new Athletic Director

GCA Welcomes New Athletic Director

Grace Christian Academy (GCA) welcomes Thomas Yancey this week as its new athletic director. Yancey has more than 10 years of experience coaching basketball and has also coached baseball and soccer.

"The first thing you will notice about Coach Yancey is that he is a people person with a deep love for people and for coaching," said Charlie Strickland, Head of School at GCA. "Tommy is a Christ-follower who tries to live each day as an ambassador for Christ."

 Yancey comes from a sports family. His father was a major league baseball player and ACC/SEC basketball official. Because of his father's influence, Yancey said that he has a keen knowledge of athletics and the rules and practices associated with sports. He also lettered in baseball, basketball, football, and tennis in high school and was All-State in football and basketball.

Most recently Yancey promoted health and wellness to students, faculty, and staff in his position as wellness coordinator at St. Johns River State College, which has three campuses and more than 8,000 students.

Yancey is married to the former Ginny Mithen of Bainbridge, and they have three sons: Elliott, 7, Breckin, 3, and Dominic, 6 months.

Mrs. Smith attends CSP Workshop in UM

In late June the Center for Sustainable Polymers at the University of Minnesota held its first Bioplastics Workshop for Teachers. Teachers learned a new lab where students convert starch to plastic and test the properties of their samples. The workshop included participants from the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, Georgia, and New York.

It was a great opportunity to understand sustainable polymers because this is what Danimer and Meredian use to make their products. Danimer and Meredian are two local companies.  All travel expenses and hotel accommodations were paid for by the Center for Sustainable Polymers.  She is looking forward to using her new knowledge in her classroom.  She hopes to tie it in with a field trip to both Bainbridge companies.

Mrs. Smith plans to share her new knowledge with others in the county. Throughout the last school year, Mrs. Smith met with a number of business employees, Decatur County teachers and administrators, and Bainbridge College employees to discuss implementing components of the new STEM grant for Decatur County.  “Stem” is the new buzz word in education.  Many school supply catalogs and workbooks use this new buzz word to sell their products or introduce a new classroom activity.  It is an acronym that stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Unfortunately, the USA is not at the top when it comes to preparing students for STEM related jobs.  Preparing students to be STEM ready means that they have had opportunities to participate in a projects based program that addresses community problems along side of local businesses.  The projects would require knowledge and application of the components of STEM. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

Strickland Joins GCA Administration

The GCA School Board and Administration are thrilled to announce the expansion of our Administrative team for the 2012-13 school year! Mr. Charlie Strickland will be joining us as our new Upper School Principal and bringing with him over 30 years of school experience. Mr. Steve Murr will serve as Lower School Principal and Athletic Director. Mrs. Joan Shiver will concentrate her efforts in the Guidance Department and oversee our Preschool. Mrs. Cile Warr will continue on as our Director of Development.


Stay tuned for more exciting news as school is just around the corner!

GCA Welcomes Bryant and Lambert

The GCA School Board is excited to announce the hiring of two new faculty members, Mrs. Melissa Grubbs Bryant and Ms. Dorinda Lambert. Mrs. Grubbs will be joining our Middle and High School team and Ms. Lambert will be teaching High School Biology and Physics.

Mrs. Bryant is a native of Bainbridge and the 2007 Valedictorian of Bainbridge High School. She has an Associates of Arts Degree from Bainbridge College and went on to receive her B.S. in Secondary Education with a specialty in English from Thomas University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She has field experience with Thomas County Middle School and Bainbridge High School where she spent this last year working with ninth grade Literature and Composition. Ms. Lambert received her Bachelors Degree from the United State Military Academy, Westpoint. She went on to complete her Masters of Science Degree at the University of Delaware. Ms. Lambert currently teaches Health and Wellness at Bainbridge College where she has been a part-time faculty member for the past 12 years. Dorinda has three children; Nathaniel, Hannah and Kelsey.