School Profile

General Info • Community • Staff • Curriculum • Grades • Awards • Placement

General Information

Shining Light Baptist Academy

CEEB Code: 342689

Main Office: (704) 225-0396

Fax: (704) 289-4945

Website: shininglightsharks.com

Superintendent: Tim Cruse (timcruse.com)

Administrator: Aaron Cruse

Community

Located in Greater Charlotte, Union County, Monroe, North Carolina, one of the state’s fastest growing areas and on a 75-acre developing campus. Shining Light Baptist Academy is a distinctively Christian school where students learn the right use of knowledge in the context of character with a heart for God and others. The Academy was established August 28, 2000 and graduated its first senior class in May of 2001.

The Academy is registered with the Department of Non-Public Instruction in Raleigh, NC and holds membership and candidate accreditation status in the North Carolina Christian School Association and the American Association of Christian Schools. Inspections are conducted annually by the Department of Non-Public Instruction for compliance in the areas of student attendance, achievement test scores, teacher certifications and maintenance of facilities.

Staff & Faculty

The academy staff and faculty have their degrees from various institutions including but not limited to; The Crown College, Pensacola Christian College, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Fundamental Baptist College, South Piedmont Community College School of Nursing, Central Piedmont Community College School of Nursing, Hyles-Anderson College, Piedmont International University, Bohecker’s Business College, Bob Jones University and North Carolina State University – the staff has a combined average of a decade of classroom teaching experience and are faithful members of Shining Light Baptist Church.

Meet the Staff

Curriculum

Students in K4-12 grades are taught using the world renowned Abeka curriculum. Our K5 students learn to read phonetically and write in cursive. The Stanford Achievement Test and the Terra Nova Achievement Test are administered each spring. Students score at or above national grade level averages on the tests.

The Academy requirements and credits for high school graduation (25) exceed the State of North Carolina high school requirements and credits (22) for high school graduation. A general education diploma track and college preparatory diploma track are offered. Students have the opportunity to take accelerated course work for college credit. Juniors and seniors take the ACT and SAT college boards and have the opportunity to sit for the ASVAB career exploration aptitude test.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculation

A – Excellent 90-100, 4 quality points

B – Above Average 80-89, 3 quality points

C – Average 70-79, 2 quality points

D – Below average 60-69, 1 quality point

F – Failure 59 or below, 0 quality points

GPA is computed using the above quality points. Beginning with grade nine, all subjects, whether passed or failed, are included in the computation. A minimum of 25 credits are required for graduation. Grades are recorded on the student transcripts and GPA is computed in January and May.

2024 Awards & Distinctions

Elementary Choir - 1st Place

Academic Testing
🥉3rd Grade Math: Benjamin Prosanov - 3rd Place
🥉 4th Grade History: DJ Merchant - 3rd Place
🥈🥉 6th Grade History: Luke Haywood - 2nd Place, RJ Reynoso - 3rd Place

Art
🥇 3rd and 4th Grade Monochromatic Drawing: Chandler Cruse - 1st Place
🥈 5th and 6th Grade Polychromatic Drawing: Roman Adamovch - 2nd Place
🥈 3rd and 4th Grade Painting: Mia Pasyuk - 2nd Place
🥉 5th and 6th Grade Painting: Amy Santos - 3rd Place
🥈 5th and 6th Grade Three - Dimensional Art: Kristina Shneyder - 2nd Place
🥇 3rd and 4th Grade Photography: Melissa Kholod - 1st Place

Bible Sword Drills
🥈 3rd Grade: Phoenix Hayes and Claire Cruse - 2nd Place
🥉 5th Grade: Samuel Zhavko and Anastasia Terzi - 3rd Place

Spelling
🥉 4th Grade: Chandler Cruse - 3rd Place
🥇 6th Grade: Zoey Kennedy - 1st Place

Music
🥉 Vocal Solo: Ariyana Torchilo - 3rd Place
🥈 Brass Solo: RJ Reynoso - 2nd Place

Past Awards & Distinctions

2023 Secondary

NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. Woodwind Solo - 2nd place - Superior Rating
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. Small Instrumental Ensemble - Excellent Rating
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. Choral Group - 3rd place - Excellent rating
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. Small Ensemble - 1st place - Superior rating
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. Bible Quizzing - 1st place
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. Acrylic Painting - 3rd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. Academic Testing - Math - 1st place
NCCSA Fine Arts State Sr. Large Ensemble - Excellent rating
NCCSA Fine Arts State Sr. Bible Quizzing - 1st place
NCCSA Fine Arts State Sr. Brass Solo - Excellent rating
NCCSA Fine Arts State Sr. String Solo - Excellent rating
NCCSA Fine Arts State Sr. Woodwind Solo - Excellent rating
Southern Piedmont Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award Recipient - 1 of 12 students in Union County

2023 Elementary

NCCSA Fine Arts State - Academic Testing - 5th grade History - 2nd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State - Academic Testing - 5th grade Science - 2nd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State - Monochromatic Drawing - 6th grade - 1st place
NCCSA Fine Arts State - Polychromatic Drawing - 5th grade - 1st place
NCCSA Fine Arts State - Painting - 3rd grade - 3rd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State - Photography - 3rd grade - 2nd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State - Photography - 5th grade - 3rd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State - Sword Drills - 5th grade - 2nd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State - Sword Drill - 6th grade - 3rd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State - Brass Solo - 6th grade - 1st place
NCCSA Fine Arts State - Spelling Bee - 5th grade - 1st place

Previous Years

NCCSA Eddie Blalock Sportsmanship Award (4 consecutive years) 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Nine First Team All-State boys basketball players 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2020
AACS Fine Arts National Art/Monochromatic Drawing Winner
AACS Fine Arts National Brass Instrumental Winner 2008
NCCSA Fine Arts State Spelling Bee 2nd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State Brass Instrumental Winner
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. High Male Vocal Solo Winner
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. High Small Instrumental Ensemble Winner
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. High Choral Group 3rd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. High Small Vocal Ensemble Winner
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. High Bible Quizzing Winners
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. High Acrylic Painting 3rd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. High Math Academic Testing Winner
NCCSA Fine Arts State Jr. High Woodwind Solo 2nd place
NCCSA Fine Arts State Large Ensemble - Excellent Rating
NCCSA Fine Arts State Bible Quizzing Winner
NCCSA Fine Arts State Brass Solo - Excellent rating
NCCSA Fine Arts State String Solo - Excellent rating
NCCSA Fine Arts State Woodwind Solo - Excellent rating

Post High School Placement

80% of graduates matriculated to 4-year colleges or 2-year institutions.

20% selected work, military service or technical instruction.

Shining Light Baptist Academy graduates have gone on to complete their undergraduate degrees or are currently enrolled in the following universities, colleges or serving our country in the armed forces: