A Letter from the Head of School regarding Open Forum

Dear Chapelgate community,

I am so grateful for the time we shared last night in our community open forum! For those who shared, I thank you for your honesty, your willingness to share, and for your graciousness. Our church and school leadership will continue the work of understanding the hurt of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and how the history of our country has perpetuated racist policy, practice, and beliefs.

I was reminded, once again, what makes Chapelgate such a special community – it is all in the Christ-centered relationships. I was incredibly encouraged and blessed by the focus on the gospel and the call for the church to lead the change – our belief in the gospel should impact the institutions of this world, including our own! As Christians, we are called to repent, and as one parent said last night: our repentance should show up in the changes we make.

To that end, our school board will be meeting this evening to discuss what’s next. We have already been sharing ideas, and we appreciate members of the community who have reached out to volunteer, share their ideas, and be an active part in our plans moving forward. We’ll be sharing more plans and ideas for your feedback soon.

In closing, I want to let ALL members of the Chapelgate community know that I never want fear to stand in the way of truth. That means we are not only willing to listen to students and families, we encourage honest feedback. The church leadership, school board, school administrators, and CCA faculty and staff are ALL here for our students and families. As the leader of CCA, I will continue to prioritize the Christ-centered relationships are at the core of who we are, and what we do.

Personally, I am committed to walking alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Best,
Melissa

Melissa Barrett
Head of School