Link to Slides (double click) // Dillard 1

Delaney Dillard

Dr. Madrazo

ED 299

27 February 2023

School and Community Analysis

Looking at their school profiles, you would never know that Greenwood Christian

Academy’s High School Building and Greenwood Community High School are only 2.7 miles

apart. GCA, a private Christian school serving 779 students grades pre-k-12, pales in comparison

to GHS, a public high school serving 1,219 students grades 9-12 (“Greenwood Community High

Sch (3473)”; Jackson).

Diversity demographics of both schools reflect the predominantly white community in

which they are located. GCA’s student population sits at 82.4% White, 7.4% Multiracial, 5.0%

Asian, 2.6% Hispanic, 2.3% Black/African American, and 0.3% American Indian (Jackson).

GHS’ student body is 74.9% White, 9.5% Hispanic, 6.7% Multiracial, 4.7% Black/African

American, 4.0% Asian, 0.1% Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 0.1% Native American

(“Greenwood Community High Sch (3473)”).

The most noticeable difference is in what the school offers students. GCA does not have

a library. Despite being in operation since 1999 and in a permanent location since 2006, they

have yet to establish a dedicated library space. A library has been on the to-do list for quite some

time, although it seems to be more in motion currently than in previous years. On the other hand,

GHS has a dedicated library space, although there is no mention of it on their website or in any

articles available online. It doubles as their media center as well.

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GCA is able to connect struggling students with student tutors who have taken the

courses in recent years with the same teacher, ensuring a quality tutoring experience. According

to their website, GHS is lacking in student tutors. The “support” that they provide to struggling

students is access to adult tutors via Club Z and Homework Hotline (Guidance).

As for students with disabilities and students that are in need of special services, the

difference is apparent. Part of Greenwood Christian Academy’s application process is being

evaluated to ensure that the special services team can fully attend to the student’s needs. At

Greenwood Christian Academy, 12.5% receive special services K-12, whereas 19.7% of students

at Greenwood Community High School receive special services (“Greenwood Community High

Sch (3473)”; Jackson). That is 79 students at GCA, and about 240 students at GHS.

Another interesting data point is student achievement. On average, GCA presents testing

scores 25.95% higher than the Indiana average, the highest gaps being in 5th Grade Social

Studies Proficiency (38.6) and 10th Grade English/Language Arts Proficiency (33.7%)

(“Greenwood Christian Academy (C966)”). The Greenwood Community School District scores,

on average, about 12.96% above the state average with the most notable gaps being 10th Grade

English/Language Arts Proficiency (19.1%) and 10th Grade Biology (15.4%) (“Greenwood

Community High Sch (3473)”).

The courses that are offered at each school mirror the percentage of experienced teachers

fairly accurately. GCA has four Dual Credit courses offered through Vincennes University and

four Advanced Placement courses (“Course Offerings Book”). With only 9.5% of educators

having over 20 years of experience, this is understandable (“Greenwood Christian Academy

(C966)”). Greenwood High School offers seven Dual Credit courses through Indiana University,

three Dual Credit courses through Ivy Tech, and five Advanced Placement courses (“GHS
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Curriculum Guide”). On the other hand, 28% of their staff is made up of educators with 20 or

more years of field experience (“Greenwood Community High Sch (3473)”).

Greenwood Christian Academy and Greenwood Community High School have differing

mission statements, although they both uniquely reflect the community values. Greenwood,

Indiana, highly values physical activity and sports, as well as unity and representation. Evidence

of this lies in the newly built Greenwood Fieldhouse, holding an elevated track, turf fields,

basketball and volleyball courts, a golf simulator, and indoor pickleball courts (Greenwood

Fieldhouse | Greenwood, IN).

Unity and representation are found in the many events held throughout the year to ensure

delineation of every people group. The whole community gets involved in the Freedom Festival,

held the last weekend before the Fourth of July. With a parade, music at the amphitheater, and

fireworks, people of all ages come out to celebrate independence (Freedom Festival |

Greenwood, IN). In June of 2020, community youth led a Black Lives Matter protest. Attendees

were encouraged to sign a petition for the Johnson County and Greenwood Common Councils,

asking for a citizens review board in Greenwood to conduct investigations into policing

complaints. The Mayor spoke about his faith, his children, and listening to black voices, and

other speakers added comments about the movement as well. The protest lasted just over two

hours (Hopkins).

Greenwood Christian Academy’s mission statement is “to pursue academic, spiritual, and

extracurricular excellence in a Christ-centered community” (“Statement of Faith”). Their vision

statement is “to equip students to be servant leaders, relevant in the world, pursuing God’s

purpose and will for their lives” (“Statement of Faith”). Greenwood Christian Academy aims to
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educate their students to become knowledgeable of real-world issues, letting them fulfill their

purpose of relevance.

Greenwood Community High School’s mission statement is “to continuously improve the

system of teaching and learning that results in increased achievement in all students” (“GHS

Curriculum Guide”). GHS aims to create well-rounded students who are aware of their

community and world. By continuously improving their styles of teaching and observing how the

students learn, they are forming students who are beneficial to their communities.

Greenwood Community School District has a five-person board made up of Mike

Metzger (President), Chris Zaborowsky (Vice President), Deanna Burton (Secretary), Jack

Napier, and Chad Shaffer (Board of Education). The Greenwood Community School District

also has 250 teachers, 75 of which are at the high school, and an average salary sitting at

$51,937.00 (Herron).

The Greenwood Christian Academy board has seven members, with Jared Adams

holding the President position. Other members are Russ Van Til, Natalie Jackson, Danielle

Doyle, Ryan Smith, Craig Reed, and James Mead. GCA has 57 teachers K-12 and an average

salary of $38,000.00 (Jackson). With high schools 2.7 miles apart and middle schools 1.1 miles

apart, a $13,927.00 difference in salary can only be attributed to the difference in state funding.

Overall, Greenwood Christian Academy and Greenwood Community High School

embody similar qualities, offering numerous sports and arts opportunities, pursuing academic

achievement, and aligning their values with the communities. The two schools seem incredibly

different based on their data, but once you get into both schools you find that there are teenage

students, wonderful teachers, and hardworking support staff on each campus. Students are being

properly educated at both institutions.

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Works Cited

Board of Education. www.gws.k12.in.us/about-mccsc/board-of-educ-information.

“Course Offerings Book.” Greenwood Christian Academy, 2022,

docs.google.com/document/d/1vtk8l9BqC9mcdaiVCUTmyOHYDDAzUiGwLwWbbd8

mydc/edit.

Freedom Festival | Greenwood, IN.

www.greenwood.in.gov/topic/blocks.php?topicid=125&structureid=22.

“GHS Curriculum Guide.” Greenwood High School, 2018,

gws.k12.in.us/docman-lister/greenwood-high-school-documents/4209-2018-2019-curricu

lum-guide/file.

“Greenwood Christian Academy (C966).” Indiana Department of Education,

inview.doe.in.gov/schools/1000003966/profile.

“Greenwood Community High Sch (3473).” Indiana Department of Education, 2021,

inview.doe.in.gov/schools/1042453473/profile.

Greenwood Fieldhouse | Greenwood, IN.

www.greenwood.in.gov/division/blocks.php?structureid=277#blockContent-436.

Guidance. gws.k12.in.us/guidance.

Herron, Arika. “Indiana Teacher Pay: Find the Average Salary in Every School District.”

Indianapolis Star, 2 Mar. 2021,

www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2021/03/02/indiana-teacher-pay-find-average-sa

lary-every-school-district/4252513001.

Hopkins, Emily. “In Greenwood, Hundreds Gather in Support of Black Lives, Police Reform.”

Indianapolis Star, 13 June 2020,

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www.indystar.com/story/news/local/johnson-county/2020/06/12/greenwood-protest-crow

d-gathers-support-black-lives-matter/3179865001.

Jackson, Kevin. “Re: GCA Stats for Project.” Received by Delaney Dillard, 13 February 2023.

Email Interview.

“Statement of Faith.” Greenwood Christian Academy, www.gcak12.org/statement-of-faith.

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