Upper Grades

High School Information

The dynamic culture of our high school has produced high-impact graduates in an amazing array of fields over the last 20 years. In addition to valuing academic excellence, risk-taking creativity, and spiritual growth, we also want to have the kind of warm, welcoming environment that young adults need in order to grow, thrive, and become successful in their own life path... (Read More)

Our high school program is unique. Our primary goal is to give young adults tools to succeed in their divine purpose or “God-given destiny.”

Academically, many of our students exceed local, state, and even national scores on standardized measures such as the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, the PSAT, SAT, and ACT. The teachers at CSCL have the freedom to truly seek creative lessons and learning experiences with the studenta. Small class sizes allow teachers to build personal relationships with their students.

Elective programs in the arts, combined with a very unique four-day school week, give students multiple opportunities to discover gifts and talents they may have not considered. We challenge students to take ownership of these pursuits and apply them outside of class. The Arts Explosion, CSCL’s annual schoolwide event showcases all our students’ talent from Kindergarten to 12th grade. A recent addition to high school course offerings is a yearlong study in Entrepreneurship. This course combines study of economic principles with practical lectures by leading businessmen and women and many real-life applications to equip students to be successful in future endeavors.

We take spiritual and personal growth very seriously. Students learn and apply the truths of the Bible to their own lives, grow in their spiritual gifts with consistent practice, and learn the inter-personal skills that will set them up for the kind of challenges they will face in the future.

[ROW] 1 [NAME] Crissy Holzer [POSITION] High School Science [BIOGRAPHY] Crissy Holzer has been teaching middle school and high school Science at CSCL since 2016. She desires to see the students believe in themselves, are confident in who they are and what they can do, knowing that they can do hard things really well when they put forth the effort. Her heart for them is that they would know that uniqueness is beautiful and when we can embrace fully who we are in Christ, nothing is impossible. [END]
[ROW] 1 [NAME] Katie Kost [POSITION] Spanish 1 & 2 [BIOGRAPHY] Kathryn Kost has been teaching Spanish at CSCL since 2017. Previously, she worked as a translator in the medical field. She loves the passion of learning and discovering that is present in small children. She desires to encourage her students to keep that passionate spirit of discovery and learning all their lives. [END]
[ROW] 1 [NAME] Michael Fickess [POSITION] High School Bible, 9th Grade Composition, American Literature [BIOGRAPHY] Michael Fickess has been teaching at CSCL since 2013, and serves as Bible teacher for grades K-11. He also teaches American Literature and English Composition. As Bible teacher, he is devoted to calling students to pursue a more intimate relationship with God through authentic community, effective prayer, revelational knowledge of Scripture, and a hunger for the “deeper things” of God. Michael's background as a prolific author, intercessor, speaker, and teacher gives him a wealth of experience to sow into the students' lives. He and his wife, Rachelle, live in Charlotte, North Carolina, and have two children, Samuel and Ari. Michael's books include Enoch’s Blessing, Paths of Ever-Increasing Glory, Start the Countdown, The Restoration of All Things, The Rise of His Holy Ones, The Great Acceleration Trilogy, and the CSCL Bible Curriculum Series. [END]
[ROW] 2 [NAME] Philip Roxas [POSITION] Senior Level History [BIOGRAPHY] Phillip Roxas has been teaching film at CSCL since 2019. He worked at Paramount Studios in Hollywood prior to that. He is passionate about storytelling and how using film and movies can powerfully tell them. His hope is to educate students today in telling their own stories, whether that's creating them in the arts, or finding a story they can relate to when watching their favorite movie. [END]
[ROW] 2 [NAME] Jenny Jeong [POSITION] Pre-Calculus [BIOGRAPHY] Jenny Jeon has been teaching Pre-Calculus at CSCL since 2021. Before that she taught high school students for 3 years at an international school in Seoul, Korea. She taught Pre-Algebra to AP Calculus and has been tutoring SAT/ACT for many years. She desires to raise young leaders to be Josephs and Daniels. [END]
[ROW] 2 [NAME] Clint Rogers [POSITION] 8th - 12th History [BIOGRAPHY] Clint Rogers has been teaching eighth through 12th grade Social Studies at CSCL since 2006. He began teaching in public schools in Atlanta in 1999. He believes “school” in its current form is broken and needs an “evolution”. He has an innate understanding that the classroom needs to be a place full of fun and filled with risk-taking, but at the same time, there should be work accomplished and preparation for the world we live in both today and in the future. [END]
[ROW] 3 [NAME] Wendy Smith [POSITION] Geometry [BIOGRAPHY] Wendy Smith has been teaching at CSCL since 2016. She teaches seventh grade English and Math, Geometry, and American Sign Language. She is passionate for Kingdom Education and discipling the youth of today. Her greatest desire is to see passion ignited in a young person, discovering who they are created to be along with a “real” relationship with the Lord. In her free time, she is a waterfall chaser! [END]
[ROW] 3 [NAME] Kari Barr [POSITION] Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Statistics and Accounting [BIOGRAPHY] Kari Barr has been teaching “all things” Algebra at CSCL since 2014. She is passionate about every student seeing that they can learn and be successful at math – whether they like it or not. [END]
[ROW] 3 [NAME] Julie Brown [POSITION] British/World Literature, AP English [BIOGRAPHY] Julie Brown has been teaching upper school English at CSCL since 2014. She currently teaches Ninth Grade Composition, World Literature, British Literature, AP Language & Composition, and AP Literature & Composition. Previously, she taught the same subjects for 11 years in Texas public schools. She is passionate about raising the next generation of leaders into their God-given identity. [END]
[ROW] 3 [NAME] Sandy Woods [POSITION] Principal and Senior Leadership [BIOGRAPHY] Sandy Woods has been a teacher and administrator at the Comenius School for Creative Leadership (CSCL) since July 2000; principal since 2010. She currently teaches Leadership to the senior class twice a week and oversees daily morning chapel services. Sandy is passionate about changing the classroom from a dull place of intellectual stagnation into a vibrant oasis of sensory engagement where each student is challenged to excel. [END]
[ROW] 4 [NAME] Mario Noviello [POSITION] Physical Education [BIOGRAPHY]Mario J. Noviello is a certified Health and Physical Education teacher. He has a Masters Degree in Human Nutrition, Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science, and is a Certified Exercise Physiologist through American College of Sports Medicine. His teaching background comes from higher education at Winthrop University and York Technical College. He also owns an Olympic Style Boxing gym that helps mentor local youth building confidence and instilling leadership skills that will help them become more productive members of society. His passions in life are development of youth and young adults teaching them the entrepreneur spirit, following their dreams, and utilizing their gifts that God has given them. [END]
[ROW] 4 [NAME] Trace White [POSITION] Junior Leadership, Entrepreneurship [BIOGRAPHY] Trace White has been at CSCL since 2016. He is the Vice Principal of Student Affairs and teaches Leadership and Entrepreneurship, but is most passionate about mentoring the next generation to shift the spheres of influence in society. He is a school planter and advocate of Kingdom Education. [END]
[ROW] 4 [NAME] Nadira Nagy [POSITION] Entrepreneurship [BIOGRAPHY]Nadira has been involved in business and entrepreneurship for over 15 years. In her marketing company, she has served marketing and advertising firms as well as businesses of all sizes. Nadira and her husband have invested in real estate throughout their marriage- renovating, flipping and selling houses. Her heart is to empower students to use their gifts in business and entrepreneurship to change the world for His Kingdom. [END]
[ROW] 4 [NAME] Sheila Lester [POSITION] Senior Bible, Vice Principal, Guidance [BIOGRAPHY] Sheila Lester has been at CSCL since 2012. She is Vice Principal of Guidance and teaches Senior Bible. Previously, she spent nearly 25 years as a teacher and Vice Principal in public education where she worked extensively in the area of School Reform. She is passionate about God’s plan for school reform and building small “Kingdom” schools, both in the U.S. and abroad. Her desire is that students receive revelation of God’s love and answer His call to walk in intimacy with him, that they find their “path”, and they be prepared to walk that path in the next phase of their life. [END]