A Personalized Path for Success

What do you want most for your child’s high school experience? Dual enrollment courses that give them a head start on college credits? Strong extracurriculars and athletics that will give them opportunities for discovering new passions and interests? Are you looking for an environment that will echo the same Christian values you’ve been instilling in your son or daughter these last 14+ years?

Gaston Christian School’s high school program is designed to support the whole child — academically through a challenging college prep education, emotionally through leadership and personal growth opportunities, spiritually through involvement in our Christ-centered culture and community, and socially/professionally as they identify career and life goals. Below, you’ll find a brief overview of what we offer, including: 

Academic Offerings

College & Career Prep

School Culture 

Campus Safety 

To learn more about the many benefits of attending our private Christian high school, we encourage you to schedule a meeting with our Admissions Director Lane Rice: 704-824-4128 or LRice@gastonchristian.org.  

College Prep, Concurrent Dual Enrollment, AP, and Honors Courses

College prep courses make up the standard curriculum, while students looking for more advanced coursework can choose from 24 honors courses, 10 AP courses, and concurrent dual enrollment courses through the College at Southeastern and Gardner Webb University.

Gaston Christian High School is a partner with NorthStar Academy, giving high school students access to a wide variety of online courses. GCS juniors and seniors have the opportunity to enroll in the College and Career Promise Program through the NC Community College System. 

Personalized Guidance and Support

Navigating the pressures of high school can be overwhelming, especially as students start thinking about how they can best stand out as they prepare to apply to college, trade school, a ministry, or military service. Our dedicated guidance counselors work with ninth grade students to put together a personalized plan for their four years of high school, taking into account their interests, passions, and abilities — seeing them through this plan all the way to graduation.  If a student is ever struggling with grief, anxiety, depression, or stress, GCS guidance counselors are always available.

Robust Fine Arts Offerings

A student’s creativity flourishes through our expansive Fine Arts offerings. Some of our most popular electives and extracurriculars include band, chorus, costuming, praise band, stagecraft, sound & light engineering, theatre, visual design, and woodworking. Need tickets to an upcoming GCS show? Visit our box office for more information.

Championship-Winning Athletics

Go Eagles! With 12 sports teams, many of them recent state champions, student-athletes are mentored in more than just skill mastery — they’re also taught sportsmanship, self-discipline,  and teamwork. Teams include baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, golf, skeet, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, and volleyball.

Real-World Skills

GCS high schoolers are required to take courses in public speaking and technology. These requirements help ensure our graduates are confident communicators and knowledgeable about how to utilize the tools of their generation responsibly.  Bible classes and leadership roles in student clubs and organizations help solidify a student’s integrity, character, and stewardship.

14+ Clubs for Student Interests

Each GCS teacher volunteers with or sponsors a student club or activity, allowing them to get to know more students and to serve as mentors for students who share similar interests. Some of the more popular student clubs include Mock Trial Team, International Thespian Society, Student Government, and Faith in Action.

Are you ready to create your personalized path for success?

Start Application

Ready for College, Careers, & Service

GCS’s high school program guides students through the process of selecting a career path and identifying what level of higher education or training is needed to get them there. Every student takes a career assessment (SCOIR) and works with a guidance counselor to review the results, giving students a snapshot of possibilities and a sense of direction. 

We are proud of all of our GCS graduates and the paths they choose. Most of our graduates go on to 4-year colleges and universities, while others opt for an associate’s degree or certificate program. Some years, a number of our graduates go on to serve in the military or the ministry. 

Members of the Class of 2021 were offered scholarships and grants valuing more than $1.9 million.

College Prep by Grade

9th Grade
Guidance counselors meet with students and their parents to create a four-year plan, emphasizing the importance of grades and transcripts. 

10th Grade
As sophomores begin settling into high school and taking various electives, guidance counselors meet with students and their parents to make any necessary adjustments to the student’s four-year plan. 

11th Grade
Juniors take career skills and interest inventories and are introduced to college search platforms. Through one-on-one meetings, guidance counselors begin providing college-specific information. Students go on GCS-sponsored college tours and have opportunities to network with college admissions representatives. SAT and ACT prep classes are available, along with practice tests. 

12th Grade
With the help of their guidance counselor, seniors are busy completing college applications, researching scholarship opportunities, and attending informational events, such as Senior Night, to learn about the college application process, finances, and more. GCS hosts College Application Day for seniors and parents to meet with college and FAFSA representatives.  

A look at where our graduates go next … 

• UNC Chapel Hill
• Wake Forest
• Furman University
• Virginia Tech
• Vanderbilt
• Duke University
• Auburn University
• Clemson University
• University of Notre Dame
• Ohio State University

 … and more!

“The academic rigor that GCS provides gave me tremendous comfort when I went off to college, as I felt extremely prepared to complete undergraduate and graduate coursework. GCS also provided me tremendous support when embarking on my career, acting as a great foundation of confidence to lean on in interviews and job searches. Most of all, GCS helped develop within me a bedrock of faith that I lean on daily, knowing that I have a heavenly father who will guide me every step along my journey. My family and I are thankful for Gaston Christian School and how it continues to impact me to this day!” 

-K. Gibson, GCS Class of 2012

Keeping students grounded while holding them to high standards

High school can be a challenging time as teens start to grasp the long-term impact their actions will have on future goals. We guide GCS students through this time by: 

• Creating a path forward. Dedicated teachers, guidance counselors, and mentors help students identify and articulate their goals — academically, professionally, and spiritually.
• Support through counseling. Individual and group counseling sessions introduce students to healthy coping skills, conflict resolution, and other relational skills.
• Fostering wise choices. At GCS, students feel safe to share challenges and discuss struggles. 

A Safe Place to Learn and Grow

Environment matters. We know that students crave a sense of community, safety, and security. Our 66-acre campus is nestled off of a quiet road in Gastonia, just a 10-15 minute drive from the greater Charlotte, North Carolina, area. We value our Christ-centered community and family-like atmosphere, and we’re continually investing in campus improvements, including a new Student Life Center.

We make our students’ physical safety a priority — we have a full-time armed security officer on staff, secure door locks, including Nightlock keys to bolt doors in case of a lockdown, and cameras inside and outside school buildings.

Visit Gaston Christian School 

We encourage you to visit our beautiful 66-acre campus. Schedule an in-person tour by calling our Admissions Director Lane Rice at 704-824-4128. Can’t make it for an in-person visit? Tour our campus virtually.

Head of Upper School 

Dr. Jonathan Huitt

Dr. Huitt will be serving as Gaston Christian’s new Upper School Head (6th-12th). In this capacity, Dr. Huitt will oversee all operations, strategy, and programs in grades 6-12. He will be especially focusing on community relationships and strategic initiatives. He will remain an intimate part of the lives of our middle school students and teachers and we look forward to his new impact on our high school.

High School Director 

Mrs. Christa Pratt

Mrs. Christa Pratt is Gaston Christian’s new High School Director (9th-12th). Mrs. Pratt is leaving the classroom and taking upon increased leadership responsibilities in the daily operation of the high school, as well as the supervision, evaluation, mentorship, and coaching of a portion of the faculty. Mrs. Pratt also brings a foundation of relationships and high school knowledge, in addition to some fresh ideas. She and Dr. Huitt will lead our high school into its next season.