Dear GCS staff & families,

I hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas break and were able to spend time with your family and friends. The purpose of this letter is to share with you some exciting changes for the 2024-25 school year in Cleveland County. It was just two years ago that Gaston Christian School discussed the possibility of a campus in Shelby. God was definitely in our presence and opened Elizabeth Baptist Church to us for our initial Shelby campus.  During our first year, it became very clear that staying at Elizabeth Baptist was not a reasonable long-term situation. 

Approximately three months ago I was approached by a couple of current GCS-Shelby Campus parents to look at Central School in Kings Mountain. My initial response was “No, we want to stay in Shelby.” However, as options continued to evaporate and time was escaping to do something for the 2024-25 school year, I agreed to visit the facilities known as Central School – Kings Mountain. Much to my surprise, the facilities were in very good shape. Yes, there was much work that would have to be done, but it seemed like something worth considering. For the past three months, I have met with contractors, zoning officials, and building inspectors. I have studied the Phase I and Phase II Environmental Reports and developed a budget that included the purchase and remodeling of the school.  

In November I met with the GCS Board of Trustees and requested permission to purchase Central School and make the necessary improvements to bring the school up to GCS standards. After a group of several board members toured the facilities, the vote was unanimous. We purchased Central School on December 22, 2023. We began work immediately.  

What will this new facility include? Initially, we will have 10 times the amount of classroom space for our students, and we will have a gymnasium that will be fully remodeled for the 2024 school opening. We will have a nice playground for our students and four acres of fenced area for outdoor activities. This new campus will allow us to grow to a Preschool-8th grade school with at least two sections in each grade.

Our new name for this campus will be Gaston Christian School – East Cleveland Campus. If, in the future, God provides the opportunity for us to return to Shelby with an additional campus, that would be Gaston Christian School – West Cleveland Campus.

Now that the Opportunity Scholarship has expanded to become available to every family in North Carolina, we are positioning ourselves for growth. 

Please pray for wisdom and strength as we embark upon this significant project.

In His service,

Dr. Marc Stout

Head of School