Dear Parents and Guardians,
I am excited about our new school year at Cross Creek Christian School!
2024-25 is my eighth year to serve as a teacher and as chaplain at Cross Creek. I sincerely need, appreciate, and ask for your prayer support!
Personal Background Information
Here’s a bit of information to help you get to know me better.
I am married to Vickie Hall, who is a Pharmacy Tech and Compounding Specialist at Little Drug in Sweetwater. We have six living sons and one son who has gone to be with the Lord. We have 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandsons. All are wonderful blessings from the Lord! There’s never a dull moment!
Vickie and I are both strongly committed followers of our Lord Jesus Christ and are members at Fairview Baptist Tabernacle in Sweetwater. We love to worship and so we sing in the choir. We also serve as altar counselors. I teach a Sunday Morning Bible study class there, called the Standing Firm Bible Study Class. If you are not already involved in a Sunday Morning small group Bible study (i.e. Sunday School), we would love for you to come check us out! You can find more information by going to our website, https://aboundingjoy.com, then clicking on the menu item “Standing Firm Bible Study Class.” Here’s a link. Many of our previous Bible studies are also available as YouTube videos. If you wish, you can watch them on our YouTube pages.
I was raised in Tellico Plains, Tennessee. My grandparents led me to the Lord when I was ten years old. In 1967 I graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville with a Liberal Arts Physics major, plus a very strong minor (almost a double major) in math and a second minor in psychology. From 1967-1970, I taught at Tellico Plains High School and at McMinn Central High School (mainly algebra and physics). I received a Master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1973, after which I spent 14 years in full-time Christian ministry in churches in Tennessee, Florida, and Texas (as Minister of Education, Associate Pastor, and Senior Pastor). I have a total of 23 years of high school teaching experience in public high schools in both Texas and Tennessee in addition to the 7 years I have served at Cross Creek for a total of 30 years of teaching experience. I retired from public high school teaching in 2014 after 15 wonderful years of teaching at Tellico Plains High School from 1999 to 2014. I taught various math courses there, including Algebra 2 and Precalculus, as well as Physics and ACT Prep. Twice (2005 and 2012) I was honored to receive the Monroe County High School Teacher of the Year award from the Little Tennessee Valley Educational Cooperative. Also, from 1994-1998, I joined my wife’s (Vickie) midwifery practice in Dallas, Texas, where, during the 1980s and 90s, she delivered hundreds of babies and served as president of the North Texas Midwives Association. I served as her business administrator until we moved from Texas to Tennessee in January 1999.
In 2006, out of a burden for the large number of high school graduates who were dropping out of church, I founded a new Christian club at Tellico Plains High School called the Veritas Club. It is essentially an introduction to Christian apologetics. It has been a highly successful club at TPHS. When I retired, a fellow math teacher agreed to sponsor the club. If other high schools or middle schools wish to try having Christian apologetics clubs, I would be delighted to help get them started. Also, I have several Veritas apologetics presentations that I have presented in different churches in East Tennessee and at a few summer youth retreats. These presentations have been folded into our new Cross Creek “Warriors of Christ” course. The material for that course is available to all online. Here’s a link. Also on our website, you will find many other videos designed to help Christians of all ages grow stronger in our Lord Jesus Christ. Here’s a link to our website.
As I write this, I am scheduled to be teaching ACT Prep, 7th Grade Math, Warriors of Christ, Men and Women of the Bible, and Introduction to Personal Finance. Course descriptions are included below. (I also am available to teach Algebra I & II, Geometry, and Advanced Math courses on a one-on-one basis as my time and schedule permit.)
My goal is to record all my classes and upload the videos to YouTube. This will serve three purposes. Parents can know exactly what is happening in my classroom. Students who are absent can watch any classes they have missed. And students who need review or who “didn’t quite get it” in class, may watch the class again.
If your son or daughter is taking one or more of my classes, I look forward to getting to know both you and your child. Please feel free to text or call me (leave a voicemail) for any reason. My number is (423) 261-5562. I also pray that, together, we will be able to give your child every opportunity to become as well-prepared as possible for the next step that God has for him/her.
If we need to communicate, you may email, call, or text me at any time. My email is steve@aboundingjoy.com. My cell phone is (423) 261-5562. If you call, please leave me a voicemail message. Texting works best for me.
Evaluation Procedure
I teach two kinds of classes as far as grades are concerned.
ACT Prep, Warriors of Christ, and Men and Women of the Bible are “Pass/Fail” classes. Students in pass/fail classes will be graded only on the basis of classroom attendance. Obviously students can easily pass these classes without learning much. But the opportunity to learn a lot of valuable information is available. Students who take ACT Prep SERIOUSLY will see an improvement in their scores.
7th Math and Personal Finance fall into a more traditional grading system. Tests count for 80% of the grade. Assignments count for 20% of the grade. Critically important information for all math students can be found on my assignments page, online. Here’s the Link.
Class Rules
- Respect and be polite to all people. (Listen carefully. Do not interrupt the teacher or other students. Do not use the names of “God” or “Jesus” carelessly. Rudeness and disrespectful language will not be tolerated.)
- Respect the property of others. (Put litter in the trash can. Return borrowed items. Do not write on desks, walls, etc.)
- Bring all needed materials to class every day (pencil, paper, text, assignments).
- Use the restroom before coming to class. “Emergency” restroom passes will be given as necessary, but unless there are unusual problems, students should be able to make it through class.
- Exercise self-control at all times. Crude and offensive language will not be tolerated. Keep hands and feet to yourself. No items (e.g. pencils, paper wads, etc.) are to be thrown or tossed inside the classroom. The tone and volume of voice will be controlled at all times.
- Obey all school-wide rules. (e.g., dress codes, cell phone policy, etc.)
Classroom Discipline
Normally, I expect few, if any, classroom discipline issues. If necessary, I will ask to talk privately with a student just outside the classroom door. Occasionally, I may see the need for an office referral. Parents and guardians will be notified if there are any disciplinary issues.
Assignments, Late Work, and Missed Tests
I will provide URL links for assignments for all subjects. Student progress and missing assignments or tests are easily found at ccgrade.com. Students are expected to complete assignments in an up-to-date and timely manner. However, knowing the uncertainties of life, late work will be accepted with an appropriate parental explanation at any time during the quarter. Late work will be accepted until the conclusion of each quarter (9-weeks period). Parents must check all assignments carefully for accuracy and understanding. Please initial or sign assignments in the upper right hand corner (AFTER YOU HAVE CHECKED THEM CAREFULLY!!) to indicate that you have checked them. After receiving the assignment with a parent’s signature, I check only for completion. Of course, in the event of any confusion or questions, I will be glad to provide clarification. In the event of student absences on test days, I will work with the student to find a prompt and appropriate time for a make-up. I, or a designated CCCS staff member, will personally administer make-up tests. Retakes and Makeups MUST be taken at school under supervision.
Please make sure I have your name and cell-phone number. I will text you links to lesson plans and other relevant information. Please refer to online lesson plans frequently. I sometimes find the need to change them!
2024-25 Course Summaries
Warriors of Christ
The goal of this class is to help students be able to obey 1 Peter 3:15 in the midst of a culture of secularism, unbelief, and great spiritual darkness. I have produced over 50 videos which will be used in this class. These videos are available for all to watch (link here). Parents are strongly encouraged to watch the videos and have conversations about them with students.
We will look carefully at what the Bible has to say about the Gospel. We want each student to genuinely understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
We will also learn Scriptures that help us make sure that we know how to do effective Spiritual Warfare.
We will also look at evidence that God has seen fit to give us for the resurrection of Jesus, as well as evidence from archaeology, from fulfilled prophecy, from New Testament Manuscripts, and from early church history. We will also consider evidence for creation from molecular biology, the second law of thermodynamics, and the fine-tuning of the universe. We will study some of the strange, irrational conclusions that many people reach about who Jesus really is. We will also study some of the world-views and belief systems that overwhelm many Christian students–like secular humanism and critical theory. We will deal with some of the tough questions often asked by secularists that students need to be able to handle–questions such as:
How do you know that the Bible can be trusted?
How can you be so sure that Jesus really rose from the dead?
Why are you Christians so intolerant?
Don’t you know that the Bible is full of errors, inaccuracies, and contradictions?
How can there be a good God with all the evil that is in the world?
How can you be so arrogant and unkind as to tell someone else that what they believe is wrong?
Don’t you realize that all real scientists recognize that evolution is an unquestioned fact?
Did you realize that the Bible is actually an evil book? It even advocates the slaughter of babies.
Why are you Christians so judgmental? Can’t you recognize that the beliefs of other people are just as valid as yours?
Don’t you realize that Christians have been responsible for most of the world’s problems? Have you ever heard of the Crusades? Or the witch trials? Or the Inquisition? Or slavery?
7th Grade Math
Our primary goal is to continue to lay a good foundation that will enable students to succeed in future pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, and advanced math courses. I will work many sample problems in class. Before tests, I will give students handouts with sample problems similar to the kinds of problems that will be on the tests. I will also work several problems that will be similar to test problems. Please make sure your student takes good notes and is able to explain these problems to you as they complete assignments and prepare for tests. I highly recommend that Parents work through problems with students to make sure students know what they are doing! (Parents, if you have forgotten the math yourself, watch the relevant YouTube videos with your child!) MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD KNOWS THE MULTIPLICATION TABLES WELL!!! NOT KNOWING THEIR MULTIPLICATION TABLES WILL MAKE THIS CLASS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM!!!!!
TEXT: SAXON Math Homeschool 8/7 with Prealgebra
ACT Prep
I have several years of experience teaching ACT prep at Tellico Plains High School and here at CCCS. I teach all four of the ACT areas of testing: Math, Science, English, and Reading. The focus will be on math, since many students need more help with math topics. I’ll teach students the best ways to tackle different kinds of ACT questions. Success in a course like this depends on how seriously students have taken their academic courses up until now. There’s no magic formula that will guarantee a high ACT score, but if students take it seriously, this course will make a significant difference. Since classroom time is limited to 2 hours a week, I will not take classroom time to take practice ACT tests. Sample tests (both online and in ACT prep books) can be done at home. Classroom time will be used to teach strategies for success, best ways to tackle specific ACT test questions, and answering student questions. This is a pass/fail course. Students will be graded only on attendance. The benefit to each student depends entirely on the student’s commitment to master these tactics, techniques, and, of course, subject matter.
No specific text is required, but a good ACT test prep book is recommended for home use.
Men and Women of the Bible
One very exciting way to study the Bible is to study the lives of the men and women that God tells us about in His Word. In this course, we examine the lives of over 80 different men and women of the Bible as we seek to learn what God has to teach us through their lives in His Word.
This is a pass/fail class. Grades are based only on attendance and classroom participation. The only text needed is the Holy Bible.
Dave Ramsey Personal Finance
This is Dave Ramsey’s course on Foundations in Personal Finance for Homeschool. This course teaches students how to manage money wisely and make good financial decisions in life.
The course includes chapters on: Saving, Budgeting, Debt, Life after High School, Consumer Awareness, Bargain Shopping, Investing and Retirement, Insurance, Money and Relationships, Careers and Taxes, and Giving.
We’ll be watching video presentations in class and discussing the material. Students will have to answer workbook questions about the material, complete activity hand-outs, and pass tests over each chapter.
TEXT: Foundations in Personal Finance Workbook (2014 edition)
My prayer is that all of us will grow stronger in our Lord Jesus Christ as we seek to bring Him great glory this year!
In Christ,
Steve Hall