Courtney Christian School is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Melanie Monistere as principal of its Upper School, which is expected to form with the addition of ninth and tenth grades in August 2024. The Upper School will remain on the current campus with the addition of a second story to the school’s already-announced gymnasium expansion project.
Dr. Monistere currently serves as the accreditation coordinator at Courtney Christian School and has significant training and experience in high school education. Dr. Monistere will report to Founder and Head of School Sue Courtney. Dr. Kayla Lamonte will remain principal of the current school, then Lower School beginning August 2024. Dr. Monistere has over 30 years of education experience including 20 years in a high school setting, nine years in school administration where she was a Ninth Grade Academy administrator, assistant principal, and district curriculum and instruction facilitator for seven area high schools. She holds a doctorate degree in Education. Currently, Dr. Monistere is overseeing the school’s ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) accreditation process which will culminate with a site visit in late January. At that time, Courtney Christian School expects to become fully accredited by ACSI and Cognia, in addition to being state-approved, for all grades.
The school’s gymnasium expansion project was previously announced to include a court expansion, bleachers for spectators, new concessions, additional restrooms and three additional classrooms. With the addition of ninth and tenth grades in August 2024, the gymnasium expansion project has been updated to include a second story with extra three classrooms, for a total of six classrooms, providing space for the Upper School as well as for the school’s growing Music program. With the additional classroom space, Courtney Christian School will also open a second Pre-K3 class and a third Pre-K4 class in August 2024, increasing the school’s enrollment to up to 540 students, which is nearly 100 more students than are currently enrolled.
“We are thankful to God for our continued growth and ability to accommodate even more children from our community at Courtney Christian School,” said Mrs. Sue Courtney. “We look forward to achieving the long-awaited goal of opening our Upper School in just a few months’ time.”
Courtney Christian School is currently accepting names to its waiting list for Pre-K3 through tenth grade on its website at www.courtneychristianschool.com/admissions. The school will host a Prospective Families Open House on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 6 p.m. in the school gymnasium located at 121 Robin Hood Drive in Hammond. To learn more about the gymnasium expansion project that will include Upper School classrooms, visit www.courtneychristianschool.com/raisetheroar.
