Grace Christian School

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

     As a ministry of Grace Baptist Church, Grace Christian School is under the final authority of the congregation, composed of members in good standing of Grace Baptist church. For efficient functioning, Grace Baptist Church has authorized a committee, known as the Grace Christian School Committee, to oversee the school program and to bring recommendations to the church at the monthly business meetings concerning budget, staffing and other items determined to need church approval. This committee was established at a regular business meeting in August,1974. School Committee Responsibilities The School Committee sets school policy. Matters of policy can be brought to the committee by the Director as problems arise during the daily functioning of the school. The School Committee has oversight of the total school program. It is responsible for the total functioning of the school, although the day to day operations are the responsibility of the Director. The School Committee also has responsibility for the financial stability of the school program. It formulates a tentative budget for each school year, finalizes the budget at the beginning of the school year, and presents the budget to the church for approval. The School Committee interviews potential staff members and recommends those selected for church approval during church business meetings. The School Committee is the final reconciliation body when differences cannot be resolved at lower levels between staff members, between staff and parents, between staff and Director or parents and Director. The School Committee is responsible for planning for the development and expansion of the school ministry.

School Committee Members

Toby Byrd – Chairman
Mr. Byrd has served off and on as the chairman of the Grace Christian School Committee since the school’s founding in 1974. He is an attorney who practices law with his wife, Jackie at Byrd and Byrd, LLC. He has been a member of Grace Baptist Church since 1968 and a church Deacon since 1975.

Rev. Steve Lane – Pastor (Non-voting)
Pastor Steve Lane has served as the Associate Pastor of Grace Baptist Church since 1982.   He graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor's degree in 1978 and from Capital Bible Seminary with a Master of Theology in 1983.  In April 2008, Pastor Lane became the Senior Pastor of Grace Baptist Church.

Jamie Miller – Church Staff Member
Pastor Miller serves as the Minister of Children at Grace Baptist Church. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Math Education from the University of Maryland  His professional experience, prior to coming on staff with GBC, includes being a middle school math teacher at Grace Christian School and an algebra and math 8 teacher at Bates Middle School. He also worked in the children's ministry at Sandy Cove Ministries for two summers.

Megan Redmond - Parent Representative                

Mrs. Redman is a long term member of Grace Baptist Church and is a parent of both a third and fifth grade student at Grace.  She received a B.A. from the University of Maryland with a double major in Spanish and Linquistics, and has 30 graduate credits from Trinity University in Washington, D.C.   She is currently a testing teacher in the ESOL administrative office.

Melody Dillon - Teacher Representative

Kevin McClellan - Member-At-Large
Mr. McClellan is a long term member of Grace Baptist Church as well as a former GCS parent. He recently retired from U.S. Department of Justice where he served as the head of the Telecommunications Branch. He is actively involved in church ministries. 

Joy Sweat – Member-At-Large
Mrs. Sweat has 10 years of classroom teaching experience. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Cedarville College. She serves as a Sunday School teacher in Grace Baptist Church and is the parent of two children, one who attended and one who graduated from Grace Christian School.

Bill Wolf – Member-At-Large
Mr. Wolf has been a member of the Grace Christian School committee for 8 years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Bob Jones University. His professional experience is as a photographer with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). He also ministers as a member of the Grace Baptist Church sanctuary choir.

Matti Shimizu – Member-At-Large
Mr. Shimizu has been a member of the Grace Christian School committee for 13 years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown College, a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from George Washington University, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Maryland in Nuclear Engineering. He also serves as a Deacon in Grace Baptist Church.

Larry Olson, Captain, USCG (Ret.) - Business Administrator (Non-Voting)
Mr. Olson is the Business Administrator for Grace Baptist Church and Grace Christian School. In this capacity, he is the advisor on all financial matters concerning the school. He has a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, a Master of Science degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, and a Master of Science degree in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan. His professional experience includes serving as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard for nearly 30 years, including service as the Industrial Manager of the Coast Guard’s shipyard in Baltimore.

Judi Bianco – Director of Grace Christian School (Non-Voting)
Mrs. Bianco has taught at Grace Christian School for the past 5 years. Previously Mrs. Bianco taught high school English and Bible for 8 years at Warren Christian School in Warren, Ohio. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Secondary Education from Cedarville University in Ohio and has taken over the duties of Grace Christian School Director as of August 2009.