History

Our school is still young, as is our sponsoring church, Catalina Foothills Church. Almost from the church's inception Pastor Mark Roessler and his wife Norma knew that they wanted an excellent Christian education for their own daughters. After reading Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning by Douglas Wilson and speaking with friends in other cities whose children were benefiting from the recovery of classical learning, the Roesslers believed that other families in Tucson would want to join them in building a quality Christian school.

Cornerstone's original headmaster, Dr. Jack Beckman, came to us from Intown Community School in Atlanta, Georgia. Laying a careful foundation for Cornerstone's future, Dr. Beckman inspired church leaders with the vision for a covenant school and the pedagogies and philosophy of Miss Charlotte Mason. After months of preparation and prayer, Cornerstone Christian Academy opened in August of 1998 with twenty-seven children in grades one through four at the Church of the Brethren on Dodge Boulevard. In 2004, the youngest of those original twenty-seven completed sixth grade at CCA.

Cornerstone's second year saw a move to the church campus at 2150 E. Orange Grove Road as Catalina Foothills Church occupied its new facilities. Enrollment expanded to fifty-four students as grades kindergarten and five were added. This was Mr. Beckman's last year at the school before leaving to begin a doctoral program at Oxford University in England. Before departing he completed our original master plan for our curriculum, the Table of Studies, and an expression of Cornerstone's philosophy, The Arché.

Cornerstone's third year, 2000-2001, saw many changes. A new block of classrooms were added, the 400 level building, and enrollment exploded to one hundred thirty-two under the leadership of headmaster Steve Sinclair from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sixth grade was added and the first promotion ceremony for sixth graders was held in May, 2001. For the first time grades kindergarten through second had two classrooms each.

In fall of 2001 came another new headmaster, Dr. Thomas Askew from Sierra Vista, Arizona. Enrollment increased only slightly to one hundred thirty-eight and third grade was doubled for the first time. In 2002-03 enrollment rose to one hundred forty-six with the doubling of fourth grade and the addition of the modular classrooms east of Camino Miraval (500 level). And in 2003-04, enrollment peaked at one hundred seventy-three with doubles in kindergarten through fifth grade and a single sixth grade.

In 2003, anticipating the end of the agreement with the neighborhood association that the school would only utilize modular classrooms on the Camino Miraval property for three years, Catalina Foothills Church committed to the building of nine classrooms (buildings 2 and 3) for school expansion to the east of the church. These rooms were occupied in fall of 2005. Immediately upon their occupation, the school board launched the Capstone Campaign, a project to complete the ultimate build-out of the school’s master plan as soon as possible. The final two buildings of this campaign, housing administration (building 1) and first grade (building 4), were occupied in fall of 2006. In fall of 2007 kindergarten classes moved from the church to building 4.

As Cornerstone has grown physically and numerically, traditions and standards laid down in the early years have been strengthened and expanded. It is a credit to the leadership and vision of Catalina Foothills Church that a firm foundation has been set for many future years of educational ministry to the covenant families of Tucson, Arizona.