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Head of School Update - December 2024
Dear Parents,
As we approach the final stretch of 2024 and reflect on our accomplishments, I am truly impressed by the hard work of our students and teachers. Their dedication is evident in all they have achieved this year, whether in academics, the arts, athletics, or robotics. We also successfully launched our Keystone Program pilot and are making progress toward the completion of the new fine arts building and renovation of the lower school gym.
2024 has been an exciting year at Lakeview! Our talented thespians secured the one-act play state championship with their performance of “The Addams Family.” Additionally, all our fall sports teams reached the state playoffs. Lakeview's Advanced Placement (AP) program earned national recognition from the College Board due to the number of students who took AP courses and earned college credit during the 2023-24 school year.
The response to the launch of our Keystone Program pilot has been outstanding. This program, designed for students with mild language-based learning differences such as dyslexia, will expand to include grades 1 through 5 in the 2025-2026 school year, ensuring that more young learners can benefit from specialized support.
Here are a few fall semester highlights:
AP School Honor Roll – Gold
Lakeview's Advanced Placement (AP) program earned national recognition from the College Board due to the number of our students who took AP courses and earned college credit for them. Lakeview Academy earned Gold recognition, missing Platinum status by only one percentage point. Lakeview Academy was the only school in Hall County that earned Gold status.
The Pilot of the Keystone Program Launched
The Keystone Program at Lakeview, a brand-new program designed to support the specific learning needs of students with dyslexia or other mild language-based learning differences, started a pilot program with a few lower school students in August. In September, Lakeview hosted several area medical professionals, including pediatric psychologists, occupational therapists, and pediatricians, for a special Keystone open house and program preview. In October, Lakeview formally opened enrollment for the 2025-26 school year for students in Grades 1 through 5.
One Act State Champions
Lakeview Academy’s cast and crew of “The Addams Family” won the GISA-AAA State One-Act Play championship in the fall. In addition, Abby McMahan, Case Beverly, and Amelia Corbin won three of the five state awards for Outstanding Performers (Best Actors). Leyla Ozcelik and William Hake were chosen as state All-Star Cast members. This is Lakeview’s seventh state one-act play championship (2024, 2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013) and its second championship for “The Addams Family” (2014).
Athletics
All fall sports teams made it to the first round of their respective GIAA state tournaments.
Middle School State Cross Country Champions
Lakeview Academy’s boys middle school cross country team dominated and won the GIAA AAA State Championship, with our runners taking 2nd (Davis Dubnik), 3rd (Evan Wallace), 4th (Lucas Chittaro), 8th (Grant Roberts), and 10th Place (Lorenzo Rojas-Alban). The girls’ team took home 2nd Place.
Jayci Purdy made the varsity All-Region team. She also medaled at the North Georgia Cross Country championships and placed third in the region.
Varsity Football
The varsity football team had a record-breaking season of 9-1. In addition, Kyari Burch was named the All-Region Player of the Year, and 14 Lions were part of the All-Region teams (1st Team: Nesean Dorsey, Keelan Harper, Jackson Kohler, Ryker Kohler, Jr. Thompson, and DJ Whitcomb; 2nd Team: Landon Beasley, Ricky Brown, Jace Forrest, and Keelan Harper; and Honorable Mention: William Anderson, Mahki Burch, Christian Dykes, and Bora Ozcelik).
Volleyball
Taliah Gaither was named to the All-Region Volleyball Team. She was the leading outside hitter and led her team to the state tournaments two years in a row.
Fine Arts building
I am happy to report that the new fine arts building is on schedule and on budget. We look forward to a ribbon cutting in 2025.
We eagerly anticipate what 2025 will bring, especially as we enter the peak of our basketball and robotics programs and spring sports and fine arts activities. I am grateful to our teachers, staff, and students for their care for one another and their school. I look forward to a new year and semester, and I will see everyone again when classes resume on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!
John Simpson
Head of School
Lakeview Academy is a private, coeducational day school for students in preschool through 12th grade, located in Gainesville, GA minutes off I-985/Hwy 365.
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