Featured Teacher: Cristina McHardy
At CCS, we believe our teachers make all the difference in our classroom. This month, we’re featuring Mrs. Cristina McHardy, our kindergarten teacher, who has been part of the CCS family for the past five years.
With ten years of teaching experience, Mrs. McHardy brings warmth, intentionality, and a deep sense of purpose into her classroom. She’s passionate about helping young learners build a strong foundation, not just academically, but spiritually and emotionally as well.
We asked her to share more about her background, what led her to teaching, and how her faith continues to shape her work in and beyond the classroom.
Can you share a little about your background and what led you to teaching?
When I was young, my plan was to join the Army when I graduated high school. I was even accepted into a JROTC program at a school across town. I got saved at the age of 14 and felt God pulling me to attend the Christian school at my church. It was a difficult decision to say goodbye to the dream I once had, but I truly felt it was what God wanted me to do. While at that school, I started tutoring elementary students. I absolutely fell in love with helping students learn and felt God calling me to be a teacher. It was a passion that never left my heart.
What do you love most about teaching at CCS?
I love the staff and the students. I love watching the students grow and being a part of their story. It is such a blessing to be able to share the love of God each day.
How do you hope to impact your students beyond the classroom?
My goal as a teacher has always been to show my students that they are worthy and loved. I want them to know God has a special and unique plan for them.
How does your faith shape your approach to teaching?
My desire is to make a difference for Christ. My hope is that I use this opportunity God has given me to share the love of God with each of my students.
What’s your go-to coffee order (or favorite treat)?
During the fall, my obsession is an iced pumpkin chai latte. Any other season, you can find me sipping on a hot white mocha.
What is a fun fact that everyone might not know yet?
I lived in the Bahamas for 3 years.
Mrs. McHardy’s love for her students, her passion for teaching, and her deep-rooted faith shine through in everything she does. From creating a nurturing classroom environment to encouraging each child to embrace who God made them to be, she plays a meaningful role in the lives of our youngest learners. We’re grateful for the joy, wisdom, and heart she brings to CCS each day. Stay tuned for more Faces of CCS!
Featured Family: Cates Family
Hi! We’re the Cates–Chris, Sarah, Brooklyn, Indiana and Hudson. We live in Hanahan, so all the way across town from West Ashley, but happily make the trek across 526 every day to bring our kids here. Chris is a local real estate developer and Sarah is a stay at home mom. Our kids are in grades 6th, 4th and 2nd (respectively) at CCS. We love to travel and adventure and read as many books as we can get our hands on!
What brought you to Charleston Christian School, and how did you hear about it?
We started at CCS in the fall of 2023 with just our daughter, Brooklyn, attending in 5th grade. We had had all of our kids at the local public school up until that time, but after some consistent issues with bullying and exposure to things we were not comfortable with, we decided to move Brooklyn after 4th grade. We moved the boys the following year in the fall of 2024, after seeing the academic rigor of CCS compared to public school and absolutely falling in love with the supportive, caring environment that Brooklyn experienced in 5th grade.
What stands out the most about your experience at CCS?
There are two categories that I can really put our favorite aspects into. The first is academics. I love that our kids are not learning primarily on Chromebooks, the frequency and variability of field trips, and the emphasis on a well-rounded education that includes science, geography, history and Spanish, rather than just ELA and math. I also feel so welcome in the school as a parent and truly feel like I have a good understanding of how my children are doing in all aspects of school life. The second is spiritual life. It gives me so much peace to know that my kids are being taught from a Biblical worldview every day, and that that Biblical worldview is the underpinning for discipline at the school as well.
How have you seen your children grow spiritually, academically, or socially since joining CCS?
Our kids have thrived across the board in all areas at CCS. There’s a particularly stark contrast between the bullying behavior we so often encountered in public school vs CCS. That’s not to say that there are no issues, especially in middle school, but the common thread of expectation from Christian families and Christian educators makes it possible to actually handle those situations successfully.
Is there a teacher, staff member, or experience at CCS that has had a significant impact on your family?
All of my kids’ teachers have been excellent, but I have to give a particular shout out to Mrs. Grieves in second grade! We had some concerns about the academic rigor at CCS for Hudson coming out of public school where he had the support of an IEP, but she has been so patient and kind with him and created the most wonderful environment where he has really thrived. I wish he could have her every year!
What does it mean to your family to be part of a Christ-centered school?
While we have no desire to shelter our kids from the realities of the world, having the kids in CCS has given us the ability to control the rate of exposure to worldly issues so much better than in public school. We feel that our kids are going to be much more grounded in their faith and their ability to cope with the darkness of the world as a result of these foundational years in a Christ-centered environment.
What would you say to a family considering CCS for their child?
That they won’t find a better academic, social or spiritual environment for their kids. Have no concerns about legalism or morality police, but rest knowing that a Biblical worldview is being upheld across the board. Your kids will make good friends, you will love the teachers, and you will be thrilled by how much they learn!
How has CCS been a blessing to your family?
When it became clear that public school was no longer an option for our family, I really panicked–because I had no interest (nor skill nor gifting) to homeschool. CCS has been an answer to many prayers because it has provided such a wonderful home for our kids to continue their education.
Featured Teacher: Hope Radebaugh
Meet Mrs. Hope Radebaugh: 5th - 8th Grade Science
At Charleston Christian School, we’re grateful for teachers who love both their students and the subjects they teach. This month, we’re highlighting a teacher who does just that, Mrs. Hope Radebaugh, our 5th-8th grade science teacher. She brings curiosity, purpose, and a strong foundation of faith into her classroom. She is currently in her 2nd year at CCS. However, she has over 20 years of experience teaching in middle schools, high schools, and colleges.
Mrs. Radebaugh doesn’t just teach science, she helps her students see God’s handiwork in the world around them. Her classroom is full of hands-on learning, from experiments and projects to engaging field trips that bring science to life. This year, her students will dig for fossils at a quarry, explore the salt marshes on a kayak eco-tour, visit Bull Island, and experience the Center for Birds of Prey.
Her passion for science and faith is evident in everything she does. She wants her students to explore the world through the lens of both, equipping them to be critical thinkers and advocates for Christ in all that they do.
Fun Facts:
- She was SCISA (South Carolina Independent School Association) Teacher of the Year in 2015.
- She is a Christian itinerate speaker and has a phenomenal ministry to coaches' wives. Coaches' wives are dear to her heart as her husband was a college basketball coach for over 35 years.
What Others Say:
- “Her passion for science and connecting it to God's creation is infectious. The students love it!” - a fellow teacher
- “I love that her classes are interactive. She brings fun into learning. Her class is never boring.” - CCS student
Check out some of the science projects and experiments below!