Charleston Independent Schools 2016

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
ISD 15
Shaping Hearts and Character
PaLmETTO CHrISTIaN aCaDEmy
For 25 years, Palmetto
Christian Academy has built a program
that produces young people who are
engaged and contributing. Christian
service, distinctive academics and
excellence in fine arts and athletics are
hallmarks of this private school. The
2016-2017 school year ushers in an exciting era for PCA,
including a 25th anniversary celebration, new leadership
and a campus expansion.
The recent announcement of
a new, state-of-the-art Student
Life
Center
– complete with a gymnasium
and a science and technology
wing – has parents, faculty
and students excited about
the future at PCA. Adding
to that enthusiasm, PCA
families will celebrate the
school’s 25th anniversary
with a new headmaster, J.D.
Zubia, who comes from a
strong background in both the
corporate world and education.
Zubia is thrilled to be leading
an impressive faculty that strives to shape the hearts and
character of its students.
“I am looking forward to working with an
accomplished group of professionals who love their school,
their families, their community and Christian education,”
said Zubia. “These are people who wake up in the morning
excited about what they are doing, how they are doing it
and where they are doing it. The partnership between PCA
and East Cooper Baptist Church is remarkable – it is like
something I have not seen before.”
The tightknit group of educators and parents that built
Palmetto Christian Academy into the bustling college
preparatory school that it is today is getting a welcomed
addition in Zubia. His passion for the job is evident in the
excitement he expresses when it comes to joining the PCA
family. As a teen, Zubia found great purpose in teaching
the youth at his local church. While he would later spend
two decades in the medical field, he ultimately felt God’s
calling into Christian education.
“The most rewarding aspect of education is having a
small part in helping children find their way in life,” said
Zubia. “For me, it is even more rewarding to help kids find
their giftedness and where that fits into God’s big picture.”
One of the factors that drew Zubia to PCA was the
fact that emphasis is not only placed heavily on a rigorous
curriculum but also on the
extracurricular activities that
foster growth for students.
“Kids all have unique
talents, gifts, personalities and
experiences, and all of those
things are supposed to work
together to produce good
and productive citizens who
benefit their communities,”
said Zubia. “We are
producing students who
will serve this community,
whether now as volunteers
during crises or later as
local business owners or
community leaders.”
As the school prepares to celebrate a silver anniversary,
it’s a time of reflection and thanksgiving for the many
milestones already reached, while planning and investing
in the next 25 years and beyond.
“We are going to have a grand, year-long celebration
of God’s goodness and grace, of our alumni’s success, of
our parents and grandparents’ support, of our church’s
faithfulness, and, of course, of our PCA staff’s unwavering
commitment to Christian education,” said Zubia. “PCA is
doing noble work not only for God’s kingdom but also for
the Mount Pleasant community.”
Palmetto Christian Academy is located at 361 Egypt Road
in Mount Pleasant. To learn more, visit
or call 843-881-9967.
By KaLENE mCCOrT
Photo courtesy of J.D. Zubia.J.D. Zubia with his wife Selina.