Our Story
Organized in 1985, Cornerstone Christian Academy is a private, non-denominational, non-profit Christian School, and a ministry of First Christian Church, Brazil, Indiana.
It is our purpose to educate the total child - mind, spirit, body, and soul. We strive for high academic standards to equip the child to become a productive member of their society as well as provide for them a means by which they can establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
We begin with the belief that God is the Creator of all, and a real education must, of necessity, set Him in the center of all learning. The laws of nature and mathematics are His laws, and He will be acknowledged in all classes regardless of subject matter being taught.
Cornerstone is a member of ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International).
It is our purpose to educate the total child - mind, spirit, body, and soul. We strive for high academic standards to equip the child to become a productive member of their society as well as provide for them a means by which they can establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
We begin with the belief that God is the Creator of all, and a real education must, of necessity, set Him in the center of all learning. The laws of nature and mathematics are His laws, and He will be acknowledged in all classes regardless of subject matter being taught.
Cornerstone is a member of ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International).
Where it all began...
Morris and Barbara Claypool
From $700 and a Dream: The Birth of Cornerstone Christian Academy
A Tribute to Faith, Vision, and Legacy
In the spring of 1985, Morris and Barbara Claypool approached Pat Noe with a vision—and $700. They dreamed of starting a Christian school that would serve families in the community with faith-based education. Pat, a teacher, and her husband Dan, who had recently become the minister at First Christian Church in the summer of 1984, were inspired by their passion.
At the time, First Christian Church had just completed construction of a new gymnasium building—what we now know as the CCA Family Life Center. It had been built with the dream of housing a school. Though the church couldn’t financially support the endeavor, they offered the space free of charge, with one condition: the school had to be self-sustaining.
With little more than faith, determination, and a sense of calling, Pat created the school’s first posters and brochures that spring. When asked how they managed to open so quickly, she simply said, “There was a lot of interest and donations.” God provided.
The original Cornerstone Christian Academy logo was designed by Mitch Chalos, and the name “Cornerstone” came from his wife, Kim. That same spring, Barbara Claypool and Pat attended a Christian school convention, where they were introduced to the Abeka Curriculum, which became foundational to CCA’s academic program.
On August 29, 1985, Cornerstone Christian Academy opened its doors for the very first time with four classes. By November 30 of that year, enrollment had grown to:
• 17 students in 3-year-old preschool
• 20 students in 4-year-old preschool
• 5 in Kindergarten
• 9 in Elementary
The school was staffed by three teachers, two aides, and one administrator who also taught. It was a modest beginning—but a powerful one.
Pat Noe, lovingly referred to as “The Mother of Cornerstone,” helped lay the foundation for what has become a thriving, Christ-centered educational institution. Forty years later, her story—and the faith of those early founders—continues to inspire generations of Crusaders.
A Tribute to Faith, Vision, and Legacy
In the spring of 1985, Morris and Barbara Claypool approached Pat Noe with a vision—and $700. They dreamed of starting a Christian school that would serve families in the community with faith-based education. Pat, a teacher, and her husband Dan, who had recently become the minister at First Christian Church in the summer of 1984, were inspired by their passion.
At the time, First Christian Church had just completed construction of a new gymnasium building—what we now know as the CCA Family Life Center. It had been built with the dream of housing a school. Though the church couldn’t financially support the endeavor, they offered the space free of charge, with one condition: the school had to be self-sustaining.
With little more than faith, determination, and a sense of calling, Pat created the school’s first posters and brochures that spring. When asked how they managed to open so quickly, she simply said, “There was a lot of interest and donations.” God provided.
The original Cornerstone Christian Academy logo was designed by Mitch Chalos, and the name “Cornerstone” came from his wife, Kim. That same spring, Barbara Claypool and Pat attended a Christian school convention, where they were introduced to the Abeka Curriculum, which became foundational to CCA’s academic program.
On August 29, 1985, Cornerstone Christian Academy opened its doors for the very first time with four classes. By November 30 of that year, enrollment had grown to:
• 17 students in 3-year-old preschool
• 20 students in 4-year-old preschool
• 5 in Kindergarten
• 9 in Elementary
The school was staffed by three teachers, two aides, and one administrator who also taught. It was a modest beginning—but a powerful one.
Pat Noe, lovingly referred to as “The Mother of Cornerstone,” helped lay the foundation for what has become a thriving, Christ-centered educational institution. Forty years later, her story—and the faith of those early founders—continues to inspire generations of Crusaders.
Cornerstone Christian Academy | Brazil, IN 47803
📞 (812) 446-4416 | ✉️ Contact Us
© 2025 Cornerstone Christian Academy. All rights reserved.
📞 (812) 446-4416 | ✉️ Contact Us
© 2025 Cornerstone Christian Academy. All rights reserved.
