Chip Blanchard
Head of School
Mr. Blanchard’s career in education spans almost 2 decades and includes a BS degree in History and an MS degree in Educational Leadership. His early career included History instruction, coach, grade level chairman, team chairman, and curriculum technology trainer. He also served as an assistant principal, vice-principal, and principal in middle and high school settings. With his experience, he brings a vast array of ideas and enthusiasm to RCA. In 2018, as Principal of Collierville High School, Mr. Blanchard received Administrator of the Year for Tennessee by the Tennessee Association of Student Councils. While in that role, CHS was nationally recognized as one of the top 1K Most Challenging High Schools by the Washington Post, as well as, a Tennessee Reward School which recognizes the Top 5% percent of schools in academic growth state-wide. Mr. Blanchard grew up in Bartlett, TN where he attended a small private Christian school for his grade level years. And then, continued his education at a small private Christian college in Chattanooga, TN. It is because of his background and strong faith that encouraged him to pursue a career shift from public education to private in order to follow the Lord’s pursuance of his talents and beliefs. Mr. Blanchard was selected as RCA’s new Head of School in 2019 and he is very excited to grow relationships in and outside of the community, while extending a quality learning environment and an extensive extra-curricular pathway for all future wolves. Mr. Blanchard’s favorite bible verse is Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” This is represented in the three C’s he uses to evaluate the work of RCA. Curriculum – how am I helping my students see God through the study of this subject? How do we see brokenness and redemption in this discipline? What is God’s intention for this aspect of his created order? How might we be a part of his plan to restore it? Classroom – how am I modeling faith and how do my pedagogical practices encourage faith in students? Community – is my classroom modeling Christ’s law of loving God and loving neighbors? How am I contributing to the professional community in my school? How is our school impacting our community? He and his wife, Jana, enjoy living in the heart of Rossville, and have two children, both of whom attend RCA. Jana has a dedicated career in education and has served as a school counselor for 17 years. Together, they are committed to not only embracing RCA, but embracing the warm small town feel of this community. They share a united vision to grow ‘R Town & R School’ into something that is a positively unique and differentiated experience for the whole child as a child of God.