board of directors

CCCS is a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church (CPC). The Board of CCCS, which is under the authority of the session of CPC, is responsible for the stewardship of the school's mission, vision, strategic plan, policies and financial position.

The Headmaster is an employee of the school who reports directly to the Board of Directors. The Headmaster provides direct leadership to school finances, strategic planning, marketing, facility development and financial development. Chris Crain is now the Headmaster.  The Headmaster also provides direct oversight to the daily operations of the school to ensure they are consistent with the mission, philosophy and policies of CCCS.

CCCS is thankful to have the following dedicated board members:

Dan Christmus

Dan Christmus is a native of Columbia, having grown up and currently living in Northeast Richland County. He and his wife, Gaye, have two children, Ben and Sam. Ben is a 2006 CCCS graduate and a student at USC Columbia, and Sam is a 9th grader. Both boys began attending CCCS in kindergarten. Dan previously served as a board member from 1997 – 2003 and also has served as PTO president.

Dan earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management from University of South Carolina and is a Senior Administrator at USC in the Office of Sponsored Awards Management. This office is responsible for seeking external funding for the University's research, service, and training. Dan has been with USC for more than 25 years.

Dan and his family are members of Northeast United Methodist Church. He has served as adult Sunday Sunday teacher, Missions Committee chair and Church Council member.

Peggy Dodds, Board Chair

Margaret Z. Dodds, aka Peggy, joined Covenant Classical Christian School Board in 2006 and was elected chairman October 2007. Although Peggy was born in Greenville, Mississippi, she moved to Columbia when she was two and a half and has lived here ever since.

Peggy grew up in a Christian family and joined Rose Hill Presbyterian Church as a preteen. When her parents moved in 1960 three blocks from Covenant Presbyterian Church, they transferred their membership to CPC and she worshiped here until 1986 when she moved her membership back to Rose Hill where she become very active in the Women in the Church (WIC) work. While at Rose Hill, she served as President of WIC and on several presbytery WIC committees. In the WIC Council role, she was in charge of the annual Ridge Haven Fall Retreat.

For thirteen years, Peggy worked at Columbia College in the President’s Office beginning as Secretary to the President and departing as Executive Assistant to the President. She nurtured her love for education and facilitating a smoothly run school during her tenure at Columbia College. Peggy left Columbia to become the Executive Administrative Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer of the South Carolina Research Authority, a seven year old public non-profit organization which she helped grow during her 18+ years there. She retired as Director, Corporate Relations, on April 11, 2008.

Peggy and her husband, Dave, married in July 2002, and joined Covenant PCA where he serves as a Deacon. Dave has two children and they have three grandchildren – Adam (9), Claire (3) Dory (3).

Eric Dye

Eric Dye joined the Covenant Classical Christian School Board in 2004, after Covenant Presbyterian Church called Pastor Dye as their Senior Pastor. Pastor Dye has lived in Columbia since 2000 when he was transferred here to teach World Religions at the US Army Chaplain Center and School at Ft Jackson, SC. Pastor Dye and his family live in the Windsor Lake Park area of Richland County.

Pastor Dye graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible from Central Bible College, Springfield, MO, in 1976. After four years of Active Duty service as a German linguist with the US Army, he entered Covenant Theological Seminary in St Louis, MO. Eric graduated in 1984 with a Master of Divinity and again in 1994 with a Master of Theology. Later on Pastor Dye earned a Master of Arts in Oriental and African Religions at the University of London, UK. Pastor Dye was ordained by the Missouri Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America in 1984 and has served as an Associate Pastor, Army Chaplain and Senior Pastor.

Pastor Dye grew up in a Christian family and does not know a conscious day of his life when he was not aware he was a sinner in need of saving grace and that the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to give his life on the cross for all sinners who believe in him. While in Middle School, Eric made a profession of faith and became a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod in Portage, Indiana. He has been involved in ministry as a church member or as an ordained minister ever since.

Pastor Dye and his wife, Maggie, have three children: Ruth, (CCCS Class of 2005) who is a student at Erskine College in Due West, SC; Daniel, who is 2008 Graduate of CCCS and will attend Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC beginning Fall 2008; and Peter, who is an ninth Grade student at CCCS. Before coming to Columbia the Dye’s were homeschoolers while serving in the US Army overseas. Maggie also spent five years on Staff at CCCS.

Pastor Dye serves as Senior Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church where CCCS has been a ministry of the church for the past 25 years.

Isaac Iverson

Isaac K. Iverson joined the CCCS Board in July of 2008. He is married to Carmon Iverson, who will be teaching chorus at CCCS starting this year. Isaac and Carmon have three children; Isabelle (entering 3rd grade at CCCS), Malachi (entering K at CCCS), and Helen (3 years old). Their family relocated to the area from Minneapolis in June 2007.

Dr. Iverson was born and raised on a ranch 30 miles north of Roundup, Montana. He received his Bachelor's in Chemistry from Central College in Pella, Iowa in 1996 where he met Carmon. He completed his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the University of Nevada in 2002. He spent six years in Minnesota working as a research scientist for GE. He is currently a Senior Research Scientist at INVISTA in Camden, SC.

Dr. Iverson and his family are members of Covenant Presbyterian Church. He is active in the church choir and other music at the church. He enjoys downhill skiing in the Sierras, playing piano and nature photography. He became interested in the distinctive Classical Christian model of education in 1998 when his parents and sister helped to found an ACCS school in Nevada.

Buddy Lingle

Buddy Lingle has been a CCCS Board member since 2004 and also serves as the Chairman of the Education Committee. He is the husband of Deborah Bian-Lingle, Covenant’s French instructor, and the father of Carolyn, a 2005 graduate of CCCS, and Deborah Christine and Nickie, current CCCS students.

Dr. Lingle is a native of Granite Quarry, NC. He graduated from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill with a pharmacy degree and also a Masters degree. He finished graduate school at the University of Texas receiving a Ph.D. in Pharmacy Administration. He currently serves as a faculty member at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy.

Dr. Lingle is a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church where he serves as a Deacon. He also serves as the Chairman of the Partners Advancing Choice in Education Foundation of South Carolina which provides grants to low-income children to enable them to attend the school of their choice.