Editor's Note:How can Christian schools compete for fine teachers when our resources usually do not support our current teachers at a suitable level, let alone provide a signing bonus for rookie teachers?
The expectations for families were not placed on biological parents alone but on a larger, connected group.
As the song says, "God is so wonderful, I can’t explain." No matter where we are, no matter what loved ones we are separated from, either by death or distance, God is there to sustain us.
How do you survive when relationships don’t work? When I was asked to discuss this material at a conference in Guatemala, we were going through a period of great difficulty in relationships among staff at our school.
Creating a faculty culture that draws the staff in and builds the effectiveness of the school is important work for the school’s leadership. Nothing so stimulates faculty to stay as to have a sense of belonging and place.
In "A Work of Heart," McNeal characterizes a leader’s spiritual formation with the more intimate and identifiable term of heart-shaping by God. McNeal’s premise is clearly stated at the outset, where he posits that God accomplishes His heart-shaping through influencing activities, both divine and human, that are woven together in six significant arenas.
As I have read about successful leadership, Christian and secular, I find it interesting that philosophies and practices of successful secular companies are often based on biblical principles. These observations encourage me in the knowledge that God’s truth, when applied, works, not only in Christian settings but in secular ones as well!
Most schools have dreams and goals, but they fail to obtain them because they don’t create a plan to finance them. Too many Christian schools are afraid to charge what it costs to improve their schools, falsely believing that if they do so, enrollment will decline.
How would one define the culture in your school?
The Scripture clearly gives us the reason for developing a school culture that challenges our hearts and minds: "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15).
You can contribute to the body life of your school by sharing a vision that unites. One way is to adopt an annual school theme that ties the campus together. Review your mission statement regularly. Remind your people why their work in a Christian school is important as they seek to encourage students to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.
By integrating churches, parents, board, staff, and students, every school develops a culture. No two are alike, yet each influences its staff’s effectiveness.
Best-of-Show Winners of 2000 ACSI Art Competition.
The Blessing Bakery has provided the opportunity for developing very practical work and life skills while demonstrating that God has given us all talents and abilities that we can use to bless others.
God created us as individuals, and we often have different ideals. None of these differences are inherently right or wrong. Consequently, when handled appropriately, conflicts can stimulate meaningful dialogue and positive change.
Since its teachers are a school’s most important asset, the school environment must nurture their growth, both personally and professionally.
I am astonished at the pervasive deadness I see in the Christian community. This age, says Soren Kirkgegard, will die not from sin but from lack of passion.