A Short Review of 2024-25
This year’s Schools that Inspire series showcases an extraordinary array of Christian schools around the world, each deeply rooted in its cultural context yet unified by a common mission to nurture students in faith and learning. From Memphis to Ghana, England to Indonesia, and Guatemala to British Columbia, the featured schools exemplify innovative approaches to Christian education, shaped by local needs and a global vision. Whether revitalizing urban communities, serving marginalized populations, or championing student-centered pedagogies, these schools are inspiring models of how Christian education can be transformative, resilient, and responsive.
The writers of the blog are experts in our profession who have taken us on a journey through the vibrant educational ecosystems of each school, encountering stories of leaders who empower staff and students, as well as institutions that balance academic rigor with deep spiritual formation. From a school’s multigenerational legacy in Canada to the culturally rich programming in Indonesia and the courageous outreach efforts in post-conflict Guatemala, these schools exemplify what it means to be lights in their communities. Together, they offer a compelling portrait of Christian schools that are not just surviving—but thriving—in diverse global contexts.
One of the great blessings of my work is the opportunity to meet remarkable educational leaders, visit their schools, and hear inspiring stories from across the globe. This school year alone, I’ve had the privilege of visiting private, traditional public, charter, and virtual schools across multiple provinces in Canada, six U.S. states, and two other countries. In every setting, I continue to be impressed by the meaningful—and often difficult—work being done to create thriving learning environments. A recurring theme across these diverse contexts is the challenge of fostering student engagement, building authentic relationships, and helping every student find a true sense of belonging.
The Problem of Belonging
In schools throughout the world, a common theme of a lack of student belonging and hence disengagement in the learning community has accelerated post-pandemic, which has become much discussed as researcher Jean Twenge found, “School loneliness increased between 2012–2018 in 36 out of 37 countries. Worldwide, nearly twice as many adolescents in 2018 (vs. 2012) had elevated levels of school loneliness.” More recently, an Aspen Institute project found that 40% of students do not feel connected at school. This lack of a sense of belonging also ties itself into disengagement, and recent Brookings research stated that only:
- 26% of 10th graders say they love school.
- 44% of 10th graders say most of the time they learn a lot.
- 29% of 10th graders say they get to learn things they are interested in.
- 33% of 10th graders say they get to develop their own ideas.
- 42% of 10th graders say they use their thinking skills rather than just memorizing things.
- 39% of 10th graders say most of the time they feel they belong at school.
Sociologist of Religion Ryan Burge hammers home what we are seeing in a recent Substack article, where he says, “There’s an empirical reason for my concern – the data about the social lives of high school students is incredibly bleak and honestly makes me very worried for the next generation.” Additionally, and something that resonates with me in my work, was a finding in the most recent Cardus research that revealed Christian school graduates had a lower sense of belonging in their schools compared to graduates from other types of schools.
King’s Christian Collegiate Impact
As I travel and work with schools around the world, I often encounter places that inspire me. Recently, I had the chance to revisit some of my favorite schools—Aug Prep, UCA, PacBay—and was even invited back to Chicago Christian for the first time in fourteen years. Among these visits, one stood out in a particularly profound way: King’s Christian Collegiate, just outside Toronto. Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of working with King’s on a multi-year project focused on student belonging. During this time, they’ve reimagined what this means at their school as they continue to clarify their school culture based upon their three core values: Be, Belong, and Contribute.
Since 2022, King’s has been asking students a set of simple yet powerful questions—Do you have a friend here? Do you feel valued? Is there an adult who knows you and gives you hope? These indicators, which often begin to decline alarmingly as early as grade five, are key markers of belonging and engagement. King’s has worked to combat the normative decline in schools that has been exacerbated over the past few years by cultural and technological factors that work against creating a school of Belonging:
- Students with at least one good friend: Increased from 91% to 98%
- Students who feel valued: Rose from 71% to 89%
- Students who feel known by a teacher: Grew from 62% to 80%
- Students who say a staff member gives them hope: 85%, with every teacher named
What has truly inspired me is that King’s doesn’t just talk about its values—they live them. After humbly listening to student feedback, the school engaged in thoughtful self-reflection and committed to creating an environment where every student feels known and connected. Although much of our collaboration took place over Zoom, visiting the campus brought everything to life. I observed classes, spoke with students in the hallways, and—perhaps most tellingly—was invited into a casual conversation by a group of students after track practice. That hasn’t happened in the past four years, despite visiting hundreds of schools.
The beauty of my visit to King’s was witnessing a school where belonging is not just a stated value, but a lived reality. Through intentional practices, clear definitions, and ongoing measurement, they’ve built a community where students are known, valued, and invited to contribute. And as a guest, I didn’t feel like a visitor—I felt like a friend.
