Axios founder Jim VandeHei built his nimble, voracious media channel on five words: get the big things right. My mind immediately recalled VanderHei’s mantra when Drs. Smith and Lepine asked me to write a follow-up to their foundational blogpost, “Keeping a Kingdom Mindset.” How do transformational leaders get (and keep) the big things right? Big Thing #1: Posture In both … Read More
The Expected Value of Sports in the Christian School
For our athletic programs, there is little evidence about who we are, what we do, why we do it, and for whom do we do it—questions that a school’s mission statement should answer. Helping schools tell the story of why high school sports are mission-centric is why CACE developed the Coaching for Transformation framework.
What the World Needs Now: A CDL4 Retrospective
As we reflect on the 4th annual Deeper Learning gathering of Christian/faith-based schools, we are grateful for the “real work for real people” being done all around the world. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, there are around 32,000 faith-based schools just in the United States, educating more than 3 million students. We rejoice in being part of … Read More
Do Christian Schools Contribute to Political Polarization?
Given that Protestant school graduates in the latest Cardus Education Survey were much more likely than public school graduates to describe their political ideology as conservative and closer to the Republican than Democrat Party, what does their lack of enthusiasm in 2016 suggest?
Sacred Spaces
Last year I was visiting a beautiful new school building (that’s you, Minnehaha), a facility rebuilt after a horrific explosion that destroyed much of the former campus. The staff spent countless hours with architects and builders to imagine the new space. Walking into a place that has been so thoughtfully imagined, so intentionally designed, so intimately prepared felt like a … Read More
Walking in the Shoes of a Giant (who also couldn’t get his act together)
In 2020, we mourned the passing of Christian education legend, Martin Hanscamp. Martin’s contributions to Christian education have been monumental. His words held people captive at conferences, around dinner tables, and in one-on-one conversations. He was confident in what he knew and clever in articulation.
2021—A Happy New Year?
The flip of the calendar came with the promise of a new year and new beginnings. But one month into 2021, we have experienced more unprecedented events, causing us to reflect on all that is happening in our world.
Transition and Entry Time in Scheduling
One of the thorny issues in scheduling generally is how much, and whether, to give students any time to transition between classes. There has been generally a move to focus more and more on the amount of teaching time given over the course of the year and so every second seems to have become precious.
Design a Dual Credit Program that Works
Administrators, students, and parents can easily get caught up in dual credit opportunities without prioritizing their value in a Christian education. I believe in the mission of Christian education and its eternal impact on students’ lives. The dual credit choices you make for your school must support that mission.
Reflecting on 2020, Working Toward Better in 2021
Through our strategic planning, data analysis, professional learning groups, and blog posts, CACE supported Christian school leaders through the challenges of 2020. The most read blogs from last year focused on three themes: COVID response, improving teaching and learning, and diversity.