As the steering committee for Palmetto Christian Academy of Greenwood, we are committed to best practices as an organization. We want to develop an organizational culture of achieving high standards. We want to develop institutional integrity, transparency and accountability. That is why we have charged our principal, Joan Gore, with developing all academic programs according to the accreditation standards of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
We hold ourselves as a steering committee to similar standards. To this point, we have brought in three different consultants to help us as a fledgling board evaluate our plans and efforts as we develop this school – two were experienced educators, another a local expert on nonprofit boards. We have another consultant scheduled to talk to us about board governance structures in February.
As we walk down this road, we also use a manual published by ACSI, appropriately named How to Start a Christian School Manual. In the first chapter, it lists 8 steps to take to start a new school:
1. Seek prayerful direction.
2. Develop a study committee.
3. Take all necessary legal steps.
4. Develop a clear statement of the school’s philosophy of education, a statement of faith, and a mission statement.
5. Select an administrator and staff.
6. Analyze options for school facilities.
7. Begin promoting your school.
8. Follow sound financial policies.
We’ve worked hard and put in many hours to get to this point, and I’m glad to report that we’ve done all 8 steps in anticipation of enrollment beginning 1/15/08 (except for hiring additional staff). Outside of the steering committee, many others have been helpful in serving on school committees and encouraging us with prayers and enthusiasm.
We’re encouraged and moving forward!
Randy Cain MD
Chair - Palmetto Christian Academy Steering Committee
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment