5 Year Strategic Plan For Timothy Christian Schools
5 Year Strategic Plan For Timothy Christian Schools
5 Year Strategic Plan For Timothy Christian Schools
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STRATEGIC PLAN<br />
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STRATEGIC PLAN<br />
Why a <strong>Strategic</strong> <strong>Plan</strong><br />
Organizations do not achieve sustainable greatness without planning and strategy…and I mean intentional<br />
strategy, not an artificial adherence to cookie-cutter or trendy initiatives and catch-phrases. Once an<br />
organization has strategically established and defined their goals, then a stubborn conviction to achieve<br />
them must follow. <strong>Timothy</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Schools</strong> has been great for 100 years. As we have officially hit this<br />
significant century milestone, it is important that we continue to plan for success. Most importantly, we<br />
desire to align our plans with biblical principles and to give God the glory in all things.<br />
We have no intention of hitting the cruise control button with this organization, and we are not content<br />
with status quo. Rather we are committed to growth, innovation and inspired transformation. This<br />
strategic plan will provide the school with a rudder for the next five years. It will provide general<br />
direction, visionary challenge and fierce accountability. This strategic plan is unique because it has been<br />
built with the input of every stakeholder. Many fingerprints are on this plan. It has been designed with<br />
the information received from various all-school surveys, Board and administrative input, faculty input,<br />
recommendations from our recent accreditation visit, student involvement, networking with other winning<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> schools, and ideas from my own experiences and beliefs.<br />
This document is a comprehensive summary of what our community expects from TCS—both areas<br />
where we are presently strong and also areas where we need to improve. Moreover, this document is<br />
deliberately basic. The intent of this plan is to establish goals for major areas of our school, while still<br />
allowing for an openness and flexibility in the processes and strategies that are used along the way to<br />
achieve these goals. The outcomes of some of these goals will be measurable…and they will all be<br />
amazingly observable. Over the next five years, we will refer to this plan in our decision-making. We<br />
will consider future plans as they relate to our mission and to this plan.<br />
Are these the only goals that TCS will pursue over the next five years Of course not…we know that this<br />
document is not exhaustive. Other important matters come up commonly, and we will continue to reach<br />
for successful outcomes in all that we do. This plan is derived from the raw data we have gathered from<br />
YOU, and we are committed to succeeding in our plans over the next five years. What happens when five<br />
years have come and gone We will embark on another adventure in planning to meet new challenges<br />
with a bold confidence and a dynamic intentionality. In the meantime, let’s make the most of our current<br />
journey together…and expect great things from TCS!<br />
Very Truly Yours for <strong>Christian</strong> Education,<br />
Matt Davidson<br />
Superintendent<br />
“A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.<br />
Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way,<br />
let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”<br />
Matthew 5:13-16<br />
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STRATEGIC PLAN<br />
MISSION<br />
<strong>Timothy</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Schools</strong> has displayed a robust commitment to the mission of providing a distinctively<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> education for 100 years. It is the conviction and the goal of the school to maintain and even<br />
increase our commitment in this area. Rather than compartmentalizing the mission to chapels and Bible<br />
classes, the mission should be unashamedly visible in literally every program of the <strong>Christian</strong> school.<br />
1. We will provide our faculty with opportunities for both professional and spiritual development,<br />
thus having a faculty that represents a living curriculum for our students. This aligns well with<br />
the “3 Loves” here at TCS—love for Jesus Christ, love for students, and love for teaching in a<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> school.<br />
2. Relational leadership and relational teaching will be a goal moving forward. We recognize that<br />
building relationships with our students is vital in <strong>Christian</strong> education.<br />
3. It will be a goal to increase the visibility of our mission throughout the school buildings. We<br />
want to physically display our Christ-centered mission as a constant challenge and reminder.<br />
4. Community service is a powerful way to share the life and love of Jesus with our neighbors.<br />
Service is also an accelerant to spiritual development and growth. We will commit to a more<br />
intentional effort to increase our community service opportunities for our students. Moreover, we<br />
will strive to create more leadership opportunities for our students and expect great things from<br />
them. We will appropriately challenge our student body and create accountability.<br />
5. We aim to increase our reputation for excellence in all that we offer. A goal moving forward will<br />
be to exploit our success as a school with the intent to attract more families to <strong>Timothy</strong>. The<br />
motivation behind this will be to increase the enrollment so that we can train, equip and inspire<br />
even more students to make a difference for Jesus Christ.<br />
Mission Statement<br />
Serving God and His people, <strong>Timothy</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Schools</strong> develops academically prepared<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> disciples who embrace Christ’s call to transform the world.<br />
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STRATEGIC PLAN<br />
ACADEMICS<br />
<strong>Timothy</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Schools</strong> fully recognizes the prominent role of a rigorous program of education. We<br />
are not an overgrown youth group—we are a school. It is our desire to hold fast to proven conventional<br />
methods of instruction while also implementing new and innovative best practices. We desire to be a<br />
professional learning community that is capable of real transformation in the lives of our students. As a<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> school, we also believe that Jesus was the greatest teacher who ever lived. In our study of the<br />
New Testament, we can learn proven methods and strategies from the Master Teacher.<br />
1. We will make a strong commitment to current and relevant professional development for our<br />
faculty. We will work toward a common language among the faculty and greater collaboration in<br />
identifying and executing best practice in the profession. Moreover, we will pursue funding<br />
resources for professional development and new and pioneering initiatives.<br />
2. Accountability and evaluation will become expected and even eagerly anticipated at TCS. We<br />
will develop a stronger evaluation process for all staff and create a culture of continual<br />
improvement and growth. Moreover, we will improve our evaluation of student progress by<br />
appropriately collecting and using data. Our commitment to evaluation at TCS will be greatly<br />
increased.<br />
3. TCS will strategically investigate the possible hire of a Pre K – 12 Director of Curriculum and<br />
Instruction. Modern education requires the full attention of an expert in the field. We will<br />
carefully consider the consequences of having this position at TCS.<br />
4. In our instruction, we will focus closely on four very basic questions to narrow our goals and new<br />
initiatives:<br />
a. What do we want our students to know (curriculum, instruction)<br />
b. How will we know when they know it How will we measure it (assessment)<br />
c. What will we do if they don’t know it (remediation)<br />
d. What will we do if they already know it (challenge, extensions, advancement)<br />
5. We will increase our approach to blended learning as it relates to technology. Online courses,<br />
virtual classrooms, and the general use of technology in the conventional classroom are all part of<br />
the future of education. We will strategically pursue these avenues and more. Our experts on<br />
campus will be utilized in professional development for the staff so that we can all work toward<br />
the focused target where technology and learning most closely intersect.<br />
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STRATEGIC PLAN<br />
EXTRA-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS<br />
<strong>Timothy</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Schools</strong> recognizes the grand importance of athletics and other extra-curricular<br />
programs. We believe that a student’s overall educational experience is greatly enhanced when they<br />
participate in an extra-curricular program. Our students have many opportunities to get plugged-in here at<br />
TCS, and it is our desire that our extra-curricular programs would be committed to excellence.<br />
1. We will work toward a “system” approach to our extra-curricular programs with a fine thread<br />
connecting corresponding programs throughout the school. The purpose is to have philosophical<br />
and practical goals throughout any particular program with the intent to improve communication,<br />
better outline expectations, and increase our overall commitment to success. This directly aligns<br />
with our mission. The world notices success, not mediocrity or poor performance. Consequently,<br />
we desire to be excellent in all that we do so that we will have a greater platform from which to<br />
proclaim the life and love of Jesus Christ to our community.<br />
2. It will be a goal to maximize student involvement in our existing extra-curricular programs, and<br />
we are committed to exploring new programs moving forward. We will also work toward<br />
developing a stronger sense of support and school spirit among the student body for these various<br />
programs.<br />
3. Along with our dedication to improved evaluation processes in our academic program, we will<br />
apply similar evaluation tools to our extra-curricular programs and their directors/coaches.<br />
4. TCS will focus more intently on using our various extra-curricular programs to teach biblical life<br />
lessons. Our extra-curricular programs offer perhaps the greatest opportunities to apply biblical<br />
truths to real life situations, and our programs should be distinctively <strong>Christian</strong>. In that regard,<br />
we must be radically different from similar experiences in the public school.<br />
5. We will aggressively pursue the improvement of our physical facilities for our extra-curricular<br />
programs, specifically our athletic program. A state-of-the-art weight room would benefit a wide<br />
range of students. Other specific programs would greatly benefit from improvements and<br />
upgrades. Ultimately, we will begin the conversations of the addition of a Field House.<br />
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STRATEGIC PLAN<br />
FINANCE<br />
<strong>Timothy</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Schools</strong> recognizes that we cannot ignore the business side of operating an<br />
organization. We desire to keep tuition at affordable levels, and yet we also desire to hire and retain the<br />
best teachers while providing the best programs to our students as well. We apply biblical stewardship<br />
principles to our money management, and we are presently in a very enviable position to other <strong>Christian</strong><br />
schools. Our Foundation assets are in the vicinity of $4MM, and we do not carry any debt. This is not<br />
the norm in private schools today; however, we desire to remain fiscally strong through the creation of<br />
sustainable budgets from year-to-year.<br />
1. TCS is working toward producing annually audited financial statements. We are actively<br />
aligning our financial statements with GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). Since<br />
hiring a Business Manager, we have already made great strides and more is still to come.<br />
Additionally, we desire to be extremely transparent with our financials. We intend to consistently<br />
communicate financial information with our community. Furthermore, it is our desire to be the<br />
premier <strong>Christian</strong> school in the management and the execution of our budget. We intend to<br />
continually improve the budgeting process through collaboration across the administrative team<br />
and board committees. <strong>Timothy</strong> plans to build and protect a sustainable financial structure for the<br />
next 100 years.<br />
2. We will increase the assets of the <strong>Timothy</strong> Foundation. We realize that tuition monies alone<br />
cannot sustain our future. Consequently, our Foundation must grow. We are committed to<br />
creating a greater awareness of our Foundation with the intent to inspire others to contribute to its<br />
vitality and growth. Lastly, we will more clearly define the role of the Foundation at TCS.<br />
3. The <strong>Timothy</strong> Fund is vitally essential for a strong budget at our school. This is our annual fund<br />
and serves as a line item in the revenue side of the budget, thus keeping our tuition lower than<br />
what would be otherwise necessary. It is our goal to generate more exposure for the <strong>Timothy</strong><br />
Fund and to challenge those with discretionary income to routinely contribute to this important<br />
annual fund. Ultimately, we will increase our donor base at TCS.<br />
4. To suggest that our teachers are important to our school would be a gross understatement. We<br />
will work to make certain that our teachers are fairly compensated and receiving a justifiable<br />
wage based on local and national research and comparison studies. We will also strive to budget<br />
more intentionally for professional development opportunities for our faculty.<br />
5. Tuition assistance is a part of who we are as a <strong>Christian</strong> school. Historically we have depended<br />
largely on the Foundation and the resale shop (New to You) for our tuition assistance funding.<br />
Ultimately, we aim to budget for some tuition assistance while still fully utilizing our other<br />
funding sources. Moreover, we intend to responsibly enforce collection of our tuition<br />
receivables.<br />
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STRATEGIC PLAN<br />
BOARD OF DIRECTORS<br />
<strong>Timothy</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Schools</strong> has been very blessed by the vision, direction and wisdom of the Board. Our<br />
Board is comprised of twenty one (21) members, per the requirement of our Constitution. Moreover, our<br />
Board each year consists of two-thirds membership from our supporting churches. This is also per the<br />
requirement of our Constitution. Each Board member serves on two or three different committees…and<br />
they work hard. The Board is an important part of our school, and we are committed to safeguarding an<br />
effective and enduring model based on what is commonly accepted as best practice.<br />
1. We will engage in Board training and explore other Board governance models. Specifically we<br />
will consider mission-directed Board governance, which is presently being investigated and<br />
implemented in other <strong>Christian</strong> schools across the country.<br />
2. We will maintain transparency as we consider other Board governance models, and we recognize<br />
that the Society must ultimately vote on any changes or reform of this nature.<br />
3. TCS Administration will increase their efforts to openly communicate with the Board and<br />
collaborate on any major agendas or initiatives.<br />
4. The Board will evaluate the frequency of the meetings of the full Board, while maintaining a<br />
monthly commitment to committee meetings. The Board will work to guarantee the efficiency<br />
and the productivity of all meetings. The Board will also oversee the overall performance of the<br />
goals that have been outlined in this plan.<br />
5. TCS Administration and Board will work more diligently to listen to our parents and keep a<br />
finger on the pulse of our school community. We will host occasional opportunities for parents to<br />
informally visit with various members of the Board and the Superintendent.<br />
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STRATEGIC PLAN<br />
ADMISSIONS, MARKETING, RETENTION<br />
<strong>Timothy</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Schools</strong> has long held a reputation for being a great school. We have transformed in<br />
many ways since the early years when the school was primarily for Dutch immigrants of the <strong>Christian</strong><br />
Reformed Church. Although we proudly hold fast to our heritage and foundation, we are also committed<br />
to being a relevant <strong>Christian</strong> school for a larger community and partnering with <strong>Christian</strong> homes from a<br />
variety of backgrounds and churches. If we believe that we have something special to offer, then why<br />
wouldn’t we want to spread the word <strong>For</strong> those who are affiliated with TCS in any capacity, we are all<br />
in the business of marketing the school.<br />
1. We will grow our commitment to targeted admission efforts that will increase the number of<br />
qualified applicants who support the TCS mission. This will be accomplished through stronger<br />
networking with potential “feeder” schools and our churches. We will also continue to explore<br />
incentive programs for current families that introduce new families to TCS—“word-of-mouth.”<br />
We will explore and better define the answer to the question—“who is our school for”<br />
2. We are intensely committed to cultivating a school culture where all members work to increase<br />
enrollment and retain current students. Everyone who is a part of TCS carries a responsibility to<br />
market our school. We will take decisive action in connecting the grade school to our high school<br />
to best guarantee a strong retention from 8 th to 9 th grade each year. Several strategic initiatives<br />
will come into play to build these bridges between the two buildings.<br />
3. TCS will work to determine our best capacity for enrollment. We are confident we have much<br />
room to grow in the high school specifically. As we grow, we desire to grow with intentionality<br />
and hit our targeted marks for enrollment campus-wide. As it relates to this goal, we will<br />
strategically investigate possible options for an elementary satellite campus. Additionally we will<br />
seek to expand and enhance our Worldview Program and commitment to international students.<br />
4. We will closely examine our “first impressions” at TCS. We will review our process from startto-finish,<br />
all the way from the introduction to TCS to our practices for orientation of new families<br />
and students.<br />
5. Our school has much to “show-off.” We will seek to determine the best ways to get the word out<br />
on our achievements as an organization and to make certain that others know who we are and<br />
what we have to offer. We have no desire to be “the best kept secret,” but rather we want our<br />
school to be visible and known.<br />
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STRATEGIC PLAN<br />
ADVANCEMENT<br />
<strong>Timothy</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Schools</strong> has a great opportunity to reengage our constituency in terms of<br />
financial planning and systematic giving to TCS. Many are not engaged and do not have TCS at<br />
or toward the top of their giving list. Many have not been asked directly to give. Our donor base<br />
needs to be expanded. Many of our families do not feel “connected” to our advancement efforts,<br />
especially new families. We need to devote more time, energy, and resources to advancement<br />
efforts at TCS. Advancement needs to be systematic and an integral part of our overall<br />
administrative structure and planning.<br />
1. We have an opportunity to change and improve how we do fundraising. We need to better use<br />
current technology in our advancement effort by using the internet, social & business networks, e-<br />
mail, and other tools available to us. The best software will be explored for this as well. While<br />
we explore pioneering technological opportunities and tactics, we will not lose sight of the<br />
importance of personal, face-to-face interaction in our donor relations.<br />
2. TCS will work to raise monies for the <strong>Timothy</strong> Fund, which is vital to the annual budget. In<br />
addition to working directly with potential donors, we will sharpen our efforts with certain<br />
fundraisers that will involve and engage the entire school community.<br />
3. Presently TCS is involved in a capital campaign. We will more aggressively pursue contributions<br />
from the greater community in a grass-roots movement for future campaigns. Rather than solely<br />
receiving a few large gifts, we desire to collect many small/medium gifts as well.<br />
4. We will continue to work to grow our Foundation Assets. Utilizing the resources and expertise of<br />
the Barnabas Foundation, we will seek to increase awareness and participation in planned giving<br />
to TCS. Specifically in the following areas: Cash, Stock and other securities, Real estate,<br />
Business interest, Life insurance, Tangible personal property, Commodities, IRA or other<br />
retirement assets, Bequest from a Will or Trust. These gifts will serve to benefit TCS directly and<br />
will benefit the <strong>Timothy</strong> Foundation for years to come.<br />
5. We will continually look for ways to engage our Alumni in giving and staying involved in the<br />
TCS community. This will include social networking and other available tools that help to keep<br />
us connected with out-of-town Alums.<br />
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STRATEGIC PLAN<br />
WE ARE TIMOTHY CHRISTIAN<br />
<strong>Timothy</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Schools</strong> possesses some unique defining elements. At some organic level, <strong>Christian</strong><br />
schools have much in common. However, the best <strong>Christian</strong> schools set themselves apart with an<br />
uncompromising devotion to distinction. The best <strong>Christian</strong> schools sometimes have to painfully endure<br />
changes in order to remain successful; however, most of the time they are simply inclined to adopt<br />
necessary and proven change. In this section, we have identified some additional core values where we<br />
desire to be at the forefront of definable and distinguished greatness. We are <strong>Timothy</strong> <strong>Christian</strong>!<br />
1. We will be a community of faith. “If God is for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31) We<br />
do not apologize for being a <strong>Christian</strong> school. We have no intentions to dilute the mission of our<br />
school or to exclusively talk about our faith only in Bible classes and chapels. Rather we desire<br />
to give Jesus Christ the highest place—a place of preeminence—in every single program of our<br />
school. We wholeheartedly believe that all truth is God’s truth, and we believe that education is<br />
empty without Jesus Christ.<br />
2. We will be a community of vision. Every core aspect of our school must have vision behind it.<br />
Specifically we will cast vision for our program of education, for new and improved facilities and<br />
building additions, and for the spiritual development of our students.<br />
3. We will be a community of cooperation. In most instances, educational institutions have<br />
gradually eroded the importance of parental input. Sadly, many parents have subsequently<br />
relinquished this important role in the development of their children. At TCS we desire to<br />
increase our commitment to working with the home. We believe that we cannot achieve optimal<br />
outcomes without the valuable input of the home. Furthermore, we desire to work together<br />
within the school. We will work to create a culture where all employees are working together<br />
toward a common mission and goals. We will accomplish more together as the body of Christ.<br />
4. We will be a community of life-preparation. Too often schools are so intensely focused on the<br />
latest trends that we lose sight of important life skills that have historically been a foundation of<br />
our educational beliefs. We desire to maintain a strong commitment to reading and writing and<br />
other forms of expression such as students giving presentations. We will also strive to provide<br />
team-building exercises as part of our curriculum, including methods to help students resolve<br />
conflict and articulate their thoughts. We desire to emphasize even the most simple of<br />
interpersonal skills, such as teaching our students to say “please” and “thank you.” A strong<br />
education, without these life skills, is still lacking. We want our students to be winners.<br />
5. We will be a community of excellence. We will strive for excellence in all that we do, and we<br />
will do so to the glory of God. We will not take half-steps or seek short-cuts. We recognize that<br />
success is accomplished through hard work. Most importantly, it is our conviction that earthly<br />
success must point others to Jesus or it is insignificant. We desire to WIN others to Jesus.<br />
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