DCS Head Administrator OP

OPPORTUNITY PROFILE
DUTTON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Greetings
FROM THE SEARCH COMMITTEE CHAIR
Dear Prospective Head Administrator Candidate,
Thank you for your interest in the Head Administrator position at Dutton Christian School. We hope you will dig deep
into this Opportunity Profile to learn more about Dutton Christian School’s story of God’s faithfulness and our vision
for the future.
In a time when many other Christian schools are facing significant financial challenges, Dutton Christian has experienced
steady upward enrollment, completed successful capital campaigns, and remains debt-free. After 12 years of strong
leadership, Dan Netz will retire at the end of the 2017-2018 school year, creating an outstanding opportunity for a new
administrator to lead DCS onward into the future.
One main goal is to keep tuition affordable for all those wanting their children to attend DCS while maintaining an
excellent learning environment with a dedicated staff, up-to- date programs and adequate facilities. Our next Head
Administrator needs to be a strategic leader, a skilled financial steward of DCS’s resources, and a highly relational standardbearer
of the school.
We encourage you to read through this Opportunity Profile and to further explore our website for additional information.
If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity, please reference the Process of Candidacy page to begin the application
process. If you have any questions, please contact Laura Coverstone or Ed Poff (615-261-4623), the JobfitMatters
Consultants who are assisting Dutton Christian School in this search.
Sincerely,
Tony Vermaas, Board Chair

Overview
Founded in 1955, Dutton Christian School serves 582 preschool through eighth
grade students on two campuses in Caledonia, Michigan, just south of Grand
Rapids. DCS takes seriously its commitment to be intentionally Christian, to have
accountable instruction, and to be a place where all can expect community. Biblical
integration is a part of the fabric of DCS. Teachers strive to intentionally plan every lesson with the goal of focusing
on God’s truth as it relates to the topic of study. DCS will begin a three-year process of implementing Teaching for
Transformation in the 2017-2018 school year with South Christian High School and the other feeder schools.
In June 2018, Dan Netz will complete 12 successful years as the head of Dutton Christian. During his tenure, enrollment
has grown, facilities have expanded, and the academic program has improved, all while remaining debt-free. The
administrative team is humble and give all the glory to God. They, along with the board, want to continue to grow in
excellence as they continue to grow in numbers.
The next Head Administrator for Dutton Christian needs to be an experienced leader who will:
1) grow the foundation which provides tuition assistance
2) bolster DCS’s marketing efforts
3) plan for future growth and facility needs
4) build purposeful diversity at DCS, and
5) maintain and grow the biblical focus of DCS.
The board is anticipating an appointment for a July 1, 2018 leadership transition.
To learn more about Dutton Christian School, see the website at www.duttonchristianschool.org.
To read about the history of Dutton Christian, see https://www.duttonchristianschool.org/about-dcs/our-history.
For a superb articulation of the distinctives of DCS, see https://www.duttonchristianschool.org/about-dcs/spiritualformation/key-attributes/.

Mission & Values
MISSION
Within a Reformed worldview, Dutton Christian School will:
• Nurture the heart with Biblical truth
• Equip the mind through academic excellence
• Impact the world for Christ
VALUES
Learning –
Our world belongs to God and all truth comes from Him.
Our instruction is Biblically based and intentionally integrates a Reformed understanding of the Christian faith into all
learning.
Students –
Education is the process of nurturing the whole child as an intellectual, emotional, physical, social and spiritual
being, uniquely created by God.
Academics –
The educational program is thoughtfully designed to challenge each student to develop God-given gifts to the best of
his or her ability.
Community –
Our learning community is modeled after Christ’s teachings; and as such, we strive to create an environment in which
all students are able to grow and develop as His children and in relationship with one another.
Partnership –
Our school partners with parents and churches to encourage students in their learning, to cultivate their relationship
with Jesus Christ, and to prepare them for a life of service.

Statement
OF FAITH
The Dutton Christian School Association has been established and maintained by a
society of parents who are committed to training children in keeping with the teachings of the Bible as interpreted in the
three forms of unity: the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dort.
• I believe that God exists in three persons, namely, God the Father, who is the creator and sustainer of the
universe; God the Son, who took on human flesh to save sinners who believe in Him, and who now rules as
King of the universe; and God the Holy Spirit, who was sent as the Christian’s comforter, sanctifier, and guide.
• I believe that the Bible is the only infallible and inspired Word of God and that it must be taught and used as the
guide for the Christian’s life and conduct.
• I believe that the Bible requires Christian parents to make every effort to train their children to love and serve
Jesus with all their heart and that, for this reason, the instruction of children in the school as well as in the home
must be in keeping with the teachings of the Bible.
• I believe that the right and responsibility to train children belongs primarily to the parents and that this school
belongs to the parents rather than to the church or state.
• I believe that parents must help their children understand that God calls them to worship, obey, and serve Him
with all their heart, soul and mind, and that parents must equip them for meaningful service in the Kingdom of
God.
• I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior

At-A-Glance
Enrollment
582
TOTAL
411
E5s - 4 th grade
0 100 200 300 400 500
171
5 th - 8 th grade
Five-Year Enrollment Trend
Financial
500
400
300
200
• Annual Budget 2017-18: $3.3 million
• Giving for 2016-17: $856,300 total
($358,800 annual giving, $497,500 capital gifts)
$0
TOTAL DEBT
100
0
Faculty
2013-14
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
12 23 7
Middle School
22
Average Class Size
Elementary
School
Shared Faculty
(Art, Music, PE, Spanish…)
60%
Faculty Hold
Advanced Degrees
Financial Aid
Around 13% of school families received financial aid.
More than $80,000 in financial aid was awarded in
the 2016-2017 school year.
Tuition
K - 8th: $5,957
Membership:
Dutton Christian School is a member of Christian Schools International (CSI).

Position Summary
The DCS Head Administrator carries out the administrative, management and supervisory
functions of DCS in accordance with the Bible, the policies adopted by the board, and the
Dutton Christian School Association by-laws. He/She must make a credible profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
and be an active member of a church whose teaching is in agreement with the doctrinal standards of the Reformed churches.
School age children must attend a Christian Schools International school. The administrator is expected to provide
spiritual leadership to the school through words and actions.
Currently reporting to the Head Administrator are the following:
HEAD
ADMINISTRATOR
CURRICULUM
DIRECTOR
ASSISTANT
PRINCIPAL
BOOKKEEPER
LEAD
TEACHER (MS)
ADMIN
ASST.
DEVELOPMENT
DIRECTOR
(FUTURE POSITION)
The faculty and administration of Dutton Christian School are a key strength of the school, likely one of the primary
reasons for the 120+ student increase in recent years. The school enjoys tremendous donor support and is committed to
remaining debt-free. Capital campaigns have been very successful, so facilities have been and continue to be built debtfree
to serve the additional students. Looking to the future, the next Head Administrator will need to steward the resources
of DCS wisely, growing carefully, maintaining excellence, and offering a product which is competitive and affordable.
DCS has benefitted from a Head Administrator who is a strong spiritual leader, an experienced organizational leader, and
a fiscally responsible leader. Because of its size and complexity, the Head Administrator needs to delegate well. The current
team enjoys a high level of trust, collaboration, and community spirit. As with many schools, a vision for the future of
education as it relates to technology and quality programs is needed to remain competitive.
The School Board of DCS consists of twelve members who, by signing the DCS Statement of Reformed Faith, fully
support, believe, and agree to govern DCS according to the word of God as interpreted by the three forms of unity: the
Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort. Being committed to the Reformed worldview, the
educational principles of the school must therefore be distinctively Reformed in emphasis and character. A minimum of
nine members of the Board must be active members of a Reformed church and all others must be members of a Christian
church. The Head Administrator will need to cultivate a healthy and effective relationship with the Board while executing
the stated vision, mission, core values, and policies of DCS as stated in the by-laws. The board fully embraces a policy
style of governance as outlined in the Policy Handbook and has a high level of trust in the administration to handle the
day-to-day operations of the school.

Expectations
OF THE HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
Successful leadership in any educational institution is judged
by how well its leader meets the expectations of its Board,
meets the needs of its students, and responds to the input
of its faculty, administration, parents, and other constituent
groups. In this case, these goals can be described as capitalizing
on Dutton Christian School’s many existing strengths
rather than implementing drastic change or overcoming severe
challenges.
The Administration and Board developed a Long Range
Strategic Plan in 2015 that will be further refined and
updated in 2019 in collaboration with the new Head
Administrator. This long range plan includes the following
objectives.
Objective # 1: Grow Tuition and Assistance Programs
1. Continue to grow the Foundation (current balance is $2
million) by growing the fund balance to $3 million.
2. Target opportunities for planned giving around estate
planning.
3. Continue expansion of Scholarship Program trying to get
both more donors and more applicants. The Development
Director can assist with Steps 2 & 3.
4. Develop and maintain contact with graduating families
and alumni making them more receptive to supporting
DCS financially and prayerfully.
5. Create best practices and training materials in order
to promote the TRIP Program not only to current DCS
families but also to grandparents and young families with
newborns.
6. Work with local churches in establishing programs to
support families for Christian Education.
7. Articulate these goals to the constituency and monitor
progress.
Objective #2: Bold Marketing
1. Provide alumni and current and former parents with
talking points about Dutton Christian School.
2. Utilize social media
to feature DCS achievements.
3. Produce quality videos of the DCS community in
action and in practice of our distinctive expression and
faith integration on the DCS website:
4. Promote DCS within new communities and
developments.
Objective #3: Planning for Future Growth/Facilities
1. Remain Debt-free
2. Aggressively pursue surrounding land.
3. Increase our Foundation.
4. Be prepared for any required expansion by having:
a) Funds designated if land comes available.
b) Drawings put together to be ready to expand our facilities.
c) A general contractor ready to oversee the building
process.
5. Keep past parents informed of what is going on in the
school so they continue to stay a part of the community of
Dutton Christian and feel the accomplishments and struggles
the school goes through.
6. Continue to promote estate planning in our school
through the Barnabas Foundation.
7. Promote Dutton Christian School to all the churches
represented by our families. More information in the community
to promote our school could lead to increased financial
strength.
Objective #4: Build Purposeful Diversity
1. Initiate a task force to explore greater diversity in the
DCS school community.
2. Update promotional and marketing material.
3. Develop a communication plan to effectively
communicate admission options to current and potential
families.
4. Initiate discussions with other Christian schools located
in more diverse communities to learn best practices.

Expectations (cont.)
OF THE HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
Objective #5: Maintain and Grow Biblical Focus
1. Be intentional about supporting and training our faculty and
administration to fully understand and implement biblical
integration and our defined beliefs.
2. Broadly and intentionally communicate these beliefs by
distribution of our guiding statements and documents to our school
constituency.
Objective #6: Sustain Strength of Staff and Administration
1. Grow Professional Development
a) Conduct thorough staff evaluations followed by targeted professional
development based on the competencies required of the position.
b) Ensure sufficient funding for robust professional development for all
staff members.
2. Mentoring program – continue to fund and maintain for first year teachers
and faculty members new to DCS.
3. Succession planning – develop a succession plan for every staff member
at DCS.
4. Recruitment
a) Attract high quality candidates. Work with promotions committee to
develop a recruitment brochure.
b) Identify good sources for future staff members to proactively fill the
pipeline.
c) Maintain well-established, comprehensive interview and hiring process.
5. Retain excellent staff. Equip staff members with tools necessary to remain
successful in their current positions, including but not limited to
curriculum, technology, facilities, competitive wages and fair benefits.

Location
CAMPUS AND GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Dutton Christian School’s two campuses rest in Caledonia, Michigan, 25 minutes southeast
of Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids has been named one of the top 50 places to live and play by National Geographic Magazine, the best city for
raising a family by Forbes Magazine and the 2014 top vacation destination by the world’s leading travel content provider,
Lonely Planet. Grand Rapids offers a remarkable combination of urban sophistication and small town warmth. You will
find big-city excitement: countless restaurants; five outstanding museums; the world’s largest art competition, ArtPrize;
and a variety of theaters, symphony, ballet, opera, professional sports, comedy clubs and world-class entertainment—all
within a vibrantly clean, safe and walkable downtown. You will also find small-town charm in farmer’s markets, locally owned
coffeehouses, and quaint shopping districts. Advanced degrees can be earned at nearby Calvin College and Grand Valley State
University.
A mere 30 miles away you will find Lake Michigan’s Gold Coast, which according to Lonely Planet, is perhaps the USA’s
most unexpected beach getaway. Along miles of seemingly endless beaches lie sugar-white dunes, wineries, antiquing, U-pick
orchards and berry farms and cider houses—even surfing. Adding to nature’s wonderland you can fly-fish for trout or salmon
in nearby world-class fly-fishing rivers, hike one of hundreds of hiking trails in the Manistee National Forest, and go snowboarding,
downhill and cross-country skiing—all within an hour’s drive.
Resources:
Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce
Grand Rapid’s Official Website
Grand Rapids Visitor’s Guide
Grand Rapids events, attractions, and more

Where
IS THIS PERSON TODAY?
One might assume that the ideal candidate will currently be a leader of a Christian school,
but the right leader may come from a variety of vocations. We believe someone from one
of the following areas may have the skills and experiences that are needed to lead Dutton Christian. This list is not meant
to be exhaustive but rather to encourage potential candidates to understand the breadth of experiences that may fit
well in this position:
• An experienced leader of a Christian K-8 school with at least 300+ students
• A successful private or public school leader who believes strongly in Christian education, has a solid Reformed
background, and has a significant understanding of non-profits, boards and fundraising.
• Possibly an organizational leader outside education who brings significant years of Board and/or leadership
experience in a Christian school

Process of Candidacy
If, after reading this Opportunity Profile, you sense that the gifts and experience God has
given you are a good match for Dutton Christian School, we invite you to begin the inquiry
process. We handle all candidate information and conversations confidentially. You may
contact Laura Coverstone at any stage of the process for more information and to ask questions (see contact information
below).
Please provide the following for review:
A current resume
Responses to the following essay questions
• Describe your spiritual journey of faith in Jesus Christ. Indicate how God is using you in your work, in your
church, and in your community. How has your relationship with Jesus Christ shaped your career and influenced
your decision to apply for this position? Please include an articulation of your alignment with the Reformed
tradition (Christian Reformed Church, Reformed Church of America, etc.).
• Describe your experience with Christian education, both personally and professionally. How would you define the
marks of educational excellence in a Christian school?
• Provide the names and contact information (telephone numbers and email addresses) for four references who know
you and your career well enough to comment on your suitability for the Head Administrator position at Dutton
Christian School. (References will only be contacted after we have requested and received your permission to do
so.)
Submit this information in one Microsoft Word or .pdf document to:
Laura Coverstone
JobfitMatters
resumes@simainternational.com
Phone: 615-261-4623
In the subject line of the email, please write “Dutton Christian – Head Administrator”