BOARD OF TRUSTEES UPDATE
Fall 2021
The mission of Sioux Center Christian School is to disciple God’s children by equipping them with a knowledge and understanding of Christ and His creation so that they can obediently serve God and others as they work and play.
Every Child TREASURED, Every Child TRAINED, Every Child TRANSFORMED
From the Board of Trustees
The school year at SCCS is off to a great start, with students being treasured, trained, and transformed for God’s glory. Thank you for your support in the mission of SCCS by enrolling your kids, praying for the school, and with your financial gifts. I am pleased to share that there’s no doubt that God is working in and through the school!
Every summer, the board of trustees goes through an exercise to set 2-3 goals for the upcoming year. A couple of examples of the goals from the past few years included contacting every SCCS family during the school year and reviewing the board policy manual every year. One of the new goals for this year is to provide regular communication between the board and the constituency and board updates at faculty/staff meetings. I had the honor of joining the SCCS faculty/staff meeting in August, and there was a lot of built-up excitement for the upcoming year! I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them and I’m so thankful for the work they do.
I would like to share with the constituency some of what I shared at the faculty/staff meeting. We spent a little bit of time covering some of the major board decisions that have been made over the past year. Those decisions included changes to the Legacy Plan, restructuring the tuition grant process, updating sections of the west wing of our building, paying off the building debt (exciting!), adjusting PACE’s role to focus solely on encouragement and fellowship, and reviewing and adopting the CSI accreditation plan. As a board, we understand some of these decisions were easier to work through than others, and we are thankful for the support of this community and the passion the constituency has for the mission of SCCS.
I also shared how we spend our time at board meetings. We ask trustees to do their homework ahead of time so they come prepared to participate at meetings, and we do a pretty good job of being efficient with our time. We cover the following topics every month:
- Above and Beyond – Josh and Lisa ask faculty and staff to join us so they can highlight the great work they are doing at SCCS. This is always one of my favorite parts of the meeting!
- Spotlight Reports – We spend time learning about current or potential new programs at SCCS. A few examples include: Spanish language, Outlet 75, and the counseling/guidance program.
- Visionary Work – One of the main goals of the board is to spend 85% of our time on visionary work. Yes, we want/need to know what is happening at school right now, but it is our task to look 5-15 years down the road to keep faithfully fulfilling our mission statement. We just completed our latest strategic plan, and we are partnering with CACE this year to develop a new strategic plan. The constituency will have the opportunity to be involved with that process. During our focus on visionary work, we use many methods of gathering information and invite people to share during board meetings.
- Head of School Report – Josh gives a detailed report every month of his work, and he has specific measurements and goals for which we hold him accountable. The board also provides regular support and encouragement, as Josh serves as the board’s sole employee. I am thankful we have a very strategic and hardworking head of school!
- Board Reports – The finance, Legacy, nominations, and executive teams all report.
One other item I reported at the meeting is the board has made a strategic decision to shift some of Josh’s responsibilities to development, connecting with school supporters, promoting the school in the community, and strategic initiatives. As the head of school, he is uniquely positioned to share the story of what God is doing through SCCS, and the board desires to continue advancing the mission of the school through communication, facility improvements, and strategic planning. We are excited for Josh to carry out our vision through having the time and space to be actively involved in the important role of head storyteller and chief promoter.
Lastly, I would like to say thank you to the entire SCCS community for your support. It truly is a blessing and a joy to serve on the board because we know how much this community cares for the mission of SCCS!
Greg Van Dyke
Board President
We are SCCS
Email: sccsoffice@siouxcenterchristian.com
Website: www.siouxcenterchristian.com
Location: 630 1st Avenue SE
Phone: 712.722.0777
Facebook: www.facebook.com/siouxcenterchristian
Twitter: @sccstrailblazer