I. Cultivation of Christ-like Culture
Vision: “All relationships at Cornerstone are characterized by the love and humility of Christ, and the authority of Scripture is prevalent in all aspects of daily life and instruction. This includes our confession, discipline, how we partner with families, and how we approach subjects.”
Goals:
- Unity in relationships
- Sacrificial love
- Hospitality
- Emphasis on core doctrine
- Humility
Actions
- Have each student to set Biblical goals.
- Encourage students to engage other worldviews with love and respect.
- Teachers to “be the Word” as living display of Christ in the classroom (1 Peter 1:3)
- Expect professionalism and confidentiality with interactions (watching words).
- Practical in the classroom training to go to Scripture and how Christ would resolve situations (show students example of going to the Word for problem-solving).
- Put together a list of specific Scriptures for specific situations.
II. Optimization of Operational Budget
Vision: “Operational budget is consistently in the black, covered entirely through tuition, supported by a healthy scholarship fund, and providing competitive teacher compensation - leading to near 100% teacher retention”
Goals:
- Keep tuition as low as possible
- Compensate teachers as strongly as we are able
- Cover all operational expenses through tuition
Actions:
- Align tuition with operations so tuition covers all operations without depending on donations to close the gap.
- Encourage and incent families to recruit other families (increases revenue)
- Establish robust scholarship fund to help retain and grow broad socioeconomic student population
- Wise with the stewardship of facility (turn lights off, copies, training the students) (reduces expenses)
- Improve teacher retention through improved compensation (as possible)
III. Advancement of Classical Methodology and Biblical Integration
Vision: “Students at Cornerstone Academy will be educated through the daily use of classical methodology and Biblical integration by trained teachers, which purposes to produce students who love God, love learning, and are able to think and live in a manner that brings glory to God.”
Goals:
- Students have solid grounding in Biblical worldview and love for Christ
- Students learn to think and articulate exceptionally well, preparing them for future Kingdom and vocational impact
Actions:
- Review and define grade-level core objectives and end-of- year expectations
- Write and implement “code of conduct and discipline policy.”
- Create a classical methodology plan that encourages Biblical integration specific for each emphasis area of the trivium
- Provide opportunities for teachers to share ideas with each other on creatively implementing classical methodology and Biblical integration
- Assess grade-specific expectations for in-school work time verses out-of-school work time
- Evaluate the effective use of classical methods and Biblical integration through teacher feedback and student achievement
- Develop communication expectations between the Board of Directors, Administration, and Academic Committee
- Provide opportunities for the Academic Committee to observe other classical schools
- Strong personal walk with God among staff, specifically prayer life, shaping their own Biblical worldview so they can pass it on.
- Healthy training program for teachers in classical methodology so they are comfortable with teaching classically. This includes opportunities for classical methods training (ACCS conference): teachers made aware of workshops and training sessions, teachers take training all-together
- Departments within the school be collaborative and intentional (K-2, 3-6, 7-9)
- Not producing a fakeness, show and encourage genuineness in relationship with Jesus
- Level of evaluation of how things are going with students: it is about genuine, Spirit-led heart change
IV. Development of Strong and Comprehensive Logic/Rhetoric Schools
Vision: “We have well-rounded Logic and Rhetoric Schools where students exhibit a love of learning, are involved in a variety of extracurricular activities, and are equipped to exhibit Godly and mature leadership within the student body.”
Goals:
- Students exceed their academic potential at CA while thoroughly enjoy their educational experience
Actions:
- Write job descriptions for teacher and staff roles
- Define annual teacher evaluation process.
- High school start-up Ad-hoc Team
- Student Government Association
- Intentional high school field trips
- Add additional sports programs
- Student to Student Covenant created
- Junior/Senior Banquet
- Barn party – cookout, volleyball, etc.
- Mystery Movie Nights
- Servant Leadership Retreat for 9th grade (Bryan College)
- President’s Council
- Roundtable Council
- Loosen dress code for rhetoric
- Something the students can look forward to (senior trip, dance)
- Community involvement
- What will be some distinctives of high school at CA?
- More athletic opportunities and a gymnasium
- Leadership team of students (class government): Jay Strack
- More opportunities for scholarship (choir, clubs, etc.)
- Development of a Honor Society
- Develop atmosphere and culture for kids to identify and develop their spiritual gifts
- Papers and projects (presentations, debates, forums) fitting student’s passions and interests
- Alumni relations
- Students to have a voice in the school
- Discipleship and mentorship of younger students
- School newspaper/newsletter/E-letter/yearbook
- Real world application/practical situations (Haley Dodson)
V. Design and Construction of Additional Facility Phases
Vision: “We have classrooms to accommodate K-12, a gymnasium, and maintain a strong lunch program.”
Goals:
- To have 4 additional classrooms by Y7 start (August 2012)
- To have gym built as soon as possible.
Actions
- Set up an ad-hoc building committee
- Funds earmarked for architect
- Complete pre-construction design
- RFP process (approve final version through B.O.D.
- Make contractor recommendations to B.O.D.
- Financing: coordinate with appropriate committee
- Oversee construction with general contractor
- Weekly progress reports with B.O.D.
- Pray hard, pray long, pray quickly!
- Grant opportunities
- Break the larger project down into smaller projects
- Communicate to other churches the needs
VI. Leverage Creative Marketing Opportunities
Vision “With our mission statement as our filter, we will communicate the distinctives of Cornerstone with grace, truth and passion to multiple people groups across the Lakeway area.”
Goals:
- Increase enrollment, as well as donor base.
Actions:
Targets:
- Homeschoolers
- High schoolers
- Pastors and churches from Morristown and surrounding community
- Youth ministers
- Grandparents
- Teachers in other school systems
- Suburbs of Morristown
Methods:
- Web-site
- High schoolers to create YouTube video
- School tours
- ACT prep class
- Offer subjects for homeschoolers
- Billboards
- Events (churches)
- Meetings with pastors and other church leaders
- Have students do public speeches
- Mission fairs
VII. Growth of Capital Development
Vision: “The Capital Development program is healthy – including the establishment of a robust scholarship fund, annual events, a grant-writing function, and Phase One of the new facility is paid off.”
Goals: A robust and steady flow of giving fostered through strong donor relations and stellar fundraising events.
Actions:
- Complete Capital Campaign for new facility
- Run feasibility study
- Develop capital plan
- Develop and implement campaign plan
- Establish scholarship fund
- Develop healthy capital development function and process for Cornerstone, including solid donor base
