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Northlake Christian School: A Decade of Pro-Life Advocacy and Impact

January 24, 2025

Northlake Christian School has had an active student-led, faculty-sponsored pro-life club on our campus for more than a decade. This club's regular activities include: student volunteering at the local crisis pregnancy center; participating in annual prayer marches that are hosted in the local community; writing encouraging notes and providing blessing boxes to the nurses in the NICU department of our local hospitals; attending the annual March for Life rally in Washington, D.C.;

A Flourishing Staff Retreat

January 24, 2025

For Dayspring Christian Academy (DCA), scheduling an annual staff retreat is nothing new. Weston Kurz, Executive Director of the school based in Greeley, Colorado, remembers hosting a retreat for the past 10 years at least. But in the last two years, the retreat has taken on a new flavor. As an early adopter of ACSI’s Flourishing School Culture Model (FSCM), Kurz helped restructure the retreat to integrate research from the FSCM. Using each of the model’s five domains (purpose, well-being, expertise and resources, relationships, and teaching and learning), the school’s strategic planning sessions now revolve around robust research and best practices.

National School Choice Week Celebrating Fifteenth Year in January

Running From January 26 to February 1, 2025

January 23, 2025

When National School Choice Week began in 2011, stories like Central Christian School’s (CCS) were the goal. School choice programs in Kansas, along with scholarships CCS itself provides, enable the school to welcome students who were previously unable to afford tuition, which has positively influenced the school’s culture. “It really binds us together in a special way because students and families from all walks of life have more access to a Truth-based education,” said Superintendent Dr. John Walker.

A Closer Look at How Accreditation Benefits Schools

with Matt Hannan, Director of Accreditation, Western Division

January 22, 2025

For any school striving to deliver quality education, accreditation represents a key step in assuring parents, students, and the community that it is held to high standards. Accreditation benefits schools by providing validation from an outside organization, enhancing college readiness, and fostering a culture of continual improvement. Here’s a closer look at how accreditation can make a positive difference.

Burt Carney’s Legacy: Equipping Schools Through the Legal Legislative Update

January 7, 2025

Burt Carney, former longtime ACSI staff member and founder of the Legal Legislative Update, passed away on December 7, 2024. His dedication to protecting and supporting Christian schools left an indelible mark on the organization and its members. Early in his tenure at ACSI, Carney was tasked by the organization’s founder, Dr. Paul Kienel, with creating a regular newsletter for Christian school administrators and board members. "This became one of my most enjoyable duties as an employee," Carney would later write.

Introducing Kati Melton, new ACSI Senior Director for the Western Division

January 6, 2025

ACSI introduced Kati Melton as its new Senior Director for the Western Division in September 2024. In her new role, Melton will oversee and offer guidance to 570 member schools across 13 states in the Western Division of the U.S. Melton answered some questions recently about her background and vision for ACSI.

Supporting Children in the Wake of Trauma

December 19, 2024

As a parent, of course you are going to have to address the poor behavior, but this is going to take wisdom, discernment, time, and patience. If your child has experienced trauma, they need you to stay calm. You will need to slow down your reactions so that you can respond to your child's behaviors gently while tending to the underlying causes for their inappropriate choices. So, for example, if you find that your child is having trouble going to sleep at night, resist the urge to approach this as a behavioral issue and consider the fact that they might be afraid! You cannot discipline fear out of a child. We need to shepherd our children, seeking to understand their hearts and their reactions. We need to develop a plan to support them in their suffering.

Christian Schools Share How They Celebrate Christmas

December 3, 2024

As we approach Christmas, we asked Spiritual Life Directors at ACSI member schools how their school community celebrates this special season! Ideas include Christmas concerts, toy collections for children's hospitals, ornament decorating at nursing homes, at more.

Thank You for Your Service

November 21, 2024

We have several employees retiring in December 2024. We are so grateful for their servant hearts and service in Christian education over the years! Celebrating Jan Snyder’s 30 Years of Service at ACSI Jan Snyder started her journey with ACSI on November 9, 1994, just two months after the organization moved its headquarters to Colorado Springs from Whittier, California. At the time, ACSI was led by founder Dr. Paul Kienel, and his wife, Annie Kienel, who hired Jan to work part-time in the mailroom. Annie, a servant leader, was gracious and flexible, allowing Jan to work during the hours that her three young children were at school.