Speakers Including Dr. Sean McDowell Inspire Christian School Leaders in Cultivating Flourishing School Communities March 7, 2023

Kansas City, MO– The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) will host its popular Flourishing Schools Institute (FSi), drawing Christian school leaders from across the U.S. to The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center from Mar. 14-16, 2023. The institute features renowned speakers including Dr. Sean McDowell, Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics Program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, Dr. K. Shelette Stewart, Harvard graduate and Founder of Stewart Consulting, Mia Mbroh, licensed professional counselor, and more.

A part of ACSI’s Flourishing Initiative—a multifaceted approach to assessing and improving school culture so that all members can collectively thrive— the FSi correlates with the research-validated Flourishing School Culture Instrument (FSCI) and the resulting Flourishing School Culture Model (FSCM). The FSCI provides a comprehensive analysis of a school's strengths and areas for growth, while the FSCM serves as a model comprised of five domains—Purpose, Relationships, Teaching & Learning, Expertise & Resources, and Well-Being, as stated on the ACSI website. The institute is organized around these five research-based domains that contribute to the development of a Christ-centered flourishing school.

ACSI President Dr. Larry Taylor believes equipping leaders with a biblically based philosophy of education is essential to the health and success of the entire school community.

“Our institutes have been a tremendous success,” he shared. “The FSi Kansas City will feature top experts bringing fresh content in the five domains. Each institute is designed to be a hands-on, collaborative approach to pursuing flourishing school communities.”

Speakers including McDowell, Stewart, Mbroh, Dr. Leah Zuidema, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Dordt University and Dr. Scott Rodin, President of The Steward’s Journey and Kingdom Life Publishing, will provide best practice content in their respective domain to assist leaders in framing their action plans and initiatives.

According to Cindy Dodds, ACSI Vice President of Flourishing Initiatives, FSi sessions will be largely interactive, allowing leaders to collaborate in the development of an action plan that meets the unique, research-informed needs of their school.

“The FSi helps schools move from research to practice,” Dodds said. “Our vision is to see Christian school leadership teams engage in an enduring, transformative school growth process in tandem with other Christian school leaders, together pursuing flourishing school communities. We are beginning to see this vision realized, as school leadership teams return to the institute year over year to engage more deeply in their flourishing journey.”

Renee McLamb, Head of School at Northwood Temple Academy, has attended two of the ACSI Flourishing Schools Institutes.

“The Flourishing Schools Institute fans the passion for Christian education in not only my life, but in the lives of my admin team,” McLamb shared. “’Getting better at getting better’ has been our admin motto for the past few years, and the FSi has helped us do just that...get better at getting better! We came back from the Texas institute and immediately started evaluating practices in all areas of the school.”

Taylor believes the institute will launch leaders on the journey toward Christ-centered flourishing school cultures.

“As a recent head of school, I can personally attest to the challenge of building and sustaining a Kingdom-focused, successful school culture,” Taylor said. “We’re glad to gather in person again, working side by side through this process. Each leader will leave the FSi with a unique roadmap to a truly flourishing school community.”

To learn more about FSi, visit the website or connect with the ACSI Care Team by calling (800) 367-0798 or by emailing careteam@acsi.org.

About ACSI: 
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, ACSI exists to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. ACSI advances excellence in Christian schools by enhancing the professional and personal development of Christian educators and providing vital support functions for Christian schools through multiple services including teacher and administrator certification, school accreditation, legal/legislative assistance, and curriculum publishing. Serving more than 25,000 schools in 108 countries, ACSI helps more than 5.5 million students worldwide connect to Christian education.

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