Welcome to Stories
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Jamie Jodrey’s path to school leadership was catalyzed by a laptop. Two, in fact. As a first-grade teacher in Puerto Rico, Jodrey dabbled in leadership as a department chair and was encouraged by her administrators to pursue a master's degree in educational administration. She was not quick to leave teaching, however.
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When Dr. Jon Hill finished his master’s degree in teaching, he did not expect to lose his desire to teach after just one year, but that’s all he lasted—at least, in the U.S. One year of American public school made Hill “disillusioned” towards teaching, in his words, but the opportunity to impact people overseas and experience diverse cultures helped revitalize that passion.
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From September 9–13, 2024, the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) hosted the Asia Roundtable in Bali, Indonesia. This prestigious gathering brought together 55 leaders from higher education institutions, national Christian school associations, and leading schools from across 10 countries, including Australia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States.
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A three-day roundtable of Christian education in Côte d’Ivoire, held from August 26–29, 2024, brought together key education stakeholders from across Francophone West Africa to explore strategies for improving teacher preparation in biblical worldview and integration and quality Christ-centered schooling.
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It has been a season of celebration for ACSI’s Caribbean team. In August 2024, the office hosted its annual convention celebrating 25 years of uninterrupted service, equipping Christian schools in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Featured Event
Catalyst: Strengthening Your School's Operations and Finances
January 30–31, 2025 | First Presbyterian Academy, Greenville, SC
Ignite your school’s mission and broaden your vision at Catalyst, ACSI’s new Christian School Financial Conference, on January 30-31. Catalyst will feature industry expert key-note sessions and workshops, design to equip you with effective
and actionable solutions for your school’s operations. Register today!
Blog
Avoiding Getting Lost in the Weeds: A Few Thoughts on Teaching Christianly
Dr. Dave Mulder | September 23, 2024
I am a terrible golfer. Honestly, I really shouldn’t call myself a golfer. I golf so rarely—almost never—that it’s no surprise at all that I am dreadful at it. If you were to describe my golf game, the phrase “lost in the weeds” could certainly apply.
Podcast
Sharpening Kingdom Leaders Ep 10: Leading in the Dominican Republic
Jerry Nelson | September 30, 2024
Amber de Armas, a Christian school leader in the Dominican Republic, shares her leadership journey and how her school strives for socioeconomic balance.
Stay Informed on ACSI's Events and Resources
President's Office
“I can think of no greater cause than to partner with you to advance Christ-centered education.” Dr. Larry Taylor, ACSI President & CEO
Dr. Taylor has been serving in education for over 30 years. He is passionate about training up this generation of disciples for Jesus Christ through Christian education.
Prior to accepting the President position at ACSI, Dr. Larry Taylor served twenty years as the Head of School at Prestonwood Christian Academy (PCA) in Plano, Texas. Prestonwood Christian Academy serves more than 1,600 students enrolled at four campuses as part of its school system.
Click the link below to read more.
ACSI's Mission
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's Foundational 3 Pillars
Advancing
Leading Christ-centered education toward excellence and flourishing
We want all schools to aspire to, achieve, and remain committed to a biblically-based philosophy of education, standards that are measurable, and flourishing-related criteria. ACSI strives to lead, support, and serve Christian schools, and educators, by placing them on a path of growth and flourishing using the research-based Flourishing Schools Initiative. This model should link leadership and faculty professional development accreditation, and every culture-driving component of a school. A common philosophy, and a flourishing-based metric, would unify our efforts of advancing Christian schools and educators.
Access
Making Christ-centered education available and obtainable
ACSI is committed to making Kingdom education available to as many children and families as desire it, believing that such an education offers students an opportunity to grow in a loving relationship with their Creator, come to know His saving work through Jesus, and flourish in His Ephesians 2:10 calling for their lives. This commitment requires removing barriers to access for those who traditionally have not benefited from Christian school, as well as seeking out new ways to create access points to Kingdom education and the ability to thrive and be successful in that education—for all those who desire it.
Advocacy
Promoting and protecting Christ-centered education for today and tomorrow
As the largest evangelical Christian school association in the world, ACSI is by default viewed as the spokesperson for Christian schooling in the public square. In order to discharge this responsibility with excellence and seasoned speech (Colossians 4:6), and to equip our member schools to do the same, ACSI must invest in developing public-facing resources and forming strategic relationships with those working in the area of advocacy for Christian Education and for religious liberty.
Stay Connected to ACSI
The ACSI Community online forum exists to provide connection, collaboration, and networking with Christ-centered education advocates, educators, and influencers in a protected online environment.
ACSI Community offers Christian educators opportunities to Connect, Collaborate, Compel, Captivate, and Comprehend. Join thousands of like-minded education professionals around to globe to grow in knowledge, sharpen skills, and deepen your faith, in a safe, authentic virtual environment.
ACSI provide helpful tools for you to find the next position God has for you through a resume review search and career planning portal. You can also discover ACSI positions.
Thinking about serving internationally? PFO2Go will provide the confidence to enter a new culture in which to both work and live outside the United States. Also, don’t miss the International Schools Job Fair.
Speakers Including Dr. Sean McDowell Inspire Christian School Leaders in Cultivating Flourishing School Communities
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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Strategic Partners
ACSI proudly presents the Strategic Partnership Program, which includes companies, organizations, and ministries who have been carefully chosen to benefit you—our member schools—and to assist you in accomplishing your life-changing mission.
