Mondays with Mike: Reflecting

We’re about 10 days into the break, and I want to take the next 10 minutes or so to reflect on this past year. Last week, we had our faculty here for what I call “Consolidation Week,” where we reviewed curriculum, data, and grades, and discussed how to make next year even better for your children. At the end of the week we celebrated our achievements and farewelled each other for the summer, handing out awards to faculty and staff, and enjoying a lunch together. Then, Christy and I celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary on Saturday, followed by a wonderful Father’s Day.

I hope your summer is starting off as great as ours. As you were just getting going on summer plans, I did something last week that I haven’t done in my five years here. I was thinking of you and the faculty while doing it. I’ll share more about that below, but first, let’s talk about growth and achievement at PCA, and how we think about it for your child as well as with classes, grades, and the school as a whole.

What does Mike mean when he talks about Testimony, Trophies, and Trends? Find out by listening below to the 1st in the summer series from PCA.

Listen to this week’s episode by clicking above, or visit the show on our hosted sites. Listen on BeanPod or Spotify.

As you know, we emphasize growth in all areas: academically, physically, spiritually, and relationally. Some of you have asked how we gauge and measure growth, so I want to explain our three primary ways: testimony, trophies, and trends.

This is what people tell us about your child’s growth. Teachers, students, and parents share stories and examples, which are very compelling. One example is how teachers use writing samples from the beginning and end of the year to measure progress. Commencement is another key testimony, showcasing the growth and achievement of our graduating class (see the link below). These stories make your eyes light up and highlight the development of your child as they grow into their God-given potential.

These are not just literal trophies but also standards of excellence. Report cards, awards ceremonies, and standardized test scores indicate levels of achievement. These marks show when students meet or exceed expectations, demonstrating both growth and excellence.

This is the data that shows overall progress. Later in the month, I’ll share some of the trends we’ve observed.

I mentioned earlier that I did something last week I haven’t done before, and I had you in mind. What am I talking about? I sat down with your child’s teachers and interviewed them–I got their first-person testimony. These were so inspiring that, in the coming week, I will send you their Testimonies about the growth and challenges your child and classmates overcame this year.

Next week and into the July 4th holiday, I will share more on Trends. As I have reviewed the data already, and as Dr. Lawrence and others review it as well, I can say we are seeing some really positive trends, especially in certain areas we have focused on. This year has been among our very best since I have been here, with unprecedented growth and achievement. I can’t wait to share more details with you.

As you enjoy your summer vacation, please take a moment to think about this and pray for us. There’s a lot of maintenance work happening on campus to prepare for next year. We also have Eagle Camp and ongoing athletic practices. Wherever you are, we hope you find rest and adventure. God bless you, and we’ll be back with more soon!

“Testimony” of Growth & Achievement: For the best example of a recent “testimonial” of who we are and what we as a school seek for your child, check out the commencement 2024. 

Based on your feedback and engagement, we are going to continue this summer! Here is an outline of our plan:

We will soon distribute testimonies of your child’s and classmate’s growth at PCA; we will also look at recent data trends we are seeing. Finaly, we will touch on our emerging reflections and adaptations to student use of technology.

We will take a break in July for the first couple of weeks. I will be off campus and with family.

Later in July, I am inclined to cover two topics I think might be of interest but want to bounce them off of you (please provide feedback below).

1. How we are thinking about AI in our school.
2. Second, I would like to talk with you about how our curriculum is being shaped. As those of you who work with curriculum, you know it is never “done,” but we have been working with it and on it. How we think about it directly impacts how your child will grow and learn.

We are turning the corner and being specific about the 24-25 school year. I will spend time introducing you to new team members and teachers, as well as getting us ready to transition into the new year. I aim to shape expectations, from the practical (had to make arrival and dismissal as smooth as possible) as well as work with our school leaders to update you (parents and students) to how to start strong and have a great year.

What do you think? Anything I missed? Let me know. Praying for your summer! Appreciate your prayers for us as we wrap up this week and get ready for summer camp and work on facilities and grounds.