Mondays with Mike: Spring Survey 2025: What You Told Us And Where We Go From Here

• Christ-Centered Culture: Families, students, and faculty overwhelmingly affirmed that Christ is at the center of our school—not as a slogan, but as a daily presence. Devotionals, prayer, hallway conversations, and the heart of our teachers were all cited as visible evidence of this.
• Safe, Cared-for Environment: Across all divisions, PCA is experienced as a place where children feel safe, known, and cared for. Emotional, physical, and spiritual safety stood out as a defining strength—especially in Preschool and Lower School. The notable exception is in peer-to-peer relationships. See more below.
• Academic Strength and Growth:
  • Our students in grades 3–11 ranked in the top 10% nationally in math achievement, and showed similarly strong growth in reading and writing.
  • Many parents, especially in younger grades, affirmed the depth of instruction and commitment to thinking, not just test-taking.
  • There is still a big gap on what we are seeing and what you are sensing. We look forward to working together on this.
• Division Highlights:
  • Preschool: You celebrated the nurturing, professional environment created by Mrs. Harley and her team. Parents see clear spiritual, emotional, and academic growth in their youngest children.
  • Lower School: Joyful classrooms, strong reading progress, spiritual growth, and a deep sense of belonging stood out. Parents reported children who love learning and feel secure.
  • Middle School: You recognized the spiritual commitment and relational investment of our faculty during a challenging developmental season of life. Many teachers are walking closely with students as they navigate identity, independence, and friendships. You affirmed those doing this particularly well.
  • Upper School: You affirmed the strong spiritual direction and leadership culture, alongside the dedicated teachers who are mentoring your kids as they prepare for life beyond PCA.

• Upper School STEM (Math and Science): While student achievement in math remains high, many families described the classroom experience as uneven, disconnected, or under-challenging. We will send a focused STEM update in mid-July outlining faculty assignments, instructional plans, and our commitment to better align excellence with experience.
• Peer Culture and Student Relationships: Parents and students expressed concern about cliques, exclusion, and inconsistency in how students relate to one another—especially in Middle and Upper School. While strong relationships do exist, this is an area we will continue to work on as we build a more compassionate, Christ-reflecting culture across the school.
• Communication: You asked us to clarify how and when you will hear from us—without overwhelming inboxes. We are not implementing a universal weekly communication policy, but we are evaluating how to provide greater consistency, clarity, and access across divisions. We will speak to this more in August.
• Clarity on Growth: Some parents shared uncertainty about whether their child is truly growing into their God-given potential. That is central to our mission. We want to do better—not only in reporting grades but in sharing stories and signs of spiritual, academic, and personal formation.

Our aim is always to partner well with you and your children. We care about your kids and their growth, especially when life and school are in difficult seasons. We trust the Lord is working, and we see how He works in and through your kids and their school community.