The permanent impact of any school

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." -Proverbs 22:6

I have never quoted a bible verse in any of my community emails, but I stumbled across Proverbs 22:6, which reads "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." My thoughts immediately went to my own children, and how Aurora and I are parenting strongly in some areas and not so strongly in other areas. After a moment of personal reflection, and as your school board representative, my mind went to how schools “train up” children, and how those children will forever be bound to the training they receive at school. After all, the average American child spends more time at school than with their parents.

Schools are high-stakes environments—especially for students and parents. When there’s a values gap between schools and communities, controversy inevitably follows. Let’s face it: more often than not, teachers and administrators have lived their entire lives in Academia, and most people (including parents) have not. This isn’t a criticism, but an observation—important for understanding the systemic nature of education and the limits of perspective that institutions may have first-hand experience with. The fact I am illustrating is this: that by nature of the institution, there is a gap built in to the system that cannot be avoided. But this is also how we get expert teachers who can be the most effective delivery mechanism of information for children.

I’ve been alluding to why a school’s Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategic Plan are so vital to the success of families and kids: because what is weaved into the academic tapestry will stick with students for the rest of their lives no matter how effective parents are at home. Given this unchangeable reality, it's no surprise to me that we're seeing a revival nationally and locally - parents are participating more frequently in classrooms, community members are more willing to step in and fill longer-term roles, they are more willing to provide feedback when the opportunity presents itself, and on and on. The past lack of this willingness, in my opinion, is exactly what caused the gap between schools and communities to grow to the point of controversy in the first place. As the ownership group of a school, the community should and must be highly interested and involved.

Our Long-Term Strategic Planning process is, I believe, the most effective path to ensuring true alignment between the school and its community. You, Cascade, stepped up and provided your constructive feedback and your representatives - those on the parent committee who painstakingly analyzed and interpreted your responses and your elected school board - have turned that into a refreshed Vision Statement, Values Statements, and four Core Objectives. These are the foundation for concrete goals, timelines, programs, and milestones that will come to define our Long-Term Strategic Plan, which aims to guarantee perfect alignment between the school and the collective community.