ACSI: Moving Forward with Lynn Swaner

Teacher Well Being

This month’s podcast features Rex Miller, author of upcoming book, WHOLE: What Teachers Need to Help Students Thrive, which examines ways to create a healthy workplace in our schools. I talk with Rex about the negative impact of stress on teachers—including at Christian schools—and how it also has implications for students, school cultures, and our communities.

Creating Diversity in Christian Schools

This month’s podcast features Joel Gaines, High School Principal at The City School of Philadelphia, and Jenny Brady, Director of Diversity at Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, Texas. I talk with Joel and Jenny about their national work spearheading efforts to create diverse and inclusive communities in Christian schools, as well as the philosophy, programs, and practices they use in their own school settings.

Pursuing Shalom: Christian Education in the City

This month’s podcast features Jake Becker, Head of School at The City School in Philadelphia. I talk with Jake about the what makes The City School unique, including the school’s history of multiple successful mergers, their emphasis on socioeconomic diversity, and their schoolwide focus on shalom as a unifying concept for an open admissions school. Jake also shares insights on navigating the challenges facing today’s Christian schools with courage and a willingness to take risks, as well as what lies ahead for the next generation of Christian school leaders.

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Becoming More Intentional about Serving and Learning

This month’s podcast features guest host Dan Beerens, CACE Fellow, as he interviews Lynn Swaner and Roger Erdvig about their new book, Bring it to Life: Christian Education and the Power of Service-Learning. Ultimately, service-learning can help students to grow in their identity in Christ, and in their ability to be His agents of restoration in a broken world. They can learn about how they are uniquely created for good works (Ephesians 2:10) and can gain practical experience in walking in those works, with Christian school teachers as helpful mentors and guides.

Developing “Schools within a School” in Christian Education

This month’s podcast features Tim Greener, Superintendent of Christian Academy of Louisville School System, as he discusses the concept of creating “schools within a school” as a way to meet students’ unique interests and learning needs—and to grow your enrollment and better engage your community in the process.

Creating Inclusive Communities in Christian Schools

How to create inclusive communities in Christian schools, which are welcoming of learners from all backgrounds and abilities.

Addressing Mental Health Needs and Challenges in Christian Schools

Christian school students present with a number of mental health needs and challenges.  School leaders can benefit from  learning about best practices for addressing those needs and challenges in the Christian school setting.   

Making Schooling Choices in a Competitive Schooling Market

The joint Barna-ACSI research report entitled “Multiple Choice: How Parents Sort Education Options in a Changing Market” which came out in 2017, addresses the educational needs of today’s families, how they make schooling choices in a competitive schooling market, and the implications for Christian schools.

Change Your Space, Change Your Culture

The “flexible office” concept is an innovative approach to designing spaces for the school leadership team. However, this approach isn’t really about the space—but more about creating a collaborative culture, building relationships, and modeling a Christ-centered community for teachers, students, and families.