The Warrior Round Table

I'm Just Saying ...

In November, we privately received ten (count 'em, 10) fresh, good-sized banners from the Arkansas Activities Association, the AAA. the good ol' triple A. We usually receive the banners during the first week of August - in public. The delivery was late this year ... and off the grid.

Hmmm.

Mr. Lance Taylor is the Executive Director of the AAA and a terrific leader. Fair-minded, consistent, energetic, gracious, good-humored, smart, inclusive and upbeat, Lance is an huge asset to Arkansas and Arkansas schools, public and private. The true story I share has nothing to do with Lance. Like me, he is accountable to a board of directors. In his case, that means a board of public school superintendents. I commend him for keeping so many diverse interests as united as possible.

Back to the story.

The banners received, so to speak, in the middle of night were our Academic State Championship banners. Little Rock Christian Academy, once again, received the most academic state championships in the state of Arkansas. 

Two years ago, 10.

Last year, 9.

This year, 10.

And so it goes.

In ten distinct AAA sports, the team GPA of our Warriors ranked #1 in the state compared to every other team GPA in that sport in, at least, 5A competition.

Grade inflation in Warriorville? Easy teachers? Blow-off coursework? Athlete favoritism? Anyone who knows anything about our biblical worldview curriculum knows that is impossible. Imagine Erlo, Howell or Best going easy on a defensive back. Any citizen of Warriorville knows the real story - Warriors play hard and work hard.

It's the way we do things around here. Not counting on D1 scholarships, our athletes know the value of a solid ACT score. The joy of victory in the arena overflows to the classroom and vice versa. Based on self-discipline and merit, we congratulate our academic state champion teams in ten sports.

The sad part of the story is that until 2011, this accomplishment was noted in the general assembly of all school superintendents and heads of school in the state. Ordinarily, Little Rock Christian would be called out and we'd go forward to receive the awards and the applause - albeit meager - of my peers. But things are different now. We still get the banners but the awards ceremony has been dropped from the agenda.

Now, I'm not saying too many private schools were receiving too many academic state championships.  I'm just saying ...

Gary B Arnold

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Oppressive Piety"

On December 11, Frank Bruni of the New York Times was, almost begrudgingly, trying to put a positive, secular spin on Tim Tebow. Unnerved by what Bruni referred to as Tebow's "oppressive piety," the columnist conceded that, despite Tebow's overbearing faith, we should not overlook the power of Tebow's "gospel of optimism."

What does this have to do with LRCA and why we do what we do?

A few seasons ago, our associate director of athletics, Darrell Smith, coined the Warrior four C's - the backbone of the philosophy of our Warrior athletic program. Warrior athletics are:

• Christ-centered
• Competitive
• Character-based
• Committed 

Now, think of Tim Tebow. 

Go back to the 4 C's.

Back to Tebow.

Back to the Warrior 4 C's.

See the connection?

So, when Frank Bruni and the NYT sneer at the Christ-centered, competitive, character-based, contagious spirit of Tim Tebow, they are sneering at the very heart of Warrior athletics. If this were just the NYT, we could let it go as biased pulp. But, Bruni and the NYT are not voices in the wilderness. They are not the angry left; they are the pragmatic left; they speak for millions. Bruni is more than one column in an aging newspaper. He represents the escalating voice of a growing multitude who vocally oppose a biblical worldview. Worse, they sneer at it, mock it and call it "oppressive piety."

Truth be told, darkness does not like the light. Light hurts the eyes and goodness convicts the soul. Truth, to some, is "oppressive." Solution? Turn out the light and push goodness away. When a society feels oppressed, there's always push-back. If Tebow and LRCA are regarded as oppressive, do not be surprised, then, when push back comes our way. Instead, let's learn from Tebow's "gospel of optimism." 

We can win; we will win.

When push back comes, what does Tebow do? Push forward.

When push back comes upon Warriors, what do we do? Push forward.

Even Bruni respects "the gift of hope, confidence and a special composure, all of which keep a person in the game long enough, with enough energy and stability, so that a fickle entity known as luck might break his or her way. For Tebow that state of mind of mind comes from his particular relationship with his chosen God and is a matter of religion. For someone else, it may be understood and experienced as the power of positive thinking and is a matter of psychology. Either way it boils down to stubborn optimism and bequeaths a spark. A swagger. An edge."

Rather than be offended by Bruni's predictable disdain for faith and piety, let's accept his advice to live out Tebow's gospel of optimism. Let's practice stubborn optimism. Let's light that spark. Let's gain that edge.

It dawned on me at a recent candlelight Christmas service, singing "O Holy Night," what drives the "stubborn optimism" of Tim Tebow.

"Long lay the world in sin and error pining, till he appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn."

Rejoice, weary soul. Yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. May no one rob us of the thrill of hope in Christ.

Gary B Arnold

 

Imperfect Decision

"Why is our Christmas break shorter than usual this year?"

Fair question. Here is a less than perfect response about why the leadership team made an imperfect decision.

Every year, as head of school, I have to sign an accreditation form for each of our three accrediting agencies - state, regional and national. One of the quality assurances I must confirm for the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association is 178 days of school per year.

[ANSAA accreditation is required for our participation in the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA). The other two accrediting bodies - ACSI and North Central - require conformity to the ANSAA standard.]

Five years ago, the LRCA school board approved a resolution making Memorial Day weekend the traditional marker for summer vacation. In order to conclude our school year by the 2012 Memorial Day weekend and satisfy the requirement of 178 days, we encroached on the full week before Christmas by two days.

There is another factor that shaped our unusual decision to abbreviate Christmas break. After last year's five snow days, the leadership team and I decided to build in a small buffer to protect Good Friday and other calendar breaks from likely snow day make-up.

This accounts for resuming school on Monday, January 2.  

Like you, we love time with your sons and daughters and there is much more to learn this year. On that bright note, we are providing over 18 additional hours of learning to the students.  

Here's my mea culpa. I approved the proposed calendar and I am sorry it shortened your family's holiday time together. Next year we will plan to protect a full two weeks for your family at Christmas - probably Thursday, December 20 through Wednesday, January 2.  

Thank you for your grace and the respect you have displayed in your communication with us. 

Peace.

Gary B Arnold

 

More than a mascot

Our fifth grade head football coach (oh, and President of the pulsating Arkansas Baptist College) forwarded me a "daily reading" from John Eldredge's Ransomed Heart Ministres reminding me that a Warrior is more than a mascot. I share the reading with you:

The Reason For The Warrior: (Ransomed Heart Ministries)

Our God is a Warrior because there are certain things in life worth fighting for, must be fought for. He makes man a Warrior in his own image, because he intends for man to join him in that battle.

One day the young man Moses, prince of Egypt, went out to see for himself the oppression of his kinsmen. When he witnessed firsthand an Egyptian taskmaster beating a Hebrew slave, he couldn't bear it, and killed the man. A rash act, for which he becomes a fugitive, but you see something of the Warrior emerging in him. Years later, God sends him back to set all his people free, and, I might add, it is one intense fight to win that freedom. David also fights, battle after battle, to win the freedom of his people and unite the tribes of Israel. Something in the man compelled him, that same something that wouldn't allow Lincoln to simply sit by and watch the Union tear itself apart, wouldn't permit Churchill-despite the views of many of his own countrymen-to sit by and let the Nazis take over Europe unopposed. For he knew that in the end they would have England, too.

There are certain things worth fighting for. A marriage, for example, or the institution of marriage as a whole. Children, whether they are yours or not. Friendships will have to be fought for, as you've discovered by now, and churches, too, which seem bent on destroying themselves if they are not first destroyed by the enemy who hates them. Many people feel that earth itself is worth fighting for. Doctors fight for the lives of their patients, and teachers for the hearts and futures of their students. Take anything good, true, or beautiful upon this earth and ask yourself, "Can this be protected without a fight?"

Thanks, Coach, for reminding me to put on the armor of God TODAY and be ready for the inevitable fight to protect my family, my church and our school. Please join me in the battle.

Gary B. Arnold 

 

Road signs

Here we are.

Eleven years into the 21st century and it feels like we're traveling at the speed of light. Fiber-optic light, that is.

I'm always amused when I remember that my iPhone has more computing power than the Apollo 13 space capsule ever possessed. It's a massive responsibility and a compelling challenge to make sure we know what to do with all that power in the classroom.  

Yes, we have a rolling three-year technology plan. Yes, we upgrade our tech infrastructure every year. Yes, you have been generous to fund our technology advance in striking ways. (We're grateful!) Yes, we are amping up our teacher training in technology for the classroom. Yes, our students are ready for more.

As we accelerate (up) the winding road, our eyes are scanning the roadside for road signs. Curve ahead. Slow down - School zone. Bump. Merge ahead. Railroad crossing.

Here are two road signs we've encountered in the last mile or so. From the New York TImes series, "Grading the Digital School" -  page one, top center, Sunday edition. 

1. Are school systems finding evidence of increased achievement scores from the infusion of technology in the classroom? Chandler, Arizona posted a helpful road sign.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/technology/a-classroom-software-boom-but-mixed-results-despite-the-hype.html?pagewanted=all

2. Does marketing hype play any role in the push for schools to quickly adopt emerging technologies in the classroom? NYT signals an alert:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology/technology-in-schools-faces-questions-on-value.html?_r=3&ref=todayspaper

Mindful of the signs, we'll press on with due caution to learn more and train more for the digital future that lies ahead. As a matter fact, Mr. Neff, Mrs. Chami and our IT Director, Mr. Robertson, will join me at a professional conference in Chicago next week. We'll meet with 60 other leading Christian schools and listen to other pioneers share in real-time how to maximize year-to-year learning gains. The sponsoring group for the conference is the Council for Educational Standards and Accountability. http://cesaschools.org/events Though we'll be focusing on learning assessment, with so many leaders in one place, we're sure to talk about the role of technology in our schools.

Eyes on the road, everybody. We've come along way but we have miles to go before we rest.  

Gary B. Arnold

 

Golden Apples

Did you see the final Andy Rooney segment on 60 minutes this month?

Mr. Rooney, the curmudgeon of curmudgeons, commented how a high school teacher told him on one occasion that he was a good writer. At that moment, because of the teacher’s good word about him, he decided to become a professional writer. Yes, at 92, he noted that his past 70 years of journalistic success are traced back to one teacher’s blessing.

I sent word to our faculty: you may be that teacher to one of your students this year. Or, put another way, MAY you be that teacher to one of your students this year!

Has your son or daughter been blessed by a teacher this year? That is a risky question for me to ask. But, ask it I must. If the answer is Yes!, may God be praised. If the answer is No!, we have some work to do. 

On the threshold of first term report cards, I ask our teachers: are you a blessing to your students?How have you verbally affirmed God's design on their life? Do you realize the power of your words?

How do we make a difference in a child's life?

One golden, apt word at a time.

Proverbs 25:11 - "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."

Gary B. Arnold

 

  

Me, Too!

"Awed by LRCA teachers and students ..."

A recent chapel speaker (and LRCA parent) elaborates on that observation with text and photos in an important Kingdom blog,  

Gary B Arnold

 

 

 

Uh-oh!

Yesterday, my wife held up a page from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and said, "You need to read this."

Uh-oh, I thought.

Then, she elaborated.

"This is why you guys (that's Chicago-speak for y'all) teach biblical worldview!"

I read the ADG column in question - a piece written by David Brooks of the the New York Times -and I quickly agreed, "Yes, this IS a BIG reason why we invest so much time and dialogue into a sound biblical worldview."

If our partnership of home, church and school does not fill the moral-thinking vacuum, who will? What will?

I urge you to visit the column and consider the same data that caught Brooks' attention. It's an eye-opener. At first, it's depressing. As Brooks notes, "What's disheartening is how bad they are at thinking and talking about morality." What's encouraging is that the void is not caused by rebellion as much as ignorance. Ignorance is something we can fix.

 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/opinion/if-it-feels-right.html?_r=1&ref=davidbrooks

Unsettling? Yes, but balance that feeling with the assurance that 1,390 students are being taught something different at LRCA. Every day, 1,390 young human beings are being trained to discern right from wrong. Every day, 1,390 children are being coached how to intelligently talk about "moral dilemmas and the meaning of life." Ultimately, every day 1,390 souls are guided in the way in which they should go.

Thanks, Mom and Dad; thanks, local church; thanks, LRCA.

Pray with me that truth will prevail and that each child will come to love and follow Him. 

 Gary B Arnold 

 

 

Math Works

If piano or football or language or chemistry or computer languages are good indicators, mastery is a key component of functional success.

 Yes, we speak the obvious.

But, we speak the obvious to make a case for success (mastery) in mathematics.  Without the factual and conceptual foundations of Math 1.0, how can a student move on to build more complex rules and solve more complex problems required for training and careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)?  As for any engineered building, the integrity of the whole depends on the integrity of the parts.  Every layer of math understanding depends on the strength of the prior layer of math understanding.

You and I assume that math mastery is the goal of every school and every grade within every school. Otherwise, what’s the point?

So, let’s (safely) assume that math mastery is a key driver for math success at LRCA. What does that mean for our students?

1. There is no ceiling on how far your son or daughter can advance in math at LRCA. Each student should be functioning in a dynamic “zone of proximal development”where previous mastery shifts into new cognitive challenges. ZPD is a rich topic and can be explored further @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_proximal_development
2. In order to determine best placement, authentic assessment of a student’s mastery is very important. A teacher’s assessment of a student’s math development, combined with other specific measures such as STAR, will give us the guidance we need to make good decisions together.
3. Math homework should pursue mastery. Therefore, repetition of math processes and the facts that feed the process is appropriate.
4. Math homework, however, is not a major part of a student’s grade because the “done” is not a good proof of comprehension, much less mastery.
5. Tests and classroom explanations are preferred measures of mastery.
6. Unless a student’s learning profile indicates otherwise, it is not wise to advance a student to a higher level of math learning at the end of the year without evidence of mastery.
7. Therefore, parent, student and teacher (all three!!) should confer as the year progresses to determine what needs to be done to advance to the next level of math. And, it goes without saying, the parent, student and teacher (all three!!) need to constantly agree on the appropriate math pathway and target for 12^th grade and a strong entry into college.

As partners, we want the best for your sons and daughters. Math frustration is a joy-killer. Math success is a confidence-builder. Let’s work together to take the high road and push deeper, grow stronger and reach higher.

All brain researchers agree. Practice and challenge build neural pathways that last for a lifetime. Here's to the never-ending task of helping our children take it to the next level according to God's design.

Gary B Arnold

 

 

21 Ambitions

I carry a list of 21 ambitions in my wallet.  

I know there are many consultants and CEOs who insist that a list of 21 "anythings" is way too long. I beg too differ. I like a challenge and with 8 direct reports, 17 board members, 80+ churches, 197 staff members, 840 families, and 1,396 students, we have the duty, the privilege and the responsibility to set ambitious goals.

Here are my 21:

• Uphold and protect the school from the ever-present risk of mission drift. 
• Place high-quality, highly effective teachers in every classroom.
• Be extraordinary stewards of our finite resources while fulfilling our mission with skill.
• Be ranked as one of the best Christian schools in the country.
• Upgrade our curriculum through the analysis and recommendation of professional expertise.
• Report superior student achievement scores and college placement records.
• Be in pace with 21^st century digital learning expectations, K-12.
• Generate new revenue streams and maximize occupancy efficiencies.
• Articulate our identity in terms of school culture.
• Evaluate mission-fulfillment via constituent feedback, keeping our focus on “the main thing”: a great education anchored in Jesus Christ.
• Better represent Kingdom diversity on campus.
• Display consistent, healthy, positive ways of living in Christian community in partnership with home and church.
• Have a credible, contemporary, effective plan for telling our story to the community.
• Equip our parents with the parenting capital needed to partner with church and school.
• Better serve the church and community per our mission statement.
• Publicly validate and promote our achievements as a Christian, independent and collegiate school.
• Let people know “the way we do things around here.”
• Strengthen the bonds of the Golden Triangle – home, church and school.
• Reduce short term debt and fortify financial sustainability while being fair to employees and clients.
• Be ready for the next phase of the master plan roll-out based on need and capability.
• Glorify God in our stewardship of His campus and resources.

In order to achieve these lofty goals, we need a plan.

I am delighted to report that, over the past 12 months, the LRCA board of trust and I prayerfully processed strategies for accomplishing our goals. We call it our "pathway to preeminence," ever mindful that, in order to give God the glory, we need to reflect His preeminence. Focusing on honoring His preeminence leaves no room for our pride to ruin things.

From our strategic planning process, we agreed on 35 action points and created six work groups to focus on six critical components of our future: teacher/curriculum quality, school culture, campus facilities, financial stability, human resources and communication.

As we march forward, we'll be sharing more detail about our strategic plan, always aware that, in reality, the process is the plan.

Gary B. Arnold