In Part One of Characteristics of a Vibrant Christian School, I detailed four char-
acteristics. Vibrant Christian schools: know why they exist, have strong leadership, are
serious about biblical integration, and have a passion for evangelism and discipleship. In
Part Two, I talked about the importance of high spiritual morale in Christian schools. In this
article, we’ll discuss looking at parents and students from a customer perspective, being student-
centered, and inspiring our students to be great.
Vibrant
Christian Schools
understand that
students and their
parents are
customers.
I have hired many teachers and administrators who spent
many years in the government school system. They were
used to working in a school environment where students
were going to enroll no matter how the school was perform-
ing or how the students and parents were treated. This is
a slight overstatement, and I’m not implying that public
school teachers don’t care about the wellbeing of their
students and parents, because they do. However, public
school employees know that next year, students will be there.
The fact that schooling is mandatory, cost-free to
parents, and students are assigned to certain
schools, guarantees a fresh crop every year.
This model is responsible for many failing
schools in America.
When it comes to the Christian school, I
have met many teachers and administrators
who seem to be unaware that a student isn’t
mandated to attend their school. In reality, Christian
schools are essentially small businesses, and the parents and
students are their customers. In most small businesses, there
is a very high priority placed on the treatment of customers
as well as the service being provided to the customers. I am
well aware that this analogy can be taken much too far and
that there are vast differences between a Christian school
and a profit-making business. However, if Christian schools
"At the end of the day, our only
mission in Christian schools is to
teach our students truth and
prepare them to represent their
Heavenly Father well in this world."
would work to earn the trust, respect, and appreciation of
their parents and students, like businesses work to earn the
same from their customers, many problems in Christian
schools would be solved.
At the school I helped start and lead for nine years, we
believed that our students and their parents were to be
offered excellent service. As a result of this belief, we went
the extra mile to solve the inevitable problems that arose
in the lives of our students and their families. I remember
a mother walking in after her husband had suddenly and
unexpectedly passed away. She was distraught and worried
about how she would be able to keep her children in our
school. I assured this precious mother that we would
take care of her children and their schooling. This act
of kindness reverberated around our community as we
took care of our “customer” in a compassionate, loving,
and Christ-like way.
Many times a student was in trouble and we would
move heaven and earth to redeem them and save them from
the failure of expulsion or grade failure. We weren’t always
able to redeem every situation, but we gave it our best effort.
Every time we were able to redeem a difficult student or
family situation we gained a lifetime, loyal supporter and
customer.
How do you view your parents and students?
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