How is your ROI

God is good and we are entering into another school-year of service to our King. Often at this time of year I am overcome by the sacrifices made by so many of our families so that they can send their children to our school. Each year we raise our tuition just a little bit more and we are reminded each time that it can be a financial burden to continue investing in ACS for our children. Sometimes we even ask the question of whether or not all of this tuition money is worth it? Is my Return on Investment (our ROI) something that we believe in? Now, more than any other time, parents are asking this question: what will my ROI be if I send my children to ACS? Of course this question (the ROI question) is one that is relevant to whomever it is that is asking the question, and at ACS we are not afraid to acknowledge and deal with this question – because we know full well that it is being asked. The other day, as I was a part of the “cloud of witnesses” that was saying “I do, God helping me” after the pastor directed me to do so as part of the church’s ritual during the sacrament of an infant baptism, I began to think about this question (the ROI question) in the context of a Christian community that promises to love and protect a child as he/she grows up. I thought of the awesome covenantal community that we are part of at ACS and I could not help but think that our ROI will be excellent. I think of the ROI question when I am engaged in discussions at ACS in regards to our educational boldness, and I am often struck by the fact that at ACS we take seriously that our parents expect their children to be educated and prepared for a 21st century. We are not just a Christian school any more: we are a cutting edge educational institution that educates covenantal children through a Christian world and life view! How can our ROI not be top-notch? Heidi and I think of this question often, especially in the context of dropping off our children into the hands of incredibly talented teachers who partner with us in educating our children. At the end of our year last year a teacher shared with us that one of his morning rituals is to sit in the students’ desks before they arrive in the morning and pray specifically for the well-being of that child that day (He does this for a week in succession for each student). That’s partnership! What a ROI we are experiencing! I thought of this question recently as I was sharing with a marketing expert what the “brand experience” of ACS was. I was passionately explaining our school to this person and I found myself getting excited about what we offer and how engaged our community is in educating our children at ACS – it made me pause and realize that the ROI for our children was tremendous. I admit of course, that I am biased, but perhaps some of you have had similar experiences that have allowed you acknowledge what I have recently. Or perhaps you are becoming more and more concerned with your ROI in regards to ACS and you need to talk with someone about improving it. Or perhaps this your first year at the school and you have been told about the ROI here – and you are expecting big things. Where ever you find yourself on this continuum – its our hope that your answer to the ROI question is a positive one. It’s our goal to make it that way. So let’s start our year proclaiming to accomplish this together as we dedicate yet another year of service to our Lord!