Rise Up Strategic Plan

RCS Rise Up

“I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the King had said to me. They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work.”
Nehemiah 2:18

Resources

A transformational education depends upon an extensive investment of resources. We will plan and provide physical environments conducive to learning and outstanding academic opportunities while attracting and retaining top-tier faculty and like-minded families. We will continue to practice diligent and responsible management of current resources while pursuing new funding sources.

Scriptural Foundation

2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

Exodus 25 “God provides resources.”

Exodus 31 “God provides skilled craftsmen.”

Facilities

  • Identify and secure new location for the Pre School
  • Identify and secure a new location for shop and trades classes
  • Develop a new campus master plan

Finances

  • Develop and execute a Capital Fundraising Plan
  • Updated 5-year Tuition/Enrollment/Operations Trend Roadmap
  • Develop a spirit of philanthropy (continue to broaden our donor base, endowments, alumni, and legacy makers)
  • Tools for fundraising
  • Events & processes
  • Explore networking & growth opportunities
  • Build Financial Transparency
  • Tuition Assistance Process and Communication
  • Models and processes need to be standardized
  • Begin Filing 990s
  • Formalize the process for fundraising within athletics
  • Formalize a plan and purpose for the RCS Foundation
  • Identify other sources of revenue (Title Funds, Grants, etc.)

Staffing & HR

  • Target and hire key staff
  • FT Security staff
  • Director of Student Life
  • Add two full-time elective teachers at the MS
  • Hire a Full-Time Ed Technologist
  • Hire a new CFO
  • Develop Better Benefits
  • Tuition assistance standardized
  • Discounts
  • Increase staff salaries to 80% of TSD
  • Retirement Plans
  • Retain 90% of desired staff year over year

Innovation

With a clear shift towards innovation-intensive activities in our world, there is a need to rethink existing vocational approaches in order to stay relevant. What is needed is a set of twenty-first-century skills, which can be broadly categorized into learning and innovation skills; information, media, and technology skills; and life and career skills. We desire to not only teach these skills but also carefully procure the right technology and equipment needed to learn said skills for today and tomorrow.

Scriptural Foundation

Exodus 35:31 “…he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills…”

1 Kings 3:12 “I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.”

Technology Education

(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math):
  • Formalize our Technology Philosophy Statement
  • Plan scope and sequence for 21st Century skills
  • Establish AI/VR/AR labs and collaboration areas
  • Develop our keyboarding
  • Canvas classes to help with transitions in technology use
  • Develop technology integration in the classroom using SAMR or similar models

Safety & Security

  • Strengthen our Cyber Security
  • Improve web filtering and student monitoring

Spiritual Development & Transformation

As we seek to develop the whole student, we will focus on transforming the heart as well as the mind. Spiritual maturity through discipleship is a desired outcome of all curricular and co-curricular activities.

Scriptural Foundation

2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever! Amen.”

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be given to you as well.”

Hebrews 6:1a “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward into maturity…”

Biblical Emersion

  • Use the expected student outcomes embedded in our “Portrait of a Graduate” to strengthen effective spiritual development
  • Create impactful, engaging & relevant chapels.
  • Create a clear professional development plan for Biblical integration and worldview inculcation.
  • Focus on life calling vs college prep – “Not just ready for college, ready for life.”
  • Provide experiential opportunities to develop discipleship, servanthood, leadership, and relational capacities.

Partnerships

  • Provide opportunities for students to interact in culture-building groups
  • Across age groups and within their grade or school
  • Create K-12 service opportunities with non-profit and ministry partners
  • Strengthen church partnerships
  • Pastor Appreciation Day
  • Guest Speakers
  • Church visits by executive staff
  • Have RCS students take on leadership roles in our local FCA activities

Accountability and Recognition

  • Create a new HS plan to recognize Biblical character traits and Christlikeness.
  • Develop strategies to determine the spiritual development and growth of students.
  • Have accountability for consistency in conduct at athletic events
  • Representation of RCS should be exceptional
  • Class Act
  • Parents and spectators should uphold the school’s values
  • Consequences for both student and parent behavior

Educational Excellence

Educational excellence is a foundational premise upon which our mission statement rests. It builds upon a robust and coordinated set of activities and programs that help all students develop and use their God-given gifts and talents to engage with a world beyond the classroom. We believe the knowledge contained in this world leads us to a better understanding of Christ. At RCS we study the created to understand the Creator.

Scriptural Foundation

Colossians 3:17 “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

Ecclesiastes 9:10a “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

Staff Development and Instructional Quality

  • Formalize on-boarding/orientation process for new teachers
  • Formalize the onboarding process for coaches
  • Enhanced teacher evaluation and development/coaching systems
  • Enhance evaluation and development for coaches
  • Identify and cultivate five academic & instructional leaders within the school
  • Formalize a 3-year professional development plan
  • Fully review all core subject areas and update all curriculum mapping in the next 5-year cycle
  • Adopt and document the school’s stance and plan for sex education

Encourage and Recognize Achievement

  • Create new awards, recognitions, and ceremonies at the high school level
  • Create strategies to assess and move RCS toward achieving the following:
  • Increase ACT/SAT/AP scores
  • National Merit Scholar Finalists
  • Blue Ribbon Recognition
  • Review schoolwide academic formative and summative assessments & metrics to assist in data-driven decision-making.
  • Focused communications on curriculum
  • High-Quality Core
  • Clear College Prep’s focus
  • Clear purpose
  • Diploma of Distinction
  • RCS Diploma
  • Certificate of Completion
  • RCS Online Diploma

Uniquely Unified

We recognize RCS is a diverse community within the larger body of believers. We will take every opportunity to promote fellowship and engagement. We will keep all members of the RCS family (parents, students, staff, and alumni) informed in order to connect all to our vision, mission, and one another.

Scriptural Foundation

Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”

Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship. To the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Parents & Community

  • Emphasize a culture of volunteerism, contribution, outreach & ministry
  • Engaging and helping parents with discipleship
  • Join “Wait Until 8th”
  • Create and implement a “Character Curriculum”
  • Implement GRACE Training – Helping students have a proper, Bible-centered understanding of gender, race, ability, culture and economic differences in our world.
  • Retain 90% of students year over year
  • Evaluate and create volunteer opportunities and parent gatherings to increase effectiveness and involvement.

Alumni

  • Increase alumni participation in current and future events
    Improve and increase engagement with alumni and their families
  • Increase % of students proud to be an alumni
  • Create alumni athletic events

Programming

RCS is committed to creating the right set of experiences and opportunities necessary to develop the child and fulfill our 3-fold mission. By “programming” we mean all the classes, courses, teams, events, and activities our school creates. These serve as the catalyst for change and growth to occur in the hearts, minds, and bodies of our students. We will be purposeful and intentional in curating these opportunities in order to maximize the impact on the child’s learning and development.

Scriptural Foundation

Acts 6 The early church created programs to care for widows and orphans and distribute food.

Nehemiah 3 Nehemiah creates multiple programs in which he assigns various groups and families to numerous spots along the wall, the gates, and other duties.

Deuteronomy 1:9-18 Moses creates a leadership program that allows a better delegation of tasks in order to meet the needs of the people.

Academic

  • Build more advanced options
  • Track the progress and effectiveness of Ied
  • Pilot, then formalize our school’s hybrid program
  • Develop new partnerships for senior internships
  • Offer at least one symposium a year
  • Revise our college advising/ College and Career Readiness protocol
  • Clear communication/ counseling
  • College capstone needed again
  • Add in personal finance

Athletics

  • Create new teams based on student interest
  • Start two new sports at the middle school
  • Start one new varsity sport for both boys and girls
  • Start one Intramural Sport or elective

Fine Arts

  • Create new offerings for:
  • Instrumental Music
  • Vocal Music
  • Creative/Visual Arts
  • Dance

Technology Electives

  • Create new offerings for:
  • Tech Integration (graphic arts and design, AR/VR art shows & exhibits)
  • Vex Robotics
  • Lego Robotics

Portrait of a Graduate

Boldly Christian

It is our heart to help our students develop their faith in Christ, live out their faith, and share this faith with others. This is our philosophy in everything we do: classroom lectures, homework, athletics, clubs, and daily life. Students will grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and their sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, expand their biblical knowledge, and develop the ability to approach life from a Christian Worldview so that they can act ethically in any situation and evangelize their world influence.

FOCUS

Upward in Worship — Students who have committed hearts of DEVOTION (LT. “studium”)

Academically Equipped

We help develop and nurture academic competence through learning opportunities that result in students who are competitive, engaged, and successful in the world around them. Students will expand their capacity to gather, retain, and apply knowledge and truth, using analytical problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making skills that they can utilize in their professional and personal lives. They will also develop a global perspective, including an appreciation for artistic expression in various historical and cultural settings.

FOCUS

Inward in Growth — Students who actively seek their own personal FORMATION (LT. “formatio”)

Globally Prepared

Students will develop the skills to communicate effectively in both spoken and written language and to interact within diverse cultures, professions, and social settings. They will gain an understanding of their obligations as service-oriented leaders who can make a positive impact on society — locally, nationally, and internationally. Further, students will develop an active awareness of the importance of living a balanced, healthy, and physically disciplined lifestyle.

FOCUS

Outward in Community — Students who are focused on CONTRIBUTION (LT. “conlatio”)

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