Focus on the Future!

Monday, 23 November 2009 09:48

Eastern Christian's Board of Directors announced this week that it is proposing a number of changes in the Eastern Christian School Association's by-laws in respect of Board structure and term. The proposed amendments result from a strategic planning process undertaken during 2008-09 and are designed to strengthen the governance and strategic focus of Eastern Christian.

The structural changes proposed by the Board include revisions in the number of trustees, trustees' term of office, and the standing committee structure. The proposal calls for the Board to consist of 9-13 members, whereas the current by-laws set no minimum number of trustees. If adopted, the revised by-laws would allow trustees to serve a three year term subject to reappointment for two additional three year terms. The current by-laws limit the term of service to a single three year term with one year extension permitted. The proposal also proposes revising the Board's committee structure to include seven standing committees by adding Audit, Governance, Strategy and a Committee of the Trustees to the current Executive, Finance and Endowment Committees. Under the proposal the current Education Committee would be absorbed into the Strategy Committee and the Personnel Committee would be absorbed into the Governance Committee, which will also be responsible for the development of Association policy. The work of the current Financial Development Committee will be assumed by the Foundation for Eastern Christian, which was formed in 2008 to spearhead all fundraising activities of the school. The Board believes that this revised structure will result in more effective governance of our school and an increased focus on issues of strategic importance.

The changes proposed by the Board are a result of the integrated strategic planning process undertaken by Eastern Christian during 2008-09. This process included the work of more than 40 Eastern Christian parents, students, community supporters, and staff members preparing for the re-accreditation for ECHS, the initial accreditation for ECES and ECMS. This work, carried out in conjunction with the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, will help to establish Eastern Christian's educational strategy for the next seven years.

While developing the educational strategy, the Board simultaneously worked with consultant from Christian Schools International, an international association of Christian schools based in Grand Rapids, MI, to develop an operational strategy to support our educational mission. This strategy is wide ranging and included a review of Eastern Christian's efforts to introduce the option of Christian education to new families, to raise funds to reduce tuition, to recruit and retain the best Christian teachers, and to manage our finances, facilities and operations in the most efficient and cost effective manner possible.

The Board believes that the strategic planning work undertaken during 2008-09 will be a great help to our entire school community in sharpening its focus of the on the future of Eastern Christian.

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