Strategic Plan 2013-2023

“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16

Lighthouse Christian School prepares students for future success spiritually, academically, and socially so they are equipped to make a positive impact in their community to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. To more effectively achieve our vision – and to fulfill what we believe to be God’s plan for our school – the LCS board adopted a rigorous strategic planning process to guide the next 10 years. This document is the result of that process, incorporating the input of more than 100 members of our community and outlining a path for all those involved in Lighthouse Christian School to achieve its mission to its fullest potential.

The fruit of this process will be seeing our graduates, year after year, leave Lighthouse well-prepared for the future, having achieved their academic potential, developed servant hearts to help in the local and global community, and cemented strong personal relationships with Jesus.

Background
God’s faithfulness has been evidenced from the school’s beginning, as we have grown from a school of 94 students meeting in three different Gig Harbor churches in 1994, to a thriving 330-student K-8 program that today is a bright light in the community. Now in its 20th year, Lighthouse Christian School is taking an important step in response to God’s faithfulness and to ensure its longevity: creating a strategic plan to guide its future and help keep the school true to its mission.

Partnering with strategic plan consulting firm Managing for Mission, work began on the yearlong process in September 2012. A board-appointed Steering Committee, made up of staff, parents, board and community volunteers, guided the plan’s development. Nearly 100 people attended a kick-off event on February 5, 2013 to explore focus areas for the plan. The invaluable insights gleaned that night led to the formation of five Topic Teams that involved approximately 60 people. These teams conducted in-depth reviews of various aspects of the school and recommended possible strategic goals to the Steering Committee. After further analysis, prayer and discussion about those recommendations, the Committee determined the most strategic priorities for Lighthouse to pursue and thus developed the substance of this plan.

Accomplishing the Mission

The strategic planning process was guided at every point by LCS’ mission statement:
Lighthouse Christian School exists to glorify God by providing quality, Christ-centered education that will nurture students to become spiritually minded, academically versed, socially balanced, and equipped to make a positive impact in their community to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It became clear very early in the process that this Mission depends on key characteristics of the school.Because these are foundational to the Mission, they are called Pillars. Five such Mission Pillars have been identified for Lighthouse.

LCS’s Mission depends on:

Christ at the Center: A full integration of Jesus Christ and His teachings in every aspect of the school
People: Committed, competent, and collaborative staff and volunteers
Academic Excellence: A learning environment designed for every student to reach his or her full potential
Nurturing Community: A partnership of the school, parents, and the community to engage and teach the student
Financial Stability: The resources necessary for excellence now and well into the future

Vision for the future of Lighthouse

The founders of Lighthouse Christian School established an academic institution that continues to serve as a beacon shining into the lives of its students two decades later. In creating this Strategic Plan,and in alignment with the school’s vision of training leaders to impact the world for Christ through strong academics and a Biblical worldview of teaching, the school’s leaders today have imagined a Lighthouse that is even better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of educating students in the 21st Century.

They ask you to imagine this focused Lighthouse with them. Imagine a school where students and their families – at various points along their faith journeys – are invited to an even deeper relationship with Christ. Imagine the educational opportunities offered by consistently high academic standards and a commitment to mission that creates such strong demand by highly qualified teachers that our candidate pool far exceeds the positions we have available. Imagine a school in which diverse learning paths lead every student to success in a world which does not yet even exist. Imagine an educational environment so rich in opportunities and adult support, both within and outside the classroom, that student growth is both balanced and continuous; and imagine a financial foundation that will not only foster this vision now but sustain it well into the future.

Because the leaders of Lighthouse Christian School seek to do more than simply imagine this future,they have identified the following strategic goals, which if achieved will assure the realization of this future vision. These eight strategic goals, organized by Pillar, make the mission of Lighthouse come alive, equip the school to handle future challenges and enable it to take advantage of future opportunities.

Pillar 1: Christ at the Center

Strategic Goal: Student Discipleship – Actively mentor our students, to foster behavior that shows clear evidence of a personal commitment to Christian values.
Strengthening the Christ-centered pillar of LCS’s mission requires that we foster growing discipleship in our students, a commitment to applying Christian values to their lives in a way that is visible and transformative – of both themselves and the world around them.

Measured by: A survey instrument will be developed which measures perceptions of students’ growth in applying Christian values in their choices
Target: 2018

Pillar 2: People

Strategic Goal: Be a “Best Place to Work” – Build and sustain a workplace in which employees are fully engaged in the spiritual, educational and social mission of LCS.
In order to best serve our students, we must hire and retain high-performing employees who love the Lord and want to make a difference in the lives of youth. LCS will seek to attract and engage these employees by annually measuring workplace satisfaction and, based on survey results, creating action plans to ensure a work environment that fosters commitment, competence and collaboration.

Measured by: Annual increase in employees’ scoring on an engagement survey, input from parent survey and review of employee evaluations, annually measure the competence, commitment, and collaboration of the staff
Target: 2019

Pillar 3: Academic Excellence

Strategic Goal: Diverse Academic Instruction – Build an academic program to meet the needs of all learners.
Academic Excellence is a cornerstone of the Lighthouse program. In order to graduate students who are well prepared for their future, our program needs to be able to meet the educational needs of a wide range of learners where they are – engaging all students to excel to their potential.

Measured by: Outcomes – Annual growth in reading, math and writing as demonstrated on standardized assessments
Target: 2019

Strategic Goal: Commitment to Technology – LCS will be a leader in incorporating technology into the education of our students.
Integrating technology throughout the curriculum and staying on the leading edge of evolving methods is a significant factor in preparing LCS students for success as 21st century learners. Not only will this enhance individualized instruction and assessment, but will equip our students to use technology in problem solving and critical thinking. Included are staff professional development and ongoing student training, as well as improvements to the school’s technological infrastructure.

Measured by: Every student will demonstrate mastery according to ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) standards
Target: 2018

Pillar 4: Nurturing Community

Strategic Goal: Well-Rounded Student Activities – LCS will offer a diverse and vibrant extra-curricular program, to provide opportunities for students in an array of activities and athletics.
Engaging students in activities outside the classroom will help them to feel connected to the school in a broader context, and foster a feeling of community within the Lighthouse family while extending and enriching the growth of students beyond the traditional curriculum.

Measured by: Every student will participate in at least one extra-curricular activity on an annual basis; a survey instrument will be developed which measures parents’ perceptions of the value of extra-curricular activities.
Target: 2018

Strategic Goal: Master Facility Plan – LCS will create and follow a strategic plan for sustaining and enhancing the integrity and effectiveness of its campus.
As Lighthouse leaders evaluate and plan for growth and change – and in order to be the best stewards of the blessings we have been given – LCS will create and implement a comprehensive Master Facility Plan. This plan will be created with the school’s strategic priorities in mind and will help maximize physical plant development and maintenance.

Measured by: The school will have a comprehensive, Board-approved plan projecting campus investments needed for maintenance, replacement and additions to facilities for the next 10 years
Target: 2015

Pillar 5: Financial Stability

Strategic Goal: Full Enrollment – LCS will have full enrollment and utilize its facility to the maximum extent practical.
Filling Lighthouse’s enrollment to capacity will create an environment that leads to stability in our academic program, personnel and budget.

Measured by: LCS will have full enrollment.
Target: 2020

Strategic Goal: Development Effectiveness – LCS will reach its potential for operational, endowment and capital fundraising.
With a larger pool of families and alumni to draw from – and increased engagement in the local community – Lighthouse will be able to broaden both its reach and donor base.

Measured by: The school will raise $5-15 million for endowment and/or capital (exact goal to be determined by the school’s needs and an analysis of donor capacity)
Target: 2023

Conclusion

At the heart of the Lighthouse mission is preparing our students for success in the future – academically, spiritually and socially – so that they can make a positive impact in their community. Maintaining a laser focus on that mission, and these strategic goals for achieving it, will bring Lighthouse to new heights in a number of important ways. Through these efforts, we will expose more students to excellent Christian education in an academic environment that will be continually re-evaluated for best practices. In a world where moral values are under attack and “status quo” is too often accepted, our graduates will become change-agents in their community. Solid foundational skills, spiritual maturity, and the ability to live out their faith will become the cornerstone of each Lighthouse graduate. Programs will be well-resourced and the return on investment in our future, and eternity, will be easily identified. It is the board’s goal that this plan be a living document, taken to heart and implemented as stated to the best of each person’s ability as these elements become integrated into the life of the school. God is at work at Lighthouse – you are invited to join in the journey.

Ways you can join us in the journey

Pray for the Lord’s protection and provision for LCS.
Consider contributing as a parent volunteer on one of the LCS Board committees. Contact our Board Chairman for details.
Consider a volunteer opportunity with our Development team! Whether helping give school tours, hosting a coffee for prospective donors at your home, helping plan the annual auction or Legacy Builders breakfast, or a number of other opportunities, we’d love to have your assistance. Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator.
Consider becoming a Legacy Builder to financially support LCS! Information can be found under “Giving – Supporting the Mission” on the school website, www.lcschool.org.