4 Ways to End the School Year Well
As we approach the end of the school year, we may be tempted to have a “let’s just get finished with this” attitude. A school year has a way of draining our energy and output systems. But it is important to recognize that the end of the school year provides threshold moments. There are certain opportunities that only occur at the end of the school year, and recognizing them can better position our schools and ourselves to thrive. As Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, “For everything there is a season.”
So how can we thrive at the end of the school year? Consider these four thoughts:
Reflect: Warren Bennis, author of On Becoming a Leader, understood the value of reflection: “There are lessons in everything, and if you are fully deployed, you will learn most of them. Experiences aren’t truly yours until you think about them, analyze them, examine them, question them, reflect on them and finally understand them.” The end of the school year is a great time to conduct parent surveys, student surveys, and staff surveys. Keep the surveys simple, but ask probing questions to gain better clarity on your school’s strengths and deficiencies. Dedicate time with your ministry team to reflect on these responses. Avoid the pitfall of dwelling on outlier responses. Instead, look for themes that can be celebrated or noted as areas of needed improvement. Document your notes and establish an action plan with an timeline. If needed, establish a focus group to dig deeper into a topic.
Celebrate: God gives us opportunities to enjoy His blessings, and the end of a school year is one of those times. You and your ministry team have worked hard to help students grow spiritually, academically, socially, and emotionally. Take time to celebrate this year’s victories with your parents, students, and each other. Consider giving each of your families an end of the year thank you gift as a way to celebrate your partnership with them. A school tumbler, magnet, frisbee, picture frame, or coaster will bring a smile to a parent’s face. Make your closing service extra special with themes, music, traditions, and a powerful sermon. In your after-service announcements, recognize families who have committed years to Christian education and are now graduating their youngest child. This is really motivational for younger families. Hand out a parent volunteer award recognizing the tireless efforts of someone special within your school family. Invite all your school families to an after-service celebration. At our school, we have grown this tradition to include food trucks and a photo both. At a later date, get together with your faculty and staff at someone’s home, a local restaurant, or a nearby park to celebrate the school year with food and fellowship.
Renew: In Lead: 12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church, Paul Tripp writes about the dangers of “achievement idolatry”. When we ignore the God-given limits of time and energy, it creates an unhealthy ratio of ministry to personal/family time. This will eventually take its toll in the form of stress, anxiety, unhealthy relationships, or self-medication. The end of the school year is best followed by an intentional detachment from your school ministry. Whether it is a stay at home vacation to work in your garden or an away from home vacation on a peaceful lake, take some time to renew your body and soul. God will certainly bless this time of rest and re-invegorate you for new ministry opportunities.
Double Down: The best time for investing in your spiritual, emotional, and physcial health was yesterday. Then next best time is today. Establish healthy habits and become self-disciplined now so that your summer months are more enjoyable and productive. You can do that by drinking deeply from God’s Word everyday, remembering His purpose for you, connecting with others at a deeper level to maintain healthy relationships, being present in the moment, pausing each day in gratitude, refueling your body with with wholesome foods, drinking more water, putting your phone and computer aside earlier in the evening, getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and not apologizing for taking a minimum of 120-150 minutes each week to workout.
Thank you for all that you do for Christian education. May God bless the end of your school year!
Share what you’ve learned! Forward this article to a friend or share the article with your team in your next faculty/board meeting:
Discuss which one of the four you are already doing - and which one you’d like to do next.
Talk about how your team might encourage each other in these four areas at the end of the year - and into the summer months.
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