by Mark Bahr (with contributions by Ben Stellwagen, Scott Ernstmeyer, and Jim Pingel)
Leadership is arguably the most important factor for the success of any organization. The best leaders wield tremendous influence across an entire organization and can typically shape and hone the direction and operations for all the employees. In today’s world, literally thousands of articles and books are written each year on this topic ranging from selection of the best candidate to the skills and acumen needed to be highly effective in the role of leader. Lutheran high schools are certainly no different in the pursuit of great leaders as precious time is spent identifying and training potential future leaders for our schools.
FACT (Future Administrators Candidate Training) is a leadership development program endorsed and sponsored by the Association of Lutheran Secondary Schools (ALSS) and designed to provide very practical and applicable information and skill development for growing leaders. Typically, the program runs for one calendar year where the cohort of new leaders interact on a monthly basis with their Mentors including three face-to-face workshop experiences. The mission of the FACT program “is to identify, encourage, and prepare participants to be the next generation of Lutheran high school administrators.” We are facing a critical stage of leadership development due to the impending shortage of qualified candidates needed to replace leaders who are completing their career and retiring. We need to act now by identifying and training talented and interested future leaders.
FACT Cohort #1 has been actively engaged in discovering their own leadership skills and principles using the LEaDiT inventory tool and creatively planned discussion topics covering a wide array of interests (i.e. vision casting, culture building, hiring, evaluation, and dismissing, marketing and recruitment, budget forecasting and development, proper mental and spiritual work-life balance, etc.). Cohort members get an opportunity to be exposed to various scenarios which challenge their ability to learn to think quickly, clearly, and decisively. Debriefing sessions are then held to assess and evaluate the various learning aspects of these experiences. Course content is always presented with applicable and practical objectives so that cohort members are learning every single step of the process. Additionally, each candidate is charged with completing a major initiative or project at their current school which presently includes activities like designing job descriptions for new positions, creating a dual credit program to offer to local Lutheran feeder schools, revisions to crisis plans and faculty handbooks, instituting small group Bible study programs into the school schedule, and working with accreditation teams, just to name a few. The concept is to provide as much on-the-job type training as possible with appropriate feedback and dialogue sessions where deeper, practical learning can be experienced by each candidate. The overwhelming response from the cohort members has been extremely positive noting the incredible value of hearing and interacting with like-minded future leaders who are itching to make a real difference in their ministry. It is not uncommon to hear a cohort member remark that participating in FACT has been the most rewarding administrative learning experience they have ever had to this point in time.
Cohort #1 for the FACT program is scheduled to graduate this summer. There are eleven candidates representing schools all across our country. We have them listed below with their special projects or areas of focus noted in parentheses:
Ashley Ashcraft – Prince of Peace Christian School, Carrollton, TX (Spiritual Life Job)
Jason Becker – Cleveland East Lutheran (Accreditation Team)
David Haynes – Trinity Lutheran School, Bend, OR (Accreditation Team and/or May Term)
Erin Janetzke – Martin Luther HS, Greendale, WI (Duel Credit programming)
Joe Kalkopf – Milwaukee Lutheran High School (Advisory Teams)
Drew Kasper – San Antonio Lutheran HS (College Counselor Job)
Brittany Mikeska – Kansas City Lutheran HS (Emergency Plans)
Drew Parsons – Valley Lutheran High, Phoenix, AZ (Policy Manual Revision & Development)
Andrew Schultz – Concordia Lutheran High School, Tomball, TX (Small Group Ministry)
Phil Seris – Prince of Peace Christian School, Carrollton, TX (Leadership Development)
Daniel Smith – Faith Lutheran HS, NV (Advisory Period)
Most of these talented young men and women are already serving in limited administrative roles, but their capacity and abilities certainly qualify them for greater responsibilities in the future.
Cohort #2 FACT members include:
Ryan Baney - Concordia Preparatory School (6-12 Social Studies Curriculum & Accreditation)
Jason Bangert - Dallas Lutheran School (Using Student Data to Drive Classroom Decisions)
Phillip Brackmann - Concordia Lutheran High School (Staff Compensation Plans)
Lori Dobler - Living Word Lutheran High School, Jackson, WI (Curriculum Mapping)
Don Justice - Lutheran South Academy, Houston, TX (Assessment of Online Learning & Effective Teaching Practices)
Micah Lorenzen - Prince of Peace Christian School, Carrolton, TX (Revamping the Guidance Process/Experience)
Adam Sheppard - Crean Lutheran High School, Irvin, CA (Refining the Discipline Model - Restorative Process)
Mark Bahr is the Head of Schools at the Lutheran High School Association. He can be reached at mbahr@LHSAGM.org.