March 23, 2026, 9:00 a.m. ET
On March 20, the faculty of Olivet Academy Amenia and Dover came together in Amenia for a spring Professional Development Day focused on reflection, collaboration, and growth. Educators explored new instructional strategies and cognitive supports while reflecting on the high calling of shaping the next generation for Christ.
The day opened with a devotional from the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) titled “An Educator’s Calling.” The session highlighted the noble role of Christian educators as “difference makers,” emphasizing their unique opportunity to help students discover their God-given potential, uniqueness, and promise. Drawing inspiration from Psalm 78, the devotional reminded educators of the ultimate goal of Christian education: ensuring that the next generation does not forget the Lord, places its trust in Him, and obeys His commands.
During the session “Reflecting on and Strengthening Our Instruction,” teachers reflected on recent teaching practices and collaborated to analyze a detailed case study. They identified key instructional challenges and brainstormed strategies to address them.
Building on these foundations, the next session focused on a critical component of student success: Executive Functioning. Educators explored ten different executive function skills and discussed how to integrate these supports into daily lesson plans to help every learner stay on track.
Between morning and afternoon sessions, teachers enjoyed a meal fellowship, a highlight of the school’s development days that strengthens relationships among staff and supports their professional work.
Rooted in the wisdom of Proverbs 27:17—“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”—school leaders shared a long-term plan to build a Professional Learning Community (PLC) to foster continuous teacher growth. By implementing collaborative structures such as peer coaching, peer observations, clinical supervision, and study groups, the school aims to create a culture of mutual encouragement and support for student success.
Please pray that Olivet Academy’s educators may faithfully reflect on God’s calling, embrace the challenges of the remaining school year, and apply the training and insights they received in their classrooms. May they continue the school’s mission to integrate the Bible into their teaching, pursue academic excellence, and raise Christian leaders.
