November 14, 2024, 1:00 p.m. ET
The school leaders attended the “Rise 2024 Leadership Conference: Elevate Your Leadership” in Albany, New York, on November 12-13, organized by the New York State Education Department and the NYS Coalition for Independent and Religious Schools.
In addition to the conference, leaders participated in a networking meeting with other school leaders representing about a dozen Christian Protestant schools across New York, including both day schools and a large boarding school with a history spanning over a century.
Joel Maus, the facilitator and superintendent of an ACSI-accredited school in Long Island, also serves as the Christian Schools representative on the New York State Department of Education advisory board. He discussed how Christian schools are being represented in policy, funding, and the legal implications of resolutions such as substantial equivalency and Proposition One. He encouraged Christian school leaders to recognize their unity in Christ, emphasizing that their collective voice strengthens their influence in the broader educational landscape.
“I was encouraged to meet other Christian school principals,” shared Pastor Claire Mendoza, the Elementary School Director. “Our representative acknowledged the great challenges our schools face within the political climate in New York. At the same time, he envisioned that Christian education will rise as the world grows darker.” She added, “I felt empowered hearing the leaders’ shared faith in Christian education; it was a hopeful environment when we prayed together for our calling.”
The Olivet Academy leaders continue to pray for the school’s growth in educational programs to better serve students and families. The interfaith professional development conference offered sessions on educational practices, administration, and public policy affecting religious schools in New York.
Sessions attended by leaders covered a range of topics, including emotional intelligence, school funding, meaningful professional development for teachers, public-private school partnerships, systems for sticky learning, and artificial intelligence for educators. They also consulted the state on matters of special education, school nursing, and the school’s charter application.
“I was very thankful to connect with other schools during this conference and to see the full scope of independent and religious schools in New York,” said Olivet Academy Amenia Middle High School Director, Pastor John Vivian. “I learned about the many avenues of support available for improving education. Building these relationships has given me new confidence that some of our long-term goals are much more attainable because education is such a vital part of the state’s ecosystem.”
