SCSBC: The Road Ahead

by Ed Noot, SCSBC Executive Director ◊

Organizational change is a complicated matter. Organizations seem to resist embracing change. This makes sense – after all, most organizations are formed with a clearly articulated purpose, therefore any change or adjustment ought to be carefully reasoned, strategically initiated and consistently supported.

As most of you know, SCSBC is undergoing a major change in senior staffing positions. Two new directors of learning and a new executive director (see sidebar for introductions) have taken up their roles in August. A significant change in senior staffing positions will inevitably bring change to an organization.

SCSBC was formed in 1976 with the mission of supporting Christian education by doing collectively what no school could or should do individually. Changes in staff over its history contributed new ideas, services or initiatives, but they have not fundamentally altered the main purpose, which is currently articulated as strengthening Christian schools through service, community, advocacy and vision.

The current SCSBC strategic plan builds on many years of service and articulates plans and goals through the 2016-17 school year. This plan will help our organization maintain a clear focus while we adjust to a changed staffing reality.

While our new staff members have worked in SCSBC schools all over the province, the first priority will be to visit each school – learning about your history, meeting your staff and board members, and hearing your joys and challenges. As we immerse ourselves in new roles we need to hear from you, our member schools. We need to understand how SCSBC has served you in the past and how you envision us serving you in the future.

This engagement with you, along with the new ideas, competencies and passions that staff and board bring, will inform the development of our next strategic plan in the 2016-17 school year – a plan that builds on the strong foundation of service at SCSBC to support our schools but yet addresses the challenges and opportunities faced by our schools today.

Priorities could include:

• using the new BC Education Plan as a springboard to keep our programs vibrant, engaging and distinctive
• reviewing school mission statements to ensure they are dynamic and relevant in light of changing demographics, new denominational make-up and new understandings of the covenantal-missional dichotomy
• revisiting policies in light of school mission statements
• exploring and refining governance and leadership models to ensure effective and visionary leadership moving forward
• finding new ways of identifying and training leaders (vice principals, principals, superintendents) to meet anticipated demand
• keeping our school operations efficient and sustainable and tuition rates reasonable

It has been said that the only thing that remains constant is change. The staff at SCSBC look forward to partnering with member schools as we reason and strategize together to navigate the road ahead so we continue to advance the Kingdom through the work of Christian education in British Columbia.

Ed Noot is the incoming SCSBC Executive Director. He
began as SCSBC Executive Director on August 1, 2014