The lights dim, and the audience settles into their seats with anticipation. The conductor raises his baton, and the first notes of the symphony ring out—except something is off. The violins are rushing, the brass section is lagging, and the percussionist, for some reason, has started playing an entirely different piece. The result is chaos. What was meant to be a seamless, moving performance has become a disjointed mess. The audience looks around, confused. The musicians glance at each other, unsure of where they went wrong.
This, in many ways, is what happens when a school’s advancement efforts—development, enrollment, admissions, marketing, and communication—aren’t working together from the same strategic plan. Each function may be doing its job with skill and dedication, but without alignment, the message is muddled, the mission loses momentum, and the school’s long-term success is at risk.
So how do we bring every section into harmony? It starts with a clear, intentional plan that serves as the conductor’s score, ensuring that every effort moves in the same direction and amplifies the school’s mission rather than working against it. Let’s explore what that looks like.
A thriving classical Christian school isn’t built on academics and culture alone—nor is it sustained by financial resources alone. The two must work together, each strengthening the other. Just as a great books curriculum forms the hearts and minds of students, a well-executed advancement strategy ensures the school has the resources, students, and support to carry out its mission for years to come. Without a solid advancement plan, even the most vibrant classical Christian culture can struggle to grow, attract families, and maintain the financial stability needed to serve future generations.
Yet many school leaders, deeply committed to shaping students through truth, goodness, and beauty, feel less equipped when it comes to fundraising, admissions, and marketing. Advancement may seem like a separate, business-oriented function, but in reality, it is an essential expression of leadership. A school’s mission must not only be taught within its walls, but also clearly communicated to prospective families, donors, and the broader community. If a school is to flourish, its leaders must guide every aspect of its growth—including how it attracts students, nurtures relationships with donors, and builds a sustainable future.
The good news is that leading in advancement doesn’t require abandoning the rich intellectual and spiritual foundations that make a classical Christian school unique. On the contrary, it means ensuring those very foundations have the support they need to endure. Just as we teach students that truth must be not only studied but lived out, so too must our schools take intentional steps to secure the resources and enrollment necessary to fulfill their calling. Understanding and leading in advancement is not a distraction from the mission—it is an essential way to sustain and expand it.
In the same way that a symphony achieves its full resonance through the unified efforts of all its musicians, a classical Christian school flourishes when its leadership, faculty, and advancement teams operate in concert. Recognizing the importance of this harmony, we invite heads of school, board members, and advancement leaders to join us at the upcoming West Coast Symposium. This event is designed to provide you with the tools and insights necessary to align your school’s mission with effective advancement strategies.
Event Details:
- Dates: March 20–21, 2025
- Location: George Fox University, Newberg, OR
- Pre-Symposium Day: March 19, 2025, at St. Stephen’s Academy, Beaverton, OR
