FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT ✑ What & Why? #1
School Calendar-Days Off
Over the past two years, our staff has been reviewing, memorizing, and relearning the foundation of who we are as a school and what our mission is. Below you will see the core of why we exist and what we are trying to accomplish at Logos School:
Purpose (Why do we exist?): Our purpose is to serve parents as they bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Mission (What are we trying to accomplish?): Our mission at Logos School is to provide a classical and Christ-centered education in order to graduate young men and women who are equipped to shape culture through wise and victorious Christian living.
We are continually comparing our work to these two plumblines and making changes to better align the way that we serve our parents. One simple example can be found in next year’s calendar. Many fathers have Labor Day and Presidents’ Day off. We have decided to take these days off from school so that families can spend more time together. We believe that more time with Dad furthers the purpose and mission of our school, and we are excited about the change. If you have any ideas on how we can improve in these areas, please let me know. This is the heart of what we are about.
Thank you for the privilege of serving your families,
Matt Whitling
Logos School Superintendent
FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT ✑ What & Why? #2
Worldview Assemblies-Family Nights
Purpose (Why do we exist?): Our purpose is to serve parents as they bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Mission (What are we trying to accomplish?): Our mission at Logos School is to provide a classical and Christ-centered education in order to graduate young men and women who are equipped to shape culture through wise and victorious Christian living.
As we seek to equip our students, it has become clear to me that parents, and fathers in particular, are mission-critical. In fact, we believe that they are much more important than the school in the lives of their children. This means that, in order for Logos School to accomplish its mission, parents have to be faithful and central in that process. In the past, I have seen parents as “welcome” at Logos School, but I didn’t really see them as “required” for our success. All of that has changed.
One way that we are seeking to “center parents” is to invite them to our secondary worldview assemblies and then to provide discussion questions so that they can follow up and engage with their kids afterward. Our calendar next year leans toward encouraging more dads to be on campus for these events. There will be two worldview assemblies per quarter that will take place on Fridays from 11:55-12:30. The goal is to create a situation in which Dad (and Mom) has time and resources to do his job effectively. We want our calendar and worldview assemblies to help facilitate this by allowing and even luring Dad to spend time with his children listening to the assembly and then taking them out to eat and talk. For the rest of that Friday, school is out of the way so that families can spend time together, watch the video, head on a short vacation, etc.
Thank you for the privilege of serving your families,
Matt Whitling
Logos School Superintendent
FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT ✑ What & Why? #3
School Uniforms
Our school board announced the uniform policy for 23-24 this week in the update. I want to add a few thoughts after observing our students in the halls, receiving feedback from parents, and comparing our new uniform to others at ACCS schools.
I believe that the new policy accomplishes the objectives the board had in mind: It is more uniform and it is demonstrably kind to the students. In addition, I believe that the new uniform is fitting to our particular school in the following ways:
- Our new uniform is scrappy, just like our students, teachers, and families. From elementary students who run the mile each quarter, junior highers who run it each week regardless of the weather, to athletes, the mock trial team, and chamber choir members who wake up early for practices before school, Logos families and staff know how to work hard and accomplish a lot with a little.
- Our new uniform is humble, just like our people. From the price of our tuition and the fact that we are committed to not turning one student away due to an inability to pay the full price, to the number of hours that our families donate to make our school excellent, we do not put on airs. Our kids are not “Classical Show Poodles”, and we are not trying to be better at that game than other classical Christian schools.
Thank you for the privilege of serving your families,
Matt Whitling
Logos School Superintendent
FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT ✑ What & Why? #4
School Security
In the case of a situation involving an armed intruder, calling 911 is not a real protection. Rarely, if ever, are local police able to arrive in time, nor can it be assumed that they will always move decisively to solve a problem in a timely manner.
With board direction and approval, some members of the administration open carry, and there are also certain staff members who carry concealed firearms on campus. Our security team personnel undergo thorough training throughout the year, including: on the range, in the classroom, and in our hallways after school hours.
Only staff who have been approved by the board may bring a firearm on campus. In Idaho, it is a misdemeanor for anyone else, including parents, to bring a firearm onto the campus of a public or private school (with the exception of law enforcement officers, firearms in a locked vehicle, and in “Stand Your Ground” situations).
We are grateful for the board’s foresight in taking initiative on this front years ago, and we pray that we will never need to use any of it.
Thank you for the privilege of serving your families,
Matt Whitling
Logos School Superintendent
FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT ✑ What & Why? #5
The Gift of Punctuality
Have you ever wondered why timeliness is such a big deal at Logos? Papers have due dates. In the elementary, if a paper is late, a Pink Slip goes home and 10% is taken off each day. After ten days the score becomes a zero. In the secondary, late papers are marked down 10% for each of the first two days, and then zeroed out on the third day. Seniors are required to turn all assignments in on time regardless of absence or illness. Our secondary students have five minutes to transition between seven class periods each day. Five tardies in a quarter result in an office visit with Mr. Wiggins. On the volleyball team, if you show up late to a 5:30 AM practice, you do extra conditioning. These practices are examples of ways that our school is trying to cultivate and give the gift of punctuality.
A number of years ago I had a dad who very intentionally thanked me for what he called the “brick wall” requirements for his kids at Logos. He knew that constant practice and accountability over years would result in young people who actually find it easy and normal to show up and get their work done on time.
As in all godly discipline, our intention is to be givers, because we love our students and want them to receive the gift of punctuality, rather than takers, who are uptight or inconvenienced when someone or something is late. Please join us in helping set a graciously high bar as we seek to bring up our children faithfully.
Thank you for the privilege of serving your families,
Matt Whitling
Logos School Superintendent
FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT ✑ What & Why? #6
Board Visitation Day
Each year our school board members take a day off from their regular jobs to spend time at Logos. This Friday is Board Visitation Day. Board members will spend the morning at all three campuses observing classes and interviewing faculty and administrators. During the lunch hour, the board breaks into two teams that interview groups of parents to gain their perspective and feedback on the school. The afternoon is devoted to more classroom observations and interviews that culminate in a board meeting and then the Annual Board Report that is sent out to our families.
Our board members are not paid for the work they do. They invest themselves in our school because their children or grandchildren attend Logos, and they want the education that we provide to be excellent. They also represent our families and therefore spend part of the day simply listening to other parents.
The end goal of all of this is faithfulness. We want the Lord to be pleased by the service Logos School provides to parents as they bring up their children in His ways. Please join me in thanking the Lord for blessing our school with these men (listed below).
Thank you for the privilege of serving your families,
Matt Whitling
Logos School Superintendent