Purpose
The Ada Christian School board sets vision and policy for the school. Members are elected from the constituency for three-year terms. From a list of nominations, the existing board members elect a slate of candidates to present to the school society for a vote. New members are then elected at the Annual Meeting of the ACS Society, which usually takes place in March.
The school families are divided into "districts" served by individual board members. The directory lists the districts. If parents wish to contact a board member with a question or suggestion, they are invited to call their district board member.
In addition, board members serve on a variety of committees. Other parents are also asked to serve on these committees. The chair of each committee is responsible to decide on the skills and qualities needed for the committee and then to seek parents to fill those roles.
Contact
To send an email to the school board, either click here, or use acsschoolboard@adachristian.org as the email address. If you are looking for monthly board minutes, they are located here.
Current Board Members
Phil Beezhold
Scott Bowman
Kevin Champion
Brent Enders
Ken Erffmeyer
Steve Groenenboom
Ann Hansen
Paul Heule
Melinda Homans
Dawn Pastoor
Mike Schellenboom
Jamie VanHekken
Committee Structure
Board members serve on a variety of committees. Other parents are also asked to serve on these committees. The chair of each committee is responsible to decide on the skills and qualities needed for the committee and then to seek parents to fill those roles. The ACS Board committees are as follows:
The Executive Committee:
President: Ken Erffmeyer
Vice President: Brent Enders
Secretary: Melinda Homans
Treasurer: Ann Hansen
The Development Committee Chair: Brent Enders
The Development Committee is responsible for the financial development program for the school. In the past year, this committee has been primarily focused on raising funds for the capital expansion project. In addition, the committee requests gifts, organizes events, and coordinates volunteers to raise funds that are applied to tuition and to support activities that are not covered in the budget.
The Education Committee Chair: Dawn Pastoor
The Education Committee works to integrate academic excellence with Christian values, enabling students to graduate as academically equipped servants of Jesus Christ. Current conditions of curriculum enhancement and assessment, student assessment, and technology are reviewed. Class time, class size, and student activities are evaluated. Teacher assessments, teacher development, and staff hiring are addressed.
The Finance Committee Chair: Ann Hansen
The Finance Committee facilitates communication between administration and the school’s accounting staff. Financial statements are reviewed and presented to the Board at the monthly meeting. This committee administrates the tuition assistance program. Cash management strategies are reviewed and the financial performance of the school is assessed. A budget for the following school year is formulated in November. The final draft of the budget is approved by the board at its February meeting and brought before the Society for its vote at the annual meeting in March.
The Middle School Support Committee Chair: Dawn Pastoor
The middle school (grades 6-8) does not have room parents. Instead, the Middle School Support Committee (MSSC) reviews activities that are made available outside of the classroom and serves as a liaison for the middle school teachers. The MSSC oversees the Middle School Fall Retreat and follow-up chapel. Assistance is provided during Exploratory Week, typically held in February, during which students may choose from a variety of topics. The Middle School hosts a Dinner Theatre every spring, and the MSSC plans décor and the post-performance party. This committee also assists in planning the graduation ceremony and post-ceremony party.
The Long Range Planning Committee Chair: Scott Bowman
The Long Range Planning Committee (LRP) studies and makes recommendations to the board on matters related to the future of Ada Christian School. This committee focuses on long range planning as a process and not a project. The short term and long term goals of each board committee are evaluated. Parent surveys are conducted, and the results are passed on to the pertinent board committees so new goals can be set.
The Promotions Committee Chair: Jamie VanHekken
The Promotions and Recruitment Committee increases the school’s visibility in the community by obtaining television and newspaper coverage of important school events. The Committee hosts a “Prospective Family Information Evening” each February to recruit new families.
Establishing a sense of community for the existing families is another goal of the Promotions Committee. New families are assigned a host family and a New Parent Coffee is held on the first day of the school year. This committee sponsors events such as the anniversary celebrations and class reunions. School Spirit Days are held throughout the year in conjunction with the Student Council. The “Ada Home Companion”, published quarterly, covers current school events. The school’s website, www.adachristian.org, provides updates on school events and middle school assignments.
The Operations Committee Chair: Mike Schellenboom
The Operations Committee oversees the maintenance, safety, and future space needs of the school facility and surrounding grounds. Much of the committee’s recent focus has been the gymnasium expansion project. Operating and maintenance costs for the expansion have been budgeted. Inventories of equipment and furniture are conducted. Should school demographics call for it, the Operations Committee will be responsible for studying possible future expansion.
The Operations Committee also oversees the transportation at ACS snd seeks to provide and maintain safe and economical transportation for the school. Existing bus routes and pick-up points are evaluated and changed if necessary. The maintenance of existing vehicles is assessed, and the purchase of new buses is the responsibility of this committee.
The Technology Committee Chair: Kevin Champion
Recognizing that technology is a God-given tool to be used in a responsible way, the Technology Committee encourages teachers and students to use technology to reinforce and enhance the learning process. Equipment and software is upgraded, and education opportunities are provided for the staff.
