by Bill Unverfehrt
I am retiring this summer from being the principal of University Christian High School in Hickory, North Carolina. God has blessed me with an amazing ministry of 44 years as a teacher, coach, and administrator. I have seen God’s hand at work in my life and am thankful that he continues to guide me.
This guidance has resulted in some nuggets of information that other Lutheran School principals might find helpful. At the very least it will help reinforce what you are already doing.
Be humble and trust God. A principal with an oversized ego will most likely find himself in a leadership role with no one following. Don’t get excited about the title of headmaster or principal. We serve only because God has allowed us to be placed in that position. Trust God more than your own abilities.
Don’t be afraid to try new things. Thirteen years ago, I started UCHS with eight students in the youth center of our church and Christian day school. I didn’t know how to start a high school, but I did it anyway since I was convinced that it was God’s plan for us. UCHS is now thirteen years old and we have 165 students. God has blessed us. The model for our school was a partnership with Lenoir-Rhyne University, unique among Lutheran high schools. We use their cafeteria, library, and gym. Our juniors and seniors walk across the street to sit in college classrooms with the college students. UCHS students are graduating with 30+ hours of college credit and better prepared for college life.
Be willing to build partnerships with other organizations. We not only partner with Lenoir-Rhyne University but we also partner with St. Andrews Lutheran Church. We are blessed to use their sanctuary, classrooms, and fellowship hall. In addition, we partner with the local YMCA that allows our students to use their facilities and take PE classes there.
Every school is only as good as its faculty because the faculty is the heart and soul of the school. Attract the best teachers and then work to keep them. Good teachers love teaching with other outstanding teachers. They feed off of each other and the students are the winners. When your faculty has a high trust level with the administration and with each other, better ideas are generated and the faculty works like a finely tuned machine. Take the time and effort needed to create that team concept.
Listen to your teachers. They are on the front lines and are dealing with so many factors. Ask them for their feedback in order to make the best decisions. That also makes them part of the solution. It also allows you to gain a better understanding of the situation. I have faculty meetings that are just brainstorming sessions on what the faculty thinks we should do to improve our school. Their ideas are often better than anything I would have thought about on my own.
Never stop growing as a leader. Surround yourself with a diverse group of people that are able to give you realistic feedback and then be willing to listen. Let teachers evaluate you and then work to improve your skills. Never stop learning about yourself and developing your skills as a leader. Keep God in the center of it all.
Sometimes you have to do things that are out of the box for your staff. These last few years I have changed teacher schedules to better accommodate some of their child care needs. That meant some teachers were not on campus during their planning period. They are amazing educators and the students benefit by having them as their teacher. These teachers now have a greater loyalty to UCHS because we were willing to help them at a time when they were struggling.
Be willing to take advantage of a teacher’s unique abilities or interests. For the past seven years we have had an extraordinary English teacher, who had a background in college admissions, serve as our Academic Advisor. She helps our students select their high school and college classes in addition to working with them on their college applications. Her strong English background allows our students to write some amazing application essays. Now, other local schools are trying to emulate this model.
None of these ideas are earth shattering, but they have helped create a unique Lutheran high school where the word of God is shared daily to students of all denominations and some students with no faith in Jesus. Every morning we gather the entire student body in the sanctuary for devotions and shout-outs of student accomplishments. Everyone prays and learns about the saving message of Jesus Christ. That is what I will miss the most.
Bill Unverfehrt is the Principal of University Christian High School in Hickory, North Carolina. He can be reached at bunverfehrt@uchigh.com.