Mission Moment

Dear Covenant Families,

Have you wondered... What does the Covenant Board of Trustees do? How does their role differ from that of the administration? Who sets the priorities of the board? How are board members chosen for service?

While this Mission Moment will not provide a detailed answer to each of these questions, I do hope it will provide a better sense of the mission-focused nature of our work.

Oxford's New College, founded in 1379, is home to a dining hall with grand oak beams that, by the early 20th century, were infested with beetles and needed replacing. Despite a global search, the trustees found no suitable oak. Then, a Junior Fellow asked if the College’s own lands might have what they needed. Generations before, a grove of oaks had been planted precisely for this purpose, with foresters passing down the instruction: “You don’t cut them oaks. Them’s for the College Hall.” The trustees were amazed. The trees, now mature, were felled and used to restore the hall’s beams, fulfilling a plan centuries in the making.

This story illustrates the importance of long-term vision and generational planning, a principle that guides the Covenant Board of Trustees in its mission. A private school board, much like the trustees of New College, has “no living constituents,” meaning every decision is made with the future preservation of its mission in mind. The Covenant Board focuses on three key areas: preserving the mission, upholding fiscal and legal responsibility, and supporting and evaluating the Head of School - all with the goal of ensuring the school thrives for generations to come. This allows our best-in-class administration to focus their time and expertise on the day-to-day operations of the school.

Trustee selection at Covenant reflects this same long-term focus. Unlike public school boards that elect members based on current constituencies, Covenant’s self-perpetuation model looks ahead. Trustees are chosen for their alignment with the school’s mission, dedication to the community, relevant skills, and commitment to their faith, ensuring that leadership is always focused on the future.

Much of the board’s work is conducted through governance-oriented committees, including the following four standing committees: Finance, Master Planning, Trustees and Governance, and Head of School Support and Evaluation. Both the Finance and the Master Planning committees include parent involvement. We also employ task forces to accomplish nearer-term goals, which are taken from our 5-year strategic plan and outlined annually in a letter from the board chairman each August.

One of this year’s task forces included our Head of School Search Committee. The board is delighted to partner with our incoming Head, Melissa Hill, in the onboarding process. The transition time is a tremendous blessing, even as we strive to give Melissa the time and space to finish her current responsibilities in the logic school and prepare for the future.

On behalf of the Covenant board, please know how highly we value the calling to preserve the school’s mission to glorify God by equipping students with the tools necessary to pursue a lifetime of learning so that they may discern, reason and defend truth in service to our Lord, Jesus Christ. The twelve servant-hearted individuals I serve with work behind the scenes in time-intensive, strategic ways, praying and thoughtfully engaging to ensure that Covenant is on-mission for generations to come.

How can you support the board in this work? Please pray!

• Pray for wisdom and discernment.
• Pray for an effective Head of School transition.
• Pray for the Lord’s protection and blessing upon Covenant, not only today, but for future generations.

We appreciate your continued prayers for the Lord to continue to guide and protect Covenant, for the sake of our children’s children and beyond!

Non Nobis,

Amy W. Anderson
Chairman, Board of Trustees