Rooted
Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude.
Colossians 2:6-7
Dear Lancer Family,
Our mission statement, in part, is to demonstrate excellence in all areas of operation. To achieve this, we must first understand what it looks like. We must define it. Vince Lombardi said, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” This is helpful because, while we cannot achieve perfection, we know what it looks like: Jesus. Individually and corporately, we are striving to more closely reflect the perfection of Jesus every day. Hopefully, this positions us to “catch” excellence. Still, in education, it is important to define goals and focus on outcomes. Therefore, we have begun the work of more specifically defining excellence in all departments. We have completed our definition in academics:
Academic excellence implements rigor to challenge students’ thinking and encourage them to tackle complex problems. It focuses on developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills through hands-on projects, where students apply what they have learned in real-world situations. Academic excellence inspires curiosity and promotes a deeper understanding of content. It also considers the whole child, supporting both their intellectual growth and personal development. High expectations are set, motivating students to work heartily as unto the Lord (Col. 3:23) and fostering a love for lifelong learning.
Now, we incorporate the components of this definition into our curriculum and teacher expectations. Next, we follow this same format for all areas while simultaneously implementing the action steps of the strategic plan you will see on the following pages. These are exhilarating days to be a Lancer, as God is doing much in and through His people.
The list of folks that contributed to the Rooted strategic plan is too long to include in this letter, but it includes about 70 volunteers and staff and representation from administrators, pastors, teachers, parents, alumni, and students. Thank you! As year 61 approaches, and we anticipate eclipsing 1000 students for the first time ever, may the Lord continue to bless Cambridge with growth so the impact of Kingdom Education can be felt throughout the Tampa region. May He also help us preserve the family feel that we all cherish in conjunction with that growth. As you review our plans on the following pages, do not lose sight of the fact that CCS is God’s school. Pray for us – that we would not race ahead or fall behind His timing and will.
Strategic Plan Goals
Cultivate a Christ-centered school culture where students, families, faculty, and staff are deeply rooted in biblical truth, built up through discipleship and academic excellence, and established in a vibrant, grace-filled community – overflowing with gratitude and purpose.
Priority 1
Character
Specific initiatives for future implementation include, but are not limited to:
- Establish a parent resource library with books and materials focused on Biblical parenting.
- Provide online access to articles, videos, or devotionals on Biblical parenting.
- Utilize partnerships with local churches to compile and share a list of Bible studies and parenting courses.
- Encourage church-led small groups for parents to grow in faith together.
- Add a campus pastor/director of spiritual formation.
- Increase partner-church involvement on campus to reach families, serve in chapels, and host Bible studies.
- Organize family service projects in collaboration with community organizations or churches.
- Foster a culture of servant leadership within the school community.
- Implement a structured memory verse program for middle and high school students.
- Consider changing current chapel breakdown to PreK-3 – 1st, 2nd-5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th to ensure students are being challenged at the appropriate grade level.
- Establish a mini devotion at each on-campus event to promote the Gospel and assist parents in seeking help if needed.
- Identify all school outreach and extracurricular spiritual formation activities for K-12th and establish a plan to strengthen our efforts to serve the local and global community.
- Have two spiritual emphasis weeks per year in upper elementary, middle school, and high school.
- Develop and support staff led Bible studies and small groups to foster spiritual unity and connectedness between staff members.
Priority 2
Academics
Specific initiatives for future implementation include, but are not limited to:
- Increase resources within the guidance department to service all CCS families (i.e. staff, internship and leadership opportunities, career day, college fair, web page resources, college planning beginning in middle school).
- Formalize an admissions plan that bolsters the academic and spiritual development of our student body.
- Establish a Parent Ambassador Team to connect with and build relationships with CCS families.
- Develop a marketing plan to communicate excellence in guidance-Lancer Life magazine, brochures, new family packets, staff recommendations.
- Develop a plan to ensure that student grades and performance reflect mastery of course standards.
- Utilize a nationally normed progress monitoring tool to provide meaningful data to help drive classroom instruction and establish goals for overall student growth.
- Create a comprehensive K-12 STEM curriculum initiative to be overseen by the CCS STEM Director.
- Conduct student technology needs assessment and develop a plan for teaching those skills throughout a student’s K-12 progression.
- Utilize ISTE technology standards and develop an annual plan for growth in implementing standards.
- Build greater educator capacity with the use of innovative technology through the completion of the Apple Teacher Certification Program and focus on continuous innovation through the implementation of the Apple Distinguished School pathway.
- Develop a training plan for new teachers to ensure they are technologically proficient in the expected standards and create a support team as necessary.
- Develop a 5-year technology plan that includes a technological support team and ensures that students enrolling mid-year are trained.
- Develop a CCS AI plan and train staff and students in its effective and ethical usage.
Priority 3
Arts
Specific initiatives for future implementation include, but are not limited to:
- Advocate for increased financial support for the arts in overall school budget discussions.
- Assess current AV staffing and expertise to determine if additional training, restructuring, or supplemental support is needed. Consider hiring an assistant or contracting external specialists for major events.
- Modernize and rewire sound systems in the Chapel and Gym to enhance performances, chapels, and school-wide events.
- Develop a music technology class and explore establishing a piano lab (ideally 15 digital pianos) to support student learning.
- Involve arts staff in scheduling discussions to minimize conflicts with core classes, athletics, and testing, allowing students greater access to arts programs.
- Ensure each arts discipline participates in at least one prestigious external event annually, enhancing student exposure and program visibility.
- Create a booster club with defined leadership, fundraising goals, and community engagement to support arts initiatives like equipment, travel, and program growth.
- Pursue curriculum alignment for Florida Seal of Fine Arts Distinction eligibility, then promote this recognition to students and families, tracking participation growth over time.
- Establish a dedicated space for drama instruction and rehearsals, supporting the growth of the theater program.
- Leverage the expertise of the new Fine Arts Coordinator to develop a strong online presence showcasing student work, events, and impact stories.
- Collect and share student stories and quantitative data on arts participation and its impact, reinforcing the program’s value.
- Implement a clear fundraising strategy for the arts with designated staff oversight, ensuring budget transparency and financial growth.
- Redesign the lower school specials and electives program based on teacher input to ensure a balanced, well-integrated arts experience for younger students.
- Explore options for creating dedicated practice spaces for Band and Choir, addressing the current need for such rooms that were not included in the new high school building plans.
Priority 4
Institutional Strength
Specific initiatives for future implementation include, but are not limited to:
- Refine and implement a multi-year comprehensive campus master plan to provide facilities that promote and reflect excellence in academics, athletics and the arts.
- In conjunction with the campus master plan, develop a plan to renovate and maintain existing buildings to keep them clean and in good working order.
- Develop a strategy to wisely pay down current debt, while considering future debt needs for campus development.
- Develop a wise risk management and financial strategy to handle various plausible changes in market conditions that could impact enrollment.
- Crystallize and communicate the CCS value proposition.
- Develop a retention marketing strategy centered around the CCS value proposition.
- Utilize a formal interview process to obtain commitment to core values from all prospective parents.
- Enroll a new student only after parents have attended the required Kingdom Education meeting.
- Achieve the status of an Apple Distinguished school within three years, which includes all teachers being fully trained and certified.
- Double investment in internal and external professional development for faculty members.
- Objectively define academic rigor and implement measurable standards.
- Establish an alumni steering committee to support alumni relations, which at a minimum will be responsible for:
- Executing a strategic communication plan to include the establishment of an alumni newsletter/magazine.
- Establishing an alumni network to cross-promote alumni-owned businesses and professionals, with additional focus on internship and/or mentorship opportunities.
- Organize a minimum of one alumni fundraising effort or event annually.
- Form a fundraising committee to develop a strategy for increasing the visibility of fundraising outcomes.
- Implement a Feasibility Study to inform goals for annual fund and campus master plan.
Priority 5
Athletics
Specific initiatives for future implementation include, but are not limited to:
- Develop on-campus practice facilities for football, soccer, baseball, and softball by the end of the 2025-26 school year.
- Explore multi-campus expansion opportunities with other private schools to increase space and visibility in the Tampa area.
- Optimize existing gym, fields, and training areas to support multi-sport usage.
- Secure corporate sponsorships for facility enhancements such as batting cages, weight rooms, and other resources.
- Require all coaches to complete annual professional development in faith-based coaching and sport-specific training.
- Implement a strength and conditioning program with full athlete participation in applicable sports by 2026.
- Continue to retain at least 75% of the coaching staff annually, with consideration given to mentorship programs and offers of additional professional development.
- Develop a college recruiting support program to guide athletes and families through the NCAA recruitment process, highlight videos, and college outreach.
- Aim for at least twelve student-athletes per year to sign with college programs by 2030.
- Establish a performance and goal tracking system for each team to monitor district, regional, and state rankings.
- Target at least four district championships, one regional title, and one state championship or runner-up finish annually.
- Ensure that at least half of middle school teams and 75% of high school teams finish with winning records each year.
- Implement offseason skill and strength development programs to maintain year-round competitiveness.
- Pursue the FHSAA Sportsmanship Recognition Award within five years, promoting Christ-centered athletics.
- Launch a student spirit program to engage cheerleaders, band members, and student leaders in promoting game attendance and decorating locker rooms and the gym.
- Organize athletic fundraisers, such as the Lancer Golf Tournament and other community events, to increase financial support and boost school unity.
- Increase multi-sport participation by 25% through incentives and recognition.
- Strengthen middle school engagement and eighth-grade retention by integrating younger students into high school sports events.
- Expand Booster Club membership by 50% to enhance financial support.
- Ensure all teams engage in weekly devotionals and team prayer led by coaches, players, or special guests.
- Implement a Faith and Athletics Leadership Program wherein senior athletes mentor younger players.
- Launch quarterly community service projects in partnership with local ministries to instill servant leadership.
- Establish athlete testimonial spotlights to highlight student-athlete faith journeys via newsletters and social media.