LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

As I reflect on the 2015-16 school year, I can’t help but think back over my years at Valley Christian Schools (VCS). When I began as superintendent in July of 1986, my main objective was to keep our school doors open. Since then, God has miraculously developed VCS into one of the premier K-12 Christian school systems in the country. In fact, VCS was one of only five schools selected nationwide to receive Exemplary Accreditation from the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) during the inaugural year of the exemplary accreditation program. VCS’ A3 initiative (Academic Achievement, Artistic Beauty, and Athletic Distinction) supports every student’s personal Quest for Excellence through the work of our extraordinary Christian teachers on our beautiful and well-equipped campuses. We can all be proud of the bountiful blessings God has bestowed upon Valley Christian Schools!

Even with great success, new challenges and opportunities are always on the horizon. As we face the future, it is imperative for us to remain true to our Christ-centered mission as we remain passionate about every student’s success!

With enrollment growing this year to the maximum San Jose City approved 2,300 students, five more classrooms were needed. As many of you know, we hoped to expand our Skyway Campus onto the vacant land located by our student parking lot. Conceptual plans featured a new home for our growing Applied Math, Science, and Engineering (AMSE) Institute, a state-of-the-art Human Performance Center for Athletics, and a true Symphonic Hall for our Conservatory of the Arts. With school enrollment at maximum capacity for the fall of 2016, we began to ponder whether the time was right to begin Phase I of the project. As we studied our financials, we discovered that with enrollment growth, the success of our Extend the Gift Development Department, and your generous commitment to the WARRIOR FUND, resources could be made available to start construction on the proposed AMSE building, but timing was a big question. As our school leadership received counsel from some of you, discussed, and prayed, some important questions surfaced. With the growing cost of Silicon Valley housing, were we putting our priorities in the right place? Should we take a pause from building and focus on the true heart of our school, the teachers and our students from financially challenged households? The more we sought God’s wisdom, the more the answer became clear.

To place our highest priority on improved teacher compensation and increased Youth with Promise® financial assistance, we decided to build five temporary modular classrooms on the dirt lot and delay the high cost of new building construction in favor of increased teacher compensation. We received building permits for the temporary classrooms toward the end of summer and five classrooms should be installed by spring.

A verse that speaks loudly to me is, “For the Scripture says, ‘You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.’ And in another place, ‘Those who work deserve their pay!” (1 Timothy 5:18 NLT).

Although excellent facilities definitely help improve the quality of education, the Lord puts people first. Great teachers and deserving students must always trump great facilities at VCS. It is with great joy I am able to report that with your generous WARRIOR FUND support and enrollment our growth, VCS was able to increase our teacher salary by 20% for the 2016-17 school year. And there is more good news—with the success of our Quest Ball along with other donations, we were able to increase our Youth with Promise financial assistance fund by 23%. I pray that at Valley Christian Schools as in God’s Word, people will always be a high priority and our primary focus. The generosity of those who gave to our Extend the Gift WARRIOR FUND was a major contributing factor in our ability to achieve these gains.

I would personally like to thank each and every donor contained in the pages herein for your investments of time, talent, and treasure! You are instrumental in allowing us to make this commitment to those in our VCS community who are most in need. Your commitment is so appreciated. With God’s help we seriously strive to be the best stewards of your resources as possible.

God bless you and everyone in our Valley Christian community,

Clifford E. Daugherty, EdD President Valley Christian Schools