Our mission is to prepare students to be effective servants of Christ in contemporary society. Families consistently tell us this Christ-centered focus is why they choose Grand Rapids Christian Schools.

In our Fall 2025 ParentPulse Survey, 56% of parents said their primary reason for enrolling at GRCS was a faith-based environment. Parents are looking for a school that nurtures faith as well as learning.

At the same time, biblical understanding and church engagement are declining across the nation. Students arrive with varied spiritual backgrounds, and many need clear, age-appropriate foundations for faith.

GRCS is known for strong academics, dedicated educators, and distinctive programs—such as immersion, nature-rich learning, arts, STEM, and global experiences—and we understand that education is always formation, calling us to know each student and integrate faith with rigorous learning so their spiritual, social-emotional, and academic growth is rooted in God’s story.

Deepen Faith Practices – Strengthen chapel, classroom devotions, and small groups across all grades so that worship, prayer, and engagement with Scripture are a regular, meaningful part of each student’s school day.

Strengthen Learning Foundations – Implement and support new literacy and learning practices that give each student the skills needed to read, write, think critically, and engage Scripture and coursework with confidence.

Coordinate Support for Each Student – Refine systems of academic, social-emotional, and spiritual support so that teams work together to notice, encourage, and challenge each student in age-appropriate ways, in partnership with families.

Teachers and staff are central to why families choose Grand Rapids Christian Schools. Parents and students consistently name caring relationships and Christ-centered role models as what they value most.

Michigan, like much of the country, is experiencing a significant teacher shortage. Recruiting and retaining mission-aligned educators is essential to sustaining a thriving team.

In recent surveys and listening sessions, staff highlighted the need for sustainable workloads, focused professional development, and clear pathways to grow as leaders.

Our staff demographics do not yet reflect the diversity of our student body. Families and staff desire a more diverse teaching and leadership team that better represents and supports each student.

Holy Land Learning Experience – Send a cohort of staff and community members to Israel in June 2026 for an immersive journey through the biblical story, deepening the faith that shapes their teaching and leadership.

Leadership Development – Launch leadership opportunities, coaching, and mentorship across GRCS to identify and equip emerging leaders among our teachers and staff.

Purposeful Recruitment – Build and implement a targeted recruitment and retention plan to attract diverse, mission-aligned educators whose gifts and backgrounds reflect our student body.

Caring for Staff Culture – Expand HR support and strengthen systems that care for staff well-being and foster a healthy, connected culture across each campus.

Both the total amount of tuition support awarded and the number of students receiving assistance have grown significantly over the last five years. This growth has outpaced overall enrollment, indicating that a larger share of students now require financial help to access Christian education.

Financial sustainability is essential to our mission. GRCS has been blessed by significant legacy donor support over the past 25 years, yet we now need to deepen and broaden our base of giving in light of generational shifts in philanthropic priorities and expectations.

Stakeholders affirmed the importance of removing financial barriers and strengthening student support services, recognizing that a diverse community of families enriches our schools and allows us to reflect the Kingdom of God more fully.

Expand the Eagles Fund Goal – Increase the Eagles Fund goal from its long-standing $1.7 million benchmark to $2 million and beyond, directly strengthening our ability to provide tuition support and deliver essential student support services.

Grow Planned Giving and the GRCS Foundation – Expand participation in planned giving to grow the GRCS Foundation, building a stronger base of long-term funding that will help ensure future students can experience a Christ-centered education at GRCS.

Develop a Long-Range Financial and Facilities Plan – Create a comprehensive, mission-aligned financial and facilities plan that supports optimal enrollment across all campuses, aligns resources with strategic priorities, and positions GRCS to serve students and families faithfully for generations to come.

Stakeholders across our community expressed a strong desire for more transparent, consistent, and proactive communication—especially around decision-making and changes that directly impact students.

Parents experience GRCS as welcoming and inclusive, but many do not yet feel deeply connected to other parents, revealing an opportunity to strengthen both parent-to-school and parent-to-parent relationships.

Families and staff receive a high volume of information across multiple channels, making it difficult to know what is most important and where to look, signaling a need for clearer systems, shared tools, and aligned expectations for communication.

Strengthen Family Partnerships and Connection – Build intentional structures for two-way communication and create more opportunities for meaningful connection across campuses so that each family feels known, heard, and supported.

Comprehensive Communications Audit – Conduct a thorough review of GRCS’s internal and external communications channels, tools, workflows, messaging, and audience engagement to clarify what is working well and where greater alignment is needed across all five campuses.

Website Redesign Process – Launch a phased website redesign process—beginning with discovery, planning, and design work—so that the next GRCS website more clearly reflects our mission, vision, and values for prospective families and makes it easier for current families to access the information they need.

Introduce and Expand Parent Pulse – Implement Parent Pulse, a real-time survey tool that will first engage parents and then expand to students and staff, allowing us to listen regularly to our community, gather meaningful input, and respond more effectively to their feedback.