Today is a BIG day in our household!
Not only is it the last week of the school year…
It’s also Theo’s first day at his new job….
….Executive Director of CHESS Christian School!!!!
I assure you that nowhere in our wildest dreams would we have ever thought that Theo would be in a role like this, which is how we know that this entire transition can only be from the Lord.
On one hand, we feel so confident and so much peace about this new role. I am confident that Theo is going to do an excellent job stepping into this leadership role. His experience as a police officer might not seem to translate to administration in the educational field, but on the contrary, his experience as a police officer has led him to a place where is able to think quickly, problem solve, mediate, communicate effectively and become a “take charge” person. God has gifted him with a visionary mindset, the ability to listen carefully to people, a strong business/entrepreneur mindset, the ability to learn quickly, and a love for this school community. Honestly, it feels like God has prepared him (and our family) for “such a time as this”.
He is stepping into an amazingly established (going into it’s 12th year) school with a fantastic administrative team. He has built relationship and rapport with this team over the past several years of being the school security officer. We have “skin in the game” with four children in the school, and a staff member (me!), and we are also playing the long game since our youngest won’t graduate from high school until 2041 (YIKES that was scary to write out!!!). The previous CEO, Tara, did an incredible job leading the school spiritually, emotionally, relationally and academically. CHESS is unlike anything we have ever been a part of. It is one of those places that it is an immense privilege to work at.
On the other hand- in all honesty- we are terrified! This is a BIG job switch. Theo has BIG shoes to fill. He is young and has very little experience in this field. He just walked away from a career with full benefits, including a pension. Are we crazy?!?
Once I take some time to wrestle through all of these thoughts, I realize that this is exactly where we should be- feeling confident in our ability to carry out the calling God has on our lives, with a hefty dose of humility to keep us from growing prideful or conceited.
Now that our big announcement is officially internet public- I’ll go ahead and answer some FAQs!
Q: What is the size of CHESS?
A: CHESS has around 100 staff members and is aiming to have 500 students for the 2025-2026 school year. Keep in mind that since it is a hybrid/university model school, each student has a unique schedule. So there are not 500 students on campus at one time, but there are that many students enrolled and attending over the course of the week.
Q: Will you still be teaching at CHESS?
A: Yes! I do still plan to teach at school. It will be an interesting dynamic, but one that I am confident we can navigate, although I am sure that there will be stumbles along the way. Theo is now the boss of my boss, so we will need to be aware and intentional about lines of information and communication. I think that we all feel comfortable with this arrangement, and I plan to do my best to stay in my lane as a first grade teacher, and in my support role as “First Lady” 🙂
Q: Will Theo continue with police/security?
A: No, he is stepping completely out of that role. He will have plenty to do as executive director, plus going to grad school! I do not yet know the exact details of school security, but I can assure you that the right people are talking about it and will make a wise decision in the matter.
Q: Will Theo work over the summer?
A: Yes, as executive director he is part of the administrative team, who continues to work full time through the summer. The nice thing about working at a school, though, is that summer is much slower and more flexible, so he can have days off here and there and can work from home if he needs (but he prefers to work from his office).
All right, I think that is all for now! That is our big life news! I am SO proud of Theo!
Wow! What an amazing turn of events! Love hearing how God has been building in the experiences that he would need to prepare Theo for this role.
Thank you so much! Even now, a few months later, I kept being struck with various different pieces that God put together YEARS ago to lead to this transition. And it just makes me wonder what God has in store for the future, too!
I’m sure that what he learned on the job and had to deal with day by day will assist Theo in this new role. How exciting for your family! The best thing is that you feel peace and God’s blessing in the role. CHESS sounds like such a neat place- I need to get apply to sub there!!
I’m very delayed on this reply, but- thank you so much! Yes, we would love to have you!!!
I’ve always wondered where you guys lived (in a non creepy stalker way, just knew you were semi local to me lol) and seeing it in the article makes sense! My aunt is a vet in Lebanon and my cousin teaches at the career center 🙂 congrats to you all on Theo’s new job!
Thank you so much! Yes, we love Lebanon! A lot of country and a little bit of city 😉 Plus the downtown area is SO CUTE!