Allan Hill new chair of Development Committee
Friday, November 17, 2006 -- Michelle Strutzenberger
Allan Hill, a parent and volunteer at Rhema Christian School, was recently appointed as the new Chair of the Development Committee.

Allan says the Committee will be working on a number of issues for the year, as identified by the Board. These include membership of the Peterborough Christian School Society, enrollment, designated funds, and community engagement. The Committee will be researching the issues and then identifying strategies to achieve desired objectives within each.

Concerning the Peterborough Christian School Society membership, the Committee will be looking at the role of a non-parent member of the Society.

“The reality is that most families are involved with the school until they graduate their youngest,” says Allan. Families then tend to direct their attention elsewhere.

The Committee would like to identify at what point non-parent families either feel obligated or out of place in the Society. The plan is to use these findings to make changes to strengthen the membership.

“The Society is weaker when we lose people,” says Allan. “We would like to build that up.”

The Committee will also be looking at Rhema’s position in the market. The research will include examining why families are attending the school and how to strategically use these findings to bring more families into the school.

“For example, if families are saying that they’re better cared-for at Rhema, then there are probably other families who are looking for that experience as well,” says Allan.

The Committee also plans to identify five to eight fundraising endeavours for the year, geared to members’ particular interests and passions.

People have indicated a passion for a variety of initiatives at the school, says Allan. The resource program and special needs sector is growing and has fuelled an interest from parents to see the program extended and enriched. Others are interested in additional or new playground equipment. There has been talk of an endowment fund.

The Committee’s goal is to identify a number of projects to target, based on feedback from parents and donors. The Committee will then be looking at ways to support people in fundraising initiatives for those projects.

The Development Committee will also be supporting the Socials Committee in its efforts to continue to build community within the school sphere. The Socials Committee oversees a variety of social events like Grandparents’ Day, Pastors’ Appreciation Day and various fellowship dinners. Making new families feel welcome on an ongoing basis is a part of its mandate as well.

“We ensure that those types of activities continue and give them resources to help them continue,” says Allan.

Once the Development Committee has identified strategies to achieve desired objectives, it will be reporting back to the Board.