Insights
Active Listening and Creating A Family Mission Statement
Last week, Mrs. McIlvoy started the conversation around the importance of developing a family mission statement. She mentioned that it takes time, and should be done as a family UNIT, meaning everyone gets some input.
When you start the journey of writing your family mission statement you have to enter the project with an interpersonal skill that many of us struggle with. “What is this interpersonal skill?” you may ask. This skill is the skill of active listening.
Active Listening requires listening attentively to a speaker, understanding what they're saying, responding and reflecting on what's being said, and retaining the information for later. In summary, being present during these conversations, present mentally, not just physically. Many times, especially as parents, we go into conversations already knowing how things are going to end, because we have already made the decision. By doing so, we go into conversations with no willingness to actively listen. Or, we are physically present for the conversation, but our mind is on 100 different things. We then create a family mission statement that is owned only by the parents, and not the family, or one that we haven’t even thought through. Everyone should be able to buy in on this family mission statement.
To begin, ask questions like…
What kind of family do we want to be?
What kind of things do we want to do?
What kind of feeling do we want to have in our home?
What things are important to us as a family?
How do we want to treat one another and speak to one another?
These are just a start, but by simply asking these questions, actively listening, and asking more questions, we can start to build amazing family mission statements that will not only drive our families now, but will build formative habits in our students for years to come.
I challenge you to start working these things through. Begin having these conversations. Then, may we actually live them out!!
May we work together to build families that honor each other, honor those around us and strive to make an impact for Christ now and in the years to come.
Joel Gutowsky
Director of Student Life
Family Mission Statement
When students are seeking admission to Logos Prep, there is a family interview during which we ask a challenging question. “Describe the type of individual you want your child to be when he or she is 18 years old and about to leave home.” This year, as we focus on family, we will refer to the seven habits listed in Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families. Habit 2 is to begin with the end in mind. As Covey points out, Habit 2 is all about vision. Vision is the definition of where you are headed. It speaks to your ultimate goal. The vision of Logos Preparatory Academy is “Families and students making an impact for Christ.” This is our reason. This is the why behind our what. Our why is what drives us. It is the compass that guides us. Here is a quick video discussing the importance of why. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ytFB8TrkTo
The Word of God speaks of our why as well. In Proverbs 29:18, we learn that “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” There are several examples of the Israelites walking toward disaster because they failed to remember their own why. One generation failed to teach the next the vision God placed over Israel. In Judges 2, we see the story of what my Bible titles “Disobedience and Defeat”. It starts with Israelites taking possession of the land they were promised by the Lord. “The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel….After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord,” verses 7, 10-11a. As demonstrated in these examples, it can be true that change is only one generation away.
Setting a vision over our families can help secure guiding principles for your family today and for generations to come. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will lead you in developing a family mission statement. Successful families are driven by guiding principles and values. When these principles are applied to the creation of a family mission statement, the family is able to live intentionally toward long term goals. “A family mission statement is a combined, unified expression from all family members of what your family is all about - what it is you really want to do and be - and the principles you choose to govern your family life,” page 72 of 7 Habits.
Developing such a statement takes time and should be done as a family unit. Consider inviting grandparents to participate as well. One way to begin is by determining your family why. According to Covey, step one is to explore what your family is all about. Ask each family member the question, “What is the purpose of our family? What is our family about?” You may find that younger children are eager to participate while older children are more reluctant. Give them space and time to come along. Start small. Instead of announcing that you hope to create a family mission statement, start with the question of your why. Ask important questions and listen thoughtfully to the answers. As mentioned above, Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families is an excellent resource. Other favorites include One Word that Will Change Your Life by Jon Gordon, and Mission Drift by Peter Greer. While the latter two aren’t specifically about developing a family mission statement, they do address the importance of being vision and mission driven. We are excited to begin this journey with you and your family.
Tammy McIlvoy
Head of School
Logos Preparatory Academy
Building Faith Together
Far too early for anyone’s liking, my son Connor has decided he’d like to test out this “walking” thing all the big people are doing. We’ll catch him in moments of distraction where he stands without being propped up, or when he takes a step or two to get from one handhold to another. While I don’t really approve of my little boy growing up so fast, watching everyone support him has been amazing. Abby and I will sit and pass him back and forth, letting him get some steps in a safe environment. Declan can’t really do that, but he can grab Connor’s hands and walk him around the room. Riley is more on Connor’s level, both in terms of strength and size, and so she will stand with him and encourage him, even when she can’t do what Mom and Dad and big brother can do. We all have a role to play in Connor growing up, getting stronger, and developing.
When it comes to developing faith, the role we play as a family at Logos Prep is pretty similar. Some of us are learning to walk, with all of the tumbles and uncertainty that comes with it. Some of us are cheerleaders, unable to shoulder a heavy burden but willing to love on others as hard as we possibly can. Some of us are in the middle of it, walking through faith development alongside our friends and family members. Some of us are the parents, sources of encouragement and stability and comfort, whether we make those steady steps or not. And the reality is, some of us change roles daily, if not multiple times within each day. Sometimes I need encouragement, and other times I’m giving encouragement. Sometimes I’m strong and help hold others up, and other times I’m stumbling and need someone to catch me.
That’s why places like our church families and like Logos Prep are so crucial: we can’t do this alone. It’s WAY more fun to do it together! The first meeting of Logos Prep C2 had over 100 attendees. Retreat had probably 100 more people than we’ve ever had. Grandparents’ Day was HUGE, both on Thursday and at the game. We’re doing life together, which means we’re also building our faith together.
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2
Jason Henderson
Secondary Education Principal
Logos Preparatory Academy
Academic Excellence
Recently, I read about a social phenomenon called “quiet quitting”. Apparently, people who “quiet quit”go to work and well, just do the very minimum. The Wall Street Journal described this classification of workers as “not engaged’ or workers who don’t go beyond the standards. This led me to think about standards of a Christ follower. It just seems that Christ always asked to go beyond the standard of what was expected. Often in the Sermon on the Mount, He would say, “You have heard it said….But I tell you” and He would set the bar higher than what the standard of the time would be. Then in Matthew 5:41 Jesus states, “ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Doing more than what is expected would be part of my definition of excellence. As part of the Logos Prep family, we strive for academic excellence so that we can be a proclamation to the world of what only God can do.
What does the standard of academic excellence look like in a student? Excellence is displayed in an attitude and attention to detail. An example would be making sure to write the correct heading on a paper or going beyond the minimum in a project. As an educator, I have wondered how to develop the pursuit of academic excellence in students and I have come to realize that the value of academic excellence is often instilled by family.
Within families, parents model for their children by going the extra mile and having a standard that pursues excellence. Whether they develop the mantra, “Do it right the first time” or make an additional effort to go the extra mile in service, children watch their parents live out the value of excellence. Excellence has to become a mental shift from just doing the minimum to using the energy to go beyond what is expected. Many families intentionally look for ways to serve even without being asked. After an event last year, one family stayed afterwards to help me clean up and stack chairs. That extra effort and the willingness to serve beyond what is expected reflects God’s goodness within the family of God. Our families go beyond what is asked and serve in ways that are beyond the minimum. Our work or task is a reflection of God’s workmanship in us. Our motivation to strive for excellence is to bring God glory. No “quiet quitting” until the Lord returns.
Wall Street Journal
Leah Rabb
Elementary Education Principal
Logos Preparatory Academy
Family Traditions
I recently asked my grown children, “What is your favorite family tradition”? They responded quickly with a proclamation that I had them say each morning before they went off to school. As they all chanted it in unison, I thought about how important the traditions we begin, and carry on with our children are for their foundation in life. One of my boys piped up about our tradition of going out to eat on Christmas Eve super late and blessing the waitress who is having to work that night. Another talked about family dinners and saying “highs and lows” each night. We talked about the Birthday Blessing Bear, Taco Bell after Passover, making Challah bread every Friday and singing “As the Mountains Surround Jerusalem '' with their names inserted in the song each night at bedtime.
I wish I could sit with each of you and hear about the traditions that your family celebrates. I love hearing how each family endeavors to build family unity and where they place the importance of family renewal. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, Stephen Covey says, “The repeating patterns of family renewal are called traditions. Family traditions include rituals and celebrations and meaningful events that you do in your family. They help you understand who you are: that you are a part of a family that is a strong unit, that you love one another, that you respect and honor one another, that you celebrate one another’s birthday and special events and make positive memories for everybody. Through traditions you reinforce the connections of the family.”
We are a family here at Logos Prep as well and the traditions that we celebrate together help us feel connected, supported and loved. Our 7-12th graders just returned from their annual retreat sharing stories of all God had done and demonstrating the blessings of new connections made. This morning was ROAR! for the K-6th graders where we worshiped together loudly, ate donuts and leaned in to hear what the Lord had to say through the principals. Next week we will join hearts to celebrate our Grandparents with breakfast, lunch and football game traditions. There will be many additional opportunities to celebrate traditions at Logos Prep this year. Look for ways to engage with us in those traditions and help strengthen your family, the family of Logos Prep and the family of God that is the bigger picture we are all a part of.
In His word, the Lord encourages us over and over again to use the traditions that accompany events to help us remember who and whose we are. He tells Adam and Eve to rest on the seventh day and teaches Israel the importance of honoring Shabbat each week. He lays out feasts and festivals and gives instructions on how they are to be celebrated every year so the traditions you incorporate as you celebrate them remind you about the Lord’s faithfulness to His people.
2 Thessalonians 2:15 says, “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” The traditions Paul is speaking about here are derived from the Word of God. As believers, I think it is important that we focus our family traditions around the impact they will have on our connectedness to each other and to the Lord.
Traditions should enrich your family life and renew your family connections. Maybe you have lots of traditions passed on from your parents and grandparents or maybe you are the tree-trunk beginning to grow traditions from the ground up. Ask the Lord what traditions are worth keeping and what traditions need to be started to strengthen your immediate family, your LP family and the family of God. Ask Him what traditions will help lay a foundation for your children of feeling connected to the Lord, to each other and to the family of God.
Becky Ross
Primary Education Principal
Logos Preparatory Academy
