The Associated Christian Schools Leaders Retreat was held from the 23-26 July 2019 and focused on the central theme, ‘Faithful Christian Teaching and Learning for a Data Driven World’. The aim of the ACS Leadership Retreat is for educators, thinkers and colleagues to come together and discuss the vision of the organisation and to promote the improvement of society by the development of Christian educational communities. The event included an exciting program with a number of events and educational speakers. 

The 2019 ACS Leaders Retreat spanned across four days and included a Lunch, Symposium for Christian Educators, Leaders Retreat and the Developing Leaders Conference. Held at the Southport Sharks and Mantra at the Sharks – ACS attendees were treated to an impressive stay on a beautiful part of the Gold Coast.

The events touched upon a number of interesting and educational sessions with seminars focusing on the following topics. 

• Data and the abolition of man, woman and child
• Data and the faithful Christian imagination
• Data and Christian teaching and learning
• The nature of Christian Education in a performance-driven world  AND
• Data and Christian formation

These sessions aim to promote and advance the vision of Christian thinking and education for the Common Good. 

The 2019 ACS Leaders Retreat included a number of keynote speakers, including Dr Beth Green, Professor Trevor Cooling, and Mr Mike Potter. These three speakers are professionals in their field and offered insight across a range of different topics and challenges facing Christian ethos within the education sector. The expertise from the three keynote speakers covered a large scope of knowledge and provided interesting and educational viewpoints surrounding Christian faith in the education system.

The ACS Developing Leaders Conference was held on the 26th of July with the aim to support and enhance the leadership development within the various layers of the school. The conference aims to inspire and ignite passion within school leaders, with a desire to adapt and improve new practices for school improvement and student learning. 

The Associated Christian Schools Thought Leader’s Symposium focused on the theme of ‘Christian Education for a Post-Truth Culture’. The aim of the symposium was to engage Principals and school leaders on the topic of Thought Leadership in Christian Education and how Christian schools can serve the common good through developing the life of the mind, work and spirit in our staff and students. 

The overall response from attendees of the events were extremely positive with an overwhelming number of guest finding the speakers both relevant and information and the location very satisfying. 

We want to thank all of our generous sponsors – ACS Financial, Allen & Wolfe Auditors, NGSQIEC Super, and Superloop – your contributions are what help make events like this great.

We look forward to our future ACS Leaders Retreats and endeavor to continue to present relationships, attitudes, and viewpoints that will influence others towards a Christian Worldview.