As the Board and Administration are developing budgets for next year, we thought it would be helpful for you to know our thoughts behind the process. We all realize we do not have the luxury of using tax dollars to pay for Christian Education. Those dollars must come from you as parents and those who generously support the school. Each year we ask ourselves several questions when analyzing the actual cost to our families. Some of the major questions we consider are:

1. Do we offer competitive and fair wages to attract and retain excellent teachers and staff?
2. Are we offering a balanced program to adequately prepare our students to enter any field they desire?
3. What does it mean to be a steward in relationship to this budget?
4. Are there sources of help, such as ACSTO to offset a family’s out of pocket tuition cost?
5. Are we competitive with other schools with the programs we offer and our wages?
6. Does our budget support an excellent overall educational program?

We realize it is a big investment to attend VCS and we do not take that lightly. Considering the cost, while addressing these questions, becomes a real dilemma at times. In the end, we always want to make sure a student’s education at VCS has prepared them to be culture changers for Christ. That may mean adding programs and classes, and this always comes with a cost.

As the investing adage goes, if you do not invest now, your return will not be as large in the future. Or, if you do not invest at all, there will be no return. Although we do not deny the investment is large, the Bible tells us if our efforts are focused on Kingdom Work, our efforts will not return void. At VCS, we are confident the return on your investment will be bountiful. Investing now will return future culture changers for Christ our world so desperately needs.

Thank you for investing in the lives of students and partnering with us to yield big returns for God’s Kingdom.

Dan Kuiper
Head of School

As we enter 2021, it was a good time for me to reflect on the difficult year behind us. It was difficult for everyone in different ways, from economics, health, employment, or just from a psychological perspective. Within that context, I thought about Valley Christian Schools and what we were able to accomplish despite all the challenges.

God calls us to be different and a light to our community. I believe we have done that in 2020. Unlike most of the educational institutions in the East Valley, we demonstrated if you make the effort, you can successfully do in-person learning. I am so grateful for a staff that cares enough about students they are willing to sacrifice some of their own wishes even if it goes beyond their comfort level.

Here are some specific ways I saw our staff go above and beyond in 2020:

• An Admissions Department that re-imagined Student Orientations to allow possible incoming families to get a glimpse “inside” all things Valley.
• A Communication Department that has been very busy updating and clarifying COVID procedures and plans to our community.
• An IT Department that has used all resources to make sure we provided an effective At Home Learning experience.
• A Ministry Development Team that desired to deliver meaningful chapels to our students although we could not meet as usual – so they reinvented the experience through weekly videos delivered to each classroom and titled it “Unplugged”.
• Junior High and Elementary campuses that desired to continue to deliver meaningful chapels and figured out a way to do it safely in person.
• Campus specific COVID plans laid out by each one of our principals.
• An Athletics Department that has figured out a way to hold practices and competitions while adhering to protocols.
• Our community Veteran’s Day chapels were reimagined and live streamed on our FB channel so others could enjoy, and it was outstanding.
• Fine Art Departments on each of our campuses prepared various versions of Christmas programs allowing the students to participate and share with their families.

As you can see…we have reimagined how to do school and events effectively because our staff has a passion for what they do and an even greater desire to make sure the mission of Valley Christian Schools is still carried out even in the middle of a pandemic.

I am reminded once again of the tremendous opportunity we have at this school. It is one of the unique places where academia intersects with the truth of God’s Word. With 2020 behind us…I continue to look forward to what God is going to do with this school well into the future.

Dan Kuiper
Head of School

We were grateful for the opportunity for our faculty and staff to be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through the Phoenix Union POD and Tempe Union High School District.

Faculty and staff will be able to get the second dose of the vaccine through the same partnership in February.

As we approach the end of the year, we want to take a moment and remind our community of the tax credit opportunities available to individuals with an Arizona state tax liability that allows them to receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. The Private School Tuition Tax Credit Program has allowed for countless Valley families to afford a Christian Education for their students. Without this program, many families would not otherwise be able to attend Valley.

Our preferred partner school tuition organization is Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization (ACSTO). We encourage our families to take advantage of the tax credits and ask your friends and families to participate as well. When donating, please identify Valley Christian Schools and you may also recommend a VCS student if you choose.

Not only do you receive this credit, but this gives you the ability to have a say in how you pay what otherwise would be your state tax payment. Most importantly, you can help make a Christian education an affordable option for families.

For Tax Year 2020, a Married Couple filing jointly can claim a maximum credit of up to $2365, a Single taxpayer up to $1183, or their total tax liability, whichever is less. These amounts are the total of Arizona’s two Private School Tax Credits—Original and Overflow. You may give at any time and claim it on your 2020 state income taxes, up until you file your taxes, but no later than April 15, 2021, whichever comes first.

Once you’ve made your donation to ACSTO, if you still have a state tax liability, we encourage you to consider supporting the Public School Extracurricular or Character Ed Program and designate one of these Chandler Unified District Schools: Galveston Elementary, Hartford Elementary, Frye Elementary, or Willis Junior High. Donations must be made directly to the School District.

There are also tax credit opportunities to help at risk youth and families, foster care families, and military families. Here is a great tax credit worksheet to learn more and utilize when you do your taxes.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kit Dibley at 480.705.8888 x 261 or call ASTO at 480.820.0403.

Thank you for supporting School Choice and our community with your tax credit donations!

Do any of you find Christmas paradoxical at some levels? The Christian community often touts we should not focus on material things. However, in some ways, I believe God requires us to do exactly that or at least gives us room to do so.

God has created a magnificent physical world for us to ponder and enjoy. God uses his material things to point us to him. Here are just a few examples:
• God used only four different molecules to create seven billion unique people.
• If you unraveled all the DNA in the average human body and laid it end to end, it would go back and forth from the sun 61 times or wrap around the Earth 2.5 million times.
• Suppose we could buy the energy the sun gives off for a period of twenty-four hours for one-fourth cent per kilowatt-hour. To pay for this energy in silver dollars would require enough money to cover the United States four miles deep.
• God required the Israelites to build a beautiful tabernacle and temple with lamp stands of gold, acacia tables, and robes woven from blue and purple yarns. God wanted us to experience the beautiful to remind us of him.

Romans 1:20 – For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Through God’s created order of the physical world we experience, understand, and come to know Him in His fullness. Of course, that does not mean we should worship the material things, but instead use it as an opportunity to know him better.

We ought not be limited to worshiping God at Christmas through prayer, songs, and Scripture reading—but also through enjoyment of His earthly gifts. At Christmas, we can enjoy the glistening white of snow, the curious texture of eggnog, the refracted light on tinsel, and the warmth of slippers.

Christmas is the time God became material. He became incarnate (flesh). He dwelt among us. We can proclaim the incarnation of Jesus in all its implications—material ones included. Jesus came as the salvation of our souls and our bodies—and proper celebration of the Incarnation will require both.

Dan Kuiper
Head of School