Valley Christian Schools is excited to announce that Josh LeSage has been appointed as the VCS High School Principal beginning in August 2020. Josh comes to Valley Christian from Louisiana and replaces Dan Kuiper as the school’s high school principal. Mr. Kuiper previously was serving as both VCS’ K-12 administrator and as the high school principal and will begin serving solely as the Head of School beginning in 2020-21.
“I am elated that Mr. LeSage has accepted the position to lead our high school into the future,” Mr. Kuiper stated. “As we interviewed candidates for this position, we were looking for candidates with strong leadership skills, a strong academic background, and someone that could connect well with people. Mr. LeSage checked all of those boxes. I am confident Mr. LeSage, with his experience and expertise, will be able to take Valley Christian’s high school to the next level. Please join me in welcoming Mr. LeSage and his family to our Trojan family when they arrive in July.”
Mr. LeSage was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and is the oldest of four children. He graduated from LSU with a teaching degree in secondary social studies and taught for five years in Houston and Baton Rouge where he also coached football, basketball, and baseball. Mr. LeSage later graduated from Southern University with a Master’s degree in school administration and supervision and from Liberty University with a Master’s degree in religion and pastoral counseling.
“My family and I are thrilled to be a part of the VCS family,” Mr. LeSage stated. “The opportunity to serve as the Principal of the high school at Valley Christian is a tremendous privilege and a great responsibility. The school has a proud history of academic excellence and athletic success and is well known in the community for its rich fine arts program. What a privilege! What a challenge! What an opportunity!”
Mr. LeSage served for two years as an assistant principal in an urban setting, four years as headmaster of a private academy, and three years as a regional director for the Louisiana Department of Education. He holds lifetime teaching, administrative, and superintendent certifications in the State of Louisiana. For the last five years, he has served as a champion for school choice expansion through his consulting firm.
Mr. LeSage’s faith and family are most important to him and serve as a catalyst for his move to Chandler. Mr. LeSage and his wife, Dr. Kimberly, are excited to engage their three children in the life of Valley Christian Schools. He added, “Kim and I are so excited to fully immerse ourselves and our family into the VCS family.” The LeSage’s are college sports fanatics, and while they bleed purple and gold, they are excited to support Coach Edwards and the Sun Devils. Mr. LeSage also loves to play tennis.
A Letter from Mr. LeSage:
My family and I are thrilled to be a part of the VCS family. The opportunity to serve as the Principal of the high school at Valley Christian is a tremendous privilege and a great responsibility. The school has a proud history of academic excellence and athletic success and is well known in the community for its rich fine arts program. What a privilege! What a challenge! What an opportunity!
What a privilege! As I visited classrooms during my interview at the school, I was invited by one of the religion teachers to address a handful of students in the junior class. What I emphasized to these students is how truly blessed they are to have the opportunity to attend Valley Christian. It truly is a privilege for young people to have talented, godly men and women invest in them every day, not only academically, but spiritually and emotionally as well. I also encouraged these students to go home and thank their folks, grandparents, etc., for the sacrifices that so many families make to give their children a quality, rigorous, well-rounded Christian education. If you are a parent, thank you for your investment.
What a challenge! I have spent much of my career as a pioneer; that is, turning around failing schools or breaking new ground in the world of school choice. My challenge here will be taking something great and making it even greater. Or, depending on your experiences at VCS, taking something good and making it great. Whatever your perspective, Valley Christian is a great place, but it can be better; we can do better. I’m sure there may be specific aspects of the school that you are thinking about right now as you read this. If so, your efforts as a stakeholder will be vital to our growth and improvement, particularly in these areas, because they are important to you. If you are reading this, you are part of what makes Valley great, and you will be an important part of our continued success, growth, and improvement.
What an opportunity! The main thing is the main thing at Valley Christian, and it will always remain the main thing. The main thing is Jesus Christ. As VCS continues to seek excellence, I believe that God will provide increased opportunities to serve as a bright light in the Chandler community, sharing the life, truth, and love of Jesus Christ with everyone. People listen to winners; they recognize excellence. We want to continue winning with integrity in the classroom, in athletic competition, and with our fine arts programs so that the world will take notice. And when they do, we will have a platform to share the Gospel. No school is perfect, but we must continually strive for excellence and take advantage of every opportunity God gives to tell the world about him.
Kim and I are so excited to fully immerse ourselves and our family into the VCS family. Thank you for welcoming us. I look forward to meeting many of you as we serve our children together.
We are Here for the Children,
S. Josh LeSage
Principal, Valley Christian High School