Dear Friends,
On behalf of the Board, it is my pleasure to announce the hiring of Rylan Auger as our first principal. This position of leadership is foundational for the healthy functioning and flourishing of the school. As such, we would like to share some of the convictions that guided the Board’s decision, and why we consider Rylan to be an excellent fit for this role.
Firstly, it is our firm conviction that Christian education is fundamentally about imitation. While modern education tends to be reduced to information transfer and self-discovery, the Scriptures speak clearly and repeatedly about the nature of humans as imitators. The Apostle Paul exhorts the Philippian church to not only imitate him, but to also “Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us” (Philippians 3:17). In addition to instructing Timothy to “command and teach”, he tells him to “set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:11-12). Godly leaders must be exemplary Christians who are worthy of imitation, which is why the qualifications for leaders are almost exclusively character related (cf. 1 Tim 3:1-13). Our priority, then, is to ensure that the leaders and teachers of our children are those who are first worthy of imitation. At Kawartha Classical Christian School (KCCS), we want to hire people who are, above all, the kind of people we would like our children to become. These people must, before all else, be imitators of Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1). Rylan has proven himself faithful as a disciple of Jesus, in the role of husband, father, church member, elder, neighbour, and friend. We are delighted that our children, the staff, and the greater KCCS community will have the blessing and privilege of following his lead.
Not only must a principal be of exemplary Christian character, but a principal must have the necessary competencies to lead an educational institution. Rylan is a gifted administrator, having the organizational skills needed to position KCCS for long-term success. He also possesses not only a contagious love for learning, but the ‘tools of learning’ that we hope to cultivate in our students. His gifting and capabilities with languages, his academic background in the Classics and History, and his current Master’s studies in theology all contribute to his embodiment of the kind of education that we want to provide at KCCS.
Lastly, the principal must have strong capabilities as a leader. While Christ-like character and administrative and academic skills are necessary to the role, they are not themselves sufficient. Many institutions find themselves in a state of ‘mission-drift’ when well-intentioned, godly, and skilled people are placed in positions of leadership for which they are not gifted. A principal, therefore, must have deep-rooted convictions surrounding the vision and principles we wish the school to embody, and the ability to communicate those to others. Rylan has a passion for both the gospel and Classical Christian education, as well as the character and competencies needed to share that passion effectively. He is able to navigate conflict with clarity and grace, bringing about reconciliation and peaceful solutions. We are confident that he will effectively carry out the vision and guiding principles of the school, and reproduce them in others.
While this educational endeavor requires the character and commitment of more than one person, our hope and prayer is that the Lord would bless Rylan and his family, and use him to lead and shepherd the KCCS community in our highest aim of knowing and enjoying Christ. Please join us in prayer to this end.
With gratitude and hope,
