This year reminded me that community and friendship are gifts that should not be taken for granted. I found a new depth of meaning to Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s words in Life Together: “It is not to simply be taken for granted that the Christian has the privilege of living among other Christians…Therefore, let him who until now has had the privilege of living a common Christian life with other Christians praise God’s grace from the bottom of his heart.” 

Indeed, when the routines of in-person school were under threat, I realized that I had taken for granted the basic gift that is our common life together at Covenant School.

I believe I speak for all of us at Covenant when I say that it has been a privilege to live among other students, teachers, and families this year. Life together in a learning community is a gift, one that I’ve learned not to take for granted. 

For the very possibility of our life together this year, there are many to thank. For navigating the complexities of re-entering the school building safely, I am grateful to our medical committee and especially to Dr. Cari Burk for her time and leadership of this committee. There were many friends and volunteers (too many to name) who helped me with tasks from building plexiglass dividers and re-designing the layout of the rooms to buying and calibrating thermometers. 

Above all, I am grateful to our teachers who showed courage and dedication when they showed up to teach in-person this year. Beyond this, our teachers put in many hours learning to navigate Canvas and to manage multiple teaching modalities at the same time. This was a challenge, but it mattered: where many school districts around the country are facing unprecedented learning gaps, our students are prepared to move forward. We have our talented and faithful team of teachers to thank for this outcome. 

Beyond navigating the unique challenges of this year, Covenant School has much to celebrate as our Lord has continued to bless and uphold this community. We completed a building expansion this year, acquiring three additional classrooms and putting 1-6 grades in a common hallway. We are also celebrating our first steps toward accreditation as Covenant became a candidate for accreditation in the Spring and submitted a lengthy application to the Association of Classical Christian Schools.

I am uniquely grateful for this year and for this community. On behalf of the Board of Directors, faculty, and staff, I want to thank you all for your continued partnership, generosity, and prayer for Covenant School. We look forward to next year and the gift of our continued life together in this learning community.  

Soli Deo gloria,

Craig Hefner, Ph.D.

Head of School