It is my pleasure to serve as the Principal for 6th-12th grade students at Fairfield Christian Academy. I would like to take the opportunity to tell you more about myself and share with you some information about my philosophy of education, management style and student discipline.

My wife, Shelly and I live in Lancaster and have been members of Fairfield Christian Church for the past 16 years. We have three children, all of whom are enrolled in Fairfield Christian Academy, Steven (age 16) in the 10th grade, Amy (age 9) in the 3rd grade, and Kelly (age 6) is in 1st grade.  Shelly and I were both born in Lancaster and raised in this area. After graduating from college, we married and moved to the Chicago area where I worked as an Operations Manager for a Fortune 500 company. After 10 years there, we felt the Lord calling us to come back to Ohio. It was with this move that we started our careers in education, Shelly as a school nurse and mine as a teacher. I believe that God has called me to use my business and teaching experiences and my love for Christ to lead others in a quest for excellence and to touch the lives of young men and women who are seeking to become more like Christ. I am excited to become part of the future growth of Fairfield Christian Academy. I envision a day when parents will desire to send their children here for a Christian education without any barriers to excellent well-rounded academics or a variety of extra-curricular activities that meet the needs of a diverse student population.

My philosophy of education directly reflects that of the Fairfield Christian Academy's foundational statements. I believe educating a student should be a shared responsibility between the school and the parent(s). Each should enter into the endeavor as equal partners with one ultimate goal, that of educating the student in a holistic manner which includes the spiritual intellectual and physical parts of the child and to achieve excellence in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. To be successful in this, the student would achieve a Biblical worldview and be capable of using this view to discern all information in which they come in contact.

At the forefront of my management style is using the wisdom found through the study of God's word and through seeking His will to handle problems. I strive for excellence in all that I do and expect the same of those I manage. I believe in using all resources that are available to accomplish goals and solve problems and often reach out to others to use their expertise for this purpose.

Consistency is the key to student discipline. Although wisdom and discernment is important in this area, following set policies and procedures established by the Administration and Board of Education is essential. Patterning conduct after Jesus should be the standard for everyone. Students need to be disciplined when in the wrong and need to be encouraged and exalted when they are following this standard. Parents and educators would be partners in showing children how to integrate the qualities of Jesus in their lives.

It is my hope that through this brief letter you may come to know a little about who I am and the standards to which I adhere so that together we can make the coming school year and those in the future a great success. Fairfield Christian Academy has a short, but rich, history and with God's help the best and most productive days are in the future. Let's give God all the glory.

Love the Lord and Give it Your All!

Craig Carpenter