Latin, a Pillar of Classical Education— Strengthening Language Skills Means Strengthening Thought P

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF CORAM DEO ACADEMY SPRING 2021 A Classical Core cover story: Latin, A Pillar of Classical Education— Strengthening Language Skills Means Strengthening Thought p. 7 Production An Organizational Executive Editor – Feature Photographer – Samantha Davis Kennedy Thornton Leadership Model Editors – Layout and Design – Laura Morlan Andrew Kendall Tara Mosby Michelle Simms Kennedy Thornton forServant Publication Awards Leaders 2020 Platinum Winner by Dr. J. Alan Marshall, Colonel, USAF (Retired) MarCom Awards honors excellence Coram Deo Academy President in marketing and communication design with thousands of entries submitted from dozens of countries. oram Deo Academy (CDA) 2020 Platinum Winner introduces students to a Hermes Creative Awards honors personalC leadership model known winners in traditional and digital platforms. Annually, judges evaluate as Servant Leadership. In the Spring the creative industry’s best work. 2019 Edition of the Forum, I explained how CDA students could apply this Contents “revolutionary leadership model used by Jesus” to effectively lead Mary Perrone 4 people (p.2). In this issue, I would Creating a Culture of Learning 6 like to present an organizational leadership model that is based Why Latin? 7on Servant Leadership and can be useful in effectively leading The Vowells 8 any organization. This model is the Inverted Pyramid Model of Mrs. Michele Howard 10 organizational leadership that modifies how the leader views Cover Story: Senior Accomplishments 2021 12 an organizational chart and leverages the power of Servant Leadership across an organization. Grace Grapevine Community 14 Diamonds & Bow Tie Gala 16 Although many people have read articles and heard speeches about leadership, some may have recognized that most leadership discussions are largely descriptive rather than prescriptive. In Lion’s Roar (flip magazine) other words, many leadership scholars describe leadership traits but rarely explain how to lead in any given situation. Often CC and FM Val/Sal 2 leadership speeches and articles include a list of what leadership Senior Class 2021 4is, rather than provide a model for how to implement effective Commencement Speaker: Tommy Nelson 7leadership. Leadership traits such as judgment, dependability, Fine Arts 8 initiative, decisiveness, tact, integrity, enthusiasm, bearing, Current Student: Owen Gerth 10 courage, knowledge, loyalty, and endurance are frequently Dallas Campus — Making the Move 12 listed as requirements for effective leadership (Air University, Athletics 14 2011). Although such lists are helpful for self assessment and accountability, the listed traits are so broad that it is difficult for an aspiring leader to translate the concepts into a specific plan of action. The purpose of this article is to give young Christian leaders CDA Campuses a leadership model to anchor their chosen list of leadership traits worthy of pursuit. Collin County Dallas Flower Mound Pre-K to 12 Pre-K to 9 Pre-K to 12 An easy place to start discussing the Inverted Pyramid Model is 9645 Independence Pkwy 6930 Alpha Rd 4900 Wichita Trail to look at the typical pyramid shape of a standard organizational Plano, TX 75025 Dallas, TX 75240 Flower Mound, TX 75022 Phone 469.854.1300 Phone 972.385.6410 Phone 682.237.0232 chart. The pointed top of the pyramid represents the “leader” of the organization. The expanding upper middle of the pyramid www.CoramDeoAcademy.org represents mid-level leaders who work immediately below the leader. The lower middle of the pyramid is manned by more Cover Image numerous supervisors, and the bottom of the pyramid is filled out The School of Athens by Raphael by followers or front-line workers (see Figure 1). The implication 2 of this pyramid shape is that the followers at the wide bottom The Inverted Pyramid Model is theoretically derived from of the pyramid support or “serve” their supervisors, who in turn Servant Leadership Theory (Greenleaf, 1977) and Path Goal serve mid-level leaders, who in turn serve the top leader. This Leadership Theory (House, 1971). In Servant Leadership standard pyramid organizational chart represents a leadership Theory, the primary purpose of the leader is to serve the model where requests for training, resources, and guidance flow followers. In Path Goal Leadership Theory, the primary purpose up from the followers to the top leader who then directs action of the leader is to remove obstacles and increase support for or provides direction downward in an effort to accomplish the followers who achieve the goals of the organization. However, mission of the organization. the Inverted Pyramid Model is different from Greenleaf’s The Inverted Pyramid model proposed in this article inverts the formulation of servant leadership in that in Greenleaf’s theory, standard organizational pyramid so that the wide “bottom” the leader places the interests of the follower above the of the pyramid is now at the top of the page and the interests of the organization, whereas in most pointed “top” of the pyramid is at the bottom of real-world organizations, the mission of the the page (see Figure 2). In this Inverted Pyramid organization must always come first. In the Model, the organizational leader “serves” the Inverted Pyramid Model, leaders recognize mid-level leaders immediately above (in the that front-line workers are the ones who inverted pyramid) by providing the training, must accomplish the mission of the resources, and guidance that these organization and their supervisors and leaders need. In the same way, mid- leaders exist to provide them with level leaders “serve” the supervisors what they need to do so. Indeed, such by ensuring that these supervisors a model exposes any supervisor have what they need to support the or leader that fails to catch the vision. Since the organizational front-line workers. The supervisors in FIGURE 1 turn provide the followers or front-line leader takes failure of the mission workers with the training, resources, personally, front-line failures will be and guidance needed to accomplish traced by the organizational leader the mission. to the break in the chain of service. Everyone will know where the break The important concept in the Inverted occurred in the Inverted Pyramid Pyramid Model is that the purpose of Model, and the model requires that each person is to serve and support the broken link of service be repaired. those above them in the inverted pyramid, ultimately providing the front-line With all this said, the Inverted Pyramid workers with what they need to succeed. If Model is easy to remember and is a front-line worker lacks training, resources, conceptually practical. All organizations have or guidance, then the problem is not with the a hierarchy of leadership that can benefit from worker, but with the supervisor. If the supervisor FIGURE 2 servant leadership concepts. Servant Leadership lacks the resources needed to train, supply, or guide the has been researched for over 40 years and scholars workers, then the fault isn’t with the supervisor, but rather with have found it to be effective across all cultures and many the mid-level leaders. If the mid-level leaders lack what they need environments (business, military, education, etc.). By leveraging to support the supervisors, then the problem lies not with the mid- the Inverted Pyramid Model of leadership, young servant leaders level leaders, but with the organizational leader. can lead any group or organization effectively and any Coram Deo Academy graduate can stand out as a strong and effective leader Although a superficial inspection of the Inverted Pyramid Model amongst their peers. seems to only be a visual manipulation, the conceptual difference between the Inverted Pyramid Model and the standard model is profound. In the Inverted Pyramid Model, the organizational leader is ultimately responsible for providing everything the front-line workers need to accomplish the mission, not the other Air University. (2011). Competencies & skills. Strategic Leadership way around. Mid-level leaders and supervisors are responsible Studies. Retrieved from http://www.6mcd.usmc.mil/ftl_site/Handbook/ for knowing what the front-line workers need and for informing marine_corps_leadership__traits.htm. Maxwell, AFB, AL: Air University. leaders “lower” in the inverted pyramid when training, resources, House, R. J. (1971). A path-goal theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly (16), 321–339. or guidance is lacking. Greenleaf, R. (1977). Servant leadership, Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press. 3 Mary Perrone FLOWER MOUND CLASS OF 2017: GR ADES 3-12 FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: BA, FASHION DESIGN WITH AN EMPHASIS IN BRIDAL AND EVENING WEAR I graduated from CDA in 2017 and moved to New York immediately after. I’ve been studying fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. My emphasis is on bridal and evening wear. Right now, I’m in my senior year and working on my thesis. 4 How did CDA shape your faith? constantly pray about. I am constantly seeking the Lord, not only for large Mary Designed At CDA, we started our day at school with decisions like moving to New York, but prayer. Having friends and teachers that CDA’s New Plaid also everyday choices.. When you go to you are comfortable praying with makes …COMING SOON college in New York, or college anywhere, CDA a unique, healthy environment. you have to choose to walk faithfully. I When did you first realize you There’s so much encouragement at CDA, had parents, friend groups, and teachers were interested in fashion? and that encouragement comes from who encouraged me in my faith while at having teachers who love the Lord and I’ve always been interested in fashion. CDA. Everything was taught in a faith- who have been called to teach. It’s one It started when I was very young, based way, but once you graduate you of the reasons I loved CDA so much. The probably four. I loved playing dress up, have to work at it and make it part of your teachers have a level of understanding having my arms full of bracelets and daily life.

Load more