CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND SCSBC’S RESPONSE: Find the lastest updates here for students, faculty and staff.
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND SCSBC’S RESPONSE: Find the lastest updates here for students, faculty and staff.
April 8 & 9, 2024
Coast Tsawwassen Inn
1665 56 Street
Delta BC V4L 2B2
To book your room at the Coast, call the Central Reservations at 1-800-663-1144 and ask for SCSBC Navigate Conference (Group Reservation number is CTH-GF3192).
The conference is over – we look forward to seeing you next year! April 7-8, 2025. In the meantime, check out photos from the 2024 Navigate conference here.
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You are invited to join us for Navigate 2024, the annual SCSBC Conference for Advancement and Finance, on April 8-9, 2024!
This year’s theme is Sustain:able, focussing on how our work flows from God’s sustaining work.
The conference is a great professional development and networking opportunity for school advancement and finance staff, as well as school administrators, board members, and committee members.
Please join us as we learn from experienced and engaging speakers in workshops designed to equip and sustain you for the invaluable work you do in Christian education.
God’s Sustaining Work—And Ours
David S. Robinson
The plenary session will situate our efforts toward organizational sustainability within God’s active provision for his people. It will offer a hopeful vision of how finance and advancement teams can join in God’s work to ensure the long-term well-being of our schools in a rapidly changing world.
Managing Future Property Risks
Sean Graham & Robin Whittaker
The capital planning process is a key aspect of a risk management program. Sean will share how understanding the needs and limits of your school infrastructure can help keep the costs of insurance premiums down and mitigate claims before they occur. This workshop will apply equally to schools with ageing buildings and those who want to maintain their new facilities in a proactive manner.
Lifelong Connections with Honorary Members
Julius Siebenga
We all desire for givers to have a lifelong connection to the school. We lament when we lose key members of our community once they cease to be parents at our school or when their youngest child graduates. Come find out how Abbotsford Christian launched an Honorary Members constituency at their school and what this did to advance their ability to stay engaged with their community. This constituency is actively engaged in things like annual funds, capital campaigns and planned giving – very exciting! The goal of our time together is to share a few stories at ACS and then help address the barriers and roadblocks other schools may have in considering something similar.
Adjusting Strategies Amidst Change
Joshua Marshall & Steve Gutknecht
Raise your hand if you have had to adjust your school’s strategies and plans for the shifting and whirling winds in the last three years.
It’s been said that change is the only constant. We would agree. The challenge, it appears, is that the rate of change is increasing. Although life is supposed to be simpler with the adoption of new technology, maybe it’s not. In this session, Joshua Marshall and Steve Gutknecht will do a deep dive into the various adjustments made in Vernon Christian School’s aim to expand their campus. You will walk away with practical tools and real-life examples of navigating change within your school’s context. Although we’ll explore these tools and changes in the context of fundraising during a capital campaign, the approach will be pertinent to your unique situation.
Protection of Personal Information Overview
Charles DeJager & Maria Mach
This workshop will inform participants about basic privacy law and enable them to comply with privacy law. The workshop will cover applicable legislation in BC, ten foundational privacy principles, trends and recent changes, and common practical questions. The workshop will apply to the protection of personal information of various stakeholders, including employees, students, donors, and volunteers.
The Secular Cost Calculation Demystified
Tracey Yan
Determining the school’s secular cost of education can be a head-scratching and frustrating experience, especially because it is a task that happens only once per year. We forget the specific rules, plug numbers, and cross our fingers for a good result. Tracey will attempt to explain the overall purpose of the framework, walk through some of the most common errors, and share some of the insights she has learned from reviewing 150 Excel workbooks annually.
Navigating Social Media: Building a Communications Plan for Christian Schools
Nadia Tchoumi
How can Christian Schools navigate social media in a sometimes turbulent online landscape? In this presentation, we will uncover your school’s reason for being on social media, discuss best practices around social media policies, and lay the foundation for a communications plan.
Panel Discussion on Accounting Software Conversions
Joanne Ironside, Christina Binnema, Anita Chiu, Kithy Lee, Myra Wieler (facilitator Tracey Yan)
As schools investigate better ways to meet their accounting software needs, learning from those who have been through the conversion process can be invaluable. Representatives from Richmond Christian, Surrey Christian, and MEI Schools will share their experiences, including what went well and what went wrong. Even schools not considering software changes will be able to glean insights into setting up their accounting systems for success.
MONDAY
8:30 – 9:15 Opening devotions & worship – Dave Loewen / Jonathan Van Dyke (music)
9:15 – 10:45 Plenary Session – “God’s Sustaining Work – and Ours” – Dr. David Robinson
10:45 – 11:15 Break
11:15 – 12:30 Workshop
Advancement & Finance – “Protection of Personal Information Overview” – Charles DeJager & Maria Mach
12:30 – 1:30 Lunch – sponsored by Acera Insurance
1:30 – 2:45 Workshops
Advancement – “Adjusting Strategies Amidst Change” – Joshua Marshall & Steve Gutknecht
Finance – “Managing Future Property Risks” – Sean Graham & Robin Whittaker
2:45 – 3:15 Break
3:15 – 4:30 TableTalk – Admissions/Development – including a discussion with Christian Stewardship Services and the Christian School Foundation
TableTalk – Finance – including Q&A with Christian Education Benefits Solutions
4:30 – 6:00 Free time
6:00 – 7:00 Dinner – sponsored by Westland Insurance
7:30 – 9:00 Hospitality Rooms – sponsored by DeJager Volkenant
TUESDAY
8:30 – 9:00 Worship – Jonathan Van Dyke
9:00 – 10:15 Workshops
Advancement – “Lifelong Connections with Honorary Members” – Julius Siebenga
Finance – “The Secular Cost Calculation Demystified” – Tracey Yan
10:15 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 12:00 TableTalk – Admissions/Development/Finance
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:15 Workshops
Advancement – “Navigating Social Media: Building a Communications Plan for Christian Schools” – Nadia Tchoumi
Finance – Panel Discussion on Accounting Software Conversions
2:15 – 2:30 Closing
Assistant Professor of Marketplace Theology and Leadership, Regent College
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Executive Director, Abbotsford Christian School
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Director of Development, Vernon Christian School
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Founder & President, JIRAH Growth Partners
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Partner, De Jager Volkenant
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Associate Lawyer, De Jager Volkenant
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Director of Sales, Acera Insurance
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SCSBC Director of Finance
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Founder, New Hope Media
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Commercial Risk Advisor, Acera Insurance
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God’s Sustaining Work
Coast Tsawwassen Inn
1665 56 Street
Delta BC V4L 2B2
To book your room at the Coast, call the Central Reservations at 1-800-663-1144 and ask for SCSBC Navigate Conference (Group Reservation number is CTH-GF3192).
April 8 & 9, 2024
Coast Tsawwassen Inn
1665 56 Street
Delta BC V4L 2B2
To book your room at the Coast, call the Central Reservations at 1-800-663-1144 and ask for SCSBC Navigate Conference (Group Reservation number is CTH-GF3192).
David S. Robinson is the R. Paul Stevens Assistant Professor of Marketplace Theology at Regent College (Vancouver, B.C.), where he directs the M.A. in Leadership, Theology, and Society–a low-residency, cohort-based program designed for working professionals. His current research focuses on the theological ethics of human work and approaches to sustainability (personal, corporate, and environmental). His previous research focused on modern philosophical and theological accounts of the self in society, including church-state relations. David has a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Edinburgh and has published articles in Journal of Church and State, Studies in Christian Ethics, and Faith Today. He lives in Coquitlam, BC, with his wife Jolene and their children Naomi and Andrew.
Julius Siebenga is the Executive Director at Abbotsford Christian School and works closely with the Advancement department. He has been in this position for the last 15 years and has experienced the ups and downs of fundraising and advancement. He has always followed the mantra that “Money Follows Vision” … and loves to connect these all the time.
Steve holds a business degree with a specialization in management and marketing, a foundation that has laid the groundwork for his diverse career. His early professional years were spent in business development roles in the not-for-profit and commercial aviation sectors.
About five years ago, he transitioned to the role of Director of Development at Vernon Christian School. Here, his main focus has been on advancing the school’s mission, building relationships with current and existing donors, and leading the school’s vision for campus expansion.
Steve is married to Krista, who also teaches at Vernon Christian School, and they have two boys: Jacob (9) and Ivan (5). When he’s not at the school, Steve loves playing sports, camping with the family, and finding a nice patio for food and drinks with friends.
In the last 15 years, Joshua has pioneered growth and change for organizations in various sectors. He has successfully built teams to generate 300% more revenue over 36 months and grown major gift portfolios by over 100% in a 24-month timeframe. Joshua has helped a dozen organizations determine their readiness for a significant investment in revenue and operational growth.
Joshua completed his MBA in Managing the Growing Enterprise & Non-Profit Management from Trinity Western University and is a former Executive Board Member of the AFP Canada Foundation. Joshua is recognized for his ability to scale up development departments and work through strategic change for growth.
When not passionately increasing revenue for charities and owner-managed businesses, Joshua can be found enjoying the Okanagan lifestyle with his wife Tamara and son Judah (6).
Charles DeJager is a partner of De Jager Volkenant and the firm’s senior litigation counsel with 33 years of experience. He carries on a general litigation counsel practice focused in the areas of charities and non-profit organizations, employment, labour and human rights, education law, civil litigation and mediation and arbitration. Charles acts for a wide range of charities and non-profit organizations, including local and international church and para-church organizations, local and international missions, aid and development organizations, independent schools and education organizations, housing organizations and foundations, and various businesses and individuals. Apart from his legal practice and volunteer activities, Charles enjoys gardening and photography and is an avid fly fisherman and sportsman. Charles and his wife Joyce live in Surrey, British Columbia.
Maria Mach joined De Jager Volkenant in January 2023 as an associate lawyer. Maria previously worked as in-house counsel and privacy officer with a large internationally-focused charity based in Alberta, and as an associate with a mid-sized general practice firm in Abbotsford. Maria assists charities in a variety of areas, including privacy and access to information compliance, managing organizational risk in contractual relationships, leases and real estate and charity law compliance.
Sean Graham is the Director of Sales BC Lower Mainland for Acera Insurance. As the specialty practices leader at Acera Insurance, Sean Graham serves as a trusted advisor to faith-based and non-profit organizations across BC and Canada. Backed by 30 years of consulting experience, Sean works directly with each client to create custom insurance and risk management solutions specifically designed to address their unique exposures, protect their operations and support their growth.
Tracey brings a varied background of experience to her role with SCSBC schools – as a former Christian school student, parent, board treasurer, and school business manager – which helps her consider issues from different perspectives and serves as a testament to her long-standing commitment to Christian education.
Tracey graduated from the University of BC with a Bachelor of Commerce and began her career in a large public accounting firm, specializing in audits of not-for-profit organizations, local government, and public utilities. She obtained her Chartered Professional Accountant designation in 1993. While taking some time off to raise children, she served on the boards of various not-for-profit organizations, including John Knox Christian School in Burnaby. That involvement led to a 4-year role as the business manager at the school. She joined SCSBC in 2017, where she enjoys connecting with and supporting finance staff in schools around the province while proving to her co-workers that accountants are not boring.
A storyteller, entrepreneur, community leader, and humanitarian, Nadia Tchoumi understands the power of words, the importance of giving voice to those often misrepresented or unheard, and the value of sharing life-giving stories. She spent 17 years travelling across Canada as a journalist.
As a Commercial Client Executive with Acera Insurance, Robin Whittaker helps organizations identify and manage their insurable risks to promote long term stability that aligns with their organizational values, goals, and budgets. With a focus specialty of both faith-based and non-profit communities, Robin is privileged to work with organizations making an immediate impact in their communities through the services they provide.
