How do you grow a school from just over 100 students to more than 500 while building a new campus? We got to hear firsthand from Ryan Hyde, Head of School at Calvary Christian School in Ohio. On the School Success Podcast, Hyde shared his incredible 17-year journey and offered profound wisdom on leveraging school choice, expanding accessibility, and adopting the leadership mindset needed to make it all happen. His story is a powerful example of what’s possible when faith meets strategy.
Navigating School Choice with Confidence
For many school leaders, the phrase ‘school choice’ brings up questions about government oversight. But for Hyde, Ohio’s EdChoice program has been an ‘absolute no-brainer.’ He emphasized that in his experience, accepting these funds hasn’t meant sacrificing control over their curriculum or policies. His perspective is simple: it’s a matter of good stewardship. Instead of being paralyzed by the fear of what might happen someday, he encourages leaders to use the tools God has provided right now to bless more families and enhance their school’s mission.
Making Excellence Accessible for All
A key part of Calvary Christian’s growth has been its commitment to accessibility. Hyde highlighted Ohio’s John Peterson scholarship, a program that provides significant funding for students with special needs. This was a game-changer, allowing them to hire intervention specialists and provide on-site speech and occupational therapy. More importantly, it allowed them to say ‘yes’ to entire families, ensuring that a child’s specific needs wouldn’t prevent their family from joining the school community. It’s a powerful model for serving every student well.
Thinking Like a School CEO
Hyde’s top advice for fellow school leaders? Lean into the CEO side of your role. He stressed the importance of becoming a ‘voracious reader,’ not just of education books, but of business and leadership authors like Pat Lencioni and John Maxwell. As schools grow and the educational landscape evolves, the role of a school head is about more than being a master teacher. It requires strategic, business-minded thinking to build sustainable systems that allow the ministry to flourish. It’s a powerful reminder that sound business practices can and should work in harmony with a ministry-focused mission.
Ryan Hyde’s journey at Calvary Christian School is a testament to what can be achieved with bold vision and strategic action. By embracing opportunities like school choice, intentionally building programs to serve all students, and adopting a CEO’s mindset, he has cultivated an environment of incredible growth and impact. His story is an encouragement to all of us to lead with faith, think strategically, and steward our schools toward a brighter future.
Click here to listen to the full podcast episode.