A Message from the Board

A Message from the Board

May 24, 2024

Dear Hill Country Families,

As we wind down the academic year and the board launches its annual planning cycle, I am honored to pass the baton of board chairmanship to Mr. John Scimone, a parent of three Hill Country students: Lilah, Graham, and Violet and, just as important, husband of Meghan. He will lead the board well, and as the school prepares for the next phase in its 28-year history with an expanded campus, I am more confident than ever in the long-term success of the school’s mission.

My wife, Mary Christy, and I officially joined the Hill Country community in the fall of 2006 by enrolling our son, Mason, into kindergarten. My daughter, Ashleigh, would enroll three years later, and both went on to graduate from the school as Alpha Omegas.

As I reflect on nearly 18 years in the school community and 10 of the last 11 in service to the Board of Directors, I cannot help but become sentimental about our time here.

My wife and I enrolled our children at Hill Country to expand their faith as they learned in school. We wanted to pursue a more holistic but challenging course of study than what was available elsewhere, and wholeheartedly believe those goals were achieved while we, as a family, witnessed God at work. I realize the low grades that our kids received from time to time were just as beneficial as the high grades. They learned to defend an argument, write to an audience, and turn their work in on time. Our trust in the school was rewarded by teachers who modeled faith in Christ every day.

A Budding School

It’s often said that it’s easier to see God’s hand at work in looking back than by focusing on the present. The Bible also tells us character is refined through times of trial (Job 23:10; James 1:2-4). Both are true for the school. In the last eleven years, we have seen four heads of school, including Dr. Marx (who graciously returned for a second term). We have seen our original dream plan for expanded facilities in 2013, 2015, and 2016, only to be replaced (in God’s timing) with something much better.

We have seen the question of the viability of a sustainable, excellent Rhetoric/High School program be answered emphatically. We have seen the school’s finances rebound from difficulties in 2008 and 2017, leading to sound fiscal policy and financial stability. We experienced God leading us through the impact of COVID-19 with a bold return to the classroom in the fall of 2020 when schools across the nation elected to continue remote instruction.

God has spiritually strengthened the school through tragedies, including the recent tragic death of a beloved high school student and the passing of several prominent school parents, former students, and faculty. Over the same period, the school has realized tremendous success in discipling students and seen the fruit of its graduates as they live missionally.

In 2013, we witnessed the school become a CESA (Council on Educational Standards and Accountability) Member of Council, raising our standards of excellence to an elite level. The MAC became a reality in 2020 through the dedication of a few individuals who were determined to see it happen.

The relationship with Hill Country Bible Church has offered a key strength to the school. I am thankful for the open doors of the church to all its ministries. The school’s affiliation with HCBC has also offered a degree of protection in hiring and selectivity. Clearly, the partnership enables the school to sustain its mission.

God clearly had a vision for Hill Country Christian School, and it has been fun to be a part of it!

God’s Vision for Hill Country

As we view the turmoil in communities across the nation—accentuated by division, nihilism, and confusion—the need for classical Christian education is greater than ever. Students need to learn about absolute truth in Christ and the peace that can come through keen moral understanding and discipline. By equipping young people with the foundation for the pursuit of truth, Hill Country is perfectly poised for “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

In that light, I hope and pray that the Hill Country community resists the pressure to build a private school version of nearby schools by adding program after program that supplants classical instruction and subjects. As the school grows, watering down the core classical model to diversify offerings will be tempting. However, the classical model thrives from a highly structured, integrated sequence of learning based on the natural development of a child’s brain. My son and daughter will attest that their classical education better prepared them for college than their peers. As I’ve said before, to advance in STEM fields, learn Latin!

I also pray that the students will continue to drive a revival in discipleship that we don’t see in many school communities. Their efforts to spread the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ have been inspiring, whether their travels have taken them to the Dominican Republic, Brownsville, or College Station. Not only am I impressed by their grasp of biblical concepts, but also their boldness in participating in the Great Calling. The school, their families, and their churches have equipped them well. Hill Country has a great mission ahead!

Final Thoughts

In closing, I am forever grateful to the board members, committee volunteers, staff, and faculty with whom I have been privileged to serve alongside. Whether it was Margaret Jackson who guided me on how to parent a kindergarten son or Joe Bland who showed me the fulfillment of serving selflessly, I have witnessed the work of saints along the way. I believe God guided our family to Hill Country 18 years ago and will use this community to make an immeasurable impact on the Kingdom for centuries to come—Veritas Dei vincit (the truth of God conquers).

With gratitude,

David Nelson, Chairman of the Board