News Detail
Q & A with Dr. Halvorson
In April, Chattanooga Christian School announced that Dr. Marni Halvorson was unanimously selected as the Interim President for the 2023-2024 school year. We sat down with Dr. Halvorson to get to know her and learn more about her priorities for the upcoming school year.
Q: Why did you want to work in Christian education?
MH: Any education that excludes God isn’t really fully educating children. The public schools are not allowed to have God as part of the conversation, and that sends a strong message to students that either God doesn’t exist or he does, but he has nothing to do with history or science or math or economics or anything else. It makes a dichotomous split between the sacred and the secular, and we, particularly from a Reformed Christian perspective, believe there is no split—that God owns every inch of the universe and has something to do with all of it.
Q: You spent five years as a member of the Board and have been an interim president multiple times. How has that prepared you for this position?
MH: This is my fourth interim position, and all of them have similarities and differences. All Christian schools have certain things in common that they’re trying to do but go about it slightly differently or from a unique perspective. Being part of this school’s Board has enabled me to become more familiar with CCS. While I was never a parent of a student here, I have been a grandparent of two students. Being a Board member allowed me to be part of the process of working on the strategic roadmap, so I’m already acquainted with what the school is trying to accomplish, who’s being held accountable, and how they’ll bring it about.
Q: What excites you the most about the future of CCS?
MH: The students. They’re upbeat and fun to be around. They’re image-bearers of God. Seeing the displays of artwork and what goes on in the theater productions or on the athletic fields reminds me how he’s gifted them. It’s a blessing to be around the kids and see how they’re being prepared for their future.
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MH: Any education that excludes God isn’t really fully educating children. The public schools are not allowed to have God as part of the conversation, and that sends a strong message to students that either God doesn’t exist or he does, but he has nothing to do with history or science or math or economics or anything else. It makes a dichotomous split between the sacred and the secular, and we, particularly from a Reformed Christian perspective, believe there is no split—that God owns every inch of the universe and has something to do with all of it.
Q: You spent five years as a member of the Board and have been an interim president multiple times. How has that prepared you for this position?
MH: This is my fourth interim position, and all of them have similarities and differences. All Christian schools have certain things in common that they’re trying to do but go about it slightly differently or from a unique perspective. Being part of this school’s Board has enabled me to become more familiar with CCS. While I was never a parent of a student here, I have been a grandparent of two students. Being a Board member allowed me to be part of the process of working on the strategic roadmap, so I’m already acquainted with what the school is trying to accomplish, who’s being held accountable, and how they’ll bring it about.
Q: What excites you the most about the future of CCS?
MH: The students. They’re upbeat and fun to be around. They’re image-bearers of God. Seeing the displays of artwork and what goes on in the theater productions or on the athletic fields reminds me how he’s gifted them. It’s a blessing to be around the kids and see how they’re being prepared for their future.
Q: What are your top priorities as interim president?
MH: My main priority is to keep the school afloat and headed in the right direction. The Board has already established the direction, and it’s my responsibility to hold fast to core principles, the mission, and the aspiration of the school. There are things, such as school safety improvements, that the school was working towards accomplishing already, and we want to see that we’re making progress towards accomplishing that. Knowing that the children are safe at school and will return home safely is a top priority.
Q: What else would you like the CCS community to know about this transition?
MH: I will give my best effort to hold the ship steady for this year and prepare for the incoming president. Like all of us, I may make some mistakes along the way. I would hope that parents would be willing to give me grace. We are a team with the parents. We all desire the same thing—that their children have a successful experience where they are being extraordinarily well-equipped to move on to their next calling in life. If there are concerns, I would hope that parents would go to the person most directly involved, whether it’s a teacher or a coach.
Q: Fall semester is a really exciting time on campus, what are you most looking forward to in the coming months?
MH: I’m looking forward to the teachers being refreshed over the summer, coming back to some wonderful professional development, and then really engaging students in the classroom and through co-curricular activities. This school offers so many pathways that students can take, and it’s thrilling that they can be engaged in so many things.
