The NorthStar Narrative

We welcome Dr. Jeanene Singleton to NorthStar Academy and share the story that brought her into a new season of leadership. We talk about how faith-driven culture, smart systems, and thoughtful technology can remove barriers so people have more time for students and relationships.

• Dr. Singleton’s path from classroom teaching to instructional design, academic technology, and leadership
• The moment of connection that led her to NorthStar and why mission alignment matters
• Early impressions of NorthStar culture, kindness, and prayer as everyday practice
• A 1 percent better mindset for improving operations without changing for the sake of change
• Using technology to simplify processes, automate routine work, and free staff to serve families
• Her commitment to multiply impact and help remove hurdles for students, parents, teachers, and staff

We share the heart behind NorthStar Academy’s fall Spiritual Emphasis Event (SEE) and why we’re centering it on Sabbath rest and “The Unplugged Heart.” We lay out the dates, the flexible schedule, and the new resources we’re building so students, parents, and TCKs can connect as a global community.

• why SEE matters for Scripture, prayer, and live community connection 
• the 2026 fall dates and how the duplicate morning and evening sessions work 
• why digital distraction shapes the “Unplugged Heart” theme 
• how Sabbath rest becomes a real invitation for busy students and families 
• community resources for TCKs plus parent discussion guides by age group

We lay out how NorthStar Academy builds a real, relationship-driven community inside an online school, with clear pathways for students to feel known and supported. We also share what’s changing for the 26–27 school year as we strengthen parent engagement, global connection, and spiritual life. 

• creating belonging through student-to-student and parent-to-parent connections 
• multiple ways students plug in, from discipleship groups to speed-friending gatherings 
• strengthening international representation and time-zone awareness across student leadership 
• expanding Parent Connect calls and resources for many different family needs 
• encouraging parents to prompt participation and stay informed on school opportunities 
• emphasizing prayer, personal support, and a holistic ministry approach beyond coursework

We sit down with Susan Crosier from Grace Prep to talk about the kind of school culture that makes people laugh, trust each other, and stay anchored to Jesus when leadership gets hard. Along the way, we dig into flourishing families, an entrepreneurial mindset that boosts student agency, and why a student-run soda business can teach what grades often miss. 

• choosing joy at work as a survival skill in education 
• building trust through stability, shared hardship, and seeking Jesus in leadership decisions 
• shifting from serving students to serving flourishing families 
• Christian schools as biblical community without replacing the church 
• student agency through choice, ownership, and real responsibility 
• preparing students to stand out with critical thinking and communication 
• rethinking grading by valuing process, feedback, and growth 

We talk with leadership coach and author Dr. Jay Raines about why presence is harder than it looks and why it matters more than most teams admit. We walk through his Culture Brand framework and land on a simple challenge: build character first so your culture can carry results and relationships through change. 

• learning presence and peace through forced slowing down 
• shifting daily rhythms to build awareness and character 
• using story to keep leaders engaged and honest 
• connecting purpose, mission, vision, and values to culture brand 
• keeping culture stable during departures by returning to mission 
• spotting microcultures, silos, and over-managed environments 
• noticing the micro behaviors that quietly build or erode trust 
• owning mistakes with transparency and calling people up 
• viewing leadership as cultivation and dependence on God 

We talk with Christina Crook about moving from fear and overwhelm toward a values-based approach to technology that helps kids thrive. We share practical questions and clear boundaries that turn parents and schools into digital mentors who protect attention, joy, and formation. 

• naming overwhelm and shifting the focus to what brings kids joy 
• anchoring screen choices in family values like truth courage and generosity 
• choosing digital mentoring over enabling or limiting extremes 
• partnering with schools by not contacting kids during the school day 
• spotting breakdowns like sleep loss and late-night device access 
• putting devices out of bedrooms and charging them in shared spaces 
• asking “What’s working and what’s not working?” on a regular cadence 
• connecting technology habits to goals body cues and real life joy 

We talk with Dr. Andy Goodwin about what it really takes to be present when leadership pressure never turns off and your calendar keeps filling itself. We explore small, practical shifts that help us choose our spouse and kids without pretending work and responsibility will magically disappear.

• why Walking Slowly is written “in the margins” of a full life 
• presence as a daily choice, not a personality trait 
• using your calendar to reveal real priorities 
• refusing the false solution of “just do less” 
• integrating rest, reading, workouts, and meals into normal rhythms 
• building a culture where rest is expected and modeled 
• student formation that values personhood over performance 
• listening well, trusting the Spirit, seeking the kingdom first 

We share Michael Perkins’ family story of walking through 11 years of breast cancer, brain metastasis, and the grief of losing his wife Denise, while choosing steady trust in Jesus the whole way. We also talk about how God uses hard seasons to shape purpose, and how faith can move into the marketplace through work, business, and mentorship.

• What “suffer well” looks like when the outcome is unknown
• Brain metastasis, long-term treatment, and learning to rely on God daily
• Hospice, final moments, and the peace their family experiences in the room
• Perspective, loneliness, and waiting on the Lord after loss
• Why Christian entrepreneurs need teams, coaches, prayer, and community
• Physical therapy as a relationship-based career and a natural space for ministry
• Seeing work as worship, excellence as witness, and purpose as obedience
• Contagious Hope podcast and how legacy grows through planted seeds

We talk with Dr. Brooke Helling about how an unexpected path led her into English, ESL, and curriculum work, and why student connection matters as much as content. We also share what makes NorthStar Academy’s online model feel personal, growth-focused, and worth remembering for the relationships. 

• Brooke’s real-life snapshot as a teacher, church leader, wife, and mom of four boys 
• The “accidental English teacher” story and what she learns from ESL students’ resilience 
• Designing a strong learning experience through belonging, buy-in, and student choice 
• Measuring growth with mastery learning, reteaching, and assignment retries 
• Why online school can deepen teacher-student connection through feedback and messaging 
• What traditional sit-and-get models miss in a short-attention-span world 
• Boy-mom lessons on grace, consistency, listening, and saying yes wisely 
• “Anything worth doing is worth doing well” and why excellence points beyond ourselves 
• The hope that students remember people and community most of all

“I support you failing spectacularly” might be the most freeing sentence a teacher can hear, and it sets the tone for a hopeful conversation about online Christian education done with courage and care. We celebrate what God is doing at NorthStar Academy through Katherine’s story as an alumna, teacher, and curriculum designer who turns research into practical tools for online student success. We talk about pacing, student agency, and the kind of supportive culture that helps students get unstuck and become lifelong learners.

• Katherine’s journey from student to teacher at NorthStar Academy  
• Earning a master’s and applying capstone pacing research  
• Designing online course tools that support student success right away  
• “Failing spectacularly” as a leadership posture that fuels innovation  
• Building student agency through reflection, good questions, and flexible project choices    
• Reframing pacing as partnership, relationship, and individualized support  
• Alumni council growth and the value of shared formative experience