Lipscomb Academy announced Melanie Grogan, director of spiritual formation and mustang life at the lower school, and Amy Welch, director of social-emotional counseling, will serve in two newly created positions as directors of spiritual life overseeing a broadened approach to spiritual formation effective June 1, 2021.
“For the past year, I have asked our community many questions about the academy and have listened intently to the answers. Overwhelmingly, I heard comments surrounding pouring into spiritual life for students, faculty, and staff,” stated Dr. Brad Schultz, head of school. “As a Christ-based two-year-old through 12th grade learning institution, our priority should always be to know God and draw near to Him, as well as to provide authentic opportunities for those encounters with the Creator to occur. With that in mind, spiritual life for the upcoming academic year is evolving - in a deeply, intentional way.”
After countless hours with faculty, staff, students and parents cultivating a common vision for Lipscomb Academy’s spiritual life, beginning with the 2021-22 academic year, Lipscomb Academy will purposely increase spiritually formative experiences for students, faculty, and staff. Grogan and Welch will co-lead the academy as directors of spiritual life overseeing a broadened approach to spiritual formation. While Grogan and Welch have implemented aspects of these roles on an individual school level, their school-wide supervision will create cohesion and clarity in the holistic development and support of our students, faculty, and staff. Spiritual Life will now encompass social-emotional-spiritual learning (SESL), counseling, chapel, and faculty/staff spiritual development.
SESL has significantly impacted students at the lower school through the Heart and Mind program. This academic year, the academy grew the initiative to include fifth and sixth grade and will expand it throughout the middle and upper schools via classroom instruction and chapel experiences. Additionally, Core groups in the middle school and Advisory groups in the high school will provide intentional places of enhanced community for students to be seen, known, and heard.
“I am looking forward to working with all students, building a cohesive spiritual community between our schools, and focusing on grounding our students' identity in the narrative of God,” stated Grogan. “Knowing that Lipscomb sees and understands the important connection between social-emotional and spiritual development makes me so excited about next year!”
Much thought and preparation has been placed around chapel for the upcoming year, and this time together will become the conscious center of Lipscomb Academy’s worship experience. “Through chapel, we want to ignite hearts to worship passionately and awaken the innate connection each of us has with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit,” said Dr. Schultz.
Grogan and Welch will be visible on both campuses and provide a unified approach in the development of spiritual life for all students, faculty, and staff. To assist Grogan with spiritual formation at the lower school, the academy is adding a part-time position to focus on the school’s youngest students. More information about the new alignment for spiritual life will be shared later this summer.
Grogan earned a Master’s of Arts in Christian Ministry from Lipscomb University (2021) and an undergraduate degree from Belmont University in nursing. Welch earned a Master’s of Arts in Christian Ministry from Lipscomb University (2021) and a Master’s of Science in Social Work from University of Texas-Austin (1998). She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Abilene Christian University.