Foundation Academy President Dave Buckles leaves the Lions’ den

Change — even when you know it’s God’s plan — is hard.

And the more time that passes, the harder it gets.

That’s why Dave Buckles’ eyes well with tears as reality sets in: He is no longer the president of Foundation Academy.

“I hate goodbyes,” he said. “That’s why I couldn’t stand in front of (the staff) and tell them. I did it by video. I couldn’t handle seeing their faces. We’re family.”

After 11 years at the helm of Foundation Academy, Buckles resigned from his post earlier this month.

“It’s been an incredible honor to serve as president of Foundation Academy,” he wrote in his announcement. “Watching God transform lives, expand our campuses and deepen our commitment to Christ-centered education has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.

“Recently, God has been stirring something new in my heart — to help schools with leadership coaching at the senior levels, develop strategic plans and so much more,” Buckles wrote. “That’s why I’ve made the decision to step down as president of Foundation Academy.”

Buckles now will focus his efforts on his company, Paradox Consultants, which offers leadership coaching and strategic planning consulting for all industries but especially in school administration and leadership. Through Paradox, he’ll be drawing from the well of knowledge he gained from guiding Foundation through the last decade of growth and expansion.

“I’m answering a bigger calling,” Buckles said. “God is using me in a bigger way to help schools across the country.”

However, although Buckles has absolute faith in the decision, that doesn’t make it any easier to leave Foundation. After all, half his closet is Lions gear.

“Really, God? This is what I’m supposed to be doing?” he said.

FIRM FOUNDATION
Buckles is somewhat of a unicorn in the private school leadership landscape. He came to Foundation in May 2014 — not as a lifelong educator or school administrator but rather as a general contractor with 15 years of construction experience.

“Foundation was a school that had 68 acres in one of the fastest growing areas in the country,” Buckles said. “They needed someone to help with the vision and the growth strategy. I came from a construction background and have a passion for kingdom ministry.”

Buckles’ first order of business: Divide the academics and business operations into separate silos. In this way, he could ensure the educational component of Foundation Academy remained strong while he guided the school’s growth.

During Buckles’ tenure, Foundation enjoyed tremendous expansion. The student population grew from 565 to 1,450 and the staff from 76 to more than 200. Foundation’s budget expanded from $6.5 million to $25 million. 

In 2017, Foundation broke ground on its much-anticipated $1.5 million athletic complex. Two years later, it opened its elementary-age Lakeside Campus with five students — dubbed “the Fab Five.” Now, the campus educates 135.

In 2022, the school celebrated the opening of a new educational building at the Tilden Campus. In 2024, the school opened the school year with the Tilden Campus’ new Mane Cafeteria/Worship Center.

The school also now offers a virtual school option through Foundation Academy Virtual Learning.

In the last 10 years, Foundation’s test scores have outscored the national average by 15%.

The 88-member Class of 2025, which celebrated commencement last week (see Page 7B), earned more than $3 million in academic and athletic scholarships. Furthermore, 12 Foundation student-athletes will play in college — a school record.

One Foundation alum — Danny Stutsman — was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 2025 NFL Draft. Another — Braden Holcomb — appears to be on his way to the MLB.

And although Buckles often was the one at the podium giving speeches and sharing these accomplishments, he is quick to note the successes were the result of God’s will and the hard work and dedication of the entire Foundation family.

“I was blessed to lead with some phenomenal people,” he said. 

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION FIRST
“My crowning achievement (at Foundation Academy) was to create a community in which students could thrive beyond even their expectations,” Buckles said.

He also points to the school’s Coffee with Dads group, a professional networking group that raises money for tuition assistance and mission trips to the Dominican Republic among his cherished memories.

“The end result is doing life together — bringing the community together,” he said. “You don’t do that with just a building.”

Now with Paradox, Buckles hopes to take what he’s learned at Foundation and assist schools throughout the country.

“We’re not trying to answer the question” he said. “We’re trying to help individuals ask the question. To figure out what the question is. To ask the right question first.”

And in doing so, administrators and leaders then can begin to build the culture and environment that yields the growth and community they desire for their schools.

As he walks with leaders he coaches, Buckles employs an acronym — R.A.W. Realignment: Align your people and priorities with purpose. Action: Turn vision into executable strategy. Win: Achieve measurable success with clarity.

“There’s 1,440 minutes in 24 hours,” he said. “You can’t make a minute longer; but you can make it better.”

For more information about Paradox Consultants, visit paradoxons.com.