Philosophy Statement

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Crossroads Christian School exists primarily as a ministry of protestant evangelical Christian parents and teachers to their covenant children.

We believe God has given parents the responsibility of educating their children and thus the school is to function as an extension of the home. Crossroads Christian School supplements what is learned at home by teaching love and obedience to God, by pursuing academic excellence, and by developing Christian character and social graces. Young children need to spend most of their time at home in order to internalize family values, to learn by working, experimenting, and observing within the home and God’s creation. Parents should take the primary role in the educational experience.

We believe man can have a personal relationship with God and gain eternal life through Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, the second person in the Trinity. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father, but by me.” We believe that Jesus Christ is the truth, the way of salvation and relationship with God, and the way of eternal life. This good news will be shared with the students of Crossroads Christian School. It is our deepest desire that each student develop a true and meaningful relationship with God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We believe that all truth is God’s truth, and God has inerrantly and infallibly revealed His truth exclusively in the Bible. This truth is the foundation for all aspects of our school. God’s truth should be integrated into a balanced curriculum in such a way that students will learn Christianity as a way of life. The development of godly character takes precedence over the accumulation of knowledge. The ultimate goal of Crossroads Christian School is to teach its students to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

We believe that content and teaching methods grow out of definite philosophies and religious beliefs. Since God gave His people the responsibility of subduing this world, the study of history, science, math and all areas of knowledge is a Christian endeavor to be pursued from a perspective that gives reverence to the Creator.

We believe that God gives different gifts and even the same gifts in different measure. Since every child is different, individual attention should be given to each student based on spirituality, maturity, and intellectual capacity, and learning styles. Students should work to understand and apply useful knowledge and skills in order to become better persons and to serve Christ by serving others.

We believe godly teachers perform a most honored and a vital ministry in the education of our children. The teacher represents the parent at school and should direct the students to submit to the truth and love of Christ. Teachers and parents will work in harmony in educating the children. The teacher should love to teach, love the children and desire to continually grow in his or her ability to teach creatively. Creative thinking should be fostered by the teacher but always focused toward the truth and love of Christ. The teacher is a role model and should desire the grace and lordship of Christ to be demonstrated in his or her life.

We believe that prayer is vitally important as we seek to support one another and aid our children in their spiritual, emotional and academic growth. To demonstrate our real dependence upon God for the complete growth of our children, parents and teachers will unite once a month in prayer that God might be glorified through our covenant children.

The following principles describe how our philosophy is implemented in our daily school operation.

1. We require the parents of a child attending Crossroads Christian School to be born again Christians who seek to demonstrate the lordship of Christ in all areas of life. The parents should be members in good standing of a Protestant evangelical church.

2. We believe that young children should spend as much time at home as possible; therefore, our school days are shorter than traditional schools. By dismissing earlier each day, children will have more time at home with parents to observe and internalize family values.

3. Students are expected to arrive at school promptly at 8:30 am. This allows students time to prepare for the day and to begin any morning work that is required by the teacher.
Students will be counted tardy at 8:40 am.

Times listed below are arrival and dismissal times for all grades.

Kindergarten          8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Tuesday - Friday
1st & 2nd grades  8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
3rd grade                8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Monday & Friday
                                  8:30 a.m. - 2:40 p.m. Tues., Wed. & Thurs.
4th – 8th grades    8:30 a.m. - 2:40 p.m. Monday - Thursday
                                  8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Friday

4. Parents will take an active role in the educational experience of their child. This will include planning, coordinating and teaching four to five enrichment days per year (1st and 2nd grades). In the upper grades, parents may be asked to assist the teacher in areas of science and social studies, special projects and events, if needed, and coordinate or drive for at least one field trip. Parents of all students are required to substitute teach in their child’s class up to two times per year, if needed.

5. The ultimate goal of Crossroads Christian School is to teach our students to love God and glorify Him in all they do. The leadership of Crossroads Christian School wants the educational experience of each child to be positive and exciting so that he may enjoy and experience God as he is learning. Hence, we will seek to stimulate the child’s imagination and love for learning throughout his education.

6. Because of the definite educational benefits, our philosophy requires that the number of students per class remain quite small.

7. In grades K - 3 we believe that numerical percentages and letter symbols are not the best form of student evaluation. This type of grading may cause students to work for grades rather than goals. Instead of working to understand useful knowledge and skills, students may become distraught over the importance of grades. Students will be tested and evaluated for performance and competency. Because of the close parent-teacher relationship, parents will be informed continually about their child’s strengths, weaknesses, areas that need reinforcement at home, etc. In grades 4 and above, proper use of grading may act as a motivation and standard of objective assessment of student progress. Even here, however, we recognize the inability of grades to fully evaluate the effort and achievement of children created in the image of God.

8. In the instances when enrollment of one grade does not meet desired levels, two grades may be combined in one classroom. In such cases, the developmental level of each child will continue to be respected by the teacher.

9. We believe prayer is an essential part of our duties as parents. As we pray together, we are strengthened for the task of educating our children. Therefore, Prayer and Share meetings are held each month. All parents are expected to attend as we pray specifically for the needs of the school, individual classes, teachers, and each student. Attendance will be taken to encourage covenant accountability.

10. Our curriculum is carefully evaluated and periodically updated by a committee designated by the Parent Board. Christian philosophy will be integrated into all areas of study whether or not the text or literature is from a Christian publisher.

11. We recognize that children in the same grade will often be at different academic stages. Teachers will make every effort to challenge students at differing levels within the parameters of the curriculum.

Statement of Faith

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1. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is verbally inspired of God, inerrant in the original writings and that they stand exclusively with no additions and are the supreme and final authority in faith and life.

2. We believe that there is only one Living and True God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

3. We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and bon of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man, and as such He lived a perfect sinless life.

4. We believe that man was created in the image and after the likeness of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but also that spiritual death which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature which is enmity against God, and in the case of those who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word and deed.

5. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood and righteousness.

6. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into Heaven, and in His present life there for us as High Priest, Advocate, and the only Mediator between God and man.

7. We believe in the personal and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ to set up His kingdom to reign in righteousness and justice.

8. We believe that salvation is by grace through faith, and that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God and that the Holy Spirit indwells all believers.

9. We believe there are two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, which are divinely enjoined upon all Christians. Without merit in themselves, they provide an expression of faith regarding the believer's identification and fellowship with Christ.

10. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost.

11. We believe the church is the body of Christ. Its mission is to make the gospel known to every person and to teach to those who become disciples all things which Jesus commanded so that they may adequately serve Him.

Code of  Discipline

DISCIPLINE: The word “discipline” means to “make a disciple.” This involves both the positive and negative aspects of teaching a child to live properly before God in all spheres of life. Two important factors of effective school behavior are properly established authority and consistent discipline.

Crossroads Christian School, believing that the Bible teaches that discipline should be fair, consistent, and administered in love, will seek to follow these principles (Proverbs 22:15; Hebrews 12:6; Revelation 3:19).

Teachers will make every effort to deal with behavioral problems creatively, calling on the parents’ input as necessary. If a child continues to have serious behavioral problems, a parent may be asked to be present in his or her child’s class until the teacher feels the child’s behavior has improved sufficiently. Crossroads Christian School will make every effort to bring about change in behavior, but as a last resort the child may be asked to leave the school, as we are not equipped to handle ongoing behavioral problems.