One of our primary goals is to help our students develop the most important kinds of skills. So we have adopted the success skills of empathy, self-control, integrity, family, and grit as our school’s core values. Success skills are a set of attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that have actually been found to be more predictive of long-term outcomes than have test scores and IQ. They’ve been shown to help students academically, both now in elementary school and all the way through their schooling into high school and college. They’re also directly related to a number of adult outcomes such as health, financial stability, and reaching long-term career goals. Plus they just make a school a better place for everybody, creating a safe and welcoming learning environment. And most importantly they help our students with practical ways to show who they are: children of God.
Difference-making
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Empathy
1 Peter 3:8
Empathy is experiencing the thoughts and feelings of others; basically, it's being able to step into others' shoes and see things from their perspective. Our students are led to "be sympathetic,...compassionate and humble," which helps them to build meaningful relationships with one another. They are encouraged to take the time and make the effort to be empathetic.
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self-control
Philippians 4:8
Self-control is the ability to control your thoughts, words, and actions. Our students are encouraged to stop and think about possible outcomes before making a decision. By exercising self-control they are set up to think, say, and do "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable."
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Integrity
Proverbs 4:25-27
Acting with integrity means doing the right thing, even if you're the only one doing it or if no one is looking. Integrity often requires courage. Our students are guided by the clear law and gospel message of Scripture in daily devotions and lessons to "be steadfast in all [their] ways." Motivation from the love of Jesus and the example he set drives acts of integrity.
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Family
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
We see ourselves as a school family. Family creates a sense of belonging and fosters a "got your back" attitude. The love of a Christian family "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." Our collective sense family contributes to a safe, welcoming learning environment in which students and teachers are treated with love and respect and where everybody belongs.
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Grit
1 Corinthians 10:31
Grit is the combination of passion and perseverance in order to accomplish long-term goals. It requires hard work, discipline, and care. Our students are encouraged, "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." By showing grit - when they "keep climbing" - our students learn from their mistakes and develop character, which gives glory to God.
