Revelstoke Christian School

Providing an educational environment which fosters:

Achievement and Life Skills
Excellence in Academics
Christian Character

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

2007-2008

Revelstoke Christian School
1806 Colbeck Road
Revelstoke, BC
V0E 2S0
(250) 837-0120

THE EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF REVELSTOKE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

The educational philosophy of REVELSTOKE Christian School is based on a God-centered view of man and truth as presented in the Bible. Since God created and sustains all things through His Son Jesus Christ, the universe and all life are dynamically related to God and have the purpose of glorifying Him. This is pointedly true of man who was made in God's image, different in kind from all other creatures, with the unique capacity to know and respond to God personally and voluntarily. Because man is a sinner by nature and choice, he cannot, in this condition, know or honor God in his life. He can do this only by being born again to do God's will. This should be the ultimate purpose of his life. The authority for such an education comes both from God's command that children be taught to love God and place Him first in their lives, and from the fact that parents are responsible for the total education and training of their children. At the parent's request the Christian School, along with their church, becomes a partner in giving this education. From this philosophy stem certain aims and objectives:

1. For the spiritual and moral growth of the student, the school seeks:

to teach the Bible as God's inspired Word and to develop attitudes of love and respect toward it
to teach the basic doctrines of the Bible
to lead the student to a decision of confessing Christ as Savior and Lord
to develop a desire to know and obey the will of God as revealed in the Scriptures
to equip the student to carry out the will of God daily
to impart an understanding of each Christian's place in the Church and its worldwide task of witness, evangelism, and discipling. Also, to stimulate the student's involvement in this task
to develop a Biblical view toward godliness and sin, and to teach the student self-control and consideration for others.
to encourage the development of self-discipline and responsibility in the student
to help the student develop for himself a Christian world view by integrating life and studies with the Bible.

2. For the student's personal and social development, the school aims:

to help the student develop his personality based both on a proper understanding and acceptance of himself as a unique individual created in the image of God, and on the fullest possible development of his own capabilities.
to teach the student to treat everyone with love and respect since others, too, are made in God's image.
to make the student a contributing member of his society who realizes his dependence on others and their dependence on him.
to promote an understanding of time as a God-given commodity, and the individual responsibility for effective use of time.
to show a Biblical view of life and work, and to provide skills for personal relationships and future endeavors.
to develop good and proper attitudes toward marriage and the family and also the understanding and skills needed to establish God-honoring homes.
to promote physical fitness, good health habits, and wise use of the body as the temple of God.
to impart Biblical attitudes toward material things, and to encourage individual responsibility for using them for God's glory.

3. Academically, the school endeavors:

to promote high academic standards within the potential of the individual as uniquely created.
to help each student gain a thorough comprehension and command of the fundamental processes used in communicating and dealing with others, such as reading, writing, speaking, listening, and mathematics.
to teach and encourage the use of good study habits.
to teach the student how to do independent research and to reason logically.
to motivate the student to pursue independent study in the area of personal interest.
to develop creative and critical thinking and the proper use of Biblical criteria for evaluation.
to promote good citizenship through developing the understanding and appreciation of our Christian and Canadian heritage of responsible freedom, human dignity, and acceptance of authority.
to discuss current affairs in all fields and to relate them to God's plan for man.
to produce an understanding and appreciation for God's world, and awareness of man's role in his environment, and his God-given responsibilities to use and preserve it properly.
to promote an appreciation of the fine arts through the development of the student's understanding and personal expression.
to adapt curriculum to real-life situations in the community.

4. Working with the homes from which the students come, the school desires:

to cooperate closely with the parents in every phase of the student's development, especially as it relates to the school program.
to help the parents to understand the school's purpose and programs.
to aid families in the overall Christian development of their children so that the children will mature with the values and the vision to make a positive contribution to the home, the church, and the community.
to assist parents in keeping up with the changing culture and its effects on the home and the implications for their children.
to encourage regular attendance and involvement in a local church.

The philosophy of the Revelstoke Christian School is implemented through the curriculum and the cooperation of the staff, parents, administration, and the board of the school.

GOALS OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Achievement of the goals of Christian Education must be viewed as a shared responsibility of the Christian community. Maximum learning occurs when the efforts and expectations of various agencies affecting children complement each other. Recognizing the learning that has or has not occurred through various community influences, among which the home is most important, the school will strive to accomplish the following:

Develop a sense of purpose in life related to an experiential knowledge of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Develop values and ethics based on God's Word.
Develop intellectual curiosity and a desire for life long learning.
Develop the ability to communicate the message of Jesus Christ with people of varying backgrounds, beliefs and lifestyles.
Develop a sense of community responsibility which embraces respect for law and authority, public and private property, and the rights of others.
Develop self-discipline, self-understanding, and a positive self-concept through realistic appraisal of one's God-given gifts and abilities.
Develop an appreciation for tradition and the ability to understand and respond to change as it occurs in personal life and in society.
Develop an appreciation for the role of the family in society.
Develop a commitment to the careful use of natural resources and to the preservation and improvement of the physical environment.

The ultimate aim of Christian Education is to develop the character and the abilities of the individual in order that he or she might fulfill God's will and make a positive contribution to the Church and society. CERTIFICATION AND AFFILIATION Revelstoke Christian School is operated by the Revelstoke Christian School Society, a non-profit Society incorporated under the Society's Act. A team of parents, business people, educators and individuals concerned with providing a quality Christian school make up the Board of Directors. Bible is taught daily, stressing the application of the principles of God's Word to daily living and character building. RCS is classified as a Group 1 Independent School, the highest level possible under the Independent School Act. Final inspection was completed in Fall 2006, and the External Evaluations Committee appointed by the Ministry of Education gave highest commendation to RCS for its Academic programs, and Administrative structures.

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