About FaithHeritage
PURPOSE AND EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF FAITHHERITAGE BAPTIST CHURCH & CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
FaithHeritage Christian Academy holds the infallible Word of God as its philosophical foundation. According to 1 Corinthians 10:31, which states: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God,” the goal of all education is to help man achieve life’s purpose: to glorify God. As the explicit revelation of this God, whom men are to know and serve, the Word of God provides the primary instrument toward the goal of education. In light of this, emphasis must be placed on learning, understanding, applying, and memorizing the Scriptures during the school day.
According to Psalm 24:1, all of creation in all of its aspects belongs to God. In Geesis 1:27-28, we are told that man was created in God's image and was given charge of this creation as a steward. In light of this charge, men are to be taught to understand the creation in all its aspects—not as an end in itself—but as a means to knowing and serving God. Hence, an effective education will expose students to the fullness of creation and give them the skills necessary to serve God as well as society. Since a true understanding of the world in which we live cannot be gained apart from knowledge of its Creator, all aspects of the educational curriculum should be distinctly Christian, taking into account God's revelation of Himself.
A primary portion of our service to God as outlined in both Exodus 20:1-17 and Matthew 19:19 is to center around loving our neighbors. To this end, a full education should include a substantial emphasis on acquiring and understanding the tools for communication and learning. In addition, students should understand the history and state of the culture within which they will serve God through their dealings with their neighbors.
Recognizing that parents have been given by God the basic responsibility of training and educating their children, FHCA strongly encourages parents to be active in the instruction of their child(ren). Parents are to be aware of the process, content, and progress of their child's education. Parents also may contribute to instruction in many ways. Helping with lunch duty, substitute teaching, teaching a pecialized subject such as art or music, helping with reading groups, serving with the parent-teacher organization, and being involved in field trips are some of the ways in which parents can be active in their child’s education.
FHCA takes seriously the responsibility to choose its teachers carefully and support them properly in the school's endeavors. Since personal contact is the primary method of education, class sizes will be kept as small as practical, to insure attention to each student's educational needs. The needs and abilities of each child will be taken into account in the teaching process. FaithHeritage Christian Academy welcomes, and regularly counts among its students, children and young people from any economic, social, racial, or denominational background. The primary qualification for enrollment is that the parents desire that their children have the kind of education offered here, and, in the case of junior and senior high students, that the student concur in the wish to attend FHCA.
The primary purpose of the school is to minister to the young people who are a part of the body of Christ, enabling them to know Him better and to grow in His likeness. Although outreach does play a part in Christian school education, attempts to reach nonbelievers should be regarded only as an important facet, not the total vision and ministry, of the school. FHCA believes that spiritual growth is a vital part of a person's life; therefore, it seeks to provide, in addition to Bible study, a general Christian environment in which learning can take place. Parents who enroll their children in FHCA know that the Bible will be read and studied daily as a textbook for life and that teachers and administrators will pray with and for their students and will live exemplary lives before them. Parents can be confident, also, that their children will be taught a Christian approach to moral decision making.
Along with spiritual understanding, intellectual advancement is viewed as a key component of the overall development of the students at FHCA. To that end, only well-qualified Christian teachers holding degrees in their teaching areas are employed and retained. The thorough and demanding academic program is constantly reviewed and revised to meet the needs of our advancing culture. Yet, the program always remains the same in providing an education in the basics -- reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies. A primary goal of the academic program is to prepare our students for college. Close communication with our area colleges and universities helps us know what our students need for maximum success.
The physical education program at FHCA aims not only to produce successful athletic teams in both girls' and boys' sports but also to build up the health, strength, and athletic skills of all students through its physical education classes. FHCA believes students should develop good sportsmanship habits and a sense of team spirit in all competitive activities. FHCA offers its students a variety of cultural experiences including art, drama, debate, band (when possible), humanities, foreign language, and music. Appreciation of the arts as gifts from God is taught as a source of joy and fulfillment for the Christian.
FHCA believes in fostering patriotism and good citizenship by teaching and requiring respect for persons, property, and country; by maintaining firm school discipline; and by encouraging students to develop the capacity for self-discipline. Both for the child's sake and for the school's good image in the community, FHCA maintains a discipline policy that is Biblical, firm, consistent, and impartial.
FHCA is also dedicated to helping parents become better parents and more effective partners with the school in the Christian education enterprise by providing an orientation session or interview, parent-teacher conferences, and programs of discussion, lecture, and films designed to educate and to aid Christian parents. By such means, home and school will complement each other in teaching children that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. " (Proverbs 2: 5-6).
In The Philosophy of Christian Education, Dr. Paul Kienel of Associated Christian Schools International states that "the school must emphasize the importance of the local church as the community of believers with whom a person's life in Christ is intricately bound. The school is temporary; the church should be permanent in his ongoing experience. The school must not become 'church' to him." In accordance with this view, administrators, teachers, and employees of FHCA will set an example of loyalty and service to the church of their choice.
FHCA is led by a headmaster and by the deacons of FaithHeritage Baptist Church, who serve as the “school board” for the academy. The board is responsible for setting and implementing the school's policies and for superintending the school’s finances.
