MISSION STATEMENT
Ourmissionistocultivatewonder,trainintruth,andshapeourstudents’loveforGodandHisworld throughrobust,objectivebasedClassicalEducation
STATEMENT OF FAITH
ImmanuelClassicalSchoolholdstothehistoriccreedsoftheancientchurch,includingtheApostles’ andNiceneCreeds.AsaministryofSaintAndrew’sPresbyterianChurch(PCA)weupholdthe summaryofdoctrinecontainedintheWestminsterStandards.Belowisasimplesummaryofour doctrinalcommitments: GodIs.
WebelieveintheHolyTrinity.ThereisoneGod,whoexistseternallyinthreepersons:theFather,the Son,andtheHolySpirit. Sinistheproblem.
WebelievethatallaresinnersandtotallyunabletosavethemselvesfromGod’sdispleasure,exceptby hismercy. Jesusistheanswer.
WebelievethatsalvationisbyGodaloneashesovereignlychoosesthosehewillsave Webelievehis choiceisbasedonhisgrace,notonanyhumanindividualmerit,orforeseenfaith WebelievethatJesus ChrististheeternalSonofGod,whothroughhisperfectlifeandsacrificialdeathatonedforthesinsof allwhowilltrustinhim,alone,forsalvation.
Jesussavesthroughhiscovenantpromises.
WebelievethatGodisgraciousandfaithfultohispeoplenotsimplyasindividualsbutasfamiliesin successivegenerationsaccordingtohiscovenantpromises. Godsentusahelper.
WebelievethattheHolySpiritindwellsGod’speopleandgivesthemthestrengthandwisdomtotrust Christandfollowhim.
Jesusiscomingback.
WebelievethatJesuswillreturn,bodilyandvisibly,tojudgeallmankindandtoreceivehispeopleto himself.WebelievethatallaspectsofourlivesaretobelivedtothegloryofGodundertheLordshipof JesusChrist TheBibleisGod’sword.
WebelievetheBibleisthewrittenwordofGod,inspiredbytheHolySpiritandwithouterrorinthe originalmanuscripts.TheBibleistherevelationofGod’struthandisinfallibleandauthoritativeinall mattersoffaithandpractice
CULTURAL ISSUES
ImmanuelClassicalbelievesthatallhumanlifeissacredandthatwearecreatedintheimageofGod andcalledtodefendandprotectthatlife Webelievetherearetwodistinctgenders,maleandfemale andtogethertheyreflecttheimageandnatureofGodandtheBiblicalmeaningof“marriage” describedinScripture.(Gen.2:18-25).
ImmanuelClassicaliscommittedtoahealthydiscussionofthisissueinawaythatvaluesallthoseof otheropinions,yetdoesnotcompromiseourvalues. OurultimategoalisChristianunitywithinthe parametersoftheApostles’CreedandthetruthofScripture.
SECONDARY DOCTRINE POLICY
Baptism
Asitcomestobaptism,weholdtoWestminsterConfessionofFaith,butweteachtheviewsofcredo andpedobaptismandwillholdfriendlydebatesregardingthedistinctionsinsecondaryschool
Youngearth/Oldearth
Allthingsarecreatedinthespaceof6“yom”(days)“anditwasverygood” Theword“yom”hasbeen debatedasadayoraperiodoftime. ButweultimatelyholdColossians1:17,“Andheisbeforeall things,andinhimallthingsholdtogether.” Wewillholdfriendlydebatesregardingtheageofthe earthwithinthescopeofScripture.
Eschatology
Wewilldiscusshistoricalpremillennialism,amillennialismandpostmillennialismasimportantviews thatourbrothersandsistersinChristhold. Thesethreeviewswillbediscussedinsecondaryschool
andahopefuleschatologywillbeheldbyourteachers.(PleaseseeWestminsterConfessionsofFaith Chapters32and33formoreendtimesinformationthatisfoundationaltoourviews).
EDUCATIONAL CONVICTIONS
Family
ImmanuelClassicaldesirestopartnerwithfamiliesinawaythatserves;andtoservefamiliesinaway thatcreatesapartnershiptofulfillthemandateoftrainingchildreninthePaideiaoftheLord. We knowthatchildrenwillspendanenormousamountoftimeinschool,andweconsiderthisadeep responsibility ImmanuelClassicalisnotasubstituteforfamily;wecomealongsidefamiliestocreatea communitythat,together,desirestodirectthelovesofchildrentowardstruth,beautyandgoodness.
Knowledge
Ourpedagogyendeavorstolayafoundationoftruthsothatstudentsviewtheworldthrough Scripturallenses.EverythingisrelatedtotheworkofGodandthisinformsthewayweteach,the curriculumwechoose,andthemethodsthatweuseforinstruction
Love
TheknowledgegainedatImmanuelClassicalmustbecoupledwithrobustlove Wedesiregraduates whoaregracious,whoengageculturewithhumility,andwhoarepreparedwithtrinitarianthinkingto discernthenatureofGodincreation.
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES
Mathematics
Mathbuildsuponitselfandthereforemasteryiskey. Ifachildmissesaskill,theywillstruggleto understandthisimportant,symbolicrepresentationofthewayinwhichGodorderedtheworld. Instructionwillbeofferedinawaythatfostersdeepunderstanding,instillslogic,andalwaysaims towardstruth LikeGod,mathisinfiniteandthereforegivesusanotherglimpseintothenatureofthe Creator. Beyondsolvingmathematicalproblems,mathmakesstudentswrestlewithtruthwhilebeing equippedwithskillstonavigatetheworld.
Science
“Scientia”istheLatinwordforknowledgeandknowledgediscoverswhatalreadyexistsinGod’s creation--itisunderstandingwhatIS Godmadetheworldinanorderedway,andsciencediscovers thisorderthroughinvestigation,explorationandexperimentation--itisanactiveprocessthatshould cultivatewonder. Theseskills,welldeveloped,promotediscoveryoftruth;andthispreparesstudents formoreformalstudies. Theultimateresultofscientificdiscoveryisfulfillmentofthecreation mandateinGenesis,andthisinformshowweengagewithethics,moralityandpolitics
Humanities
HumanitiesisthestudyoftheimageofGodthroughliterature,history,writing,philosophy,and Scripture Thetoolsofthisstudyaregrammarandlogicwhicharedevelopedthroughoutour program Ourhumanitiesprogrampartnerswithparentstodevelopabiblicalworldview,andto equipstudentstoengagein,whatissadlymovingtowards,apost-Christianculture. Theresultofthis studyshouldbestudentswhowrite,speak,andthinkcritically:apeopleequippedtoexpress themselveswithclarity,andpersuasivenessthatisaimedtowardstruth Webelievethathumanities instructionshouldresultinconsciousdependenceuponGodandHissovereignreignoverallthings, gratitudefortheredemptiveworkofChristintheworld,andanemphasisonthecultivationof Christianvirtue.
Music
Musicisanaspect ofChristiancommunitythatistobenurturedandenjoyed. Wedesirethatour studentsknowmusicthroughsinging,theoryandmusicianship. Ephesians5:19says,“addressingone anotherinpsalmsandhymnsandspiritualsongs,singingandmakingmelodytotheLordwithyour heart,”andwewantourchildrenworshipingtogetherasawayoflife Knowingandreadingmusicisto speakanotherlanguageandtoappreciateothercultures.Whenstudentsareconcurrentlylearning boththepracticalandthehistorical,theyhaveagreaterappreciationforbeautyandtheskillsneededto createit WorshipingGodinthiswayisto“makeajoyfulnoisetotherockofoursalvation”(Psalm 95:1)Musicaddstothecultureofourschool,andmusicinstillstruththroughtherepetitionof beautifulwords.
VisualArt
Wewantourstudentstorecognizethetrue,thegood,andthebeautifulandnotjustthingsthatare utilitarian. WecreatebecausewewerecreatedintheImageofGod. AsFrancisSchaeffersays,“A ChristianshouldusetheseartstothegloryofGod,notjustastracts,mindyou,butasthingsofbeauty
tothepraiseofGod. Anartworkcanbeadoxologyinitself.”Wewantwellroundedstudents,students whoarenotjustacademicbutstudentswhorecognizeandcancreatebeauty.Thestudyofartgivesus alensintoothertimesandcultureswhilealsoeducatingusinthehistoryoftheimagebearersofGod
Language
Godhasgivenuslanguageandeachlanguageisrichwithcultureandhistory Studyinganother languageistostudypeopleandtostudyLatinistostudytheoriginofwordsweuseinmedicine,law, science,and inourdailylives. WeteachLatinasafoundationalsecondlanguagebecauseoftherich historythataccompaniesitforChristians ThisisthelanguagethatsurroundedourfoundingChurch fathersandalanguagethathasclarityinitswords Latinlendsitselftologicalskillsandreinforces grammaticalconceptsinreading,writingandanalyzingliterature.Latinisfoundationaltothe Romanticlanguagesandcultures,andwithalargeSpanishspeakingpopulationinYakima,Latinsets ourstudentsuptolearnSpanishreadily Theyareembellishingtheotherdisciplines
StrugglingLearners
ImmanuelClassicalaimstoteachstudentsofallabilitylevelsthroughsolidChristianpedagogyand materials. Becauseweareabletotakebothconventionalanduniquelearners,ourprogramisvery distinct.Weofferclassicalteachingasinputbutonlyexpectclassicaloutputbasedonthegiftingof eachindividualstudent. Ourteachingisdoneinaroundtablesetting,wherewemovefromthe concretetothephilosophicalasthestudentsareready
OUR DISTINCTIVES
1. Lowstudent/teacherratio(backgroundcheckedteacherassistantsandvolunteersavailable).
2. Familyinvolvementandengagementisencouragedandenjoyed.
3 Integratedages,wherestudentsmovethroughlearninggroupsratherthansolely age-designated grades
4. Curriculumistailoredtostudycoredisciplinesthrough:
a. Mathematics
b Science
c. IntegratedHumanities
i. Literature
ii. History&Geography
iii Language&Grammar
iv. Bible
v. Philosophy
d. Latin
e Arts(choir&finearts)
5. Theteacherusescurriculaasalaunchingpointtoinstructstudents,butcurriculaisjustatool andtheteacheristhementor.
6. Mostimportantly LovingGodandlovingourneighborarethetwomostimportantaspects ofChristianeducationandalldisciplineisfoundedinthisprinciple
HOMEWORK POLICY
Homeworkwillbeminimal:
a. PrimaryPrep-PrimaryA:none
b PrimaryB-PrimaryE:approximately30minutespernight
c SecondaryPrep andup:variableaccordingtounitsofstudy(pleaseexpectmore homeworkasthestudentprogressesthroughuppergrades).
PHILOSOPHY OF GRADING
GradingPolicy
GradesatImmanuelClassicaldonotinanywayreflecttheimmeasurableworthandvalueofeach childmadeinGod’simage,butratheranaccuratereflectionofthequalityofworkinagivensubjectat agiventime.AtImmanuelClassical,gradesservethreebasicpurposes:
1 Tohelpourprimarystudentstoimproveandsecondarystudentstolearntosubmitexcellentwork andbediligentintheirstudies.
2 Todeterminethebestplacementlevelforayoungstudent'sacademicability
3.Toprovideajustandlegitimatemeansofholdingyoungstudentsaccountableforthequalityof theirworkandtoprovideawidelyunderstoodmeansofcommunicatingtheirprogressand achievementtoparentsandotherpartiessuchascollegeentranceboardsorotherschoolstowhichthe youngstudentmaytransfer.
Wehaveestablishedabalancedandobjectivegradingsystembasedonthesevalues Atraditionalonline gradebookwillbekeptforstudentsinPrimaryCandabove,whichisaccessibletoparentsand students.Aprogressmonitoringreportwillbecompletedandsenthomethreetimesperyearfor
studentsinPrimaryPrep,PrimaryA,andPrimaryB.
IndividualGrades
ImmanuelClassicalwilluseamethodofgradingthatensuresstudentshavetimeto“practice”before theyreceiveagrade. Thereforeregular“soft”gradesonnewconceptswillbeimplemented, while gradesthataffectoverallstandingswillberecordedinoursoftwarefortranscripts Worksubmittedfor “hard”gradingwilllose10%foreachdaythattheworkissubmittedlate(extenuatingcircumstances willbetakenintoaccountwithcommunicationbetweenparent/studentandteacher).
GroupProjectGrades
Groupprojectsareapartofcourseworkanditshouldbeexpectedthatgradingofthesewillnotbe individualizedbecausewebelievethatcharacterincommunityrevealstheheart: IThessalonians5:14 “Andweurgeyou,brothersandsisters,warnthosewhoareidleanddisruptive,encouragethe disheartened,helptheweak,bepatientwitheveryone”BecauseImmanuelClassicalcaresevenmore abouttheheartthantheacademics,groupprojectsallowteacherstoseewherecharacterworkis needed,andsincewearepreparingstudentsforlife,notjustcollege,characterinChristiancommunity isintegralto“LovingGodandLovingNeighbor”
MathematicalGradingPolicy
Duetotheobjectivitywithinmathematics,gradingwillprimarilyreflecterrorrateinmathematical problemsolving
ScienceGradingPolicy
Science,withthepurposeofinstillingwonder,willbegradedaccordingtothememorywork,skills, andscientificapplicationthatisneededforageappropriateunderstanding
LatinGradingPolicy
Vocabulary,spelling,grammar,reading,andtranslatingwillbeobjectivelygradedasstudentsprogress throughthelanguage
HumanitiesGradingPolicy
Humanitiesencapsulatestheacquisitionofconcreteinformationandskillsaswellasthemore philosophicalapplicationofapplyingtheacquiredinformationandskills.
Assignmentsandprojectswillbegradedtoaccountforbothgrammaticaland concreteknowledgeas wellasstudentabilitytoapplythehistoricandliteraturebasedsubjectmattertoloftierideals,virtues, andbiblicaltruths
FailingandRetakes
Retakeswillbelefttotheschool’s discretion.Astudentwhohasfailedforalackofunderstanding maybegivenanotheropportunitytoprovetheirunderstandingafterfurtherpractice Astudentwho neglectedtheirstudiesandthereforefailed,maynotbegivenaretakeopportunity.
Ifastudentfailsanentirecourse,thestudent,parents,andteacherwillmeetwiththeeducation counciltodeterminethebestcourseofactionforthestudent Circumstances,understandingof directions,andeffortwillallbetakenintoconsideration.
Gradeswillbepromptlyenteredintotheschool’selectronicgradebook,whichparentsareencouraged tocheckregularly
CheatingandPlagiarism
Cheatingisdefinedaslookingat/copyinganother’spaperortalkingduringanassessment.
Plagiarismisdefinedasusingsomeoneelse’sworkasyourownandnotproperlycreditingthemforit
● PrimaryLevelconsequence:Zeroontheassignmentandofficevisit
● SecondaryLevelconsequence:Zeroontheassignmentanddisciplinehearing
DRESS CODE
ClicktoseetheUniformPolicy.
DISCIPLINE PLAN
TheBibleisclearthatthegreatestcommandmentsaretoloveGodandloveourneighbor.Wehave summedthisupintotwoareasofdiscipline:sinsagainstauthority&sinsagainstfellowstudents
Sinsagainstauthority(suchaswillfuldisobedience,disrespectofauthority,lying,disregardof authority,denialofsinagainstastudent,etc)
● Sinagainstauthority:officevisit
Sinsagainstfellowstudents(talkingoutofturn,interrupting,etc.)
● 1stinfractionoftheday:verbalwarning
● 2ndinfractionintheday:namegoesonboard
● 3rdinfractionfortheday:officevisit
Anofficevisitwillresultin:
● Restitutionandrestoration:apublicoffensemaypromptapublicapology,aprivateoffense maypromptaprivateapology.Partofthegreatimportanceofthisiscallingsinwhatitis.
● Parentsbeingcontacted
● Possiblelunchdetentionorfacilitieschore.
● 4officevisitsinasemesterwillresultinadisciplinaryhearing.
Slander,thethreatofbodilyharmtooneselforothers,intentionallewdness,orimmoralandunbiblical conductwillresultinadisciplinehearingforsuspensionorpossibleexpulsion.Thedisciplinehearing willbeconductedbyapanelof3membersselectedbytheeducationcouncil.
ATTENDANCE
ArrivalandDismissal
Theschooldaywillrun8:00-2:25 Studentarrivalisbetween7:45and7:55AM Studentsneedtobe pickedupnolaterthan2:45PMintheafternoon.
Absences
ImmanuelClassicalhasintentionallysetitsvacations,schedule,andstructuretoallowimportanttime forfamilies;therefore,werequirethatstudentsareinregularattendanceinordertoshowlovetothe Immanuelcommunityaswellasmaximizepersonalacademicprogress.Studentshaveamaximumof 8*academicdayswithineachsemesterthattheycanbeabsentfromschoolwithoutpotential consequencetotheiracademicprogression.Weaskthatteachersbenotifiedassoonaspossiblefor absences.Teachersarenotexpectedtoprovidepreemptiveworkforscheduledabsences.
*Emergencysituationswillbetakenintoconsideration.
Tardies
Astudentwhoarriveslaterthan7:55AMistardyanddisruptsmorningchapel.Promptarrivalteaches studentstoupholdhighstandardsandlovetheImmanuelcommunitywell.Fourtardieswithina monthmayresultincommunicationtofamilies
SchoolClosures
Emergencyconditions,suchashazardousweather,mayrequireImmanuelClassicaltoclosedownall orpartofitsoperations.WhilethedecisiontoclosewillbemadebytheHeadofSchoolordesignee; wewillgenerallyfollowtheguidanceofthelocalpublicschoolstodetermineclosures Closure informationwillbecommunicatedtoparentsby6:30am.Asalways,pleaseexercisegoodjudgmentin accordancewithyourlocalconditions.Donottakeunreasonablerisksinhazardousweathertoarrive orstayatschool.
ELECTRONIC DEVICE POLICY
Useofpersonalelectronicdevices(ie phones,smartphones,portablegamingdevices,smartwatches, etc.)bystudentsisprohibitedoncampus.Ifaparentdesiresthatasecondarystudentbringsaphoneto schoolforneededusebeforeorafterschool,thephonemustbedroppedoffatthefrontdeskeach morningand pickedupafterschool Violationofthiswillresultinconfiscationofthedevice,tobe releasedtoaparentorguardian Repeatedviolationwillresultinadisciplinaryhearingforsuspension orpossibleexpulsion.ImmanuelClassicalacceptsnoresponsibilityforuse,breakage,theft,orlossof anypersonalitems.
Useoflaptops,computers,ortabletsforresearchorwriting(andotherstaffapprovedpurposes)is allowedduringtheschooldayonlywithstaffsupervisionanddirection
VOLUNTEERS AND TEACHING ASSISTANTS
ImmanuelClassicalusesvolunteersandteachingassistantstosupportstudentlearning.Theseadults mustconsenttoabackgroundcheck,areundertheguidanceoftheclassroomteachers,andagreeto Immanuel’sstatementsoffaith.