|
|
Name: Northlake Christian School
|
||||
By its Mission Statement, Northlake Christian School (NCS) "exists to assist the Christian community." With this declaration, we have affirmed that we serve not primarily as an evangelical institution but, instead, serve "Christian" families -- defined for practical purposes as those who profess a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, accept the Bible as God's inerrant Word, and attend and support a local Bible-believing church. For those Christian families, NCS provides an educational program "centered" upon the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and constructed upon the foundational wisdom of God's Holy Word. A "Christ-centered" education emanates from an understanding that truth itself is objective, absolute and centered in the very nature of God; that there is no dividing line between the spiritual and the physical so that understanding of one might be divorced from the other; that the God of Israel and His Son Jesus are preeminent in all things both physical and spiritual; and that the foundational wisdom of God has been offered to us in the Bible. By building an educational process on this Scriptural wisdom, we impart to students the advantage of a world-perspective which makes possible wise life choices. It is, therefore, our purpose to help our children to grow in wisdom and maturity as eternal children of God and heirs with Christ and, in doing so, to equip them to succeed and prosper so that God might be glorified by their good works. What does this mean in terms of the actual educational experience? Because the Bible is the only wholly inspired word of God, (1 Thess. 2:13, 2 Tim. 3:16, 1 Peter 1:24-25) our foundation in teaching children within an eternal spiritual context must be anchored in Scripture. We seek in every facet of our ministry to provide" Bible-based" curricula. |
In Scripture, the responsibility of educating children is never conferred upon "schools" but is instead divinely ordained and assigned to parents (Deut. 6, Psalm 78, Prov. 1-9). For this reason, Employees at NCS draws their authority to "train up" children from God through the parents of each child. This authority of our school parents shall be revered and honored at all times. (Romans 13:1-4). Scripture is clear that God spiritually imparts discernment and understanding of spiritual things to those who are born again and thus possess His mind and Spirit (1 Cor. 2:12-16). For this reason, all school Employees shall be Christians, possessing and professing an understanding of fundamental Scriptural principles as set forth within the Doctrinal Statement of the School. The Scripture admonishes us to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves." An understanding of Biblical wisdom must be accompanied by critical and analytical thinking skills to assure wise life choices. NCS will seek to cultivate the higher order thinking skills of Bloom's Taxonomy within every possible context. Scripture says that God loved us even when were yet enemies to Him. (Romans 5:8) Out of our identification with Him, each member of our faculty and staff shall patiently demonstrate His love for each student and others without regard for appearance, social standing, race or ethnicity, age, gender, or even behavior toward other individuals or the school. The Scripture encourages us to study God's Word. (2 Tim. 2:15) Employees at NCS shall be involved, therefore, in ongoing systematic Bible study, attend a Bible-believing church, and embrace opportunities which will deepen their understanding of the educational process from a Christian (Biblical) perspective. |
||||
The purpose of Christian discipline is not to conform the student's flesh to a particular pattern of behavior but, instead, to illuminate the student's understanding of his or her spiritual identity and thus facilitate behavior which manifests his or her identity in Christ for His glory. (Romans 12:2). All class content shall be consistent with Biblical doctrine. Teachers at NCS must embrace and adhere to a literal interpretation of the Creation story of Genesis 1-3, not demeaning the beliefs of others but presenting them appropriately as theory in conflict with the inerrant Word of God. The school shall endeavor to protect students from both information and teaching which conflicts with the identity, character and purpose of God as set forth in the Scripture. The School asserts its right to refuse admission to families of other faiths or practices as either students or employees; to expel students who demonstrate a disdain for God's Word and slander the character of Christ; to limit student access to printed, auditory, visual or electronic information, art music or other media; and to not observe commonly accepted practices and holidays such as Mardi Gras or Halloween. |
Finally, we believe more families will be drawn to NCS as Christ is exalted and we grow in curricular strength. (John 12:32) Some of those families will not be Christians. Recognizing the need of those students who do not know Christ, the School shall provide every opportunity and lovingly encourage non-believing students to accept the forgiveness of Christ and his gift of eternal life -- not within a denominational context but, instead, within the spiritual framework which is common to Bible-believing churches. We believe our educational philosophy confirms the essential Christian character of Northlake Christian School and provides definition for schooling "with an emphasis on affirming their (students') knowledge of the Word of God, their growth in spiritual maturity, and their preparation for good works in the will and to the glory of God. |
||||
Entering our 31st year of ministry, Northlake Christian School was founded by a small group of Christian businessmen. They prayerfully set out to create a school where Christian families could send their children for more than just a quality education. In just three decades, NCS has become known for excellence in education and a strong Biblical worldview curriculum, operating within the context of Christian liberty and discipline. With great determination our founders opened school in the fall of 1978 with 170 students enrolled from kindergarten through twelfth grade! Classes were held in a renovated animal hospital, a doublewide trailer and an old apartment house nearby, just off U.S. 190 south of Covington . God blessed the efforts of these visionaries and as a result NCS prospered. In 1980 the Board of Directors purchased a 17-acre tract off Three Rivers Road . School families and teachers provided a great deal of the labor to build a gymnasium/office building and several temporary classrooms. The current elementary building and four outlying classrooms, now housing fifth graders and the school library, followed in short order. Since that time a new secondary building, industrial kitchen, indoor batting facility, and a weight/training room have been constructed. Without a doubt, the prayer and support of the local Christian community is the school's greatest asset. Perhaps the greatest strength of the resulting ministry is the faith and commitment of an exceptional teaching faculty. For nearly twenty years, as the teaching staff established a consistent record of strong academics, the school saw eleven headmasters come and go in a struggle to solidify the general direction of the school. |
A new and vibrant Board of Directors began the implementation of an outstanding model for school governance in 1997. Their vision and zeal led them to consult with PAIDEIA, Inc., a nationally acclaimed, Christian school consulting group with a home office in Long Island , New York . The Board of Directors began then to adhere to the PAIDEIA governance model, which has been proven very effective in schools such as the Stony Brook School in Long Island , New York , and the Jackson Preparatory School in Jackson , Mississippi . NCS has entered into a new era of stability and expansion, and is now making dramatic strides toward a new and much higher standard of excellence in every facet of the school's broadening ministry. In the fall of 2007, Northlake Christian School received dual accreditation by SACS-CASI (the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement) and ACSI (the Association of Christian Schools International). With more than 120 highly skilled employees; an enrollment approaching 1000 students; an enthusiastic and visionary Board of Directors; and a comprehensive campus expansion plan in place; NCS is achieving its vision of becoming the premier private Christian school in the Gulf South region. By God's grace and through His provision, further physical developments will begin taking place this school year with the additions of a second gymnasium/multi-purpose building, six new classrooms, weight/training rooms and locker rooms; a state-of-the-art athletic stadium; and a long-awaited preschool building. God's work and ministry is ongoing at NCS and the future continues to be very exciting and promising! |
