Curriculum
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Philosophy | Goals for Students | Instruction | Curriculum Materials
We believe the purpose of Christian education is to:
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Bring the child to know and love his Savior Jesus Christ.
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Teach all basic secular subjects and maintain a high level of expectation and achievement in an atmosphere of Christian discipline and love.
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Provide supplemental programs during the school day to enrich the students’ development.
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Provide intra and extra-curricular activities in a supervised atmosphere.
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Maintain continued contact with parent and home.
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We believe that a Christian educator is committed to providing a complete education for God’s children by meeting their spiritual, intellectual, social, physical, emotional, and aesthetic needs.
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We believe that the family exerts the greatest influence on the child’s total education, and that the church and school assist you in your God-given responsibility of Christian education.
Lutheran schools are a vital force in both public and non-public American education. They are the cornerstone of the church’s ministry in Christian education. Grace Lutheran Church established Grace Lutheran School to assist in the attainment of its mission goal: “to help people grow as whole persons in response to the Gospel.” Through the school this goal is accomplished by teaching God’s inspired Word, nurturing students in their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, instilling Christian values, building and experiencing Christian community, providing opportunities for worship and sharing the faith, personalizing the students’ educational experiences, and involving students in service-oriented projects.
Grace Lutheran School integrates and correlates God’s Word and Christian values with the students’ learning and living experience so that they see purpose in their studies and lives and feel a strong sense of personal worth. This is achieved in an environment where God’s Spirit produces a climate of trust, respect, cooperation, concern, and love among teachers, parents, and children.
The curriculum is Christ-centered, democratic, and challenging – permitting students to become enlightened and productive Christian citizens in our pluralistic society and instilling in them the necessary attitudes and intellectual skills which are crucial for higher levels of reasoning.
Goals for Students
Spiritual Development: Grace Lutheran School will provide spiritual growth experiences that will enable children to:
- know that sin separates God and humans
- understand that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to redeem us and to prevent eternal separation from Him
- respond to a loving and forgiving Savior by the power of the Holy Spirit with lives of faith, Christian witness, regular worship and prayer, service to others, and fellowship
- appreciate the blessings of baptism, the saving grace of God, and the promise of eternal life
- develop skills in the use of the Bible and grow in Biblical knowledge and understanding
- learn the history, beliefs, and worship practices of Christian denominations, especially the Lutheran Church, appreciating the similarities and respecting the differences of each
- grasp the importance and need for moral and ethical standards based upon God’s Word.
Intellectual Development: Grace Lutheran School will provide intellectual growth experiences that will enable children to:
- acquire the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of religion and the secular subjects provided by the school
- cultivate a love for learning
- develop skills in the higher levels of reasoning
- express ideas clearly and acceptably in spoken and written communication
- work and study independently
- function at their ability levels
- use research skills
Social Development: Grace Lutheran School will provide social growth experiences that will enable children to:
- recognize the family as a basic unit of society
- be sharing and caring persons, respecting the rights, privileges, and the individual differences of others
- manage peer pressure
- accept the authority of home, school, and government
- function in groups as a leader and a follower
- resolve conflicts in a God-pleasing manner
- appreciate and protect natural resources and their physical environment
Physical Development: Grace Lutheran School will provide physical growth experiences that will enable children to:
- acquire the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of physical education and recreation
- develop and maintain sound personal hygiene habits
- understand the dangers to mental, physical, and spiritual health through alcohol and drug abuse
- comprehend the physical changes which occur between childhood and adulthood
- be responsible with and value God’s gift of sexuality
- maintain a healthy body and stay physically fit through life-long recreational and dietary practices
- practice safety and first aid
Emotional Development: Grace Lutheran School will provide emotional growth experiences that will enable children to:
- accept their self-worth
- experience successes and learn from mistakes
- manage stress in a positive manner
- feel free to share feelings
- respond to situations in a mature, Christian manner
- use leisure time in healthy ways
- understand the emotional fluctuations which occur between childhood and adulthood
Aesthetic Development: Grace Lutheran School will provide aesthetic growth experiences that will enable children to:
- acquire the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of visual arts, music, drama, and dance
- value the visual arts, music, drama, and dance as worthwhile avenues of self-expression and
- communication
- observe and enjoy the beauty and majesty of God’s creation
- appreciate the artistic expression of others
- participate in the opportunities provided to nurture aesthetic growth
- become keen observers and perceptually aware of the variety of environments surrounding them
- gain an awareness of the historical development of the arts
Instruction
In order to help each student meet the general goals discussed above, Grace Lutheran School has adopted specific curriculum goals and objectives for each grade level and subject. Copies of the complete curriculum for each subject are available in the school office. The specific goals and objectives for each grade level have been formulated with state and national standards in mind, as well as the standards needed to maintain our school accreditation and the resources provided to Lutheran schools to assist in integrating the Lutheran faith into the curriculum.
Grace Lutheran School provides instruction in the following subject areas:
Religion Spanish Reading / Literature
English Handwriting Social Studies (History & Geography)
Spelling Science Physical Education
Math Art Music
Technology
Our faculty members use a variety of teaching methods in order to assist in the learning process. These methods are designed to address a variety of learning styles. Faculty members work to select the most appropriate instructional methods for their age level of student and material to be covered, as well as to address any individual needs within the class.
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Curriculum Materials
Curriculum materials are chosen in light of our stated philosophy and are designed to assist teachers in teaching the goals and objectives adopted for each grade level and subject. The learning materials used in Religion classes are published by our Lutheran publishing house. Other curriculum materials are chosen from a variety of national publishers. Curriculum and materials are evaluated, rewritten, and updated as necessary on a seven to ten year cycle.
Currently, some of the textbooks/publishers used in our school include:
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Religion – Voyages, Concordia Publishing House
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Reading – Open Court, Scott Foresman, McDougal Littell
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English – McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin
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Handwriting – Zaner-Blose
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Spelling – SRA, Houghton Mifflin, Zaner Bloser
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Math – Saxon
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Spanish – Glencoe
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Social Studies – Scott Foresman, Holt Rinehart Winston, Macmillan McGraw-Hill
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Science – McGraw-Hill, Glencoe
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Music – MacMillan
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Computer – Prentice Hall
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