NEW CASTLE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
According to the teachings of the holy Scriptures, parents are responsible for conducting the spiritual and educational instruction of their children (Deut. 6:6-9; Prov. 22:6). In addition to home life and church experiences, children are spending an excess of 1,200 hours in school each year. Therefore, the magnitude of choosing where and under whose authority a child will spend those hours is an enormous responsibility of care and stewardship facing the parent. New Castle Christian Academy is a viable training and educational resource for Christian parents and presents an alternative to the secular education provided by public schools.
The educational philosophy at New Castle Christian Academy is based upon a God-centered approach to truth (i.e. God’s infallible Word--the Bible) and the maturation and development of the whole man (spirit, soul and body). New Castle Christian Academy takes the spiritual imperatives of II Tim 2:15 and II Timothy 3:16-17 as a mandate in the educational process:
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.”
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
New Castle Christian Academy looks to Luke 2:52 as the divine example for education during the formative years:
“And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
Because equipping the whole student involves the soul (i.e. mind, will, emotions, intellect) and body (i.e. physical) as well as the spirit, New Castle Christian Academy believes in educational excellence that is achieved through strong “core” academic disciplines, elective disciplines, life enrichment experiences (the arts), life skill experiences and extracurricular opportunities. New Castle Christian Academy focuses on these matters/topics/concepts in order to provide opportunities for well-rounded wholeness. These avenues of education are pursued through the diligent search for and active use of all appropriate and available resources in the educational, church and local communities.
Additionally, the integration of instruction and curriculum into biblical truth becomes the key to forming the world view each student is encouraged to adopt. In Christian education, the Christian perspective, based upon the Holy Scriptures, one’s personal encounter with Jesus Christ and the reality of the Holy Spirit, establishes a world view which becomes the foundation of all instruction and learning. It is the focus and desire of New Castle Christian Academy to instill in the students enrolled at the school a world view developed from this Christian perspective, a perspective that boldly stands in contrast to the world view presented by public schools.
New Castle Christian Academy is purposed to encourage, equip, impart and release children into a Christian lifestyle that will positively impact the world. As Christ himself directed us to be salt and light (Matt. 5:13-14) and to make disciples of all men (Matt. 28:19), it is the purpose of New Castle Christian Academy to produce within students a servant’s heart and Christ-like character that will enable them to fulfill His mandate.
Finally, Christian education must be real and practical. Knowledge without the wisdom of application has little life value. Learning needs to be experiential and experience needs structure to be profitable. Structure is the accepted boundaries established by order and authority. This phase of education is taught through appropriate example and discipline. The Holy Scripture is clear to point to the fact that discipline is vital to instruction and profitable for those who will heed its reproof (Prov. 3:11-12).