Philosophy of Education

God is central to our educational approach at Yucaipa Christian Schools. We believe that the purpose of a school is to teach truth and develop the skills a person needs to discover and understand truth. At YCS the primary goal is to integrate Biblical Truth in every subject.

• God claims Himself to be Truth. "I am the way, the truth, and the life...," Jesus said to Thomas in John 14:6.
• Therefore, in teaching truth, we must focus on God - the essence of Truth: who He is, what His claims on each person are, what He says about the world around us, and how we can know Him.
• We believe the Bible is the most precise revelation of God's Truth and must be central to our teaching. All truth discovered must be consistent with the teaching of God's Word.
• We believe God has charged parents with the primary responsibility for the training of their child(ren). The role of the school is to complement training already in progress at home.

Our goal for each child is that he evidence growth in every area of his life: spiritual, academic, social, emotional, and physical growth. At each developmental stage and in every grade, YCS seeks to develop appropriate skills to understand God, His Truth, and the world He created. We believe a structured, disciplined, and well-balanced environment is most successful in helping us reach our goal. We believe that the one who is teaching a child must himself be teachable - a student of the Truth.

Education of our children is a God-given responsibility. We are instructed in Deuteronomy 6:5-7, to teach our children diligently and to train our children in the way they should go. (Proverbs 22:6). As we view our world today, it becomes important to clearly instruct our children in the principles and values of living according to God’s Word. When we, as adults, strive to teach these principles, our children also need to observe us putting them into practice in every aspect of our lives. Thus, we feel education involves a partnership with family and school, seeking to provide for the best interest of each child.

Education must develop the “whole” child, which means, that we provide for intellectual, spiritual, social/emotional, and physical development for each child. In attempting to address these areas, we try to provide age appropriate activities as well as focusing on an experiential, “hands-on” approach as much as possible.

It is important for parents to realize that young children need a wide variety of experiences in order to develop a thorough understanding of complex concepts. We begin by teaching simple concepts and building upon those. It is also important to recognize children as individuals who can absorb concepts at different rates depending upon their opportunities to practice what is taught before it is internalized and becomes a part of the child. What appears to be “play” is, in reality, “work”, as the child learns about his world and how to interpret his experiences.

YCS CORE VALUES
Core Values are the convictions and principles which are the underlying foundation for all that we do.

Excellence
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of Truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 God has called us to give our best effort in everything we do, in academics as well as our Christian walk.

• We will give our best effort, and not be satisfied with mediocrity. Our desire is to be thorough and error-free in all aspects of our ministry.
• We will implement best practices in our program, asking God for wisdom and creativity to develop and teach each child.
• We will be good stewards of all that God has provided through those that support the ministry of YCS.

Academic Quality
“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:14-15 Learning is a school’s highest priority. This includes not only the transfer of information, but developing the skills necessary to effectively utilize information and apply it in practical ways.

• We will evaluate our curriculum on a continual basis, ensuring it is consistent with a Biblical worldview, excellent in presentation, and provides high quality supplements, activities, and programs.
  
• We will recognize and affirm the various learning styles in students and do our best to stimulate thinking and meet their spiritual and educational needs.
  
• We will challenge each student to master the materials and skills in the class instruction.
  
• We will prepare all students to be successful in junior high school and beyond.

God-Centered
“…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 Yucaipa Christian Schools exist to glorify God by providing a complete educational experience where Christ is the center of all we do.

• We know that all truth is God’s Truth. We are created in His image, and must deal with our sin nature by repenting and accepting redemption through salvation in Jesus Christ. The most important lesson in life is that of surrendering our lives to Christ and living with eternity in mind.
  
• We believe the Bible is the most precise revelation of God’s Truth and must be central to our teaching. All truth discovered must be consistent with the teaching of God’s Word.
  
• We will make every effort to make every action, process, and relationship consistent with Biblical Truth. God’s Truth will be integrated into the entire school experience so that students will develop a proper Christian worldview.

Leadership
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matt 28:19-20a Jesus Christ provides for us the supreme example of servant leadership as presented in the Gospels. Throughout all levels of leadership at YCS, including the school council, administration, faculty, staff, students, and volunteers, the character of Christ must be the guiding example in developing each child to his or her full potential.

• We will seek God’s will as we set goals and plans for the future of YCS.
  
• We will set standards for leaders and work to maintain accountability in order to support their successes and assist in their weaknesses. We will model Christ-like character to our peers and those we serve.
  
• We will endeavor to provide opportunities for all students to demonstrate leadership.

Enriching Environment
“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 Discipline = discipleship. We are training students to be Disciples of Christ. YCS partners with parents and the local church and works as an extension of these God-given institutions to help lay a godly foundation and train children in godly ways.

• We will maintain a nurturing environment where children feel safe and loved. Discipline will be administered from a caring heart, speaking the truth in love, concerned with developing the character of Christ in each student.
• We will affirm the value of people with differing abilities, backgrounds, and personalities within the YCS community.
• We will encourage critical thinking and a personal sense of responsibility so that each student can feel confident about themselves and what is expected of them.

Service
“…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4 Everyone at YCS is called to serve others. This requires that we give selflessly so that others benefit from our efforts. Serving others develops character which pleases God.

• We will value our differences and work together in the unity of the Spirit and as a team to accomplish our tasks because we realize that God has gifted each of us in different ways. We are committed to work in harmony, offering our abilities, time and means for the success of the ministry of YCS.
• We will provide many opportunities for involvement and volunteerism throughout the school program so that the entire school community may take ownership in YCS.
• We will provide opportunities for the students to serve and develop a servant’s heart toward each other as well as reach out into our community and the world.