Mission: Inspire and develop every student for Christ-like engagement with the world.
Vision: Empower Learners, Cultivate Hearts, and Engage Community
Portrait of a Graduate: L. I. O. N. S.
L- Love the Lord
I- Intellectual Curiosity
O- Ownership
N- Nobility
S- Servant Leadership
WSCS Foundational 58 Principles
These are 58 foundational principles that reflect what God wants for our lives and what we believe God wants to instill in our students. As a community, we will strive to live out these principles and we will encourage each other in grace and love when we fall short. When we embrace God’s lofty standards for our life, both students and teachers will fall short. These principles are a tool to help remind us what we are called to, and what we can become through character-building conversations that foster relationships between teacher and student.
LOVE THE LORD
1. Commit to doing what God wants, to the best of your ability, in each situation.
If you know what God wants you to do, do it. If you are not sure what God wants in a specific situation, do your best to find out what God’s desire is for you. If you still are not sure, pray and do the best you can while knowing that God’s grace will cover you if you make mistakes.
2. Commit to learning about God, and living for God.
The only way to know what God wants is to know the person and Character of God.
3. Commit to spending time in your life studying God’s word, and communicating with God in prayer.
Knowing about God should direct our actions and
4. When you have questions, seek answers that are supported by scripture.
When you have questions in life, make scripture the primary filter that you use to evaluate answers.
5. The motivation for all that you do should be to bring Glory to God. Accept that you are a child of God, and are an advertisement for God. When you have a choice between two actions, thoughts, or directions, choose the one that will bring God glory.
6. Be ready to explain your faith.
Know what you believe, why you believe it, how you came to that belief, what impact it has had on you, and why others should find their own answers to these questions.
Scriptures: Mark 12:29-31; Deut 6:5; Deut 10:12; Deut 11:1
INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY
7. Follow along when class is reading.
You should be actively engaged with whatever is going on in a classroom. If someone is speaking, you should be looking at them, paying attention to what they say. Do not raise your hand while someone is speaking. You should devote all of your attention to the person who is speaking.
8. Answer questions with complete sentences.
You should answer questions so that your answer reveals what the original question was. For example, if someone asks “What school do you attend?”, you should answer “I attend Winston Salem Christian School”. If someone asks you a personal question, you should answer that with a complete sentence, and then also ask them a personal question in return. For example, if someone asks “How are you doing today?”, you should respond “I am doing fine, how are you?”. You should then wait and listen to their reply. If they share something personal, it is appropriate to respond. It is also appropriate to respond by saying that you have to get to class but you would like to hear more about that when you have time.
9. Complete all homework.
Homework is a vital process that reinforces the lessons learned in class. You must complete your homework in order to maximize your learning opportunities.
10. When someone asks you a question, ask a question in return. It is necessary to ask questions in order to gain understanding. Questions reflect that you are engaged in a conversation and that you care about what is being communicated. Asking a question allows the other person feel valued and respected. For example, if someone asks you “What is your opinion about avocados?”, then you
should give your opinion on avocados and then ask “What is your opinion on avocados”.
11. Seek to learn not just pass a test.
Grades are necessary for school. However, learning material and being able to apply it to life is more important than just getting a good grade. Make learning your primary goal.
12. Allow yourself to dream.
Learning should make you more curious. The more you know, the more you are able to imagine. Don’t limit yourself to just what is assigned, instead allow your school work to be a starting point for lifelong learning.
13. Seek the next question. So if this is true, what does that mean? There is always more to learn. When you learn something new, ask why it matters. Ask yourself what this new knowledge means and what other areas of life it impacts. Always seek connections between subjects and concepts that you are learning.
Scriptures: Acts 17:11; John 4:42
OWNERSHIP
14. Don’t ask for a reward.
Learning and accomplishment are rewards in and of themselves. Recognition is a poor motivation for action. If a reward is given you should be thankful. You are not entitled to a reward because you did your best.
15. Don’t complain when work is assigned.
Work is not punishment. Work makes you better. Don’t complain about being given an opportunity to get better.
16. All school rules apply for substitute teachers.
This is your learning environment and that does not change no matter who is leading the class. The rules exist to help you learn effectively and that should be prioritized at all times. Substitutes are to be respected and appreciated for their willingness to help you learn.
17. Bring water to class.
Be proactive. Anything that will lessen distractions during class improves your ability to learn. If you choose not to be proactive you will not get all the privileges of students who are proactive.
18. Know and greet other teachers in the hallway.
Learn how to interact with people that you don’t have to interact with. Every person is an image bearing child of God and has dignity. Every person has the ability to teach you something. Every person deserves your attention and support.
19. Keep yourself and the bathroom clean.
Take ownership of your environment. Even if you did not make the mess, help keep the school clean when it is reasonable.
20. If you have questions about homework, try three different ways to get the help you need before you contact the teacher. If you contact the teacher it should be done in a professional and calm manner.
Be proactive. If you miss school and need to get assignments, then you should reach out during school hours if possible. It may not be possible to get the help you need if you are reaching out to a teacher late at night for an assignment due the next day. For example: If you have questions about an assignment you can check RenWeb. If that does not answer your question, you can ask a classmate. If your classmate does not have the answer, you can ask another classmate. After you have tried those three options, you may contact a teacher. If you email or text a teacher, tell them what the three things you did before calling them were.
21. Tell an adult if someone is bullying.
If you think another student is dealing with something that they should not have to deal with, tell an adult. It is better to over react than to allow a fellow student to be treated unfairly. Galatians 6:2 tells us that it is our Christian responsibility to bear the burdens of those in our community.
22. Stand up for what you believe in.
Seek to know what you believe and stand up for that belief whether it is easy or difficult, whether you are in the majority or all alone. Seek truth that does not change depending on the circumstance.
23. Be positive and enjoy life.
Scripture is clear that life is a gift from God. Life in such a way that people know you are appreciative of the life God has given you. People like to be around people who are positive. Be someone that people enjoy being around.
24. Learn from mistakes and move on.
Pobody’s Nerfect and nobody’s perfect. Perfection can be a goal, but it is unattainable. God extends you grace that covers the gap between your mistakes and God’s standard of perfection. You are responsible to accept God’s grace for yourself and to show grace to others. You are also responsible to learn from your mistakes so that you don’t get stuck making the same mistakes over and over.
25. Learn to communicate formally, on the phone, on text messages, on social media, in emails, and in person.
Make sure that every communication you send is representative of how you want people to see you. Code switching is appropriate, but learning when to communicate casually and when to communicate professionally is important. Remember that any electronic communication can become public.
26. Be on time.
Time is a shared resource. Your time is not more important than the time of your peers or of your teachers. Being on time communicates respect and maximizes the time you have to learn.
27. Children of the King should use the language of the Court. Language creates culture. Use language that is uplifting and reflects the values of WSCS. As children of God, our language should reflect the God we serve, it should encourage the people around us, and it should be one way that our lives reflect God to those who do not believe. Ephesians 5:4 tells us that there should be no foul language or obscene joking, but that we should be known for uplifting speech.
28. Prepare in such a way that cheating is unnecessary.
Cheating is an expression of doubt in yourself. Believe that God has given you what your need to succeed and prepare
in such a way that you can demonstrate the gifts that God has given you.
Romans 5:3-4; 1 Peter 4:12; Ruth 1:16-18; Proverbs 28:13
NOBILITY
29. Say yes ma’am and yes sir and thank you.
Make this a habit in life. It will make building relationships easier and reap rewards that will surprise you.
30. Make eye contact.
In most situations, making eye contact conveys respect. Be aware that in some cultures this is not true. Making eye contact also conveys confidence and lets people know you are paying attention. Strive to make eye contact with people in small groups and when you are speaking to large groups. Also, when you are listening to a speaker, keep your focus on the speaker so that they can make eye contact with you and see that you are engaged with what they are saying.
31. Always congratulate students.
When someone does something good, celebrate it as much as is reasonable.
32. Respect other students.
Build others up at all times. Constructive criticism is a way of building others up. The goal of all interactions with people should be for others to leave that interaction better equipped to be who God made them to be. Do not joke about people’s family. Do not joke about another student’s body. Do not joke about another student’s intelligence. Do not roast, make fun of, or pick on other students. Ever. Make the lives of those around you better.
33. Don’t Brag when you win; don’t complain when you lose. Winning is a good thing. Don’t make winning the most important thing. Competing at a high level takes hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. Always respect and appreciate the work of your opponents and be gracious in victory. When you lose, accept it. Losing does not mean you are a loser, so you can accept a loss as a learning opportunity. There is no shame in losing if you try your best. There is shame in not trying hard because you are scared to lose.
34. PDA - School is a work environment. PDA is not acceptable. PDA will be limited to:
● High Fives
● Hand Shakes
● Fist Bumps
35. When corrected by a teacher respond respectfully instead of with a “tssk”, eye roll, or making disrespectful gestures.
The only acceptable response to a teacher who says something that you do not like is Yes Ma’am/Sir. Any other response will result in further discipline. If you disagree with an action taken by a teacher or administrator you may address it in the following ways:
1. Make an appointment to meet with that adult to discuss your views. You can share your opinion in a calm and respectful manner. If you raise your voice or use disrespectful language, that meeting will immediately end.
2. If after meeting with the adult you feel your concerns have not been adequately heard, you may approach your student representative, who will set up a meeting with the teacher and an administrative leader.
3. The administrators and teachers have been put in charge of the classrooms and the school. While you may disagree with their decisions, their decisions must be respected. If your family would like to meet with the administrative leaders involved in this decision, they can make an appointment to do so.
36. When you see someone working, ask how can I help.
If you are capable of helping someone, you should always help.
37. Don’t insult gifts given or the givers of gifts.
Always say thank you and find a way to compliment any gift that is given to you and communicate that you appreciate the effort and sentiment behind the gift.
38. When giving feedback in class, always be honest and encouraging, even when the feedback is negative.
Always give feedback that pushes people toward being better. Your feedback should never be a tool used to convince people they are not capable. If you do not believe that every person is capable of improvement, then you should not give feedback.
39. Be as organized as possible.
Use whatever system works for you, but make sure you don’t miss assignments or opportunities because you are not organized enough to be prepared.
40. Follow class rules.
All rules are for the benefit of the school community and they apply equally to every person.
41. Do not stare at a student being reprimanded.
Teachers will make every effort to deal with discipline quickly in class so that the room can return to being focused on learning. If a teacher has to take a moment to redirect a student, do not stare at that student. You can look down at your desk, or you can look at the front of the room. Do not laugh, smirk, make faces with other students, or do anything that prolongs the distraction from learning.
42. When offered food, take only your fair share.
When there is a special treat offered, take a reasonable amount and make sure that if everyone took the same amount that everyone would get to eat.
43. Hold the door for people rather than let it close.
Be aware of the people around you. If there are people following you, always hold the door for them. If you are holding the door for a group of people, hold it as long as you have to for the whole group to enter. If someone holds a door for you, say Thank You.
44. On a field trip, enter the building/area quietly.
If you get to go on a field trip, be respectful of every area you enter. Don’t talk until you are sure that talking will not interrupt what is going on. Look to your trip leaders and act as they are acting.
45. Always compliment places you visit.
It is an honor to visit other places, so you should make sure the people/places you visit know that you are appreciative. For example, if you visit a museum and are given a tour, you should thank the tour guide by saying something like: “Thank you very much for guiding our tour, I learned a lot about how erasers are made”.
46. During an assembly, do not be a distraction.
Assembly and Chapel are not breaks. All the rules of the school apply. When the assembly starts, set a good example for others by facing forward and actively paying attention.
47. When returning from a trip thank every chaperon and shake their hand.
Your chaperon did not take this trip to earn a thank you from you. You benefited from the chaperon’s willingness to go on the trip. It is appropriate to show appreciation when someone does something to benefit you.
48. On escalators, stand to the right, walk to the left.
Always be aware of your surroundings. Make sure you are not blocking people when walking on sidewalks or in hallways. In most circumstances, you should give people room to pass you on the left. If you are in a large group, don’t walk down the middle of an aisle or a parking lot and don’t stand in doorways where people are entering or exiting. Be respectful of all shared space.
49. No one should be able to see your boxers or your bellies.
Any outfit that shows your underwear or your belly is inappropriate for a learning environment and will result in disciplinary action. This is your warning. There is no debate about this ever.
50. Always consider others who share your space (No talking in movie theaters).
When in public spaces, be respectful of others. Don’t talk during movies. Keep your voice at an appropriate level in restaurants. Don’t run when everyone else is walking.
Scriptures: Matt 5:16; Col 3:23-24; 1 Thess 4:11; 1 Peter 2:9-12
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
51. Do random acts of kindness.
Be nice because people deserve it, not for a reward
52. Be a force for productivity in your classes.
When there is a transition time in class, stay focused on the purpose of the class and help keep the class on track.
53. Greet and welcome visitors by shaking hands and repeating their name.
When you meet someone for the first time make eye contact, shake their hand, and introduce yourself. If they do not introduce themselves it is appropriate to ask “And your name is?” When they introduce themselves, respond by saying “Nice to meet you ________ ”. This will help you remember the names of people and conveys respect.
54. Include everyone at your table.
Every person in our school is valuable and represents an opportunity to learn. Don’t limit yourself to only a small group of friends. Do your best to include everyone and make them feel like an equal member of the school community. King David, in 2 Samuel 9, gives us a great example of this in his treatment of Mephibosheth.
55. After dining, clean your area and leave no trash.
Be respectful of the space and of those who clean it. You should never leave a mess for others to clean up.
56. Leave notes of encouragement and appreciation for hotel staff. It is important to show appreciation and respect for people who work in the service industry.
57. If someone else drops something, pick it up for them.
If you see someone drop something, and it is easier for you to pick it up, pick it up. Always be helpful when you can. Never say “It’s not my problem”. We are a community and so what affects one of us affects all of us. This is true in the world outside of school too. We are stronger when we help each other.
58. If someone bumps into you, say excuse me, even if it’s not your fault.
Keep things positive whenever you can. If someone bumps into you, say excuse me, and keep moving. This allows everyone to focus on the reason we are at school. If you bump into someone, immediately turn and say “excuse me”. Do your best to keep small things from becoming big problems by dealing with them immediately. This does not mean letting people bully you. It simply means learning to understand what is really important and what is not, and then making a choice to not let unimportant things distract us from what God has planned for us.
Scripture: Matt 23:8-12; Mark 10:42-45
If you have any ideas or feedback, we invite anyone who is a part of the Faculty Council to email feedback to our High School Principal or Head of School in the following ways:
1. Is there anything that violates scripture?
2. Is there any wording that should be worded differently?
3. Is there anything that feels punitive in nature?
4. Is there anything missing?