Other Important Themes

Protecting Innocence

One of the most precious qualities of childhood is innocence, which is defined in the Heavenly Doctrine as the willingness to be led by the Lord. Every effort is made to preserve that innocence and to use materials and methods that are appropriate to each age. We also have chaperone policies and rules about teacher-student relationships to protect everyone against the attacks of the hells. (See Protection of Children under Organization.)

Support for a New Church Approach to Marriage

A truly New Church school will exhibit a love and support for what the Lord teaches about marriage. This includes support for providing appropriate male and female spheres for the different developmental needs of boys and girls through distinctly masculine and feminine activities and assignments. This sphere in regard to marriage cannot be maintained without the full support of the parents.

Leading by Delight, Using the Power of Ultimates

While discipline and obedience are essential, students’ freedom is guarded carefully because freedom allows children to be led to understanding by means of delights. Leading by delights is promoted especially through ultimates, by which are meant the things which affect the five senses; the things of the three kingdoms of nature; the concrete rather than the abstract; and doing rather than simply listening and watching. Hands-on activities, being a form of ultimates, have the power to induce a love of learning. For this reason, we teach art, music, and handwork, for instance. The performing arts is also an area of focus: every student participates in at least one play or similar activity during the school year. Also appealing to the senses is the landscape in which the school sits; the surrounding farms, mountains, and woodlands make our science studies, which emphasize the wonders of the Lord’s creation, especially delightful.

Parental Participation

The school was started by parents, and its strength continues to rest on the support of parents— as well as other members of the community. This is born out in several ways:

The Physical Plant: Parents and other congregants keep the gardens and help maintain the buildings at work parties. Many of them have participated in the actual construction of our buildings over the decades.

In the Classroom: A number of our teachers may also be the parents of some of our students. Additional parents may spend volunteer time in the school as well, assisting teachers with classroom instruction or special projects or events. The school library is maintained and run by volunteers too. All of this is a tremendous asset to the school.

The Primacy of the Home: We recognize parents as the primary child-raising agency. In practical terms this means, among others things:

A Shorter School Day: Our day goes from 8:00 A.M. to 12:45 P.M., five days a week, 180 days a year, for 1^st through 6^th grades, with kindergarten having fewer days and hours, and older students having additional hours in certain afternoons. With this schedule, the majority of students can be home for lunch and free to spend the afternoons with their families.

School Council: The role of the council is to give input to the school administration on important matters such as hiring, school policies, curriculum changes, and long- term planning, as well as event planning and other developments as they come up. Council members should feel free to share with the rest of the council any input they receive from parents on these kinds of topics, but should encourage parents to approach the administration directly with individual concerns.

These are some of the practices KNCS follows. The essential, however, is to keep the two great commandments—to love the Lord above all things, and our neighbors as ourselves.