Philosophy and Curriculum
Philosophy and Curriculum
All education is about preparing for life – but what life? At the Washington New Church School we believe the ultimate goal is eternal life in heaven, and that all worldly learning, though important in its own right, is a means to that end. Whether it is history or science, math, sports, music or language arts, everything confirms and illustrates the work of God as He prepares us for eternal life.
We believe there is a spiritual cause for every natural effect, including the existence of the world itself. Our philosophy of education therefore hinges on the pursuit of academic excellence in a context of spiritual understanding. We are fortunate that the faith of the New Church sponsoring this education includes more detailed teachings about spiritual life than any other religion in the world. These teachings inform the development of our curriculum with a view to preserving innocence and providing age-appropriate material as much as possible at every level.
We invite you to learn more about the church by following this link of a Summary of our Beliefs, and by contacting any member of our pastoral staff.
Priorities in the classrooms – and on the playground – include a special focus on personal safety, mutual respect, charitable language and orderly behavior. Discipline is handled with great care based on clear communication with students and their parents, and is administered as a result of specific actions, the final goal being self-awareness and self-discipline.
As to the curriculum itself, we provide instruction in all the fundamentals of public education plus the added dimension of religious studies, visual and performance arts, computer technology, and community service. We provide a varied program of physical education, including a personal safety unit, and the children learn the rules and techniques of many sports.
WNCS has a spiraling curriculum that builds from year to year on consistent themes in all subject areas that progress according to age and subject categories from kindergarten through grade 8.
As a private religious school we are exempt from state or county supervision, however we do administer the Iowa standardized Test of Basic Skills and the Cognitive Abilities Test and are pleased to report that our students generally score above the national standards. We also have regular seminars and support visits from Master Teachers and Administrators operating out of our church’s main education office (in Philadelphia).
