5 Reasons to Get Excited About Next Year: Reason #5

I know what you're thinking..."Leah, school hasn't even ended and you're already talking about next year?"  Summer is right around the corner, and while every one of you may be looking forward to lazy days on the lake, bbqs in the backyard, or going on a family vacation, Zion will be hard at work.  A lot of great things are happening at Zion this summer and pretty cool changes are happening as well.  Changes that should make Zion better than ever.  In this recurring Blog series, we take a look at 5 reasons to get excited about next year.

Reason #5: Our Mission

Zion has always put God first in everything we do here.  It's in the start to every day. It's in the way we teach science, math, and literature.  It's with us at lunch as we give thanks for the delicious (and I do mean DELICIOUS) food we get to eat.  It's with us on the playground, at our sports events, and as we leave each afternoon.  He is always with us and always first.

Zion's mission is "Feed My Lambs" through the teaching of the Christian Faith and the guidance in the Christian Life, for personal growth and development.  This mission is posted everywhere!  It's in every classroom, in the kitchen, in my office, on the website, on forms, everywhere. Shoot...have you noticed the giant "Feed My Lambs" sign above the doorway as you enter the school hallway?  Yeah, it's kind of a big deal around here.

This "Feed My Lambs" mentality can be summed up in one verse: Proverbs 22:6. It says to "train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."  This verse provides us with a goal for educating our children, and with this verse in mind, we have adopted a comprehensive system know as "Living In Christ".  This system is designed to help students develop social competencies in a school setting.

At Zion it's not enough to excel academically.  Zion believes that there are core competencies that each student must achieve socially, to become a well-rounded individual.  With Jesus as our example and God's Word as our daily guide, we have these expectations:

• Servanthood:  
  • Each child will seek opportunities to be helpful, considerate, and courteous. 
  • “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” - Mark 9:35
  • "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love." - Galatians 5:13
• Responsibility:  
  • Each child will strive for self-control in attitude, actions, and abilities. 
  • But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23
• Resolution:  
  • Each child will follow appropriate steps to solve problems.  
  • “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.  But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’  If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. - Matthew 18:15-17
• Cooperation:  
  • Each child will cooperate with others for the success of everyone.  
  • Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. - 1 Peter 3:8
• Respect:  
  • Each child will honor adults, other students, and property, and God's Word.
  • Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, - Philippians 2:3
• Affirmation:  
  • Each child will build others up by emphasizing positive traits. 
  • May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. - 1 Thessalonians 3:12

The world is changing, and it can be a scary and lonely place.  At Zion, we are shoring up the foundation of each student, so that, when it comes time for them to stand on their own, they are solid as a rock!