The Family and School Partnership Christian education is a valuable commodity and to gain the fullest possible benefit from it, students need to come to it with a home-developed foundation. Put another way, there are certain intrinsic qualities of the families whose students do well in this sort of education. When these qualities are absent, it is very likely that in spite of the best efforts of the school and the teachers, the student will stand to gain little. The following is not intended to be an exhaustive compilation of those characteristics, but should serve as examples to illustrate the point.

“Moral training” is the big “E” on the eye chart of prerequisite qualities. Put even more plainly, children coming from homes where God’s Word is honored and obeyed will see a profound similarity in the expectations at school regarding their behavior. Homes that identify sin as sin, expect cheerful obedience, and show love and forgiveness consistently will find the school’s standards will reinforce those biblical principles.

But how does that training practically look at school? What are some precise evidences of a firm foundation that enables a student to get the most out of the school’s program? One very obvious evidence is the student’s view of authority in general, and parents’ authority in particular. A good measure of the students’ regard for authority is the love boys show to their mothers, and the respect girls show for their fathers. Listen to how students talk; if the subject of parents comes up at all, it takes very little astuteness to determine the health of a student’s view of his parents.

Another related quality is old-fashioned etiquette or manners. In the past, good manners were referred to as the “oil” of maintaining good relations with others in public. It is not a sin, per se, for a boy not to hold the door for a girl, but it is probably an indicator that his training as a gentleman is not complete. The way a child speaks to an adult, the way he sits or slouches at his desk, and other numerous little acts that show respect for others, especially the elderly, speak volumes about that student.

A firm foundation also shows up in the way a student “filters” the plethora of cultural messages. Is there evidence of growing biblical-based discernment, or does the student generally accept almost every attractive, popular theme at face value? Legalistic rejection is not biblical discernment any more than is a wide-eyed, “I wanna be cool” attitude. Biblical discernment takes a lot of study, time, and a willingness to stand alone at times. “Wise as serpents, innocent as doves” sums it up quite well.

A student’s appearance billboards both his respect for others and his family’s training in discernment. Even in the secular world, appearance is recognized as the message-sending device it is. Dress should not be the means to determine success, but it is a lie to tell children that it doesn’t matter at all. Even young children understand the difference “dressing up” makes in how they are to regard an activity. All little girls want to look pretty at a wedding, and all young boys want to wear their team uniform with pride. A student who supposedly doesn’t care too much about his appearance actually cares too much for himself and not enough for those who have to see him. The attitude profoundly affects his teachability.

A firm foundation provides a student with a solid rock work ethic, i.e. standards of doing a job well. This goes beyond just being honest and not cheating on the test. Doing their work “as unto the Lord” practically means they don’t have a “is this going to be on the test” mentality toward the acquisition and value of knowledge. Most often the students with a strong work ethic, who sweat bullets for every “B” they get, will fair far better in the adult world than those gifted students who breezily accept their “A’s.

Finally, parents will improve their student’s opportunity to gain much from a Christian education by ensuring that they as parents understand, value and teach the purpose for education. It is not enough to send the kids and pay the tuition – the parents must be able to articulate reasons they are doing this and help their children understand as well. Otherwise, it will only be one more program dad and mom sign their kids up for, like T ball or piano lessons. Children value what their parents value.

How firm is the foundation at Salem Lutheran School? It’s about 152 years old. There are evidences of many, many deeply sunk pylons; may God be pleased to allow us all to build upon them well!

What do we Mean by Christian Education?
Education, by its very nature, must address the great questions of life. Who am I? Why am I here? How must I live? Every school must teach on the foundation of some kind of world-view. That world-view may be boldly stated, or it may be implied, but is always present.

At Salem Lutheran School our foundational world-view is the unchangeable Word of God – the Bible. Because God created the world and everything in it, all creation is subject to Him. Because God revealed Himself in His creation, in the Bible, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, we may confidently teach all subjects in the light of His Lordship. This, in turn, affects more than mere academics. We strive to practice biblical living and teaching everywhere, not only in our curriculum, but by our example as faculty and staff.

We are absolutely committed to the central principles of the Christian faith and to the evangelical principles of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. (The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is a movement associated with other Christians worldwide; committed to loving people as Jesus loved, serving the world as Jesus served, and proclaiming the grace of God so that people are blessed in their daily living.) Our faculty members are primarily educated and trained in Lutheran Universities across the United States. Our student body consists of 14 Christian denominations that represent 50 congregations spanning eight school districts. Those students who do come from unchurched families consequently are educated in a Christian culture dominated by the authority of the Word of God. As we seek to build Christian unity between families of the school, we also pray that Salem Lutheran School will never drift from stressing the importance of a consistent and personal adherence to our Lord Jesus Christ.