Replicating Principle Approach Schools

As a Principle Approach demonstration school, Dayspring Christian Academy is pleased to share plans from the Foundation for American Christian Education to form additional Principle Approach schools over the next five years.

The Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE) is launching a five-year plan to facilitate the establishment of 50 Principle Approach demonstration schools before 2024 as anchors in local communities of a multi-generational plan to rebuild the American culture through Christian education. 

Communities rest on the strength of three institutions—the family, the church, and the school. God has always used individuals in these institutions to bring about His purposes, growing the strength of local communities in truth and understanding, to implement righteous change.

Clearly seen today, secular state education in America aims at ‘owning’ the children in the nation’s decline away from God. The means of reclaiming the nation for Christ through education, is to patiently and consistently nurture biblical principles, generation to generation, to empower Christian leadership in the family, the church, and the nation.

The success of an emerging K-12 Principle Approach school depends upon a strong adult support community. To equip adult Christians with godly wisdom concerning the education of their children, the FACE Plan includes an ambitious “Enlighten the Nation” adult study initiative. Through “Enlighten” study groups, parents, grandparents, church leaders, and community leaders are equipped to understand and give support to Principle Approach education. The influence of teaching and learning communities over time impacts lasting, multi-generational change. Forming principled thinking and biblical worldview in children is at the heart of the FACE five-year plan as the future status of the church and the Republic depends upon today’s children. Yet today’s adult generation, presently responsible to make education choices, must also be educated.  

You may be called by God to step forward in leadership. 
In starting the necessary study groups, there are roles for leaders and for facilitators—both are essential for communities to shake off the shackles of progressive agendas and be reborn in truth through Christ. We are with you heart and soul. The goal is to rebuild the community upon America’s founding biblical principles, ensuring both the spiritual health of communities AND the sustenance of America’s religious liberty.

PRINCIPLE APPROACH “DEMONSTRATION SCHOOLS”

What qualifies a Principle Approach demonstration school? 
The criteria of “demonstration” status is simply that the school exhibits Principle Approach philosophy, methodology, and curriculum to the community and produces measurable results. Such schools will consistently demonstrate PEERS Test scores of biblical worldview in the biblical range. We work with emerging schools newly founded and with existing schools that purpose to cultivate “demonstration” status. Here’s how:

In an 18-month program of mentoring, training, and helping build a support community, FACE invests in qualified schools in an individualized program. To qualify, schools must present the essential components of entrance into the program:

• A visionary leader to speak the vision to draw support in the community.
• A small, firmly committed group of people who will pray and study together to form the core leadership of the school’s mission and to walk it out with the visionary leader.
• A detailed plan to equip the school with the location, business model, and financial support. The FACE publication How to Establish a Christian School and Restore the Republic by Dr. Max Lyons outlines the plan and answers many questions. 

ENLIGHTEN STUDY GROUPS

Principle Approach schools need community support for founding and growth. “Enlighten” study groups are essential to cultivate a community in support of a school OR as a step toward seeding a K-12 school in the community. “Enlighten” study groups bring truth and understanding to Christians in any community by calling friends together—yes, to study together—to learn the solutions to the cultural crisis that surrounds us all.

Seeds are small power houses that faithfully produce fruit. Complimentary from FACE, the “Enlighten the Nation: The Group Leader’s Guide” is designed to enable a facilitator, who may not be a teacher or leader, but who has a heart to gather a study group in a church, Sunday school class, neighborhood group, Bible study, or any good ground for planting seed. Luke 8:4-18

Our heart-mission is to educate the rising K-12 generations in truth, yet it necessitates teaching two generations—the parents as well as the children—to take responsibility for the nation. All great movements of the Spirit begin with the Word of God. The Principle Approach is America’s historic method of biblical reasoning that places the Word of God at the heart of every subject in the school curriculum.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1.  Where can we see a “demonstration school?”
Go to the websites of some of the schools with whom we work most closely:  We suggest Dayspring Christian Academy near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and StoneBridge School in Chesapeake, Virginia.

2.  How will FACE work with leaders and facilitators?
We will coordinate experienced Principle Approach school leaders and teachers to mentor, train, and develop community support for your work.

3. What is the benefit of being a “demonstration school?” 
The school will perform at an excellent level of authentic Christian education. The faculty will grow in competence, exert influence in your local community, and make an effective contribution to restoring the nation.  Demonstration schools are nationally recognized, have a distinct mission distinguishing them locally, receive benefits from FACE, and establish a high level of accountability.

4. Where do I begin?
How to Establish a Christian School to Restore the Republic, by Max Lyons, is available through FACE. The StoneBridge Standards: Essential Practices that Produce Principle Approach Education, by Carole Adams, is also available. Principle Approach demonstration schools offer themselves as models. Call FACE for a “school planting” document that lists resources.

5. What does it take to start a school?
Starting a school requires many resources: a building, budget to hire faculty, donors, qualified teachers, business practices—in other words, a viable plan to govern a successful planting. FACE will help develop the plan and mentor the process.

6.  How do we start an “Enlighten” study group? 
 Ask FACE for a free leaders’ guide that gives you a step-by-step plan and a suggested curriculum, “Enlightening the Nation: The Group Leader’s Guide.”

This article is reprinted with permission from the Fall 2019 Edition of “AWAKEN” A Publication of Dayspring Christian Academy in Mountville, PA. Awaken magazine is published annually by Dayspring Christian Academy which is one of about 25 Principle Approach schools in America. Of those, Dayspring is one of five model demonstration schools.

Click here or on the cover image to view the entire AWAKEN Fall 2019 edition. This article appears on page 24.