Episcopal Roots and Lionhearted Values
A Special Blessing from Bishop Curry for the St. John's Community
EPISCOPAL ROOTS
Episcopal schools are Christian communities that integrate spiritual formation into children’s education. The Baptismal Covenant calls us to seek and serve Christ in all persons and to respect the dignity of every human being. Episcopal schools place high value on reason and critical thinking, which is something that stems from their Anglican roots and contributes to Episcopal schools’ commitment to teaching without indoctrination, a trait that sets them apart from many other Christian schools.
We believe worship and character education go hand-in-hand with intellectual and social development.
Episcopal Education
The tenets of an Episcopal education include academic excellence, religious studies, worship, community service, and an inclusive community where the dignity of every human is respected.
Faith in Action
Each St. John’s student grows into a special type of leader — one who shows empathy, compassion and humility, helps others, has confidence in their beliefs, and does the right thing.
Serving the Community
At every grade level, students participate in service learning projects, from collecting teddy bears for children, to visiting assisted-living facilities, to donating supplies to the Red Cross. Students learn civic responsibility, strengthen communities, and experience the joy of making a difference.
WHY CHOOSE EPISCOPAL
Among the many decisions you face when selecting a school for your child is whether to opt for a secular or faith-based environment. And if faith-based, which approach to questions of faith and learning? Of all of the alternatives available to you, we believe an Episcopal education uniquely prepares children for the challenges of our world.
Meaningful
In a Christian environment that emphasizes servant leadership, an Episcopal school reminds children that they exist in relationship to God and others. They are part of a larger society that relies on their individual contributions for its betterment. The commitment required to meet such a challenge instills in children a sense of meaning and purpose to their lives and actions.
Comprehensive
The global society in which we live calls for an increased ability to understand different cultures and differing points of view. While rooted in the Christian faith and commending faith from a Christian perspective, an Episcopal school maintains a comprehensive, inclusive community that calls on its members to understand and respect the beliefs of all. Moreover, an Episcopal approach seeks to affirm common values in the human community, even while acknowledging legitimate differences, thus becoming a safe place where children can wrestle with large issues and grow as whole and unique individuals.
Challenging
Internalizing and responding to rapid change has become the norm for society in general and schools in particular. In its commitment to academic excellence, an Episcopal education stresses that we all need to continuously learn and grow. Each member of an Episcopal school community is called to intellectual integrity and encouraged to pursue questions wherever they may lead. They are challenged to develop critical faculties and value the learning and thought inherited from the past. An Episcopal school regards reason as a way to true understanding and embraces faith and spirituality as essential to exploring the human condition.
An Episcopal education is a truly holistic experience.
May: SERVICE
April: CURIOSITY
March: HONESTY
February: RESPONSIBILITY
January: RESPECT
December: JOY
November: GRATITUDE
October: COURAGE
September: CARE
ST. JOHN'S LIONHEARTED VALUES
Each Lionhearted Value is deeply explored during one month of the school year; however, each of the values is important all year long. St. John's faculty, staff, and students are mindful to teach, model, encourage, and reflect on all of the Lionhearted Values throughout the year as opportunities arise in our curriculum and in our interactions with each other. Below are the months in which we will explore each value as a school, and the values' definitions.
CARE - SEPTEMBER
Care is the act of being aware of the needs of others and paying kind attention to how our words and actions affect them.
COURAGE - OCTOBER
Courage is choosing what is helpful, right and kind even when it's hard or scary.
GRATITUDE - NOVEMBER
Gratitude is choosing to appreciate the people and things in our lives.
JOY - DECEMBER
Joy is the feeling and the expression of inner contentment or delight.
RESPECT - JANUARY
Respect is seeing value in all people and things treating them with care.
RESPONSIBILITY - FEBRUARY
Responsibility is taking action and understanding the impact of our choices.
HONESTY - MARCH
Honesty is being truthful in what you say and do.
CURIOSITY - APRIL
Curiosity is having a strong desire to learn or know something.
SERVICE - MAY
Service is the spirit of taking actions that benefit others.