The Purpose of Kempton New Church School:

The focus of the Kempton New Church School is to help children develop into good neighbors and good citizens, who know and care about what is important, and who can be useful and happy members of society both in this life and the world to come. The primary aim is to teach them how to love others, as in Matthew:

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God in thy whole heart, and in thy whole soul, and in thy whole thought. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” - Matthew 22:37

Also in the Arcana Caelestia:

“Love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor are the very being of heaven and of the church.” - Arcana Caelestia 8988:3

This love is the central theme of New Church education, and other aspects take their life from it. Teachers and parents should always keep in mind that this is the main purpose, and that everything done in the school is to relate to it. Academic achievement, while important, is not the main thing. It is one of the means towards the end of living a useful life of love and charity. The following are some of the principal ways that this end is approached:

1. Worship: Each day begins with the worship of the Lord, with prayer, singing, and instruction.
2. The Word: Students learn the truths of the Word in morning worship, in regular religion classes, in church on Sunday, and in other classes when appropriate. Children memorize passages from the Word regularly. In addition teachers and parents are given the opportunity to pursue this study at weekly doctrinal classes, in their homes, and at other times.
3. Charity: Students are taught to treat each other well, both by example and instruction. The emphasis is on maintaining a sphere of charity and good will in all relationships among the students, among the adults, and between adults and students. The evils which are opposite to charity are to be shunned, and this shunning is the primary way of gaining spiritual life:

   “Spiritual life is acquired solely by a life according to the commandments in the Word. These commandments are given in a summary in the Decalogue, namely, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shall not kill, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet the goods of others. These commandments are the commandments that are to be done, for when a man does these his works are good and his life is spiritual, because so far as a man shuns evils and hates them, so far he wills and loves goods.” - Apocalypse Explained 1027

4. Uses: Perhaps the most important practice of charity is to learn to be useful both to oneself and to others. This is primarily taught at home, but at the school, too. The students are taught self-discipline, the importance of effort, initiative, cooperation and responsibility. They participate in chores and work parties that help maintain the school and grounds.

These four primary avenues have many branches, but they all lead to the central purpose of assisting parents to encourage the loves in children that will result in happy and useful lives. The promise of the New Church is that people can be led to a true worship of the Lord Jesus Christ, a life of uses, conjugial love, and therefore to heaven, through the understanding and practice of the truths of the Second Coming.

Other Important Themes:

1. Make Religion Truly the Core of the School: Religion ought to be related whenever possible to all subject matter in the curriculum. The Word, including the Heavenly Doctrine, also forms the basis for teaching methods, student (and teacher) behavior, values, attitudes, work ethic, and respect for property.
2. Protect Innocence: One of the most precious qualities of childhood is innocence. Every effort should be made to preserve that innocence, and to use materials and methods that are appropriate to each age. We also have policies of chaperonage and rules about teacher-student relationships to protect everyone against the attacks of the hells. (See Protection of Children)
3. Lead by Delight and Freedom: While discipline and obedience are essential, the freedom of students is carefully to be guarded. This is the case when children are led to understanding by means of delights. Leadership by delights is promoted in the following ways:
   1. The Power of Ultimates: By "ultimates" we mean things affecting the five senses, the things of the three kingdoms of nature, the concrete rather than the abstract, and doing rather than simply listening and watching. Teachers are encouraged to involve the students in hands-on learning activities. Ultimates such as these have a power in them which helps to induce a love of learning. In particular, KNCS has a focus on:
      1. Nature Science: Since the school is surrounded by mountains and woodlands, a specialty in nature studies is a logical development.
      2. Performing Arts: Singing and acting in front of others promotes confidence and teamwork. It is an activity requiring intense effort and discipline, and which almost all children find rewarding. Every child in the school from kindergarten on participates in at least one play or similar activity during the school year.
   2. Human Relations: Warm and familiar relations are encouraged among adults, among students, and between students and adults. Although criticism is an essential tool for improvement and growth, we try to avoid sharp and frequent criticism.
4. Encouragement of Parental Participation: The school was begun by parents and the strength of the school rests on the involvement of parents and other members of the community. This is done in several ways:
   1. Volunteer Teaching and Tutoring: Parents and others spend hours in the school assisting teachers, sometimes teaching whole courses. This is a tremendous asset to the school and is greatly appreciated.
   2. Counsel: Important decisions are arrived at by discussion with faculty and parents. Major decisions, such as whether to build something or whether to add a new grade, are made by a vote of the whole society.
   3. Committees: Parents and others are also involved in committees for hiring, planning, building, etc. Maintaining and encouraging these activities keeps the ownership of the school in the hands of parents.
   4. The Physical Plant: Everyone works together to maintain the building and premises, keep the gardens, and do repairs and additions.
5. Recognition of the Primacy of the Home: We regard the family as the primary child-raising agency. In practical terms, this means the following things, among others:
   1. A Shorter Day: The school day goes from 7:45 A.M. to 12:45 P.M., five days a week, 180 days a year, for grades 1-6, with kindergarten having slightly less and older students only three hours and twenty minutes more. This means that students are usually home for lunch, and free to spend the afternoons with their families.
   2. Family Events: There are times when events at home warrant a student being excused from doing homework for an evening. A note from the home is sufficient to reschedule the assignment.
   3. Out-Of-School Time: Parents may take their children out of school to do things which they think are important, such as going on trips or outings, or doing essential farm work A note from home explaining the reason for the absence is all that is requested. Arrangements should be made with teachers for making up lost work. (See also Middle School Rules)
6. Maintain a Strong Homeroom: Through eighth sixth? grade, and to a lesser degree in ninth and tenth, we aim to keep a clear home room center under one teacher who teaches the majority of the courses. Below seventh grade it is important that one teacher be involved in almost all of the courses, to be a stabilizing guide for the students in that grade.
7. Masculine and Feminine Leadership: We try to provide proper male and female spheres for the development of boys and for the development of girls. Although constrained by our small size and budget, we also provide some distinctly masculine and feminine courses or assignments within co-ed courses.
8. Encourage a Balanced Life: We aim for a balance of home life, school work, other work, and social and leisure time. Dedication to uses should not mean neglect of oneself and family.

These are some of the goals and practices by which we aim to make the Kempton New Church School special. The only thing that can genuinely make any school special, however, is the practice of love to the Lord, and “there is no love to the Lord with a person except in charity.” - Doctrine of Life 22