Past Principal Points

1. I have received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and am actively involved in a local church. (AKCS has always been a "discipleship" school rather than a "missionary" one. It is our belief that the school is primarily a support to the home to help "Born Again" Christian parents to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Some Christian schools are "missionary" schools and accept any child regardless of the faith of the parents. We feel that is more appropriate for a church-run school. It is also vital that parents be actively involved (regularly attending and having some kind of ministry) in a church which supports the values of our school. While the school is non-denominational, it is definitely Protestant, and Evangelical in theology. Families should be attending churches with similar beliefs so that children are receiving the same message from the home, church, and school.)  
2. I acknowledge that the Bible places primary responsibility on parents, especially fathers, for the education of their children, and am requesting this school to assist me in this God-given responsibility. (AKCS exists to support parents in fulfilling this responsibility, but it can happen that parents take a back seat to the school in the spiritual education of their children. In some schools parents merely pay the tuition and then are expected to let the school do the rest. We feel that this is a usurpation by the school of the rights and responsibilities of the parents.)  
3. I have read and fully accept the Statement of Faith as my own and will support the Distinctives of Airdrie Koinonia Christian School. (Christians of many different doctrinal positions should be able to fellowship easily with one another; however, in order to minister effectively side by side, a greater degree of unity must be present. AKCS has families from over twenty-five different churches from nearly as many different denominations; however, all of these are agreed on the fundamentals contained in our Statement of Faith. Furthermore, each family needs to be supportive of the unique aspects of this school: its focus on quality over quantity, the integration of Scripture into each subject, the spiritual focus, etc. This unity of purpose makes us strong.)  
4. I will pray earnestly for the school. (Without this prayer, we will ultimately fall away from our original purpose and lose God's blessing on the school. Need we say more?)  
5. I will actively support the ministry of the school when I am able by assisting with various activities as needed. (A school is a busy place, and, as we grow larger, it only gets busier. Field trips, hot lunches, spelling bees, and work bees all require the efforts of many people to make them successful. This volunteer spirit is one of the things which keeps alive and vibrant. While obviously volunteering is a choice each of us makes, this part of the Parents' Code requires that parents decide ahead of time that they will volunteer as they are able through the course of the year. Both students and staff alike very much appreciate these efforts!)  
6. I will serve as a school monitor as required or pay for my substitute. (Serving as a monitor is one way that every family can contribute a certain minimum time working in the school. It helps the school to get to know the parents and the parents to get to know the school. It provides a relational context for later discussions around report card time, etc. It helps families to understand the processes and people which are at work in the school and so enables them to pray more effectively. It is the one part of the Code which comes with a financial penalty for those who don't participate. This was done in order to stress that it is the school's desire that every family be in the school from time to time. At the same time it allows a means whereby a family which cannot give the time may contribute some money instead.)  
7. I will support the standards of the school and uphold them outside of the school as well as in the school. (The term "standards" refers to the spiritual principles, academic requirements, and kinds of behavior which the school seeks to instill in each student. Over the years we have seen how strong young people have become when the home, church, and school are all teaching them the same thing. They grow up knowing what they believe and how to live accordingly. The ministry of the school is nullified if parents take issue with a doctrinal position, belittle an assignment, or permit behavior outside of school which clearly contradicts that expected in school. If the standards cannot be supported, it may be better to enroll in another school rather that go through the conflicts which arise from this kind of situation.)  
8. I authorize the school to employ such discipline as it deems wise and expedient for the training of my child(ren). (Without discipline no learning will take place. A teacher cannot teach if he or she is busy being a police officer for a group of wild children. Teachers take their responsibility to train their students very seriously and discipline them as they would their own children. Discipline includes a host of positive methods. The end result of firm and loving discipline is a student body which is very well behaved. They are a pleasure to teach now, and, in the future, will grow to be responsible, productive citizens.)  
9. I will immediately seek to resolve misunderstandings privately with the person(s) (i.e. faculty, staff, Board members, other parents) involved in accordance with the principles of Matthew 18. (As a parent body, we are a diverse group with a wide range of views on issues. It is inevitable that there will be disagreements from time to time. Also, schooling has a direct impact on the lives of children who are very precious to us all. When something happens which threatens a child's well-being, parents want to know about it and do something about it. However, there are both constructive ways to address problems and destructive ones. The Bible is clear that we are to resolve disputes directly with the people involved and that we are not to gossip about one another. So our parents' code requires that we follow that rule. Every issue should be dealt with only by the people directly affected. Each of us should be committed to speaking well of everyone. Always give a good report.)  
10. I accept that my child(ren) will be placed at a level determined by the administration on the basis of diagnostic and achievement testing to ensure individual success for each child. (The school is committed to the success of every child and every classroom, and so ultimately the administration will make the final decision about placement of children in light of their abilities and the resources of the school. This decision is always made in consultation with parents.)  
11. I accept that the school reserves the right to dismiss any child who fails to comply with the established regulations and discipline; or whose financial obligations remain unpaid; or who fails to show satisfactory academic progress. (It is a privilege to attend a Christian school, not a right. Students who resist every effort at correction may be expelled if they continue to be disruptive. While financial aid is available for those who need it, each family must then be faithful to fulfill whatever commitments they have made. This includes not only the payment of tuition but the completion of any work agreed to in lieu of tuition. Those who do not fulfill their commitments are asked to leave. The reference to "satisfactory progress" has to do with the suitability of the program for the student. Generally, our program is flexible enough to accommodate most students, but there are some who would do better in a different school or in a home schooling situation. In those cases, it is in the best interests of the student and the school for that child to transfer. )  

12. I understand that in the case of an expulsion of my child(ren) no other board (public or independent) is obligated to accept my child(ren) mid-year and that in such cases Airdrie KCS’s only obligation for the remainder of the year will be to provide support for a Home School program. (Expulsion is a very rare event, and no public board has ever refused a former AKCS student admission in the middle of the year. However, no school is required to accept a child in the middle of the year, and AKCS is responsible to provide a program for the remainder of the year. Whereas a public board can send a student to another school, a private school cannot. Therefore, our only alternative program is to assist families in home schooling their child(ren) should they be refused admission elsewhere.

13. I understand that faithful attendance at Parent-Teacher Interviews and Parent-Teacher CARE* Group meetings are vital to building a strong school. I will make every effort to attend both. I also understand that the school will honor my attendance by providing tuition credits to be applied against next year’s payments, based upon the number of CARE Group meetings I attend. (*CARE = Committed And Responsible for Education.) (In recent years we have held a pot-luck evening with new parents prior to the first Parent-Teacher Fellowship of the year. This has given new families the chance to meet the Board members and teachers and get a feel for them. It is also a chance to explain some of the developments of the school in a bit more detail. Additional PTF CARE Group meetings are held about three times a year. The sustained involvement of parents is essential if we are to stay true to our original mission and accomplish the work God has set out for us. We recognize that everyone's time is precious, so we try to make these meetings very worthwhile. At the same time, we want to honor those who do attend without in anyway casting aspersions on those who cannot make every meeting for whatever reason.Therefore the Board has implemented a tuition rebate program in order to encourage maximum participation from every family. One meeting attended will result in a $25 rebate, two--$50, three--$100, and four--$200 off the next year’s tuition. Every family should review the school calendar and ensure that they have set these dates aside.)

14. I hereby pledge to pay my financial obligations to the school. (It should go without saying that everyone must pay their bills. The Scriptures are clear in this regard. It is a sad testimony of the Christian church that people are becoming suspicious of dealing with Christians. There seems to be a belief on the part of some that other Christians should "forgive their debts" even when there is no repentance on their part. I am pleased to report that over the years our families have been very faithful in this regard.) 
15. I understand that tuition does not cover the full costs of educating my child(ren) and will seek to support the school through the various fundraising activities (Minimum $250). (Every family's ability to help will vary depending on their personal resources of time and money, but each family needs to be in prayer about it, asking God to show what they can and should do to help build the school financially. The Board, for its part, has established some principles to ensure that this area operates with integrity. They have limited the number of fundraisers to five a year. (Another five ideas are turned down every year.) They only approve fundraisers which can be supported from an ethical standpoint. Fundraising, as a rule, is not needed to fund the operational expenses of the school. Almost all dollars raised go into buildings and equipment. And in recent years they have shifted our focus from fundraising to friendraising. This means that we need to keep our eyes on the Lord and our mission and then communicate that mission to others. Funds will follow as the Lord directs people to come alongside us.)