At The Woodlands Christian Academy, we know God has a plan for every child, no matter what his age. In Romans 12:2, Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing spirit of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.” God calls us to develop each child to his full potential academically, spiritually, physically, and socially.

Our goal in the lower school is to set a strong foundation in these four pillars. 

Academically:  We believe God calls us to continually grow and “renew” our minds.  As a staff, we lead by example, continually studying about God and our profession.  This is a value we seek to instill in our family of students and we do this by combining just the right amount of challenge with a whole lot of fun.

Our emphasis in early childhood is learning through guided play, creating the groundwork in the core subject areas through the lens of the Christian faith.  Teachers are intentional in planning differentiated center activities to meet the learning needs of the students in their classrooms.

Learning is extended from the early childhood program throughout the rest of the elementary years.  Literacy is taught through literature-based guided reading and a phonemic awareness program.  By third grade, students begin a more in-depth study of literature and comprehension strategies.  Math and science concepts are taught through hands-on experiences and then brought to abstract application. History and Bible are taught in dynamic, cross-curricular units.  We believe students must touch and experience to learn.

In addition to core curriculum and bible classes, we have also offer:

       ·      Fine arts (music and art)
·      Spanish (K-4)
·      Latin (3-5)
·      Physical education
·      Computer lab (PCs) and laptop cart (Mac)
·      Multiple educational field trips throughout the year
·      Several playgrounds for unstructured outdoor play
·      Basketball pavilion and open field for sports
·      After school enrichment programs (Tae Kwon Do, gymnastics, etc)

Spiritually:  When Jesus was asked to identify the greatest commandment, he said, “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  As a Christian school, we have the unique opportunity to not only change this world through the futures of our students, but to have an eternal impact on our students and those they will touch spiritually throughout their lives.  We look at all subject areas through the lens of Christianity, always seeking to bring students closer to God.   Some opportunities that foster a love for God include: 

      ·      Bible classes
·      Weekly chapel services
·      Morning gatherings with worship and prayer
·      Christian connections throughout our curriculum

Socially: Jesus said the second greatest commandment is to, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This may also be the hardest commandment to keep.  In our “me” society, it is sometimes difficult to think about others as we would ourselves.  We acknowledge there will always be difficult relationships.  Regardless, if Jesus tells us this is the second greatest commandment, we need to learn to love each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, even when it doesn’t come easy.  We believe Christian character development is crucial.

Jesus taught us how to treat one another in the Bible and we expect our students, teachers and parents to interact with each other using His principles.  We explicitly teach these principles and refer to them in our daily routines and discipline management. Students are given many opportunities to grow relationships throughout the year through: 

      ·      Small group activities
·      Field trips
·      Team building exercises
·      Athletic games 
·      Retreats (4^th and 5^th grades)
·      Senior Buddies (Kindergarten)
·      Pi Day (2^nd through 12^th grades)
·      Plays and musicals

Physically:  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”  God expects us to not only work on our minds, but also our bodies, and we strive to instill this value in children at an early age.  The Woodlands Christian Academy has a strong athletic department that works closely with our elementary students in health and physical education.

Each day, students can choose to purchase lunch at our cafeteria. Spectrum Catering offers a variety of choices that support a healthy diet. 

By developing students academically, spiritually, emotionally, and physically, we  not only prepare our exiting 5^th graders for further challenges in school, but also the difficult decisions they will make as they interact with our secular world.  We hope to truly prepare our students to be lights in the darkness, to be in the world and not of it.