Frequently Asked Questions
Do you require that families sign a statement of faith?
Families are not required to make a statement of faith to qualify for admission. In fact, one of our goals is that our graduates will possess a thorough understanding of many religions, and that they demonstrate respect for the perspectives of others. However, as our mission is to introduce children and their families to a joyful relationship with Christ and a thorough knowledge of the protestant Bible, we do require that students and their families commit to respecting this endeavor.
Just as you would - out of respect - refrain from walking into a Muslim facility, eating a hamburger and announcing freedom in Christ, we ask that while on the school premises or at school-sponsored activities, such as field trips, students and their families will abstain from proselytizing for other religions, expressing hostility to Biblical principles, or promoting doctrine or flaunting lifestyles in opposition with The Hearth Room’s Statement of Faith.
Families pursuing enrollment need to do so with the expectation that their students will participate in all activities, rather than opting out of some.
How is religion incorporated into the program?
All teaching staff in The Hearth Room have professed a love of Jesus and a belief in the Bible as the true Word of God. At a minimum, you can expect to see staff approaching situations from this perspective, praying for and with children, referring to the Bible as the standard of ethics, and striving to guide the children towards receiving the grace that God gives to all sinners and offering such compassionate kindness to others as well.
In the Primary, children will sing spiritual songs, hear Bible stories, and be invited to pray before meals (or at least sit respectfully while others pray). In the Elementary, we hope to have a Bible quizzing team, to guide children to develop the daily habit of setting aside time for quiet meditation, journaling, prayer, and Bible reading. They will hear stories about heroes of the faith (George Muller, Martin Luther, William Tyndale, and more). The study of science is introduced by presenting both prominent origin perspectives of evolution and the Biblical story of creation, observing the differences, and researching to find out what evidence there might be for each. We do not demand that students agree with our perspective, but desire that they can confidently defend whatever perspective they claim with solid reason and can converse respectfully with those of opposing views.