The Family-School Relationship at Providence Classical School
At PCS, we believe that God calls families and schools to walk in partnership as we shepherd the hearts and minds of students. A flourishing partnership is rooted in shared convictions, mutual trust, and a common commitment to formation in Christ.
Partners in Providence is an overview of how we collaborate with families. As the name implies, a partnership is a coming together, each bringing unique contributions to the relationship in pursuit of common aims and outcomes. We want to be clear with families about what to expect from PCS to avoid assumptions or false starts.
Before we discuss the attributes of a healthy partnership between the home and school, we believe it’s helpful to clarify who we’re not for. While this may seem surprising to some, it’s better to be on the same page early than to figure out later we’re going in different directions.
To that end, here’s a summary of who PCS is not for:
- Families who disagree with the school’s mission, standards, and classical educational model.
- Families in which neither parent professes faith in Christ, or who do not value a Christ-centered school culture.
- Families who want to come to PCS simply because of its academic or extracurricular success.
- Families whose children’s academic, psychological, or behavioral needs exceed what the school can adequately serve.
These non-starters are not intended to be disparaging, but rather to avoid assumptions and misunderstandings.
Let’s move on to Partners in Providence, the six key areas of alignment between the home and school.
1. Christian Faith & Practice
A SHARED FOUNDATION OF BELIEF AND DISCIPLESHIP
We ask families to:
- Affirm at least one parent professes faith in Jesus Christ and faithfully participates in a gospel-centered church.
- Agree to have their child taught in alignment with our Statement of Faith and supporting values.
- Foster an environment of discipleship in their home.
- Model a life shaped by Scripture, grace, and truth.
Families can expect PCS to:
- Teach from a thoroughly biblical worldview across all subjects.
- Nurture students’ hearts and minds toward a deeper relationship with Christ.
- Employ faculty and staff who model authentic Christian faith.
- Foster a culture of prayer, worship, and spiritual formation.
2. Mutual Trust & Respect
WORKING TOGETHER WITH HUMILITY, GRACE, AND OPEN COMMUNICATION
We ask families to:
- Support the leadership of the school and the authority of teachers.
- Approach conflict with a biblical spirit of reconciliation (Matthew 18).
- Speak with charity and clarity, understanding that a wide variety of convictions can be held by faithful Christians.
- Engage constructively in feedback and dialogue, believing the best in one another.
Families can expect PCS to:
- Communicate transparently and in a timely manner.
- Listen well and respond with humility and respect.
- Model integrity in leadership and decision-making.
- Partner with parents as co-laborers in each student’s formation.
3. Ready, Willing, & Able
A SHARED COMMITMENT TO ACADEMIC AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH
We ask families to:
- Participate in transparent dialogue regarding their child’s readiness to engage with PCS’s academic expectations.
- Embrace the rigor and joy of classical Christian education.
- Encourage perseverance, humility, obedience, and curiosity in their children.
- Support their child’s behavioral, social, and spiritual readiness.
Families can expect PCS to:
- Provide a challenging, enriching, and age-appropriate classical Christian education.
- Offer support, feedback, and encouragement for each student’s growth.
- Cultivate habits of attention, order, responsibility, and wonder.
- Engage students holistically — mind, heart, and character.
4. A Biblical View of Success
FORMING STUDENTS FOR FAITHFULNESS, NOT JUST ACHIEVEMENT
We ask families to:
- Prioritize character, virtue, and godliness over grades or accolades.
- Give the formation process time to take root and bear fruit.
- Define success in terms of character formation, a good-faith best effort, talent stewardship, and eternal perspective.
- Encourage students to embrace challenges with courage, relying on God’s grace to persevere.
Families can expect PCS to:
- Celebrate spiritual and character development as central outcomes.
- Encourage students to pursue excellence for God’s glory, not self-promotion.
- Teach that setbacks and challenges are part of how God shapes us.
- Keep virtue at the heart of academic and extra-curricular life.
5. Community Engagement
BUILDING A CULTURE OF BELONGING, CONNECTION, AND CONTRIBUTION
We ask families to:
- Participate in the life of the school beyond drop-off and pick-up.
- Serve, volunteer, and engage where gifts and time allow.
- Seek out meaningful relationships with other families.
- Contribute to a culture of hospitality, service, and unity.
Families can expect PCS to:
- Create opportunities for families to connect and serve together.
- Foster a warm, welcoming, and grace-filled community.
- Partner with families in spiritual formation and parental education.
- Promote unity through shared values and meaningful traditions.
6. Investment Mentality
A SHARED SACRIFICE FOR SOMETHING ETERNALLY VALUABLE
We ask families to:
- View Christian education as a long-term, missional priority.
- Make necessary financial decisions with clarity and commitment.
- Be transparent about financial realities and ask questions early.
- Support the school beyond tuition, when possible, through giving, volunteering, and advocacy.
Families can expect PCS to:
- Steward resources faithfully and maintain financial transparency to ensure long-term viability.
- Hire and invest in faculty and staff who view Christian education as a high calling and a rewarding profession.
- Provide tuition assistance with objectivity, discretion, and compassion.
- Invite families into a shared vision of generosity and sustainability.
