New Parent Academy set to launch with purpose of equipping parents

At Eastern Christian School, our mission has always been to partner with parents and local churches to raise up the next generation of Christ’s transforming agents. This is why we are excited to announce the launch of our Parent Academy, a new initiative designed to further support parent education and strengthen our shared commitment to your child’s growth, both academically and spiritually.

In today’s ever-changing world, raising children is challenging. Cultural trends and societal shifts constantly impact the way children learn, grow, and experience life. As parents, we want to guide our children through these stages with wisdom and with confidence. The Parent Academy is meant to provide a space where parents can come together, learn, and be equipped to handle these challenges from a biblical perspective. We believe that by providing parents with the right tools, we can work together to give students the strong foundation they need to thrive.

The overarching goal of the Parent Academy can be summarized by an idea that Paul reiterates throughout his writing. In Hebrews 10, Paul writes “And let us consider how we may spur one another on…encouraging one another.” In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul echoes this thought, writing “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.” These verses encapsulate the need for us as a community of believers to provide support and encouragement to one another, moving each other to live in a way that demonstrates the truth of our salvation and the hope of eternal life. This is particularly important in the context of raising our children to be confident in their faith and ready to stand firm in truth. The goal of the Parent Academy is to enhance the partnership between home and school by providing resources and support to help you as parents navigate the many stages of your child’s development. We want to give parents practical, positive, and proactive guidance to lead children through a biblical lens.

Eastern Christian School is built on the idea of collaboration between school, parents, and the church. Our mission statement emphasizes that “we, with support of parents and local churches,” are responsible for raising children who will become agents of change for Christ. The Parent Academy is a natural extension of this belief. By equipping parents with tools for guiding their children, we are ensuring that the home environment supports the Christian education students receive at school. Together, we are raising the next generation to live out their faith in a transformative way.

Parent Academy events are open to all Eastern Christian parents, whether your child is in preschool or preparing for graduation. Events will be tailored to address different age groups, developmental stages, and topics relevant to today’s children and teens. This year, here are some of the topics that we will be addressing through Parent Academy:

• “Technology at Eastern Christian: Tools and Training” with Director of Technology Ben Spoelstra
• “Instilling Hope in Your Children” with the I Am Second Tour
• “Greatness” with Dr. David Cook
• “Reformed Worldview: What it is, and its impact on an EC education” with Jeremy Mulder
• “How to Develop a Mission Heart and Mindset in Your Children” with Cornell Jordan

There will be some additional events and opportunities announced as the year unfolds. All events are free, and we encourage parents to attend as many as they can, particularly the sessions and topics that are most relevant.

We are eager to embark on this journey with you. We hope that the Parent Academy is a meaningful step toward strengthening our community and working hand-in-hand with you to raise children who are confident in their faith and prepared for the world ahead.

We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events! Stay tuned for more details on this year’s full schedule.