Mariners Christian School Guidebook

Mariners Christian School guidebook

WELCOME For over 25 years, Mariners Christian School has partnered with parents in providing an outstanding Christian education that marries authentic spiritual development with academic excellence in a Christ-honoring environment.

At MCS we are passionate about discovering and nurturing the unique gifts of each

child. Our faculty is highly skilled and dedicated, inspiring in children the ability to think, reason, study, create, and communicate. Our rigorous academic program focuses not only on the skills needed to succeed in high school and college, but also on the habits of mind that impact their character for a lifetime: perseverance, honesty, responsibility, generosity, and integrity.

Above all else, teachers are committed to influencing students toward a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

In this ever-changing and challenging world, we need to prepare children for the future.

Within our caring community of teachers, parents, and administrators, students at Mariners Christian School are safe to learn and grow, becoming the leaders God intended them to be.

I invite you to visit our campus, tour our classrooms, and personally discover the difference

that a Mariners education can make in the life of a child.

Serving Christ,

Bob Sladek Head of School

OUR MISSION BUILDING A FIRM FOUNDATION THROUGH CHRIST-CENTERED EDUCATION.

MARINERS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Nationally recognized as a Blue Ribbon School, Mariners Christian School is a coeducational, transitional kindergarten through eighth grade, independent Christian school of approximately 690 students located in Costa Mesa, CA. Established in 1987, the school’s mission is to “build a firm foundation through Christ-centered education” in the heart and mind of each child.

Faculty members teach all subjects from a Christian perspective so that students learn to analyze the world through a biblical worldview. Equally important is to encourage students in their personal walk with Christ through inspirational weekly chapels, daily classroom devotions and prayer time, and most importantly, caring relationships between teachers and students.

FOUNDATION IN CHRIST

The Christian ethic and spiritual grounding that students receive through

their years at MCS lead many to pursue service and leadership opportunities.

Ongoing involvement in mission work, service to those in need, and efforts to better the community are common pursuits for MCS graduates. Faith in action is modeled by all members of the MCS community and this lesson deeply influences our students.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE To prepare students for high school, college, and beyond, we look at the gifts and talents of each individual child to ensure that he or she is appropriately challenged, supported, and empowered to be all that God created.

Each student’s development is nurtured in an academically rigorous and

Christ-centered environment. MCS students receive instruction from credentialed teachers in a safe, encouraging environment that allows each to excel and gain confidence in their young academic career. Annual performance tests consistently rank our students in the top 15% of the nation.

In both the elementary and middle school programs, MCS maintains high

academic standards. Our goal is to equip students with the 21st Century learning skills needed to thrive in our changing world, placing emphasis on critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving.

STUDENT ENRICHMENT MCS strives to meet the needs of the whole child, offering a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities including music, art, athletics, technology, foreign language, and more.

It is often in these elective classes that students find their individual passion and begin to flourish as leaders.

Our performing and fine arts programs give students exposure to classical

training as well as performance experience, helping children understand that all beauty comes from God.

Our competitive athletics program includes a variety of sports for boys and

girls, and our teams consistently rank top in their league. MCS athletes are developed physically, spiritually, and mentally, with equal emphasis on skills and sportsmanship, all for the glory of God.

CHRIST-CENTERED COMMUNITY Parental involvement is one of the key ingredients to Mariners Christian School’s success. Teachers, parents, and administrators partner closely together to ensure that each student achieves his or her greatest God-given potential.

Our Parent-Teacher Fellowship is a dynamic, active group of leaders who are

committed to serve with their gifts and talents to make MCS the best it can be. Through PTF, parents have many opportunities to support their child’s educational process, such as volunteering in the classroom, attending Parents in Prayer, or serving on a committee.

Families also have fellowship with one another, and it is through connection with like-minded parents and children that lifelong friendships and bonds are formed.

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS MCS is one of the top Christian schools in Southern California — a fact supported by our earning recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School and ACSI Exemplary Schools Program winner. MCS continuously receives the highest level of accreditation from Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).

Our vision is to seek excellence in all aspects of delivering a Christ-centered

education to young people. Because of the committed community of believers surrounding MCS, as well as the dedicated leadership and faculty/staff within, MCS continues to reach goals in technology advancements, facilities expansion, new program additions, endowment funding for long-term stability, and professional growth of faculty so that our teachers bring best practices into the classroom.

“Mariners Christian School gave me the solid foundation I needed for high school and on into my career in the Naval Academy. I am grateful for the teachers who not only challenged me academically to be the best I can be, but more importantly, they helped me learn what it means to be a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ.”

Jon Weissberg, Alumni Class 2002, United States Naval Academy graduate

ALUMNI SUCCESS MCS Alumni are living testimonies of the solid academic and spiritual preparation received during their primary and middle school years. Our graduates consistently qualify for top high school programs and continue to succeed at both the secondary and college level. More than 600 of these young men and women now attend top colleges and universities across the country; indeed, many are launching successful careers in a wide variety of professions and ministries—through alumni surveys and personal testimonies, we know they are walking with Christ and serving Him as leaders in wherever they go in the world.

PROFILE OF AN MCS GRADUATE These outcomes represent characteristics that all MCS students should possess upon graduation as they move on through high school, college, and beyond: • Follower of Christ who will have knowledge of scripture and explain its relevance, community, and possess a solid biblical worldview through which to live.

• Academic Scholar who will demonstrate growth as measured by annual assessment tests, know how to integrate various modes of technology into learning, comprehend the basics of a foreign language, and maintain personal responsibility for completing assignments while meeting the standards for academic work.

• Socially Considerate Individual who will show respect to faculty, staff, and fellow students, demonstrate personal responsibility, accept differences in others, and confidently practice conflict resolution.

• Well-rounded Student who will have exposure to visual and performing arts as well as the opportunity to play on a competitive sports team.

guidebook

embrace prayer and worship as part of daily living, seek active involvement in a church

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. —Proverbs 22:6

guidebook

300 FISCHER AVENUE, COSTA MESA, CA 92626 P: 714.437.1700 F: 714.437.7976 marinerschristianschool.org