Educational Constitutionalism

and the Family-School Partnership

October 2022

Dear Parents,

Our nation has no shortage of divisive political rhetoric as seen in places like Loudoun County, Virginia, where the growing discord between conservative parents and their progressive school board ignited a firestorm that helped facilitate the election of Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) who took office this year. Regretfully, the frequency and intensity of conflict between what we believe as followers of Jesus Christ and what is being taught in our nation's schools are becoming more apparent.

Political ideology and party affiliation aside, our family-school partnership at Prince follows a constitutional model that stands in stark contrast to the absolutism required of public schools in adhering to mandatory federal regulatory policies like those contained in the 1950s Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the No Child Left Behind Act of the 1990s, and the latest efforts at government education reform, the Every Child Succeeds Act. A constitutional model like the one we use at Prince means that the authority over our school is exercised by those closest to it versus politicians and administrators working within the industrial education model founded by historical figures like Horace Mann.

Prince is a school where parents know a holistic education that includes scripturally based discipleship will better prepare their children spiritually, scholastically, socially, and emotionally for the challenges ahead in college and beyond. Partnerships like ours are voluntary, one where parents, teachers, administrators, and school board members work cooperatively to advance a Christ-centered atmosphere, uphold high standards for moral conduct based upon the Bible, and embrace rigorous academics and robust co-curricular programs to challenge students to reach their maximum potential. Prince is also a place where students are taught that as they age, they should become increasingly self-governed, learn to stand on their own two feet, and embrace responsibility.

In addition to preparing students for college, we are also committed to working with parents to guide students on how to make decisions based on scriptural truths and not societal norms. And while much is made about grade point averages, course rigor, and standardized test scores, we are also a faculty that understands education is simply a means to an end, and the end itself is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

I recall a sermon years ago that cautioned against putting one's trust in an elephant or a donkey but instead to put it in The Lamb, which God's word tells us will soon return as a Lion. Until that day, our school will remain committed to our mission of partnering with Christian families, making deliberate efforts to place Christ first, and continuing to seek excellence in our academic and co-curricular programs. Thank you for embracing the strategic mindset that your current investment in Prince's Christ-centered education will continue to provide dividends that will benefit your child long after he or she graduates and leaves our campus, and to Him be the glory.

Seth Hathaway, Ed.D.

Head of School

Twitter: @PACS_Head