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Statement of Faith

What We Believe

LifeWise Academy maintains a high view of the authority of Scripture, and we align ourselves with historic, orthodox Christian beliefs as expressed in the Nicene Creed.

We believe the storyline of Scripture that climaxes in the central gospel message, that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead. We believe this gospel is true and essential and announces the way by which sinners are reconciled to God.

What We Teach

The work of LifeWise Academy to reach public school students with the gospel is celebrated and supported by Christians from diverse theological backgrounds. We seek to avoid discussions about denominational differences while keeping the focus on what’s clearest in Scripture. We strive to keep the main and plain things in Scripture the main and plain things we teach.

LifeWise teachers and content reflect the following beliefs in all teaching:

  1. Scripture, God’s infallible written Word consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, was uniquely, verbally and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and that it was written without error (inerrant) in the original manuscripts. It is the supreme and final authority in all matters on which it speaks. (Psalm 19:7; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
  2. There is one true God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of Deity and the characteristics of personality. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:13)
  3. Jesus Christ is God, the living Word, who became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. Hence, He is perfect Deity and true humanity united in one person forever. (John 1:1, 14; Matthew 1:18-23; John 14:8-9)
  4. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and voluntarily atoned for the sins of men by dying on the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18)
  5. Jesus Christ rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Luke 24:36-43; Philippians 3:21)
  6. Jesus Christ ascended bodily into Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He, the only mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His own. (Acts 1:9-11; Romans 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5)
  7. Man was created in the image of God. He sinned by disobeying God; thus, he was alienated from his Creator. That historic fall brought all mankind under divine condemnation. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 3; Romans 5:12)
  8. Man’s nature is corrupted, and he is thus totally unable to please God. Every man is in need of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 3:10-12; Ephesians 2:1-3; John 3:3)
  9. The salvation of man is wholly a work of God’s free grace and is not the work, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness or religious ceremony. God imputes His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, and thereby justifies them in His sight. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:5; Philippians 3:9)
  10. The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to men. He convicts and draws sinners to Christ, imparts new life to them, continually indwells them from the moment of spiritual birth and seals them until the day of redemption. His fullness, power and control are appropriated in the believer’s life by faith. (John 16:13-14; John 3:5-8; Ephesians 1:13-14)
  11. Every Christian is called to live so in the power of the indwelling Spirit that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but will bear fruit to the glory of God. (Galatians 5:16,22-23; Romans 8:13-14; 1 Corinthians 3:16)
  12. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, His Body, which is composed of all people, living and dead, who have been joined to Him through saving faith. (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 12:13)
  13. God admonishes His people to assemble regularly for worship, for edification through the Scriptures and for mutual encouragement. (Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:16)
  14. At physical death, the Christian enters immediately into eternal, conscious fellowship with the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting glory and blessing. (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; Matthew 25:46)
  15. At physical death, the unbeliever enters immediately into eternal, conscious separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting judgment and condemnation. (Luke 16:22-23; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Matthew 25:46)
  16. Jesus Christ will come again to the earth—personally, visibly and bodily—to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. (Acts 1:11; Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:30)
  17. The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. This gospel is Christological (the message centers on the death and resurrection of Christ, that Christ died for our sins and was raised), biblical (His death and resurrection are according to the Scriptures), theological and salvific (Christ died for our sins to reconcile us to God), historical (if the saving events did not happen, our faith is worthless, we are still in our sins and we are to be pitied more than all others), apostolic (the message was entrusted to and transmitted by the apostles, who were witnesses of these saving events), personal (where it is preached, received, believed and held firmly, individual persons are saved) and communal (Christ’s work unites Christians with fellow members of the body of Christ). (1 Corinthians 15:1-5; Romans 1:16; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

Note: This Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of LifeWise’s religious beliefs. The Bible, as the inspired and infallible Word of God, speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality and the proper conduct of human affairs. For purposes of the organization’s faith, doctrine, practice, discipline and policy, the LifeWise Board of Directors is the final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.

Note: Scripture references included highlight key biblical foundations of the LifeWise Statement of Faith. They are not exhaustive but offer clarity on our core convictions.

Religious Affiliation

LifeWise is organized and operated within, and as a part of, the world-wide community of believers, the Church of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, independent of any other recognized denomination, organized local congregations and any other part of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because LifeWise is a parachurch ministry with a missionary focus, it shall regularly partner with other denominations and organized congregations and other parts of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in order to fulfill its mission. LifeWise will not officially endorse any particular church or denomination.

 

Theological and Denominational Issues

Although LifeWise is not affiliated with a particular denomination of Christianity, we realize during the course of LifeWise classes certain theological or denominational issues may arise. The LifeWise policy is that we do not teach an official position on any of these theological or denominational issues. If any of these issues come up in class, whether through curriculum or discussion, we will make it clear to students that these are secondary issues which many well-meaning Christians and churches disagree about and that LifeWise, as a program, does not have a particular stance on the issues. Ultimately, students will be encouraged to explore these concepts further in the context of a local church.

Behavior Management Guidelines

Fundamentals of Classroom Management

LifeWise teachers will:

  • Create and maintain a safe and positive environment in the classroom where students are recognized for behavior that brings glory to God and emulates His Son
  • Proactively prevent unwanted behavior by building relationships with students to help them feel safe, seen and valued
  • Consistently and clearly explain pre-determined LifeWise classroom expectations to each class at the beginning of and throughout the year. Confirm that students understand the expectations and are aware of the consequences for not meeting them.
  • Before LifeWise classes begin, develop a plan with the school to determine if there is a school principal, counselor or other qualified staff who would be willing to receive non-compliant students if there is a need for return to school

Restorative Approach

If a student does not follow classroom expectations, teachers will implement the Four R’s of LifeWise discipline. They will always aim to restore the relationship after any consequences are administered. Under no circumstances will corporal punishment or abusive language be used to correct a student.

  1. Remind and Redirect
    • For minor issues or misbehavior, remind the student of the classroom expectations and redirect the student toward the appropriate behavior.
    • If a student fails to meet behavioral expectations, try these strategies:
      • Model calming behaviors
      • Give the student choices (when possible)
      • If the student is working to earn something at the end of class, offer a reminder and encouragement
  2. Relocate
    • If the behavior continues or worsens, relocate the student away from other students and near a LifeWise volunteer in the classroom. The volunteer may serve as a “buddy” throughout the rest of the class to try to help the student adhere to the expectations.
  3. Remove
    • If the student continues to not adhere to classroom expectations, temporarily remove the student from the classroom. Send him outside the classroom with a volunteer to take a break (while remaining visible with the classroom door open).
    • As soon as possible, talk with the student discreetly, affirming that you care about him and are concerned about his behavior
    • After talking with the student, welcome him back into the classroom, provided that he agrees to adhere to the expectations. The goal is to restore the relationship and allow the student to return to the classroom. If a student is sent outside of the classroom three times (not on the same day), he may be held back from the next LifeWise class. Inform the classroom teacher and the parent or guardian of the decision and when he may return to LifeWise. Clearly explain the reasons for the student’s removal, but also that you look forward to his return.
  4. Return to School
    • If a student refuses to follow the rules after being removed from the classroom or becomes non-compliant (e.g., repeatedly and deliberately refusing to follow instructions and expectations), the student may be escorted back to school by two LifeWise volunteers. The established school contact and parents/guardian should be contacted to explain the situation.
    • If disruptions continue and the student has already been held back from LifeWise classes multiple times, discuss with the established school contact and the student’s parents or guardian if an extended absence from LifeWise classes is needed
    • Some challenging situations may require a student to not attend LifeWise until additional or specialized staffing is available in the LifeWise classroom
    • An incident report should be completed for documentation purposes any time a student is returned to school for discipline reasons

Addressing Challenging Student Behavior

When addressing challenging student behavior, LifeWise embraces a gospel-centered approach that reflects the love and grace of Christ, viewing each child as uniquely created in God's image and deserving of patience and understanding. LifeWise staff may employ the following strategies in addressing challenging student behavior:

  • Ask prayer warriors to pray for students with significant behavioral challenges. Also request prayer for the LifeWise teachers and the student’s public school teacher.
  • Try to find the root of the challenging behavior
  • Ask the student’s parent/guardian for recommendations. Examples:
    • Useful strategies and/or behavior plan
    • Accommodations (i.e., fidgets, special seating and breaks)
  • When encountering challenging student situations, create a plan that first exhausts all preventative strategies to help students be successful and safe while at LifeWise. Communicate the plan with all teachers, volunteers, parents/guardians and the established school contact.
  • If a student becomes unsafe to himself or others, call 911
    • The parents and school should be contacted to inform them of the situation
    • An incident report should be completed for documentation purposes any time 911 is called

Student Attendance

Every LifeWise program maintains accurate records of student enrollment and attendance. Attendance is taken at every class. Attendance records are provided to the public school upon the school's request and are sent as a list of student names with attendance dates indicated.

Students will not be kept from LifeWise classes unless a parent/guardian allows it. If a student remains at school instead of attending LifeWise, parents will be notified.

Student Pickup

Public school students may not be picked up from the LifeWise facility directly. They must return to the school to sign out and then be picked up from the school.

Student Withdrawal Policy

A student is considered withdrawn from the program if a parent requests for their student to no longer participate in LifeWise. Since LifeWise is completely voluntary, parents may withdraw their student at any time.

Visitor Policy

Visitors are permitted at LifeWise classes with prior approval by the program director. A sign will be posted on all entrances indicating the visitor policy.

Background Checks and Screening

LifeWise has a duty to undertake reasonable efforts to safeguard the students it serves, the public and its own interests. Therefore, it is the policy of LifeWise, as a minimum requirement for consideration for service, to conduct a thorough background screening of all LifeWise staff, leadership board and volunteer team members. Mandatory rechecks will be done every three years for all team members. Additionally, LifeWise may periodically reassess current team members.

In addition to background checks and screening, Child Abuse Awareness and Mandated Reporting training is required during the onboarding process and once every three years thereafter for all LifeWise team members.

Sexual Abuse, Harassment and Other Abuse Prevention

LifeWise promotes a culture in which all team members reach their full spiritual and professional potential in ministry service. Also, LifeWise desires to do what is possible to ensure that team members conduct themselves in a wholly pure way while carrying out the ministry’s mission. LifeWise team members are called to respect, honor and uphold the inherent God-given dignity of all persons with whom they come in contact. Therefore, LifeWise will not tolerate any type of misconduct or harassment against any persons.

General Contact Guidelines

For any class or activity sponsored by LifeWise, at least three adults, all of whom have successfully completed the Child Abuse Awareness and Mandated Reporting training and a background check and who are not related to each other, must be present.* This rule applies to all LifeWise functions within the classroom and event space where youth are present. No other persons shall have contact with LifeWise students during LifeWise classes and/or events except with the prior approval of the program director. Moreover, the number of the adults is to be in proportion to the age and number of the participants, and the duration and difficulty of the activity. Prudence is required in applying this policy to different age groups, length of activity and the risk level of the activity. *Note: For middle and high school classes, only one volunteer is required (in addition to the teacher) as long as security cameras are in use and actively monitored.

Mandated Reporting

If a suspected incident of child abuse or neglect, as defined by applicable state laws, occurs during released time or is revealed to or observed by a LifeWise team member, the team member will:

  • Seek to ensure the student’s safety
  • Immediately alert the proper child protective services authorities or law enforcement when any crime is suspected to have been committed
  • Inform the LifeWise program director
  • Fill out an Incident Report, notify the school and notify a parent/guardian (unless the parent/guardian is suspected of abuse or neglect)

Reporting Student Disclosures

LifeWise team members who are not licensed professional counselors are not bound by confidentiality laws. Therefore, team members will promptly report any knowledge of the following situations:

  • A student threatening to hurt themselves (suicide, cutting, etc.)
  • A student threatening to hurt someone else
  • A student who reveals a personal crisis/endangerment (pregnancy, drug addiction, criminal activity, etc.)

If a student discloses any of the situations listed above, the team member will:

  • Seek to ensure the student’s safety
  • Immediately alert the proper child protective services or law enforcement if applicable
  • Inform the LifeWise program director
  • Fill out an Incident Report, notify the school and notify a parent/guardian (unless the parent/guardian is involved in causing the crisis/endangerment)

Video Surveillance Policy

Overview

The purpose of this policy is to protect the safety of students and staff and to maintain order and discipline by governing the use of video surveillance (i.e., security cameras) in vehicles and facilities in which LifeWise programs are hosted. LifeWise Academy authorizes the use of video surveillance in LifeWise vehicles and in facilities in which LifeWise programs are hosted. Information obtained through video surveillance may be used to identify persons breaking the law or violating LifeWise policies, or to identify behavioral issues.

Video surveillance complements and does not replace other safety, security and disciplinary procedures taken by the LifeWise program. The program director is responsible for ensuring that policies and procedures are observed at all times and developing guidelines to address the use and operation of video surveillance equipment on LifeWise sites and vehicles.

This policy does not address or cover instances where LifeWise staff record a specific event or an isolated instance where a classroom is videotaped for educational or promotional purposes. Authorized videotaping for educational, instructional and/or promotional purposes is permitted and is not addressed by this policy.

Video surveillance is to be implemented in accordance with this policy and the related guidelines. The LifeWise, Inc. Board of Directors will not accept or tolerate the improper use of video surveillance equipment or recordings and will take appropriate action in any cases of misuse of this policy.

Surveillance Equipment

The program director is responsible for determining where to install and operate surveillance equipment. Except in extraordinary circumstances and with the written authorization of the LifeWise Support Center, video surveillance devices are prohibited in private areas (e.g., restrooms).

Any person who blocks, moves or alters the position of a surveillance device shall be subject to disciplinary action. Signs will be placed at the main entrance to buildings and/or in the areas where surveillance devices are in use to notify students, staff and visitors that their actions are being monitored.

Video Recordings

Recordings and information obtained from video surveillance devices may only be used to maintain orderly operation of the program or for law enforcement purposes. Recordings may be used as evidence in disciplinary, criminal or administrative proceedings. Recordings may become part of a student’s education record or a staff member’s personnel file. Recordings obtained from video surveillance devices shall not be used for the purpose of routine staff evaluation or monitoring.

Confidentiality

Recordings of students will be treated as confidential. Copies of video recordings containing personal identifiable information about students will not be released except to LifeWise program staff, Support Center staff or school officials with legitimate educational interests.

Parents or guardians of minor students, and students who are eighteen (18) years of age or older, who are charged with disciplinary violations may view relevant portions of any video recording related to the charge, upon written request to the program director, provided that viewing the recording does not violate state and/or federal law (i.e., the privacy rights of any other students whose images appear on the recording). Likewise, LifeWise program staff may view relevant portions of any video relating to any disciplinary charge against them, upon written request to the program director, provided that viewing the recording does not violate state and/or federal law (i.e., the privacy rights of any students whose images appear on the recordings). Otherwise, such confidential recordings shall only be released through subpoena or court order.

The LifeWise program director shall maintain video surveillance recordings for a limited period. Any request to view a recording under this policy must be made within fourteen (14) days of the event/incident. Unless a formal complaint is being investigated, recordings shall be destroyed after thirty (30) days. If, however, action is taken by the LifeWise program as a result of a formal complaint or incident, recordings shall be kept for a minimum of one (1) year from the date of the action taken. Recordings may also be kept beyond the normal retention period if deemed necessary by the program director or the LifeWise Support Center.

Financial Structure

LifeWise Academy is a division of LifeWise, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The LifeWise, Inc. financial structure consists of a variety of funds. Each fund supports a specific person, group or LifeWise program within the LifeWise, Inc. organization. Each program’s revenue and expenses are tracked within their specific fund.

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