Philosophy
“Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
Holy Scripture teaches us that through diligent teaching we can make a proper defense of the faith. Our Lord Jesus Christ urges us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, teaching and admonishing one another in His truth. Calling this to the attention of the Apostle Peter in his commission to all ages, Jesus asked him to “Feed my Lambs, Feed my Sheep.” Knowing that the education of a child requires not only knowledge in human needs but also those of spiritual needs, the objectives of Bethlehem Lutheran School and Preschool are:
- to provide the opportunity for the children to grow in their relationship with God, knowing the love and forgiveness our Lord Jesus Christ has for them through His words in Holy Scripture, so that they know and love our Lord as Savior and are able to grow in their relationship with their Savior, their family, and their church;
- to provide a comprehensive program of education where children may develop their knowledge, talents, and skills for responsible Christian living and service, while experiencing a positive environment;
- To provide a Christ-centered environment where children can develop strong inner resources: confidence, independence, initiative, and creativity;
- To provide a preschool program which offers learning experiences that vary as each child’s differences and abilities are recognized and respected. This program promotes kindergarten readiness through the development of verbal skills, large and small motor skills, social skills, and rhythmical skills;
- To provide an alternative to public education for parents who desire an educational environment fostered by Christian faculty members, Christian principles and values; –
- To provide a formal elementary education in a setting that involves a small student-teacher ratio and hands on learning in an atmosphere conducive to personal learning acceleration commensurate with the child’s abilities;
- To provide a setting in which the students will be given opportunities to achieve proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, writing and number skills; – to provide an environment in which students recognize and respect the uniqueness and individuality of themselves and others;
- To provide an atmosphere where Christian values are taught and where both parents and teachers work for a common goal–Christian nurturing in the Word and Will of God;
- To provide an excellent academic program and life skills while developing a personal relationship with God; and finally;
- To establish an outreach to the community where Christian love and evangelism are present.
Parochial education at Bethlehem is more than an alternative to Carson City education. It is an opportunity to bring the saving Gospel and the Way of Jesus to the lives of little children. It is as integral a part of our church’s educational program as Sunday School classes, Bible classes, Vacation Bible School, and other educational outreaches. It is another effort to obey our Lord when he said, “If you continue in My Word, you are truly My disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31-32) (back to top)
About Us
History and Location – Bethlehem Lutheran School was opened in September of 1986 with a Preschool and followed by grades Kindergarten through 4th in September of 1988. The school serves not only Carson City, but other neighboring communities in a 30-mile radius. Located in the state capital of Carson City, Nevada, the school serves a large area of western Nevada. We are 25 miles south of Reno, Nevada and 10-minute drive from Lake Tahoe, “The Crown Jewel of the Sierras.”
Carson City is a community with tourism, light industrial, state and local government, and professional occupations. It is a community of 53,000 people that is nestled at the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The median household income for Carson City is $50,000 and an education rate of 80% or higher are a high school graduate, and 20% have a bachelor’s degree or higher (2010 U.S. census data).
In the late summer of 1988, Bethlehem Lutheran School opened its doors to 31 students in grades Kindergarten through 4th grade with a minimal staff. In 1993, ground was broken on the first phase of the present-day school building that included 3 classrooms and a gymnasium. Three years later with an increase in student enrollment, phase two was added that expanded the school with six more classrooms. A dedication was held the following year. From that point on the school continues to grow. Our present-day staff and faculty serves the students from Preschool through 8th grade.
License – Bethlehem Lutheran School maintains a licensure through the Nevada Department of Education and the State Department of Child Care Services Bureau. The initial license was obtained in 1988 with a biannual review. The current license was granted in 2014 and now undergoes a four-year renewal demonstrating compliance with Nevada Revised Statutes.
Lutheran Education – Bethlehem Lutheran School statement of philosophy is “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) Like all schools of quality, Lutheran schools consider many sources of information in the design of their curriculum and instructional approaches. State standards, subject matter and instructional design experts, the research of professional organizations and the expertise of our faculties all contribute to the knowledge, skills and values we teach our students. In the end, however, we never lose sight of the individual child. As Lutheran Christians, we are motivated, not by how we view the world, but by how God views us. We believe that God loves us unconditionally and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to ensure that our relationship with God would never be broken. We believe that God reaches out to us individually; that He calls us into His family by name, and that He has a unique purpose for us in His creation. We want every child to experience that kind of love, compassion, encouragement and support in our schools and to know that they are valued for who they are. We strive to help each child discover their uniqueness and their strengths and to integrate both with what they learn.
Family Involvement– Parental support is found throughout Bethlehem Lutheran School. The Christian Parent Teacher League, “CPTL” is an essential organization of the school and is governed by an Executive Board. The purpose of the CPTL is to support Bethlehem Lutheran School through volunteer opportunities, to assist in communication between the school and our families, to involve all our families in church and school functions, and to provide financial support for items that the school budget does not allow. Everything the CPTL does is done with the intent of glorifying our Lord and benefiting our children, school, and church. Activities include the Back to School Night, Octoberfest/Silent Auction, Thanksgiving feast, book fair, end of the school year BBQ for students and families, and Bike-A-Thon. They have been instrumental in upgrading the gymnasium and playground, and contributing to the libraries and equipment in the classrooms including the initial MacBook mobile lab.
Christian Environment– Bethlehem Lutheran School provides an alternative to public education for parents who desire an educational environment coupled with Christian principles and values, fostered by Christian faculty members. With 200 plus years of teaching experience among the current staff, we continually strive to better ourselves, the school, and give our best to the families who have made the choice to have their child(ren) educated in a Christian environment. Physicians and nurses, television news reporter, missionary, teachers, and military careers are all examples of the many ways the school has produced people who have attained academic success. We continue to build on these academic strengths to make Bethlehem Lutheran School a beacon of educational excellence. (back to top)