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The Mission of Collegiate
“The mission of the Collegiate School of Memphis is to prepare young ladies and gentlemen for college success within a highly-structured, nurturing, Christian environment.”
The Foundation of Collegiate
The Truth of God’s Word is the foundation of Collegiate. It is this truth which calls us to live out the Gospel every day as a school community – to serve each other sacrificially, respect one another, treat one another with love and compassion, and encourage one another to walk in the faith. It is the school’s Christian responsibility to exhort and assist all students in fulfilling the God-given gift of their human potential. At Collegiate students will be encouraged daily to strive to be the best they can be, to consider the needs of others, and to live a life of joy and gratitude for what God has done for us. The curriculum at Collegiate will aid students in developing a practical ethic and a Christian worldview with the goal of integrating biblical principles into the whole of life. Success in life at Collegiate is ultimately defined as Christ-likeness.
The Vision of Collegiate
The Collegiate School of Memphis is a private, college preparatory school, providing both Middle and Secondary students with the highest quality education within a disciplined and caring environment so that each student may fully realize their God-given potential. The school’s culture was self-consciously designed to systematically emphasize the ten core values of the school: Hard Work, Respect, Integrity, Personal Responsibility, Self-Discipline, Determination, Community, Joy, Gratitude, and Sacrifice. At Collegiate these core values work in concert with one another to support and advance the school’s mission. These values are not only a part of the daily language of the school’s culture, but they also are the ideals behind many of the school’s systems and methods which are geared to produce character development, outstanding academic performance, and college success.
The Core Values of Collegiate School of Memphis
Respect
The culture of the school is one characterized by charity, mutual respect, and kindness. All people are to be treated with dignity as made in the image of God. Everyone at Collegiate is expected to maintain the highest standard of respect for one’s self, other people, and property. In light of this expectation, manners, politeness, and etiquette will be stressed and taught throughout a student’s experience at the school. Scholars at Collegiate are taught that they must choose a positive attitude as they enter the building. Choosing to wear a smile, extend a warm handshake, or offer words of encouragement are commended, whereas if students choose to roll their eyes, pout, or use disrespectful body posture, they are choosing to be disciplined. Collegiate is dedicated to a school culture of respect and kindness.
Hard Work
Collegiate believes that academic success is a result of hard work. Our instructors teach that the only place where “success” is found before “work” is in the dictionary. Hard work is overtly encouraged in every class. Hard work is near the heart of the culture of the school. We are in full agreement with Thomas Edison who said that success was “ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration.” Every person at Collegiate – the administration, staff, faculty, and students – is required to put forth the continuous effort required to bring out the human potential of every individual student. There is no substitute for hard work - it is the “CollegiateWay.” Students will be asked to work harder than they ever have before, yet they will also be encouraged, supported, and loved as they do. Work is good.
Integrity
Collegiate is passionate and dedicated about educating the whole student. The school has a standard of high expectations and maintains rigorous academic as well as behavioral standards. At Collegiate a student’s words, attitude, and actions are as important as his academic performance. We agree with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said, “Intelligence plus character is the goal of true education.” At Collegiate students are expected to tell the truth at all times. Any student who chooses dishonesty will appear before the school’s Honor Council which upholds the high ideals of the school. Integrity is expected from everyone at the school.
Personal Responsibility
Teaching the whole person - encouraging healthy development physically, morally, emotionally, spiritually, socially, and academically – is a primary objective of Collegiate. The entire school experience is to encourage and train students to take responsibility for each of these areas of their lives. To encourage personal responsibility, student choice is always stressed – students either choose to make their homework a priority or not; they choose to respect the rules of the school or not; they choose whether they are in afternoon detention or not by the choices they make. Through stressing choice, our goal is that students progressively internalize their responsibilities.
Self-Discipline
Academic performance is a by-product of self-discipline and self-control. Highly structured environments are more conducive to learning; therefore, all students will be required to follow the guidelines in the school and rules of classroom decorum closely. Furthermore, self-discipline is a mark of maturity which is a goal as the school seeks to educate the whole person. Self-discipline is stressed, as part of the school’s culture, in ways as simple as learning how to maintain silence, having the ability to read in an uninterrupted fashion, turning in all homework assignments, and learning how to maintain a scholarly posture during class. We firmly believe that discipline in the details leads to success in the larger issues.
Determination
The human will is one of God’s great gifts to us and one of the most powerful human faculties that we possess. Some call it “drive;” others refer to it as “grit;” some describe it as “stick-to-it-ness.” At Collegiate this fighting spirit is consciously fostered. Someone once said, “Often the difference between the possible and the impossible is a person’s determination.” We believe that “stubbornness pointed in the right direction” can take a student far in life.
Community
All who are part of Collegiate are asked to invest themselves in the school’s community and culture. Everyone has ownership and everyone has a responsibility to make the school’s culture and community even stronger. Whether it is a smile from the head of school, the outstanding quality of a teacher’s lesson plan, the student who produces excellent homework, a student thoughtfully holding the door for another student, or simply picking up a piece of litter in the hallway to spare a custodian the effort, everyone has a role in building a strong community. At Collegiate we are part of something larger than ourselves – we all are striving to build a community of faith, joy, encouragement, respect, and excellence.
Joy
Paul wrote to the Church, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say it, Rejoice!” As Christians, we have joy because we have a genuine reason to rejoice; God, our Creator, loves us and has made Himself known to us. He has forgiven us for all of our wrongdoings and has rescued us through the work of His Son. He has prepared a place in heaven for us and has promised to take us to be with Him when our time on Earth is finished. And finally, God has promised us that everything will be made perfect when His Son, Jesus Christ, returns to make all things new. We certainly have a reason to rejoice, and at Collegiate the joy of these realities is communicated and modeled by the faculty and staff. At Collegiate you will see plenty of smiles.
Gratitude
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good” is a common refrain in the Bible. God’s people are to be a thankful people who are continuously thankful to God for who He is and for what He has accomplished. God’s people are to strive to develop a disposition of gratitude for the gift of life, for the gift of creation, for the gift of family, for the gift of truth, for the gift of work, for the gift of friends, for the gift of learning, for the gift of forgiveness, for the gift of salvation, and for the gift of heaven, our eternal home. At Collegiate we want to be grateful for all of God’s gifts. Each day throughout the school we seek to foster an environment of gratitude and encourage the continual expression of thanksgiving to God and to one another.
Sacrifice
It is no accident that a cross is on the crest of our school. The cross of Jesus Christ is a powerful symbol that reminds us of God’s supreme sacrifice on our behalf. The Bible teaches us that “Greater love has no one than this, that he lays down his life for his friends.” As followers of Christ, we are called to a life characterized by sacrificial love. When Jesus taught his disciples how to serve, He took up a towel and a basin of water, and He washed their feet. He then told them, “I have set for you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” In obedience to this command, we at Collegiate strive every day, as God grants us the strength, to encourage, serve, and love one another sacrificially. It is the way of the cross.
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