Section 10 - Academics

FACTS Portal and Canvas

MPCS offers parents the opportunity to access their child’s grades via the FACTS Portal or Canvas. Parents are permitted entry through private access logins to view their child’s grades. Students may access their information if parents choose to give them their access code or through middle/high school granted access. Once class rosters are set in the registrar’s office, the FACTS Portal schedule and class information will be available to parents.

Divisional Academic Policies

Please refer to division handbooks for specific policies regarding grade-level academics.

Extra Credit Policy

MPCS does not offer extra credit. Extra credit is defined as any assignment or activity that has the potential to artificially inflate a student’s grade without directly assessing mastery of the instructional content or learning targets outlined in the curriculum.

Additional assignments or activities provided to students should align with the curriculum and serve to deepen understanding, reinforce learning objectives, or provide opportunities for remediation or enrichment within the course score. Such tasks will be graded and imported to the grade book as an assignment, not points added to an existing assignment. Bonus questions are not given and the maximum grade on any assignment is 100%.

Standard assessment methods include but are not limited to:

• Formative and summative assessments required of or offered to all students

• Daily checks

• Quizzes

• Tests

• Projects

• Presentations

• Papers

Policy for Responding to Challenged Materials

Mount Paran Christian School’s (MPCS) mission states, “Providing academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment, Mount Paran Christian School unites with home and church to prepare servant leaders to honor God, love others, and walk in Truth.” As such, Mount Paran Christian School is a covenantal Christian school with a specific mission to partner with Christian families in the preparation of their children for a life of flourishing, service, and leadership, all to the glory of God.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we seek to do all as if unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23), which compels each student to live, love, and learn with the whole heart and mind. Likewise, as a liberal arts institution, we seek to develop a breadth of knowledge within all of our students, as ultimately, a liberal education is one that is meant to be freeing. At MPCS, we agree with St. Augustine that all truth is God’s truth, and, we, therefore, understand we are called to explore life’s many mysteries, ask big questions, and confront our fears and doubts.

Because we are insistent our students develop the skills necessary to pursue and find God in every aspect of life, we read secular materials, both primary and secondary sources, and make every effort to select quality literature that drives critical thinking and close reading, illustrates complex characterization and universal thematic relevance, lends itself to productive discussion throughout the curriculum, and seeks to enable our students to understand such material through a biblical lens. At times, this can bring about questions from students and parents about the validity and suitability of the materials being explored. As a result, the following procedures have been put into place to deal with such challenged materials.

Meeting with Teacher and Department Chair

If a parent or student questions material used within the classroom, a meeting will take place between the specific teacher, parent, and department chair to discuss the suitability of the questioned material. The goal of this meeting is to create understanding on both sides of the issue and to help the parent see the purpose behind the use of the questioned material. At times, this could also lead to the replacement of the material with more suitable curriculum, if it is deemed necessary.

Meeting with Parents and Dean of Academics and Assistant Head of School for Christian Life

If after meeting with the teacher and department chair the parent still objects, a meeting with the Dean of Academics and Assistant Head of School for Christian Life may be requested. The purpose of this subsequent meeting would be to allow the parents to express their objection to a higher authority and to then allow the Dean of Academics and Assistant Head of School to make a final determination on the challenged material in question and its relevant place within the curriculum. This does not guarantee a change in materials, but also does not exclude this possibility. If a family still opposes specific material once a decision has been made, they may submit a written request to opt out of the classroom unit in favor of an independent study to be determined by the instructor.

At MPCS, we seek to listen and hear the many varied perspectives of our families, knowing that we will not always agree. However, the process is important in ensuring both sides are understood and to further ensure appropriate measures have been taken to settle any disagreement about what is being taught and learned.