Mission Creek Christian Education Center Handbook
Pre-requisites for attendance and application process
Thank you for your interest in Mission Creek. As a prospective student, we ask that you,
as well as your parents, carefully and prayerfully read this handbook as you seek to
determine God’s will. If after seeking God’s guidance you believe He is leading you to
our school, application for attendance is a three-fold process:
1. First, ask yourself several questions. Have you made a commitment to Jesus Christ,
or are you seeking Him and want Him to lead in your life? Are you willing to be part of a
vigorous career education program and cheerfully participate in community service
projects and outreach? Are you willing to support Mission Creek’s objectives by using
your words, actions and influence positively in order to uplift fellow students in their
Christian walk?
2. Second, complete the application packet and mail to:
Mission Creek Christian Education Center
P.O. Box 1066
South Bend, WA 98586
3. Make an appointment by calling 360-875-6052 or 360-875-6050 to tour Mission Creek,
deliver your application packet and interview with the principal.
3. Third, pay registration fee of $100.
The purpose of Mission Creek Christian Education Center is…
to educate young people by providing an education which responds to the development
of the whole person: educating them to be responsible citizens and balancing physical,
academic, spiritual and social development. This is done by structuring a program that
gives students an opportunity to develop their unique talents through career education
projects, individualized learning in all content areas geared to enhance high expectations
for every student to do his/her personal best, a rigorous physical education program
using the President’s Physical Fitness Program and Bible-based instruction geared to
develop character throughout alll aspects of our program.
Vocational Education
Mission Creek Christian Education Center was established to teach God’s children to
perform His work for His glory. This work is to be balanced between intellectual, spiritual,
social, manual and vocational education. Humans are happiest when they are busy with
useful work, which is a guard against idleness and self-indulgence. It supports the
development of self-respect, purity and strength of character. It is important for students
to develop practical work skills they can use in life.
At Mission Creek all students spend time each afternoon with applied career education
and outreach projects. This is a combination of developing their personal interests doing
special projects along with practical work skills and service learning. Community service
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activities provide each student with opportunities to reach out in practical service to our
fellow man, and may include hauling wood, visiting the nursing home, participating in
construction projects, learning auto mechanics skills or helping with fundraising projects.
Individual projects are as diverse as their interests and give them opportunity to work
alone or with a small group of their peers on projects of their own devising. The students
are evaluated daily on the quality and quantity of their work, how they respond to
supervisor instructions, how they get along with peers as well as their overall work
attitude. These skills will be necessary in order to obtain and keep employment.
Recreation
The Lord has blessed Mission Creek with a lesson book that testifies to a miracleworking God. That lesson book is the beauty of nature. Mission Creek students are
provided time to spend enjoying this nature book. Outdoor exercise is encouraged,
however, competition in organized sporting events is not part of our program. We favor
instead the spirit of fellowship and cooperation along with doing our personal best. Two
recreation periods are provided during the school day: our morning Physical Education
class and a break from 12:45-1:30 for lunch and recreation. Many years we have gone to
White Pass for skiing and snowboarding for four or five Wednesdays during ski season,
usually during January and February. There would be an additional charge if we go
skiing or snowboarding.
Dress
At Mission Creek we desire to represent our Creator in all aspects of our lives, including
the way we dress. Clothes are to be modest and allow for movement without showing
the midriff. Please ensure that clothes are not so tight that bodily form is accentuated. No
tank tops, tube tops or spaghetti straps are to be worn. Shorts may be worn if they are at
least knee length. Please do not wear baggy pants that go below the waistline. Clothing
with inappropriate advertising or messages that are not in accordance with Biblical
standards is not allowed. No body piercing or tattoos, please. God has made us in His
image and we don’t believe it’s necessary to try to improve on His design by excessive
adornment. Please don’t bring mascara, nail polish, blush, eye shadow, lipstick or
colored lip gloss, etc. to school.
Attendance
School doors will open at 8:00 to allow students time to be settled before class begins at
8:15. Each student should in the school room and ready to begin promptly by 8:15.
School will be over each day at 3:30. Regular attendance at all classes, including career
education classes, is required. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the school with
a signed excuse verifying the reason for any absence. The student is also responsible
for getting any assignments and making up the class work that was missed. If a student
accumulates any unexcused absence(s) or tardiness, the student and parents will be
asked to individually counsel with the principal. If the problem continues, parents,
students and staff will need to make a decision about the appropriateness of Mission
Creek for the student.
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Social Relationships
Mission Creek encourages young people to form a broad spectrum of friendships. To
promote this, many opportunities are given for group activities and associations. The
relationships formed in this way allow for a better view of character and a more natural
growth of friendships than dating or boyfriend/girlfriend situations at this age. For that
reason, students are not permitted to spend time with others of the opposite sex in
unsupervised settings, and the formation of exclusive friendships are discouraged.
Students are asked to include all students in their interactions and not to spend time only
with a select few students. We encourage inclusiveness in all interactions with students
and staff.
Conversation
Frivolous talk, careless slang and cheap words should not clutter the talk of the students.
Obscene talk and profanities will not be tolerated. We, as children of God, should be
careful to use the Lord’s name in reverence. Students use language that uplift others and
brings about relationships that are helpful, encouraging, positive and supportive of
students and staff.
Music
Music is a special and powerful part of life, and it is a gift from God. David sang psalms.
Moses and many others are recorded in the Bible as singing praises to the Lord. Our
students take part in singing at an assisted living facility, nursing home, churches and
other settings. They are also blessed to be able to sing in their Bible class throughout the
week. At Mission Creek we recognize the importance and blessing of music. We also
recognize the dangers of music which is deprived of God’s blessing. We desire for each
individual at our school to be edified by all that is said and done. Right music can play a
valuable part in sanctifying and uplifting the mind to high and holy standards. By the
same token, the damaging effects of the wrong kind of music should be carefully
considered. We ask that no rock music, even rock music with Christian words, be
brought to school. Students in the dorm setting are to share any music they bring in the
common areas of the school such as the kitchen or family room, not in indivudual
bedrooms.
Computer Use
The use of computers at Mission Creek is for educational, not entertainment purposes.
We ask that students refrain from using the computers to play games, “chat” or check email, facebook or use any form of social communication. The use of the computers is a
privilege that will be monitored. If a student does not comply with school rules regarding
the use of the computers, he/she will not be allowed to use them. A signed “Individual
User Access Informed Consent” form must be on file at Mission Creek Christian
Education Center for use. This form must have a signature of the parent for the use of
computers.
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Nutrition
The Bible admonishes us in 1 Corinthians 10:31 that when we eat or drink or do anything
we should do it in order to give glory to God. Therefore, we provide healthy, plant-based
meals cooked from “scratch” Monday through Thursday. We dismiss at 12:45 each
Friday, so it is expected that students will eat lunch at home. For those students not
staying full-time in the dormitory who wish to take advantage of this service, the cost is
$3.50 per day. Otherwise they may bring a sack lunch.
Tuition and Registration
Tuition for day students is $250 per month. Tuition for boarding students is $800 per
month. The registration fee is $100. Half a month’s tuition plus the registration fee ($100)
is due the 15th of October. By the fifteenth of each following month, $250 will be due for
day students and $800 for boarding students. In June only half a month’s tuition is due
by July 15th. Any outstanding accounts must be cleared before your student is permitted
to enter school for another year. Please make arrangements with the principal for
keeping the tuition up-to-date.
Transportation
Those students wishing to take advantage of school transportation will be asked to pay
$60 a month per student or $100 per family. This only partially covers the many
expenses incurred such as gas, insurance, tires, repairs, etc. If your student(s) will be
needing transportation to and/or from school, please call the school at (360) 875-6052
and you will arrange with our bus driver the pick-up and/or drop-off times and places.
Discipline
At Mission Creek the goal we have for each student is self-discipline. This is
accomplished through encouraging students in their relationship with Jesus and personal
responsibility to do their personal best in all areas, including self-discipline. An aim and
motto is selected from God’s Word each year by every student to help guide the student
in his or her behavior. We will pray with your young person for power to overcome life’s
challenges. We will be in communication with parents to celebrate the joys and
challenges of your youth’s school experiences. Students are dealt with equitably in their
misbehavior so that the consequence meets their unique needs and there is the greatest
oportunity that the behavior will not be repeated. The staff works with logical
consequences that fit the behavior. We look at each disciplinary opportunity as an
experience in overcoming their challenges and they are used as learning experiences.
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is used in some situations so that students understand
how they are currently thinking, what their thought distortions may be, and how they can
choose a new, more healthy and beneficial way of thinking the next time. Much effort
goes into de-escalation of behaviors and looking at antecedents that happen before
behaviors occur to create strategies that are preventive. A plan is created and followed
for restitution as a consequence for each behavior that has wronged another person.
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Student Population and Curriculum
Mission Creek serves students grades 6-12 with a variety of backgrounds and talents.
We are a 501©3 project and do not discriminate based on race, gender, or handicapping
condition. Our curriculum is organized so that all students are taught on their appropriate
instructional level whether the student may have academic challenges or be highly
capable in content areas. We teach the whole child, balancing out the academic, social,
physical, and spiritual development of our students in our instructional practices. year all
Students are taught a Bible class, math, English, reading, vocabulary developmenrt,
spelling, applied career education outreach, physical education, social studies and
history. Fine arts are emphasized and music classes are taught and practiced as a way
to demonstrate service learning. Technology is used as an avenue to express and
extend learning. Our curriculum in all classes is designed for positive character
development, looking at all learning as a way to problem solve and become life long
learners, thus demonstrating the attrributes of Christ. “Let this mind be in you as is in
Christ Jesus.”
Mission Creek Christian School
Graduation Requirements
Bible and Practical Life Applications: 4 credits
English: Reading, Written language, and oral communication: 4 credits
Mathematics: 4 credits
Computer Applications: .5 credit
Science: Biology- 1 credit and Integrated Science 1 credit
History: 2 credits/ US -1 Credit; Northwest: 1 credit
CWP: Current World Problems: 0.5 Credit (Political science, economics, or survey of current
events qualify)
*Applied Work Education Outreach/Occupational Education: 4 Credits
P. E./Health Education: 3 credits
Fine Arts: 1 credit (music, art)
25 credits
Computer Applications: 1 credit/ This class will entail the use of the computer in conducting
research, word processing, power point, publisher, and other applications that will be used in the
development of their portfolio, written expression, high school project, and communication with
an audience to enhance their expression.
* This is a broad category that includes the practical work application in service for others (such
as Nursing home ministry), tour of churches for choir/orchestra,. maintenance on grounds and
trails at Mission Creek, home economics, any other manual labor or practical work to teach our
students to have a strong work ethic
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.5 Credit is one semester
1.0 Credit is two semesters
25 Credit Requirements for Graduation
Additional Requirements for Graduation:
1. A portfolio that represents a product verifying each students’ capabilities to
transition from Mission Creek into the next step in their education and career
readiness.
2. A high school project that represents the ability to take their academic learning and
practical experience to create a product to share with a committee who will judge
their work based on the quality of their oral and written communication, the use of
technology, and their ability to communicate with their audience.
Room Checks/Student Chores
For students boarding at Mission Creek there will be routine room cleanliness checks.
They will also take turns keeping all areas tidy and clean. A schedule is arranged and
followed for each student. They are also responsible for the common areas in the family
room and bathrooms. These jobs are a part of self management and considered
important to the balance of educating the whole person.
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