Who We Are
Founded in 2000, Shining Light Baptist Academy and Preschool serves students from 6 weeks through grade 12, providing a quality education at a reasonable price. Using traditional approach to education, SLBA’s students have excelled in a structured, academically challenging environment. Scoring 1 1/2 to 3 years ahead of their public school peers, our students are taught through the widely-used A-Beka curriculum. This program of study is academically and biblically sound.
Our academy is a member of the North Carolina Christian School Association. We have satisfactorily met the requirements of the North Carolina Department of Non-Public Education upon inspection and are designated as a Grade A school. Grades K5-12 have a limited open enrollment to families in the community who value our spiritual emphasis and desire a solid academic foundation for their children.
Mission, Commitment and Honor Code
Our Mission
Our mission as a Christian school is to come along side your family and to help establish a biblical worldview by developing the mind of Christ in each student. Our goal is to instill in each student a desire to strive for excellence in all areas of life for the glory of God. Our purpose is to educate and train the whole student: spiritually, intellectually, physically, and socially. We want your children to learn everything they can that will prepare them to live a full life of significance in service for Christ.
Our Commitment
Spiritual Growth: We are committed to providing a Christ-centered education. The Bible permeates every class and subject. Servant leadership is taught and modeled by our teachers. We encourage personal growth.
Academic Growth: We are committed to providing rigorous academics to promote academic excellence to prepare our students to fulfill God’s will for their lives. We strive to lead our students to be a difference maker through integrity, critical thinking, problem solving, and passionate learning.
Social and Physical Growth: We are committed to providing extra-curricular activities in fine arts, athletics, and student clubs teaching our students teamwork and to exalt Christ with their God-given talents, skills, and abilities.
ACADEMY HONOR CODE
We desire that our students bring glory to God with their lives. Knowledge, skill, and character are fundamentally the possessions of individuals, and only the individual, through his/her actions, may obtain and preserve these goods. The Academy Honor Code exists to guide individual students towards those actions which promote honesty and learning and away from those actions which sacrifice honesty and learning to other ends. The Honor Code codifies those values which must be upheld for the health of our academic and spiritual community. Universal subscription to it builds trust and unity amongst students, faculty, and families.
As a student of the Academy, I agree to the following:
- I will not lie, cheat, or steal in any of my academic endeavors.
- I will forthrightly oppose each and every instance of academic dishonesty.
- I will not request, receive, or give aid in examinations, tests, or quizzes.
- I will not give or receive illicit aid in class work, homework, in the preparation of reports, or in any other work that is to be used by the teacher as the basis of grading. I will understand the difference between studying and reviewing with others (which often is acceptable) and producing written documents that are submitted under my name for credit (which can only be done alone).
- I will not copy from others in completing homework. When I put my name on a homework assignment, I attest that all of the work on the assignment is my own in origin and content.
- In the case of all essays and research papers, I will carefully cite all external sources. I will not represent someone else’s work as my own. I will do my very best to learn from my teachers the clear distinctions between appropriate research and plagiarism, intentional or unintentional.
- I will give prompt (and confidential) notification to the appropriate faculty member if I observe academic dishonesty in any course. I will let my conscience be my guide if I should make such a report.
- I will treat others with dignity and respect.
- I will respect and properly care for the school’s facilities and equipment.
- I will endeavor to bring glory to God through my spirit, words, and actions.
- I join the entire student body of the Academy in a commitment to this Code of Honor.
OUR DECLARATION ON SAFETY AND RESPECT
We believe that a church, school and its ministries are to be places of safety and respect:
- all of those who work with children must have a clear reputation and a completed background check on file
- children’s workers are trained in the inherent value of each child as made in the image of God and the recipient of Christ’s love on the cross
- our environment is to be one of grace, mercy, peace, justice and speaking the truth in love
- we teach respect for others and individual soul liberty which means that we cannot and will not attempt to force faith or a set of beliefs on anyone
- children are vulnerable and must be protected and advocated for, and any attempt to harm them will be reported immediately to the proper authorities
We are committed to being a place where everyone and especially children can thrive by learning that they are precious in God’s, their family’s and our sight. We will teach them how to think for themselves and use knowledge aright, to recognize their common humanity with others, and to see the value of making wise choices in life.
This is a summary of the principles upon which we stand, and the mind, heart and spirit from which we serve.
What We Do
The purpose of Shining Light Baptist Academy is to educate and train the whole student: spiritually, intellectually, physically, and socially. We believe the students who learn to discipline themselves will excel in life. Not only must a young person have a heart for God, but he or she must also have wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to serve the Lord in the plan He has for his or her life. Therefore, God’s Word is integrated into the total educational program. The Bible is taught so that the student will develop the mind of Christ, learn to practice His conscious presence, and exercise a Biblical world-view.
At Shining Light, students learn the right use of knowledge in the context of character with a heart for God and others.
Accountability
Shining Light Baptist Academy is designated as a grade A private school by the North Carolina Department of Non-Public Instruction. We are also members in good standing of the North Carolina Christian School Association which represents over 20,000 students in our state and the American Association of Christian Schools which represents over 100,000 students nationwide.
North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship School Eligibility Requirements: Information from the website per NC General Statute - https://www.ncseaa.edu/k12/opportunity/
- School must be registered with the NC Department of Nonpublic Instruction.
- School must be located in NC and provide in person instruction.
- School must execute a participation agreement with the program.
- School must submit an IRS tax form W-9, Taxpayer ID number and certification.
- School must submit a tuition and fee schedule annually to the program.
- School must certify and attest the student awarded monies is enrolled and attending their school.
- School must submit annually a national criminal history check on the HDMA of the school.
- School must undergo and submit an annual financial review of funds received and disbursed with a contracted CPA.
- School must administer nationally standardized test recognized by the NC Superintendent of Public Instruction to students in grades 3-12. These results must be submitted to the program each year by July 15. The ACT test information must be provided to all 11th grade students.
- School must report graduation rates annually to the program.
- School must attend mandatory training on school responsibilities and program operation requirements as required by the program and by the deadlines set by the program in order to remain eligible for the program.
According to the North Carolina Coalition for Educational Opportunity, “School choice programs offer the highest level of accountability to taxpayers, because they empower parents, not the government, to choose the educational environment that is the best for their child. Parents can voluntarily move their children out of a school of choice that is failing to meet their child’s educational needs.”
