It is the philosophy of ECA that God ordained the family as the basic unit in society and in Christian education. We therefore seek to function as an extension of the family in the educational process. A core part of student life at ECA involves leadership and relationship development through our leadership program and is implemented through our House System.
About The House System
Upon enrollment, every ECA student is placed in one of five individual houses in which they grow as a family. All Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade students are initially placed in the Eaglets House, and transition into the Faith House, Integrity House, Truth House, or Wisdom House after 2nd grade. Students remain in the same house throughout their time at ECA. Houses provide regular opportunities to earn points for certain privileges, but the system's overall goal is to promote students' growth and development as individuals and as a school family to be instruments of God in our school, community, and the world they will enter into.
These spiritual tenets are the backbone of our leadership curriculum and guide our spiritual discourse.
Eaglets House
The Eaglet house consists of our youngest students. Although small in stature, their example and leadership is important. Eaglets learn to be a leader when they help their friends, obey their teachers, use kind words, practice patience, and follow directions. Eaglets teach us how to enjoy life and play, and are an important part of our community. As the youngest members of our community, we encourage the older students to teach them, by example, the leadership traits that are important and model the attributes of a strong leader, so the Eaglets can emulate their example as they grow.
Faith House
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or a thing. We guide our students in the knowledge that as Christians, we choose to put our faith in Christ as our Lord and Savior, honoring his example of leadership and sacrifice for mankind. One of the difficult things about Faith is that it is a belief not based on proof. Faith at times takes great courage and great risk-taking, holding the confidence that the hard work, determination, and purpose a person feels are needed to accomplish a task will be enough to see the desired result. As our students learn to develop Faith, we see loyalty to a person, promise, or engagement yield good results. Faith often leads to hope, and hope sustains our world.
Integrity House
Integrity is an adherence to moral and ethical principles, a soundness of moral character, and honesty. Although entirely human, laying down his right as God, Jesus made the daily decision to follow God’s plan for his life while practicing integrity with those around him without sin. He was a man of great character, doing the right thing at all costs, adhering to God's commands, and speaking honest words to spur others on toward a life of purity. One of the difficult things about Integrity is that doing the right thing is not always easy, but living a life of Integrity allows us to be whole, undiminished, and free from guilt and unfortunate consequences. We encourage our students to act justly and stand up for what is right, rather than the things that will suffice. This will require great self-discipline and will not always be easy, but will be best.
Truth House
Truth is the true or actual state of a matter. It is the conformity with fact or reality. It is exemplified in honesty and partners with integrity in that it adheres to the principle of the “right thing.” The example of Jesus shines brightly as he stated, “I am the way and the truth and the light.” Although his truths did not always conform to the ideas of truth in his day, he was a shining example of God’s love for mankind and worked diligently to relay that truth to a hurting world. One of the difficult things about Truth is that the truth is sometimes very painful. It is hard to accept some realities. Facts are not always pleasant and sometimes it is easier to shy away from the truth than embrace it. ECA encourages our students to take a stand for what is right, to seek knowledge that is sound, and to challenge themselves to live honestly even when it is difficult.
Wisdom House
Wisdom is the knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgement as to action. It is discernment or insight into people or things, learning something, and then applying that knowledge to a situation. Jesus is our example of wisdom in that he took Godly knowledge and made it accessible to mankind. He used his wisdom and knowledge as a Rabbi, or teacher, to instruct and ultimately love a people to salvation. One of the difficult things about Wisdom is deciphering truth. We admonish our students to seek out knowledge and learn from books, people, and life experiences, while understanding that the greatest wisdom comes from the Word of God. We encourage our students to evaluate knowledge gained as it relates to Biblical principles and use this wisdom in deciding truth. Christ's example of learning and using his wisdom to affect others for good shaped our world. As students learn and share their knowledge, they, too, will shape our world.
Servant Hearted Leadership
Eagle Christian Academy is a leadership academy where teaching servant-hearted leadership takes center stage. Leadership is based on the principles found in the Bible and exemplified in the life of Christ. We start that teaching even at Pre-K with our "Eaglet" House (for students in Pre-K through 1st grade).
Leadership Assemblies take place once a week and bring our 2nd-12th grade students together on their respective campuses to learn about that month's leadership tenet, practice leadership skills, and engage in friendly competitions. Students act as house leaders and work with the leadership team to create activities for Assembly that focus on the monthly tenet (examples of monthly leadership tenets are: servant leadership, communication-listening/speaking, creativity and innovation, stewardship etc). The principles we study are emulated by our faculty and staff in lessons they teach, activities throughout the week, and are interwoven in our Bible curriculum and chapel experiences at both campuses.
Why is the Leadership Curriculum Important?
Because teaching a Christian Worldview affects everything in our lives and out of our own view of the world, how God created it and how we fit in it, we affect our world with our behavior, values and beliefs.
"ECA is a Christian school that encourages our young daughter to stand firm in her faith and be the light in a dark world."
-The Ferguson Family