WHY CHOOSE PEACE SCHOOL
Our Mission: Peace Lutheran School provides a Christ-centered learning environment equipping students for lives of Christian witness, service, and academic excellence.
Peace Lutheran School offers an opportunity for all families who desire a Christian education for their children. We are able to speak openly of our faith and deal with issues from a scriptural standpoint, modeling how we can live our faith. Peace Lutheran School offers many advantages including a caring Christian community, high academic expectations and results, national accreditation and outstanding Achievement Test scores. We have an excellent student-teacher ratio, Special Education support services and positive Behavior Interventions and Support programs school wide.
Preschool
The early childhood years are an exciting time of growth and development! Here at Peace Lutheran Preschool we offer a well-planned program with a wide variety of experiences to develop young minds and bodies. We are dedicated to the growth of the whole child. Our program provides a balance between free play and teacher-directed learning activities. Learning takes place in a warm, friendly and relaxed setting. Learning materials are easily accessible to the children. These experiences provide a pleasant and enjoyable approach to discovery and creativity.
Elementary
Our elementary program/curriculum is anchored in our five core subjects. They are Reading/Language Arts, Math, Religion, Science, and Social Studies. These subjects provide the foundation of our academic training. Our Christian faith is integrated into each of our core classes. We are also involved in supporting positive behavior and relationships based on the Bible. We teach the Ten Commandments and focus on the two primary commands Jesus gave us: “Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:29-31.
In addition, we provide classes in the following areas to enhance the above subjects: Physical Education (PE), Art, Vocal Music, Band, Recorders (3rd and 4th) and Technology. The use of field trips (local attractions, Outdoor Education Camp, Mackinac Island) and classroom projects also enhance and support the concepts being taught.
Middle School
In order to prepare our students for high school, our Middle School curriculum is anchored in the five core subjects: Reading/Language Arts – emphasis in writing skills, Math (Math 6, Math 7, Pre-Algebra and Algebra), Religion, Science, and Social Studies. We expand the teachings in the Bible to include how to apply and defend their faith every day. Special classes continue to advance in Art, Vocal & Band Music, Technology, and Physical Education. Spanish is added to the middle school curriculum. Outside experiences include, but are not limited to, Washington DC class trip, Creation Museum class trip, an Expanded Outdoor Education program, and trips to local areas of interest.
Technology
A full computer curriculum is taught to K-8th grade students. Each class receives in-lab instruction from a dedicated Computer Teacher 2-3 times per week. iPads are available throughout preschool, young 5’s, and Kindergarten classrooms for more individual attention. Smartboards and workstations are in every classroom in Kindergarten – 8th grade.
Religion
Our Preschool classes have Jesus time every day. Wednesday mornings are Chapel time for Young 5s – Grade 8. Students are taught Bible-based lessons by different speakers including our teaching and pastoral staff and other LCMS pastors. Each quarter has a different mission focus to reach out in care for others and to share the good news of Jesus.
Arts
Art: Art class is taught weekly in K – 8th grade. To enhance exposure to music for our older students, we require that students in grades 5-8 be enrolled in choir OR band.
Choir: We have two choirs. Sonshiners Choir (grades 1–4), and Unashamed Choir (grades 5–8). Our choirs add their voices to our weekly chapel services as well as our church services once a quarter.
Band: Our band program is for students in grades 5–8. 5th graders make up beginner band and 6th – 8th graders are in advanced band. Our 3rd and 4th graders have recorder class once a week.
Music: Students in grades 1–4 have weekly music class learning various music related concepts and participating in events like our Christmas program and Spring Musical.
Puppets: Our students in grades 6-8 are invited to participate in our puppet
Clubs and Activities
Peace offers a variety of extra-curricular activities. Students in Kindergarten – 8th grade can partake in a variety of after school clubs during the school year. Examples include Chess, Book, Science, and Sewing Clubs.
Sports/Athletics
We offer athletic opportunities to our students in 5th – 8th grade. There is a $25 fee per sport per participating child. Sports include Track, Soccer, Girls’ Volleyball and Basketball and Boys’ Basketball.
What Parents Say About Peace School
Since I completely enjoyed attending Peace for preschool, elementary and middle school, it only seemed natural that we would enroll our children there too. It is a joy to watch them enthusiastically learn, but also grow in their faith. The Pastor, principal, teachers, and staff are supportive and loving. We feel blessed and happy to consider Peace our school and church home.item. Give people the info they need to go ahead and take the action you want.
Peace Lutheran has been a true joy! The teachers love and care about all the students, and are held to a higher standard. The office staff is very uplifting and accommodating. Most importantly, our children learn about the love of God, and all His good works. My daughter and I highly recommend this school.
In this fast paced world of social media and instant messaging, we sometimes feel disconnected personally. One place that we do feel connected to fellow parents, teachers and staff is Peace. We came to Peace in 2008 with a preschooler and now all three of our children are here and thriving.
We are blessed to be part of the Peace family.
We can’t say enough good things about Peace and how leadership, staff, and teachers have met our needs. They accepted challenges with open arms and minds. Peace is full of the most caring, supportive and encouraging teachers/staff! We know our children are in good hands, and now consider Peace part of our family.
Our children have been going to Peace Lutheran for 2 years and we love it. Peace Lutheran provides a Godly, peaceful, and loving environment, and an intimate and family type atmosphere. The staff as well as the parents support one another with the children’s education and guidance. Our children not only get the best education but they also have fun and enjoy going to school. They experience sports, great field trips, and events as they move through their years with the same group of peers who they know and have built long lasting relationships with.
Our family loves Peace! It’s a very family friendly environment. We are thrilled because all five kids can be in one school. It’s easy to get involved and volunteer, yet small enough for kids who haven’t previously been involved in sports to be active part of the teams.
What to Expect
Student Dress Code – Kindergarten through 8th grade
As a Christian school, we encourage and expect proper speech, dress, and manners. All clothing should be modest, neat, and clean. We require solid navy, black, or tan pants and skirts. Shirts must be a solid colored polo shirt. Solid colored sweaters may be worn over polos. For a complete description of our student uniform policy please visit our website (www.peaceshelby.org) and browse our student handbook.
Volunteer Hours
We are always very appreciative of and value any time that a family can volunteer in our building. A variety of opportunities exist for volunteers throughout the school year. Every family in K-8th grade is required to participate in fifteen hours of school designated volunteer service hours. Families are subject to a $200 fee if their volunteer hours are not met.
Kid’s Care Corner (Latchkey)
Peace offers a before and after school service for students needing a comfortable, loving, and Christian environment when not in class. Hours begin at 7:30 am until school starts. After school hours go until 6:00 pm. A registration fee of $40 per student or $55 per family will be charged for use of this service. The fee for latchkey is $4 per hour per student. (Late fees apply per latchkey handbook.)
Student Busing
Students in Kindergarten through 8th grade that attend Peace and live in the Utica School district are eligible for bussing through UCS Transportation. There is no extra charge to families for this service.
Class Hours for Kindergarten through 8th Grade
9:00am – 3:43pm (on half days the dismissal time is noon)
School Hours
The school is open 8:50am-3:50pm on school days.
Class Hours
Classes are held from 9:00am-3:40pm
Hot Lunch
Hot lunch is served on each full day of school. Our hot lunch program is a healthy balance of good, nutritious food choices including fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meat choices catered by Vince & Joe’s Catering, Lettuce Feed You, and Jet’s Pizza. All of our hot lunch items can be made gluten-free for $1.00 extra.
Mrs. Jennifer McCoy, our lunchroom coordinator, manages the menu as well as the setup and preparation of our lunchroom, along with parent volunteers.
Our daily lunch is an ala carte menu. Families may choose one, two, or all of the menu items for each day Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Each menu item is individually priced.
Jet’s Pizza is served each Wednesday. Students may choose one or two pieces of pizza. Each pizza day lunch includes two breadsticks and a salad bar. White and chocolate milk is served each day for lunch.
Our milk is farm-to-table and is brought to our school each week from Crooked Creek Farms. Milk is included with each entrée and can also be paid for separately at 40 cents per 8 oz. glass. Milk does not need to be preordered.
Families pre-order and prepay for lunches 30 days in advance through FastDirect. Lunch balance may not have a past due balance greater than $10.00.
Parent volunteers are an important part of our daily lunch routine. Your help is greatly appreciated. Parents may use lunchroom volunteer hours as their required annual volunteer time of 15 hours per school year.