Spiritual Formation by Valley Christian Schools

CHRISTIAN

SPIRITUAL VALLEY

SCHOOLS FORMATION

SPIRITUAL FORMATION

Mission: To guide the VCS community in growing their relationship with God.

Key Verse: “...to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Facilities: Auxiliary Gym | Prayer Chapel | Student Life Center | Wellness Center

vcs.net/spiritualformation

SPIRITUAL FORMATION CONTACT

100 Skyway Drive, San Jose, CA 95111 | Telephone: 408.513.2517

vcs.net/spiritualformation | sdang@vcs.net | vcs_faith

SPIRITUAL FORMATION

OVERVIEW

At Valley Christian Schools (VCS), the Spiritual Formation Office (SFO) is passionate about helping our community grow in its relationship with God utilizing an intentional pathway. Through interactions with Christian teachers, mentors, campus pastors, and biblical teachings, students gain meaningful life experiences. This experience helps them thoughtfully begin to answer questions like, “Who is God?” and “How am I developing a relationship with Him?” Even our youngest students can define and live out their own faith both on our campus and in the community.

FORMATION

WAY OF THE WARRIOR

VCS has impacted over 9,500 students and their families for over sixty-five years. The goal of Spiritual Formation is to point people to Jesus, fulfill God’s call through education, and reach Silicon Valley and beyond. Our well-rounded education extends beyond classrooms and test scores, integrating character and identity formation into all academic pursuits. In 2022, we launched an initiative to focus on building faith, character, and virtues. We call it the Way of the Warrior.

The Way of the Warrior ethos has the following qualities:

• Wisdom: Pursue wisdom in education (Proverbs 1:7).

• Honor: Own your thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and actions (2 Corinthians 10:5).

• Courage: Embrace resilience (Philippians 1:20).

• Sacrifice: Seek the heart of Christ (Philippians 2:2-8).

These virtues are foundational for students and transformational for our VCS family. Imagine the impact of a Warrior Nation that demonstrates wisdom, honor, courage, and sacrifice in all thoughts, words, actions, and relationships. We believe the Way of the Warrior can shape how we lead, serve, and impact our world.

OUR DISCIPLESHIP PATHWAY

As a missional school, we aim to reach the Bay Area and beyond with the good news of Jesus. We believe every person is on a spiritual journey, so whether students are uncertain about faith or deeply committed to serving God, we want to help them take the next step in their relationship with Jesus.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

~Deuteronomy 6:5

BIBLICAL UNITY

We embrace the importance of fostering a sense of sincere belonging that mirrors the biblical definitions of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are committed to treating all individuals as equal image-bearers of Jesus Christ, valuing and promoting a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language. We want to move toward God’s kingdom vision (Rev. 7:9).

We affirm ethnic diversity as part of God’s original and eternal design for humanity, recognizing its significance in knowing and honoring God and serving His purposes today.

Biblical unity is a continuous spiritual formation process and kingdom discipleship for the entire VCS family. Through mindful and intentional events and programs, we respect and connect our backgrounds, experiences, heritages, and cultures.

We build biblical unity by offering the following:

• Cultural education and family-friendly celebrations throughout the year

• Healthy Relationships Curriculum and the development of programs to sustain relationships based on biblical design

• Parent focus groups that value the role of parents as active facilitators of significant conversations

• Parent partnerships to build connections and create a safe environment

• Biblical unity counseling

• Monthly articles that provide pastoral insight and guidance

• Uplifting and encouraging prayer groups

• Active listening that is rooted in humility, grace, and repentance

• Intentional appreciation of our diverse traditions and perspectives

WELLNESS

Psalms 139 states that God created our innermost being, and we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by Him. God designed us to have thoughts, emotions, and gifts, all packaged in a physical body. Each part of us needs care and attention to ensure we thrive and live the life He created us to live. The Wellness team promotes understanding of these qualities and teaches how to care for and honor them. We desire to provide the following:

Pastoral care for the whole person

Healthy coping strategies embedded in curriculum at all campuses

Opportunities for our community to care for each part of their being

Social emotional learning strategies included in the school day

Resources for social, emotional, and spiritual support

Support for parents and investment in relationships with them

ELEMENTARY

As students grow physically, socially, and emotionally during their elementary years, it is critical to establish a strong foundation of faith principles and practices that will carry them to their teen years and beyond.

CURRICULUM

• Bible classes teach stories and themes and emphasize Bible verse memorization

• Biblical perspective integrated into every subject SERVICE

• Multiple annual service projects (Past events include writing letters to military members, participating in the fire department’s toy drive, donating bug nets, donating turkeys to CityTeam, and coordinating a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank)

CHAPEL

• Engaging weekly chapels with student-led prayer, praise and worship, and messages to help students grow in their relationship with God

DISCIPLESHIP

• Fifth-Grade Girls’ Bible Study

• Opportunity to connect with campus pastor or chaplain for prayer and encouragement

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

~Psalm 139:14

JUNIOR HIGH

God works powerfully in junior high students, shaping their identity, sense of belonging, and purpose. We focus on community building, service-learning fellowship, and practical ways to connect faith to everyday life.

Alongside our students’ academic aspirations, we seek to foster the ethos of the Way of the Warrior. We desire that every student become Christ-like so we can reflect His love and share the good news with others as we lead, serve, and impact our world.

We recognize that each student has a faith journey, and our focus is supporting this exploration. As a Christian school, our mission is to share the Gospel of Jesus. We encourage students to grow in their relationship with God and be willing to give Jesus a fair hearing.

CURRICULUM

Students are required to take yearly Bible classes. Our Bible curriculum is shaped around the Trinity, with sixth grade focusing on God the Father, seventh grade focusing on God the Son, and eighth grade focusing on God the Holy Spirit.

SERVICE

Student opportunities include the following:

• Operation Christmas Child

• Community Outreach Fellowship

• Where Everybody Belongs (WEB) Program

• Campus Leadership

• City Team

• Socktober

• Student-led initiatives involving worship, prayer, and service on campus

CHAPEL

Chapel is an intentional time to encourage students’ faith outside of the classroom. Believing that joy and faith go hand-in-hand, we build an interactive experience in chapel, combining music, games, conversations, service, and guest speakers to connect biblical principles to everyday life.

• Weekly Chapels

• Focus on faith in the bi-annual Spiritual Emphasis Weeks

“Jesus grew in wisdom and stature , and in favor with God and man.”

~Luke 2:52

• Embrace student unity by joining one of our three Bible studies or Christian clubs on campus

• Students connect with our campus pastors or chaplains who can pray and encourage them

• Explore emotional wellbeing in weekly Warrior Time, dedicated to cultivating students’ spiritual and social lives

DISCIPLESHIP TRACK

The Discipleship Track is an optional, eight-week course designed to equip students with the essentials to grow in their relationship with Jesus, led by teachers, chaplains, pastors, and students. Not only does it help students connect to a community, but it helps them to explore the following topics:

• How to read Scripture

• How to find a church

• Why it is essential to serve

• How to share your testimony

• Why worship matters

WARRIOR TIME

Our Spiritual Formation Warrior Time features two Bible studies designed for students to connect with faculty, staff, and peers. Our assistant chaplains have developed relevant lessons to foster relationships and encourage students’ spiritual growth. These groups are part of our Discipleship Track and are gender specific. The meetings take place on Thursdays during Warrior Time.

Girls: Radiant Souls

Boys: Iron Sharpens Iron

Week Discipleship Track

HIGH SCHOOL

We help students experience multi-faceted Christian faith through weekly worship experiences, theological education, biblical unity, leadership development, character formation, emotional and physical wellness, and service learning. SFO weaves faith with students’ social and emotional wellbeing, preparing them with tools to thrive beyond graduation.

We believe Jesus exemplified servant leadership, so we offer students opportunities to practice their faith in relationships. They can deepen their relationship with God through discipleship tracks, spiritual retreats, Bible studies, clubs, and service trips (IMPACT). As a Christian school, we encourage students to grow in their faith and embrace the teachings of Jesus.

CURRICULUM

Bible classes for every grade level, designed as part of our four-year Spiritual Plan, include introductory courses for students new to Christianity.

Classes focused on the following areas:

• Studies in the Bible’s Old Testament

• Studies in the Bible’s New Testament

• Philosophy of Religion & World Religions

• Service Learning: on campus, locally, or globally

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Every year, students and faculty teams travel the world on short-term service trips to places like Alaska, Seattle, the Philippines, Nepal, El Salvador, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, and Thailand. Students must complete twenty-five service hours each year, though many serve above and beyond our requirements.

In addition to service trips, we host several impromptu campus-wide service projects throughout the year, including food drives, clothing drives, and fundraising for various nonprofits, including Martha’s Kitchen and CityTeam.

CHAPEL

Chapel fosters students’ spiritual growth through diverse formats, including engaging music, relevant teaching, scripture analysis, thoughtful conversations, and art. The SFO team curates an annual chapel calendar to strengthen students’ faith in Jesus, the truth of Scripture, and the value of community service.

• Weekly chapels help students grow in their relationship with God through a time of musical worship, teaching, scripture reading, prayer, and conversations with Christian leaders in various industries.

• Bi-annual Spiritual Emphasis Weeks allows students to focus on their faith.

• We invite students to experience various chapel formats to help them connect their faith to everyday life and experiences.

• An optional additional chapel on Mondays at Warrior Time called Grace Line Chapel is designed for students to dive deeper into worship and Scripture.

• Students connect with our campus pastors or chaplains who can pray and encourage them.

DISCIPLESHIP TRACK

• How to read Scripture

• How to find a church

• Why it is essential to serve

• How to share your testimony

• Why worship matters

STUDENT SPIRITUAL RETREATS

We schedule off-campus student spiritual retreats in both the fall and spring. As a respite from the busyness of high school life, time is intentionally set aside for reflection, inspired by how Jesus spent time with God when life became hectic.

PARTNERSHIPS WITH CHRISTIAN COLLEGES

Our passion for Christian education extends beyond high school. We continuously build partnerships with top-level Christian universities and colleges with admittance and guaranteed scholarships for qualified graduates. Our current partnerships include Biola University, Azusa Pacific University, and Grand Canyon University.

$425K Raised for Missions

57K Individual Service Hours

8 Countries Visited

250+ Students and Staff Serve on Mission Trips

COMMUNITY FAITH

We are passionate about serving our whole community. Whether a student, parent, alumnus, faculty, staff, or one of our partners worldwide, we want to help you grow in your relationship with God. We host several ways to grow together throughout the year. Here are ways to be involved:

• Elementary, Junior High, and High School PTPF (Parent Teacher Prayer Fellowship)

• Worship events (i.e. Convocation, Encounter)

• Prayer Intercessors

• Parent Connection Groups (by region)

• Events (i.e. Homecoming, Christmas at the California, Festival of the Arts)

• Parent Ambassadors

Our Parent Ambassadors pray, minister, and connect with other VCS families in their neighborhoods and become a part of our Warrior Club.

vcs.net/sfconnect

ALUMNI MINISTRIES

ONCE A WARRIOR, ALWAYS A WARRIOR

After graduation, our Warriors join a network of +9500 alumni worldwide. Through our Alumni Association, we are committed to encouraging and praying for our alumni. We have a network of ambassadors stationed across the country and internationally. Our hope is for our graduates to find connections wherever God leads, whether in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Portland, Phoenix, Denver, Chicago, Waco, Dallas, Nashville, New Haven, New York, Boston, or even Paris, France.

Visit alumni.vcs.net to find out about our many alumni road trips, events, and reunions near you.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

~1 Thessalonians 5:11

CHURCH PARTNERSHIPS

We are passionate about the local church and believe it is essential for lifelong faith. Every student will eventually graduate from Valley Christian, but we never graduate from the Kingdom of God. Therefore, we partner with local churches to help families connect and grow in their faith. Our Spiritual Formation ministry is seen as an extension of the local church and includes service-learning locations, youth pastors who lead campus clubs, and quarterly gatherings hosted for local pastors.

MISSION STATEMENT

Valley Christian Schools’ mission is to provide a nurturing environment o ering quality education supported by a strong foundation of Christian values in partnership with parents, equipping students to become leaders to serve God, to serve their families, and to positively impact their communities and the world.

VISION STATEMENT

A world where every student pursues their personal Quest for Excellence™

FOUNDING STATEMENT

Valley Christian Schools supports the homes and churches of students in providing an education that is grounded in the Judeo-Christian values of the Bible, as reﬂected in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. Valley Christian Schools is committed to a Quest for Excellence™ in all of its educational programs, and provides a comprehensive kindergarten through twelfth grade curriculum with a rigorous college preparatory program. Firmly founded on Christian values, Valley Christian Schools challenges youth to aspire toward lives of character, service, and inﬂuence while pursuing their individual Quests for Excellence

valleychristian vcs_warriors