PEMBERVILLE This fall, Eastwood Elementary students can choose to receive religious instruction.<\/p>\n
Students in grades K-4, with parental permission, can receive character and religious instruction during the school day.<\/p>\n
LifeWise Academy will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Luckey and students will be transported there once a week during their library period.<\/p>\n
All transportation will be organized and provided by LifeWise.<\/p>\n
Ohio Revised Code allows Released Time Religious Instruction programs, so the districts school board wasnt required to take any action on the academy, said Superintendent Brent Welker.<\/p>\n
Eastwood Local Schools policy also states that students may be provided release time to attend a course in religious instruction conducted by a private entity off district property, provided that the following requirements are met:<\/p>\n
The students parent or guardian gives consent in writing<\/p>\n
The sponsoring entity maintains attendance records and makes them available to the district<\/p>\n
The sponsoring entity provides and assumes liability<\/p>\n
The academy also must keep students from missing any instructional time, Welker said.<\/p>\n
The board makes no endorsement of any religious activity, nor does it interfere with the lawful exercise thereof, the policy states.<\/p>\n
Obviously, this is with the parent consent, Welker said. I feel that the decision is 100% in the hands of the parents.<\/p>\n
If they meet all those standards, the board cannot prevent students whose parents want them to attend from attending.<\/p>\n
He said that LifeWise has done this in other districts.<\/p>\n
Its really been pretty seamless, Welker said.<\/p>\n
A search of LifeWise Academy in Ohio shows there are similar programs in the Pandora-Gilboa school district in Putnam County and Elida schools in Allen County.<\/p>\n
Pemberville resident Eric Corns has been tapped as volunteer academy director.<\/p>\n
Corns said that he was made aware of LifeWise from a past motivational speaker who visited Eastwood.<\/p>\n
He said he was asked by community members to shepherd the process of bringing the academy to the district.<\/p>\n
Corns said there has been recognition in the community that there is a need for it and he is confident it will open this fall.<\/p>\n
Corns said while he grew up going to Sunday school, national statistics show only 25% of youngsters find themselves in that setting now.<\/p>\n
They just dont have exposure to it like many did growing up, he said.<\/p>\n
Roger Bostdorff, a former Eastwood school board member who is organizing the fundraising for the academy, agreed.<\/p>\n
For whatever reason, theyre not getting the Christian education we used to get, he said about todays youngsters.<\/p>\n
Our kids need to have a better understanding of the values the good Lord has us live by, Bostdorff said.<\/p>\n
While the Eagle Way will teach students while in school, more is needed, he said.<\/p>\n
Outside of Eastwood, these Christian values need to be reinforced and taught to make them better citizens, Bostdorff said about students.<\/p>\n
The Eagle Way represents the core beliefs of the school district, which are: Do Whats Right, Do the Best You Can, and Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated. It has been used in the district for 14 years.<\/p>\n
Bostdorff said the Golden Rule also has been forgotten.<\/p>\n
It used to be when two people disagreed, they could agree to disagree, he said. Now, they stop talking to each other or hurt each other physically.<\/p>\n
When we were growing up, we could disagree without hating the other person, Bostdorff said.<\/p>\n
He said LifeWise Academy will teach the younger population the values in the Bible.<\/p>\n
Classes will follow the Gospel Project, which teaches Genesis to Revelation in an age-appropriate way.<\/p>\n
Classes are non-denomination, Corns said.<\/p>\n
The LifeWise Academy website explains it is a Released Time Religious Instruction program which exists to provide Bible education to public school students.<\/p>\n
Eastwood students in grades K-4 attend classes in art, music, physical education, technology and library. Those students who attend LifeWise classes will miss their library rotation.<\/p>\n
LifeWise has been successful in moving the needle, with an average participation rate of 60% in the first year, Corns said.<\/p>\n
For me, it was a no-brainer. How could I not be involved in this? he said.<\/p>\n
Bostdorff said the academy has $100,000 committed toward its $150,000 goal to get the program started.<\/p>\n
Each year after next, another $50,000 will be needed, he said.<\/p>\n
It takes approximately $20 per student per year for the curriculum.<\/p>\n
The objective is to make this free to the parents, Bostdorff said.<\/p>\n
It makes the curriculum available to children during the school day, Corns said. Theres a need there and this has been demonstrated as a viable way to get character curriculum to students.<\/p>\n
He hopes students learn what it means to be patient, responsible and grateful, and to give of themselves.<\/p>\n
As an example, Corns said Genesis teaches God created the heavens and the Earth.<\/p>\n
Everything we have and every thing we are is a gift from God, so the character takeaway is gratitude, he said. Were not interested in focusing on what divides the Christian community. Were focusing on what we agree on.<\/p>\n
Character education is crucial, he said. Not only for how we get along with each other in civilized society but also for our spiritual being.<\/p>\n
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Eastwood will offer religious education: LifeWise starting in the fall - Sentinel-Tribune<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PEMBERVILLE This fall, Eastwood Elementary students can choose to receive religious instruction. Continue reading