Mission & Core Values

NPS Philosophy

Developing Children in a Loving Environment

National Presbyterian School works to nurture each child’s sense of self and to promote a life-long love of learning so that its graduates can enrich their communities and the world. The School embraces and seeks to engender in its students five core values: love, respect, honesty, responsibility, and safety. A small, independent, co-educational elementary school, NPS is committed to safeguarding the precious decade of childhood – the years from Pre-Kindergarten 3 to Sixth Grade. It is a place where childhood and children come first. Recognizing that children learn and grow best in a supportive and engaging school environment, we strive to maintain just such an atmosphere and to be a caring and mutually supportive school community. We believe that the education of children is a partnership between a school and its families, and that both children and adults deserve to be in a safe and comfortable setting -- one where they are known and appreciated as individuals.

Embracing Diversity

National Presbyterian School embraces all individuals in a manner consistent with our core values, and admits students of any race, color, creed, and national or ethnic origin. We believe that diverse perspectives enrich both the educational experience and the school community. Because we are all children of God, we strive to honor and love one another, to respect and celebrate those qualities that define us as human and distinguish us as individuals. As a community, we foster an enriching and diverse educational environment in all dimensions of the school experience so that we may explore, understand, and value our differences. As life-long learners, we strive to continue to deepen our appreciation of our pluralistic world.

Fostering Spiritual Growth

In an inclusive and ecumenical Christian atmosphere, children at NPS participate in the observance of religious holidays and attend weekly Chapel services. NPS values a vibrant and supportive relationship with The National Presbyterian Church. The School encourages faith in God and belief in a Judeo-Christian system of values, including respect for God, for others, for other faith traditions, and for the self; the importance of showing compassion and caring for others; a commitment towards community; and a responsibility to develop and share those gifts that make each person unique. These teachings are interwoven throughout the curriculum and the daily life of the School, and more generally articulated in our core values.

Promoting Self-Esteem

As an elementary school, the process of learning receives as much attention as content. We understand that children learn in different ways and at different speeds, and work to address the differences in how children learn. To the extent possible, we strive to tailor pedagogical approaches to the needs of students. NPS fosters the capacity for independent learning and growth and focuses on the development of each student’s sense of self-esteem and confidence as an essential outcome of this approach. We believe that enthusiastic and caring teachers are essential to both curricular and non-curricular lessons; thus we seek to maintain an environment where our educators are content, engaged, and continuously learning. NPS promotes education as a way of life for all of its community members and strives to create learning opportunities for all constituencies.

Educating the Whole Child

National Presbyterian School affirms a traditional emphasis on middle and secondary school preparation, and on the development of personal and intellectual disciplines. We are committed to remaining a fresh, relevant, and dynamic institution that also honors and remains true to its heritage and traditions. Our educational program is a balanced one that focuses on establishing competencies in the core areas of reading, writing, and mathematics, while recognizing the importance of providing a rich array of different educational experiences that enables students to pursue their own individual interests, to understand various perspectives, to engage their own creative voices, and to tap their individual aptitudes and talents. Accordingly, the program at NPS places a strong emphasis on music, art, and drama and is further strengthened through offerings in social studies, foreign language, science, technology, and physical education. We also believe that learning does not stop at the classroom door and provide many after school enrichment and interscholastic athletic opportunities to complete our program. We seek to ensure that we offer a well rounded and rich experience, one that lays a sound spiritual, intellectual, personal, physical, and emotional foundation on which children can build.