Academics

Welcome to DMC!

Des Moines Christian School is committed to academic excellence. Our mission to equip minds and nurture hearts to impact the world for Christ is central in all teaching and learning activities from early education through high school. DMC is a distinctly Christian community, with faith engagement opportunities embedded in all subjects and classrooms.  We have a continuous learning plan for your child beginning as early as age two all the way through high school graduation, connecting your child and their God-given story to the great story of redemption that God is telling through human history.

Philosophy of Education

Our philosophy of education is to thoughtfully approach all our practices , in and out of the classroom, in a way that allows the Holy Spirit the greatest freedom to change the hearts of our students. We focus on the formation of the whole child--heart, soul, and mind--ultimately fulfilling the command Jesus places before us in Matthew 22, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” 

Seeing God's World, God's Way

We believe strongly that if we are to see our philosophy of education take deeper root, we must have an unwavering commitment to equipping and nurturing our school community in Biblical Worldview education. 

A worldview is the way in which you see the world. Having a Biblical Worldview is seeing the world God’s way, grounded in His Word. All our curriculum and classroom practices train students to understand the larger story of what God has done through human history, and what He will do, and then to understand their own God-given story in light of what God has done. We use a framework called CBRR, which stands for Creation - Brokenness - Redemption - Restoration. Students are led to value God’s creation and understand his original intent for it and us. They understand the effects of brokenness in the world brought about by sin. They encounter the opportunity to experience the redemption offered in Jesus Christ, and are equipped with the hope necessary to live in expectation of when God will make all things right. 

This framework (CBRR), along with the seven truths listed below, allows for common language across the school and allows the gospel of Jesus to make its way into our classrooms on a daily basis. It serves as a compass to help children interpret their world through God’s redemptive story.

  1. Each person is a very good creation made with purpose by God. (Genesis 1)
  2. Each person is made in God’s image. (Genesis 1-2)
  3. Each person is given dominion by God. (Genesis 1)
  4. Each person is valuable to God. (Matthew 22:15-22)
  5. Each person is loved by God. (Romans 5:8)
  6. Each person is sinful within from conception and bent towards self. (Romans 5:12)
  7. Each person can be redeemed through Jesus. (John 3:16)

Our Vision for Learning

At Des Moines Christian, our goal is to see lives transformed with the gospel AND for our students to have the wisdom, knowledge, critical thinking skills, and communication skills to be in the world, but not of the world. We also desire that each child is prepared for God’s calling on his/her life. These goals mean we must have an intentional focus on spiritual formation and academics. 

DMC’s strategic academic plan embraces our comprehensive program for children as young as age two until their graduation, and intentionally focuses on key areas to deepen student learning.

  • Faculty that know your child and introduce activities that enhance cognitive capacity. Teachers infuse levels of cognitive thinking into lessons and equip students to infer, analyze, summarize, organize, hypothesize, and describe their thinking. 
  • Instruction that puts the child first. Faculty are trained in child development strategies to ensure every child is individually known and encouraged to grow to his or her fullest potential. Children grow and thrive in a healthy way due to the intentionally favorable environment created by faculty, a key factor in developing God-given identity and purpose. 
  • Learning experiences that engage students in real-world opportunities to impact the world for Christ. At the heart of learning at Des Moines Christian School is the foundation of forming a Biblical worldview in children of all ages. Whether learning to be good stewards through recycling, loving neighbors through community service, or seeking to make disciples through mission work, children can find a passion for seeing God’s kingdom spread in our local community and beyond.

    The result of our Vision for Learning is our Portrait of a Graduate. 

Portrait of a Graduate

Des Moines Christian students are equipped to reflect our Portrait of a Graduate. We desire for each student to develop into the following:

  • Servant-Hearted Leader
  • Critical Thinker
  • Effective Communicator
  • Accomplished Learner
  • Passionate Apprentice of Christ

Student Support

To ensure each child learns and grows to be all God created him/her to be, we know that we must offer a strong student support system.  Our Christ-centered Multi-Tiered System of Supports is achieved through collaboration between home, school, and community partners. DMC supports students’ learning, behavior, and social-emotional needs through an EE-12 system that seeks to see each student flourish. 

Faculty are equipped with best practices in how to deepen learning through classroom instruction, classroom management, and social-emotional strategies to best respond to and meet student needs. In addition to classroom faculty, resource and extended learning teachers, as well as K-12 counselors support our students. DMC also has on-site partnerships with Heartland Area Education Agency and Heartland Christian Counseling Services. 

Professional Faculty

Student achievement is impacted when there is passionate and inspired teaching. Faculty consistently demonstrate the value in being a lifelong learner for students and colleagues as they pursue various opportunities to grow in their profession. With significant funding for professional development, DMC teachers are able to attend state and national conferences in best practices, pursue Master’s degrees to hone skills as an educator, and lead peers in research-based strategies during teacher in-service or through mentoring opportunities. The commitment to learning develops teachers who are credible, competent, prepared, and able to nurture children’s hearts and minds.