Portsmouth Christian Academy is the largest non-denominational Christian school in New England and is located on a 50-acre riverfront campus in Dover, NH.  Based on a classical philosophy, PCA’s traditional PK-12 educational program is academically rigorous and culminates in an excellent college preparatory Upper School program.

The school is divided into three sections: a pre-school program (called PCAP), a K-8 Lower School and a grades 9-12 Upper School.  The Lower School has divisions for primary (K-2), elementary (3-5) and junior high (6-8) with a philosophy of progressive maturation that undergirds the students’ movement from one division to the next. 

Mission
The mission of Portsmouth Christian Academy is to honor God through teaching and encouraging students to maximize their God-given intellectual, artistic, physical, and spiritual potential in preparation for a life of Christian commitment and service to family, church, community, and country.

Vision
PCA seeks to be the leading faith-based school in New England.  To accomplish this the school has adopted a strategic plan that challenges each of the major facets of the institution. 

Expected Student Outcomes
Earning a diploma from Portsmouth Christian Academy demonstrates the attainment of outcomes that serve as a foundation for all of life.  Students who gain mastery in these prescribed areas have created a significant platform for future success. 

These student outcomes reflect the values and mission of Portsmouth Christian Academy.  Our mission is to honor God through teaching and encouraging students to maximize their God-given intellectual, artistic, physical and spiritual potential in preparation for a life of Christian commitment and service to family, church and country.

The outcomes are a measure of the efficacy of the Portsmouth Christian Academy experience.  As such, they are only meaningful to the extent to which they are assessed, measured, used for strategic decision making and communicated to our students and broader constituency groups.

1. Academic Preparedness:  Communication, Computation, and Information Competency Students demonstrate academic preparedness when they:
   
   
   1. Write cogently in a wide variety of media (research, essay, persuasive essay, business communication, electronic, creative writing, poetry, and journalism)
      
      
   2. Possess and use vocabulary appropriate for effective communication including persuasion in the public square.
      
      
   3. Speak clearly and coherently using effective presentation methods in both formal and informal settings.
      
      
   4. Have moderate spoken and/or written fluency in a non-native language
      
      
   5. Successfully apply at selective institutions of higher learning
      
      
   6. Demonstrably possess the academic skills to succeed in college (research, written communication skills, note taking, time management, self awareness, goal setting, critical thinking, etc.)
      
      
   7. Articulate the distinctions among competing worldviews and evaluate them in terms of a biblical perspective.
      
      
   8. Demonstrate the content mastery in each academic discipline necessary to permit higher order analysis and further learning at the baccalaureate level
      
      
   9. Demonstrate computational accuracy in a variety of applications: basic life functions (e.g. balancing a checkbook), skills needed for higher level college mathematics, and widely needed business functions.
      
      
   10. Evaluate authority, veracity and bias of information from varied sources.
       
       
   11. Demonstrate a working knowledge of computer functions, software applications, and problem solving in the context of holistic learning.
   
   
   
2. Christian Character: Students demonstrate appropriate Christian character when they:
   
   
   1. Exhibit biblical discernment and discretion in decision-making.
      
      
   2. Model godly behavior in their roles as son/daughter, friend and, if applicable, sister/brother.
      
      
   3. Display biblical leadership concepts in church, civic, political or social organizations in the community.
      
      
   4. Demonstrate stewardship of the earth and its resources in reflection of the responsibility given by God to humans.
      
      
   5. Display essential values in life: integrity, work ethic, respect for authority, self control, maturity, care for the less fortunate, etc.
      
      
   6. Demonstrate an understanding of the body as “the temple of the Holy Spirit” through applying concepts of lifetime fitness, stress management skills and healthy nutrition.
      
      
      
3. Critical & Creative Thinking: Students demonstrate critical & creative thinking skills when they:
   
   
   1. Evaluate strengths, weakness, and fallacies of logic in arguments and information.
      
      
   2. Recognize their own learning style and make adjustments as necessary to improve their ability to receive, process and synthesize information.
      
      
   3. Compare, contrast, and/or apply biblical principles and concepts in a diversity of fields.
      
      
   4. Locate, evaluate and select appropriate evidence to support or discredit an argument or position.
      
      
   5. Construct a persuasive argument that is based on sound reasoning and evidence.
      
      
   6. Apply lessons from the past or learned knowledge and skills to new and varied situations.
      
      
   7. Apply the principles of scientific, quantitative and/or qualitative reasoning to solve problems.
      
      
   8. Devise and defend a logical hypothesis to explain observed phenomena
      
      
   9. Demonstrate creative problem solving skills.
      
      
   10. Develop comparative and critical knowledge of works of art in various media, including connecting that knowledge to philosophy and history.
       
       
   11. Demonstrate skills in an artistic field (music, photography, painting, sculpture, graphic design, architecture, drama, etc.)
       
       
       
4. Social Interaction and Global Engagement: Students possess effective social interaction and global engagement skills when they:
   
   
   1. Demonstrate respect and appropriate social acumen both in face-to-face and written interactions and communications.
      
      
   2. Develop skills in leadership that are then applied in at least one institutional context (school, church, civic organization).
      
      
   3. Work effectively as a leader and/or participant in group settings.
      
      
   4. Apply biblical principles for conflict resolution.
      
      
   5. Develop an ability to work cross culturally for a variety of ends: finance, trade, research, evangelism, and knowledge exchange.
      
      
   6. Demonstrate knowledge of and appropriate respect for people, created in the image of God, who do not share the same race, gender, religion, socioeconomic background, age, moral values, linguistic background or physical abilities.
      
      
   7. Demonstrate knowledge of and appreciation for the impact of the Christian faith in history and culture.
      
      
   8. Demonstrate active listening skills and effective interpersonal communication.

Distinguished Teacher
PCA uses the Distinguished Teacher guidelines as a means of encouraging faculty members to excel and as guidance for the hiring process.  PCA seeks teachers who will live out the spirit of this document in their professional and personal lives.

1. Spiritually
   1. Demonstrate the joy of life in Christ
      
      
   2. Able to communicate the gospel message in a culturally relevant manner to those of differing backgrounds
      
      
   3. Possess or be willing to seek a deep biblical perspective about his or her discipline or the subject matter at hand
      
      
   4. Able to lead students in an age appropriate manner in the transition to becoming self regulated individuals (recognition of our need to prepare people for a fallen world, recognition that we are more concerned with the heart than external behavior
      
      
      
2. Academically
   
   
   1. Possess contagious enthusiasm for learning that motivates students
      
      
   2. Demonstrate an ability to recognize learning styles in students and provide appropriate differentiation within the classroom to ensure each student’s success
      
      
   3. Demonstrate mastery of a variety of pedagogical methods to ensure student learning
      
      
   4. Be a learner
      
      
   5. Use student learning as a measure of efficacy rather than content delivery
      
      
   6. Exhibit awareness of best practices and national standards
      
      
   7. Understand and use appropriate assessment methods to test student learning, self-check teacher efficacy, and compare student outcomes to larger populations
      
      
3. Professionally
   
   
   1. Exhibit parent management skills (proactively work through issues, use full set of school resources to achieve success, communicate, know how to work towards agreement)
      
      
   2. Fulfill professional expectations (on-time, dressed professionally, participation in expected meetings, etc.)
      
      
   3. Be collegial (servant leadership, biblical conflict resolution with peers and administrators, etc.)
      
      
   4. Demonstrate skills in student management (loving and kind, encouraging, possess high expectations, ability to lead students through appropriate conflict resolution, challenging students to live up to PCA standards, classroom management, etc.)
      
      
   5. Willing to engage the PCA community in a least one way beyond the classroom (coaching, Kaleidoscope, drama, yearbook, student organizations, Bible study, etc.)