Park Street School, like other leading Boston schools including Boston Latin, Boston College, and Harvard University, was founded and established by Christians seeking to provide an excellent education. Our faith in Jesus Christ is our cornerstone. From this foundation, we seek to provide an environment of respect, balance, and fairness regarding faith and its questions.
There are five places you might see visible signs of our Christian faith expressed: our school chapel, community life, learning from the Bible, the development of character, and having a heart for others.
Participating in Chapel
Once or twice per month, students and teachers gather to sing and to hear a Bible story explained by a guest speaker. Chapel focuses on a theme, which invites students to learn more about God and reflect on important questions. Questions include what it means to be a hero and how the Bible can apply to their lives. Past themes have included: God Made Me Special; Happy Birthday, Jesus!; Unlikely Heroes of the Bible; The Greatest Story Ever Told: God’s Story; and Getting to Know God by Name.
Elementary School Chapel
Chapel takes place for 35 minutes and includes Grade 6 emcees, songs led by a music team, read-aloud Bible stories, prayers offered by students, and a brief message from a chapel speaker. The speaker is often either a minister from the Boston area or a faculty member.
Preschool Chapel
Once a month, Toddlers, Preschool, and Pre-Kindergarten students sing songs and hear a Bible story that integrates into a monthly theme. Preschool Chapel is often led by a Park Street School faculty member or area pastor. Chapel takes place for 20-25 minutes.
All School Thanksgiving Chapel
On Thanksgiving we join together for an all-school chapel in Park Street Church’s sanctuary. The format follows a hybrid of our typical Preschool and Elementary School chapels.
Community Life
We express gratitude in small and big ways. We ask for prayer from our friends and ask them questions or share ideas we have about God with them.
Elementary School
Welcoming the day with a Morning Prayer over the loudspeaker
Entire School
Expressing gratitude to God for our food before lunch and sometimes snack, especially if it’s a really good snack!
Learning from the Bible
We read stories from the Bible and take part in activities that bring the featured lessons to life. Often, we integrate ideas with other classes as befits our Core Knowledge approach. Students in second grade might talk about how God wants us to treat people when studying about the “Trail of Tears” during their Westward Expansion unit. Sixth graders may compare sacred spaces when studying Ancient Greece or discuss how we can exhibit Christ-like qualities when reading about Sir Galahad, chivalry, and the knights of the Middle Ages.
We read stories from the Bible to learn more about God, about the people in the Bible story, and about its history and geography.
We also learn about developing character that reflects the qualities we see in the person of Jesus Christ.
Developing a Heart for Others
Developing Character
As a Christian school, we are committed to guiding students in the formation of character and an understanding of God’s love for them. It is our privilege to educate the whole child—mind, body, and spirit. We recognize that each child is special and uniquely designed by God. Our teachers and staff seek to model compassion and love for others. By the time they graduate, our students have learned the importance of showing respect for others, being compassionate, taking risks, and living lives of generosity.
Community Service Projects
Each year, faculty initiate a yearly Community Service Project for all students in order to support Park Street School's mission to educate and empower students to make a difference in the world. We encourage loving one’s neighbor as oneself, cultivate empathy, and demonstrate responsible care with tangible acts of kindness that employ both monetary means and action.
Common Questions
Do you have to attend church to go to Park Street School?
No. Our students come from various religious backgrounds. Some of our families attend churches of various denominations, while others don’t attend church at all.
I want my child to develop morals and values, but I am not sure about Christianity. Would my family still fit in at Park Street School?
All families are welcome, regardless of church affiliation or religious practice. We enroll families of any religious practice who would like to attend. We are a Christian school, so do talk about God and Jesus and read stories from the Bible in age-appropriate language. We desire to be transparent with families about what we teach about Christianity, and how we express faith or talk about it. Parents are always welcome to ask questions, or even sit in on a Bible class or chapel. We offer a safe space for students to learn and ask questions about Christianity. Expression of faith — on the part of any child or parent — is voluntary. From the context of this nurturing environment, we hope that each student will graduate with a formation of character and a knowledge of God's love for him or her.
Kari Turner
Park Street School parent of children in Grade 2 and Kindergarten