Welcome from Grant Beckwith, Head of School

WE ARE SO EXCITED TO WELCOME YOU!

Many things will be new this year, including new classrooms, new programs, and new faces. But the most important things at AHS haven’t changed. The Book of Mormon teaches us that when we learn by the influence of the Spirit we begin to “enlarge our souls” and “enlighten our understanding” (Alma 32:28). That has been a foundation and a hallmark of AHS teaching and learning every year, and it will continue to be so this year and forever. We trust that you will make many life-long friends here, that you will love your teachers and administrators, that you will enjoy the many opportunities you will have here, and that you will work hard to succeed in your coursework. But most of all, we hope that you will begin to see yourself and each other illuminated by the light of Christ. I know I say this every year, but it’s more true now than ever: This will be our best year yet!

Sincerely, Grant Beckwith—Head of School

American Heritage School assists parents worldwide in developing the hearts, minds, and bodies of students to realize their divine potential by:

1. BEING USEFUL IN THE HANDS OF THE LORD IN BUILDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH;

2. INCREASING FAITH IN AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE PLAN OF SALVATION;

3. DEVELOPING A LOVE, UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION FOR AMERICA AND THE FOUNDING FATHERS;

4. DEVELOPING THE ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SELF-EDUCATION A LIFE-LONG PURSUIT;

5. LEARNING TO REASON AND DISCERN BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG, TRUTH AND ERROR;

6. DEVELOPING CHARACTER AND SELF-GOVERNMENT OF MIND AND BODY; AND

7. CONDUCTING THEMSELVES IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE AS CHRISTIANS.

All activities, teaching, governance, and administration are to be accomplished in light of the above objectives and in so far as possible in harmony with revealed principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and laws of the land. All teachers, staff, administrators and trustees shall strive to be living examples of the values, principles, and skills taught at the school.

DIVINE IDENTITY AND PURPOSE

God is our loving Heavenly Father. He has endowed each of His children with the gifts of life, the freedom to choose, and a divine identity and purpose. Civil liberty is founded on the truth that these are inalienable, God-given rights.

LIBERTY THROUGH CHRISTIAN SELF-GOVERNMENT

God has given us the freedom to choose liberty and eternal life through Jesus Christ, or captivity and death. As we seek to obey the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, and receive His grace, we will experience liberty. Civil liberty can exist only when there is widespread adherence to moral law by self-governed individuals.

CHRISTLIKE CHARACTER

Jesus Christ is the standard of character and the model of all virtues. Through His Atonement, we can become like Him. America’s heritage provides examples of men and women who were liberated by obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and who sought freedom to develop and express Christian character. America became the seedbed of civil liberty because of inspired reliance upon Christian principles.

CONSCIENCE, THE MOST SACRED OF ALL PROPERTY

God has granted each of us stewardship over our individual souls, labor, and possessions. The most sacred stewardship God has given us is our conscience. We experience liberty as we follow our conscience, which is the light of Christ within us. In the civil realm, liberty depends upon protection of the rights of property, including the property of conscience.

THE FAMILY, RELIGION, AND CIVIL GOVERNMENT

Personal and civil liberty depend upon the protection and vitality of three realms: the family, religion and its expression, and civil government. Internal restraints within civil government, such as representation, separation of powers, and federalism, are necessary to temper the exercise of governmental power. These internal restraints protect individual accountability, the rights and responsibilities of families, and religion and its expression.

CULTIVATING SELF-GOVERNMENT IN OTHERS

Individuals who experience liberty through Christ seek to bless others with liberty. Christ’s followers are obligated to cultivate and protect the right of self-government for all mankind. Civil liberty is best protected when the decision-making authority of government resides at the level that is closest to those affected by its decisions.

FULLNESS OF LIBERTY THROUGH UNITY WITH GOD AND MAN

The ultimate purpose of God’s plan of happiness is to enable us to experience a fullness of liberty. This is possible only through unity with God, our families, and our fellowmen as we experience the atoning power of Jesus Christ. Uniting as self-governed individuals enables and strengthens civil and personal liberty, and magnifies the potential of all.

American Heritage School gratefully acknowledges the Foundation for American Christian Education for publishing “The Seven Principles,” which inspired this document.

Why Have a Code of Conduct?

King Benjamin famously taught that “the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19). Most of the tenets of the school’s honor code come from revelatory sources pertinent to proper conduct (e.g., the For the Strength of Youth standards). In cases where the school has authored its own tenets on topics unique to education (e.g., plagiarism and academic-integrity standards), the school strives to align its tenets with true principles.

What if I Don’t Like a Certain Rule?

It is perfectly normal to not agree with every rule (in fact, it would be abnormal for an individual to not dislike at least one rule within a broad code of conduct). It is impossible to structure a code of conduct that aligns perfectly with everyone’s ideals. Each individual’s life will be full of opportunities to join organizations (clubs, neighborhoods, businesses, cities, etc.) whose rules don’t match all of the individual’s preferences. The individual can still choose to join an organization, commit to follow all rules (not just those that are liked), and maintain integrity thereafter by keeping their earlier commitment. The responsible individual then works from a position of integrity to influence an organization and pursue desired change (maintaining integrity no matter the outcome). Students who find themselves in a position of not agreeing with one or more rules are afforded an opportunity to exercise the kind of commitment-keeping integrity that will serve them well throughout their life.

My Understanding

I understand that American Heritage School exists to provide an education in an atmosphere consistent with the ideals and principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I also understand that this atmosphere is preserved through my voluntary commitment to live in accordance with those ideals and principles “at all times and . . . in all places” (Mosiah 18:9), and that this commitment is a specific condition of admission and employment at American Heritage School for all students, faculty and staff. Those individuals who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are also expected to maintain the same standards of conduct, except church attendance.

My Commitment

As a representative of American Heritage School, I acknowledge and commit to maintain the standards set forth in the American Heritage School Honor Code*.

*Full details of the Honor Code standard can be found here.

Why Care about Dress and Grooming?

• Avoid styles that emphasize or draw inappropriate attention to your physical body instead of who you are as a child of God with an eternal future.
• Your respect for yourself and others will increase as you honor your body through your behavior, appearance, and dress.
• What is the Lord’s standard on dress, grooming, tattoos, and piercings? The Lord’s standard is for you to honor the sacredness of your body, even when that means being different from the world.

—For the Strength of Youth, “Dress and Grooming”

Why Adopt a Uniform?

The school believes that properly wearing the uniform

• Displays unity, modesty, neatness, and dignity;
• Demonstrates respect for self, education, teachers, and fellow students;
• Facilitates focus on learning and service, rather than on clothing and accessories;
• Supports an appropriate distinction between the genders; and •Reminds students of their commitment to live by the American Heritage Mission Statement.

My Understanding

I understand that

• All male students at AHS are expected to wear the boys’ uniform and abide by the dress and grooming standards set forth for boys;
• All female students are expected to wear the girls’ uniform and abide by the dress and grooming standards set forth for girls;
• Students wearing the proper uniform will be admitted to class; and •The uniform standard will be in place until 3:10 p.m. each school day.

My Commitment

I will study the dress and grooming standards specific to my gender and grade level*. Because not all inappropriate variations and deviations can be enumerated, I will strive to understand and abide by the spirit of the Dress and Grooming Standard in addition to the letter of the standard. Which clothing articles I wear, how I wear those articles, and how I groom myself will appropriately reinforce the American Heritage School ideals.

*Full details of the Dress and Grooming Standard can be found here.

What is Stewardship?

Every day of my life, I am an occupant of various environments. When I come to American Heritage School, which kind of occupant am I? Which kind of occupant am I striving to be in every environment I occupy?

My Understanding

I understand that

• God has blessed the school’s benefactors with additional resources;
• Those benefactors have made a great sacrifice of their blessings to provide me with a beautiful, clean, uplifting environment in which to learn and grow;
• My treatment of that environment sends the strongest, clearest signal of my true feelings about this sacrifice;
• My tuition is less than half the true cost of my AHS experience because of this sacrifice; and
• I am not entitled to these gifts (rather, I am indebted because of them).

My Commitment

I will strive to think, feel, and act like a steward. I will demonstrate, daily, that I do not take for granted the sacrifices that make my AHS experience possible. Just like the occupants who preceded me, I too will gratefully receive and add to the heritage of American Heritage School, and I will say ‘thank you’ every day by preserving and preparing a better environment for the occupants who come after me.

Why Have a Faculty Commitment?

“All teachers, staff, administrators and trustees shall strive to be living examples of the values, principles, and skills taught at the school.”

—American Heritage School Mission Statement

My Understanding

I understand that American Heritage School, my employer, has the following expectations of me:

• Live in accordance with, and be an exemplar of, the Honor Code
• Live in accordance with, and be an exemplar of, the Dress and Grooming standard
• Live in accordance with, and be an exemplar of, the Stewardship standard
• Live in accordance with, and be an exemplar of, the Technology Usage standard
• Be consistent and unified with all faculty in upholding the four above standards among the student body
• Read the employee handbook during my first year of employment
• Become sufficiently familiar with all updates to the employee handbook each year of my employment
• Comply with all policies contained within the employee handbook
• Make reasonable efforts to attend all training relevant to my role
• In all ways, reinforce, advance, and personally honor all ideals expressed in the American Heritage School Mission Statement

My Commitment

As a representative of American Heritage School, I acknowledge my employer’s expectations of me, and I commit to continually strive to meet those expectations. In instances where I find myself falling short of those expectations, I will act quickly to remedy the situation and bring my conduct into proper alignment.