Waterloo is a school designed to help kids grow up. What we believe and commit to is an important part of that journey. Waterloo may not look like other private Christian schools, but our faith is integral to everything we do.
Is Waterloo a Christian private school?
All Waterloo faculty and board members are creedal Christians — we affirm the Nicene and Apostles Creeds, and we seek to live our lives accordingly. Many of these convictions have led us to create this school.
At Waterloo, we will have students and families who share our Christian beliefs and those who do not. We are committed to an environment where students can engage one another (and us) with openness, honesty, and curiosity. They will learn how to engage one another where they are and to put what they have in common ahead of their differences — just like out in the “real world.”
Related Blog Post: Wait, Is Waterloo a Christian High School or Not?
What you’ll find at Waterloo
For us, being a Christian school is all about open and authentic relationships and mentorship. This means that we have:
- Christian teachers and staff who take their mentorship roles seriously.
- Christian board members who seek to guide the school in a way that honors God while serving its students, families, and community in Austin
- Rich curriculum rooted not in an outline of topics and subjects, but in the realities of making sense, beauty, and value in our 21st-century world
- Open and honest conversations about life’s big questions
- Genuine acceptance of every student’s questions and convictions, regardless of what they believe
- Optional Bible and book studies (often led by students) outside of regular class hours
- Celebration of students, families, and faculty who seek to grow in their relationships with God, with their mentors, and with each other
What you won’t find at Waterloo
It’s true, Waterloo is missing many of the hallmarks you might expect from a typical private Christian school. We don’t have:
- Conservative uniforms and blazers
- Weekly chapel or formal religious gatherings
- Bible, theology, or apologetics classes
- Shields, crests, and prep-school branding
- Scheduled prayer times
- Institutional pressure to talk, act, or look a certain way
- Requirements for students to adhere to any faith identity or religious practices
- Shame or judgment for any student who expresses doubts, questions, or discomfort about faith
Why we do what we do
For us, school is a context to live out our personal faith on a daily basis. High school is only a few short years, but this time is so, so valuable.
We believe that each of us is created in God’s image, and from that identity, we are meant for joy, love, and fulfillment. As teachers and mentors, it’s our great honor to play a role in unlocking that image of God in every student.
Whether you have a prospective student or are a long-time Waterloo family, we encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions about faith at Waterloo.