OUR PURPOSE
Students at School of The Heights will be grounded in God’s Word and challenged to achieve academic excellence as they prepare to use their gifts, talents, and abilities effectively to follow God’s plan for their lives.
MISSION STATEMENT
School of The Heights is a loving community that spiritually and academically equips, challenges, and inspires students to impact their world for Christ.
RISING HIGHER
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate , equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:17-18
Welcome to School of the Heights!
We are Pastor Eddie and Lisa Stith, Lead Pastor and First Lady of Church of The Heights, the ministry under which this Christ-centered school was established. Our heartfelt passion is to see children grow academically and spiritually in an environment that equips them to live out their God-given purpose.
With years of experience in youth and church ministry, we have witnessed the incredible impact of Christian education on families, communities, and the Kingdom of God. Our connection to School of the Heights is deeply personal, as both of our children, Kaden and Tenly, attended and excelled here, laying a strong foundation for their future success.
As active members of our community, we understand the importance of nurturing the whole child—mind, body, and spirit. It brings us great joy to see students thrive, build lasting friendships, and grow in their faith under the loving guidance of teachers and staff who genuinely care about their success.
We invite you to explore the unique opportunities at School of the Heights and join us in making a lasting difference in the lives of our students and the community.
With love and blessings,
Pastor Eddie and Lisa Stith
School of The Heights is a ministry of Church of The Heights. Church of The Heights is a full gospel church with a Pentecostal distinction. We do not seek doctrinal agreement in all areas but desire respect in areas of difference. On the essentials, we desire unity; in the nonessentials, understanding, and all things, love!
Phone: 386-325-9927
Web: http://churchoftheheights
Code of Ethics
Ethics Training and Reporting
Liability Protections Liability Protections Any person, official, or institution participating in good faith in any act authorized or required by law, or reporting in good faith any instance of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the department or any law enforcement agency, shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability which might otherwise result by reason of such action. (F.S. 39.203)
An employer who discloses information about a former or current employee to a prospective employer of the former or current employee upon request of the prospective employer or of the former or current employee is immune from civil liability for such disclosure or its consequences unless it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that the information disclosed by the former or current employer was knowingly false or violated any civil right of the former or current employee protected under F.S. Chapter 760. (F.S. 768.095)
Reporting of Ethical Misconduct is required by law and is our duty as professionals entrusted with the safety and welfare of students every day. Florida Statute section 39.203 and section 768.095 protect the person reporting ethical misconduct from reprisal by the individual reported or the employer if the report was made in good faith without malicious intent. STH requires that every employee report any issue that could currently or potentially impact the health, safety, or welfare of its students and STH employees.
The process for reporting is as follows. Any incident that an employee believes is potentially harmful to a student or another employee should be immediately reported to the School’s Principal. Any employee who knowingly fails to report misconduct or abuse will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.
In cases of suspected Physical Abuse, Sexual abuse or Neglect the employee should report those issues immediately to the 1-800-96Abuse hotline. Notice: All employees will be required to complete ethics training on an annual basis as a condition of their employment.
Code of Ethics – Education Profession
6B-1.001 Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida.
The educator values the worth and dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship. Essential to the achievement of these standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal opportunity for all.
The educator’s primary professional concern will always be for the student and for the development of the student’s potential. The educator will therefore strive for professional growth and will seek to exercise the best professional judgment and integrity.
Aware of the importance of maintaining the respect and confidence of one’s colleagues, of students, of parents, and of other members of the community, the educator strives to achieve and sustain the highest degree of ethical conduct.
Standards of Ethical Conduct for the School of The Heights within the scope of our Religious beliefs.
(Adapted from the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida and Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida)
1. Our school values the worth and dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship. Essential to achieving these standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal opportunity for all.
2. Our primary concern is the student and the development of the student’s potential. Therefore, employees will strive for professional growth and seek to exercise the best professional judgment and integrity.
3. Concern for the student requires that our instructional personnel: a. Shall make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student’s mental and/or physical health and/or safety.
b. Shall not unreasonably restrain a student from independent action in pursuit of learning.
c. Shall not unreasonably deny a student access to diverse points of view
d. Shall not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a student’s academic program.
e. Shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.
f. Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student’s legal rights.
g. Shall not harass or discriminate against any student based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, or social and family background and shall make a reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination.
h. Shall not exploit a relationship with a student for personal gain or advantage.
i. Shall keep in confidence personally identifiable information obtained in the course of professional service, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law.
4. Aware of the importance of maintaining the respect and confidence of colleagues, students, parents, and the community, employees of our school must display the highest degree of ethical conduct. This commitment requires that our employees:
a. Shall maintain honesty in all professional dealings.
b. Shall not on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition if otherwise qualified, or social and family background deny to a colleague professional benefits or advantages or participation in any professional organization.
c. Shall not interfere with a colleague’s exercise of political or civil rights and responsibilities
d. Shall not engage in harassment or discriminatory conduct which unreasonably interferes with an individual’s performance of professional or work responsibilities or with the orderly processes of education or which creates a hostile, intimidating, abusive, offensive, or oppressive environment; and, further, shall make a reasonable effort to assure that each individual is protected from such harassment or discrimination.
e. Shall not make malicious or intentionally false statements about a colleague.
Training Requirement: All instructional personnel, educational support employees, and administrators are required to complete training on these standards of ethical conduct.
Reporting Misconduct All instructional personnel, educational support employees, and school administrators have an obligation to report misconduct by instructional personnel, educational support employees and school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student. Examples of misconduct include obscene language, drug and alcohol use, disparaging comments, prejudice or bigotry, sexual innuendo, cheating or testing violations, physical aggression, and accepting or offering favors. Reports of misconduct of employees should be made to:
Reports of misconduct committed by school staff are made to the administrator, Amanda Ramos Phone: 386-325-0951
Reports of misconduct of administrators should be made to the Lead Pastor, Eddie Stith Phone: 386-325-9927
Legally sufficient misconduct allegations by Florida-certified educators will be reported to the Office of Professional Practices Services. Policies and procedures for reporting misconduct by instructional personnel or school administrators that affect a student’s health, safety, or welfare are posted in the staff lounge, in this communication, and in the STH Staff Handbook.
Reporting Child Abuse, Abandonment, or Neglect All employees and agents have an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Call1-800-96-ABUSE or report online at: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/report/.
Signs of Physical Abuse – The child may have unexplained bruises, welts, cuts, other injuries, broken bones, or burns. A child experiencing physical abuse may seem withdrawn or depressed, seem afraid to go home or may run away, shy away from physical contact, be aggressive, or wear inappropriate clothing to hide injuries.
Signs of Sexual Abuse – The child may have torn, stained or bloody underwear, trouble walking or sitting, pain or itching in genital area, or a sexually transmitted disease. A child experiencing sexual abuse may have unusual knowledge of sex or act seductively, fear a particular person, seem withdrawn or depressed, gain or lose weight suddenly, shy away from physical contact, or run away from home.
Signs of Neglect – The child may have unattended medical needs, little or no supervision at home, poor hygiene, or appear underweight. A child experiencing neglect may be frequently tired or hungry, steal food, or appear overly needy for adult attention.
Patterns of Abuse: Serious abuse usually involves a combination of factors. While a single sign may not be significant, a pattern of physical or behavioral signs is a serious indicator and should be reported.