We Are Salem Academy
Salem Academy equips students to know and serve God through an excellent education from a biblical perspective. For over 75 years we have graduated exceptional leaders who have discovered their life calling and have the character, skills, and wisdom to succeed.
- What We Believe
As a Christian school, Salem Academy has a specific philosophy which is rooted in its Articles of Faith, founded on the view that the Holy Bible is the only Word of God.
- History & Legacy
In 1936, three Mennonite churches collaborated to organize Beacon Bible School for post-high school instruction in Bible and related subjects. At the same time, the Kingwood Bible Church in West Salem had operated the Salem Bible Institute for about a year or so and through God’s provision, these two entities formed to create Salem Academy. When 76 students, a principal and eight teachers arrived for the first day of classes in 1945, no one knew what an impact the school would have on generations throughout the Mid-Willamette Valley.
Salem Academy began as an independent, non-denominational Christian school. The founders were determined to provide a high-quality alternative to other educational opportunities. They wanted to provide a place where students could learn about the world in which they live from the perspective of God, who created and sustains it.
Salem Academy emphasizes educational excellence while seeking to build character and values within the life of each student. The founders’ vision was to produce graduates with a strong sense of right and wrong and the courage to stand with integrity in a world that seems to have lost its standards.
After more than 4,000 graduates - and over 75 years - those values still hold true today. Salem Academy strives to fulfill, with distinction, its role as a Christian Lighthouse in Education.
- Core Values
Our over-arching core value is the pursuit of Christlikeness (Philippians 2), which will be demonstrated by the expression of four specific core values stated in priority order:
- Integrity (II Timothy 2:15): First and foremost, we must display a commitment to truth in our conduct and our words. The pursuit of God’s Truth is the heart of the learning process for Christian believers of any age.
- Servanthood (Philippians 2:3-8): This core value encompasses mindset (worldview) and actions. We will humbly put the needs of others first and seek to serve them.
- Mutual Trust and Respect (Hebrew 10:24-25): This core value represents how we view and respond to others. Trusting and respecting others means that we commit to thinking the best of others, seeking to encourage them and to build community.
- Stewardship (Colossians 3:23): Finally, we must take good care of the resources God has entrusted to us. We must also use our resources to the fullest extent of what they enable us to do, all for the glory and honor of God.
- Expected Student Outcomes
The expectation of Salem Academy educators is that maturing SA students will become:
- Authentic Christ Followers: Disciples of Jesus Christ who have a faith built on personal relationship with God that produces a transformed life.
- Servant Leaders: World changers that are equipped and committed to follow God’s call to lead in the humility and love of Christ.
- Life-long Learners: Creative individuals that are engaged in acquiring new knowledge, wisdom and understanding in every area of their lives.
- Community Builders: Selfless encouragers that are committed to build up the people in their lives, working toward justice and freedom for all.
- Ethical Decision-Makers: Biblically grounded moral beings that believe in the absolute truth of God’s Word as the foundation for every belief and behavior.