Goals for a Graduate
Our purpose: To mature students in Christ as we integrate faith and reason through Christian classical education.
Our entire program is designed around this purpose and the six goals listed below. With these attributes in mind, we have constructed a unique and successful academic program beginning in Kindergarten. By considering these goals every time we make improvements, we continue to develop students who will impact the world for Christ.
Successful graduates will possess:
1. Virtue and mature character
This includes heart-obedience rather than mere rule-following, good manners, honorable relationships, self-control, and Christian leadership. We help students rightly order their affections (the Christian classical definition of virtue) through the study of the great literature of the West and the Bible. Above all else, we teach students to live in accordance with Coram Deo—as though they were in the presence of God at all times.
2. Sound reason and sound faith
We expect students to realize a unified Christian worldview with Scripture as the measure of all Truth. We expect them to exhibit the wisdom to recognize complex issues and to follow the consequences of ideas.
3. A masterful command of language
Because language enables us to know things that we have not directly experienced, nothing is more important within Christian education. Without a strong command of language, even scripture is silent. As people of “the Word,” Christians should be masters of language. We expect our students to master uncommon vocabulary, grammar, usage, and translation through our study of Latin, English, and Greek.
4. Well-rounded competence
Educated people are not specialists who know little outside of their field of specialty. Educated people have competence in a variety of areas including fine art, drama, music, physical activity, math, logic, science, and arithmetic. Throughout our program, skills are introduced that are essential for an educated person. We expect our graduates to be well-rounded.
5. Literacy with broad exposure to books
Educated people are well-read and able to discuss and relate to central works of literature, science, art, architecture, and music. We expect our graduates to be well read in the important literature and ideas of Christian theology and the West.
6. An established aesthetic
Further, educated people have good taste, formed as they are exposed to great aesthetic masterpieces, particularly at a young age. We expose our students to the great artists to develop their aesthetic and cultural appreciation.