WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL?
The Scriptures teach that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. We believe therefore that every aspect of our children’s education must be intentionally grounded in biblical truth. Everyone has a way of viewing the world; a set of beliefs about the nature of things, about humanity, God, truth, reality, and morality. At CCS, we believe the focal point of all that is, has been, and ever will be is the person of Jesus Christ. Because we teach from the grand biblical narrative of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration, with Christ at the center, students will receive an education filled with meaning and purpose. With the understanding that all truth is God’s truth, we can appreciate anything that is good, true, and beautiful as evidence of God’s work in creation and the imago Dei (image of God) in all humans. All knowledge is thus interrelated and teaches us about God’s character, wisdom, and power.
As a Christian school, we will engage regularly as a community in historic Christian practices such as prayer, singing, and the reading of Scripture. We view discipline and frame student expectations in terms of Christian discipleship. Even so, there is no way to perfect a human being by means of instruction. It is our responsibility to plant and water in humble acknowledgement that only God can initiate the growth by regenerating us through faith in Christ.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CLASSICAL SCHOOL?
Classical education is the integrated study of the seven liberal arts and sciences toward a love of the good, the true, and the beautiful as rooted in the nature of God. For the ancient Greeks and Romans, these were the skills a free person needed in order to learn for themselves and lead others well. This type of education has produced some of the greatest minds in human history and was practiced throughout the West until the advent of the progressive movement which shifted the focus to job training. By prioritizing the language arts of the Trivium (Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric) and the quantitative arts of the Quadrivium (Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy), students receive a broad-based education that finds its ultimate fulfillment in theology, the “queen of the sciences.”
CCS follows a Trivium-based education, including the Quadrivium, Socratic discussion, and primary sources as they are developmentally appropriate. In the Grammar stage (grades K–6), students learn all that is foundational in language, mathematics, theology, history, science, physical education, music, and art. They primarily soak up knowledge through observation, imitation, memorization, repetition, story, and song. During the Logic stage (grades 7–8), the focus is on training students in formal and informal logic and how to debate from a posture of humility and charity. In the Rhetoric stage (grades 9–12), students learn the art of persuasive speaking and effective writing as their subject knowledge is further integrated into a cohesive whole. These stages represent areas of emphasis and are not hermetically sealed. Younger students not only learn facts, but also reason from and write about what they have learned while older students add new, more complex factual information to their store of knowledge.
Classical education acknowledges that you are what you behold so we intentionally allow students the time to contemplate nature, listen to great poems, gather around the lunch table, and celebrate the joy of learning. While rigorous, this model takes a slow and contemplative approach. It is restful learning that comes from experiences, conversation, and reflection shared among good friends.
Philosophy and the Seven Liberal Arts, from the 12th century Hortus Deliciarum
