Frequently Asked Questions

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Classical education is another term for Liberal Arts, which comes from a 2,400 year tradition of teaching students how to think, and not just what to think, with an emphasis on virtue and wisdom. It is precisely this kind of education that has produced countless leaders, inventors, artists, and theologians throughout history.

Classical education through the Liberal Arts goes well beyond our commonplace understanding of a basic college degree. It is foundational to the way God designed us to learn. The Trivium (three paths) and the Quadrivium (four paths) comprise the foundation of all learning, with the Trivium focusing on the art (skill) of words and the Quadrivium the art (skill) of numbers. An individual who has mastery of words and mastery of numbers truly lays a foundation for lifelong learning. This became increasingly valuable to early Christians who found in Jesus the ultimate expression of truth, goodness, and beauty. 

Further reading on the Liberal Arts 

https://classicalacademicpress.com/products/the-liberal-arts-tradition-a-philosophy-of-classical-christian-education

It is the training of the affections and the development of virtues in accordance with the greatest commandment, to love God supremely and love your neighbor as yourself. It is centered on Christ as creator and redeemer, and all education being an exploration of his created works through study of his world, and by a study of God revealed through inspired scripture. All good, true, praiseworthy, and beautiful things we learn about lead us to the ultimate source of that goodness, truth and beauty.

The Greek word for an ancient concept, Paideia has no exact English translation. It is essentially the part of upbringing and education that forms the soul of a human being — and it is key to the formation of a culture. (https://classicalchristian.org/what-is-paideia/)

It is recoined by the Apostle Paul in a Christian context in Ephesians 6:4: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline (paideia) and instruction of the Lord.” 

When Greeks used this word, they meant not only intellectual skills, but also the transmission of the entirety of the loves, norms, and values of a culture.

We believe this concept is a powerful summary of Christian education.

We are finalizing our facility plans, but plan to meet in Marion, Iowa.

We are still finalizing our school calendar. Students will be onsite 3 days a week, T/W/Th, learning all the essential Classical Christian subjects. On Mondays and Fridays, off-campus, parent-directed practice and preparation will take place. 

In our first year, we will offer grades K-7. We plan to expand to a full K-12 program within two or three years.

Please see our Tuition & Fee Policy here.

In our first year, we will not offer “co-op” options for individual classes. Enrollment will be for our full academic program as described above.

Many of our students do not have a background in classical education before enrolling. We use academic testing and family interviews to assess a student’s learning level and ensure they are placed in the most fitting classes. Furthermore, students are supported with training and instruction in foundational skills and knowledge. Those students who enthusiastically desire to learn and grow and have supportive family settings to help them navigate this new experience are those who find the most success. 

Learning cohorts are small, multi-age groups of students who progress together based on skill, mastery, and developmental readiness, rather than the traditional age-graded system. Learn more about learning cohorts.

Paideia Christian Academy is distinctively “collaborative.” Though this model is new to our community, it has a well-established track record of success across the country. Our desire is to partner with parents in the education of their children, combining the best attributes of homeschooling with the best attributes of traditional schooling, integrating them into one educational experience under one cohesive, classical curriculum. 

Students will learn in the classroom three days per week with professional, qualified teachers. This will be a full school day with the core Classical Christian subjects. During Mondays and Fridays, parents guide their children to complete coursework prepared by the classroom teacher. 

We have established accreditation through the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS) with the help of Concordis Education Partners. This ensures our school is held to a high standard of rigor and accountability, and also establishes eligibility for ESA funds. We will work under a Mentored Accreditation status initially, ensuring detailed oversight and guidance in our startup phase, transitioning to Full Accreditation status within 3 years.

Latin is one of the most structured and ordered languages, making it an excellent tool for mastering grammar while fostering a deeper appreciation for language. As the root of the Romance languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian), it provides a strong foundation for learning other languages. Latin was also the language of Rome during the time of Jesus, offering a unique window into the historical and cultural context of that era. Moreover, a wealth of Christian texts were originally written in Latin, granting access to a rich legacy of theological and historical works.

Practically speaking, studying Latin provides a better grasp of English (e.g., about 80% of English vocabulary is borrowed, mainly from Latin), and is also the basis for much of the vocabulary in professional careers like law and medicine. 

We do not want tuition costs to be the reason that your child cannot attend Paideia Christian Academy, therefore we fundraise to provide a financial aid fund, based on financial need. We use BeneFAQ as our financial aid processor to determine financial need. If you are interested in applying for tuition assistance, please email karlin.stutzman@paideiachristian.academy. 

There are many benefits. Like any uniform, school uniforms are a visual reminder of a common purpose (in this case, to learn). Uniforms remove unnecessary distractions that typically divide students (e.g., socio-economic status, name brands, preferences) and promote a common identity. While clothing is often associated as a means of self-expression, uniforms remind students that their primary expression comes from their character and choices as image-bearers of God.

We are what is referred to as a “coventantal” school, which requires members to agree with a statement of faith and abide by a membership covenant of a biblical lifestyle. Our desire is to equip parents to fulfill Ephesians 6:4 to “bring [their children] up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” This model requires at least one committed Christian parent who is agreeing to be accountable before God in how their child is being raised. We ask that the parent(s) demonstrate this faith by a personal testimony of faith in Christ, affirming the school’s statement of faith, and providing confirmation of membership or regular attendance at a local, Bible-believing church.

We hope all children attending will regularly hear the gospel and delight in learning about God’s created world and be drawn to a relationship with him. However, a child doesn’t necessarily have to be a professing Christian to be admitted.

While God has not gifted each child identically, He values each child equally. We seek to imitate God’s regard for children, and we aspire to serve all children who desire the education that we offer. We recognize that, in some cases, a student may need academic and relational accommodations, and we provide those accommodations on a case-by-case basis in conjunction with expert recommendations.

Eventually, yes. However, to start we have to limit how many non-academic programs we start. In Year 1 we don’t expect to have any sports, and limited extra-curriculars. 

While our resources will be limited in the beginning, we do believe that there is great value in athletics. We are embodied creatures and we should develop our physical strength and skill even as we form our hearts and minds. Athletics also offers immense potential to shape the character of children and young adults.