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AcademyCovenant
E-Newsletter
Coming Fall of 2012
OCTOBER 2011 / VOLUME 01
“A Classical and
Distinctly Christian
Education”
From the AdministratorBy Karen Stafford …………………………………….…..pg. 1
The Vision Statement………………………….…pg. 2
Our Educational Philosophy……....……....…pg. 3
Q&A, Prayer Requests …………………………pg. 4
A Parent’s Perspectiveby Christian Lewis………...…………………..…………..pg. 5
What Do We Mean By Classical? ..…...…..pg. 6
Trivium Chart.……………………………..….……..pg. 7
Resources…………………………….………………..pg. 8
Bulletin Board…………………………………….....pg. 9
Covenant AcademyOctober 2011 Volume 01
Table of ContentsThe Covenant Academy Newsletteris a monthly publication of Covenant Academy, Lafayette, LA.
Publisher and Editor: Shelby StaffordContributor and Editor: Karen Stafford
Contact
Address:Covenant Academy1700 East Willow StreetLafayette, LA 70501
Phone: (337)- 290- 6749
Email: karengstafford@bellsouth.netWeb: covenantacademyla.org
“Education without values, as useful
as it is, seems rather to make man a
more clever devil.”
C.S. Lewis
Contact Publisher
“A Classical and Distinctly Christian Education”
Dear Covenant family,
The count-down is on. Only ten months before the doors of Covenant Academy are scheduled to open in order
to provide a Christ-centered, classical education for children in grades K4- fourth grade. We would ask you, our
church family, to remember to lift this venture up in prayer during the days of preparation ahead of us. Pray for
leaders to have wisdom and discernment in planning, for the students whose lives will be impacted, and for the
parents who will entrust our school with their precious children. Above all else, please pray that our focus, in all
that we do, would remain on Christ Jesus our Lord.
By way of introduction, I am Karen Stafford, and I will be serving as administrator for Covenant Academy. My
husband Keith and I have been married for 22 years and have five children ranging in age from 13 to 20. I have
taught in public school in Texas for three years, but have spent the last 11 years homeschooling our children in
the "Great Books" classical tradition.
A verse that helped shape our homeschool was Deuteronomy 6: 4-9, which commands parents to teach their
children diligently the things of the Lord. At Covenant Academy we will embrace this command and look
forward to the privilege of working alongside parents in providing their children with a quality, Christ-centered
education.
Our hope is to see Covenant Baptist Church strengthened by multi-generational faithfulness. As our church is
strengthened in the faith, our desire is that Acadiana will be impacted mightily with the Gospel and influenced
for Christ by graduates of Covenant Academy.
In Christ,
Karen Stafford
From the AdministratorFrom the Administrator October 2011 pg. 1
Vision Statement October 2011 pg. 2
The Vision Statement of Covenant Academy
We aim to graduate young men and women who
think clearly and listen carefully with discernment
and understanding; who reason persuasively and
articulate precisely; who are capable of evaluating
their entire range of experience in the light the
Scriptures; and who do so with eagerness in joyful
submission to God. We desire them to recognize
cultural influences as distinct from
biblical, and to be unswayed towards evil
by the former. We aim to find them well
prepared in all situations, possessing both
information and the knowledge of how to
use it. We desire they be socially graceful
and spiritually gracious; equipped with
and understanding the tools of learning;
desiring to grow in understanding, yet
fully realizing the limitations and
foolishness of the wisdom of this world.
We desire they have a heart for the lost and the
courage to seek to dissuade those who are stumbling
towards destruction; that they distinguish real
religion from religion in form only; and that they
possess the former, knowing and loving the Lord
Jesus Christ. And all these we desire them to possess
with humility and gratitude to God.
We likewise aim to cultivate these same qualities in
our staff and to see them well paid so that they may
make a career at Covenant Academy. We desire
them to be professional and diligent in their work,
gifted in teaching, loving their students and their
subjects. We desire they clearly understand classical
education, how it works in their classroom and how
their work fits into the whole; that they possess a
lifelong hunger to learn and grow; and that they have
the opportunity to be refreshed and renewed. We
desire to see them coach and nurture new staff and
to serve as academic mentors to students. We look to
see them mature in Christ, growing in the knowledge
of God, their own children walking with the Lord.
We aim to cultivate in our parents a sense of
responsibility for the school; to see them well
informed about the goals of our classical and Christ-
centered approach. We desire them to grow
with the school, involved in and excited
about the journey. We aim to help them to
follow biblical principles in addressing
concerns, to be inclined to hearing both
sides of a story before rendering a verdict,
and to embrace the Scripture’s injunctions
to encourage and stir up one another to love
and good works.
Finally, in our relationship with our
community, we aim to be above reproach in our
business dealings and supportive of the local
business community. We further seek to exemplify
the unity of the body of Christ, to develop greater
fellowship and understanding with the churches, and
to bring honor to our Lord in all our endeavors.
“We desire they
have a heart for
the lost and the
courage to seek to
dissuade those
who are stumbling
towards
destruction”
Educational Philosophy October 2011 pg. 3
Our Educational Philosophy
Although most Christian schools would agree on certain fundamentals, it is imperative that parents
scrutinize the foundational beliefs of any school in which they may enroll their child(ren). Therefore,
below are the most important philosophical elements that we at Covenant Academy believe distinguish
our approach to education.
1. We believe that the Bible clearly instructs parents, not the Church or state, to “bring children up in the
discipline and instruction of the Lord.” The Church’s commission is essentially to spread the Gospel and
train up believers (Matt.28:18-20). The State has been directed to enforce God’s laws and protect the
innocent (Romans 13). The Church trains parents and the State protects families. The Family raises and
educates children (Eph.6:1-4). Therefore, under the delegation of the family, we seek to teach and
discipline in a manner consistent with the Bible and a godly home environment.
2. We believe that God’s character is revealed not only in His Word but also in every facet of the creation.
Therefore, we teach that all knowledge is interrelated (integrated) and can instruct us about God himself.
3. God wants us to love Him with our minds, as well as with our hearts, souls, and strength (Matt.22:37)
Therefore, we seek to individually challenge children at all levels and teach them how to learn, by using the
centuries old, proven classical method, incorporating instruction in Latin.
4. We want to help parents teach their children that all they do should be done “heartily, as unto the Lord.”
Therefore we seek to encourage quality academic work and maintain high standards of conduct. This
necessarily includes biblical discipline principles.
5. We desire a full K-12 program because we believe that as long as a child is under the parents’ authority
and undergoing formal education, he should be trained biblically (Deut. 6:6-7, Prov. 22:6)
Above all, parents can be confident that their student, at every stage of his development in school, will be loved with Christ’s love at Covenant Academy.
Q&
A How can I get in contact with the administrator?
Will my child be required to wear a uniform?
Q:
A:
Q:A:
Q:A:
Q:A:
Q:A:
She can be reached through email.
Yes, they will. Details will be published soon.
Still have unanswered questions? Send us an email
Q&A Prayer Requests October 2011 pg. 4
What are the reasons for studying Latin?
Prayer Requests
Pra
yer
Req
uest
s
Where can I find a description of curriculum?
When does registration start?
Registration starts in February, 2012. More details will be given in subsequent newsletters.
• The future students and their families• Teachers as they are studying and training in the classical method of education
The curriculum guide can be found here.
“..increased competence in English, an appreciation for literature, an understanding of the infancy of Western Civilization, practice in the analytic method, and providing a foundation for the study of modern languages.”- Veith
Dear Prospective Parent,
George Bailey, Jimmy Stewart’s character in It’s a
wonderful life, was given the opportunity to see how
his hometown would have changed had he never
been born. He learns that his sacrifice and service
kept the quaint and idyllic town of Bedford Falls
from being transformed into Pottersville, a dark
town of harsh people with a roaring red light district.
Today, we have a similar opportunity to be a blessing
to both our children’s lives and Lafayette through the
founding and establishment of Covenant Academy.
How can another Christian school be a blessing
to our children and Lafayette. First, as Christians,
we are people who are to seek, hold to, and defend
the Truth. Scripture teaches us “to be ready to give a
defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the
hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15) and to be
equipped for “casting down arguments and every
high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of
God” ( 2 Corinthians 10:5). Covenant Academy
hopes its students will be best equipped for this by
an educations curriculum that immerses them in the
Bible and promotes diligent study and evaluation of
the history, thought and great literary works of
Western Civilization from ancient through modern
times. By participating in this Great Conversation
(ie. a study of Western history, thought and culture),
students will learn from the triumphs and errors of
the great persons and minds who have gone before
us. Students with this knowledge will be best able to
discern, serve and defend the truth in serving our
Lord.
Third, Covenant Academy hopes that the tools
of learning provided to each student will lead to
excellent achievement in the Lord’s calling for each
of them now and in the future. Dante, Leonardo da
Vinci, Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, Christopher
Columbus, Shakespeare, George Washington,
Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams are said to have
been all products of a classical education.
Statistically, students who attend classical Christian
schools outscore their peers in private, religious, and
public schools in both the SAT and ACT
examinations. Covenant Academy hopes to
emphasize the “all-embracing” nature of the
Christian faith in our students’ lives so that
achievement and excellence in education will
translate into a blessing for our Lord, families, and
community in whatever they do.
Many of us were not the beneficiaries of a
classical Christian education. We do not claim to be
experts in this area at this time. “Hope” is notably
repeated several times in this letter. This is because
Covenant Academy is not established presently. For
our “hopes” for Covenant Academy to become
realities, a community of believers will need to be
dedicated to learning and doing that which is
necessary to provide our children this education. We
hope God will bless our sacrifice and service through
Covenant Academy to be a blessing to Lafayette in
ways even greater than that of George Bailey’s. We
trust in and will seek out the Lord’s guidance and
blessing in this endeavor by wisely and prayerfully
laying a foundation upon which a classical Christian
school can be established and mature. We invite each
of you to join us in receiving and pursuing this
calling in establishing Covenant Academy.
In Christ,Christian Lewis, a fellow parent
October 2011 pg. 5
A Parent’s Perspective
From a Parent
“The school belongs to the parents”- Pliny the younger
October 2011 pg. 6What is Classical Education?
In the 1940's the British author, Dorothy Sayers, wrote an essay titled “The Lost Tools of Learning.” In
it she not only calls for a return to the application of the seven liberal arts of ancient education, the first three
being the “Trivium” - grammar, logic, rhetoric, she also combines three stages of children’s development to
the Trivium. Specifically, she matches what she calls the “Poll-parrot” stage with grammar, “Pert” with logic,
and “Poetic” with rhetoric (see chart below). At Logos, the founding board members were intrigued with
this idea of applying a classical education in a Christian context. Doug Wilson, a founding board member
explained the classical method further in his book. Logos School has been committed to implementing this
form of education since the school’s inception.
An excerpt from Doug Wilson’s book , “Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning:”
“The structure of our curriculum is traditional with a strong emphasis on “the basics.” We understand the
basics to be subjects such as mathematics, history, and language studies. Not only are these subjects covered,
they are covered in a particular way. For example, in history class the students will not only read their text,
they will also read from primary sources. Grammar, logic, and rhetoric will be emphasized in all subjects. By
grammar, we mean the fundamental rules of each subject (again, we do not limit grammar to language
studies), as well as the basic data that exhibit those rules. In English, a singular noun does not take a plural
verb. In logic, A does not equal not A. In history, time is linear, not cyclic. Each subject has its own grammar,
which we require the students to learn. This enables the student to learn the subject from the inside out.
The logic of each subject refers to the ordered relationship of that subject’s particulars (grammar). What is
the relationship between the Reformation and the colonization of America? What is the relationship between
the subject and the object of a sentence? As the students learn the underlying rules or principles of a subject
(grammar) along with how the particulars of that subject relate to one another (logic), they are learning to
think. They are not simply memorizing fragmented pieces of knowledge.
The last emphasis is rhetoric. We want our students to be able to express clearly everything they learn. An
essay in history must be written as clearly as if it were an English paper. An oral presentation in science
should be as coherent as possible. It is not enough that the history or science be correct. It must also be
expressed well.”
What Do We Mean By Classical?from Logos School Staff Manual
October 2011 pg. 7Trivium Stages Chart
Beginning Grammar (Pre-Polly)
Grammar (Polly-Parrot) Logic (Pert) Rhetoric (Poetic)
Grades K-2 Grades 3-6 Grades 6-9 Grades 10-12
Approx. age 4-8 Approx. age 9-11 Approx. age 12-14 Approx. age 15-18
Student Characteristic Student Characteristic Student Characteristic Student Characteristic
1. Obviously excited about learning
2. Enjoys games, stories, songs, projects
3. Short attention span4. Wants to touch,taste, feel,
smell, see 5.5. Imaginative,creative6. Likes chants, clever,
repetitious word sounds (e.g. Dr. Seuss)
1. Excited about new, interesting facts
2. Likes to explain, figure out, talk
3. Wants to relate own experiences to topic, or just to tell a story
4. Likes collections, organizing items
5. Likes chants, clever, repetitious word sounds
6. Easily memorizes 7. Can assimilate another
language well
1. Still excitable, but needs challenges
2. Judges, critiques, debates, critical
3. Likes to organize items, others
4. Shows off knowledge5. Wants to know "behind the
scenes" facts6. Curious about Why? for
most things 7. Thinks, acts as though
more knowledgeable than adults
1. Concerned with present events, especially in own life
2. Interested in justice, fairness
3. Moving toward special interests, topics
4. Can take on responsibility, independent work
5. Can do synthesis 6. Desires to express
feelings, own ideas 7. Generally idealistic
Teaching Method Teaching Method Teaching Method Teaching Method
1. Guide discovering 2. Explore, find things 3. Use lots of tactile items to
illustrate point 4. Sing, play games, chant,
recite, color, draw, paint, build
5. Use body movements6. Short, creative projects7. Show and Tell, drama,
hear/read/tell stories 8. Field trips 9. Lay conceptual
understanding of letters, numbers, associated meanings
1. Lots of hands-on work, projects
2. Field trips, drama 3. Make collections, displays,
models4. Integrate subjects through
above means 5. Teach and assign research
projects6. Recitations, memorization 7. Drills, games 8. Oral/written presentations
1. Time lines, charts,maps (visual materials)
2. Debates, persuasive reports
3. Drama, reenactments, role-playing
4. Evaluate, critique (with guidelines)
5. Formal logic6. Research projects 7. Oral/written presentations 8. Guest speakers, trips
1. Drama, oral presentations
2. Guide research in major areas with goal of synthesis of ideas
3. Many papers, speeches, debates
4. Give responsibilities, e.g. working with younger students, organize activities
5. In-depth field trips, even overnight
6. World view discussion/written papers
Derived from The Lost Tools of Learning by Dorothy Sayers (compiled by Tom Garfield)
Trivium Stages Chart
That is a good book which is opened with expectation and closed with profit. - Amos Alcott
Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning Douglas Wilson
- Covenant Academy - Association of Christian Classical Schools- Christian Classical School statistics- Classis: A Journal Published By ACCS
Sign up for updates!
Resources
The Seven Laws of Teaching by John Milton Gregory (unabridged)
The Lost Tools of Learning by Dorothy Sayers
On Secular Education Robert Lewis Dabney
Foundations of Christian Education Louis Berkof, Cornelius Van Til
The Case for Classical Christian Education Douglas Wilson
Internet Links
October 2011 pg. 8Links
Bulletin Board
Repairing the Ruins2012 ACCS Annual
ConferenceJune 21-23, 2012 -
Dallas, Texas
More Info
Looking at a degree in Christian Classical Education?
Check out Whitefield College!
Bulletin Board October 2011 pg. 9
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