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Experiences from a Sterling Family

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The following is from Lisa Graves about her family's experiences at Sterling.

"Jonathan and I knew we wanted our kids to attend a Christian school.  We had looked into some local full time classical Christian schools, and although we appreciated the academic excellence they offered, we also wanted to maintain balanced lives for our kids.  We couldn’t stand the thought of a child going to school 40 hours a week with an additional 10 hours a week of homework.  We felt like there was no time left for church, family, hobbies, or just time to be a kid. 

We stumbled upon the university model of schooling and were pleasantly surprised when we toured Sterling and saw that it was run like a full-time school with classrooms, athletics, and other extra-curricular opportunities.  We also were pleased with the emphasis on academics, the prestigious schools to which recent Sterling graduates had been accepted, and the strong sense of community at the school. 

We love the high quality of teachers and the support we receive, not only when the kids are at school, but on home days as well.  Without any wasted time spent doing busy work, my kids are able to efficiently get their work done on their days at home so that we rarely have homework evenings or weekends.  They love seeing their friends and teachers while at school, and also love their days at home when they get to learn in a more relaxed environment and still have time for supplemental activities and outings. 

They also enjoy the hands-on approach that Sterling takes when it comes to learning.  We feel like we’ve found the perfect place for our family and couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.  We know our kids are loved, hugged, taught Scripture, are getting a leg up academically, and are being taught life skills such as respect and integrity while at school, and we get to play a huge role in their development with the time spent at home. 

Sterling Classical School is the perfect balance we were seeking!"

Interested in learning more about Sterling?  Email  to inquire further.

What is Classical Education?

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According to Gregg Strawbridge, author of Classical and Christian Education, "the roots of classical education stretch back to the classical Greek civilization, just prior to Christ.  Since the early 1990's, the rising movement of classical and Christian education has aimed to recover and develop some of the educational excellence of the past."

Classical education is grounded in a three-fold approach to learning called the "trivium".  The academic categories that make up the trivium are grammar, logic, and rhetoric

The grammar stage focuses on knowledge mastery during the elementary years. The logic stage encompasses the middle school years and focuses on principle comprehension.  And, the rhetoric stage is the high school years and focuses on expression and application. 

Classical education encourages each student to reach his/her highest potential.  There is an emphasis in the humanities, arts, and sciences for a well-rounded education and a solid foundation for life.  Students learn to think beyond subject matter as classical education fosters critical thinking skills.  Integration of subjects helps students make sense of the world; subjects are interwoven in a way that relates all subjects to a whole.  And, because we are a Christian school, scriptural truth is integrated, as well.  

Many parents are looking for a different approach to education.  They know their child is ready for a deeper challenge, more inspiration, and a more powerful method to learning and thinking. 

Classical education is the answer for so many families.  Maybe it's your answer, too.

 For more information, email

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