Our robust, comprehensive academic program covers all core subjects through a biblical framework rooted in the classical tradition. The curriculum is selected with the goal of shaping our students’ affections for the good, true, and beautiful, while training their minds through close observation, thoughtful analysis, and clear communication.
Our aim is much bigger than mere test scores or career preparation. Through extensive reading and discussion, Carey Classical students participate in a Great Conversation that has spanned millenia. They encounter the people, events, stories, ideas, art, and music that have shaped history and produced the world in which we live. A classical education is rooted in the past but relevant to today.
Knowing who God is and how to relate rightly to Him is the most important truth any child can learn. Students read and memorize Scripture, catechism, hymns, and creeds of the historic Christian faith. These truths are not contained to a specific time block in the day but instead are interwoven into every subject and into the culture of our school community.
Students build literacy skills using the Logic of English, a robust phonics-based reading program. Thoughtfully selected copywork and dictation exercises build penmanship and spelling skills, while exposing students to beautiful language that lays a foundation for composition. Oral narration is used widely throughout the curriculum in the early elementary years, training the mind to engage with texts and present thoughts in a clear and organized manner. As students progress, oral narration continues alongside written narration assignments.
Math is taught in view of God’s creative and beautiful ordering of the universe. We use the well respected Singapore math curriculum which is widely used in classical Christian schools across the US and internationally.
History recounts God’s orchestrating of human events, giving students eyes to see human triumphs and failures in light of God’s sovereign reign over all. Kindergarten students begin with the history closest to them by studying Virginia and US history primarily through rich literature and picture books. Beginning in 1st grade students journey through all of human history in a four-year cycle with the entire school studying the same time period together. We carefully select engaging, well-written books and original sources. Starting in 4th grade students create a Book of Centuries - their own personal history timeline book that grows with the student through the years.
Geography familiarizes students with the physical and manmade features of the world. We utilize stories, hands-on activities, and mapwork that connect geography to the rest of the curriculum and bring this subject to life as both a practical and innately fascinating field of study.
Scientific learning at any stage requires close observation and our youngest students hone this skill through nature study. Our early elementary students explore the plants, animals, weather patterns, and other natural phenomena in our local area. They learn about these topics through engaging books and stories, observe them firsthand whenever possible, and record their observations in nature journals. Students in 4th grade and above also explore the fields of astronomy, earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics. At every level science is presented as a marvelous exploration of God’s creation and an invitation to worship.
This language of the ancient Romans remains very much alive today as the source of much of the English language, a gateway to learning other Romance languages, and a highly effective tool for building analytic thinking skills. Early elementary students receive a gentle introduction to Latin before beginning formal study in 4th grade.