"Happiness is a certain activity of soul in accord with complete virtue." - Aristotle Please enjoy our new video introduction to Hillsdale College's work in K-12 classical education.
Category: Inside the Classroom
Some Unplanned Kindergarten Portraits at Recess
Kindergarten is so funny, especially in October. The other day I walked out to recess with my camera, something which happens once in a while and which is always exciting to the students because they know that the pictures sometimes make it into the yearbook. Students in the grammar school who have been with us… Continue reading Some Unplanned Kindergarten Portraits at Recess
Rehearsals for Shakespeare’s The Tempest
Under the guidance of Mrs. Panzica and Ms. Hamm, our theater department is really taking off this year. The fall play, Shakespeare's The Tempest, is one of my favorites, and I stopped by rehearsals after school today to take a look at the opening scene in its very early stages. It's a really impressive scene--a shipwreck… Continue reading Rehearsals for Shakespeare’s The Tempest
Parental Involvement at Founders Classical Academy
Dear Founders Families, We are nearing the end of the first quarter, and the school is thriving. Thank you, devoted parents, for your support at home and above all for entrusting us with your students. Being with them each day is a real joy. As we finish up this first quarter of our fifth year… Continue reading Parental Involvement at Founders Classical Academy
Grammar School Science Lessons Explore the Animal Kingdom
Our grammar school students have been learning about the animal kingdom lately, and I thought you'd like to meet a special guest who visited the third graders last week: Sir Pigglesworth, or Piggles for short. One of our Founders moms brought in her family's mini pig to help our third graders learn the characteristics of… Continue reading Grammar School Science Lessons Explore the Animal Kingdom
Welcome back, Archers!
How we spent the first two days of school. The first days of school have been so smooth, and it’s wonderful to see our students back on campus. Working in a school without any students in it is a strange thing, and after a productive summer I have loved welcoming our new Kindergarteners and seeing… Continue reading Welcome back, Archers!
Introduction to the Barney Charter School Initiative
Since the first days of our school, the Barney Charter School Initiative has played an instrumental role in the formation of our students and teachers. An outreach program of Hillsdale College, the BCSI helps schools like ours educate young men and women for lives of citizenship and independence. Every summer our teachers attend training in… Continue reading Introduction to the Barney Charter School Initiative
Introduction to Latin in 6th Grade
At Founders Classical Academy, students begin studying Latin and Greek root words in 3rd grade, and when they get to 6th grade they begin Wheelock's Latin. Over the course of 6th and 7th grade, students complete Latin I and are ready to go on to more advanced Latin in 8th grade and high school. Learning… Continue reading Introduction to Latin in 6th Grade
Testing our New Air Track in 11th Grade Physics
At the end of our third year, Founders Classical Academy of Leander was honored with the Salvatori Prize for Excellence in Teaching. The award came with a $25,000 prize, and earlier this year some of those funds went toward the purchase of a telescope and an air track for the science department. Several weeks ago… Continue reading Testing our New Air Track in 11th Grade Physics
Learning the Ukelele in 8th Grade Music
This afternoon, our 8th graders practiced transitions between ukelele chords in Mr. Stiglich’s Music class. In the upper school, fine arts education includes theory and appreciation, but also practice. A student who completes the Core Knowledge music curriculum can read music, compose his or her own songs, sing, and play the recorder and ukulele.