The Just-Right Environment at Every Grade Level
Do you want your children’s school culture to erode their faith or strengthen it?
“ What if education is not primarily about the absorption of ideas and information, but about the formation of hearts and desires?”
– James K.A. Smith
The sooner you start your children and the longer they stay, the more your whole family will get out of Providence Academy’s holistic education and classical model. What the Lower School plants (knowledge), the Upper School cultivates (understanding and wisdom) — in both academic excellence and campus life.
Ultimately, our learning environment is how our graduates grow deep roots and achieve these goals — which are unique locally to Providence Academy:
Virtue and mature character
Living in accordance with Coram Deo, with all of life lived in the sight of God.
Sound reason and sound faith
Holding a Christian worldview with Scripture as the measure of all truth.
A masterful command of language
Without a strong command of language, even Scripture is silent.
Well-rounded competence
Knowledgeable in a wide variety of subject areas, with the tools to engage any others.
Literacy with broad exposure to books
Well-read in the important literature and ideas of Christian theology and the West.
An established aesthetic
Good taste and cultural appreciation grounded in recognizing beauty as a gift from God.
Able Citizenship
Godly leaders learning to live as citizens of our Federal Constitutional Republic and as citizens of the Kingdom of God.
Here’s how our campus life fuels those ends, starting with our …
Upper School
(7th-12th Grade)
The final few years of Providence Academy’s Classical Education model is where the fruit is most evident as your almost-adults synthesize what they’ve learned into deep roots and a cohesive worldview that’ll anchor them for life. The cultivation of their character and the positive peer pressure from other future Godly leaders combine to create a vibrant culture.
Highlights of Upper School Campus Life
Emphasis on reasoning and analytical thinking with deduction, induction, and precise definitions, learning the ordered relationship of particulars in each subject taught, which includes formal Logic.
Emphasis on articulation and expression with arts or persuasion, types of oratory, and canons of rhetoric, learning how the grammar and logic of each subject may be clearly expressed.
Chapel services are an opportunity for the school community to come together and worship the Lord. The students spend time in song, prayer, and listening to a short expository sermon led by the chaplain or a guest pastor.
Juniors write a 10-15 page thesis and present to faculty and students; Seniors write a 20-page thesis and present and defend it to the school board.
The core of the six year Logic and Rhetoric (7th-12th grade) Humanities Program is a chronological interdisciplinary study in History and Literature courses studying primary sources and texts in the Western canon. History and literature, art, philosophy, theology, civics, and economics are woven into the integrated study. Logic and Rhetoric students also study Art History and Music History, as well as Worldview and Apologetics in separate courses.
Providence’s Upper School curriculum ensures both academic rigor and leadership development. See the full 7th-12th Grade Curriculum Map.
Modeled after a successful approach from the Middle Ages, our 7th-12th grade students are divided into “House” groups led by a House Master (teacher) and House Captains (upperclassmen), which adds accountability, mentorship, fellowship, service opportunities, and competition to our Upper School culture. Learn more about our unique House System.
Raising well-rounded Godly leaders means broad exposure to music through Band and Choir options, a drama program, and a wide range of athletic offerings. Take a closer look at all Music, Fine Arts, and Athletics information.
Our students engage with original sources, rooting them in real history and important context. A few of the books your student will read and add to their library:
The Iliad | 1984 | Plato’s Republic | Amusing Ourselves to Death |
The Odyssey | Tale of Two Cities | Julius Caesar | Brave New World |
Beowulf | Pride & Prejudice | Early History of Rome | Uncle Tom’s Cabin |
Edwin | Macbeth | A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy |
Richard III | Aeneid | The Federalist Papers | The Prince |
Lower School
(4-K - 6th Grade)
Strong foundations start here. From academic studies in Kindergarten to Latin starting in 3rd grade, a love of learning is fostered early and your children will be spurred on to stay disciplined and pursue excellence. A Christian education is particularly important at these ages, as your kids will either compartmentalize Christianity or recognize that the Lordship of Christ covers all of life equally, and acknowledge Him in all fields of study.
Highlights of Lower School Campus Life
Emphasis on creating an enriched environment for intellectual, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social development, characteristics which will affect their lifelong love of learning and prepare them for the rigors of a classical Christian education.
Emphasis on memorization and concrete facts (the “grammar” of every subject), learning how to acquire, categorize, and retain information, with a strong emphasis on reading and literacy.
Chapel services are an opportunity for the school community to come together and worship the Lord. The students spend time in song, prayer, and listening to a short expository sermon led by the chaplain or a guest pastor.
We start teaching Latin in 3rd grade, which reveals a great deal about English, develops understanding of Literature, provides an understanding of the classical impact on modern culture, trains the student in the essentials of the scientific method, and provides a wonderful foundation for the study of other languages.
Providence’s Lower School curriculum ensures both academic rigor and character development. See the full Lower School Curriculum Map.
Children are introduced to music and art early as they begin to cultivate an appreciation for beauty as God created it, and formal athletics begin in 4th grade. Take a closer look here.
Providence Academy has a dress code for grades K-12 to create a united and neat environment in which all students are respectful, modest, professional, and diligent in what they wear and how they present themselves.
Our students become early advanced readers, opening a world of information to them sooner than students from other schools, and we curate reading lists to maximize the impact of their abilities.
Campus Life
By the Numbers
Year founded
Average graduate ACT score (national average 21)
state-of-the-art campus opening 2021
current JrK – 12 enrollment
new campus enrollment capacity
student-to-teacher ratio
average graduate CLT score (national average 65)
Testimonials
Hear from One of
Our Successful Students
“Providence Academy more than prepared me for the academic and theological challenges of a secular college environment. Specifically, in my freshman philosophy class at UW Madison, I was already fluent in every theological argument discussed. This allowed me to openly talk with other students and my professor to lay out a solid groundwork for Christianity. I got an A, and my professor enjoyed my work so much so, that she used my essays as examples.”
Brett Falck, Graduate
“The academics are so superior to other schools. After being in different college classes with students who attended many different schools, it has been so easy to see the advantage I’ve been given because of my time at Providence. College courses have been incredibly easy thanks to the rigorous education that Providence provides.”
Abby Laing, Graduate
“Being at the end and looking back on my life as a Providence Academy student I see that I have learned how to work hard and smart. Providence Academy has prepared me well for my college journey, and all of the hard work has been worth it.”
Samuel Heins, Junior Student
Explore the Depth of
Providence’s Campus Life
House System
Discipleship & mentorship in the Christian faith, both from teachers & upperclassmen
Music & The Arts
Band, Choir, strong curriculum, and appreciation of the good and beautiful
Theater
Drama opportunities, original productions, Christmas programs & popular performances
Athletics
A wide variety of formal athletic offerings in fall, winter, and spring for grades 4-12
Your Family Will Be a Great Fit!
Learn more about our Upper School and Lower School with a campus visit, or apply today to get your child(ren) into a serious learning environment they’ll love and you’ll be thankful for.