Our Model of Education
Our Vision
Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a classical high school grounded in the Catholic faith.
Our school is part of the Chesterton Schools Network, which includes 62 classical high schools around the world, all following the same model and curriculum.
We aim to help students recognize the true, imitate the good, and adore the beautiful by falling in love with the source of all three—God himself.
Inspired by Pope St. John Paul II, we take as our motto Cultura Vitae, The Culture of Life. Our mission at Chesterton Academy is to prepare students to triumph over the materialism and despair that pervade our culture and to accept our Lord's offer to have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10).
We believe high school is not just about educating students to do something after they graduate, but to become someone great now. And that someone is a beloved child of God.
We help students become fully alive in their faith and develop joy, intelligence, and virtue.
We do this through our three pillars of formation:
Intellect, Character Formation, and Spirituality.
Intellect
We teach the classics of Western thought, from physics to philosophy, and the interrelationship of the great ideas, teaching students not merely what to think but how to think.
HUMANITIES
History, literature, philosophy, languages, and the study of God's plan for humanity are all braided together in an integrated curriculum utilizing the Socratic Method.
MATH & SCIENCE
Math and science are intimately connected; the logic of math is seen in philosophy, and God’s handiwork is seen in the sciences.
FINE ARTS
Equal emphasis is given to the arts, so that every student learns to draw and paint, sing in the choir, act on the stage, give speeches, and engage in debate.
Character Formation
We help students grow in the four cardinal virtues of prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice, which we believe are the foundation of leadership.
HOUSE SYSTEM
Chesterton Academy’s House system is drawn from the 1,000-year-old tradition of Christian education exemplified in the colleges at Oxford and Cambridge. The Houses provide real, tangible community within the larger school, giving students the opportunity to take ownership, fulfill the call to leadership, and to cultivate the ideal conditions for virtue. Each House is led by a student prefect and overseen by faculty advisors and parent liaisons. The four Houses include: Ambrose, Athanasius, Augustine, and Chrysostom.
STUDENT LIFE
In line with our motto, Cultura Vitae (Culture of Life), sponsored activities prompt students to accept our Lord’s offer to have life and have it abundantly. We encourage athletics and extracurricular activities as a way of fostering this fullness of life, while maintaining a healthy balance with academics and important family time.
Spirituality
Our students come to understand and embrace the truth of why they exist: to know God, to love him, and to serve him in this world and be happy with him forever in the next.
SPIRITUAL LIFE
Catholicism is central to our mission. All classes point to the Incarnation as the central event in human history, so students won't just learn about their faith in one class, but across the disciplines. Students read and discuss the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and key papal documents. We begin each day with the Liturgy of the Hours and each class with prayer. We also offer regular retreats, annual pilgrimages, wholesome activities themed around the liturgical year, and sacred art and crucifixes adorn the classrooms.
FAITHFUL FACULTY
We work to find talented and dynamic faculty dedicated to the vision and mission of our school. Our Board of Directors, and all members of our faculty and staff members take an Oath of Fidelity to the Magisterium at the beginning of each academic year. In addition to their teaching responsibilities, faculty at Chesterton Academy also participate in the House System.
PILGRIMAGES
We provide opportunities for students to go on pilgrimages, including the state’s March for Life. As upperclassmen, Chesterton Academy students have the option to travel to Rome and Assisi, Italy, meeting with other Chesterton Academy students from around the world. While there, they encounter relics from the saints, sing for the Holy Father, and see in real life the wonders of the ancient churches in the Eternal City.
Other Key Features
AN INCARNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
From history and theology to math and science, the Incarnation is the central mystery we explore across the entire curriculum. We help each student to personally experience the Incarnation.
REDISCOVER THE LOST TOOLS OF LEARNING
Our curriculum is centered on skills seemingly forgotten in our modern society: reading, writing, oral presentations, and the development of critical reasoning skills through logic and philosophy.
A FOCUS ON TRUTH, GOODNESS, AND BEAUTY
Our classical curriculum combines a broad, liberal arts education with a strong emphasis on the development of Christian virtues and an appreciation of beauty.
THE SOCRATIC SEMINAR
The Socratic seminar is perhaps the oldest educational tool. Through this method, a teacher imparts knowledge through directed questions and guided dialogue, bringing ideas and knowledge to life.
A JOYFUL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
We create environments where students experience the joy of community and education, providing them with an opportunity to live out their spiritual life in an atmosphere of joy and fun.
THE WIT AND WISDOM OF G.K. CHESTERTON
Chesterton exemplified the Catholic faith through his wit, his clarity, his kindness, and his ability to love people with whom he disagreed, while sharing the faith in Christian charity.