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IntroductionIn 1995, a handful of families decided their children needed an education that had a specific and strong emphasis on developing critical thinking and communication skills, taught from a Christian worldview.
Through much research, these families settled on the educational philosophy developed in Plato’s and Socrates’ tutoring sessions, commonly referred to today as the Classical method. What resulted from their efforts is Whitefield Academy, a non-denominational, private Christian school.
Used to develop students for more than 2,000 years, the Classical method involves rigorous focus on grammar, logic and rhetoric. In addition to traditional academic subjects, athletics and fine arts are key components of a Classical education. The classically trained mind is able to process facts and make inferences with limited information in order to make well-reasoned decisions and fully develop well-considered ideas. Knowing is not enough, however. Students are simultaneously trained how to articulate, orally and in writing, the logic underpinning the decision or idea. The Classical objective is to teach students how to think, not what to think.
And there has never been a time of greater need for classical Christian education – the kind of rigorous education that has produced the greatest thinkers and leaders in Western history, including America’s founding fathers. Whitefield strives to prepare students for a life of learning and service to the glory of God utilizing four key areas. Using academic, religious, moral and physical instruction we shape the future leaders that our churches, communities and nation desperately need. It’s the model that makes Whitefield Academy unique in our community and so successful as a school.
Whitefield is committed to the development of the whole person - not just their faith; not just their intellect. We build a dynamic environment for students to be presented with some of the most significant ideas found in the world around us, literature and Scripture, to explore those ideas and examine them on their merits. We develop the intellectual and spiritual tools students will need to make good decisions in their lives. We provide growth opportunities that include success and failure, since trial and error are a key part of personal growth and development. We produce students who gain the ability to influence others through the weight of their character, the force of their logic and the ability to communicate ideas thoughtfully.
We are dedicated to graduate every one of our students as a critical thinker, clear communicator, and compassionate leader.
And we’re succeeding. This past year, Whitefield seniors averaged in the 90th percentile in the ACT and SAT standardized tests and qualified 100% of our students in the essay portion of the exam. This placed them higher than students in all of the public schools in Johnson County and Kansas City. Whitefield has also received the honor of being selected as one of the top ten private schools in the Kansas City metropolitan area by Kansas City Magazine. Our students’ academic success is impressive:
- One-half of our graduates attend or have attended college on academic scholarship
- Four graduates have been recognized as National Merit Finalists, Semi-Finalists or Commended Scholars.
- Average students, regardless of grade level or subject matter, routinely score in the top 10-15% nationally on standardized tests, including the ACT and SAT.
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