...educating children who think clearly and listen carefully with discernment and understanding, who are capable of evaluating their entire range of experience in the light of the Scriptures...

VISION

SCHOOL GOALS

STATEMENT OF FAITH

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY CLASSICAL?

Eagles Nest Academy's Vision

We aim to cultivate truth, beauty and goodness in hearts and minds by educating children who think clearly and listen carefully with discernment and understanding, who are capable of evaluating their entire range of experience in the light of the Scriptures; and who do so with eagerness in joyful submission to God. We desire them to recognize cultural influences as distinct from biblical, and to be unswayed towards evil by the former. We aim to find them well prepared in all situations, possessing both information and the knowledge of how to use it. We desire they be socially graceful and spiritually gracious; equipped with and understanding the tools of learning; desiring to grow in understanding, yet fully realizing the limitations and foolishness of the wisdom of this world. We desire they have a heart for the lost and the courage to seek to dissuade those who are stumbling towards destruction; that they distinguish real religion from religion in form only; and that they possess the former, knowing and loving the Lord Jesus Christ. And all these we desire them to possess with humility and gratitude to God.

We likewise aim to cultivate these same qualities in our staff and to see them well paid so that they may make a career at ENA. We desire them to be professional and diligent in their work, gifted in teaching, loving their students and their subjects. We desire they clearly understand classical education, how it works in their classroom and how their work fits into the whole; that they possess a lifelong hunger to learn and grow; and that they have opportunity to be refreshed and renewed. We desire to see them nurture new staff and to serve as academic mentors to students. We look to see them mature in Christ, growing in the knowledge of God, their own children walking with the Lord.

We aim to cultivate in our parents a sense of responsibility for the school; to see them well informed about the goals of our classical and Christ-centered approach. We desire them to grow with the school, involved in and excited about the journey. We aim to help them to follow biblical principles in addressing concerns, to be inclined to hearing both sides of a story before rendering a verdict, and to embrace the Scripture's injunctions to encourage and stir up one another to love and good works. Finally, in our relationship with our community, we aim to be above reproach in our business dealings and supportive of the local business community. We further seek to exemplify the unity of the body of Christ, to develop greater fellowship and understanding with the churches, and to bring honor to our Lord in all our endeavors.

Eagles Nest Academy Goals

"A Classical and Christ-centered Education"

CHRIST-CENTERED

In all its levels, programs, and teaching, ENA seeks to:
Teach all subjects as parts of an integrated whole with the Scriptures at the center (II Timothy 3:16-17)

Provide a clear model of the biblical Christian life through our staff and board (Matthew 22:37-40)

Encourage every student to begin and develop his relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 19:13-15)

CLASSICAL
In all its levels, programs, and teaching, Eagles Nest Academy seeks to Emphasize grammar, logic, and rhetoric in all subjects

Grammar: The fundamental rules of each subject.
Logic: The ordered relationship of particulars in each subject.
Rhetoric: How the grammar and logic of each subject may be clearly expressed.

To the end that we encourage every student to develop a love for learning and live up to his academic potential and provide an orderly atmosphere conducive to the attainment of the above goals.

Statement of Faith

The following is the foundation of beliefs on which Eagles Nest Academy is based. They are also the key elements of Protestant Christianity that will be unapologetically taught in various ways through all grade levels. The substance of these statements is that which will be considered primary doctrine in Eagles Nest. Secondary or divisive doctrines and issues will not be presented as primary doctrine. When these types of doctrine or issues arise, they will be referred back to the family and local churches for final authority (see Secondary Doctrine Policy).

We believe the Bible alone to be the Word of God, the ultimate and infallible authority for faith and practice.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that, for the salvation of lost and sinful men, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary.
We believe that salvation is by grace through faith alone.
We believe that faith without works is dead.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved to the resurrection of life, and they that are lost to the resurrection of damnation.
We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Educational Philosophy of Eagles Nest Academy

Although most Christian schools would agree on certain fundamentals, it is imperative that parents scrutinize the foundational beliefs of any school in which they may enroll their child(ren). Therefore, below are the most important philosophical elements that we at Eagles Nest Academy believe distinguish our approach to education.

We believe that the Bible clearly instructs parents, not the Church or State, to "bring children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." The Church’s commission is essentially to spread the Gospel and train believers (Matt.28:18-20). The State has been directed to enforce God’s laws and protect the innocent (Romans 13). The Church trains parents and the State protects families. The Family raises and educates children (Eph.6:1-4). Therefore, we seek to teach and discipline in a manner consistent with the Bible and a godly home environment.

We believe that God's character is revealed not only in His Word, but also in every facet of the creation. Therefore, we teach that all knowledge is interrelated and can instruct us about God Himself.

God wants us to love Him with our minds, as well as with our hearts, souls, and strength (Matt. 22:37). Therefore we seek to individually challenge children at all levels and teach them how to learn, by using the centuries-old, proven classical method (see Goals), incorporating instruction in Latin.

We want to help parents teach their children that all they do should be done "heartily, as unto the Lord." Therefore, we seek to encourage quality academic work and maintain high standards of conduct. This includes biblical discipline principles.

We believe that education is a religious exercise and as Christians our every concept and practice must be taken in light of the truth of the Scripture. The Bible is clear in presenting man as a fallen and sinful creature, thus no thought or activity begins in a neutral vacuum. Education for the Christian must be positive in its presentation of divine truth, and remedial, corrective, and disciplinary in its work on fallen human nature.

What do we mean by Classical?

In the 1940's the British author, Dorothy Sayers, wrote an essay titled “The Lost Tools of Learning.” In it she not only calls for a return to the application of the seven liberal arts of ancient education, the first three being the “Trivium” - grammar, logic, rhetoric, she also combines three stages of children’s development to the Trivium. Specifically, she matches what she calls the “Poll-parrot” stage with grammar, “Pert” with logic, and “Poetic” with rhetoric (see chart below). At ENA, the founding board members were intrigued with this idea of applying a classical education in a Christian context. Doug Wilson, a founding board member of Logos School and A.C.C.S. explained the classical method further in his book. Eagles Nest Academy has been committed to implementing this form of education since the school’s inception.

An excerpt from Doug Wilson’s book , “Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning:” “The structure of our curriculum is traditional with a strong emphasis on “the basics.” We understand the basics to be subjects such as mathematics, history, and language studies. Not only are these subjects covered, they are covered in a particular way. For example, in history class the students will not only read their text, they will also read from primary sources. Grammar, logic, and rhetoric will be emphasized in all subjects. By grammar, we mean the fundamental rules of each subject (again, we do not limit grammar to language studies), as well as the basic data that exhibit those rules. In English, a singular noun does not take a plural verb. In logic, A does not equal not A. In history, time is linear, not cyclic. Each subject has its own grammar, which we require the students to learn. This enables the student to learn the subject from the inside out.

The logic of each subject refers to the ordered relationship of that subject’s particulars (grammar). What is the relationship between the Reformation and the colonization of America? What is the relationship between the subject and the object of a sentence? As the students learn the underlying rules or principles of a subject (grammar) along with how the particulars of that subject relate to one another (logic), they are learning to think. They are not simply memorizing fragmented pieces of knowledge.

The last emphasis is rhetoric. We want our students to be able to express clearly everything they learn. An essay in history must be written as clearly as if it were an English paper. An oral presentation in science should be as coherent as possible. It is not enough that the history or science be correct. It must also be expressed well.”

What it is NOT:

It is not just a return to the “good ol’ days” of 57 Chevy’s, the Cleavers (Leave It to Beaver) or the Beach Boys.
It is not just a study of the “ancients” (e.g. Plato, Socrates, Aristotle) for the ancients’ sake.
It is not a return to “Rome” although the Roman Catholics make good use of this system.

What it IS:

It is a teaching technique that follows a God given pattern in child development aimed at teaching children not mere subjects, but rather using subjects to teach a child to learn how to learn; to learn how to think. It holds up Western culture that in spite of its flaws and errors has been predominantly Christian. It uses literature as a means to study history – hence the reading of the classics. It correlates to Scripture’s admonition to gain knowledge, understanding and wisdom.