Our air conditioning was being repaired earlier this week, and for about 10 minutes we had no power in Building 3. Of course Mr. Sowers and I quickly went into emergency mode and starting making the rounds to check on teachers and students. It turned out that everyone was doing just fine and carrying on… Continue reading What Happens in AP Latin When the Power Goes Out
2nd Grade Recites the Declaration of Independence at Recess
Something amazing happened today. I've been locked in my office in meetings all week, and this afternoon I had 20 minutes free, so I wandered out to the playground with my camera to enjoy the sunlight and talk to our grammar school students. Almost immediately one of our second graders came up to me to… Continue reading 2nd Grade Recites the Declaration of Independence at Recess
Dr. O’Toole’s New Position
Dear Founders families, I am pleased to tell you I have been offered a position at Hillsdale College leading the efforts of the Barney Charter School Initiative and the College’s other programs in K-12 education. I have decided to accept that position, and that means that this will be my last year at Founders Classical… Continue reading Dr. O’Toole’s New Position
How We Hire Classical Teachers
Every year in February, we travel to the frozen north for the Hillsdale College Classical Schools Job Fair. This year there were dozens of classical schools in attendance--both private Christian schools and charter schools--from all across the country. After a day-long conference with our fellow Headmasters in the Barney Charter School Initiative, Ms. Loy and… Continue reading How We Hire Classical Teachers
What’s Mr. Skorup Been Up To?
Mr. Skorup's new school in Samoa. Mr. Skorup, one of our founding 5th grade teachers, left us at the end of the 2017-2018 school year to join the Peace Corps. In the last 6 months, he's become an English teacher in Samoa, way out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I asked him if… Continue reading What’s Mr. Skorup Been Up To?
The Class of 2018 on their First Semester of College
Last Friday was our annual alumni visit day. Students from our first two graduating classes came back to campus to speak to parents and current high schoolers about what college is like. So many of our graduates returned to Founders to spend the day with us--they sat in on classes, ate lunch in the cafeteria,… Continue reading The Class of 2018 on their First Semester of College
Steve Jobs on the Liberal Arts
“It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough… It’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing.” Steve Jobs, 2010
Teaching Robert’s Rules to our High School Students
Yesterday afternoon Mr. King, the chairman of our Archers Council parent organization, stopped by to give our head boys and head girls a quick lesson in Robert's Rules of Order. These students lead the houses of Beethoven, Da Vinci, Euclid, Herodotus, Shakespeare, and Newton, working with the rest of the upper school to plan dances… Continue reading Teaching Robert’s Rules to our High School Students
Louise Cowan on Memorization
"If I had been called upon a year ago, when I was only 95, to address you this afternoon, I would, no doubt, have spoken of the importance of liberal arts education for the preservation of civilization. But now I will only tell you, 'be sure you have memorized a few poems to keep you… Continue reading Louise Cowan on Memorization
Shakespeare’s The Tempest: Our Fall Play
For the past semester, a group of our middle and high school students have been spending their afternoons rehearsing Shakespeare's The Tempest. This weekend they had their final performance at our first ever theater competition, hosted by Meridian World School. Competing against Meridian and Gateway Academy, our theater students won numerous awards, represented our school… Continue reading Shakespeare’s The Tempest: Our Fall Play
