My husband and I both grew up going to church, where faith was a consistent part of our lives from an early age. In our late twenties, during the most difficult season of our lives, that faith became deeply personal to us and our family. It was during that time that we, as a family, learned what it truly meant to depend on the Lord and to walk with him daily. Since then, our faith has shaped the way we approach marriage, parenting and the atmosphere we want in our home. We prioritize being part of a local church community (Exodus Church) and we try to model our faith to our children daily.

We are seeking admission into Saints Classical Academy because we want our children's education to be grounded in Christ. It is important to us that what our children are learning academically is consistent with what we are teaching them at home. We are also drawn to this tutorial because of the community surrounding it. Some of the families involved are close friends of ours, and our children have grown up alongside one another. The classical approach to education also appeals to us. After attending his first day of kindergarten last year, we made the decision to delay our son Liam's entry into kindergarten and allow him additional time to mature. That experience helped confirm for us that a traditional classroom setting was not the right fit for him. We strongly believe that a Christ-centered tutorial with flexibility and smaller class sizes would better support his growth.

We try to naturally incorporate our faith into the family's daily life. We regularly talk about Jesus and the Bible and create space for out children to ask questions and learn. Prayer is a part of of our daily routine, including bedtime, before meals and throughout the day as needs or opportunity arises. We also read Bible stories with our children before bed.

Our primary hope for Liam is that he grows in his faith and begins to see learning as something connected to knowing God, rather than something separate from it. At this stage we hope for his love of learning to develop alongside his understanding of scripture.

My understanding of classical education is that it seeks to teach students how to think, reason and engage with ideas rather than simply memorizing information. In a Christian + Classical framework I believe that Christ is central to this approach.

My parenting philosophy is to give my kids space to explore and try hard things while knowing I am there to support them when they need it. I believe children learn best through experience, and I try not to step in too quickly unless guidance is needed. I parent with a lot of patience and love, and I try to balance grace with clear boundaries.