Education, the Latin word for "child-rearing," comes from a word that literally means "leading out." Thus, "education" is freeing the human soul from the bonds of ignorance, fostering the skills proper to a free man. It means preparing our children for living in this world and arriving in the next. It is, primarily, the way of leading our children to happiness.

Pope John Paul II begins his encyclical, Fides et ratio, with the words, "Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth." Notice something about the pope’s image: If one is to soar to the heavens on two wings, both of them must be healthy and strong. It matters not how strong a single wing is, but rather how strong are the both of them together. For a single healthy wing can take us only in circles.

Therefore, in order for reason to be finally effective, it must co-operate — work together — with faith; in order for faith to be finally effective, it, too, must show its worth, its sincerity, in cooperation with the endeavors of human reason. This twofold truth points to a third truth, that the human spirit is made to soar up to the truth, to the truth himself. And only in doing so can we humans be happy. Thus, the Holy Father continues, "and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves."

This vision of education is founded firmly upon the idea that all of the powers of the whole human person must be educated at the same time—the classical view. Since the human person is fulfilled in God, every human reality, be it physical, social, intellectual, moral, or spiritual, has its proper reference in its relation to God. Thus, the true fulfillment of a classical education, the most truly excellent education, is a Catholic education. That is why The Atonement Academy can only achieve its excellence insofar as it participates vibrantly in the mission of the parish that gave birth to it, and why we take such care to offer such rigorous physical, academic, and spiritual formation.

The Atonement Academy Educational Goals and Objectives

From the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration on Christian Education, Gravissimum Educationis:

"The Council also reminds Catholic parents of the duty of entrusting their children to Catholic schools wherever and whenever it is possible and of supporting these schools to the best of their ability and of cooperating with them for the education of their children" (§ 8).

In an effort to provide parents with an authentic Catholic education for their children, we reach for excellence in these five goals—these aspects of education—and measure our progress according to the following specific objectives for the quality of the curriculum, the instructors, and the environment.

• Catholic education – Since Catholic means universal, all-encompassing, we seek to integrate fully both means of human knowing—faith and reason. We seek to provide a truly human education built on the incarnational origins of the human situation— the community, the family, and the body.
  • Curriculum – We will use materials and an instructional day that fully integrate formation in the spiritual, intellectual, and physical virtues. We will teach children to know, love, and serve God.
  • Instructors – We will hire and train instructors capable of modeling the full integration of the spiritual, intellectual, and physical virtues.
  • Environment – We will maintain an orderly and beautiful environment that teaches a love for all aspects of creation—physical, intellectual, and spiritual.
• Classical education – We seek to create life-long learners. Classical education focuses not on mere content completion, but on skill acquisition. Therefore we must remain focused on teaching students to learn on their own. Instructional content is merely a means to that larger end, but not that end itself.
  • Curriculum – We will integrate formation in Christian living with the classical liberal arts and athletic training.
  • Instructors – We will have teachers who are model scholars, not mere lecturers. All teachers will remain students, participating in the weekly Faculty Seminar.
  • Environment – We will create a museum-like physical environment that fosters wonder at the adventure of knowing, that spurs our pupils to desire to acquire the skills of the learner.
• Spiritual education – Following the pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, teachers and students will always seek to learn the doctrine of the Church; frequent her sacraments; live her morality; and be supplicant, contrite, thankful, and worshipful in prayer to almighty God.
  • Curriculum – We will ensure that the teaching authority of Holy Mother Church is respected in our books, liturgies, and service to others.
  • Instructors – Teachers will take an oath of fidelity, promising to teach—both by word and example—the faith of the one, holy, Roman, Catholic, apostolic Church.
  • Environment – The physical appointments and decorations of the academy and church buildings will foster a sense of the supernatural goal of human life by pointing beyond themselves to spiritual verities; each classroom will have an image of the crucified Lord, his blessed mother, the pope, and the archbishop.
• Intellectual education – Following the classical program, we will seek to build up in our students a facility with the classical liberal arts—the skills—of grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, music, and celestial mechanics (including physics, chemistry, and biology).
  • Curriculum – While we will use conventional names and content requirements for academic subjects, our pedagogy will be driven by our progress in the liberal arts, rather than our mere mastery of content.
  • Instructors – We will seek to hire instructors with a background in the classical liberal arts whenever possible, and will provide all of our teachers with continuing education in the arts and sciences.
  • Environment – We will invest in artifacts that foster a sense of intellectual curiosity, wonder, and appreciation of the beauty and fitness of creation.
• Physical education – Just as grace builds on nature, the intellect builds on the body. Therefore, we will require every student to improve in physical strength, stamina, and skill. The athletics program will be ordered toward forming the virtues of perseverance, teamwork, and fair play.
  • Curriculum – Our athletics program will emphasize physical conditioning, discipline, and the fundamental skills in each sport we learn.
  • Instructors – All teachers should model the virtues of justice, cooperation, and determination, and strive to treat their bodies with the dignity proper to a temple of the Holy Spirit.
  • Environment – We will build athletic facilities that display an ordinate respect for the virtues to be learned on the field of play, and that foster a noble love of excellence.