Once each fall and once each spring, PCA holds a very special night called Recitation. At Recitation, the students have a chance to present many of the poems, songs, chants and jingles they have learned over the past semester to a room full of family, friends, and those interested in learning more about the school. Our spring Recitation night was May 2.
At many schools and businesses, Friday is a day to dress down. Casual Friday, it is sometimes called. Casual Friday is a nice way to relax after a week of hard work. At Pinnacle Classical Academy, Friday is not a dress-down day. In fact, at PCA, Friday is known as Formal Friday. The students dress up from their normal weekly uniforms to formal plaid jumpers and skirts, pressed white dress shirts, and pants and ties for the boys. Why do we do that?
In an era that seems to say, “we know better” and “let’s reinvent the wheel,” these parents have boldly embraced the old paths of teaching that seeks to impart knowledge, yes, but also teaches children to think deeply and exhibit great character by training the mind to think God’s thoughts after Him.
Giving Him all I’ve got effects everything, my budget, my calendar, my phone plan, and my dinner plans. I’ve become convinced that everything I allow myself to do or not do in life effects my heart, soul and mind. I want to offer Him the best I can and I intend to spend my life improving what I have to give. As a parent, I will bend over backwards to keep my kids at PCA because I believe down to my core that at PCA, my kids are learning to love God with all they’ve got, and I can see that what they have is being improved upon rapidly and with excellence.
In the next several posts, I’m going to talk about what it means, in my perspective of course, to love God with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, and all I’ve got. I will also highlight a few areas where I see this viewpoint being reflected in Pinnacle Classical Academy. I’ll tackle the heart in this post.
God doesn’t settle for “okay.” He went all out. He made a world that is majestic and awe-inspiring, just like Him. He made trees vibrant with color and life, just like Him. He made mountains so large and dramatic that they demand our attention and lure us toward them, just like Him. He made this world with excellence because He is excellent. One of the things I love about PCA is that they approach education with excellence.
Thursday evening I had the pleasure of attending an informal seminar at PCA hosted by our headmaster, Bill Izard. The topic was entitled Men of Valor, Women of Virtue and it was both simple and profound. The heart of the topic was about raising our children in such as way as to both model and thus instill in them a character that is in line with God’s ideal for us. In quintessential classical style, Mr. Izard encouraged us as parents and teachers to put great importance on growing our kids’ character and less on the career they may someday have.