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When was Heritage School established?
Heritage School opened in September of 1994 with 29 students in grades 1-6 and 4 teachers, one of whom was also the Headmaster.
Is Heritage School affiliated with a particular church or denomination?
Heritage School is an independent, nondenominational, nonprofit 401 (c) (3) organization governed by an elected Board of Trustees. Heritage School rents space for grades K - 4 from Hill Country Evangelical Free Church but is not affiliated with the church. More than 20 Christian churches are represented in the Heritage School community.
Are all your students from Fredericksburg? How many Heritage students commute from outside Gillespie county?
Though the majority of our students live in the Fredericksburg area, 37% of our student body lives outside of Gillespie county, including families from Llano, Johnson City, Comfort and a whole bus full from the Kerrville area. Yes, we have a bus!
What sort of student does best at Heritage School?
Typically, students of average to above average ability do best at Heritage. It is a good idea to explore the option of private school early, to ensure adequate assessment, advance preparation as needed, and a smooth transition both academically and socially.
Will Heritage admit students with learning differences/disabilities?
At this time, Heritage School does not employ the specialized staff required to support students with learning difficulties. In some cases, teachers and parents have developed successful accommodations to classroom and homework routines to expedite a student’s achievement. Such accommodations, however, do not compromise the curriculum nor excuse students from completing assignments. It is always our desire to position students for success as they enroll at Heritage School.
Does Heritage School offer part-time student opportunities?
Though we have offered some courses on a part-time basis in the past, Heritage School no longer does so.
Can home school students participate in Heritage School sports programs?
Heritage School offers sports to enrolled students only.
What is your student - teacher ratio?
For the Grammar School (K-6), Heritage limits the class size to 15 [with an occasional addition of up to one student if a sibling would be prevented admission]; for the Logic (7th,8th) and Rhetoric (9-12th) Schools, class size is limited to 20 students.
How large is your student body?
Heritage School currently has an enrollment of 192 students. The Grammar School has 101 and the Logic/Rhetoric School has 91 students. With an eye toward maintaining a close-knit community, our Board has intentionally chosen 450 students as the ultimate total K-12 enrollment.
What is the role of parents at Heritage?
Heritage parents play a vital role in the life of the school! In addition to upholding the school in prayer, they are partners with the teachers in character education and academic reinforcement; they provide help with class parties, special events, and field trips as well as playground monitoring. Without the support of helpful parents, Heritage would have to hire additional staff and increase its tuition. Parents are expected to volunteer 14 hours a year in supporting the school’s various programs.
Does Heritage administer any standardized tests?
Yes, Heritage has conducted the OLSAT/Stanford Achievement tests for several years for students in 2nd-8th grade in an effort to communicate achievement to parents and to utilize test results as one tool in assessing curriculum. This year, we will administer the Education Research Bureau’s CTP-4 [Comprehensive Testing Program] which is utilized by many of our sister classical schools. Grades 3-8 will take the CTP-4. We require all students in 9th-11th grade to take the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) which we administer here at Heritage.
Do Heritage students take the TAKS test?
Heritage students do not take the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test. Achievement tests, however, are administered annually. Some SAT and AP test-taking strategy preparation is offered to high school students.
Do Heritage students take AP courses and tests? What about CLEP?
Heritage students do not take AP courses though most of our high school courses are taught at the Honors/AP level. Students may elect to take AP tests at the local high school. Those who have taken the tests in the past typically do well. Additionally, several students have elected to take CLEP tests and have generally made high enough scores to place out of basic college courses.
Have any Heritage School students achieved placement in the highly competitive service academies?
From the 8 graduating classes ( 61 total graduates), 4 Heritage School graduates have thus far been appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy, West Point, the U. S. Naval Academy. One graduate has recently undergone training for the Marine Corps OCS.
Does Heritage give homework?
Since the vast majority of Heritage students seek admission to college upon graduation, the K-12 curriculum is challenging and the 7-12 curriculum prepares students very well for advanced learning. In light of this, the teachers assign homework in middle school and high school years which typically involves additional math or language practice as well as reading, research, and writing. The goal of the homework is to prepare the student for class and for college. The homework for elementary grades typically consists of some review of facts (math, spelling), Latin review, memory work, and/or reading as well as some history/science for upper elementary.
Do Heritage students wear uniforms?
Yes, Heritage students have a variety of mix and match Dennis Uniform garments to choose from. Uniforms significantly reduce the distraction of fashion trends and allow individuality to be expressed through personal accomplishments, creativity, and character.
Are boys and girls equally represented in the student body?
Although the proportions vary from grade to grade, boys comprise 51% of the overall student body.
How much emphasis is placed on the creative arts at Heritage School?
Heritage School values highly the edifying effect of the creative arts on young minds and hearts. All grade levels receive instruction in music and fine arts twice a week. Our choral music programs are enthusiastically attended and student art is always on display and frequently wins competitions.
Why Latin?
Whereas extended online activity and playing video games has been documented as detrimentally affecting brain physiology, reading and language study build the young brain. Besides enriching English vocabulary and facilitating the learning of any Western language, the structural depth of Latin has, for centuries, inculcated the discipline of thinking and analyzing, and expanded the logical and expressive capacities of its students as reflected in SAT/ACT scores, college GPA, and other marks of intellectual accomplishment. In addition, as students learn to read and translate Latin, they gain an appreciation for the challenges of translation of foreign prose into English and connect with the minds of ancient authors, enabling them to be a part of “the great conversation.”
Are your teachers certified by the state?
Many of our teachers are certified either by Texas or some other state. All our teachers hold at least a Bachelor level degree and many have Masters’ degrees. Our primary criteria for teachers who desire to teach at Heritage, in addition to being qualified and degreed, is that they have a strong Christian walk, a sincere love for children, and a passion for their subject. We seek teachers who love to learn.
What are some informative books on Christian education, classical education, and Charlotte Mason?
Suggested reading list—which is still growing!
Christian education:
Colson, Charles and Nancy Pearson. How Now Shall We Live? Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1999.
Pearcey, Nancy. Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2004.
Noll, Mark. The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1994.
Holmes, Arthur. The Idea of a Christian College. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1975.
Classical education:
Joseph, Sister Miriam. The Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric— Understanding the Nature and Function of Language. Philadelphia: Paul Dry Books, 2002.
Veith, Gene Edward, Jr. and Andrew Kern. Classical Education: Towards the Revival of American Schooling. Washington, D.C.: Capital Research Center, 1997.
Hicks, David. Norms and Nobility: A Treatise on Education. New York: Praeger, 1981.
Eliot, T.S. Classics and the Man of Letters. New York: Haskell House Publishers, 1974.
Quintilian, Marcus Fabius. Institutio Oratoria, Books I and II.
Wilson, Douglas. The Case for Classical Christian Education. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2003.
Sayers, Dorothy. “The Lost Tools of Learning.” in Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning. Douglas Wilson. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1991.
Littlejohn, Robert and Charles T. Evans. Wisdom and Eloquence: A Christian Paradigm for Classical Learning. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2006.
ACCS recommended reading list on classical education
Charlotte Mason:
Andreola, Karen. A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning. USA: Charlotte Mason Research and Supply Company, 1998.
Macaulay, Susan Schaeffer. For the Children’s Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School. Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1984.
Mason, Charlotte. The Original Home Schooling Series. Quarryville, PA: Charlotte Mason Research & Supply (July 1993)
Mason, Charlotte. An Essay Towards a Philosophy of Education. London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd., 1954.
Bauer, Susan Wise. The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2003.
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