As I gaze out my office window, the world currently looks very gray and bleak. It brings to mind one of the more memorable quotes from C.S. Lewis in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, "It is winter in Narnia and has been for ever so long... always winter, but never Christmas." When done right, the joy of Christmas morning isn't dependent on sun, snow, or comfortable temperatures. The spirit of Christmas comes from the sweet communion of our families around the dinner table or by the Christmas tree as we celebrate that Christ came to this world and will come again. One of the quickest ways to make it always winter in Marietta is to celebrate Christmas the way the world does. The world takes the superficial traditions of presents and Santa Claus and wonders why it all feels hollow in the end. How do we bring Christmas to winter? The most meaningful celebrations of Christmas integrate rich experiences and activities that can point to the ever-shining light of Christ. As parents and a school community, we invest our time and energy into intentional activities that disrupt the dreary monotony of our world. Why do we light candles, build gingerbread houses, read beautiful stories, decorate trees, wrap gifts, unwrap gifts, sing Christmas carols, and bake cookies? We do this because it brings sunshine to our world and the worlds of our children. I hope and pray that your family enjoys a winter that is for ever Christmas.

It is interesting to consider what I recall from my initial tour of Georgia Tech; the guide likely said many wonderful things about the school's stellar academic program but what I remember most were the stories related to the school's unique traditions. From the legend of the fictitious George P. Burdell (a hard-to-find member at most Atlanta churches) to the clandestine escapades to remove the T from Tech Tower, these stories captured my imagination. Undoubtedly, traditions play a crucial role in the life of an institution.

One of the beautiful things I have witnessed over the years is the development of the special Stonehaven traditions that contribute to the rich experience of our community. In any school, there are three types of traditions. There are the sacred traditions that have become essential to the culture and identity of the school. Second, we have the valuable traditions that have made a strong case to be preserved but with strategic enhancements could be made even better. With said enhancements, they might even ascend to the sacred category. Third, we have lifeless traditions that contribute little or even have an adverse impact on the culture of the school. The dead traditions need to go but are often carried on by a very small minority who refuse to let the dream die.

A Stonehaven Christmas tradition that I would place in the valuable category is our annual Christmas Bazaar. This event has been thoroughly enjoyed by our students as they learn to take the initiative in buying Christmas gifts for their loved ones. This year's version of the Bazaar, rechristened the Stonehaven Handmade Market, is an example of how to improve an already valuable tradition. Over the past two weeks, my fourth grade entrepreneur Ruby (Rubadubdub Inc.^TM) has been excited and busy developing the products for her booth at the market. Her two older siblings have of their own volition provided assistance and support for Ruby's nascent handicraft business. I can only imagine that similar crafting and creating is happening in other Stonehaven households. Is this not a great way to encourage entrepreneurship and creativity in our children? Along the way, they will learn valuable lessons about sales, marketing, profit margins, competition, and maybe even failure. "Why didn't anyone buy my leaf balls?" or "I can't understand why they don't see the value in these pinecone fire starters?" Might we see future mergers or acquisitions between students? Could we take a "best of the best" to the Marietta Square Farmers Market? The possibilities are endless.

How did the Christmas Bazaar originate? What about the ideation of the Handmade Market?

Both the Bazaar and the Handmade Market were ideas from Stonehaven parents; including Tara Harvey, Connie Powell, and Karisa Hughes. Great examples of what parent partnership should look like in a school. These were not initiatives that came from the brains of administrators or even staff members. These parents approached us with these creative ideas and we partnered with them to make it a reality. Not only did these parents pass along the ideas, they have volunteered many hours of their time to managing and executing the event.

It is possible the Bazaar/Handmade Market continues into Stonehaven's future and we could visit the school in twenty years and see a hustling and bustling market that was once a small "seed" of an idea. How do such traditions begin? It starts with someone raising their hand and making a commitment to turn an idea into a reality.

In this season of thanksgiving, Stonehaven is particularly grateful for our local churches. By my most recent count, we currently have families worshiping in at least 55 different area churches, across a wide range of different denominations and traditions. Included in this number are about a dozen area pastors who have entrusted Stonehaven with the education of their children. We are so grateful for these partnerships even as we continue to dream about ways we can strengthen these ties and bless our local churches.

One very simple but powerful way we aim to support our local churches is through prayer. In a new tradition this year, every Monday in Lower School Morning Meeting we pray for one or two of the local churches attended by Stonehaven families (this morning, for example, we prayed for Eastside Baptist Church and for their lead pastor, John Hull). By the end of the school year, we will have prayed for all of our churches and their pastors by name!

As Mr. Carrenard reminded us at the Symposium, Stonehaven is not a church, and therefore it is critically important that every family belongs to the Body of Christ in the context of a local congregation. For it is precisely in the collaborative work of church, parents, and school, all rowing in the same direction, that forms a threefold cord anchoring our children in the faith. This Thanksgiving, let us be sure to give thanks for the many faithful churches and pastors that God has placed in our communities. May God richly bless our local churches!

Class of 2024. Congratulations and thank you. Thank you for the multitude of ways you've invested in our school, for your patience and resilience as we've built this program, and for the years of camaraderie our community has enjoyed with you all.

As we have looked forward to this moment, an opportunity to celebrate, to look forward to your future endeavors, and to send you off, I'd like to begin by reading the final lines of George Eliot's novel Middlemarch. Speaking of the story's protagonist, Dorothea, Eliot ends with the following words, "But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs."

These lines both encapsulate the story's overarching themes and speak to the incredible worth of seemingly small, often unrecognized acts of goodness and faithfulness. Middlemarch, set in a small English town in the early nineteenth century, tells the story of Dorothea Brooke, a young woman of deep conviction and unbridled idealism. Dorothea grows up hoping to make a visible impact on the world, and yet her life unfolds in ways she never could not have imagined. She marries an older man and scholar, Edward Casaubon, whose work she thinks will upend the way that people think about the world. Dreaming of an intellectual partnership and grand contributions to his work, she soon finds herself nearly invisible to him, and her dreams unfulfilled.

In parallel, the novel tells the story of an ambitious young doctor named Tertius Lydgate who arrives in Middlemarch driven by a passionate idealism to revolutionize medicine and transform lives in his community. He too, finds himself disappointed - seemingly unable to accomplish what he hoped, his ambition stifled.

And yet, throughout the novel, Eliot beautifully demonstrates the ways in which these and other striving, hopeful, but often disappointed characters act in ways that shape their relationships and community in profound ways. Dorothea, Lydgate, and others come to recognize that their most powerful impact comes not in grandiose acts seen by all, but in small, everyday acts that were often hidden, and recognizable only in hindsight.

Eliot's story reminds us that the "growing good of the world" - or for us, the building of the kingdom relies on those invisible contributions and quiet faithfulness. Her story reminds me, and I hope you all, that the Lord uses all things - triumph and hardship, successes and failure, for the growing and building of his kingdom. These words are not meant to discourage you from going and doing great things, but to remind you that so many of your formative moments come from the small acts of faithfulness of you and those you surround yourselves with.

As you leave today and move on from your time at Stonehaven, my hope and prayer for you all is that you remember that your actions, regardless how small or seemingly insignificant, matter. The relationships you build, the kindness you show, the integrity with which you conduct yourselves, all these "unhistoric acts" will contribute to the betterment of your community.

To encourage you in those efforts, I have three pieces of advice to share with you: wake up, show up, and go to bed.

Wake up. First, but not foremost, I do mean that literally. You'll be more successful if you commit to a routine that recognizes the gift of waking up in the morning. But more importantly, wake up to the realities of the world around you. Recognize the yearning for connection, the brokenness, and the opportunity you have to serve others in need. Acknowledge and embrace the Lord's call on each of you to be salt and light in the places God is sending you. Actively resist the temptation to fall into self-centeredness, futility, and distraction. Know that you have a very real opportunity to contribute to the growing good of your world.

Show up. Again, part of this is literal. Go to class. Get to know your professors. Pursue excellence in your studies. Show up to church. Join the church. Be part of a church - not just as a consumer, but as an active part of the body, looking for ways to serve and care for others. You'll benefit from building relationships with people in different ages and stages. You'll be reminded that the world is bigger and the need is greater than you think. Show up for your friends. Whether it's providing a listening ear, speaking words of truth, or embodying the fruits of the spirit, your witness and your impact will be determined by the ways in which you show up for the people you love.

Go to bed. Yes, there will be times when it's right to stay up late - whether to finish a paper, or to go to that concert with friends. But as a general rule, go to bed. Rest so that you may faithfully live out your calling. Rest in the knowledge that He who is faithful and just is the one at work. You are his instruments, but the growing good of the world is not dependent on you alone. Know your limitations, trust the Lord is working in and through you and will not abandon you. Be a safe haven for those who are struggling, who need to be reminded that the Lord is gracious and compassionate. Rest in the knowledge that his mercies are new every morning and that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.

Wake up. Show up. Go to bed. Trust that in these small acts of faithfulness, the Lord is working to foster a community where goodness can flourish. Remember the Lord's words to his people in Jeremiah chapter 29, verses 4-7. "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."

Seek the welfare of the place where God is sending you. Pray to the Lord. Serve the Lord on its behalf. In its welfare, you will find your welfare. While you may not be going into exile, you are stepping into new and unfamiliar territory. As the Israelites walked into the unfamiliar, God's call was to continue in the everyday acts of faithfulness that they were called to at home.

Cultivate your relationships with care. Be the friend who stands by others, loves deeply, and speaks truth; The family member who models gratitude, and remains faithful when things get difficult, the classmate who collaborates generously and uplifts. Your presence, your actions, your very being-these are powerful influences. Understand that these relationships are opportunities to contribute to the greater good of the world.

In the years to come, you will find yourselves facing challenges and disappointments, just as Dorothea and Lydgate did. You will encounter situations where your efforts seem unnoticed or unappreciated. In those moments, remember Eliot's words. The measure of your impact will not always be visible or immediate. Trust that the Lord is using your faithfulness in small endeavors and that it adds up, a testament to the immeasurable goodness of God.

So many of these things, on so many occasions your teachers, parents, and friends have seen you embody. I'm grateful for your witness, and we're all grateful for the ways in which you've modeled these things at Stonehaven. Know that the Lord is at work and will continue to use those small acts of faithfulness to draw others close to Him.

As you embark on a new chapter, remember that you are part of a larger story. Your actions, no matter how small, can contribute to the "growing good of the world." Live faithfully, embrace the hidden acts of goodness, and trust that your impact, though perhaps unseen, is incalculably diffusive.

Congratulations, Stonehaven Class of 2024. We love you and we're grateful for you. Go in peace.

In our modern political climate, it is easy for our children to get a warped view of the place of politics. Those involved in the classical Christian school movement will often talk of the Augustinian concept of "ordo amoris." This is a Latin phrase meaning the "ordering of our affections." It refers to the principle that virtue results when our loves are properly ordered. My love for books is no longer a virtue when it exceeds my love for God. As we navigate tomorrow's political events, we are presented with a teachable moment for our children. How are they to order their political affections?

One of the books that helped me order my political passions was Nancy Pearcey's book Total Truth. She argues that "politics is downstream from culture... the most effective work is done by ordinary Christians fulfilling God's calling to reform culture within their local spheres of influence-their families, churches, schools, neighborhoods, workplaces, professional organizations, and civic institutions." I was fully persuaded that if I really wanted to impact culture, I needed to prioritize cultivating Christian virtue in my family, participating faithfully in a local church, and fervently supporting a beautiful vision of Christian education.

Too many people in our world have placed their ultimate "hope in princes" (Psalm 146:3). On both sides of the aisle. When looking for the culprit for the immorality of our secular culture, Christians are tempted to blame political turning points. If not politics, where should we point the finger?

Is it not more honest to attribute our current moral crisis to the slow spiritual decay of our families, churches, and schools? Individually and corporately, we have turned away from God. As we navigate the very important election activities tomorrow, let us make sure our children see their parents living in peace with the sovereign plan of our ever faithful God (Romans 8:28). Even if the results are not what we want, they are certainly what we deserve.

Should our Christian worldview impact our political worldview?

An argument to order appropriately our love for politics is not an argument that politics is not important... nor does it deny that a Christian worldview must inform our political worldview. Politics is vitally important to establishing a virtuous society. Our children should participate in politics. They should vote. They should run for office. They should canvas communities in support of virtuous candidates. They should debate the issues. Not all political candidates are equal.

However, as they participate in politics, they must always remember to order their affections appropriately. They should recognize that the greatest impact they can have on our culture will be through steady and mundane acts of personal faithfulness. Want to change the world? Do the next right thing. Greet your neighbor. Listen patiently to your sister. Obey your parents. Find a good wife. Raise up a family. Eat dinner together. Pursue the friend that is suffering.

As George Eliot argues in her book Middlemarch, "But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs." Our children can have a significant impact on this world as they live "faithfully a hidden life." As parents and teachers, our responsibility is to show them what this ordered life looks like.

Over the month of October, Stonehaven has welcomed more than thirty prospective families through tours and Preview Days on both campuses. At the end of our Lower School Preview Day event, a guest commented that she didn't realize how in-depth the Preview Day experience would be. After watching an adorable and impressive presentation from our Kindergarten students, prospective parents hear a talk from Mr. Edwards which he has perfected over the years. Many of our parents are familiar - he opens with a story about brick masons, moves into a description of "What is Classical," (hint: Love, Grain, Tools, Tradition), mixes in a little Chesterton's fence, and concludes with a winsome description of Stonehaven's answers to "what," "how," and "why" we are doing this work. That riveting oration is followed by student ambassador and parent guided tours through classrooms and common areas on campus. Why do we go through the trouble to orchestrate such an event? Couldn't we just produce some great videos, print some brochures, and answer any questions they have? We are looking for families who are ready to partner with Stonehaven in the education of their children. We want parents who are excited by the in-depth experience at our school and ready to help cultivate a love of learning in the hearts and minds of their children.

Each time I listen to Mr. Edwards give his well-honed talk starting with the brick masons, I find a new appreciation for what I've been doing as a parent here for the last 13 years. I've been learning along with my children. I've been watching the building of a metaphorical cathedral under the guidance of amazing teachers. I've been growing in my ability to love that which is true, good, and beautiful. I may not be able to read the Aeneid in the original Latin with my senior daughter's AP Latin class or name the Cantos of Dante's Inferno with my 10th grade son, but I'm interested and engaged in what they are studying. I've watched them grow as image-bearers of God. These are the things that we hope to inspire in prospective parents as they consider their school options.

Stonehaven was a smaller community when my kids were in the grammar phase. It was easier to connect and feel known at school events. Growing larger is not a negative thing - we are following God's calling to provide a classical Christian education to more students, and it is an honor. However, it does require that parents make a more concerted effort to partner with the school, and that may look different than it did ten years ago. Our Keystone event, The Stonehaven Symposium, is coming up on November 12th. All parents are strongly encouraged to attend this event to hear from Mr. Carrenard and grow deeper in your understanding of how we cultivate truth in the hearts and minds of our students. Each of our Cultivate seminars are designed to provide thoughtful opportunities for classical enrichment for parents in a small group setting. Reading to grammar students in the library or attending a field trip or Pathfinders outing will connect you to the character formation and passion for learning that your children are receiving.

At our admissions events, we aim to give prospective parents a glimpse into the richness of the Stonehaven community. When a family is enrolled at Stonehaven, our hope is to encourage and inspire them to partake in the feast of truth, goodness, and beauty that we offer through continued partnership and a life-long love of learning with their children. I hope you have marked your calendars for November 12th - we pray that you'll be encouraged by Mr. Carrenard and enriched by the fellowship of the Stonehaven community.

Our society has created a pretty well-defined path towards educational success. It begins in Kindergarten (or earlier) and ends with a college degree. As our culture exalts the benefits of a college degree, it seems clear we have regarded alternative paths as "less desirable" options. Some look at the young auto mechanic and wonder, "they probably had no other options." Is it possible that college is not the optimal path for all 18 year olds? Is it possible that the mechanic, plumber, and electrician are doing exactly what God designed them to do?

Most schools might conceptually agree with this idea but will then find very conspicuous ways to celebrate their acclaimed graduates while finding it difficult to celebrate the students on a different vocational journey; this might include enrolling in a trade school, an apprenticeship, or joining our armed forces. One of the most celebrated statistics within independent schools is that their school has 100% college matriculation or at least 100% college acceptance. It almost sounds like we are saying, "If your child attends our school, it is very likely they will end up on the 'right' path towards future success."

In his New York Times article The Value of Working with Your Hands, writer and motorcycle mechanic Matthew Crawford challenges our low view of the trades, "A gifted young person who chooses to become a mechanic rather than to accumulate academic credentials is viewed as eccentric, if not self-destructive. There is a pervasive anxiety among parents that there is only one track to success for their children. It runs through a series of gates controlled by prestigious institutions." Although many of our graduates will follow the well-worn path towards college, I pray we can also esteem and value the dignity of a path towards a career in the trades.

How can we as parents and a school help our children see and appreciate the worth of a career in the trades?

First, how do we speak of trade careers in front of our children? Do we speak of such work with reverence and respect or do we imply that such work is reserved for those that can't endure the demands of traditional schooling? One could imagine a demanding father pointing to the construction worker laboring in the Georgia heat and chastising his son's poor academic performance saying, "If you don't start working hard in school, get ready to have a job like that." Might this child prefer construction work to the knowledge work that we highly regard in our culture? We should speak highly of these professions knowing that our society not only benefits from this work but utterly depends upon it. One can only imagine the apocalyptic world we would enter if everyone became a "philosopher" overnight. We need to celebrate children that pursue these paths and speak highly of them in front of our children.

Second, we need to integrate into the school curriculum classes and activities that require our children to "work with their hands." From the beginning, Stonehaven's Upper School practicum classes have endeavored to do just this with classes like woodworking, sewing, baking, and farm & garden. We have now included such programs in our 5th and 6th grade Lords & Ladies program. With continued growth, we'd love to incorporate welding, auto mechanics, stained glass, and more classes in the culinary arts. These classes and programs are not only valuable for inspiring children to pursue a trades career. They will develop in every child important characteristics including complex problem solving, an attention to detail, patience, thoughtfulness, diligence, fortitude, and persistence. I truly believe that reading Shakespeare can make someone a better carpenter and woodworking can make someone a better English professor.

One of the reasons many are attracted to such fields is the sense of accomplishment that naturally results when your hands are responsible for the very tangible product that comes from work in the trades. As Crawford puts it in his book Shop Class as Soulcraft, "The satisfactions of manifesting oneself concretely in the world through manual competence have been known to make a man quiet and easy. They seem to relieve him of the felt need to offer chattering interpretations of himself to vindicate his worth. He can simply point: the building stands, the car now runs, the lights are on."

For ultimately, God has created each one of our children with particular giftings and passions. We trust that true fulfillment in work comes best when a child's innate passions are most aligned with the work they are doing. And whether they are a plumber or an accountant, may they recognize their work as valuable and meaningful (1 Corinthians 10:31).

One of my favorite callouts that Stonehaven grammar students learn goes like this, "May I play with you?" and the response - "Yes you may!" There are several lessons to be learned from this simple call out - kindness, hospitality, proper grammar, and the list goes on. As a parent, it's exactly what you hope your child will experience on either side of that conversation - to be welcomed and to be welcoming. But what I especially like about this call out is the lesson for the asker - there is boldness required to show your need - to ask the question and open yourself up to others.

By God's grace, Stonehaven has been growing steadily for several years and our need is evident - a campus expansion to accommodate our growing student body and establish our school's permanent home at our Old Concord Road campus. This year, Stonehaven has embarked on the Crescendo capital campaign - our largest capital campaign and building project in our 20 year history. In this campaign, we have been asking a bold question of everyone in our community - will you join us and support the Crescendo campaign?

Our school's mission is clear - To glorify God by cultivating truth, goodness, and beauty in the lives of students through a distinctly Christ-centered classical education. Our vision is a beautiful one. The campus master plan has been thoughtfully planned and we've had the pleasure of sharing it with many parents this year at our Crescendo dinners and in more personal meetings. We hear consistent themes at each dinner as parents share what they love about Stonehaven - the tight-knit community, Christ-centered education, training of our children's hearts and minds, faculty who truly care for their students, and a school with grit, who isn't afraid to do things a little bit differently. (One parent even used the word "weird" in the best way possible.) It's evident that Stonehaven is doing something special in the world of education. We want to continue to build on our strengths as a school and open our doors to more students in the coming years.

So how do we respond to this bold question as Stonehaven parents and supporters of classical, Christian education? In 1 Chronicles 29:14, we see David praising the Lord saying, "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand." We give because God is the ultimate giver and has given us everything we have. We give a meaningful gift from the heart and out of belief in the mission.

The Crescendo campaign is an invitation to the entire Stonehaven community to answer that bold question. For more information about the Crescendo campaign and how you can join in, consider joining us at one of our upcoming dinners. For more details, please contact Melissa Dickinson or Brett Edwards.

Think about the athletes, musicians, artists, and novelists who have made it to the top tier of their profession. Why did they achieve this status? We tend to elevate individuals to heroes because of their gifts, talents, and power, but not because of their love. Yet, from God's perspective, love is the chief of all virtues.

Love is not confined in the Bible to a mere expression of self-giving and self-sacrifice between one person and another. In Scripture, love is known in various spheres. We see a believer's love for God, man's love for his neighbor, and man's love for impersonal things (Deut. 6:5, Matt. 22:39, 2 Tim. 3:4). However, what sits crowned at the top of these "loves" is God's love, which is supremely expressed in Christ (Rom. 5:8). Love is so vital to the Bible's teachings that John tells us, "God is love" (1 John 4:7-8). Whatever else we say about the Christian virtue of love, we must be clear that the love God commands is a love that imitates His own. And we are called to reflect and mirror that love, to be holy as He is holy. Here at Stonehaven, the days are full of joy, but they can also be messy; our community can be messy, and we humans are messy. None of us loves perfectly, which is why we must be covered with the perfect righteousness of Christ by faith in Him alone.

Nevertheless, as a community of believers who partner to raise our children in the ways of the Lord, we need to return time and again to Scripture to find out what love should look like. I have misplaced priorities as a teacher, father, husband, and human. But! Thanks be to God that His love for us is greater than our love for Him and our misplaced priorities. When we encounter "messy" moments with one another, we can hold fast to 1 Peter 4:7-8: "Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins." Friends, may He strengthen us to pursue love above all else, a love that reflects His love for one another in Christ (Rom. 5:8).

In search of rest and peace, my family and many others packed up their cars a week ago and headed five hours in the direction of a nascent storm brewing in the Caribbean Sea. Stormy, chaotic, and turmoil are three words that would define the experience of so many in the Southeast through Hurricane Helene. The images of devastation from the Florida coast, the mountains of North Carolina, and flooded portions of Atlanta remind us of the fragile nature of our existence.

Our children learn a lot about the hope and faith of their parents when we are confronted with the literal and figurative storms that will inevitably disrupt our lives. What is most important to us? In whom and in what do we place our hope? Where is our peace? The Edwards beach vacation was cut short by a few days. A bummer? Sure. Something for mom and dad to whine and complain about? Absolutely not. With lives lost, homes destroyed, and communities in shambles, we must remember that we are communicating important things to our children when we bemoan trivial setbacks. Our children learn much more about the faith of their parents during a storm than when we are enjoying the calm-weather blessings of the Lord.

As a school community, let us turn our thoughts, prayers, and hands towards helping those that have truly been impacted. This is true during the destructive storms of nature but even more so when others in our community are facing chaos and conflict in their personal lives. When we are faithful in loving "the least of these," our children will learn what it means to truly serve the King of Kings (Matthew 25:40).

Last Friday I joined our seventh graders on a Pathfinders rock climbing trip to Cherokee Rock Village in Leesburg, Alabama. One of our young men found himself halfway up the rock face and was struggling to find his next move towards the top. After some discussion with his guides, he decided that the best course of action was to actually go back down the face of the rock in search of a different and better route. His "going backwards" ended up being his fastest way forward.

This reminded me of what we are doing in the classical Christian movement. Everyone involved in education wants progress. But classical Christian educators have concluded that the best way forward is a turning back. C.S. Lewis said, "We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man."

Many involved in education today struggle to understand the value of this turning back and would argue that the old educational philosophies have little relevance in our modern culture. They will often quote John Dewey who said, "If we teach today's students as we taught yesterday's, we rob them of tomorrow." If Dewey has classical education in mind, count me out. This does not mean that the "we've always done it this way" mantra is a sufficient justification for our classical Christian philosophy. So, why is turning back a better way forward?

I must admit that I was the student in school asking the question, "Why do we have to learn this?" The most common response from my teachers was some version of, "You will need this class to go to college..." or "If you ever want to get a job..." Products of a utilitarian education, my teachers were taught that the end of education was a degree, a job, and a comfortable 401k. I did not find these answers satisfying. Why are these people making me spend so much time solving for x and y, reading a book about some guy named Jay Gatsby, and learning the causes of the French Revolution?

How do classical educators answer the question, "Why do we have to learn this?" We would argue that such knowledge makes you a more complete person. The child might respond, "But when will I ever use this?" I might respond with the question, "Is knowledge only worth pursuing if you use it in the future?" What if the journey required to learn this complex idea strengthend your resilience or tested your patience. Describing a profession where they might use the Pythagorean Theorem will probably only beg the question, "What if I am not interested in building decks, surveying properties, or being a Geometry teacher?" We often remind your children at Stonehaven that virtue is its own reward. Similarly, the pursuit of knowledge is its own reward. In his article Introducing Principia and Classical Education, Brian Williams argues that the goal of classical education is "to educate whole persons through the accumulated wisdom of the ages for a lifetime of flourishing regardless of their profession or place of employment." In his book The Souls of Black Folk, W. E. B. DuBois says, "The final product of our training must be neither a psychologist nor a brickmason, but a man."

My hope for the classical Christian education at Stonehaven is that we see our children flourishing regardless of the college they attend or the career they pursue. The goal is a person, not a product. We are not only instilling a way of thinking or seeing the world. We are certainly seeking to do that but we hope that this thinking and seeing results ultimately in a way of living: a Christian way of living. We are habitual beings. We become what we repeatedly do, think, and say.

The idea that knowledge makes you a more complete person motivates the classical Christian educator to unveil the beauty of their subject matter. One math teacher marvels at the wonders of mathematics while another math teachers exhibits little fascination with their subject matter. Our teachers seek to be the teacher that brings wonder, awe, and fascination to their subject matter.

G.K Chesterton said, "Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another." We aim to pass on the soul of our society to our children. The goal of the classicall educator is to pass on to our children the truth, goodness, and beauty of our Christian heritage.

At Stonehaven we believe God has granted to parents the responsibility and authority for raising their children, including the responsibility of educating them. Stonehaven seeks to assist parents in this God-given responsibility. We call this idea, "In loco parentis," which is Latin for "in place of the parents." This is one of our foundational commitments - to be an extension of the home as agents and servants of the parents. When we are looking to hire teachers, we prioritize an applicant's heart for shepherding and discipling children equally to experience and expertise. Bottom-line, if you don't love children and Jesus, you shouldn't apply to teach at Stonehaven! As many in our community are meeting with teachers during parent-teacher conference week, I hope that you are encouraged by the devotion and care in which Stonehaven teachers seek to know and support your children. Additionally, our commitment to "in loco parentis" is also a call to parents to support teachers in the education of your child. Parent-teacher conferences are an essential way that you can both listen to the teacher and provide valuable insight into how the teacher can best support your child. After all, we all have the same goal to bring up our children "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord!"

Last month, my family experienced a significant milestone: our youngest, Judah, started kindergarten here at Stonehaven. My wife and I were surprised by the emotions this change provoked in us (bewilderment? unsettledness? grief?). At minimum, there was a sense that the wheel of time was grinding on and leaving our previous phase of family life permanently in the past (presumably, that is). Other Stonehaven families are marking other milestones this year: the first child to move up to Upper School, or to become a senior, or even to head off to college. With all of these transitions, we may be tempted to feel regret about our children's past or anxiety about their future; our awareness of our inadequacies as parents comes more sharply into focus.

So what then can we do? We cannot change their past, and we cannot control the future, but we do have this present moment of parenting our children. Theologian Henri Nouwen speaks to the possibilities of fully engaging the present with the "ministry of presence" (throughout I've adapted the quotation to more explicitly address parents):

More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet [my children], enter their [rooms], sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems... My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops... But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn't be to know [your children], to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them.

Let us, then, seize this present moment with our children, letting them know in word and deed through our ministry of presence that we do not simply like them, but truly love them.

As we launched our morning meetings this year, I was impacted by what has become our starting point for singing. On day one, our students are singing essentially where they left off in May. I enjoy observing the faces of those unfamiliar with our school as they watch our students harmonize and sing in parts. The expression often includes a slight grin, raised eyebrows, and a slowly rotating head to take in the spectacle. They might be thinking to themselves, "I don't remember doing this in school."

Our evolution into what we call a "singing school" was not a one-week project or even a one-year project. We have been working diligently on this for more than ten years. It brings to mind the latin term Festina Lente: which means to make haste slowly. This paradoxical phrase reminds us that our work should be performed with a balance between urgency and deliberation. A task completed too quickly is marked by mistakes and risks being ineffective. Work done without urgency can become uninspired and obsolete. The Renaissance printer Aldus adopted a symbol of a dolphin intertwined with an anchor to reflect his commitment to Festina Lente.

In the world of education, politicians and educrats are pursuing quick solutions to the deficiencies of modern education. Real solutions to our educational problems require urgency but they also require patience, diligence, and time. As we continue in our work at Stonehaven, let us remember how the legendary basketball coach John Wooden expressed the idea of Festina Lente, "Be quick, but don't hurry."

In the spring of 1997, I made a decision that would forever alter the course of my life. Months from graduating high school in the suburbs of Seattle, I chose to attend a college more than 2600 miles across the country: Georgia Tech. At the time, it did feel like an important decision. In retrospect, I had no idea the significance of this choice. It would put me on a providential path towards my first job, my wife and children, my church, and my community of friends. My life certainly would have been much different if I had attended the University of Washington.

C.S. Lewis says in The Four Loves, "In friendship... we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another... the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting--any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends, "Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others."

As we live life in community at Stonehaven, may we remember that it is our Lord that has chosen us for one another. When I chose to attend Georgia Tech, my heavenly Father was choosing for me a place, a home, a wife, a family, and future friends. When we choose a school for our children, we are making a similarly significant decision. For some of our parents, they can resonate strongly with their choice of Stonehaven being "the accident of a topic being raised" or a bumper sticker being seen on Atlanta Road. It is possible some are here simply because Google placed our name near the top of a Google search on a computer in Dallas, Texas. We need not worry that it was an accident or a mistake. A "secret master of ceremonies" was working in and through these decisions to bring us into a community with one another.

What now? How are we to live together in community? A word that comes to mind is camaraderie. One definition of camaraderie is the "mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together." Just imagine how much time our children will spend together this year. Consider the amount of time our teachers and staff will spend with one another. Building a foundation of trust and friendship within our school community is crucial to our school's success.

One of the more intentional programs at Stonehaven where we seek to cultivate camaraderie is our House program. Possibly you noticed a bit of a hullabaloo going on during our Lower School morning carpool. It was house sorting day at Stonehaven which means it was a day full of three things I love: music, celebration, and dancing. Watching your children dance is definitely a spectacle to be observed. From the barely moving to the flailing uncontrollably. I promise not to judge your dancing ability based on your children. I digress. Although there are many goals to Stonehaven's house program, one of the more important is to develop camaraderie in our school community. We want to provide an opportunity for our older students to mentor and disciple the younger students. In addition, we believe healthy competition builds teamwork, trust, and friendship. The events designed around our House program provide a refreshing break from the rigors of a classical Christian education.

Peace. This is the word we have chosen to focus on this year for our school community. The word is used more than 400 times in Scripture. A Biblical understanding of this word has significant and important distinctions from how the world would define peace. We often think of peace as, "freedom from civil disturbance." This version of peace is dependent upon eliminating or at least decreasing external disturbances and frustrations.

In John 16:33, Christ says, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." This is remarkable. Our Lord and Savior does not promise to remove tribulation. On the contrary, he assures us that tribulation will come. "But take heart," our Savior has conquered the world and therefore we can experience peace by placing our trust and faith in Him.

When we speak of the peace of God, we should be thinking of a peace that is not dependent on our circumstances; a state of our soul that is free from anxiety and full of gratitude (Philippians 4:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:18). My prayer is that our children, teachers, and parents can experience this emotional and spiritual freedom by heeding the admonition of the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:7-8, "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

One of the more memorable and famous presidential one liners was when John F. Kennedy said in his 1961 inaugural address, "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." The impact of his words certainly emanated from how Kennedy veered from the typical script where our political candidates will articulate what the government will do for the people. Politics is rife with impossible promises. I am reminded of Pedro's class president speech in the movie Napoleon Dynamite, "If you vote for me, all of your wildest dreams will come true."

At the beginning of the school year, it is common for teachers and administrators to communicate all the wonderful things they will be doing for the children and parents in the upcoming school year. Academic objectives, school initiatives, and class field trips will be discussed to excite both students and parents. "We will learn this... then we will visit the museum... and all of your wildest educational dreams will come true." To a certain extent, as the Anglicans would say, "It is meet and right so to do."

However, as a school with a commitment and passion for partnering with parents, it is also meet and right to ask, "What can you do for your school?" Our school has thrived because we attract the type of parents that want to be involved in the educational life of their children. This summer, two Stonehaven mothers asked and answered this very question in a remarkable way.

Seeing the opportunity to enhance our dust bowl of a playground, they devoted an impressive amount of time, sweat, and muscle to building a mud kitchen, open air playhouses, wood bridge, and a natural sandpit. The creativity and industry to build this imaginative play space is impressive. From the Stonehaven teachers and staff, thank you to these two mothers and their army of volunteers who helped create this beautiful space.

Paul encourages us in Galatians 6:9-10, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."

From helping in our lunchroom to opening doors at carpool, parent partnership is at the heart of our school's success. This year, Stonehaven will have more than 330 students walking our hallways from Kindergarten through the 12th grade. Once again, this is our highest enrollment ever and will require the commitment and participation of our entire school community. Let us link our arms together and "do good to everyone" as we pursue this important work of eternal significance; the Christian education of our children.

Finish lines are important. The finish line at the end of a marathon, a graduation ceremony, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony all serve as important moments where we slow down and celebrate God's goodness and provision for his people. By the grace of God, we have completed a major accomplishment. The fiercest utilitarian might consider such celebrations a waste of time. They might even grumble, "The race never ends... get back to work." God has created us to work. But He has also created us to rest and to celebrate (Philippians 4:4-7).

This week is a time to celebrate. We were surprised and delighted to find this picture from February of 2017 showing seven of our Stonehaven girls during their legendary meeting with the Stonehaven administration that I mentioned in my April 29th message. This memorable meeting with our now Seniors was the genesis of the launching of our Upper School. It was the seed of the thriving oak tree we enjoy today.

You can have a graduation without a building. You can have a graduation without a Head of School. You can have a graduation without money. But you can't have a graduation without graduates. For their perseverance and commitment... for their passion and their joy... for their boldness in being the pioneers of an institution that will have an impact on so many... we say thank you. "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace" (Numbers 4:24-26). Amen.

Imagine hosting a number of your friends at your house for a Christmas party. Said Christmas party is a huge hit; Vibrant, fun, and full of vim and vigor. You then consider the question, "How can I do this again next year?" There were many elements of the party that might have contributed to its success including the food, the music, and one raucous version of Twister. But of all the contributing factors, the most important would certainly be the particular group of people involved in the festivities.

As Stonehaven experiences significant growth, the question we ought to ask is, "How can we maintain our culture and identity as we grow?" This is a crucial question. Although enhancing curriculum and reviewing our policies play a role, one of the most important ways we keep our culture is by keeping our people. Stonehaven has been blessed with faithful staff members, devoted parents, thoughtful Board members, and beautiful children.

As we continue celebrating our 20th year anniversary, we can see that the school has most thrived when we have retained our teachers, board members, parents, and students. Those that have been at Stonehaven the longest possess an "institutional memory" that is so vital to maintaining our culture. These individuals that know and understand our mission call us back to our founding principles. As we near the end of another great year at Stonehaven, we might be wondering, "How can we do this again next year?" The answer is both easy and hard; Keep our people.

In October of 2016, Stonehaven was addressing some relational issues with our fifth grade class. The proverbial pot was boiling over between the boys and the girls in the class. The boys accused the girls of being quick to "tattletale" on the boys to get them in trouble. The girls accused the boys of calling them names and provoking them on the playground. The situation felt heavy for both parents and teachers; "These issues have been persisting for years. Will these kids ever get along with one another?"

I'd love to say that we did a few trust falls and all was made right in the world. But, the truth is that it required faithful intervention and a degree of patience before these issues were reconciled. We engaged in several meetings and conversations with the children and their parents. Team-building exercises were part of the program but resolving relational struggles often requires both attention and time.

Later that year, a group of fifth grade students would schedule a meeting with the school's administration to challenge them to start an Upper School program. One could say, "the rest is history." This fifth grade class is now approaching their Stonehaven graduation in less than a month. The very same children struggling with their peers were saying, "And we want to hang out with these numbskulls until the 12th grade." In retrospect, we can now see how the Lord was using those very struggles for their good (Romans 8:28, 1 Peter 5:10). As Reeepicheep says in the movie The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, "Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny."

This past Friday, as the Lower School students passed through the Mr. Edwards Oobleck station at the science museum, I asked them to describe the characteristics of a great scientist. A child is naturally tempted to think that the goal of education is to equip the student so that he knows all the "right answers." However, I like to remind the students what the English philosopher Roger Bacon said, "half of science is asking the right questions." Or as it says in Proverbs 25:2-3, "It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable." Although a good education certainly seeks to provide many answers for the student, one of the central aims of a classical liberal arts education is training our children to ask good questions.

As we look forward to celebrating our seniors as they graduate this May, we know we have not given them answers to all of life's questions. We do trust that Stonehaven has rooted them firmly in the core doctrines of our Christian faith; The fundamental truths governing their life and purpose. Yet, they do not "know it all." One of the threats of a rigorous classical education is to think you know more than the 'public school kid' down the road. "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom" (Proverbs 11:2). My prayer is that our graduates know much but more so that they are trained to use this knowledge with wisdom and grace.

Today's celestial event should evoke wonder and awe from everyone whether they observe total obscurity or only partial eclipse, but it has me thinking about the tension between permanence and change. Perhaps this inclination is seasonal for me as my team and I prepare, for the first time in the school's twenty-year history, to host three Stonehaven transitional events: a Crossover celebration, a Convocation dinner, and a Commencement ceremony.

At Crossover, Stonehaven staff marks the transition from grammar to logic school as their current homeroom teachers recognize rising 7th graders' accomplishments and character moments before they navigate a footbridge to the welcoming cheers of Upper School leadership. At Convocation, Stonehaven mentor teachers present virtue stones with words of commendation and encouragement to our rising 10th graders as they transition from logic to rhetoric school. Stonehaven's Commencement will celebrate the fruition of all the ways the Class of 2024 embodies our Portrait of a Graduate.

Like today's eclipse, academic transitions come with anticipation, disruption, joy, and, perhaps, disquietude. "I cannot believe we are actually here," I hear each year at these transitional events, which I interpret as parents' expression of a strange emotional cocktail of simultaneous gratitude and grief because change seems to signal both progress and irreversibility.

Puritan theologian John Owen observed in The Glory of Christ, "When the sun is under a total eclipse, it loses nothing of its native beauty, light, and glory." Transitions are meant to be felt, observed, and celebrated, yet, as Hebrews 13:8 reminds us, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." And, as I remind our Stonehaven alumni, "You are always a Knight."

The Gala this past Friday evening was a beautiful reminder of the ethos of our school community. The words that come to mind include vibrant, grateful, and joyful. In this special year at Stonehaven we strive to commemorate and celebrate twenty years of Glorifying God by cultivating truth, goodness, and beauty in our children. It truly was a beautiful evening.

I reminded our community on Friday of God's call on our lives to take on heavy responsibilities. As Jordan Peterson would say, "pick up the heaviest thing you can and carry it." Imagine a group of young men who have been asked to transfer a pile of rocks from one location to another. The first boy, also the oldest and strongest boy in the bunch, approaches the pile and looks for the lightest rock in the pile. After a few minutes he picks up a relatively small rock with ease and slowly walks on his way. "Hey Bruno, is that really the best you can do?!"

We shared with our community the "heaviest thing" on our list and our excitement to carry this awesome burden for the coming years. With the significant growth in our school's enrollment, we are launching Phase I of the Crescendo Capital Campaign. We are asking our school community to join together in raising $7.4 million for this effort. This is the biggest project to date and we need everyone's help. We begin this campaign with trust and faith that the Lord will provide for every need of our school. We will be reaching out to all in our community in the coming months with opportunities to learn more about how you can support the project.

I imagine that many might question the value of reading books written 2,000 years ago. How can reading the thoughts of an ancient Greek philosopher be of practical value today? A few years ago, as I was reading Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics I remember being startled by the immense practicality of the book.

One of the more memorable admonishments was when he argued that, "slowness of movement seems to be the mark of a great-souled man... for he who is serious about few things is not given to hastiness." Some translations will word "slowness of movement" more specifically as "slow step." As a young teacher, I developed a bad habit of walking quickly. I justified the hastiness by my commitment to getting things done... "I've got things to do and no time to waste!" If I walk quickly, I can do twice as much as the average schmo. Aristotle would not have agreed and I had to reconcile my quickness of movement with his wisdom.

We read the Great Books at Stonehaven because they compel us to participate in the Great Conversation: A conversation where we ask and answer the most important questions of human existence. Our children are forced to read, consider, and wrestle with the great ideas of history. Aristotle's discussion of a "great-souled man" is seeking to define the characteristics and routines of a person worthy of great things. Even though Aristotle lived in a very different world than we do today, the truth of his words is as true today as it was 2,000 years ago.

One of the great mathematicians of the early 20th century G.H. Hardy once remarked, "I have never done anything 'useful'. No discovery of mine has made, or is likely to make, directly or indirectly, for good or ill, the least difference to the amenity of the world." Mathematicians dedicated to 'pure' mathematics will often take pride in the 'uselessness' of their mathematical studies. Ironically, many of the supposedly 'useless' mathematical endeavors have ultimately contributed to very useful applications. A committed pacifist, Hardy fortunately did not live long enough to see that his 'useless' work with prime numbers would be used by the Pentagon to develop the military's most secure codes.

Hardy's boast above begs the question. What is the best form of education; one focused on utility or one focused on the pursuit of truth? As Hardy would have learned, God has designed the world in such a way that the pursuit of truth often uncovers some of the most useful ideas. In other words, beauty is surprisingly useful. In Les Miserables, Victor Hugo puts it this way, "The beautiful is as useful as the useful... Perhaps more so."

I often caution our community to focus on the utilitarian ends of education. This feels like the ditch we are in at this current cultural moment. This focus should not be misinterpreted as an aversion to an education that is 'useful'.

What should be the primary target of our academic program? A Stonehaven education will be very useful. However, we should be careful to make this the primary target of our school. The Greek mathematician Euclid was once asked by a student, "But what do I gain from this?" Euclid turned to his assistant and said, "Give the boy a penny for he thinks he must gain from everything he learns." Our children will understandably ask their teacher; "When will I need to use this?", "How is it useful to memorize digits of Pi?", "How is singing four-part harmony preparing me for college and work?" If these questions drive our academic program, we will certainly question the value of memorization, cursive, history timelines, singing, chapel, art, geography, obscure mathematical equations, the transcendental number Pi, and any other academic concept that doesn't have a straight line to a successful career path.

A Stonehaven education cultivates truth, goodness, and beauty in our children first and foremost. Find the true, do the good, and love the beautiful. And don't be surprised when you find these things incredibly useful.

We've all been there: that awkward moment when you've asked a child to pray, perhaps at a family gathering or a church event, and there's a long, uncomfortable pause. "Dear God," she finally begins, voice quivering, "help us... to have... a good day. Amen." Now, of course we believe that God hears such prayers from children who belong to Him (cf. Matt 19:14), and yet it doesn't take a theologian to see that there is what we as educators would call a "growth opportunity."

At Stonehaven, we recognize that children need training in how to pray. Indeed, Christ's disciples recognized that they needed training in prayer, despite having been steeped in the traditions of Judaism: "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples" (Luke 11:1). Jesus, far from rejecting this as a silly question or simply telling them to pray according to whatever came into their own minds, instead taught them by giving them the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:2-4).

We too have a responsibility to teach our children to pray. But how? At Stonehaven, we believe that having students memorize some of the best written prayers of our Christian heritage can provide an important "school for prayer." To clarify up front: this is not to suggest that praying memorized prayers is the only, or even the best, way to pray in all circumstances. Different Christian traditions, for example, place different emphases on the role of memorized prayers in corporate worship or private devotion.

Why, then, should we have students memorize prayers?

There are many reasons, but at a foundational level we have students memorize prayers for the same reason that we have them memorize Scripture (after all, the best prayers are those that weave together various pieces of Scripture), not to mention classical hymnody, poetry, or anything else worth committing to memory. As a classical school, we believe that memorization is important because it allows particular words, phrases, and even syntactical patterns to soak into our souls, beginning a process of rumination and regurgitation by which these things become part of our own habits of speech and, indeed, our very lives.

Prayer memorization has at least three other significant benefits. First, it provides an opportunity for training in theology. Good prayers aren't simply a laundry list of requests we set before God; no, prayers worth memorizing actually teach us something about God, our world, and ourselves. This gets at a second benefit of prayer memorization, which is that it can broaden our categories for prayer. The default for most children (and, alas, many adults) is prayer for one's own needs or perhaps the health needs of loved ones; as important as these are, there are, in fact, quite a few other very important things that the Bible commands us to pray about (see, for example, 1 Tim 2:1-2). Third, when we pray traditional, time-tested prayers, we discover that we are actually praying along with the whole communion of saints across time and space who have said these very same words. Our common prayers allow us to participate with the worship of the larger Body of Christ.

How, then, can teachers or parents go about the process of finding prayers for our students to memorize? For its sheer poetry, the Book of Common Prayer is unmatched for its collection of beautiful prayers from Christian history, most of which should be broadly acceptable to Christians from all backgrounds. Within the Reformed tradition, the Puritan collection of prayers found in the book The Valley of Vision might prove particularly inspiring. Many such prayers have been collected in our "Stonehaven Book of Prayer & Praise" for use in chapel and at home. In this way, we can begin the process of inviting our children into "schools for prayer."

Let us, then, go forth and raise up a generation of young men and women who can pray boldly, their words rich in goodness, truth, and beauty!

Note: This post is adapted from an article Dr. Hughes wrote for the Beza Institute for Reformed Classical Education. Check out the full article here.

It's hard to believe that in less than three months, our school will be graduating its first senior class. What an exciting time for our students and for our school. As we approach this milestone, I encourage all of our families to review Stonehaven's Portrait of a Graduate - a statement that reflects our constant prayer for all of our students. It's been a privilege to see how our seniors have grown into this vision over the past four years. Seeds planted in the grammar and logic phases are bearing fruit as they consider their next steps, set an example in our school, and work hard to "finish strong" as they dive into their Senior Capstone projects. In these projects, students have chosen important questions to engage with through the lens of Scripture. In topics ranging from the death penalty to NIL deals in college football, these seniors are examining difficult questions that require them to "listen carefully, reason soundly, speak precisely, and articulate persuasively." To develop these habits of mind is to do something increasingly counter-cultural and will certainly serve them well as they move on to new opportunities. As they prepare to present their research in the coming months, our prayer is that the Lord would use the experience to further equip them to serve as witnesses to the goodness of our God by leading with gratitude, humility, and grace. Be on the lookout for more details about the Senior Symposium and Exhibitio in the Knightly News soon!

God's people are called to a life of feasting (Leviticus 23:40) and fasting (Matthew 6:16-18). Although I have a passion for the former, I have struggled to gain a similar appreciation for and devotion to the latter. Let's call it a growth opportunity. Many Christian traditions recognize the season of Lent as a time to commit ourselves to the spiritual discipline of fasting. This is to remember the forty days Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan (Matthew 4:1-11). Tomorrow, we will be forty days from Easter. From Moses to the apostle Paul, the Scriptures describe fasting as an important practice increasing our dependence upon God and helping us draw near to Him (Exodus 34:28, Matthew 9:15, Acts 9:9).

Are we giving our children an example of fasting that they can emulate? As a child, my church did not expose me to a robust theology and vision for fasting. Unfortunately, our culture is surely not going to help in this regard. Imagine Apple running a commercial during the Super Bowl encouraging Iphone users to take a phone break or Bud Light running a campaign asking their consumers to abstain for forty days. Such training will have to come from their church, family, and school.

What can fasting teach us? When done right, it will cultivate a yearning for God's kingdom. Pastor John Piper says, "We are putting our stomach where our heart is to give added intensity and expressiveness to our ache for Jesus." If we want to see ourselves and our children ache for Jesus, let us commit ourselves to the practice of fasting.

Lurking in the shadows of Taylor Swift and the 2024 presidential election is an approaching scientific event of epic proportions. This event last occurred in the year 1803; rarer than the much-celebrated solar eclipse of 2017. Arguably more fascinating than a certain relationship between a popular musician and her football player boyfriend. For those late to the party, two broods of cicadas, the Great Southern Brood and the Northern Illinois Brood, will both emerge at the same time this spring. NBC reporter Denise Chow proclaims, "It's official: 2024 belongs to the cicadas." In a CNN article, science writer Kate Golembiewski speaks of this event as a "cicadapocalypse" where a "month-and-a-half period will be jam packed with loud singing, mating and then dying like 'the most macabre Mardi Gras that you've ever seen.'" Although portions of northern Georgia will see and hear the assault of the Great Southern Brood, we won't be visited by the Northern Illinois Brood.

This scientific anomaly certainly provides an impressive amount of "fodder" for study in a biology class. One scientific study states the 13- and 17- year periodical cicadas are among the "most studied" insects in ecology. What I find particularly fascinating though, is the surprising opportunities for integration as we look at this rare confluence of cicada broods. Math, history, Bible, literature, art, music, and even culinary arts teachers could all find interesting ways to integrate their subject with the coming "cicadapocalypse."

In pre-algebra, students are expected to learn how to find what is called a least common multiple; the smallest number that two or more numbers can divide into evenly. In April, might I suggest that math teachers ask their students to find the least common multiple of 13 and 17? These two numbers are the periodical cycles of these two broods. The result to this elementary math problem would tell the student how often these two broods will emerge in the same year; once every 221 years. In addition, some researchers believe that the 13- and 17- year periods are prime numbers for a very strategic reason; it makes them "less likely to be killed by predators that have 2- or 3- year life cycles."

Additional opportunities for cicada integration include:

• In literature, one can find references to cicadas in Homer's Iliad, in Aristotle's History of Animals and Pliny's Natural History.
• In fashion, remains of cicadas are used as hair or clothing accessories.
• In culinary arts, many cultures around the world will place Cicadas in some for or another on their dinner plates.
• In Bible, you would turn to any portion of Scripture that includes the word locust.

Karen Glass, the author of Consider This, says, "Synthetic thinking can be understood as an approach to knowledge that places things together, comprehending the relationship of new knowledge to old knowledge, one discipline to another, and man to all things." I remember when I was middle and high school going from class to class, subject to subject, and wondering, "What is the purpose of all this?" My education seemed so fragmented and unrelated. A word that describes well my education was 'disintegrated.' Each class was its own little silo and the teachers certainly weren't having meaningful discussion about the integration of knowledge.

Classical Christian education is seeking to bring things together rather than divide them apart. Charlotte Mason said that, "Our nature craves after unity." Our children have an innate desire to see how things relate and connect to each other. Learning that prime numbers might have a connection to the emergence cycle of cicadas is fascinating. They are delighted and inspired when their teacher makes important connections between history and science, literature and religion, and music and mathematics. Glass continues saying, "This understanding, of a single source of all knowledge, and further, of the interconnectedness and wholeness of knowledge, is one of the hallmarks of classical education as it was developed and formalized during the medieval and Renaissance eras." All of creation comes from the mind and hands of God. Therefore, we should not be surprised when we uncover the interconnectedness and wholeness of his world.

Last month, Jannik Sinner, an Italian 22-year-old former ski champ turned tennis pro won his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open. Tennis fans will know him for his powerful forehand and his adoring fan club, who dress up as carrots (a nod to Sinner's red hair). More interestingly, though, is how he is widely known for his genuine and consistent humble demeanor on and off the court. Our goal at Stonehaven is that our students, too, will be known for their humility, as well as gratitude, respect, and responsibility. We are committed to cultivating these virtues not just during the school day but also in our athletic program. This is learned through simple acts like thanking the coach after every practice, high-fiving opponents after a win or loss, humbly accepting a bad call from a referee, and leaving a court/field/track "better than they found it".

End-of-season celebrations probably best sum up how our athletic program seeks to carry out this goal of complementing the school's mission and vision of glorifying God through truth, goodness, and beauty. They are always a fun time of gathering together as a team over a meal, and the highlight of the events is when our coaches recognize each student with an award that describes how he or she has grown athletically and spiritually/in godly character that season. Students may get recognized for being the fastest runner or the most improved, but perhaps more significantly, they are celebrated for displaying character such as perseverance, courage, or kindness, throughout the season. In doing so, we are reminded of the goal of our athletic program: to further instill Christian virtue into the moral fiber of our children, with the deep understanding that athletics provides a unique and awesome opportunity to put this into practice. In so doing, our prayer is that our children are building not just their physical, but also their spiritual, muscles to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:1).

What time is it? The importance of such a simple question should not be underestimated. Jesus, after all, castigated his opponents for failing to rightly "interpret the signs of the times" (Matt 16:3), which led them to miss the coming of the Messiah. Much better, then, for us to be like the men of the tribe of Issachar, who rallied to David because they "had understanding of the times" (1 Chr 12:32). How we as Christians read the present cultural moment greatly impacts how we approach the task of educating our children.

In seeking to discern the signs of our times, Aaron Renn's "Three Worlds of Evangelicalism" is a very helpful way of analyzing how Christians have engaged and been received in the public square as the process of secularization has proceeded in America. Most notably, Renn identifies a shift that took place around 2014 from what he calls the "Neutral World" to what he terms the "Negative World." Whereas the former was characterized by a lingering receptivity to Christian beliefs and morality, the remnants of a "Positive World" that saw Christian morality as normative for society and linked Christian faith with good citizenship, the latter is strikingly hostile to traditional Christianity, imposing a genuine cost, social and otherwise, to those who would seek to follow Christ.

How, then, does this impact how we think about Christian education?

In the "Neutral World," we saw the growth of Christian college-preparatory schools, which aimed to prepare graduates to engage culture on its own terms, including on the most elite secular college campuses and in the most prestigious professions. Their aspiration is often captured in mission statements regarding graduating students who will "transform their world for Christ" or something of that nature.

In the "Neutral World" it may have been possible to find missional success through a strategy of downplaying controversial issues and seeking to find common ground with culture at large. Even then, however, this strategy may have been less successful than its advocates claimed; those Christians who rose to positions of power and influence often found themselves more transformed by the institutions in which they served than vice versa. In any event, in the "Negative World" it appears far less likely that simply having a "winsome" Christian witness will win over society, much less be able to resist those de-formative pressures increasingly brought to bear upon young people today.

And therein lies the rub for the Christian college-preparatory school model: to the extent that its telos is bound up in prestigious college admissions and career success, it is vulnerable to the pressures of society more broadly and college admissions offices more specifically. The pressure in the "Negative World" will always be to compromise away from traditional Christian orthodoxy, to chip away at the school's mission in order to allow for graduates to still achieve worldly "success." Unfortunately, it is all too common to see a Christian vocabulary applied to the various aspects of a school's work without any actual transformation of what the school is doing or how it is operating. While this tension may have been present in the college-preparatory model from the beginning, the shift to the "Negative World" will only further destabilize this approach to Christian education as it imposes ever greater costs in pursuit of its stated aim.

There is, thankfully, another option available to Christian parents. In this "Negative World," classical Christian education provides a durable alternative to the model of Christian college-preparatory schooling. As many ACCS schools have demonstrated, it is possible to avoid the de-formative pressures of the college-preparatory model without slipping into a fundamentalist, anti-intellectual, world-denying posture. The telos of cultivating goodness, truth, and beauty by preserving and transmitting the Great Tradition that is our common heritage anchors schools like Stonehaven amidst the tides of liquid modernity. It will, we hope, be graduates of schools like ours that will be best poised to rebuild our colleges, workplaces, and communities when our national collective fever breaks and the work of rebuilding begins anew.

Undoubtedly, there are many Christian college-preparatory schools staffed with teachers and administrators of true conviction who are doing their best to form their students for Christ. How much more, though, should we in the classical Christian education movement lead the way in creating the kinds of Christian schools that will not only survive but thrive in the "Negative World" and whatever else may lie ahead. Let us, then, be prepared to stand, contra mundum, for the sake of Christ our King.

Note: This post is adapted from an article Dr. Hughes wrote for the ACCS magazine Classis: Kyle R. Hughes, "Christian Education in the Negative World," Classis 30.3 (2023): 9-11.

One of the most common questions surrounding the classical Christian movement is, "What about STEM?" This is a question that our leadership has given deep consideration. When designing our science curriculum, we must ask, "Are we preparing our students well for future careers in engineering and technology?" And more generally, "Are we preparing our students to contribute in a meaningful way to a world that is driven largely by innovation and emerging technologies?" I would answer both of these questions with a resounding, "Yes!" Beginning with our youngest students, we want to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity about our world and our Creator. Introducing Nature Studies in the early grammar years trains students to attend to God's natural world through careful observation. Contemplative observation leads to questions; seeking answers to those questions leads to discovery, and discovery leads to wonder. Cultivating wonder for God's creation and God, Himself, is the driving purpose behind science education at Stonehaven. Additionally, a rigorous Upper School science curriculum combined with logic and advanced rhetoric classes that teach students how to think critically and form sound arguments lay a foundation that will aid students in whatever vocation they pursue. In other words, we believe that teaching students how to think and giving them the tools to be lifelong learners (rather than teaching students specific skills that will be outdated in the next few years) will prepare students to have a long-term impact in STEM careers.

To learn more about this subject, check out the January 11th episode of BaseCamp Live, Classical Science as an Alternative to STEM with Jim Dolas (link below).

Navigating race conversations with our children can be challenging. Unfortunately, five-year olds don't give us a heads up before asking, "Hey daddy, why is Adam's skin color darker/lighter than mine?" It is inevitable that our children will recognize such distinctions. Parents are confronted with an internal debate: Do we talk about race or do we not talk about race?

The idea of color-blindness has come under attack in our current culture. At times, for good reason. Some people proudly claim, "I don't see color" or "I act like race doesn't exist." Such statements are neither true nor helpful. It is possible that some parents hope to nurture children that "don't see color" by simply avoiding the conversation altogether. At an age appropriate time, parents should not shy away from having conversations about race with their children.

However, there is a healthy notion of color-blindness that is consistent with the message of Scripture. The apostle Paul says, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). Paul is not arguing that these distinctions do not exist but rather that they do not affect a person's status or access to God. The color-blindness we should pursue is not one that ignores race but rather one that strives to treat people without regard to race, in our public policy and private lives. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used similar color-blind language in his I Have a Dream speech saying, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character... we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last."

This weekend, my son asked me, "What does Charlotte Mason believe about education?" My response could've gone a lot of directions. For simplicity, I decided the best way to answer this question was to reference another person he was familiar with, "Son, imagine if Beatrix Potter was a teacher and started a school, what do you think it would look like?"

Over the weekend, an impressive group of Stonehaveners followed our Nature Studies aficionado Mrs. Harvey in an exploration of the Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature exhibit at the High Museum. The exhibit is a beautiful display of "Beatrix's creative pursuits across illustration, scientific observation, narrative building, and preservation. Discover the boundless creativity, imagination, and curiosity of the woman behind the famous tales." This was a timely reminder for me of our school's love of nature and our desire to create time and space in our schedule for children to stand still before God's creation.

Charlotte Mason believes that, "Children are born naturalists... every child has a natural interest in the living things about him which it is the business of his parents to encourage." As a school partnering with parents, we must take on this responsibility as well. We are to design an academic program that excites our children to appreciate "the marvels of plant and animal life." As we begin a new year, I am excited to recommit our school to this vision and consider the imaginative programs and spaces that we can create to help instill a wonder and awe of God's creation in our children.

When the wheels get a little wobbly with our children's routines and behaviors in the Edwards household, my wife will often proclaim a return to "Boot Camp week!" This generally means that we put a heavy focus on cleaning, organizing, and any other routines that don't naturally find themselves at the top of our children's to-do lists. Video games, nerf guns, and Legos are put away as we reteach our children the routines we desire to see in our home.

At Stonehaven, we will see a similar return to "Boot Camp" this week as our children return from their Christmas holiday. Before we open up our math books and play soccer on the playground, teachers and staff will retrain their students on the important procedures that form the daily aroma of our school culture. How to walk through our hallways, how to clean up after lunch, how to submit a homework assignment, and how we quickly line up at the end of recess. We know at Stonehaven that when our students aren't following a particular routine, it is more often the result of a lack of training than a lack of knowledge.

In our school's Foundational Commitments, we state that "true education recognizes that hearts and minds are shaped not by ideas and knowledge only but also by practices, habits, routines, and liturgies." New Year's is a perfect opportunity to press the reset button on the habits in our home and the habits in our school. When parents and school can do this at the same time, it can have a powerful impact.