Barney Charter School Initiative Opens Three New Schools in Fall 2020
Three classical charter schools supported by Hillsdale College welcome their first students this fall
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Three new classical charter schools supported by Hillsdale College through the Barney Charter School Initiative will begin classes this fall.
A fourth school will join BCSI as an affiliate and receive access to curricular assistance, teacher training opportunities, and educational best practices.
“We are delighted to welcome these new schools into the BCSI network,” said Dr. Kathleen O’Toole, assistant provost for K-12 Education at Hillsdale College. “More and more American families are discovering the beauty of classical education, and the expanding list of Hillsdale-affiliated schools will help provide this high-quality, proven model to the students who need it.”
New schools receiving curriculum and ongoing support include Ascent Classical Academy Northern Colorado in Fort Collins, Colorado; Jacksonville Classical Academy in Jacksonville, Florida; and Tallahassee Classical School in Tallahassee, Florida. Orange County Classical Academy in Orange, California, will use curriculum provided by the College.
These schools, publicly funded and tuition free, are among many charters aiming to meet the growing desire for classical education. The addition of these schools into the BCSI network brings the number of supported schools to 24. BCSI reaches many other schools and teachers across the country through online resources and annual trainings on the campus of Hillsdale College.
“When looking for a classical education for my kids, I found no options in my area,” said Adrienne Campbell, principal and co-founder of Tallahassee Classical School. “The founders and I decided to build one ourselves, and BCSI helped us at each step along the way.”
Tallahassee Classical School joined the BCSI network in 2017 and will open this fall serving more than 500 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. More than 100 additional students are on a waitlist to join.
Another Florida BCSI school will open its doors for the first time this fall, servicing more than 350 students across grades K-6 with hundreds more still in the process of applying.
“It has been a tremendous experience working with Hillsdale College and the BCSI team to make this school a reality,” said Dr. David Withun, head of school at Jacksonville Classical Academy. “We have a beautiful
new building and we’re filling it with talented teachers and lots of excited kids. The fact that all of this is for the purpose of classical education is really a beautiful thing to see.”
Ascent Classical Academy Northern Colorado will begin K-5 classes this fall with more than 230 students already enrolled.
“The community of Northern Colorado is impressed by what it sees in successful classical schools like our sister school, Golden View Classical Academy,” said Trent Kramer, Ascent headmaster. “We believe that this is the best form of education for every child, and we are grateful that we can provide another option for these families. We are thankful for the help and support we receive from the Barney Charter School Initiative and consider it an honor to be a part of its network.”
American classical education uniquely emphasizes human virtue and moral character, responsible citizenship, content-rich curricula, and teacher-led classrooms. Classical educators focus on cultivating moral and intellectual virtue, so that each student becomes capable of self-government and is therefore able to live a happy life.
For more information about BCSI or classical education, visit hillsdale.edu/educational-outreach/barney-charter-school-initiative.