NUNTIUM
Gravitas et Gaudium: My Thoughts on the Memoria Press Winter Conference
To begin the Third Trimester, our staff had the opportunity for professional development through the annual Winter Conference we host with Memoria Press. We sat under the tutelage of three classical educators discussing GravitasetGaudens: The Convergence of Gravity and Joy It is important to me that we embody for our students this tension between seriousness and joy in our classrooms and in our own lives
Below are some of the notes I took throughout the weekend My prayer is that you will see these lessons passed on to your students as they find gravitas and joy in their education at Providence and beyond!
Gravitydefinition–Aseriousnessandimportanceofmanner
John Wooden, UCLA basketball coach, taught his team every year how to put on their socks and tie their shoes Why? Details matter Small habits lead to big success He was not big (5’10”), but had a presence, a seriousness about him He led his team to win 10 NCAA championships
Teachers must have a gravity intellectually, morally and spiritually. Students must see that we’re curious, reading, studying, praying, growing.
In a culture that is pleasure-driven and shallow, teachers must fight for structure, order and purpose in their classrooms Time on task Like basketball practice Not severe and grim, but you have to do the reps
It takes time to create excellence There are no shortcuts
Joydefinition–Passionasaresultorexpectationofgood;satisfaction;fulfillment
Our culture is more anxious due to the breakdown of norms, values, as well as sleep and exercise
We cannot pursue joy like we can pleasure Joy is the result/byproduct of the pursuit of the good, true and beautiful. It just happens!
Joy can be felt in the short term when we get lost in the moment and after long periods of time when we are unhappy and things are difficult
After experiencing joy, we want it more!
Achieving a goal doesn’t actually bring joy Pursuing and making progress towards a goal brings joy
Our classrooms should get lost in the moments of learning, as well as pursuing long term goals with the expectation of joy after the hard work
Convergencedefinition–Thebalanceofgravityandjoy
This balance must first converge in the teacher.
Too much gravity, and we miss the telos, the why. It hardens the students’ hearts toward wonder and learning
We will collapse with only facts and no fancy
Too much fancy produces a childish self-absorption that stunts growth
Wooden’s winning came after practice Joy happens after pursuit of the good, and education happens after pedagogy You cannot plan for when it (education and joy) happens, but without planning it cannot happen
It was for future joy that Christ endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2).
Our obedience to Jesus leads to joy (John 15:11).
Sacrifice leads to true life (Matthew 16:25)
The pains and sacrifice of education ultimately lead to joy It humanizes us, humbles us and gives us hope
From the Head of School
IN THIS
HEAD OF SCHOOL
WINTER CONFERENCE RECAP
CLASSICAL EDUCATION
BALANCING THE SERIOUSNESS AND ENJOYMENT OF KINDERGARTEN IN THE CLASSICAL CLASSROOM
SIMPLY PROVIDENCE
THE 100 DAY OF SCHOOL TH
SPOTLIGHT
SPORTS
CHAMPIONS IN THE THIRD SEASON
SCHOOL LIFE
ALUMNI: RECENT GRADUATE SERVES THROUGH HOSPICE THE CHRONICLES OF VIRTUE TALENT SHOW
CEBRA’S CORNER
UPCOMING EVENTS
Balancing the Seriousness and Enjoyment of Kindergarten in the Classical Classroom
Snow White and the forest animals were doing the hard work of cleaning up after the seven dwarfs and they knew from experience that when the hard work was complete, they would feel accomplished They looked back on their work and took pride in it And this healthy pride turned into joy they were whistling while they worked!
Mrs JenniferCrotts KindergartenTeacher
In February, I attended the Memoria Press winter conference It was entitled “Gravitas et Gaudium, ” which translated from Latin to English means “Seriousness and Joy” It was a well-rounded and beneficial experience, especially as a kindergarten teacher at Providence Classical School The classical kindergarten classroom is a place where an effective teacher must master navigating the intersection of seriousness and joy
Classical Christian education aims to train a child’s character and desires to be able to identify the Good, True, and Beautiful in the world around them through a careful study of the liberal arts. As a student moves through the classical curriculum, the hope and prayer is that he or she will emerge a virtuous young adult, knowing how to think and what to do in any situation they find themselves Hopefully, if they take full advantage of their classical Christian education, this wisdom will guide them to make good and virtuous decisions, communicate effectively, and defend their faith At Providence Classical School, this training begins in kindergarten and is the reason we take academics seriously, even in the lower grades Kindergarten is a foundation that simply cannot be ignored
In the classic movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the popular song titled, “Whistle While You Work” by Frank Churchill, is a great example of finding joy in the work that you do That is what we aim to do at Providence We want to build intrinsic motivation and intentionally avoid things that oftentimes seem easier and involve extrinsic motivation and rewards
You may observe a classroom of hard-working, primary grade students and wonder, “Is there joy?” Yes! I see it on their faces and in their voices every day! They enjoy asking questions, and they like to know the answers. They like to help their friends. After they have worked on something challenging and succeeded, they take pride in their accomplishments, and that brings true joy. These truths, while often unseen, are not fleeting and cannot easily be taken away or lost These truths are the joy of their education
Classical teachers should be holding their students to high expectations but not so high that they are out of reach developmentally While Snow White and the forest animals sing, Snow White is gently teaching and correcting the forest animals in the art of cleaning house Expectations in kindergarten include academic benchmarks, as well as manners and character While they're working, we're training them to look an adult in the eye, smile, stand tall, sit still, say "Yes Ma'am," raise a hand to speak, use proper pencil grip, pay attention to details by forming letters and numbers in a specific way, and so much more What you learn first, you learn best, and these foundational expectations bear fruit in future grades
An effective kindergarten teacher, one who understands the importance of balancing hard work and cultivating true joy from within, will begin to see the joy in her students turn to a natural desire and taste for the Good, the True, and the Beautiful And it is for this that we were created!
“Primary teachers are instilling into the students the most fundamental intellectual skills, and planting the initial seeds of truth, goodness, and beauty Those seeds are watered and those intellectual skills are systematically built up and rigorously trained in what can feel like suffering Then, one day, you walk into the Upper School classroom of those same students that you had when they couldn’t hold a pencil and they are contemplating Dante’s depiction of the soul’s journeytoGod–completelylostinthemoment ” - Hunter Burnett, Memoria Press
Simply Providence Celebrates 100th Day of School
Simply Providence lives on mission to help students with learning differences flourish in the peace and knowledge of Jesus Christ using a classical Christian curriculum to do so As is true of any joyful flourishing, the journey takes time and traverses through both valleys andpeaks.
On March 2nd, they celebrated with gaudium 100 days of school! Outside, students took one hundredvictoriousstepstogether,countingalongtheway Inart,theymeticulouslypasted one hundred colorful buttons on paper, transforming them into a festive collage of balloons
To the teachers, each button symbolized a piece to the learning puzzle, each layer of learning necessary and each repetition purposeful Their one-hundred button balloon bouquetrepresentswhatcanhappenwhenweasteachersandstudentsalikecommittothis unique educational journey in faith: we can soar to new heights as is promised in Isaiah 40:31. “…they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wingslikeeagles;theyshallrunandnotbeweary;theyshallwalkandnotfaint ”
Keeling Bacot creates a button collage to commemorate the 100 day of school at Simply Providence th
SPOTLIGHTAlumni
MeganOwens,ProvidenceAlumni
RecentGraduateServesThroughHospice
Recent Providence Classical School graduate Megan Owens is well on her way to achieving her goals A 2023 graduateofProvidence,shehasalreadycompletedanassociate’sdegreeingeneralmanagementatYorkTechnical College Meganworksfull-timeatHospice,butherplansincludefurtheringhereducationasshebuildsacareerin healthcare “Mycareergoalistocontinueinhealthcaremanagementandadministration,specificallyatHospice,” Megan shares She is making preparations to transition to Lander University to pursue a bachelor’s degree followedbyamaster’sdegreeinhealthcareadministration
Megan completed her last five years of school at Providence Classical School She was a student athlete, playing volleyball for four years. She credits Providence for sharpening her critical thinking skills through time spent in the classroom Perhaps one of the greatest gifts she attributes to her Providence education is an opportunity to developthecouragetoacceptachallengeandfindsolutions
Megan is pouring into the seventh-grade girls at her church as a youth leader, and she enjoys being actively involved in worship and Bible study As she continues to pursue God’s plan for her life, we celebrate Megan’s faithfulexampletotheProvidencegraduateswhocomebehindher.
Champions in the Third Season
Providence Classical School placed a new trophy on the shelf this year, earned by the Middle School Girls Basketball Team This program experienced a two-win season their inaugural year, and three years later, Coach Joanna Britz has built a program of champions. “That is truly an unbelievable accomplishment; I am so proud to be part of the legacy these girls have created,” shared Coach Britz.
Student athletes Emmy and Laney Britz earned First Team All-State honors. Coach Britz also gives kudos to each player, pointing out that the team played a game where each teammate scored points The team not only has athletic abilities, but they also have a high basketball IQ thanks to hard work during practice. Coach Britz prepared the team to transition through four different styles of defense over the course of a single game. “That requires a lot of concentration and basketball intelligence, and the girls handled that challenge very well,” reflected Coach Britz.
Athletics can always serve a higher purpose, and Coach Britz emphasized personal development to her team this season.“The girls probably got tired of hearing me say this, but champions always rise,” shared Coach Britz “They rise in the face of adversity and battle through all the challenges that come their way. In every game we played, the girls worked as a unit to overcome the challenges.”
The Many Virtues of Providence on Display
Anticipation hung in the air Friday evening, March 21, as Providence Classical School students, parents, and supporters gathered at Forest Hill Church in Fort Mill for the annual Chronicles of Virtue Talent Show The foyer was filled with happy noise as people perused silent auction tables, consideringprizestosuiteveryinterest,fromchildren’sbookstoweekendexperiences Thevarietyofprizeswasadelighttotheeyeaswellasthe heart,knowingitemswerelovinglydonatedbysupporterswhoofferedbothcommercialaswellashomegrowntreasures
Avarietyofhighlightscontributedtothejoyoftheevening Peoplemarveledatthe beyond-impressive artwork lining foyer walls, highlighting classic books that Providence students enjoy each year Parents flocked to the raffle table to buy ticketstosupportMrs Wyatt,abelovedteacherundergoingcancertreatments
Butthetalentshowitself-well,itwasundeniablythehighlightofthenight Wellpreparedstudentstookthestagetoperformsolos,playinstruments,anddance Students dazzled the audience with student-sewn costumes, videos, sign language,andcomedyacts Studentperformancesdisplayedschoolspirit,andthe roarofcrowdsupportattheconclusionofeachactwasfilledwithastrongsenseof community,helpingmakeProvidenceClassicalSchoolaspecialplacetoreceivean education
Thetalentshowwasalsoasuccessfulfundraiser.Weofferhumblethankstoevery individualwhomadeadonationtoandshoppedtheSilentAuctionandgavetothe Text-to-Givecampaign AveryspecialthanksforsizablesupportgoestoPalmetto FamilyPharmacy,DiamondFloorCovering,andtotheanonymousdonorwho gave“inhonorofourteachers.”Wearegratefulforyourcontinuedpartnership andsupportofProvidenceClassicalSchool!
Chronicles of Virtue Talent Show
Who’s on First? Mark Bohrer (6th) and Andrew Thomas (6th)
What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction, Abbie Grace Sutton (5th)
Evolution of Dance, JD Kiehn (10 ) and Elizabeth Rahalewicz (11th)
th Fashion Show, Sutton Wade (K) and Mackenzie Moss (Rising K)
Fifty Nifty
States, Providence Class of 2036 (First Grade)
House Service: Upper School Students Serve as the Hands and Feet of Christ
Every year, the Houses of Edwards, Augustine, and Mueller are required to do a minimum of two service projects All three houses have been busy this spring, fulfilling this rewarding challenge Senior Adah Lambert, Head of House for Mueller, explains how the service projects tie into the house system, stating, “The purpose of the house system is to seek the true, good, and beautiful A practical way to do this as house members is to plan times of service that give back to our community ”
Senior Elizabeth Kiehn, Head of House for Augustine, led her House to serve at a branch of Lifehouse called Pathways, an overflow shelter for battered women needing an immediate place to stay. The facility has thirty beds and offers bathroom and laundry facilities. Augustine volunteers met on a Monday and worked for two hours, splitting into groups to clean the beds, dust and vacuum, pick up trash, clean bathrooms, and organize a storage supply closet. At the conclusion, they prayed for volunteers and employees, and for the women housed at Pathways to hear the Gospel.
“It was really encouraging to see everyone working hard,” shared Elizabeth. “No one complained, and people were finding things to do without being asked.”
Senior Jacob Wood and Junior Elizabeth Rahalewicz volunteered to clean the bathrooms at Pathways. “I did it because I wanted to use
the Scrub Daddies,” joked Jacob “But seriously, I knew it was a job not a lot of people would volunteer to do,so I just did it ”
“I didn’t want the women’s ‘safe space’ to be dirty We were able to bring glory to God because we did it in the right spirit without complaining,”added Elizabeth
Junior Grace Powers has an interest in serving the homeless, so she was thrilled to learn that House of Augustine was serving at Pathways. “I’m a big advocate for helping people who can’t help themselves.We have a need in Rock Hill and I see it everywhere.”
Senior Maya Losee, Minister of War for the House of Mueller, enjoyed serving with her house members at Just Joy, a ministry at First ARP of Rock Hill for adults with special needs. “We sang children’s songs with them, encouraged them, and shared a Bible study I enjoyed it because it was such a wholesome environment It also really encouraged me that no matter what physical challenges we have,we can always rejoice in the Lord ”
The House of Edwards went to Westminster Towers and played a game with the residents Secretary Harper White shared, “It was really fun to watch the residents getting excited when they won candy, and they were also impressed with our Latin when we sang ‘DonaNobisPacem ’”
Debate Club: Putting Rhetoric into Practice
Board Member and Debate Club Coach Keith Roberson knows a thing or two about the power of persuasive words grounded in truth As a lawyer, he has mastered the art of debate, and as a Providence Classical School coach, he is passing along his experience and wisdom “Debate is the culmination of classical education,” explains Mr. Roberson. “Grammar enables students to draft strong arguments and improvise questions and rebuttals Logic allows them to discern valid arguments from fallacies Rhetoric enables them to make persuasive arguments and identify sophistry. The earlier and more often students can debate, the better they will be able to apply their classicaleducationinallthattheydoinlife ”
The Debate Club typically participates in three debates per year Club members receive a debate topic one month before competition, allowing them to prepare arguments under the guidance of Mr Roberson Junior Anna Roberson has the special privilege of being coached by her dad; she explains, “My dad talks about the topic, then we formulate what we’ve learned into main arguments and practice speaking, using ‘constructive hearing’ to improve our style and substance.”
This year’s club members have had great success in the Calvin Coolidge Debate League Sophomores Reagan Swain and Kaylee Velazquez recently won the Novice High School category with the topic of resolution: “Are tariffs on Mexico beneficial to America?” Reagan and Kaylee swept all four debate rounds Middle schooler Chris Willburn also performed well, winning two of his rounds in singlecompetition.
Sophomore Nick LaSala
REMINDERS & UPCOMING EVENTS
APRIL
SPRING BREAK
UPPER SCHOOL HOUSE WARS
Thursday, April 17
GOOD FRIDAY - SCHOOL CLOSED Friday, April 18
LOWER SCHOOL FIELD DAY Friday, April 25
SPRING FORMAL
Saturday, April 26
MAY
HORATIUS 70
May 1
PRIMARY SCHOOL RECITATION & PROMOTION DAY
May 2
GRAMMAR SCHOOL RECITATION & PROMOTION DAY
May 9
AWARDS DAY & SENIOR RECOGNITION DAY
May 15
GRADUATION & CLOSING CEREMONIES
May 16
The True Joy of a Classical, Christian Education
“Joyisanetofoflovebywhichyoucancatchsouls.”
-Mother Teresa
Corner
As I performed my formal teacher observations in February, I noticed a common thread throughout all of our grade levels - the shared joy among teachersand students The joy is obvious in so many ways The 4th grader who loves to read aloud, the 6th grader who excels in sharing their composition piece with the class, the 8th graders in Algebra grasping a new concept, ,the 10th graders engaging in a thoughtful, spirited discussion of the Constitution and government In all of these instances, the joy is tangible and real
Another observation is the clear distinction between schools that rely on the cram, pass, and forget model versus the classical Christian school, such as ours, that trains its pupils to learn, master, and retain The lessons learned, mastered, and retained are the truejoy of the well-educated, well-spoken, and virtuous young person. I see this joy at Providence every day.