Common Questions for an Uncommon School

While White Horse may seem “new” or “risky” because our particular school is novel to Bloomington-Normal, we are actually implementing a time tested model built on certain eternal truths concerning Human Nature and the Divine. This Classical tradition dates back to the foundations of Western Culture and Christianity, and was the dominant educational model in the Christian West for 1,500 years. We aren’t reinventing the wheel or trying something completely new, but rather stand firmly on the shoulders of the countless saints who have walked this road before us. We are confident any other educational methodology poses a far greater risk to our children's spiritual and academic wellbeing.

The Latin phrase “Virtus Tentamine Gaudet” translates to “Strength Rejoices in the Challenge.” For countless generations, most children were taught using Classical Christian Education (CCE), the aim of which is not perfection, but rather mastery. Certainly, the curriculum is robust, but students who feel the accomplishment of mastering something difficult are much more likely to move onto something more challenging and more likely to enjoy learning. Of all your educational options, CCE is the best at cultivating in children the skills required to educate themselves, become life-long learners, and embrace self-mastery. Do not sell your own children short; rather push them to achieve more than you thought possible. White Horse Academy is here to assist you in this endeavor.

Hillsdale College eloquently answers this question and we agree with its conclusions:
”The good of any thing is found in its ability to accomplish what it was created for…to realize its purpose for existence as intended by its maker. Only in this realization can something truly be called “good.” “The good” is possible only in the light of truth. Not truth as it is often defined today, by personal preference or popular consensus, but truth as it is…independent from opinions and emotions. And where goodness and truth exist, there you will find beauty. We were created for a purpose. That purpose is not left to chance or whim, but was determined by our Maker and written in our nature. Our purpose is to seek truth, in order to discover and to act on what is good and beautiful in this life.”

White Horse Academy is a “part time” school. Grades K-3 meet five days per week, every morning Monday through Friday. This model allows us to set lower tuition rates, provide sufficient time to furnish a quality Classical education, while empowering parents to be more involved in their children’s lives.

White Horse Academy targets a classroom size of no more than 15 students. We believe this more intimate environment helps both teachers and students build strong relationships, engage in deeper conversations, and maximizes the potential for educational outcomes and moral formation.

We believe that parents partner with educators in the instruction of their children and are so called by God ( Eph 6:4). The core curriculum and any new topics will be taught in the classroom by the teacher. Parents will reinforce concepts, help students practice at home, and ideally read the Great Books along with their child, to both model and inspire them to become life-long learners. This is guided through age appropriate amounts of homework to cultivate a healthy school/family life balance. And unlike many other schools that require parents to submit to a yoke of mandatory “volunteerism”, we instead hope that parents would willingly and joyfully spend time serving their students and their school. So we ask that parents generously give of their time in whatever capacity available.

Just like adults wear “work clothes” when in the office, we believe that school uniforms help provide an intentional transition between home and the classroom. Children more readily shift into a focused learning mindset, leaving behind a more casual home environment. Beautiful uniforms can also elevate the culture and help foster an appropriate level of respect and equality among the pupils, creating a shared sense of belonging and comradery. Additionally, uniforms often neutralize many peer to peer fashion issues that might arise when students do or do not own clothes matching popular trends.

See our Dress Code Policy

For the 2024/25 inaugural school year, WHA will enroll students in Kindergarten through Third Grade. We plan to add at least one grade each subsequent year, ideally growing into a full K-12 Academy.

Why do Classical Christian schools teach Latin or Greek? Because 60% of English words derive from Latin and Greek, and over 80% of the words in many Romance languages like Spanish and Italian originate from Latin. Therefore, understanding Latin and Greek help students understand their own native tongues better and educate them to recognize the linguistic similarities between many other languages. Additionally, students can gain the ability to read many classical texts in the original words of their authors, including the New Testament writers, St. Augustine, and Aristotle. Latin instruction will begin in upper Grammar school.

Although your child’s Classical Christian education is on its own a worthwhile investment, we strive to make this education accessible to families across the economic spectrum. As a non-profit, we are determined to price tuition adequately to cover our operational costs, nothing more, nothing less. This reflects the part time nature of our operating model, which allows us to set tuition at less than half of the average private school rate in town.
In a mission directed effort to make the school even more accessible, we are pleased to offer a financial need based scholarship to deserving families, thanks to the generous support of our donors. This scholarship application will be available starting in the Spring before each new school year.

Parents can also expect to buy uniforms and pay a modest book fee. And don't forget, in Illinois you can get a tax credit equal to 25% of your qualified school expenses, up to $750 a year!

While White Horse Academy leases space from Heartland Church, our school remains a separate non-profit organization. We intentionally do not fall under the ecclesiastical authority or ministry of any particular church or denomination. This independence is crucial to minimize any secondary doctrinal issues that tend to arise in the American church, as well as secure our ability to curate a curriculum and methodology that pursues the full knowledge of God’s created order. We believe the Church’s core mission is evangelism and ministering to the needs of the saints, which is complementary yet distinct from the responsibilities of a Christian School to focus on discipleship and instruction for the children of Believers. WHA generally adheres to the “Reformed" Theology and believes in the Christian tenants expressed in the Westminster Catechism. See our Statement of Faith as well.

White Horse is not looking to blaze a new trail; rather we are building upon the shoulders of hundreds of Christian schools that have walked this path before us.
We are proud to be members of the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS), the nation’s premier Classical education organization. Their advice and resources have been crucial to building a firm foundation and our future success. We are also inaugural members of the The Herzog Foundation’s “Schoolbox Network”, which provides us with numerous complementary training and mentorship opportunities. Finally, we are a Hillsdale College K-12 “Curriculum School”, which allows us to access their robust educational resources to use at White Horse.
These independent organizations provide invaluable advice and enable us to better execute on our vision with faith, intentionality, and humility.

As a brand new school, White Horse is not eligible to apply for accreditation with most private school programs. Once we achieve the required size and age to seek accreditation, typically at least K-8 if not full K-12, we are open to exploring a rigorous and independent accreditation process with explicitly Classical Christian accrediting organizations, such as the ACCS or SCL.