Academics
Equipping Students Spiritually, Academically & Socially
As a Christian School, we eagerly seek to understand the world around us and how to live well in it, using the Bible as the foundation of knowledge.
As a classical school, we learn from the best stories and books passed on from previous generations. The historic Trivium inspires the names and emphases for each of our schools: Grammar (up to grade 5), Logic (grades 6-8), and Rhetoric (grades 9-12).
PHONICS SCHOOL | Grades K-2
In grades K-2 (the Phonics Stage), we are working with the way God has made students to want to learn and soak in foundational knowledge. We use a Phonics based approach to reading. Our school day is active and engaging, and we tap into the students’ natural desire for curiosity and wonder about the world around them. The goal is to equip students with the foundational building blocks of education while their minds are most receptive to memorization and observation.
Phonics School Highlights:
- Kindergarten students are reading by Christmas.
- Oral memory, repetition, recitation, songs and jingles
- Encouraging curiosity and wonder
- D’Nealian Penmanship, Cursive beginning in Second Grade
- Fine Arts programs beginning in Kindergarten
- Stage presentations/concerts at least twice each year for every grade level
- On-Campus and Off-Campus Field Trips each quarter
- Each classroom has a dedicated Teacher Assistant (1:11 ratio)
- Two recesses each day
GRAMMAR SCHOOL | Grades 3-5
In grades 3-5 (the Grammar Stage), we are laying a foundation of knowledge in age-appropriate ways that tap into the way God has designed students to want to learn. The school day is active and engaging, incorporating classical tools of collections, models, recitation, drills, games, presentations, singing, dancing, and chanting. The foundation of the Phonics Stage is extended as students are becoming Readers, Writers, and Mathematicians. This is a great time to introduce Latin, as students are equipped to think about patterns in language and finding derivatives. Grammar School students are delighted by learning new and interesting information, relating their own experiences to units of study, and going on an adventure with great books.
Grammar School Highlights:
- Oral memory, repetition, recitation, songs and jingles
- Encouraging curiosity and wonder
- Cursive Penmanship
- Latin beginning in Third Grade
- Reading classical children’s Literature
- Veritas History and Bible timelines
- Fine Arts programs
- Stage presentations/concerts at least twice each year for every grade level
- On-Campus and Off-Campus Field Trips each quarter
- Two recesses each day
LOGIC SCHOOL | Grades 6-8
In grades 6–8, known as the Logic Stage, students are encouraged to engage more deeply with their studies as they begin to think independently and ask meaningful questions. This stage nurtures their growing capacity for reasoning, helping them make connections across disciplines while forming a strong foundation in their identity in Christ and a heart for service and mission.
Logic School Highlights:
- Developing critical thinking through formal Logic
- Engaging with diverse perspectives through debate and discussion
- Advancing in Latin through continued study, translation, and conversation
- Exploring the Old and New Testaments in Biblical History
- Discovering and living out their identity in Christ
- Learning to live on mission in their communities and beyond
- Participating in service through student grade-level representatives
- Exploring personal interests through a variety of elective courses
RHETORIC SCHOOL | Grades 9-12
In grades 9–12, the Rhetoric Stage, students are equipped to communicate with wisdom, eloquence, and elegance. As they grow in maturity and self-awareness, they learn to consider how their words, actions, and worldview impact the world around them. This final stage of classical education builds on a strong foundation of knowledge and logic, guiding students to express truth clearly and persuasively. Through thoughtful engagement with timeless ideas and contemporary challenges, they are prepared to flourish in the modern world—grounded in faith, confident in voice, and anchored in virtue. Students will be able to identify what is true, good, and beautiful.
Rhetoric School Highlights:
- Integrated Humanities courses combining Literature, History, and Seminar
- Deep, thoughtful discussions of great books that sharpen insight and expression
- A four-year Rhetoric sequence, culminating in the Senior Thesis
- Theology and Christian Apologetics to understand and defend the faith
- Advanced Placement (AP) opportunities in Math and Science
- Student leadership roles that cultivate service and responsibility
- Award-winning Fine Arts programs fostering creativity and beauty
- Student-led clubs inspired by shared passions and initiative
- A wide variety of elective courses that broaden skill and interest
Graduates of ACCS schools experience extraordinary outcomes in college and in life.
