Discover Cornerstone Preparatory Academy: A Classical Education

In a world filled with educational choices, finding the right fit for your child can feel overwhelming. Parents often seek a school that not only provides academic excellence but also nurtures character and critical thinking.

Have you ever stopped to ask, "With all the options for school choice, online learning, tutoring sites, and modern technology, why is it that the younger generation of students seem lack a certain depth of knowledge, rhetorical skills, and the ability to think objectively about key issues?"

This question helped birth the launch of Cornerstone Preparatory Academy in Bay County, Florida.

What is Classical Education?

Classical education is a time-tested approach that emphasizes the development of the whole person. It focuses on three key stages of learning: the Grammar stage, the Logic stage, and the Rhetoric stage.

• Grammar Stage: This is where students learn the foundational elements of subjects. They memorize facts, vocabulary, and basic concepts.

  
  

• Logic Stage: In this stage, students begin to think critically. They learn to analyze information and understand relationships between ideas.

  
  

• Rhetoric Stage: Here, students learn to express their thoughts clearly and persuasively. They develop their own voice and learn to communicate effectively.

  
  

By following these stages, Cornerstone Preparatory Academy ensures that students not only learn facts but also understand how to apply their knowledge in real-world situations.

Some of History's greatest inventors, leaders, writers, and scientists were Classically educated: Benjamin Franklin; Albert Einstein; Isaac Newton; Frederick Douglass; Sigmund Freud; Neil Armstrong; Martin Luther King, Jr.; Condoleeza Rice; Steve Jobs; J.K. Rowling; Oscar Wilde; Jane Adams; President James Garfield; Thomas Jefferson; Vince Lombardi; and Robert Millikan all were students of Classical schools.

The Curriculum at Cornerstone Preparatory Academy

At Cornerstone Preparatory Academy, the curriculum is designed to engage students in classical texts written by history's greatest thinkers, fostering critical thinking and helping students grow in their understanding of complex texts.

• Literature: Students read classic works that challenge their thinking and expand their understanding of the world. Teachers provide guided instructional support to help students read and understand the rich and complex texts that lend to robust classical studies. Students at Cornerstone will read some of the following:

  • Works from Ancient Antiquity: Aristotle, Plato, Sophocles, Homer, Virgil, Herodotus

  • Works from Christendom/Middle Ages: St. Augustine, The Bible, Dante, St. Thomas Aquinas, Beowulf

  • Works from Renaissance & Reformation: Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Cervantes

  • 17th-19th Century Works: Jonathan Swift, Jane Austen, Carles Dickens, Mary Shelley, Mark Twain, Dostoevsky, Herman Melville, Charlotte Bronte

  • 20th Century - Modern Era Works: Harper Lee, George Orwell, C.S. Lewis, Ernest Hemingway, T.S. Eliot

    
    

• History: Cornerstone Preparatory Academy has made the study of American history a priority for our students. Studies reflect on the ideals of liberty, justice, and civic responsibility. Lessons are grounded in America’s founding principles, instilling a deep appreciation for the endowment of unalienable rights and the responsibilities of citizenship in a free republic.

  Cornerstone Preparatory Academy is dedicated to patriotic themes, exploration of the rise of Western Civilization, and the study of World History/Cultures.

  
  

• Mathematics: Students learn problem-solving skills and logical reasoning through a structured approach to math.

  • In early elementary years, focus is on mastering foundational knowledge, or the "grammar" of mathematics, first through systematic memorization of facts, such as multiplication tables and formulas. Students at Cornerstone develop a strong number sense and solid understanding of how numbers work.

  • Mathematics then takes a new approach by guiding students from concrete foundational knowledge to abstract concepts, where teachers introduce using

    manipulatives and hands-on activities, which allows students to see, touch, and build before moving to abstract ideas.

  • As students enter middle school, our course of mathematics study shifts to the "logic" stage, where students learn to think critically and analyze the "why" behind mathematical truths. This stage focuses on developing reasoning skills, exploring mathematical proofs, and understanding how algebraic, geometric, and other concepts fit together.

    
    
    
    

• Science: The curriculum encourages curiosity and exploration, allowing students to conduct experiments and discover scientific principles. At Cornerstone, we like to introduce scientific concepts through inquiry-based methods. This sometimes looks like beginning a new science lesson by demonstrating the lab to students first -building excitement and curiosity, which then drives students to engage in the process of scientific inquiry.

  
  

• Fine Arts: At Cornerstone, we believe the study of fine arts is essential to a well-rounded education. Our approach to the teaching of fine arts can be described as ordered and rational pursuits that train a student's powers of observation, concentration, and creativity. While the arts provides opportunity for self-expression, we teach students that self-expression is not the ultimate purpose of the study of the arts.

  Students will explore creativity through Music (the understanding of music composition, as well as choral, and instruments), Art (art appreciation, history, sculpture, drawing/paints, 3-D/multimedia, digital), and Drama (performance arts, musical theater)

  
  

• Health & Physical Education: At Cornerstone, we believe a healthy mind requires a healthy body. Health and nutrition education is integrated into the broader Physical Education curriculum, reinforcing the importance of overall wellness.

  Cornerstone prioritizes daily physical activity and recess to provide students with essential physical and mental breaks. We identify value in unstructured play, and its role in fostering creativity and healthy peer socialization. We also recognize the importance of overcoming challenge and demonstrating perseverance, and believe the physical curriculum provides a unique opportunity to help foster these important traits in students.

• Explorers' Institute: A program created by Cornerstone Preparatory Academy founder, this is the first of its kind exploratory program that introduces students early to dynamic fields of study, normally reserved for older learners. Through semester-long programs, students are immersed into learning explorations, centered on a core program or career field. The program first introduces students to the field and the future opportunities it can offer. Students then enter the exploration portion of the semester, where they begin a series of integrated, hands-on learning activities that connect the concepts of core academic subject areas with life-long skills, emerging career fields, or topics in academic/scientific research. A unique approach to providing every student the opportunity to discover wide fields of interest, through engaging exploration where students become marine biologists; engineers; agriculture scientists; medical professionals; policymakers; contractors; or whatever else their imagination can envision.

  
  

This well-rounded curriculum not only prepares students academically but also helps them develop important life skills. The academic program of study at Cornerstone Preparatory Academy is a unique hybrid classical, blending the traditional Classical Trivium with its modern Explorers' Institute.

The Impact of Classical Education

The impact of classical education at Cornerstone Preparatory Academy is profound. Students emerge not only with a strong academic foundation but also with the skills and character needed to navigate the complexities of life.

• Critical Thinking: Students learn to analyze information and think critically, skills that are essential in today's world.

  
  

• Effective Communication: The emphasis on rhetoric helps students articulate their thoughts clearly and persuasively.

  
  

• Strong Values: The focus on wisdom, virtue, truth, and moral character development instills values that guide students throughout their lives.

  
  

By embracing classical education, Cornerstone Preparatory Academy equips students with the tools they need to succeed.

A Bright Future Awaits

As you consider educational options for your child, think about the benefits of a classical education. Cornerstone Preparatory Academy offers a unique approach that nurtures both the mind and character.

If you are looking for a school that values education and character, Cornerstone Preparatory Academy may be the perfect fit for your family.