On September 7, 2011, the John Paul II Academy of Classical Education (JPII) holds its first day of school on the campus of Chapel Heights United Methodist Church, 300 Hamilton Avenue in Eau Claire. John Ruplinger, Headmaster for the JPII Academy, likes the central location for students from around the Chippewa Valley.
“The format for a classical classroom is different from traditional school rooms,” says Ruplinger, who has eight years of classical education teaching experience. He points out that classical methods do not lean on memorization of textbook facts but encourage careful reading and discussion of the actual writings of history. “The large classroom and gathering areas, beautiful grounds and central courtyard at Chapel Heights offer ample room for students to meet and learn in a more relaxed and varied atmosphere,” Ruplinger states.
The John Paul II Academy is currently taking applications for middle and high school students from around the Chippewa Valley. Ruplinger is pleased with the interest shown and the number of students already registered to attend JPII in the fall.
Classical Education is a growing trend in the country. “Parents of students in public, private and home schools are taking a closer look at the education their children are receiving,” says Paul Stark, a Founding Board member of JPII. Stark notes that JPII will focus on teaching students to learn how to learn by emphasizing the skills of grammar, music, arithmetic, logic and rhetoric. “We need to teach children of today to think for themselves instead of simply repeating what textbooks tell them they should know,” says Stark. “I challenge all parents to get involved in their children’s education and learn about the benefits of a Classical Education.”
For more information on the John Paul II Academy of Classical Education, go to
www.johnpaul2academy.org.
