Why Classical?

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Who We Are
What is Classical Education?

Classical Christian education is a time-tested approach to learning that unites a distinctly Christian worldview with the historic liberal arts tradition. Rooted in over 2,500 years of educational practice, this model seeks to cultivate students who are marked by wisdom, virtue, and eloquence.
 

Truth at the Center

A classical Christian education does more than add a Bible class to a curriculum that is otherwise modeled on a government-run school. Instead, our goal is to reestablish what was once a universally recognized truth: all creation depends on and points back to its divine Author. Anything we study—whether math, literature, science, or history—is not studied for its own sake, but in order to better understand the God who spoke these disciplines into existence.
In better understanding God through the glory of His creation, students come to better understand their own role within that creation, a gift that will give them strength and direction long after they leave our school.

Eternal Principles in a Confusing Age 
A classical education is different, and it produces graduates who stand out among their peers in all aspects of life, be it career, family life and marriage, or in their courageous adherence to their faith.  This is because the classical approach represents a return to an understanding of the proper goal of education:  Far more than the teaching of career skills or the simple transfer of knowledge; it is the formation of the soul. Our goal for our students is virtue—an old-fashioned word that simply means, as our mission statement says, “to love God and love what God loves.”
 

The Classical Method

The classical model, refined over two thousand years of Christian history, reflects a deep understanding of the unchangeable nature of humanity. The result is a three-stage process called the trivium (Latin for “a meeting of three roads”), corresponding to a child's stages of development:
Grammar Stage (approx. ages 4–11) – Building foundational knowledge and cultivating a love for learning.
Logic Stage (approx. ages 12–14) – Developing analytical thinking and understanding relationships between ideas.
Rhetoric Stage (approx. ages 15–18) – Learning to articulate truth with clarity, conviction, and grace.

This progression fosters intellectual maturity and prepares students to engage the world thoughtfully, courageously, and faithfully.

Classical education is active and formative. Students memorize, recite, explore, analyze, debate, research, and present. They learn not only what to think, but how to think. The result is an education that is rigorous, joyful, and deeply humane.

Often described as the bedrock of Western civilization, classical education has shaped leaders, thinkers, and reformers throughout history. By recovering this rich tradition under the lordship of Christ, classical Christian education seeks to prepare students to fulfill their God-given calling: to glorify God and proclaim His excellencies among the nations.
 
Our Curriculum

Our Mission

Candies Creek Academy joins with parents to develop leaders who love God and love what God loves.
Christian School history

Our History

Candies Creek Academy is a Preschool (ages 3 – 4)  through 12th grade Classical Christian School. CCA is a ministry of Candies Creek Baptist Church and opened in August of 2014 under the leadership and guidance of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

OVERARCHING OBJECTIVES
• To impart to students a Christian worldview, by teaching all subjects as parts of an integrated whole, unified by the Word of God.

• To encourage every student to honor, glorify and enjoy God in all they do, to develop a love for life-long learning, and to strive for excellence in all endeavors, as his or her gifts allow.

• To follow a classical model of instruction by emphasizing grammar, logic and rhetoric in all instruction.

• To cultivate in our parents a sense of responsibility for their child’s education and sense of ownership in the mission and vision of Candies Creek Academy.

• To embrace and cultivate Biblical principles concerning family, parenting, manhood, womanhood and relational purity in every aspect of our school culture.

• To present exemplary role models through our staff and board of all the virtues, beliefs and behaviors we desire in our students.

• To provide an orderly and engaging atmosphere conducive to the attaining of these goals
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Frequently Asked Questions
 


What grade levels does Candies Creek Academy offer?
For the 2025-2026 academic year, CCA will offer a full academic program for Preschool (ages 3 – 4) through 12th grade.
 

Is Candies Creek Academy accredited by any agency or organization? 
Candies Creek Academy is a member of and currently pursuing accreditation within the Association of Classical Christian Schools. CCA is also a member of Tennessee Association of Christian Schools.
 

What is the student-teacher ratio?
Our intention is to have no more than a class ratio of 1 adult to 12 students. This low ratio will allow our teachers a significant amount of time to work with students both one-on-one and also in small groups.
 

What will a day in a Grammar Stage classroom look like?
Young students are fun and creative. They are naturally excited about learning. We will seek to engage these young people through songs, rhymes, stories, and games to enable them to naturally memorize information during this time when their brains so easily master the skill.  With an organized structure using history chronologically, we will learn Bible, science, geography, art, music, literature and writing in addition to the fundamentals of phonics, mathematics, composition, English grammar and Latin.
 

What will a day in a Logic/Rhetoric stage classroom look like?
Our older students will be learning formal logic, reasoning, and rhetorical skills to enable them to think logically, speak respectfully, and persuade their audience through both the written word and oral presentations. The integration of subjects with a Biblical Worldview is a key focus of our academics as we lead students to connect ideas, apply what they have learned, and impact the world for Christ. Some of the key ways that our minds learn logic skills are through the study of Latin, mathematics and higher sciences. Incorporating all of these disciplines in our study will enable our instructors to train students in a global understanding to empower them to fulfill their God-given purpose to bring glory to God throughout their lifetime.
 

What curriculum and textbooks are used at Candies Creek Academy?
The word curriculum comes from the Latin word meaning course of action, race, or direction.  Since a curriculum establishes the “direction” of our students during these very important years of growth, we are taking curriculum choices very seriously. We want our curriculum to be designed with our telos in mind. Telos is a Greek word used to describe the end term of a goal-directed process.

Our telos as stated in our vision statement is to “forge students who embrace their royal identity in Christ so they will fulfill their God-given purpose”. We are continually pursuing a curriculum that will, most importantly, maintain a Biblical worldview and use Classical methodology. Our goal is to bring joy throughout the school setting while presenting academically challenging material in an engaging and genuine manner to students.

At Candies Creek Academy, we continually evaluate our textbooks to ensure they best serve our students while also evaluating other available options and seeking counsel from other Classical Christian Schools with a proven track record.
 

What is Classical Education anyway?
Classical education is divided into three distinct stages of learning; grammar, logic and rhetoric. For the Grammar (elementary) and Logic (middle school) stages of learning, we will use history as an organized outline while incorporating Bible, science, math, literature, grammar and composition, geography, art, and music. In third grade, students begin their study of Latin. In eighth grade, students begin their formal study of logic.

During the Rhetoric stage (high school), students present their vast understanding through writing, speech and debate. Studies in the Rhetoric stage will include typical topics such as: Algebra, Geometry, Biology, Physical Science, Chemistry, Composition, Rhetoric, Ancient Literature, British Literature, Medieval History, American History, Latin, Logic, Church History, Apologetics, Physical Education, Health, and Personal Finance.
 

How will students who have not been trained classically adjust to the new methods?
At Candies Creek Academy we look at each student through God’s design and understand that each have individual strengths and weaknesses. A student will quickly engage through their strengths and our talented educators will build on their weaknesses. Because the Classical method follows a system of learning that springs from the way people are designed by God, the minor hurdles are quickly overcome as the child flourishes through a higher level of understanding.

Children tend to be quite resilient and rise to the challenge when we allow them to experience the joy of learning. Some students may encounter challenges as they experience higher standards, although through effective mentorship, Candies Creek Academy will guide the student past their comfort level while engaging them to stretch effectively through each Classical education level.
 

Does Candies Creek Academy have sports programs?
We realize that part of loving the Lord with all of your being includes keeping your body healthy. Our students will be engaged and active in physical exercise regularly each week. Our lower school enjoys two recesses each day, and our upper school has a PE program involving exercise and intramural sports. For organized competitive sports, our students often take part in the Bradley Knights home school sports league, as well as Cleveland and Bradley County's recreational sports programs.
 

Does Candies Creek Academy offer other electives?
Candies Creek Academy also offers instruction in choral music, art, drama, and other seasonal electives.
 

Are the teachers at Candies Creek Academy certified?
State teacher certification is not currently a requirement for Candies Creek Academy. We require our teachers to have a college degree, be faithful Christians, love children, and have a passion for their area of expertise. We are committed to a classical education methodology where children are allowed to grow through a true understanding of the material being presented. Upon accreditation, each educator at Candies Creek Academy will be required to achieve teacher certification through our accrediting agency.
 

How does Candies Creek Academy view parental involvement?
At Candies Creek we will partner with parents in educating their children. Candies Creek will parallel a Christian lifestyle and guide the children through a path toward academic success under delegated authority of the parent. We believe it is the parents who will best encourage practice and study at home to augment what they learn in school.

Candies Creek will distribute an annual calendar at the beginning of the year along with stated milestones allowing the parent to follow along and promote their child’s advancement. We strongly encourage parental involvement in our school through time in the classroom, volunteering for events, and visiting with the teachers on a regular basis.
 

Will a Candies Creek Academy diploma be generally accepted?
Yes, a Candies Creek Academy student will receive a diploma recognized by the state of Tennessee, and be well prepared to excel at any college entrance exam they choose while gaining practical hands on skills to equip them for life. Candies Creek Academy understands that college acceptance looks at the whole student where academics is only one piece.

Candies Creek Academy will not only excel at guiding a child’s academics, but will guide the child toward a well-rounded wisdom (knowledge and experience), enabling them to serve intellectually wherever they choose through empathy, love, community service, and a true desire to give through grace.
 

What subjects will be taught at Candies Creek Academy?
The word “subject” can be defined as a basic thought, discussion, or theme. The Classical approach interrelates thought and discussion to create an overall theme.

For example, when studying astronomy, Classical education includes a global discussion to include the history of science and mathematics, which allows the student to grow in a true understanding of the topic. This discussion would include Copernicus and Galileo while uncovering the church’s relationship within medieval history. This one discussion, for example, would include science, history, politics, Bible, theology, and mathematics or six traditional “subjects” within a true understanding. 
 

How will students be evaluated at Candies Creek Academy?
Our philosophy on education recognizes that an effective evaluation is one that evaluates the true essence of learning. Our goal at Candies Creek is to constantly move the student forward in an understanding as compared to measuring where the child is within the program as a whole. The goal of Candies Creek Academy is to grow each individual as an individual.

Candies Creek Academy’s highest priority is that each student excels at each of the three Classical levels, guiding a well-rounded person through understanding. Our lower school teachers to younger students (K-2) use a grading system of: Outstanding, Satisfactory, Improvement Needed, or Unsatisfactory to designate how well the student is doing in working toward mastery of the particular skill. Teachers of older students (3rd-12th) use a system of: A, B, C, D, F to designate how well the student is doing in working toward mastery of the particular skill.

Ready to Join Our Classical Christian Learning Community?

Enroll at Candies Creek Academy today and give your child the gift of a Christ-centered education in Charleston, TN.
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