|
August 30, 2023
Dear Families,
What a joy to see you parents in carline and to be with your scholars, learning through literature and discovering what it means to be a responsible citizen of virtuous character. During the first week of Communitas, I shared with students our mission statement, virtues, and Core Beliefs. We hope the scholars memorize these, and that the truths will become a part of their lives in and out of school. Our mission statement is:
“Our mission is to provide students with an academically challenging Classical Liberal Arts education that encourages them to develop a passion for learning and that gives them a means to become responsible citizens of virtuous character.”
In Communitas we will refer to what it means to be a “responsible citizen of virtuous character” often, and each month we will focus on a different virtue. The next few weeks, we will talk about Courage. The Core Belief we will focus on is, “I will cultivate in my life the virtues of justice, courage, temperance and wisdom. To these classical virtues I will seek to add magnanimity and friendship." Each week during announcements, we will state this Core Belief.
Courage: strength in the face of fear, pain or grief. I have actually visited with a few new students as they stood in the doorway of unfamiliar faces peering at them. Walking into an unknown school with strangers can be intimidating for some. To each scholar I said that courage is when we just take the next step, even when our stomachs flutter with butterflies and our hearts hear the voice telling us to run away. We make the choice to step into the apprehension. Each time we do, it is easier. That is one way we build courage.
May our students look to truth, goodness, and beauty instead of focusing on their fears.
I hope this month, you take the opportunity while driving to practices, eating dinner and tucking your children in bed to talk with them about what it means to be courageous.
As C.S. Lewis said,
“Courage Dear Heart.”
Tamara (Gallagher) Polvogt
Head of Grammar School
Aristoi Classical Academy - Katy
| 
