So, tell me about SCCS…
Schools like ours experience the healthiest growth through word of mouth - when someone can “catch” the vision of education with SCCS through the power of personal storytelling. It’s most likely that you joined the SCCS community by hearing about it from someone you knew. Something about what they shared, or even how they shared it, caught your attention and the rest was history.
We should all be empowered to respond confidently when someone asks “Why SCCS?”.
The pressure to explain everything-all-at-once can be immense and we end up saying little to nothing at all. We want to equip you with some suggestions of what to include in a 30-second response that sparks their interest to learn more.
The main goal of your response is to emphasize how SCCS is different - many people will assume that SCCS is just one more schooling option among many. But SCCS is a different kind of school—we’re doing something completely different than any other school around us. Here are three important differences to highlight:
Seattle Classical Christian School is a different kind of school:
#1 - Education That Cultivates Character
SCCS understands that character and virtue are of paramount importance—we influence every aspect of a person’s life. Teaching with wisdom and virtue in mind (rather than knowledge alone) alters the focus of education to who we become, not simply what we know. Alongside rich academics, we use liturgy, love, and example to cultivate affections. With the Gospel at the center, our students learn stewardship, honor, wisdom, and self-control. Thoughtful, disciplined, inspired minds influence how we live our lives, from how we solve a math problem, to how we understand and love our neighbors.
#2 – Embedded Biblical Perspective
God and His Word serve as the lens through which our students experience their lessons, their education, and their world. We believe a comprehensive education is one where the Bible is embedded into every aspect of learning, not merely layered on top of the curriculum. Our students engage deeply with history, art, music, mathematics, literature, and science – all taught in light of God’s existence and His revelation through Jesus. This approach teaches their students to think well, with Christian presuppositions in all areas of their lives, preparing them to be discerning as they navigate the complexities of the world.
#3 – Curriculum for Curious Minds
Our students learn by asking questions, reading original texts, and using logic to reach educated conclusions. We teach our students in a way that aligns with their natural development, encouraging a love of learning that equips them well beyond the classroom. Our curriculum uses history as its organizing principle, beginning with the ancients and progressing forward to the moderns in history, science, literature, art, and music. This time-tested framework results in a more comprehensive understanding of subject matters and the valuable skill of making connections between past events and current information.
Make It Your Own:
Obviously, this is too much information to include in every response but the most powerful connections come through your story aligning with someone’s interests. So, while our responses should all be similar, they should all be made personal to us to be most effective. Think about it as being prepared to share something you’re excited about, rather than memorizing a script to recite.
Take the time to consider multiple scenarios: At church, how would I respond to someone who asks, “Where do your children go to school?” What would I say to someone in the grocery store?
Don’t try to cram too much education up front! 30 seconds isn’t enough time to share the complex richness of the classical Christian model, how modern education has changed in the last 100 years, or the importance of paedia. Your objective in this moment is to describe the why of SCCS (not drill into the how).
Some samples to get you started…
Each of these examples take less than 30 seconds to say, communicate something about the unique education of SCCS, and create a place for your personal experience.
Seattle Classical Christian School is a place where intentional teaching leads to wisdom and virtue. Teachers aim to awaken wonder in students so that they become lifelong learners, and they tie all knowledge back to the Bible to build a resilient faith in God. I chose SCCS for my children because I wanted their hearts to be shaped along with their minds, and I see firsthand the transformation that happens when children are known, loved, and pursued in excellence. I was looking for a place where students thrive and families find community - and my family experiences that at SCCS.
Students at Seattle Classical Christian School receive much more than just an excellent education. Their classrooms are a training ground for students to cultivate a curious mind, a virtuous heart, and a courageous faith in God. The teachers pair challenging academics with virtue so that students can acquire the tools for lifelong wisdom and be empowered to act accordingly. My students are so well-known and loved by their teachers, and I’ve appreciated the community I have built with the other parents at the school.
Seattle Classical Christian School is concerned with who their students become, not just what they know – they teach with wisdom and virtue in mind to graduate students with well-trained minds and resilient faith. Their integrated approach to learning means that my student understands how information ties together in a way that will help her become a lifelong learner. I chose SCCS because I wanted a school that would equip my students to be well-prepared to navigate the world with faith, discernment, and resilience, and I am already seeing how that is happening for my student.
Who is this for?
Everyone.
We are forming generations of resilient Christians that the families, churches, and cities of the future desperately need. While our school won’t be the right path for every family, we are a valuable part of God’s story in Seattle - all those who love the Gospel and want to see it flourish in our city can be invited to support us through participation in our school body, financial resources, or prayer!