In the fall of 2022, a group of concerned Orthodox Christians from various jurisdictions and backgrounds met to discuss the creation of a better educational option for our community. We asked ourselves, "what type of school would we want for our children," and "what characteristics of a school would help children flourish in both mind and soul?" We set out on a mission to discover what Orthodox and other Christian communities around the nation were doing to provide better options for their children and families.
Our journey of discovery led to classical education. Classical education is an approach that has been growing since the 1980s. It has been adopted by many Christian communities around the nation. The classical approach provides a re-introduction of educational methods and pedagogies that existed prior to what we find in most schools today. Students in classically oriented Christian schools focus on a depth of understanding that goes well beyond mere facts and familiarity. Children learn to read, analyze, and contemplate entire books, not just answer questions from select excerpts. They learn to appreciate beautiful music and art. These schools do not separate God from history, literature, art, math or science, but consider those subjects under the umbrella of everything our Lord revealed to us. It became clear that the goals of these classically oriented Christian schools greatly differ from the learning objectives of most schools in our community. The word virtue was everywhere in these schools. We were convinced: the school we want to create should be focused on producing intellectually accomplished students who also possess virtue! After all, what good can come from a doctor, lawyer, businessperson, or mechanic who lacks virtue?
The school we are creating is aptly named Saint Kosmas Academy in honor of a holy man responsible for the creation of hundreds of schools during a time of Christian persecution. Saint Kosmas Academy will combine the wisdom of the Orthodox Church with the best of secular culture to produce students who are both spiritually mature and academically advanced. Our students will be thoughtfully guided along an educational path leading them to a love of truth, goodness, and beauty that will help them righteously navigate life's challenges. For humans to to reach their potential, merely understanding these concepts is not enough. As Orthodox educator Joshua Gibbs noted, "Between the brain, the heart and the stomach, the brain is the weakest. Merely knowing what's right doesn't lead to morality or piety. We must love what is right in order to do what is right."
Our students will be taught using methods that complement the natural phases of their development. Just as a woodworker is first taught to measure and cut a piece of wood prior to being taught to build a chair, our students will focus on mastering the fundamentals in the early years so they will be able to enjoy, discuss, and contemplate great literature and complex mathematics later in their education. Our curriculum will focus on books that have stood the test of time, remaining relevant over a period of decades and centuries. The methods we employ will encourage thoughtful reflective students with a capacity to think clearly.
For two years now, our team has been working diligently to clear a path for the creation of Saint Kosmas Academy. Our plan is incremental in nature. We will begin small and build from there. Our emphasis will be on recruiting a superlative head of school and role-model worthy teachers with passion for their work. Together, we will create an environment of learning, wisdom, and love to strengthen and educate our children in these critical times.
At this point we expect to begin operations in September of 2026. Please keep our efforts in your prayers and help us create a beautiful place where children and families can flourish.
In Christ,
Philip Economou
Saint Kosmas Academy
