Classical Christian School To Open This Fall in Princeton

Candace Braun

A classical Christian school called the Wilberforce School will be opening this fall at the Lutheran Church of the Messiah, at the corner of Nassau Street and Cedar Lane.

The school will begin by offering classes to children in pre-kindergarten through third grade, and plans to add a grade level each year, until all grades through high school are offered.

Twenty students have already enrolled at the school, whose mission is to give a "distinctly Christian education" to children, according to its Web site: "We hope to nurture young people who have a genuine love of learning, who are equipped to live as vibrant Christians in their various callings, and who can articulate and defend the Christian message with clarity, creativity and conviction."

Plans for the school began two years ago when David and Awilda Rowe of Princeton Township, and Howe and Brenda Whitman of Hopewell Township, began having informal meetings to discuss the educational options in the area for their children. Looking for a classical approach to learning with a Christian outlook, the couples realized there wasn't a school currently in existence that offered these educational elements.

The parents began researching classical education models and visiting schools around the country, until they found a group of sister schools that combined "academic rigor and Christian conviction." Plans for the school began to move forward, when Sara Capps, the head of the West Dallas School in Texas, agreed to come here and head the Wilberforce School. In addition, Karen Ristuccia, the director of the Westerly Learning Center in Princeton, signed on as a board member.

The school is named for William Wilberforce, a Christian member of the British Parliament in the 1700s. He was an advocate for abolition as well as child labor reform, prison reform, aid for the poor, and missionary and biblical societies.

"The school hopes to equip children to emulate Wilberforce by bringing together classical learning with Christian devotion to serve God and society," according to a press release.

The school will be open to approximately 48 students during its first year, according to Howe Whitman, Jr., co-founder and president of the school's board of directors. Depending upon enrollment, there will be approximately 12 students per classroom, with one teacher per class.

The tuition cost will be $3,750 for pre-k; $4,750 for kindergarten; and $7,750 for grades first through third. When the school offers classes for students in fourth and fifth grade, the tuition will be similar to that for the other elementary grade levels, said Mr. Whitman.

School Curriculum

Classical schools teach through the trivium methodology, the framework of Western education, which combines grammar, logic, and rhetoric, according to Mr. Whitman. Trivium-based education uses teaching methods and materials specific to each stage of a child's development. Students who attend Wilberforce will study classical works of art, literature, and history, and will memorize, analyze, and debate them.

Christianity will be a key element in the classroom, with children taught to apply religion to all aspects of life. There will also be an emphasis on Latin at the school, beginning in third grade.

"Latin trains the mind for orderly thinking and expression; builds English vocabulary and increases reading comprehension; prepares the mind for the study of other foreign languages; and lays a foundation for future studies in the sciences, medicine, law, and philosophy," according to a press release.

Becky Melvin, a contributing editor at Town Topics who has already enrolled her 6-year-old son in the program, said she is excited to find a school that fits her and her child's needs.

"I'm very excited about the school because it offers something different than the others in the area," she said, adding that the program follows the same curriculum she has been using while home-schooling her children.

For more information on Wilberforce or to enroll in the school, visit www.wilberforce school.org.