Whitefield Academy (Missouri)


Whitefield Academy is a PreK-12 college preparatory, classical Christian school. It makes use of the Great Books, the trivium, the quadrivium, and the Progymnasmata as a curriculum. It is accredited by the Association of Classical and Christian Schools. Whitefield Academy was named for the 18th century evangelist George Whitefield.

History

When Whitefield Academy opened its doors in the fall of 1995, 60 students were enrolled. The school initially leased space from Westbrooke Church, where several of the families involved were members. The next year, due to a growing enrollment, Whitefield Academy moved to Emmanuel Baptist Church. And in the third year, the academy divided its classes between the two churches to have sufficient space. In 2004, Whitefield Academy purchased its current building, a former church, located at 8929 Holmes in Kansas City, MO. Located on a seven-acre site, the new building offers sufficient classroom space as well as an auditorium and chapel. More than 220 students are currently enrolled in the school.

Classical Focus

Used to develop students for more than 2,000 years, the Classical method involves rigorous focus on grammar, logic and rhetoric. In addition to traditional academic subjects, athletics and fine arts are key components of a Classical education. The school believes that the classically trained mind is able to process facts and make inferences with limited information in order to make well-reasoned decisions and fully develop well-considered ideas. Knowing is not enough, however. Students are simultaneously trained how to articulate, orally and in writing, the logic underpinning the decision or idea. The Classical objective is to teach students how to think, not what to think.