Jimmy Coffman and Robert Hilton never planned to build a new school. But Jimmy, a certified financial planner and Robert, owner of R. Hilton Insurance Agency, met at church and sometimes discussed the topic of education informally.
They soon discovered they shared a passion for classical education. Jimmy remembered being very impressed with a group of young people he met through a previous church, and Robert’s wife, Claire, home-schooled their three children using the classical curriculum. With the nearest classical charter school located in Leander, they decided to hold information sessions to see if their idea was viable in Georgetown. To date, 120 area families have expressed interest and they are well on their way to their goal of 300 families. If all goes as planned, the San Gabriel Classical Charter School could open as early the fall of 2023, and certainly by the fall of 2024.
WHAT ARE CHARTER SCHOOLS?
Charter schools give parents the option of enrolling their children in schools other than their assigned district public school. They are publicly funded so they are tuition free, but they are privately run, allowing for more innovation and flexibility in their curriculum.
The long tradition of the classical model encompasses the study of liberal arts, classic literature, Latin, and other foreign languages. According to Classical Academic Press, what makes classical education so effective is its approach to how and when students are taught. Children learn in three phases or stages—grammar, logic and rhetoric:
In the grammar stage (K–6), students are naturally adept at memorizing through songs, chants, and rhymes, which they tend to remember for a lifetime.
In the logic stage (grades 7–9), teen aged students begin to question authority and facts. They want to know the “why” of something. Students learn reasoning, informal and formal logic, and how to argue with wisdom and eloquence.
The rhetoric stage (grades 10–12) is naturally when students become independent thinkers and communicators. They study and practice rhetoric, which is the art of persuasive speaking and effective writing.
MAKING IT REALITY
Jimmy and Robert have decided their best course of action will be to contract with a charter school operator, who already has all the protocols in place. Though they plan to stay involved until their dream comes to fruition, the unassuming duo plan to step back over time and let the professionals run the school. As well, Jimmy and Robert will not receive any financial gain from this project. It is a labor of love and a gift to their Georgetown community.
Click the link to learn more and save the date for their next information session: Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at 7pm- Grace Bible Church, 2100 Shell Road.