Letter from Our Founder
Katy McKinney
Founder & Head of school
Welcome to the Classical Academy de Lafayette (CAL) -- a classical education for a modern world. We are happy that you are considering our school. Our mission is to help every student reach his or her full academic potential. We are passionate about true education, which we believe will serve your child for the rest of his or her life. The Classical Academy de Lafayette is a private, K-12 school in the Wentzville area, dedicated to classical education and to promoting superior educational results. We are supported by Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. At CAL, your child will learn from the greatest minds in western history: Shakespeare, Socrates, Euclid, Mozart, Newton, Twain, and Michelangelo, among others. Your child has a natural desire to learn, grow, and progress. Capitalizing on this natural tendency, we nurture students to find joy in the very act of learning. Students study the traditional liberal arts — literature, math, history and government, language (Latin), geography, the sciences, music, and art. With the caring support of expert teachers, students master the material and build essential skills that will stay with them their whole life.
The Founding Fathers of this nation believed that education should prepare young people for civic life and civic responsibilities. Similarly, the ancients structured their societies to educate and prepare their youth to participate in the republic. Our Founding Fathers knew that to maintain a republican form of government, an educated citizenry in public matters was essential. Over the decades, our public educational system has moved away from the Founders' ideals. At CAL, with America’s Founding Documents as our guide, we will learn self-government.
How do we do this?
We hire the best teachers, use the finest books and curricula resources, and draw out the very best efforts of our students. We are in the business of forming minds, not programming machines. We are breaking rank with today’s modern system of education, and instead, drawing from a 2500-year history of the Western experience.
Each board member, teacher, and staff member at CAL is 100% committed to bringing out the best your child has to give. We love what we do and would be privileged to have your child join us on this life-changing journey!
Yours in the spirit of true education,
Katy McKinney
Founder & Head of School