A Christian School in Holland, MI | Calvary Schools of Holland
Source: http://www.calvaryschoolsholland.org
Archived: 2026-04-23 16:48
A Christian School in Holland, MI | Calvary Schools of Holland
A Living Education
Rediscover Wonder
The Charlotte Mason Approach To Christian School Education in West Michigan
Schedule a Tour
Relationship
The idea of relationship is at the very heart of a Charlotte Mason education. Because relationship is central, class sizes are limited, that students may know and be known.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of a learning environment is a vital component to a life-giving, Christian school education. Students learn best in a structured, peaceful atmosphere that is rich in ideas, beauty, vigor, and wonder.
Discipline
Education is a discipline. Preparation for a life well-lived requires training of the heart and of the will; therefore students are trained to develop strong intellectual, moral, and interpersonal habits.
Life
Children need physical, intellectual, and moral nutrition. Life is full of delight and struggle, and these elements are cultivated within the classroom as well.
“Do not let the endless succession of small things crowd great ideals out of sight and out of mind.”
– Charlotte M. Mason
The Only Christian School in West Michigan Offering Charlotte Mason Education
Who Was Charlotte Mason
In following the trend of the Industrial Revolution, traditional schools (even some Christian schools) employ a factory-based approach, as if children were products to be created at scale. The system has to be designed to be extremely efficient because it favors higher numbers of students in a classroom.
Charlotte Mason advocated for a philosophy of education that values children as born persons who should be treated as a whole human being with individual personality, gifts, and needs. A child’s personhood should be respected and cherished, while also being challenged toward growth.
Living Books
Selective, original, and well-written books by original thinkers that have not been predigested for students
Minimal screens
Training students to be creators of technology, rather than merely consumers
Small Classes
A class size conducive to the discipleship of each child
A Living Education
Everything we do is on purpose. When the psalmist wrote that each of us is “fearfully and wonderfully made”, he hinted at the vast potential for greatness—and loss—in each image-bearer.
The atmosphere in which a child grows, observes, and learns has everything to do with their long-term views of what is valuable, what is worth having, and what is worth pursuing. We view every element of our school day as an opportunity to speak into those values.
As such, our classroom environments, instructional techniques, teacher-student relationships, and approach to the cultivation of life skills have a distinct look and feel that differ from other traditional Christian school programs.
Learn More
Resources for Parents
kindergarten & Junior kindergarten
About Ambleside
Video Library
Froebels
Blog
School Calendar
Athletics
Schedule
Your Tour
Apply Online
The Child is the Father of the Man
William Wordsworth has a way of saying much with just a few words — the trait of a poet whose words are worth considering. What Wordsworth is saying — and what we as educators at Calvary take to heart — is that the experiences, emotions, attachments, and habits that...
Read More
Finding God’s Footprints
At Calvary, one of the ways we serve families is by removing the distractions of life that can keep our kids from meeting with God.
Read More
A State Championship
Calvary won the Division 4 Boys Cross Country State Championship at Michigan International Speedway on November 1. Here’s how the race unfolded and why it matters for our community.
Read More
Go To The Mountains
I had the privilege of speaking last week at Ambleside’s annual leadership retreat, held in Estes Park, Colorado. I would like to share a condensed version of that speech because I think our whole school community might be blessed by it. – Cheryl WardMost of us came...
Read More
The Road Not Taken
It's my custom to share periodic notes with Calvary families that I like to call "Fireside Chats," named after the evening radio addresses that Franklin D. Roosevelt shared with the American people in the 1930s and 40s. My goal is to make these notes conversational...
Read More
A Valuable Education, Part 4: Intentionality in Parenting
Charlotte Mason developed a comprehensive view of the relationship between education and parenting. She viewed parents as the primary educators and emphasized the importance of proactive, rather than reactive, engagement from parent to child regarding character, habits, and respectful relationships with the world. The best possible partnership between parents and school is born out of this shared viewpoint.
Read More
A Living Education
Rediscover Wonder
The Charlotte Mason Approach To Christian School Education in West Michigan
Schedule a Tour
Relationship
The idea of relationship is at the very heart of a Charlotte Mason education. Because relationship is central, class sizes are limited, that students may know and be known.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of a learning environment is a vital component to a life-giving, Christian school education. Students learn best in a structured, peaceful atmosphere that is rich in ideas, beauty, vigor, and wonder.
Discipline
Education is a discipline. Preparation for a life well-lived requires training of the heart and of the will; therefore students are trained to develop strong intellectual, moral, and interpersonal habits.
Life
Children need physical, intellectual, and moral nutrition. Life is full of delight and struggle, and these elements are cultivated within the classroom as well.
“Do not let the endless succession of small things crowd great ideals out of sight and out of mind.”
– Charlotte M. Mason
The Only Christian School in West Michigan Offering Charlotte Mason Education
Who Was Charlotte Mason
In following the trend of the Industrial Revolution, traditional schools (even some Christian schools) employ a factory-based approach, as if children were products to be created at scale. The system has to be designed to be extremely efficient because it favors higher numbers of students in a classroom.
Charlotte Mason advocated for a philosophy of education that values children as born persons who should be treated as a whole human being with individual personality, gifts, and needs. A child’s personhood should be respected and cherished, while also being challenged toward growth.
Living Books
Selective, original, and well-written books by original thinkers that have not been predigested for students
Minimal screens
Training students to be creators of technology, rather than merely consumers
Small Classes
A class size conducive to the discipleship of each child
A Living Education
Everything we do is on purpose. When the psalmist wrote that each of us is “fearfully and wonderfully made”, he hinted at the vast potential for greatness—and loss—in each image-bearer.
The atmosphere in which a child grows, observes, and learns has everything to do with their long-term views of what is valuable, what is worth having, and what is worth pursuing. We view every element of our school day as an opportunity to speak into those values.
As such, our classroom environments, instructional techniques, teacher-student relationships, and approach to the cultivation of life skills have a distinct look and feel that differ from other traditional Christian school programs.
Learn More
Resources for Parents
kindergarten & Junior kindergarten
About Ambleside
Video Library
Froebels
Blog
School Calendar
Athletics
Schedule
Your Tour
Apply Online
The Child is the Father of the Man
William Wordsworth has a way of saying much with just a few words — the trait of a poet whose words are worth considering. What Wordsworth is saying — and what we as educators at Calvary take to heart — is that the experiences, emotions, attachments, and habits that...
Read More
Finding God’s Footprints
At Calvary, one of the ways we serve families is by removing the distractions of life that can keep our kids from meeting with God.
Read More
A State Championship
Calvary won the Division 4 Boys Cross Country State Championship at Michigan International Speedway on November 1. Here’s how the race unfolded and why it matters for our community.
Read More
Go To The Mountains
I had the privilege of speaking last week at Ambleside’s annual leadership retreat, held in Estes Park, Colorado. I would like to share a condensed version of that speech because I think our whole school community might be blessed by it. – Cheryl WardMost of us came...
Read More
The Road Not Taken
It's my custom to share periodic notes with Calvary families that I like to call "Fireside Chats," named after the evening radio addresses that Franklin D. Roosevelt shared with the American people in the 1930s and 40s. My goal is to make these notes conversational...
Read More
A Valuable Education, Part 4: Intentionality in Parenting
Charlotte Mason developed a comprehensive view of the relationship between education and parenting. She viewed parents as the primary educators and emphasized the importance of proactive, rather than reactive, engagement from parent to child regarding character, habits, and respectful relationships with the world. The best possible partnership between parents and school is born out of this shared viewpoint.
Read More