Curriculum - Idaho Novus Classical Academy

An American Classical Education

Our mission is to train the minds and improve the hearts of students through a classical, content-rich curriculum that emphasizes virtuous living, traditional learning, and civic responsibility. An American classical education is a liberal arts and science education intended to equip students for virtuous, knowledgeable, happy lives. Our vision is to form future citizens who uphold the ideals of our country’s founding and promote the continuation of our American experiment—through a classical, great books curriculum designed to engage the student in the highest matters and the deepest questions of truth, justice, virtue, and beauty that define the human experience. Students of Idaho Novus Classical Academy will be good citizens and intellectually rigorous contributors, well qualified for future studies in law, medicine, business, engineering, technology, theology, or any other professional or vocational pursuit.

Academic Highlights

Idaho Novus Classical Academy provides a traditional education in the liberal arts and sciences, defined by an emphasis on the American traditions of literature, philosophy, and history. Our K-12 scope and sequence is developed by Hillsdale College and is rich in content and designed to provide a comprehensive American classical education. We offer a “back to basics” approach where spelling counts, English grammar is taught explicitly, manners matter, hard work is expected, and standardized testing does not drive the curriculum. Our school culture is defined by a seriousness of purpose and emphasis on the development of good character. The teachers we employ are passionate subject matter experts with demonstrated mastery of the humanities, mathematics, and sciences.

The scope and sequence of our curriculum notably features:

Reading of great books, including historical primary source documents
Text centered, teacher-led instruction fostering Socratic inquiry and discussion
Memory work, recitation, and public speaking are cultivated through practice
Visual and performing arts classes emphasize theory, history, and performance
Spanish taught in K-5 with Latin and Greek roots introduced in grades 4-5
Latin required in grades 6-9, followed by two years of advanced Latin or Spanish
Comprehensive K-12 civics program culminating in Moral and Political Philosophy and American Government in grades 10-12
A 15-page senior capstone thesis and oral defense before faculty and peers provides a challenging academic rite of passage

Read more about our K-12 scope and sequence here at the Hillsdale K-12 website or download the K-12 Curriculum Overview. Additional details about our academic policies can be found in our Family Handbook.