Turlock parents will soon have another choice when it comes to their children’s education.

The St. George Christian Academy is scheduled to open this fall, and initially will offer classes for first and second grades, as well as kindergarten. Another grade will be added each year, through high school.

Registration begins Thursday.

Backers are currently in negotiations with a local church for a school site, though no deal has been reached. Home-schooling remains an option for Year 1.

What makes SGCA different is its Classic Christian Education model. According to the Association of Classical Christian Schools’ website, CCE is “a time-tested educational system that establishes a biblical worldview, cultivates the seven Christian virtues, trains students in reasoning through the trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric), and engages children in ‘the great conversation’ through the historical great books (Western Canon).”

Naturally, first- and second-graders aren’t ready to tackle Plato’s “Republic,” so the education model is tailored to specific age groups.

“Young students absorb information so differently,” said Daniel Fox, a public school teacher who is one of the leaders behind the effort to bring St. George to Turlock. “In the early stages, it’s more about memorization, recitation, signing, chanting. Then, in junior high, it’s more about learning and comprehending the different things that were memorized as a child. High school is more geared toward rhetoric and students knowing what they believe; it’s about finding their calling and how they can contribute to society.”

Elizabeth Hicks, the secretary for St. George’s board of trustees, grew up in Waterford but has lived in Turlock for the past three years. She was a CCE student.

“When I was in high school it felt a lot more like I was learning how everything connected, and it felt more well-rounded,” said Hicks. “Classic Christian Education doesn’t just get you through a subject by going to class, turning in homework, and passing tests. It encourages communication, and community.”

Fox said that St. George leans toward protestant-reformed, but is open to any Christian denomination.

Tuition is just over $7,000 per year.

“We have an affordable-for-all model,” said Fox. “That’s a core value. It’s not just important to have a school, but one that can provide options for all Christians, regardless of socioeconomic status.

Fox believes the time is right for this project.

“We see some concerning trends in the government school realm,” said Fox. “There’s a hyper-pragmatism … teaching to the test. You check off a box and make sure students are getting the skill. But a student could learn a skill, and still not be educated. We’re focused on virtue, and how good a person the student becomes.”

Legend has it that St. George, a venerated Christian soldier, slayed a dragon to save a princess and her kingdom. That imagery — the slaying of a serpent — occurs frequently throughout the Bible. 

“It really resonates with us,” said Fox. “We’re seeing a lot of ‘dragons’ in the world. And our focus is not on the number of dragons we’re slaying, but on the weapons we’re using and the attitudes we have.”

After St. George saved the town from the dragon, all the townspeople were baptized. St. George was given a reward for his heroics, but he gave back the reward so the townspeople could rebuild their town.

“St. George saved the town, he changed the town, and he sacrificed to make the town better,” said Fox. “Those three points of imagery really stood out to us.”