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Fall Family FUNdraiser

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Join Us for a Fall Family FUNdraiser!

🍂 Summit Classical Academy invites you and your family to a heartwarming community gathering to celebrate the season and support our school on Saturday November 9th from 5-8 at the D-Barn in Longmont! 🍂

The ENTIRE family is welcome to enjoy an evening of fun, food, and fellowship with activities for all ages—bring grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, neighbors!  

🔥 Chili Cook-off – Sign Up to bring your best recipe and compete for the title of Chili Champion! 

🍞 Cornbread Competition – Is your cornbread the best in town? Show off your baking skills and Sign Up to enter into the contest! 

🍰 Dessert Duel– Sign Up to bring your favorite fall dessert for a chance to win. 

🎉 Vinco (SCA’s version of a Bingo Game) and Dancing – Get ready for some lively family fun and dancing as we celebrate together!

Join us in helping raise funds for Summit Classical Academy!  We can’t wait to see you and your family there!  Entry is $10/adult and $5/child (3+).  The entry fee will be collected at the door using all forms of payment (Cash, Venmo, check, credit card).

Vinco cards will be on sale at the door or throughout the night, $5/card or 5 cards for $20.  Lastly, for the food competitions we will be Voting with Dollars, so please bring cash to vote on your favorite food entries, or purchase voting chips at the door, sold in $5 increments, using any form of payment.  

Please RSVP to secure your spot. Space is limited at the venue so please RSVP by November 2, 2024 with a total count of adults and children so we can plan accordingly. 

If you are interested in volunteering at the event, please check out this Sign Up to see what the fundraising committee could use your help with.  

RSVP HERE

Family Fall Fundraiser Read More »

The Importance of Discipline and Doing Hard Things

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Discipline is a key principle in Christian life, as it shapes our ability to persevere and grow spiritually. In the same way, discipline plays a significant role in physical activity. The Bible encourages discipline in all areas of life, as seen in **1 Corinthians 9:27**, where Paul writes, “I discipline my body and keep it under control.” This teaches us that just as we train spiritually through prayer and study, we must also discipline our physical bodies through regular activity. Doing hard things like physical exercise can help us grow in patience, endurance, and even in our walk with Christ.

At first, physical activity can feel challenging, especially when starting out. It requires effort, time, and consistency. However, just as spiritual discipline leads to growth, physical exercise also becomes easier with time. **Hebrews 12:11** reminds us, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” The same is true with physical fitness—although it may be difficult at first, consistent effort brings strength and resilience, both physically and spiritually.

From a Christian perspective, doing hard things, whether spiritual or physical, mirrors our faith journey. Jesus Himself emphasized the value of perseverance in the face of difficulty. As we continue to push through physical discomfort in exercise, we develop endurance, a quality necessary for facing life’s challenges. **James 1:2-4** tells us that perseverance leads to maturity. Physical activity serves as a tangible reminder that with discipline, hard things get easier over time, and this perseverance shapes us into stronger individuals in both body and faith.

Ultimately, engaging in regular physical activity not only improves health but also strengthens our discipline, which spills over into other areas of life. By embracing the challenges of physical exercise with a mindset rooted in faith, we learn to rely on God for strength. As we continue, what once seemed hard becomes manageable, and we are reminded of **Philippians 4:13**, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” In both physical and spiritual life, discipline leads to transformation.

The Importance of Discipline and Doing Hard Things Read More »

Keeping Children Safe Online

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Parents, grandparents and educators alike are concerned about keeping children safe online. As societal
pressure and peer pressure mounts to encourage children to have their own, private devices, adults are
wondering what to let children and what age to let them do it. There are many risks associated with
children being online on personal or private devices. What works best may vary by age, family and/or
the individual child.
Physical risks are becoming well known and are documented by multiple sources including the Centers
for Disease Control. It is important to monitor children’s physical health in relation to device usage
including posture, vision, sleep cycles, and attention span.
Non-physical risks include data breaches (hacking) or data leaks, where children over time voluntarily
post information related to where they live, who they live with, family schedules and vacations, etc.
Internet luring is of great concern to law enforcement as it involves luring a child to do anything that
they would not normally do. This includes but is not limited to: substance use, providing personal or
family information, sneaking out, running away and more. Chat functions in games on websites have
been used by juvenile offenders alike to coordinate various criminal activities. Pop up ads can
circumvent age restrictions on devices allowing children to access inappropriate content. Parents should
be mindful of who children are chatting with, what content is being accessed and how technology is
being used. This is the “trust but verify” method. Anyone who has used an accountant to file their taxes
understands that we trust the accountant’s expertise but they will still provide you with a copy of the
tax return to verify that they were filed accurately and on time.
What age is appropriate for technology usage or social media accounts for children? This is a commonly
asked question. Parents talk with other parents, with educators, and with law enforcement about this
topic regularly. Again, this will vary by family and even by child within a family. There used to not be a
minimum age for technology usage in the chat room, AOL days. Technology providers and parent
advocacy groups realized that 10 years old was probably a minimum, this has moved up to 13 in recent
years and Florida recently codified in law that 14 years old would be the minimum age to access social
media sites. Again, this is a risk vs reward equation. What is the risk tolerance of your family and for
your child? Some parent groups have advocated for “When they can pay for the device themselves, they
can have one.” Maybe children should have to do chores or work to save up to purchase their device.
Because legislation was mentioned in this section, Florida is an outlier. States like Colorado are now
mandating that personal information including, preferred names, preferred pronouns and even medical
information must be kept from parents for children as young as 13 years old. Does this kind of legislative
trend work for you and your family?
What is the takeaway or the “call to action” from all of this information? It’s easy to say, “Do what’s best
for your child and your family”. But some tactics and suggestions may be helpful. Screen time is one
measure of appropriate technology use, but what about screen usage? What are the children looking at,
is it age appropriate, does it mesh with family values? In terms of “trust but verify”, parents can set up
Family Pairing on devices so that they are notified of screen time, screen usage, app downloads, etc.
Some of these notifications can spark conversations between parents and children, when devices are
used properly, children can be praised which is an obvious trust builder. Maybe there have already been
trust issues. Many hardware and software options are out there for parents to closely monitor their

child’s GPS location, exact screen usage and chat history. Gab watches, Apple Air Tags and Tiles will track
GPS location. Net Nanny and Safe Kids are apps to track screen usage.
Some of these topics can be heavy so it is probably appropriate to end with a biblical application. Who
would want to lure a child to provide personal information, or worse? Probably not someone wanting to
ensure the best for our children and certainly not someone wanting to ensure appropriate screen usage
or Christ centered technology usage. John 10:10 gives us a warning about who would want to expose
our children to inappropriate content and steal their innocence, “The thief comes only to steal and kill
and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and live it to the full.” Let’s ensure that the enemy
cannot steal, kill, or destroy our children and their youth.

Written by:  Adam Nielsen – Adam Nielsen has 20 years of law enforcement experience focused on leadership, coaching, mentoring
and training. His experience includes a decade on a SWAT Team, over five years of undercover narcotics
experience and major case investigations that included crimes against children, internet crimes,
organized crime and persons crimes. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master’s degree in
Criminology. More importantly, he is a proud husband and proud father to two young daughters.

Keeping Children Safe Online Read More »

Unveiling the Vision: The Birth of SCA – A Journey into Classical Christian Education

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More than anything, we want our kids to know the forgiving and loving heart of God, and we
want them to love Him in return. The heart can’t love what the mind does not know, so
education is, for us, the means of drawing our kids’ minds and then hearts to God. Starting the
school was a step in that effort. Classical Christian education is the best means that we have
found for awakening the wonder within our children, teaching them how to learn, then reason,
then articulate eloquently. It is a parent’s great responsibility and privilege to fill a child’s mind
with treasures of truth, beauty, and goodness. We have only a few short years as parents to
stock up the treasure chests of our kids’ minds and to train their affections to love the right
things and abhor the evil. Inspired by the examples of the intelligent, servant-hearted men and
women we want our children to grow up to be like, and desiring to cling to God and glorify Him
with the resources He’s given us, we found that helping to start a school was our best option
and the best thing we could do for the kids that God has entrusted to our care.

Written by: Danette Miller, SCA Board Member and Founding Family Member

Unveiling the Vision: The Birth of SCA – A Journey into Classical Christian Education Read More »

Divine Reflections: A Journey of Faith, Gratitude, and Guidance

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Our Heavenly Father,

We praise you for your steadfast love that shall not depart from us, your covenant of peace that shall not be removed, and that you have compassion on us (Isaiah 54:10).

We confess that we daily forget – even deny – your great love and sovereignty. We confess that we’re often more motivated by self-love than by our love for you. We want to consciously make an effort tonight, with your help, to turn from our illusions of self-sufficiency, repent from serving our personal kingdoms, and turn our eyes, hearts, and minds upon you. We lay down our plans, sacrifice our wills, and take up your cross. Please help us to be like Jesus whose every action is motivated by love for you. If we rightly understand your great love, we would give thanks without ceasing and trust you continually to provide our daily portion. 

You who gave up your own Son for us all will certainly, graciously give us all things (Romans 8:32)! You know our needs and our (seemingly) limited resources. And we know that you are the God who fed four thousand men with seven loaves of bread and two fish, that you compassionately provided for the physical needs of the people following you, that they all ate and were satisfied (Matthew 15:31-38). We expect and trust that you will also provide for your followers at this school. 

Oh, the joy in knowing you and being yours! Joy is the effect of a grateful heart. Giving thanks shows our trust in you. When we complain about our circumstances, not only are we acting ungrateful, we’re showing a lack of trust – and what a grievous sin that is! The pride of not trusting is the pride of thinking that we know better than you. We confess we’re guilty of this pride, and we’re so grateful for your promise to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

We repent from serving ourselves and turn to you with grateful hearts. May the song of Psalm 103 resound from this school always and motivate all that we do here:

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s…. Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!

We’re clinging to you, Father! Holy Spirit, please guide us in all truth tonight. Jesus, please clothe us with your likeness, compassionate hearts, humility, meekness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). As leaders of this school, help us to shepherd your flock here as you, God, would have us, willingly, eagerly, and as good examples (1 Peter 5:1-3).

It’s in Jesus’ name that we pray, Amen.

Written by: Danette Miller, Board Vice Chairwoman

Divine Reflections: A Journey of Faith, Gratitude, and Guidance Read More »

A Prayer For Our Teachers

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My prayer this year for the school and everyone here is that we will be known by our love ~ in patience; in speech; in forgiveness; in conduct; in serving. 

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

As I’ve been praying for this, God has shown me that it is impossible for me to love anyone without first understanding what Amy Carmichael calls Calvary Love. As the Anglican’s morning prayer of confession claims: there is no health in me! I realized this summer that I honestly don’t understand how people who don’t know the love of Jesus are kind at all – I wouldn’t be! On the flip side, if I truly have been touched by the love of God and gotten a glimpse of its breadth and length and height and depth, then how can I be unloving or unkind? 

God, let us be known by our likeness to You, known by the love we have for one another. 

I studied with two mentors over this summer. If you don’t have a mentor, I highly recommend finding one who is no longer living – they will never surprise or disappoint you by going woke, for one thing. My two dearly loved mentors are Elizabeth Elliot and Charles Spurgeon. I’ve been gathering notes from their wisdom for many months, always on the lookout for what might be helpful to share with teachers. As it so happened, it was my morning devotional today by Charles Spurgeon that is apt:

The people who know their God shall stand firm. – Daniel 11:32

Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly referred to in the Bible as people who are enlightened and taught by the Lord; they are said to “have been anointed by the Holy One,” (1 John 2:20) and it is the Spirit’s peculiar office to lead them into all truth, so that they might grow in their faith. Knowledge strengthens love as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Savior. Or to put it another way, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait, then we love Him. We cannot love a Christ whom we do not know at least in some degree. If we know only a little of the excellencies of Jesus, what He has done for us and what He is doing now, we cannot love Him much; but the more we know Him, the more we will love Him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for something if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the telescope, but until we receive instruction, our ignorance blocks our view, and we can see nothing. Knowledge removes the blockage, and when we look through the bright optic glass we discover the glory to be revealed and anticipate it with joyful confidence. Knowledge supplies us with reason for patience. How will we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ and understand the good that comes out of the correction that our heavenly Father sends us? There is not a single Christian who, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge.. It is then very important that we should grow not only in grace, but in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Oh, to write like the Prince of Preachers!

“Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Savior…. knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait, then we love Him.”

I have always craved knowledge – in all subjects, from math to philosophy, linguistics to literature, art to anthropology. I want to know, see, understand. (This is, of course, what attracted me to classical education for my own children. It is so good.) I don’t believe I’m unique in this hunger for knowledge. I believe all of us are created to crave it, because what it really is is our heart’s desire to know our Creator, to see the portrait of Jesus with the veil removed, to have our telescope of hope in focus. 

As you teach this year, no matter the subject, know that you are opening the door for your students to behold Jesus. That is the work of this school. That is the work of the Kingdom of God. But you must know that love for yourselves first. Meditate on his Word day and night. Feast on it. It is the only way.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father … that he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being … [that you may] know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:14-19

You are loved by God. You are anointed by Him. And you are covered in prayer by the leadership of this school.

By: Danette Miller, SCA Vice Chairwoman

A Prayer For Our Teachers Read More »

June Board Prayer

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Dear Father,

You take such good care of us. David prayed, “Answer me when I call you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.” (Psalm 4:1) David knew his and all man’s standing with you – we’re desperately dependent on you. But David also knew your relationship with man – a Christian is one who has God as Father. Knowing he was your child was how he could ask for – demand, even – such things: Answer me; give me relief; have mercy on me; hear my prayer. 

David wasn’t asking you to act out of your character or beyond your promises. You describe and reveale yourself as full of mercy. You promise to give us our daily bread and all things that are good for us, and you are God who hears and sees us. We know we have no hope if you don’t hear us, or have mercy on us, or give us relief. Those things are life, and they are only found in you. Thank you for hearing us, for your mercy, your gifts, and for answering our prayers. 

God, we’re here to seek your kingdom – to ask where you’re working on earth and to join you in your work. We have very little to offer – even less than the poor widow’s coin – but we want to give all of it to you. Please accept our lives and use them however you can to share the truth and good news about Jesus Christ. 

Lord, this is hard work, and the absolute only reason to do it – to run and not grow weary – is so that we can share your gospel. It’s so good, we have to share it. Jesus is the treasure worth selling everything for, and you want everyone to hear about Him and have the chance to know Him. We want that, too, God. We want to always be with you, to gaze on your face, to know the joy of your presence, and to worship you. To know you is the point of life, and the only reason to be here on earth after we’ve been adopted as your children is to draw others to Jesus. God, you know how that will be best done through this school and through every detail of our lives. You will be glorified and you will accomplish your good purposes in all things. You give us only what we need, and you withhold anything that would be harmful for us. 

So, Father, we submit our wills and our ways to you. Please help align our desires with yours. We ask for only what we would want if we knew everything that you know. Thank you for hearing us. We give thanks to you, LORD, for you are good. Your love endures forever. (Ps 107:1) You’ve redeemed us. Let us tell our story and walk humbly with you, our God. (Micah 6:8) We are weary and heavy laden, and we don’t know what to do, but you know our state, and your direct marching orders are to yoke ourselves to Jesus – to be gentle and humble. (Mt 11:29)

Help us to be gentle and humble with each other, with our children, with the students, the teachers, and the families. Holy Spirit, have your way with us. Direct our paths. We ask all this as your children whom you dearly love because of Jesus. Amen.

Written by: Danette Miller, SCA Board Vice Chairwoman

June Board Prayer Read More »

National Day Of Prayer 2023

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Today we celebrate the National Day of Prayer. This morning some of our students volunteered to pray over our churches and for our families, education, businesses, workplaces,⁠ military, government, arts, entertainment and⁠ media. It was a beautiful morning of prayer. One of our board members, Micah Miller also prayed the 2023 National Day of Prayer for America.

We come with fervent hearts to praise You Lord.

You are The Word, the Way, Truth and Life.

The Alpha and Omega, Lion of Judah, Almighty God

who was, and is, and is to come. You clothed

Yourself in flesh and dwelt among us, to remove

our sin and clothe us in Your righteousness that

we might dwell with You forever and ever.

With broken, humbled hearts we repent of our

sins. Confessing to You our faithlessness,

prayerlessness, and disobedience. Forgive us for

our doubt, our prideful and quarrelsome words

that reveal our unclean hearts. Cleanse us and

renew a right and steadfast spirit within us we

pray.

With grateful hearts we thank You fervently for

the blessings in our life and throughout

America; they are more than we are able to

count. We will remember Your grace and testify

to Your goodness in all generations. Help us to

refrain from complaining, but instead be

prompted to pray faithfully in every

circumstance. Teach us to have a content heart

knowing You are always enough for our every

need.

As the Church we commit to pray and love our

neighbor and nation as You loved us, that our

reputation in this world would be rooted in Your

love. Holy Spirit work and overflow through us

in every prayer, thought, word, and deed. May

our character, conversations, and conduct

reflect the righteousness in which You clothed

us and command us to live.

With an obedient heart we put on the full armor

of God; Your breastplate of righteousness

guards our heart from which flows the springs of

life. We pray fervently for our communities and

country; the people who are in the Church,

Family, Education, Business and Workplace,

Military, Government, Arts, Entertainment and

Media. Every person is Your workmanship,

fearfully and wonderfully created and loved.

With hopeful hearts we pray that all would

choose to receive Your love and follow You. We

pray that America would confess, “Jesus is

Lord” and reflect Your righteousness in every

sphere of influence, and every aspect of our

lives. We ask that heavenly hope would flood

our hearts, silence hate, and that You will heal

our land.

Believing You; all You are, all You said, and all

You have promised, we pray fervently in

righteousness and avail much. In Jesus Name

we pray, Amen!

Kathy Branzell

President, National Day of Prayer Task Force

National Day Of Prayer 2023 Read More »

April Board Prayer

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All hail King Jesus.

All hail the Lord of Heaven and Earth.

All hail the Savior of the world. 

Because You created us, 

Because You are almighty in power, 

Because your love is infinite,

We praise You!

God, You told us through Paul in II Corinthians 5 that through your conquering death, You also conquered our slavery to our flesh – the life we lived serving ourselves; and through your resurrection, we have a new life in You. We live in the Spirit now, and are controlled by the love of Christ. 

You’ve given us the task of sharing words to the world – we speak on your behalf as your ambassadors, and the message You’ve entrusted us with is that the King of kings has provided a way of reconciliation to Himself for the world. 

You give us your strength for this task, and to make it even sweeter – You’ve given us the dearest people to share your good news with … children. 

Oh the honor it is to be your ambassador to these students and their families!

Holy God, help us to represent You in truth. Please give us the humility and strength to exchange our desires for yours and to recognize You as sovereign over every detail of this school and our lives. 

You say to ‘be still and know that You are God.’ Being still means: not fretting, complaining, being anxious, or boasting. Rather, to know You as God, to see You as You really are, will rightfully stop us in our tracks and cause us to be immobile. 

God, we seek to serve You and follow You as our King. Please make us bolder about sharing your name and good news. This is the task You’ve given us – with the promise to make us more like Christ along the way. And at the end, we will join with the angels proclaiming your name:

All hail King Jesus!

Please come soon. 

Until then, please shine blindingly brightly out of us and out of this school. Let all who come here have soft hearts and trust You and cling to You as Savior of the world. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Written by: Danette Miller, SCA Vice Chairwoman

April Board Prayer Read More »

Cursive and Why We Teach It

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Cursive is a form of handwriting in which letters are connected together in a flowing style. While it has become less common in recent years due to the rise of digital communication, it is still taught in many schools, including those that follow the classical Christian education model.

One reason cursive is taught in classical Christian education is that it is part of the tradition of Western civilization. For many centuries, cursive was the standard form of handwriting, and it is still used in many important documents such as legal contracts and historical manuscripts. By teaching cursive, students are exposed to this important part of their cultural heritage.

Another reason cursive is taught is that it can improve cognitive and motor skills. Learning cursive requires more fine motor control than printing, as the letters must be connected in a smooth and continuous motion. This can help students develop their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, which can have benefits beyond writing.

In addition, some proponents of classical Christian education argue that cursive can aid in the development of students’ spiritual and moral lives. They suggest that the physical act of writing in cursive can help students slow down and reflect on what they are writing, leading to a deeper engagement with their own thoughts and ideas.

Overall, while the reasons for teaching cursive in classical Christian education may vary, it is often seen as a valuable tradition that can help students develop important skills and connect with their cultural heritage.

Written by: SCA Journal Committee

Cursive and Why We Teach It Read More »

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