frequently asked questions

VCS holds campus day classes at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2101 Shadow Lake Road in Blacksburg, VA.

This is a great question. We have attempted to highlight some of the primary differences between the two options in the following blog post: How Is Valley Classical School Different From Classical Conversations™?.

The Statement of Faith for Valley Classical School is The Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed is a fourth-century Christian statement of faith drawn up at the Council of Nicaea to officially proclaim Biblical teaching about the nature of God and the church.

The Creed is Scriptural

Every point of the Nicene Creed is formed from Holy Scripture.

The Creed is Trinitarian

The Creed reveals God as three persons, one God: Father, Son & Holy Spirit.

The Creed is Gospel-centered

Jesus and his redemptive work are clearly explained in the Creed.

The Creed is Historic

The Nicene Creed has been a of all Christians for more than 1600 years. It reflects the continuing work of the Spirit in the life of the Church to hold fast to the faith once-delivered to the saints.

The Creed is Broad

Christians from different denominations have always affirmed the Nicene Creed.

For more information on the VCS Statement of Faith, see our Statement of Faith page.

We use proven teaching methods that align with a child's natural developmental stages, equipping students with tools for lifelong learning through the phases of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Our comprehensive curriculum is well rounded in the study of science, math, history, literature and poetry, English grammar, spelling, writing, Latin, and the arts. See our Classical page for more information on this component of VCS.

Students attend class on campus with trained teachers 2 days a week for grades PreK through 4th and 3 days a week for grades 5th and up, and then receive assignments to complete under the guidance of parents at home 2 to 3 days a week. This allows parents to share in the academic instruction of their children, but also provides the structure and benefits of the classroom environment. See our Collaborative page for more information on this component of VCS.

A Christ-centered perspective in education means that the board, staff, and families of Valley Classical School are united in affirming our statement of faith. It also means that the way we think about and pursue the training of students is influenced by our understanding of the gospel and the truths of the Bible. Ultimately, what is true, good, and beautiful is rooted in Christ. See our Christian page for more information on this component of VCS.

The days students attend classes on campus are called, “Campus Days.”

A Campus Day at VCS looks similar to time spent in a traditional school environment. Students attend classes with their peers and receive instruction from their teachers. Each campus day includes teaching in Classical Core: Math, Science, Language Arts, Latin, History, and Fine Arts or PE (Lower School has both).

Days where students are completing assignments at home are called, “Home Days.”

On Home Days, Parents guide students in completing assignments prepared by the campus teacher. The learning schedule during at-home days can be adapted to a student’s particular learning style.

All VCS students come to campus for a Campus Day on Mondays & Wednesdays.

Upper School (grades 5th and up) students have an additional Campus Day on Tuesdays while Lower School (grades PreK through 4th) students have a full Home Day.

Relying upon the three C’s in our mission statement as a guide, VCS aims foster a love for learning by:

Christian

• Demonstrating grace more prominently as a community, striving to combat the fear of failure and pressure to perform that is hindering many of our students.

• Respecting our students’ identity as image bearers, not bending their individual learning proclivities toward conformity and not focusing on their intellectual needs to the neglect of their physical and social needs.

Classical

• Evaluating our reliance upon assessments to ensure that assessments complement instead of define the learning experience.

• Refining our curriculum to better distinguish that which is necessary for success at VCS and that which is made available but not required.

Collaborative

• Empowering co-teachers to actively shape their home-days to best equip their students for success.

• Empowering campus teachers to utilize their experience and expertise to more prominently shape the campus day experience.

See https://valleyclassicalschool.org/recovering-a-love-for-learning for more information.

We are offering Pre-K through 11th grade for the 2024-2025 academic year. Our desire and plan is to continually add one or more grades each year after that until Valley Classical School offers Pre-K through 12th grade.

We will consider applications for the Spring 2024 semester on a case by case basis. All questions regarding mid-year admissions should be directed to: admissions@valleyclassicalschool.org.

Key dates for the 2024-2025 admissions timeline:

• October 30th - fall Information Meeting

• January through June - Information Meetings held monthly

• December 30th - Admissions and financial aid applications available (see Admissions Process for details)

• Standard Admissions Cycle: January 1st through April 15th.

• Extended Admissions Cycle: April 16th through June 30th. Note: Applications received during this period are subject to higher enrollment fees

• April 30th - Financial aid application submission deadline for reenrolling families

• June 1st - Fall tuition due

• Final Admissions Cycle: July 1st through July 15th. Note: Applications received during this period are subject to higher enrollment fees

• July 30th - Financial aid application submission deadline for new families enrolling Fall 2024

• December 1st - Admissions application submission deadline for families seeking to enroll Spring 2025*

• December 30th - Financial aid application submission deadline for new families enrolling Spring 2025*

*We will consider applications for the Spring 2025 semester on a case by case basis. All questions regarding mid-year admissions should be directed to: admissions@valleyclassicalschool.org.

Tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is $3995 per lower school student (grades pre-k through 4th) and $5095 per upper school student (grades 5th through 10th). Families will also need to pay a $150 application fee and a $350-$450 enrollment fee, depending on enrollment period; the application and enrollment fee are per family and are not based on the number of children applying or being enrolled. More information on tuition and fees can be found on the Tuition, Fees, and Scholarships page.

VCS offers need-based financial aid given in the form of a 25% reduction in tuition for families that qualify. See the Tuition, Fees, and Scholarships page for more details.