Classical Christian Education at Rockbridge Academy

What makes classical Christian education distinctive?

Our distinctively classical curriculum prepares students to excel by all academic measures; however, at the heart of our program is a vision to grow and nurture students to be lifelong Christ-followers. This combination of proven learning methodologies and unwaveringly Christian principles is producing compassionate, thinking leaders of the next generation.

What is it about this model of education that works? What is the Trivium? Dialectic? Rhetoric? A senior thesis? Why do students study Latin? What is the Grand Tour? What are student outcomes in STEM fields? Where are students going to college?

These are great questions! We touch on Grand Tour, the senior thesis, and Latin briefly here, but please join us on Friday, November 8^th for our Preview Night to learn more. Come with questions! RSVP HERE.

2025 Niche rankings are in! Rockbridge Academy has been named…

#1 Christian High School in Anne Arundel County
#2 Christian High School in the Baltimore Area
#3 Best Private High School in Anne Arundel County AND Best K-12 Private School in Anne Arundel County
#4 Best Christian High School in Maryland
TOP 3% of Best Christian High Schools in America

How would you describe the 17-day Grand Tour?

From an alumna: Ever since kindergarten, my fellow students and I looked forward to Grand Tour as the highlight of our Rockbridge Academy careers. From Latin and history classes to field trips to cultural feasts and soirée dinners, all of our education foreshadowed our class trip to Greece and Italy in the weeks following our junior year. When I try to explain Grand Tour to family or friends outside of this community, I usually refer to it as “a sort of senior trip.” The truth is, though, Grand Tour is not just your typical senior trip—a relaxing week at the beach or skiing in the mountains. Grand Tour enriches both our classical education and Christian relationships within each class.

Grand Tour is distinctively classical. We don’t visit England, Germany, or Israel; we visit Greece and Italy…As a classical education emphasizes, what did happen way back when irreversibly shaped the entire western world. We see Greek and Roman culture in our government, art, architecture, language, sciences, philosophy—the list goes on and on.

How is the senior thesis at Rockbridge Academy different?

The Rockbridge Academy senior thesis is not your average capstone project. It is a year-long research project in which each student, guided by a faculty advisor and rhetoric teacher, explores a challenging problem and proposes a solution. It culminates in a significant paper (15-20 pages), followed by a speech and defense presented to a public audience. Critical components of the thesis include research skills, critical thinking, and communication skills (demonstrated through both writing and public speaking).

2024-2025

Most importantly, the student is expected to interact with his or her material from a Christian worldview. Whether the research area is scientific, historical, geopolitical, relational, or literary, acknowledging that we live in a world that is not purposeless, mechanistic, and driven by chance challenges each student to think more deeply as they search for meaningful answers in their field.

2024-2025

Why Latin?

Besides the many benefits of language learning, deep understanding of our English language, and many other modern languages, Latin trains students to think carefully. The study of Latin requires careful attention to detail and is a good model for approaching other subjects. Furthermore, knowledge of Latin “roots” is fundamental to the technical language of all sciences, literature, and historical documents. Latin was the language of scholarship and learning for well over 1,000 years. We open up a new world to students when they are able to read some of these writings in their original language.