Covenant’s School of Rhetoric endeavors to provide excellent education for mind, body, and soul not only to create successful, well-rounded college students, but also to prepare young people for global leadership and a God-honoring impact on society. Covenant desires to shape students into lovers of learning and critical thinkers, not merely information gatherers. Core subject requirements remain distinctly classical in that we emphasize a broad liberal arts background with a special concentration in logic and rhetorical skills, the mastery of the English language, and familiarity with Latin. The program also prepares students for college level excellence in math, science, Latin, and technology. Covenant assumes that no dichotomy exists between sacred and secular learning, because all truth belongs to God. Rather, we aim to prepare students to healthily engage culture with a firmly grounded Biblical Worldview.
Our 9th through 12th grade program creates opportunities for students to play a critical role in their high school experience. Students help plan fun and exciting events as part of the Student Activities Council. Those students who want athletics can join one of our championship athletic teams. Classrooms are designed to maximize student learning through discussion and debate. Covenant students learn to face their fear of public speaking by delivering speeches using classical rhetoric. By cultivating a variety of opportunities, students become well-rounded young adults who are competent in any number of social, academic, or athletic venues. The School of Rhetoric offers three seasons of varsity sports, five musical ensembles, theater and musical productions, and our Spring Fest arts showcase.
Being a part of the School of Rhetoric is more than a list of activities. It means being a part of a community where your peers honestly want to see you do your best. It’s cool to be smart here at CCA, and students spur each other on to excellence in all they do. At Covenant, competition brings out the best, rather than the worst in our students, as we see during our weekly Friday afternoon Community period. Each student carries great value and brings a unique contribution to our community. Each and every student at CCA truly “belongs”.
Graduation Req.
RHETORIC SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
To earn a CCA diploma, a student in the Class of 2024 or following needs to earn at least 25 credits. A student receives one credit for every year-long course and 0.5 credits for a semester-long course. Fine Arts electives are awarded .25 credits and a student receives Physical Education credits (0.5) for every high school level sport in which he or she participates.
In addition to the requirements in the disciplines listed below, each senior must successfully complete Rhetoric II: Senior Thesis in order to graduate from CCA. The Senior Thesis Project at Covenant Christian Academy is the culmination of our students’ Classical Education. After writing a fifteen to twenty-page research essay on a topic of their choosing, each student must defend his or her argument in front of their peers, along with a panel of faculty members and outside experts. The Thesis Project demands the scholarly depth, expert rhetoric, and personal confidence that are essential to our students’ success in collegiate studies and professional life.
Credits Required for Diploma
Bible 3.0 credits
English 4.0 credits
History 4.0 credits
Latin 3.0 credits
Math 4.0 credits
Rhetoric 1.5 credits
Science 3.0 credits
Fine Arts 1.5 credits
Athletics 1.0 credit
Total Credits = 25
Planning Resources for Students
USLR Curriculum Guide & Course Catalog
Athletic Requirements
Covenant Christian Academy requires all Rhetoric School students to participate in two seasons of Athletics during their high school tenure which will suffice for .5 credits. Students who are involved in off campus sports/dance activities may request an Athletic Exemption Form from the Athletic Director. CCA’s objective for Rhetoric School Athletics is to provide a positive atmosphere in which students can have the opportunity to compete, have fun and be a part of the team. CCA’s Rhetoric School students embrace playing on our athletic teams and representing the school’s mission with their fellow classmates on the field and court!
Fine Arts Requirements
In the Rhetoric School, students are required to complete 1.5 Fine Arts credits in order to graduate. Students can earn credits in any of the following areas (.25 credits each):
– USLR Concert Band
– USLR Jazz Band
– RS Worship Band
– RS Chorale
– USLR Musical
– RS Play
– Elective Classes in Art, Music, or Drama
Honors & AP
We believe the curriculum, instruction, and expectations of Rhetoric School students here at CCA are best described with an honors designation. Therefore, we offer only one academic track for our core classes, all of which are taught at a rigorous honors level of instruction and workload.
In addition, we currently offer seven AP classes that complement this rigorous core curriculum. Five of these Advanced Placement courses are taught annually (AP European History, AP US History, AP Physics, AP Calculus and AP Latin) and two additional science AP courses are offered every other year (AP Biology and AP Chemistry). Students who successfully complete an AP course with a C or higher receive a additional .7 weight on their GPA.
In addition to the above courses, Covenant Christian Academy has successfully helped students prepare for AP tests in areas of interest, even when we did not offer a specific course in that discipline, most notably the AP Composition and Literature test.
Academic Support
CCA teachers provide excellent academic support to students on an individual level.
At the conclusion of every school day, from 3:05-3:30pm, students are able to seek one-on-one instruction from teachers. This Extra Help block allows students to prepare for assessments, as well as gain support throughout the semester to ensure full understanding of material in class. Teachers are also available by appointment before or after school to provide further guidance.
Additionally, CCA utilizes a peer-tutoring program where struggling students are matched with a peer to solidify understanding of class material, as well as help prepare papers and projects. The benefits of this program are twofold: deeper understanding and stronger grades for the tutored student, along with leadership development for the tutor.
US Handbook
The Upper School Handbook can be accessed on Ren Web through your Parents Web log in. It is located in the School Information / Resource Documents tab.
The handbook is designed to provide our students and their parents with an understanding of the Upper Schools’ policies and procedures. It’s purpose is to give full expression to our covenant with you as a Christian educational community. Information, rules, procedures, and the like are simply an attempt to help the community operate smoothly and fairly, allowing for “true freedom” and “personal responsibility” to be expressed and enjoyed within these boundaries. Please take the time to read this handbook carefully so that we have a common basis for discussion should any questions arise during the school year.
