Private schools are growing in Silverton

Chalk it up to a vigorous economy or mere coincidence, but the little private schools serving Silverton and Mt. Angel are growing in size and number.

Two new schools opened this fall, and two existing institutions are seeing enrollment increases.

Newcomers are a classical high school, Chesterton Academy of the Willamette Valley, in Mt. Angel, and Silver Creek Montessori School, in Silverton. Meanwhile, numbers are up at Holy Family Academy and Silver Falls Christian School.

Chesterton Academy

Opening with a 12-student freshman class this fall, Chesterton Academy rents space at Father Bernard Youth Center. It specializes in a classical, liberal-arts education in the Catholic tradition and is named after the prolific 20th-century author and thinker G.K. Chesterton.

Of 13 such institutions that make up the Chesterton Schools Network, it is the only one in Oregon. 

“In order to foster and renew the culture of life, we teach young men and women in the Catholic liberal arts tradition. Our school is rooted in agrarian values that support traditional family life, love of the natural order, and a commitment to local and civic responsibilities,” is the school’s mission statement.

Headmaster Nick Plato taught at a variety of public and private schools after graduating college in 2001. As he earned his master’s degree and converted to Catholicism, he dreamed about teaching the tenets of his faith in connection with a study of “great books,” logic, philosophy and discussion-based instruction.

The school’s purpose, method and curriculum are aimed at “optimal human flourishing,” he said. “We don’t define our students’ success just by their work or their SAT scores. The ultimate success is when a student is … someone who knows how to experience and appreciate the best of life.”

Currently, two fulltime teachers and a part-time music instructor guide Chesterton Academy day-to-day. Local farmers teach hands-on events to satisfy the program’s agrarian ideal, with Plato hoping to soon offer commercial farming ventures.

The academy’s board plans to add up to 12 more students next fall, for a possible total of 24. January is the school’s “come and see” month, in which interested families can observe classes. Annual tuition is $5,995. For more information, go online to https://chestertonwv.com. 

Silver Creek Montessori

In Silverton, Silver Creek Montessori is the next step for the students of Teri Therkelsen, who previously operated Bluebird Montessori and Rose Cottage Montessori.
This fall, Therkelsen was joined by Portland transplant Christen Kelly, and the pair opened a 20-student primary program for preschool and kindergarten students at St. Edward’s Episcopal Church. Like Therkelsen, Kelly has a decade of experience teaching in Montessori schools, although her focus has been on older kids. As such, she’ll teach the school’s elementary students starting this fall.

“We’re looking at adding no more than about 10 students,” Kelly said. “Depending on our numbers, we hope to keep growing every year, eventually offering classes to kids up to 12 years old.”

Based on the philosophy of Italian educator and physician Dr. Maria Montessori, the method stresses students’ human development and independent learning. Teachers are called “guides” and are tasked with careful observation so as to meet learners’ individual needs.

Community Roots, a K-8 public charter school just down the road, is also a Montessori school. However, every year there are more interested students than available spaces. 
“We definitely felt there was a need,” Kelly said. “There are people who want specific Montessori instruction, so it’s nice to have another option.”

More information is online at www.silvercreekmontessori.org. Annual tuition for half-day students is $4,400. Board members will soon finalize full-day tuition rates.

Holy Family Academy

Since its founding in 1993, Holy Family Academy, located in the historic Parkersville school building west of Mt. Angel, has drawn students from the entire east Willamette Valley. It started with five families, lay Catholics who wanted their kids to receive classical instruction.

Five years ago, board members anticipated growth and launched a capital campaign to construct an additional building. Supporters were unable to raise enough money for a stick-built structure, so, as a temporary solution, they purchased a modular building and, last summer, retrofitted it to hold three classrooms, restrooms and a staff room.

“This year, suddenly, our enrollment jumped,” said Principal Cheryl Schwarz. “So it’s perfect, and God’s providence. Those new classrooms are already full.”

Sixty-six students, from kindergarten to eighth grade, now attend the academy. They are led by 10 staff members and active parents who keep costs down by taking responsibility for maintenance, cleaning and social events.

“All the parents are so completely involved in the education of their students,” Schwarz said. “It’s not only on the level of cleaning and maintaining the school; we believe parents are the primary educators of their children.”

Learning Latin a tiny facet of what makes the school classical. In the early years, teachers focus on grammar, logic and rhetoric. Memorization – often in song – is a big focus, and, later, students start learning how to analyze whether things are “true or not,” she said.

“This is our school’s 25th anniversary, and it’s a real delight to be providing this kind of education,” she said.

For more information, call 503-792-3630 or go online to www.holyfamilyacademy.us. Annual tuition is $2,950.

Silver Falls Christian School

Now in its third year, Silver Falls Christian School is seeing growth among K-8 students, now serving 12 after starting with four in 2016. Its preschool, begun last year, has 31 students. Four teachers work in the building owned by Silverton Foursquare Church on Second Street.

When 36-year-old Silverton Christian School closed in 2016, a group of parents opened Silver Falls Christian School to replace it. Board members have continued its Association of Christian School International membership and curriculum choices, including Abeka language arts and Saxon math.

“Lately, we’ve seen more interest in our upper-grade classes,” said Board Chair Jamie Runion. “We are growing.”

To operate, the school depends entirely on tuition and fundraisers, including its annual dinner, dessert and auction, scheduled this year for Feb. 9.

Annual tuition for grades 1-8 is $3,600, while its half-day kindergarten costs $1,875. For more information, call 503-873-3991 or log on to https://silverfallschristianschool.com.