March 3, 2014
The Paideia Academy: "Christ-Centered, Organic, Green & Classical"
How
many Orthodox children often fantasize about attending a full-time
Orthodox school? While the children may dream of having their days
off coincide with the great feasts of the Church, parents would more
likely be focused on them receiving a wholesome education in an
Orthodox environment. What if there was an opportunity to send
children to a school that follows a centuries-proven classical model
of education, as well as teaches students to be good stewards of
God’s earth by going green and organic? These are the questions that
the directors of the
Paideia
Classical Academy asked themselves for several years before
opening the first full-time Orthodox school in the Eastern American
Diocese.
Christian schools have always been a proud tradition in the United
States, dating back to the early 17th century, when the Jesuits and
Puritans first started organizing schools in America. Today, there
are public school systems in virtually every municipality across
America, but religious schools continue to offer an alternative to
the often progressive and unchristian-oriented curriculums offered
in public schools. According to the National Catholic Educational
Association, over 7,500 Catholic schools currently operate in the
United States – far more than the 54 full-time Orthodox schools that
can be found in the fifty states, according to the
Orthodox
Christian School Association. While there may be a huge
difference in the number of Catholic and Orthodox schools in
America, the Paideia Classic Academy in Coconut Creek, FL, is an
example of what can be achieved when Orthodox faithful come together
for the sake of educating America’s youngest generation.
Located
approximately 35 miles north of Miami, the Paideia Classical Academy
is the newest full-time Pre-K–8th grade Orthodox school in Florida.
Dr. Paola Weber is the founder and current principal of the Academy,
and she credits the idea to her late father, Bishop Peter (Bukawyn;
jurisdiction of the former Alexandrian Exarchate) who reposed in
2010. "My father believed in the St. Basil model of ministry –
helping others by establishing hospitals, clinics, schools, etc. in
order to bring them to Christ. For over thirty years, our Spanish
mission church in Miami saved money to start an Orthodox school, and
we constantly prayed and lit candles in our Orthodox Homeschool
program in order for God to open the door." Their prayers were
answered in the beginning of 2012, when the Paideia Classical
Academy officially opened its doors as the only full-time Orthodox
school in Florida.
"Christ-centered, Organic, Green, and Classical" is the motto that
the school uses to describe its unique approach to education. Dr.
Weber explains that "a classical education nurtures the mind, body,
and soul of students. It is the way the Three Hierarchs, the Great
Martyr Catherine, and other great saints were educated. It allows
for students to grow in wisdom as they see and learn about Truth,
beauty, and goodness in everything, for everything is given to us by
God!" This type of model is different from the reformed education
model used in American public schools which, according to Dr. Weber,
does not teach children to think critically or problem solve, and
where the child’s soul is not nurtured.
Another
major difference between the Paideia Academy and a typical public
school is the Academy’s steadfast commitment to raising children in
an organic and green environment. Students are fed organic lunches
and participate in gardening activities at least once a week. "It is
important for students to learn how these practices ultimately lead
them on the path of being a good steward of the earth, their
environment, and their bodies," explained Dr. Weber.
While the directors and faculty of the school are responsible for
the physical wellbeing of the students, Priest Demetrio Romeo is the
one who is responsible for the children’s spiritual health. In March
2013, he was assigned by His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, as
rector of the newly established
St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon Mission Church, a parish of the
Eastern American Diocese located inside of the school. Besides
serving All-Night Vigils and Liturgies every weekend at the chapel,
Fr. Demetrio leads morning prayers every day in the school and
serves at least one Liturgy during the week for the students. He
sees his role as the school’s chaplain to be an extension of his
function as the parish priest at St. Luke’s and, in his own words,
he is there to address moral and ethical issues according to
Orthodox dogma. While there is absolutely no room for clergy to
teach in a religious capacity in public schools, the workload of a
priest at an Orthodox academy is tremendous. "Besides the services,
I deliver sermons that instruct the children about meaning of the
Liturgy and teachings of the Holy Fathers, and I provide spiritual
support to the staff, teachers, students, parents, and other members
of the school community," said Fr. Demetrio.
By
incorporating Orthodox divine services and classes into the
curriculum,
Paideia Classical Academy is not just an educational center, but
also a missionary presence in the community. Enrollment in the
school is open to both Orthodox and non-Orthodox students. According
to Dr. Weber, "only about 25 percent of the students are Orthodox,
but that number has been growing. Non-Orthodox parents appreciate
their children learning about virtues, goodness, and beauty in all
things." Exposure to Orthodoxy through St. Luke’s chapel has already
led two of the teachers and five families to baptism, and parents
are constantly asking new questions about the ancient Orthodox
Faith. "They inquire about the meanings of the Orthodox services and
traditions to which they are exposed, including discussion about the
veneration of icons, censing, reverence, candles, and Orthodox
chant," said Fr. Demetrio. What may start in the school as a simple
dialogue about Orthodoxy is quickly brought into the homes of
students. Fr. Demetrio recalled how a parent came to him and
explained that his child now refuses to eat dinner or go to sleep
without first saying prayers. "Families who have never been exposed
to this tell me they see significant positive changes in their
children’s attitudes."
The success of the Paideia Classical Academy is reflected in the
increasing student enrollment numbers. "We started out with 24
children and we currently have 48 students enrolled. That is a
growth rate of 100% in just one year," said Dr. Weber. By the
beginning of the 2014 school year in September, the directors of the
Academy are projecting up to 80 students.
The
school also boasts a superb campus. On January 30, 2014, with the
blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion, Eastern American Diocesan
secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov traveled to Miami and toured the
state of the art facilities which house the academy. According to
him, the facilities, formerly used for a Catholic school, are truly
incredible and offer much potential for future growth and
development. "I was very impressed with the vision of the school’s
administration, which is clearly evident in the physical location
that they chose. The school building, cafeteria, gymnasium, and
chapel sit on a ten-acre campus, which can easily house up to 250
students, if not more," said Fr. Serge. During a meeting with the
school’s directors, Fr. Serge was briefed on the challenges
associated with operating and expanding a school of this magnitude.
The administration signed a lease/purchase contract with the
Catholic Church, which will require them to purchase the complex by
February 2015. There are plans to add a high school on the spacious
campus once the property is fully purchased. "That way we would
serve Pre-K to high school students in a classical, organic, and
Orthodox Christian environment to the glory of God," said Dr. Weber.
Metropolitan Hilarion visited the school at the end of 2012 and gave
his blessing for the continued work being done on behalf of
America’s youth. Looking toward the future, His Eminence not only
praised the Academy, but encouraged others in the Diocese to
consider organizing similar schools. "The work that is being done in
the Paideia Academy is indeed holy by nature, because it is helping
nourish the souls and minds of our children, while at the same time
shepherding those who have not yet been illumined by the Light of
Christ into the saving fold of the Orthodox Church," said the
Metropolitan. "The school’s administrators should be commended for
their excellent work, and I pray that they will continue to serve as
an example to others who feel strongly about the education of our
children in an Orthodox environment."
Reader Peter Lukianov
Media Office of the Eastern American
Diocese
Republication of materials must include a reference to:
"Eastern American Diocese www.eadiocese.org."
