The House System
The house system had its beginnings in academic
institutions. In the early Middle Ages,
students who desired an education would gather in a city where a Master Teacher
was living. With this Master, they would
share a house and devote themselves to study. The Master not only taught these
students their academics, but also discipled them in their Christian walk. These gatherings of students were the
foundations of the great universities of Europe. Today, the term ‘house’ refers
simply to groupings of pupils, with no buildings involved.
Houses were originally named after the Master Teacher around
whom the house was centered. Later, the
houses were named after Christian saints, or famous persons connected with the
particular academic institution. In Asia,
houses were named after animals (tigers, pandas, dragons) or after
nationalities (Danes, Normans, Saxons). In England, houses were named after
geographical places or peculiar historical people or events. Elmfield, The Grove, The Headmasters, The
Park, and West Acre are some examples of this practice.
There are many benefits to having a house system. Our house system is designed with several
goals in mind. The house system
encourages and simplifies the assimilation of new students into the culture of
Providence Classical School. Houses
facilitate the passing on of our school culture to these students. Houses also make it easier for new students to
develop friendships, based on a common interest.
Houses expand the boundaries of fellowship across all grade
lines. Students, grade seven through
twelve, are brought together in competition and work, enabling them to know one
another in all types of situations. Because
younger students often admire older students, the opportunities for leadership
and discipleship are greatly increased.
Houses should create an atmosphere conducive to positive role
models and peer pressure. As houses
compete for the Paladin Cup, the students are motivated to encourage one
another to follow the rules, study hard, and seek out opportunities for
service. As students incorporate the
school rules into their lives, teachers are able to focus less on discipline
and more on academics.
It is in this tradition that Providence Classical School has
divided its Upper School into groups of students, each led by Master
Teachers. The goals of our House system
are:
- To assimilate new students into the Provide culture;
- To enable students to form bonds of fellowship
around common interests and goals;
- To create a desire to walk in obedience to God
and the school staff;
- To create a love of learning and academic
excellence;
- To inspire a vibrant walk with God.
The competition among the houses involves a weekly
assessment of accumulated points posted in the upstairs hallway. Points come
from different sources.
Each week the house with the most points is raised up above
the rest to announce their accomplishment.
To encourage competition throughout the quarter, a lunch off campus is
given to the house with the most points at quarter end. At the year’s end, the House with the most
points wins the Paladin Cup.
