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“Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy, think about these things.”

Philippians 4:8

Welcome from the Head of School

Welcome to Providence Classical School. We are humbled to see what the Lord has done and is doing in our school. Using the classical model, we train our students to impact their culture for Christ. While this mission does include the broader culture outside of PCS and the future culture our students will experience after graduation, we also charge our students to impact our own school culture for Christ. We desire for every aspect of our school to bring glory to God.

We appreciate your consideration of PCS! Recognizing that children spend at least thirty-five hours a week at school, we want you to know that we do not take this responsibility lightly. We are committed to guiding the hearts of our students and teaching with excellence. Our teachers, the most influential asset of our school, love the Lord, love their students, and are passionate about the subjects they teach.

I encourage you to browse our website and learn about the mission, vision, and programs of PCS. I also encourage you to contact our Admissions Office to schedule a visit on our campus or to find out about upcoming opportunities to learn more about PCS.

Semper excelsior ad gloriam Dei
(Always ever upward to the glory of God!)

Richard R. Halloran
Head of School

Our History

The Providence Story

1999

Three sets of parents with a heart for education met at a kitchen table and began discussing their dreams of a distinctive school where students could be taught in the grand Western tradition that produced its greatest thinkers. They all agreed that the classical Christian model of education is the key to developing students who could reason logically and communicate winsomely from a biblical worldview.

2000

Providence Classical School first opened its doors in a renovated shopping mall with twelve students and a faculty of five. Despite the sparse surroundings, the students thrived under the nurturing guidance of their dedicated teachers as they learned within the framework of the time-tested trivium and a Christian perspective. A concrete parking lot served as the playground, where students enjoyed games of four square and wiffle ball.

2006

With 160 students, PCS moved to Spring Cypress Presbyterian Church. In this lovely location, the school grew to 345 students in grades Pre-K through 12. As the school continued to grow and thrive, the Providence family began to recognize the need for a permanent home. After years of prayer and research, the Providence Board, administration and steering committee unanimously decided to purchase nineteen acres in Gleannloch Farms.

2010

Through leadership gifts from the Board, administration, and a small group of parents and grandparents, PCS successfully sought commitments for $1.5 of the $1.7 million needed to purchase the property. As a result of these initial pledges to the Land Development Phase, plus additional pledges in the “quiet phase” of Phase I, PCS completely paid for the Gleannloch property by the end of the 2012-13 fiscal year. Also during this time, architectural plans began to take shape.

2012

Through God’s goodness and great provision, an opportunity arose for PCS during the 2012-13 school year, and plans for the permanent home changed…

2013

In early March, PCS sold the property in Gleannloch Farms to a homebuilder and days later, purchased 36.5 acres of land from Faithbridge Church. Providence gained 17.5 additional acres and roughly $1 million from these two deals. The new land was beautiful, and the architects adjusted the Master Facilities Plan for the new space. One hundred percent of the net funds were reserved for construction of our new campus.

2014

Groundbreaking for the new campus occurred in the Fall of 2014, with plans to begin our 2015-16 school year on our new permanent location at 18100 Stuebner Airline Rd.

2015

With God’s love and grace, Providence Classical School moved to this new facility in mid-October, where we continue to achieve our mission of training students to impact their culture for Christ.

2016 – present

Since beginning to put down roots on this campus, Providence has enjoyed many high points, like the installation of a practice track on our property, parking lot improvements including a covered drop-off, and the installation of trees to grow with the campus.  We have also seen extraordinary circumstances like the global pandemic, major hurricanes, and record-breaking freezes, but through it all, we have maintained stable administrative leadership, on-campus learning, and even won 4 state championships in athletics.

Our Mission

Our Mission

Providence Classical School is a Christian school using the classical model to train students to impact their culture for Christ.

We demonstrate our Christianity…

by loving each other with the love of Christ, by encouraging each other to begin to develop a relationship with God through Christ, and by treating each other with the dignity due creatures who are made in the image of God.

We are rooted in the Word of God…

and teach the Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments in such a way that students realize that the meaning and purpose of life and education are found in them.  We acknowledge God as the source and author of all truth.

We recognize all truth is from God…

and that all of creation displays God’s character and teaches us the meaning of beauty, goodness, and truth. This means the universe is coherent and worthy of enthusiastic study and exploration.

We believe studying is an act of worship…

with spiritual implications; therefore, studies are conducted as unto God.  Shabby scholarship brings Him no glory and is a failure to recognize His presence in our classrooms and in our lives.

We stress the unity of knowledge…

and we teach all subjects as part of an integrated whole. History is the story of God working in individuals and nations. It has a purpose and a destination. Because we are a Western culture, we study Western civilization with all its triumphs and failures. Literature, music, and art are mankind’s reflection of their understanding of the world.  Properly done, the arts are a doxology, praising God, and reflecting His truth, goodness, and beauty. Science and math are tangible evidence of God’s orderliness and are our tools to explore the world and marvel at its design.

We believe good students are good thinkers…

Latin and formal logic sharpen our minds and teach us to analyze. We live in an increasingly complex world full of ideas designed to influence the mind and emotions. The moral character of our society can only be protected by citizens that know how to think for themselves and willfully avoid the skillful, technology reinforced manipulation of advertisers and political figures.

Our Vision

A Portrait of a PCS Graduate

At PCS, we desire that our students will be transformed by the renewing of their minds. In order that we might strive together to this end, we submit the following as the goals of our educational and cultural endeavors. PCS graduates will be known for the following traits:

Character

In their CHARACTER, graduates will…
  • Seek to bear nobly the image of Christ.
  • Seek to serve God and the community humbly with his/her God-given resources.
  • Demonstrate discipline, honor and integrity in a well-balanced life.
  • Respect proper authority, yet be capable and willing to lead.
  • Pursue passionately the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of the world.
  • Authentically live out their faith in practice.

Knowledge

In their KNOWLEDGE, graduates will…
  • Understand that God is the author and fount of all truth, goodness, and beauty.
  • Recognize that all humans are created in God’s image and bear that image in the following ways: by ruling, serving, and caretaking our “gardens” of responsibility.
  • Acknowledge that our work is modeled after God’s work as we create with truth, goodness, and beauty in community with others.
  • Understand that the gospel is the answer to all of life.
  • Master the primary academic disciplines, including a thorough grasp of the history, literature and philosophy of Western civilization.
  • Engage in the “great conversation” and in a lifelong pursuit of learning.
  • Understand the fundamentals of each of the liberal arts and intuitively recognize how to integrate these disciplines in work and thought.

Discernment

In their DISCERNMENT, graduates will…
  • Recognize, appreciate and pursue beauty and truth through both logical and poetic thought and observation.
  • Seek to understand God’s redemptive plan in the rich intricacies of history, current events and the natural world.
  • Listen, evaluate, and reason through the filter of a coherent and Biblical worldview.
  • View every story as a reflection or a distortion of the True Story.
  • Choose leisure activities that are creative and restorative.
  • Desire and exercise wisdom for wisdom’s sake above any pragmatic ends.

Communication

In their COMMUNICATION, graduates will…
  • Engage and redeem culture, being recognized for their eloquence and grace as they do so.
  • Employ clarity, logic and style in both speech and composition.
  • Articulate respectfully and defend winsomely their positions with confidence and intelligence.
  • Submit to listen and to understand before passing judgment.
  • Present the truth of the gospel of Christ graciously through word and deed.

Statement of Faith

  • We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God, completely inerrant in the original writings.
  • We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
  • We believe God created the universe by His power and word.
  • We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
  • We believe that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the salvation of lost and sinful people. By God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone are we saved from our sin. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
  • We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
  • We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
  • We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Providence FAQs

How is Providence different from other schools?

At Providence Classical School, we teach students using the classical Christian model – a time-tested methodology based on the God-given phases of child development. The Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric stages of classical education (called the Trivium) help children progress from knowledge to understanding and, ultimately, to wisdom. Classical Christian education trains students to think well, to communicate with eloquence, and to lead with character under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Providence Classical School is the only fully accredited 5-day classical Christian school in the greater Houston area. We are also the oldest and largest full-time classical Christian school in our city. PCS is consistently ranked in Top 20 K-12 private schools in the greater Houston area by Niche.com and is the most affordable 5-day school on the list.

How rigorous is the academic program at Providence?

Providence Classical School sets a standard of education that will stretch students to reach their full potential. We are committed to a rigorous academic program infused with spiritual growth and the training of Christian character. In Rhetoric School (9th-12th grade), all English, math, humanities, literature, and science courses are taught at the honors level.

Is Providence Classical School accredited?

Providence has been an accredited member of the Association of Classical and Christian Schools (ACCS) since 2006. ACCS is a member of the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC). For more information on ACCS and the accrediting process, visit the ACCS website at www.classicalchristian.org.

Is Providence associated with a denomination or a local church?

Providence Classical School is an interdenominational school with more than 50 churches represented in our school community. Because PCS is truly interdenominational, families can feel welcome and experience true fellowship in Christ.

We strive to build a distinctively Christian institution committed to the Word of God as the sole authority for all walks and areas of life. As PCS faculty and staff educate students within an integrated biblical worldview, we do not overstep our role acting in loco parentis. Theological issues of secondary doctrine will be directed to parents to answer.

How qualified are PCS teachers?

At Providence Classical School, students receive the highest quality instruction from top faculty. Our faculty are leaders in their subject areas, specializing in subjects according to their God-given gifts and interests, ensuring that they teach with excellence and enthusiasm.

At a minimum, all Providence teachers hold a bachelor’s degree, and many have education degrees. 53% of our faculty have advanced degrees and 88% have completed classical education accreditation through the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS). In addition, all PCS teachers must have a vibrant faith in Jesus Christ and a heart to minister to children.

New teachers at Providence attend regional classical teacher training courses. In addition, all teachers progress through a formal professional development program, including reading requirements, faculty discussions, and classroom observations.

Does Providence offer foreign languages?

Providence Classical School offers courses in Latin, Spanish, French, and Greek.

All PCS students learn Latin in 3rd-9th grades because of its value for training the mind to think well.  Not only does Latin build students’ English vocabulary and grammar, it also strengthens the brain’s ability to process new concepts, particularly other foreign languages. Also, a firm foundation in Latin prepares students for many careers including those in law, medicine, science, music, theology, philosophy, art, and literature.

To graduate from PCS, students are required to complete 4 years of foreign language study in Grades 8-12, including two years of Latin.  Beginning in 10th grade, students have the option to continue their Latin studies or to switch to Spanish, French, or Greek.

What fine arts programs are available at PCS?

All students in Pre-K through 6th grade have both music and art classes each week and students have the option to participate in Grammar School Worship Team, instrumental ensembles, and strings lessons.

Beginning in 7th grade, Choir, Worship Team, and Art classes are available as electives, and the following fine arts programs are generally available as co-curricular activities:
Drama Club
Handbells
Instrumental Ensembles
Strings Lessons

For those who are interested, our high school choir students compete in Texas All-State Choir competitions through the TMEA Small School program.

What sports are offered at PCS?

The PCS Paladins compete to the glory of God in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, and Volleyball. Most sports are available in both Middle School (6th-8th grades) and High School (9th-12th grades), and some are open to 5th graders, if space is available.

Providence competes in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) Division 3A and in the Houston Area Private School League (HAPS) Divisions 1 & 2. PCS partners with Positive Coaching Alliance to use research-based training and resources to create a positive, inclusive culture for our student-athletes.

What other co-curricular opportunities are offered at PCS?

In addition to the fine arts and athletic options listed above, PCS offers a wide array of co-curricular and extended education opportunities such as:
Mock Trial
National Honor Society (NHS)
National Latin Exam
National Mythology Exam
Math Olympiad
Speech & Debate
Spelling Bee
Student Council
Yearbook

In addition, PCS students participate in such programs as American Legion Boys & Girls State, the NASA HAS Scholars Program, and the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest.

What is the House System?

The House System, a traditional feature of British boarding schools, fosters community and provides mentoring and leadership opportunities for students in the Upper School at PCS.  7th-12th graders are divided into four houses: Dragon, Gryphon, Leviathan, and Phoenix.  House activities include an annual upper school retreat, House Games, House Chapels, service projects, socials, and lunches. Houses are led by student leaders under the mentorship of faculty advisors.

How can I apply to Providence Classical School?

For more information on Admissions at PCS, please visit our Admissions Center and schedule a tour today!

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