About
SCA
Sager Classical Academy desires to partner with local families who are seeking to find a place for their children to love the
Lord with their minds as well as their hearts and hands, to flourish in a like-minded community, and to rediscover
the lost tools of learning.
Sager Classical Academy’s mission is to guide our students to investigate truth, pursue goodness, and cultivate beauty in all areas of life. We believe that education is founded on and directed by Jesus Christ, and that learning should be joy-filled, life-long, and driven by our faith.
While we are not associated with any particular church or denomination, we will adhere to the basic absolutes of Christian doctrine. We expect that parents support our statement of faith whether or not they attend church or profess belief.
- We believe that there is one Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) who is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and eternal.
- We believe that all human beings are created in the image of God and called to be transformed into his likeness.
- We believe in Jesus Christ’s 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 salvation is by grace through faith.
- We believe that faith without deeds is dead.
- We believe that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Incarnate God-Man, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, is necessary for all believers.
- We believe that restoration by the Holy Spirit is necessary for the salvation of fallen human beings, and that by its work, Christians bear good fruit.
- We believe that the Word of God is divinely-inspired and authoritatively true.
- We believe in the resurrection of all human beings, that they are resurrected either to eternal life or damnation.
- We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith Statement on Marriage, Gender, & Sexuality
Because of controversies in our current culture, SCA feels compelled to state explicitly that our school fully embraces Christian values and a Christian world-view. We are committed to and engage in intentional, formative Christian-focused practices. This includes professing and upholding Christian belief on marriage, gender, and sexuality. While we welcome children with homosexual guardians, we hold that marriage only exists between one man and one woman. The administration will only promote this definition of marriage at SCA. Moreover, while we recognize genuine struggles that can occur in a child’s development and will provide a compassionate learning environment, our approach to gender will be to address all children in accordance with their biological sex, no matter any expressions of preference to the contrary. We expect faculty, staff, and parents to support these stances on marriage, gender, and sexuality.
Parent Partnership Model
SCA recognizes that parents are ordained by God as the primary educators of their children. While at school, SCA serves in the place of the parent (in loco parentis), but we seek only to partner with the parent, not supplant the parent, in their child’s education. Similarly, the parent must not abdicate their role as educator, but in partnering with SCA the parent is agreeing to support SCA in its mission. SCA will serve as the curators and guides for classical Christian education.
Since PreK-6th grade students are only in school from 8-12:30, parents of K-6th grade students are expected to finish the school day at home. Teachers provide a Monday Matrix with highlighted portions that will be completed in the afternoons with parent assistance. We try to provide instruction in areas like mathematics, phonics, and writing (IEW—Institute for Excellence in Writing) that are best done with more training and practice, leaving the completion of assignments, reading a literature or history book, or completing a project to the time at home. Parents who engage in their children’s learning often see remarkable growth in their child and enjoy the times they spend together. On the other hand, parents who do not fulfill this end of the partnership often find their student falling behind and becoming frustrated.
We are the SCA Otters!
Why the Otter?
Chosen by student body popular vote, the river otter represents several virtues an SCA student could be proud to possess. A keystone species, the otter has tenacity, courage, resourcefulness, loyalty, and a community spirit. They are also curious and playful. Go Otters!
We are the SCA Otters!
Why the Otter?
Chosen by student body popular vote, the river otter represents several virtues an SCA student could be proud to possess. A keystone species, the otter has tenacity, courage, resourcefulness, loyalty, and a community spirit. They are also curious and playful. Go Otters!
What is Classical Christian Education?
Classical Christian education is the cultivation of wisdom of virtue by nourishing the soul on the good, the true, and the beautiful by means of the seven liberating arts so that in Christ the student is better able to know, glorify, and enjoy God. Classical Christian education is rooted in Christ and expressed through formational learning of the arts and skills of learning, which are applied to Great Books and Great Ideas so that students can learn how to enter into conversations that have been ongoing throughout human history. Who is God? What is man? How should we live? How do we come to learn and know anything? These are just a handful of the big questions that humans have sought to answer throughout history, and classical Christian education is designed to form students into lifelong learners who ask and answer these questions in ways consistent with the Christian faith and in conversation with leading voices in history. Want to learn more? Check out some of the resources at the link below.
Don Eben has been an industry leader in telecommunications for 27 years. Currently, he owns Core Network Strategies, a telecommunications contracting corporation which assesses needs and implements solutions in telecommunications companies across the nation. A natural entrepreneur, Don excels in finding problems and creating solutions for businesses. He holds an undergraduate degree in both mechanical and electrical engineering from John Brown University and an MBA in Finance from Oklahoma City University. Partnering with his wife in his own children’s education and even directing local Classical Conversations high school classes, Don is an avid supporter of classical education. Mr. Eben serves as board chair.
Chad Raith is Chief Mission Integration Officer over Systems and Technology for Ascension Health and instructor of systematic theology for Regent College, Vancouver, BC. After obtaining a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech, Chad went on to receive his M.Div., Th.M. and PhD with an emphasis in Historical Theology. He has published numerous books and articles on medieval to early Reformation theology, biblical interpretation, and ecumenical dialogue. Chad was previously lecturer of Great Texts in the Honors Program at Baylor University before teaching at John Brown University as assistant professor of Religion and Philosophy. With his wife, Ansley, he has six children, all of whom attended SCA at one time. Dr. Raith serves as vice chair and is now a remote board member.
For more than twenty-two years, Carrie Eben has championed classical education in both the private school classroom and homeschool arenas and passionately leads teachers and parents in the classical model of education. She researches, develops, and delivers customized workshops for administrators, teachers, and parents in both classical school and homeschool settings via Classical Eben Education Consulting (www.classicaleben.com). Carrie holds a BSE in Intermediate Education from John Brown University and a MSEd in Curriculum and Instruction from Oklahoma State University. She is currently a PhD student in the Humanities at Faulkner University, a Bluestocking in Residence for the Society for Women of Letters, a CiRCE Institute Master Teacher, and an adjunct professor for Integrated Humanities at John Brown University. Mrs. Eben serves on both the Committee on Trustees and the Development Committee.
Jill Ellingson holds a BS in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from John Brown University and has taught for more than 15 years in public, private, and homeschool settings. Currently a stay-at-home mom, she is thankful for the flexibility to volunteer in church, school, and the community. She co-owns 3 companies with her husband, and they have 4 children, 3 of whom attend SCA. Mrs. Ellingson is the Chair of the Committee on Trustees.
David Ellingson is the president of 3 Siloam Springs-based companies with foci in commercial general contracting, selective demolition, and equipment rental. He holds an undergraduate degree in Construction Management with a minor in Business Administration from John Brown University and a master’s degree in Construction Science and Management from Clemson University. David enjoys volunteering on other local non-profit boards and has been an adjunct instructor at John Brown University for moire than 10 years. He and his wife have 4 children, 3 of whom attend SCA. Mr. Ellingson serves as treasurer and on the facilities and finance committees.
Nikki Butler serves as chair of the development committee.
Dillon Butler serves as chair of the facilities committee.
