artios beginning with the end in mind

Table of Contents

Chapter One It’s All In Our Name ..................................................... 3 Chapter Two Our History ..................................................................... 9 Chapter Three Our System and Our Strategy .......................... 16 Chapter Four Our Mission and Approach .................................. 26 Chapter Five Our Culture .................................................................. 36 Chapter Six Our Invitation ................................................................ 42 What Others Are Saying About Artios .................................... 47 Works Cited ............................................................................................ 50

Chapter One It’s All In Our Name

When you think of the word Artios, you think of it as a

noun. And in the context of your family’s potential involvement with Artios Academies, that is true. But the

word artios, as we find it used in Scripture, is an adjective

and is found only once in the Bible in II Timothy 3:16 and

17. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,

rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that

the man of God may be fully prepared [artios] for every

good work. The word artios describes the goal each of us

should have for our children -- that they are fully prepared

to be all that God has for them to be.

As you prayerfully consider partnering with Artios (the

noun), it is important to understand the three main areas in

which the Artios program focuses on helping your child

become “artios” or fully prepared.

Art as it relates to

worldview and worth

Heart

as it relates to who your child is, the way they are wired, and what is contained in their heart

Smart as it relates to true wisdom

and the Word of God

Art When discussing art, let’s begin with a focus on art as it

relates to someone’s worldview. Worldview can be defined

as “what we believe about the most important issues of

life.”

Your child is surrounded by the influence of the arts each and every day. That influence is seen in the music they listen to actively or subconsciously, the visual media they see, the books they read, or the films and productions that they view. You would have to lock your child up for them not to be influenced in some way by the arts. Because of their strong presence in today’s world, the arts play a crucial role in shaping a child’s worldview. This can be a good thing or a bad thing.

Without a Biblical worldview of the arts, the arts become distorted. With a Biblical worldview of the arts, the arts are seen as a canvas that God uses to vividly illustrate Truth and help illuminate the hearts of men.

Arts also relate to worth -- self-worth -- what we perceive and believe about ourselves. The arts can play a crucial role in affirming a child’s worth. This is not social pandering to self-esteem. Instead, it is the realization and acceptance that the arts help children relate to God’s creative nature. The arts help to develop true inner-security by compelling every child to illustrate, in some way, the very story God has been authoring since Genesis 1. Equipping a child to know who they are in Christ and their place in God’s story is a vital and important step on the path to becoming “artios.”

Our hearts are wired for narrative and story. This is what makes the arts so appealing. Understanding God’s story and our role in it are two of the most important and orienting aspects of education. It’s where we begin to realize that it’s not all about us. It’s where we realize that both who we are and what we do affect those around us.

Heart Another area of focus within Artios is the heart. The

heart is God’s priority. The Old Testament idea and use of the word heart suggests that the heart is more than merely a mechanical function of our anatomy. The heart is the wellspring of what is inside of us. Scripture says, …“out of

the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34b), and the Bible says to protect the heart because it is the wellspring of life. (Scripture reference ??)

Ruth Beechick, one of the most solid and Biblically sound resources for home educators, talks about the many uses of the word heart in her book, Heart and Mind. The word heart occurs over 900 times in Scripture, and God designed the heart to be the seat of our emotions, our affections, our imaginations, our deep desires, and our faith. Thus, equipping the heart of a child using God’s Word is crucial. That’s why we call it educating the whole-heart of a child. The arts aren’t studied just by artsy and talented kids, and academics aren’t just studied by those that love academia. Through the lens of Scripture, they are both studied by all students at Artios because they are both vehicles to educating the heart of a child.

Smart Artios is much more than “just an arts school.” Artios is

a “smart” school, equipping students to reason, relate, discern, discuss, and express. “Fully prepared” includes having the wisdom to think critically and participate creatively in the world.

We believe that being “smart” means more than just finishing a curriculum or scoring well on a test, or receiving amazing college scholarships, all of which we have had students do, but we believe truly being “smart” involves wisdom.

A.W. Tozer says, “Wisdom is the power to see and the inclination to choose the best and highest goal together with the surest means of obtaining it.” By that very definition, wisdom can’t be man-based or man-centered. Rather, true wisdom, as stated in Scripture begins with “the fear of the Lord” -- knowing God. Based on that, we must take every opportunity to turn the hearts of our students to God’s Word. God’s Word becomes the foundation of instruction and the method of instruction within Artios.

The Word of God is the inerrant, infallible, instruction manual for life. Within its pages are found the guiding principles and leading ideas for our thoughts and actions. Wisdom, truly being “smart,” is impossible without a commitment to God’s word.

So, how does Artios take these principles and put them into practice. Later in this book, we will go into the application of these principles in greater details in a discussion of our core values. But for now, let’s get a general grasp on how these principles are applied throughout Artios.

Applications to “Art” When we think of art, we think of creativity, and

creativity comes from THE CREATOR, the one that made something out of nothing. Ex nihilo. Next, we think of our children, who being created in God’s image have God-given creativity that needs to challenged, developed and expressed.

It is our responsibility as parents and our responsibility as teachers within Artios to provide a place for them to explore and choose a canvas to express that creativity based on their spiritual gifts and talents. That can be found in the arts or in academics. We must guide them to find their canvas, a canvas that can be used to create, express and worship.

Applications to “Heart” Based on God’s definition of wisdom and education, we

at Artios approach education as a means to equip students to compare and contrast all ideas and art forms as Truth or something that stands opposed to Truth. This knowledge frees students to reason, relate, discern, discuss, and express the Truth of Scripture; and, in the process, it is shaping their character, building their confidence, and sharpening their conscience. In that moment true learning begins.

Applications to “Smart” During the past 20 years of home educating our family,

the importance of bringing God’s Word into every area of our children’s lives in a real and practical way became more and more important as we studied to approach education from a Biblical worldview. God created the world and His story to be all interconnected, and students learn best when following that same formula. Life is interconnected. God designed our brains to learn best in integrative and associational way.

Based on a Biblical view of education, we began to approach education by asking how can we best “fully prepare” our sons for “every good work.” This meant approaching each one as an individual and it took a tremendous amount of time gathering, collecting, developing, and integrating materials that would work together as a whole for our children.

This is where Artios, the noun, comes in. Whether you are participating in the Academy of Arts and History, Conservatory, the Preparatory program or the complete package, the curriculum of Artios has been developed and is designed to work at home and in the classroom to help fully prepare your children.

The core values, principles and leading ideas that we have been discussing throughout this chapter are fleshed out in the Artios Academies curriculum used in the Academy of Arts and History, Artios Conservatory, Artios Preparatory. In addition, the Artios Home Companion Series offers a complete history, literature, grammar, and composition curriculum that perfectly integrates with our Academy and Conservatory programs or can stand alone for those not located near an Artios location.

But it is not just important what your child is learning; it is just as important to consider how your child is learning, from whom they are learning, and the context in which they learn.

An important aspect of creativity is the concept of community, and you can visit any one of our six artios academies in five states, and you will find a very special sense of community. Creativity and learning happen best in community, whether that be within the home or in a group tutorial setting. Parents and families need community as well. We all need community with like-minded parents seeking the same goal of rearing students who are “artios,” fully-prepared.

But what about all those places where there isn’t a campus community. Small groups, known as “cohorts” can join together to apply an artios philosophy and curriculum to learning in a setting that works for smaller groups of students.

When beginning home schooling and when beginning the ministry of Artios, John and I started with the end in mind, and we asked ourselves different questions because simply asking, “What is everyone else doing?” or “How much will it cost” were the wrong “leading questions.”

It is our hope and prayer that through the contents of this book, you will be led to Scripture and to your knees to seek the answer to the question we ultimately asked: “What does ‘fully-prepared’ look like for my child?” With His guidance, you too will find the right combination of Art, Heart, and Smart for your family and for each of your children. We look forward to coming along side your family on their Artios journey.

Chapter Two Our History

When beginning homeschooling, I felt bombarded by all the different schools of thought and the philosophies behind diverse approaches to homeschooling. I have always been a reader and a researcher, so I approached homeschooling the same way that I had approached any other new area. As I read, researched, and observed, I found that it seemed many homeschoolers felt the need to identify with a particular “school of thought,” and so I felt as if I probably needed to do the same thing.

However, no matter what or “whom” I read, there seemed to be one or more areas which didn’t quite fit with what we felt like God had laid on our hearts. We may have been new to homeschooling and unsure about many things; however, we were confident that God had called us to equip our children to be all that God had for them to be. As I read a variety of more well-‐known approaches to homeschooling, I could see a piece of one fitting one of my children, and yet totally different pieces of a different approach fitting a different child.

My husband John and I had been given a huge vision not only to educate the minds of our children, but also to train and equip our children spiritually and emotionally and to instill character within them as well. When we wrote down our goals and dreams for each individual child, we found that although there were many things in common for each child, there were also many things on each list that were unique to each child. The verse, “Train them up in the way they should go” (Proverbs 22:6) became more unique and defined, for each of our children, than we had ever dreamed possible.

Based on the belief that God created each individual for a specific and unique purpose, we approached each of our children almost as if we were studying them. We couldn’t approach them as if they were all cut from the same cloth -‐-‐

created with the same strengths and weaknesses -‐-‐ and it was our responsibility, as their earthly parents, to teach and develop those unique qualities so that they could be all that God had intended them to be. God didn’t create them alike because He didn’t have the same purpose for each of them. It was our responsibility to approach them as individuals and help to develop each child into a whole-hearted child. Academic preparation and training would not be enough to fulfill the responsibility God had given us; we had to approach the entire person in our educating and equipping -- mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

As is often the case, John and I drew on our own life experiences to look for models to emulate in the education of our children. I am so thankful that God gave me a very unique educational experience growing up. I want to take you on a little bit more of my own personal educational journey to give you even more of a background into the vision of Artios. This will help you learn more about our program and understand what makes this approach and philosophy of education, and philosophy of arts education, so unique, needful, and important during this time in history.

As a teenager I was privileged to have experienced a very unique approach to education based on teaching through principles and leading ideas and study based on researching, reasoning, relating and recording. All of this was done through a thorough and distinctive Christian worldview that was applied to every area of life. One of the most influential aspects of my education was the emphasis placed on the uniqueness of each individual. My mom demonstrated this type of educational philosophy in her approach with me and also in her approach with the students who were privileged enough to come through her English, Spanish, and French classes. In addition, I had several very important adult mentors during my middle and high school years who looked for my uniqueness and

then invested their lives in helping to develop the potential that they saw in me. They taught me through the personal inspiration of their example and their approach to principle-based living and learning. I give my grateful thanks to Mrs. Guyla Nelson, Mrs. Kathy Pritchard and Mr. John Nelson for their investment into my life and ultimately into the lives of other students throughout the country.

It wasn’t until very recently that I even began to understand how instrumental and influential this educational experience and philosophy had been on my own educational philosophy as a classroom teacher, homeschooler, and founder and Executive Director of Artios Academies. This foundational philosophy of education was instrumental in the development of Artios Conservatory and eventually to the establishment of the independent programs of Artios Academy of Arts and History and Artios Preparatory Academy. I believe this philosophy is what sets Artios apart from any other. Because of what I had experienced through my own education, I knew that as a teacher, it was not enough to just know the material. As a teacher, I had to know the child and adapt the presentation of the material to fit each unique child. It was my responsibility to lead my students in not only learning the material but also leading them to learn about themselves. It was my job to present material grounded in a Biblical foundation and help my students to apply those principles in every area of life and character. The latter responsibility is key to raising children and mentoring students who not only just know how to make a living but also know how to live and make a difference. Based on my personal educational experience as a student, principles that I was continuing to learn from God’s Word, and a vision that God had placed on my own heart, as a young teacher fresh out of college, I took this approach into the classroom. It wasn’t long before I realized how unique this approach was and how much effort and preparation this type of approach demanded of a teacher and/or a

parent. At that point in my life, I had trouble verbalizing the

difference, but I definitely could see the difference and

knew how to demonstrate the difference. This same

emphasis and philosophy became foundation in raising and

educating our own children and in our home education

journey. We wanted to raise children that were “artios.”

This vision was carried over into our work with young

people in various ministries and eventually into the

founding of the Artios program.

Scripture talks about Jesus growing in wisdom and

stature with both God and man. Wisdom is more than

simply informing to educate; it’s more than just giving

students academic and artistic tools and equipping them

mentally; it’s elevating discernment into our student’s lives so that they can be effective salt and light in every area of

their lives. It is educating the heart, soul, and mind of our

children -- the children in our homes and the children in

our classrooms. This is a foundational principle behind the

Artios Academies’ philosophy of education.

As I mentioned earlier, there are many positive things

about each homeschool curriculum and philosophy.

However, I do not think we can approach any curriculum or

“school of thought” as legalists and expect our children to fit into a preset mold of instruction. I love this quote by Joni

Harsh: “As Christians first, and then as home educators, we must not become bound by any particular method that

would lead us legalism” (Harsh 23). Truly this is a definition for what Karen Andreola described as “the gentle art of learning.” As I have reflected on my own educational experience and how it has impacted my own ministry

within my home and through teaching hundreds of

students over the years, I realize that I am actually using

much of the same educational philosophy and methodology

in which I was raised, and I couldn’t be happier or feel more blessed with that outcome. I believe it is Biblically-based,

and I believe it lends itself to great freedom and the ability

to meet the needs of the whole heart of each individual child.

Before There Was An Artios

The idea of a historically-based program in the arts for all ages and an advanced conservatory level program began during my college days and continued as I began teaching privately and in the classroom. It became evident through my research and teaching experience that the arts came alive to my students when we set the arts in a historical context. Time-period related music camps, recitals, performances and more were frequent occurrences in my studio and classroom and spread to those teachers with whom I worked.

Building on that foundation, I knew from my own background in the arts that we would soon have students who wanted more than just an exposure to the arts. They would want more advanced instruction and opportunities. I began referencing my own educational experiences at crucial stages in my development and realized that I had had the opportunity to participate in an education rich in the arts and in arts instruction. To some extent I had experienced a very “conservatory” like atmosphere of instruction in my middle and high school years. This instruction culminated in a forty-five minute personal and college-level solo recital at the conclusion of my senior year in high school.

Having had this experience led to an understanding of the power of a strong arts background in the lives of students. The discipline and creativity that is nurtured in an educational background that is rich in the arts is invaluable in the future educational success of students. Future reading and research written by other professionals on this topic backed up all that I had experienced and gave real-life statistics and studies.

I continued to teach both in the classroom and in two Music Development Centers both in South Carolina and in Georgia, and both John and I continued to be involved in student- related organizations and development throughout the years. Over the course of over 25 years, all of these opportunities and experiences formed much of what Artios has become.

History and Development of Artios Academies

The Artios Academies are a group of integrated homeschool programs. In the fall of 2000, the leadership of the current Gwinnett, GA location launched the premier Artios Conservatory level program, and in 2005 launched the academic program now known as Artios Preparatory Academy. In 2008 the Academy of Arts and History, operating under another structure since 1998, became an independent historically-based arts exposure program. The leadership of Artios Academies had demonstrated a commitment to a long history of excellence and consistency.

In the fall of 2012, the first installment of the Artios Home Companion Series was published and contains a fully integrated and complete approach to history, worldview, literature, composition, and grammar all based on a historically integrative and creative approach. This curriculum is used in our accredited Georgia Artios Preparatory program and is available to families around the country. It works hand in hand with our Artios locations or can be used independently by those families not living close to an Artios location.

A location with a fully-developed program offers the foundational level program known as Artios Academy of Arts and History, the Artios Conservatory program, offering major strands of study in theater arts, visual arts, media arts, literary arts, and music, and an Artios Preparatory

program offering a complete course of college prep classes for home educated students.

In addition, Artios Chorales, originally founded by Lori Lane, offers a full choral program from elementary through high school age. Artios choirs have performed successfully at various venues and competitions since their inaugural year of 1998.

Past theater productions have included Much Ado About Nothing, Harvey, The Music Man Jr., It’s A Wonderful Life, Cinderella, Seussical, My Fair Lady, and many others. Our productions in Georgia have been staged at 14th Street Playhouse in downtown Atlanta, Oglethorpe University’s Conant Theater, home to the Georgia Shakespeare Festival, The Aurora Theater in Duluth, GA, and more.

Currently, Artios has six locations across the country: Gwinnett, GA; Johns Creek, GA; Santa Barbara, CA; Greenville, SC; Littleton, CO; and Orange, TX.

Chapter Three Our System and Our Strategy

Artios is a collection of three distinct yet integrated programs that exists to assist parent in raising up students who are “artios.” Taken from the Greek, the word artios means perfect, equipped, and fully prepared to fulfill God’s plan. The word artios is found one time in Scripture in II Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. The three programs contained within Artios Academies are these: The Academy of Arts and History, The Artios Preparatory Academy, and The Artios Conservatory.

Artios Academy of Arts and History The Academy of Arts and History is a

once-a-week arts and history program that exists to give home school students a foundational and historically-based instructional program in the arts. Not only are the students taught the arts within their historical context, they are also taught arts appreciation in a four-year historical rotation, and taught the arts in a hands-on, creative, and integrative way, all while being instilled with a Biblical worldview.

Within the historical context of each time period, skills are developed as outlined by the National Arts Standards in theater, music and visual arts.

Why the Arts and History? We believe that the arts and history should be taught

hand in hand. It is impossible to understand the arts outside of their historical context, and you cannot truly understand history without understanding the ways in which culture and history interact with and influence each

other. The two must be taught in tandem. Just as in our lives today, nothing in history has ever happened in an isolated vacuum. Everything in history, philosophy, culture, and art happens simultaneously and integratively. Thus, by teaching the arts and history in tandem, students not only gain the artistic skills specified in the National Arts Standards, but they also learn how the arts and history reflect each other. As a result, students do not simply memorize facts, but develop an understanding of the philosophies and worldviews that are demonstrated throughout history and the arts.

The Four Core Classes The Artios Academy of Arts and History teaches four

core courses (history, drama, art, and music) within its weekly class day. All four courses are integrated with each other and centering around the historical time period being studied. We teach these subjects in their entirety, which allows students not only to have knowledge of facts, but also knowledge of the principles and purpose of the subject.

Academy Plus Classes Academy Plus is a collection of various arts-related

classes that are offered both before and after the main Academy of Arts and History program. Private instruction, classes, and clubs are offered in drama, music, art, and dance.

A Typical Day at the Artios Academy of Arts and History

Upon arriving at their Artios location, with the help of Academy staff, Academy students make their way to their first class of the day. Throughout the day, each student will rotate through one class each of drama, music, art, and history. Each class is taught in a hands-on, creative, and integrated way. All the classes at the Academy of Arts and History are integrated with each other based upon the historical time period being studied. At the end of their

Academy day, the students go through a location prescribed pick-up process and are picked up by a parent or parent-approved adult.

The Four Time Periods Studied at Artios “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants."Isaac Newton

The Ancient Time Period "In the beginning God created..."

The first thing we learn about God is that He is a creator and, really, the only true creator. He created everything out of nothing. From creation through the fall of Rome, our study of the Ancient time period is filled with the beginnings and foundations that were designed by God. These foundations include not only history, but also, the arts of music, visual art, and drama. Our studies focus on God’s vision for the use of the arts and His providence and sovereignty as demonstrated through Scripture and throughout history. During this time period, we will study the history, art, music, and drama of the following cultures: early civilizations, Egypt, Greece, Rome and others.

Medieval and Renaissance Time Period 400 A.D. - 1600

This fascinating time period of knights, castles, and kings and queens contains many wonderful examples of God’s sovereignty over the affairs of men. As the birth of liberty begins with the signing of the Magna Charta, the Fine Arts of music, visual art and drama, follow suit in their freedom of creative expression. The opposite is also demonstrated when men allow themselves to be controlled by ungodly influences. This time period contains amazing works of art including the works of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci; the birth of notated music and the spread of the gospel to the illiterate through the use of Scripture based plays. Don’t

forget Shakespeare’s influence on literature and theater and the exciting story of the Reformation.

Early Modern Time Period 1600-1850

Explorers, Settlers, Expansion, Native Peoples. These topics and many more are contained in this year’s historical study. All the events going on around the world influence the art, music and drama of this time period as well. The concept of new beginnings, demonstrated in the founding of America, is also simultaneously pictured in the new arts-related styles of the Baroque and Classical periods. The idea of history influencing the arts and the arts influencing history are vividly demonstrated during this year’s study of history and the arts.

The Modern Time Period 1850-Present

Wars and rumors of wars fill the modern time period. With each war and revolution and the artistic styles of the day, the current reigning worldview is demonstrated and reinforced. From the Romantic period of artistic expression to today’s post-modernism, we experience the influence of culture on artistic expression. This time period shows us the importance of individual responsibility in every area of life and culture.

Artios Preparatory

What is the Artios Preparatory? The Artios Preparatory program

provides creative and integrative academic instruction. Though our curriculum is college prep, our concern for our students and their families goes far beyond the scope of academics. We want to fully prepare our student's hearts to apply Biblical principles to every area of thought and daily life. Artios provides a creative and integrative approach to instruction that provides students with the tools and knowledge to reason, relate, discern, discuss, and express a Biblical worldview in each academic and arts related subject.

Assisting Parents, Not Replacing Them. God has given parents the responsibility of teaching and

training their children. It is our goal to be an extension of the home and to come alongside home school families by providing structured tutoring in core academic subjects. By providing an approach to education that is creative, integrative, and distinctively grounded in a Biblical worldview, students are prepared to function as individuals who can reason and relate all issues of life to the doctrinal foundation of a Biblical worldview.

Preparatory Curriculum “Withdraw from a child the only divine rule of life, and the result will be most lamentable. An education purely secular is the handmaiden of godless skeptics.” C.H. Spurgeon

The Artios Preparatory Curriculum has been selected and designed to be integrative, and creative in its approach, and unapologetically Biblical in its foundation. Our

curriculum includes these books: the Apologia, Teaching

Textbooks, Analytical Grammar, and many others. In

addition, The Artios Home Companion Series offers a

complete and historically integrated approach to history,

worldview, literature, grammar, and composition. When

studying history, we also look to the primary texts that

were written during the time period being studied. Our

approach to literature includes a whole-book approach

while integrating important literary and composition

fundamentals.

Accreditation Artios Academies and the curriculum used

at all Artios locations is the same curriculum

used at the original Georgia locations and

accredited by the Georgia Accreditation

Commission. We are currently in the process of attaining Accreditation by several regional Accreditation Commissions.

The Artios Conservatory The Artios Conservatory for the Visual

and Performing Arts is a unique program

designed for high school students who have

demonstrated a proficiency of talent and a

personal desire to pursue their interest in a

particular area(s) of the arts. The Artios

Conservatory program serves as great preparation for

those students wishing to pursue college level training in

the arts, as well as those who wish to pursue the arts as an

area of ministry in the future.

Students involved in the Conservatory program benefit

from focused and specific classes in their chosen interest

area, as well as smaller class size, individual attention,

coaching, and mentoring. Artios Conservatory offers a

distinctive approach to the arts by requiring each student

to participate in the worldview class scope and sequence

and by offering a broad approach to arts history and various arts disciplines. It is our desire to prepare students not only in their area of giftedness, but also to help that student develop a Biblical worldview of the arts. Our minds should be filled with God’s ideas before interacting with the culture‚ thus enabling us to interact with the culture but not to accommodate the culture. This approach is what sets all Artios programs apart from other arts programs. This helps to insure a safe and appropriate environment for arts instruction.

Conservatory Majors Strands of conservatory study vary by location but may

include any of the following: visual art, music, visual media (film & digital/film photography), theater (acting or tech/media) and literary arts. All majors begin with basic foundational courses and progress to more specific course work and are completed with preparation for senior projects, recitals, shows and portfolios. Artios Conservatory Diplomas are awarded to graduates. Students enrolling in the Conservatory after their freshman year are eligible to receive credits based on prior instruction and demonstrated abilities and are thus eligible for either a full Artios Conservatory Diploma or a provisional diploma. Recent graduates from the Conservatory program have received arts-related scholarships to a variety of colleges based on portfolios and audition material developed while attending the Conservatory.

Two Ways to Participate There are two ways to participate in an Artios

Conservatory Program, Open Enrollment or Major Study. Open Enrollment

Students can participate in the Artios Conservatory by taking individual courses that match the needs and interests of a particular student. This approach allows

students to explore an area of the Arts while not committing themselves to a particular major.

Major Study

Full time Conservatory status is achieved by a student who chooses a major and follows the suggested scope and sequence appearing on that major’s scope and sequence. Full time students are able to also choose additional electives if they so desire. Full time students receive a discounted per class tuition rate. Students unsure about choosing a specific major area can also achieve full time student status and qualify for the discounted tuition rate by enrolling as a Fine Arts Major and following the scope and sequence for that major.

Each Conservatory student is assigned an Arts Advisor based on his/her area of interest. Students must meet with their advisor once a semester in order to determine the best track of study for them and their individual interests and gifts.

Requirements for Acceptance Any student wishing to be fully enrolled and accepted as

a student in the Artios Conservatory, and thus be eligible for graduation/diploma status, must fulfill an audition/portfolio requirement for acceptance into the program.

ALL students must submit the following: Written testimony regarding their Christian

experience, a written explanation explaining the student’s desire for involvement at Artios both of which will be reviewed by the Conservatory Director and discussed at the interview and audition process.

Parents are required to attend the audition so that the faculty can talk with them if the student is accepted into the program.

Art Major Requirements The student must bring a minimum of eight recent

samples of work. We recommend that a variety of media be included in the portfolio. For example, the student may include drawing, prints, paintings, photographs, sculpture, ceramics, and weavings.

Music Major Requirements Music Major: Instrumental Music

Bring both the student’s instrument and the method book the student is currently using and be prepared to perform a piece that best demonstrates the student’s ability.

Additionally, the student will be asked to sight-read a brief passage and to play a few scales.

Music Major: Vocal Music

The student will be asked to sing a prepared solo which best illustrates the student’s vocal capabilities. Please avoid a “pop” or “rock” selection. The student may bring an accompanist or sing with an accompaniment tape, but this is not required.

The student will also be asked to sight-read music provided at the audition and to match pitches by “echoing” the sounds given on the piano.

Theater Arts Requirements Theater Arts: Acting Track

The student will present a memorized one to three-minute speech (monologue) from a play. The selection may be either humorous or serious in nature. Poems, speeches, or original material are not acceptable. Additionally, the student will be asked to do one or all of the following exercises: perform an assigned pantomime, participate in a group improvisation, or give an unrehearsed reading from a script supplied at the audition.

Theater Arts: Tech and Media Track Requirements

The Tech and Media audition consists of drawing a still life, discussing the student’s background, experiences, and aspirations in the technical aspects of theater (lighting, sound, set design, etc.) and spending some time working with the instructor in an area of technical theater or media before being officially accepted into the tech/media track program. This is usually assessed after the first year in the program.

Media Arts Major Requirements

The Media Arts audition consists of drawing a still life and/or a photograph showing skill in lighting, framing, etc., and discussing the student’s background, experiences and aspirations in film and videography. In addition, the student will be required to watch three films from classic film literature before the school year begins. (Please see handbook for film viewing list)

*Parents need to attend the audition so that the faculty can talk with them if the student is accepted into the program.

Chapter Four Our Mission and Approach

They say that learning begins at home. When we hear that comment, we usually think of our children and what they learn at home starting from an early age. But that statement is so much more encompassing than that. We all learn from home -- and that includes me.

I’m not done with my homeschooling years yet. But, after 20 years, I’m beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The last of our four sons is currently a freshman in high school, and what began as a journey, which found me grasping at straws and groping in the dark, has now almost come full circle. I began the journey thinking I was going to home school my children, and I have done that. But surprisingly, homeschooling them has really “homeschooled” me. For a gal who had received a great education and had taught in the classroom, I found I had a lot to learn, and so much of that had very little to do with academic subject content. It seemed to have everything to do with my own heart, mind, and soul and my own attitudes towards God, relationships and circumstances.

I never planned to home school. I was the product of a private Christian school, and my husband was a public school graduate. My mom had been a teacher for years in a large Christian school, and John’s mom had worked in the public school system for years. Homeschooling had never even crossed my mind. I didn’t even know there was such a thing. The surprising fact is that many among us were educated in a system that had priorities, principles, and philosophies that at their very core were non-Biblical, or even worse, diametrically opposed to a Biblical philosophy of education.

As a mom and dad who have been educating their own children for 20 years and as a teacher to hundreds of home-educated students for more than 25 years, my search and study for a Biblical approach to education, one that goes

beyond just random facts and information, has been an ongoing journey. In many instances, I found myself learning right alongside my own children and retraining my thoughts, approaches, and methodology to fit what I saw in Scripture. As we began to discover and uncover these Biblical principles that applied to child training and education, we began to envision how these principles played out in our personal lives, in the lives of our children, and the in the life of our family. In doing so, several key and core values began to surface repeatedly. These core values formed a firm foundation upon which to build our lives, our family, and our approach to the education of our children. These core values aren’t a methodology per se, but rather, they reflect a foundation upon which to base methodology. These values, in and of themselves, don’t describe what we did within our family, but rather, they reflect the foundation upon which we make strategic choices in fulfilling what God has called us to do. They reflect a Biblical approach to education.

In a sense, these core values represented our worldview of education. “Christianity Today” defines worldview as follows:

“a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true, or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic make-up of our world.

“more simply put, it is the sum total of what we believe about the most important issues of life.” taken from “Exploring Christianity” http://www.christianity.co.nz/truth2.htm

As we continued on our journey of home education, we discussed what we felt were our God-given responsibilities and priorities in raising our children. The attempt to define

http://www.christianity.co.nz/truth2.htm

and verbalize these priorities has been an ongoing process. However, I assure you that without these priorities or when we lose sight of them, we have been greatly tempted to make decisions regarding the education of our children based on fear, peer pressure, tradition, or other unbiblical foundations.

What are these core values? 1. God’s Word reigns supreme and is the guiding force

behind our thoughts and actions in every area of life. 2. The heart is the focus of spiritual growth. 3. God created man as a multi-faceted and unique

individual. 4. God’s Word “equips” the children of God. 5. Our lives and choices should reflect God’s character to

those around us. 6. The family is a God-ordained institution through which

the next generation is nurtured and discipled. These core values not only were a basis for the

education of our own children, but also became the basis of our ministry through Artios. They affect the priorities within an Artios education and, in turn, they affect the methodology found within the Artios community.

Core Value 1: God’s Word reigns supreme and is the guiding force behind our thoughts and actions in every area of life.

God’s Word speaks to the issues that we face, including the origin of the world, marriage, friends, entertainment, government, economics, and, yes, even education. Because of this, God’s Word and the principles found therein should be pointed out and emphasized in those “teachable moments” found in every academic and arts-related topic and in every situation that we face as we “walk along the way” with our students. It is not enough to throw Scripture at a particular topic in arts and academics. Our goal should

be to begin and end our study of each subject with God’s Word as the foundation and the lens through which we

view each subject.

II Timothy 3:16 and 17 states this very plainly when it

says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in

righteousness that the man of God may be competent,

equipped for every good work.” In the Greek, this is the

only instance of the word Artios appearing and its meaning

-- competent, equipped, and thoroughly prepared. Isn’t that what we want for our children? We want them to be

competent, equipped, and prepared for whatever God has

for them and for whatever the future holds. The answer to

make sure they are equipped is not found in the perfect

curriculum, the perfect methodology, or the perfect teacher.

The source for equipping our children is God’s Word. If we

believe this to be true, Scripture must reign in every aspect

of life, instruction, and education. This belief should

motivate us to ponder and consider the influence (or lack

thereof) of God’s Word in every academic and artistic

subject.

In II Peter 1, Peter talks about the power of Scripture as

including “everything we need for life and godliness.” Thus,

a Christian’s worldview, including his approach to education, is to be based on Biblical truth. To hurry through

those teachable moment and opportunities, or to fail to see

opportunities to teach our students how to apply God’s truth as the guiding force behind their lives, is to miss a

vital aspect of a truly Biblical approach to education. I love

how Paul states this in II Corinthians 2:12-15 when he says,

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that

are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak,

not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with

spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of

the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither

can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

As I have journeyed through a study of Scripture to find what God says about the education of our children, I have realized time and time again, that my thinking was “off” from what Scripture said was to be my priority. In many areas I had not heeded Paul’s warning in Colossians 2:8 when he says, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Many times, in the area of education, I found that I had been influenced by a leader’s personality, by peer-pressure, by friends, by fear, and by tradition. If my number one core value and the guiding force behind my thoughts and actions in every area of life is that God’s Word reigns supreme, then that applies to my approach and to my priorities in the education of our children. It is to Scripture that I should first turn when making decisions in this very important area of education and in every area of my life.

What about you? What has been your greatest influence when it comes to your worldview of education? A book? A speaker? A friend? Your background? Where does God’s Word and God’s priorities come into your sphere of influence? This core value of God’s Word reigns supreme. Being the guiding force behind our thoughts and actions in every area of life, it should apply to the area of education, and it definitely is a foundation and core value of the Artios community.

Core Value 2: The Heart is the focus of spiritual growth.

As Christian parents and educators, our primary focus should always be the instruction of the heart. Webster, is

his 1828 dictionary, defines the word heart as the “the seat of affections and passions as of love, joy, grief, enmity, courage, pleasure.” He defines educate in this way: “to bring up, as of a child; to instruct; to inform and enlighten the understanding; to instill into the mind principles of arts, science, morals, religion, and behavior.”

The heart is referred to hundreds of times throughout Scripture, and its mention can be put into the following categories as described by Ruth Beechick, author of Heart and Mind: thought, emotion, motive, physical, spiritual, moral, general or a combination of these areas. Scripture tells us that we are to instruct the heart of our children thoroughly and diligently. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

When we focus on the instruction of the heart, those things that we find important in education and in outward performance and appearance are forever altered. Although it is a noble aspiration to have your children do well in school, it is not a supreme priority. Although it is a noble aspiration to have them achieve high honors in various areas of life, it is not a supreme priority. It is not enough to focus on outward performance and conformity; our goal should be the instruction of our child’s heart. We must remember that the “fear of the Lord, is the beginning of true wisdom” -- a wisdom that is much more than a head knowledge, but rather is a heart change.

I started my home education journey thinking it was all about academics and achievements. I’m so thankful for the wisdom found in Scripture that showed me my priorities were not God-given. I believe in excellence in academics and the arts. I believe in having high expectations in those areas as well, and that has impacted my approach with my children and within Artios Academies. However, they are

not the supreme priority of education. The instruction of my children’s hearts and the hearts of the students within Artios is what’s most important.

Core Value 3: God created man as a multi-faceted and unique individual.

Many of us have been educated in a secular system or perhaps a private school in which a secular philosophy of education has become prevalent. A secular philosophy of education views a student as a wonderful and complex human organism just waiting to be filled by a learning process that is measured simply by the retention of facts and information.

Whereas, a Biblical view of education indicates that education and learning is a personal process that not only involves a student’s heart, but also his soul and mind. With this view, education can be measured by wisdom, understanding, and a knowledge of the truth. Our children should be seen as “whole” and unique individuals whose whole being should be addressed through the process we call education.

Thus, our instructional approach throughout the Artios community is to implement a creative and integrative approach to learning. Just as each individual is unique and multi-faceted, life, in and of itself, is also multi-faceted; and when a student cannot understand how his subject matter interacts with real life, or with other aspects of study, the motivation and enthusiasm for learning will not be as strong as it could be. When students realize that what they are studying is not alienated from other subjects or from real life, there is a mental and emotional engagement. This is where real learning begins.

Core Value 4: God’s Word “equips” the children of God.

While traveling this 19 year journey of home education, I came across a book called The Noah Plan from The

Foundation for American Education. Within that book, the authors contrast two historic worldviews of education. When we say that we have as a core value the fact that God’s Word “equips” the Children of God, it is important to define the word equip. To many, the word equip applies only to areas of knowledge, academic competence, usefulness in society, and the ability to produce. However, the contrast that I found within this valuable resource, The Noah Plan, contrasted two very different views of someone who is “equipped” or “educated.”

They contrasted a Hebrew Mind-Set of education with a Greek Mind-Set of Education. I have put their chart below.

Hebrew Mind Set Greek Mind Set Education Begins:

Knowledge of God Knowledge of Man

Essential Quality:

Holiness of God Transference of Knowledge

Education is for:

All the people Wealthy and leisure classes

Education is to develop:

The Whole Person Aptitudes and Talents

Why Learn: To revere God To comprehend Object of Education

Know God and submit to the authority of His Word

Know Thyself

While a knowledge of man, a transference of knowledge,

a knowledge of oneself, the ability to comprehend, and the development of specific aptitudes and talents may be worthy items to consider, a Biblical view of education has a very different emphasis and focus. Do you notice the difference in focus between the two columns? One column focuses on man; the other, on God.

A few years ago, I wrote a book titled: Beginning With The End In Mind which is basically a study of II Peter 1 and

its application to various areas of our lives. In no uncertain terms, Peter tells us that our two supreme priorities as Christians are to know God and to grow to become more like Him. If we “begin with the end in mind” in education, with a focus on what God says is most important, then our approach and priorities in education will be transformed.

Core Value 5: Our lives and choices should reflect God’s character to those around us.

The study of history and the study of an individual’s creative output are great areas of study in which to focus on God’s character, an individual’s character, and whether or not the individual’s life is a true reflection of his/her creator. It has been said that a true study of history should prevent us from repeating the mistakes of the past. However, it is one thing to study history, its facts, and its dates. It is a completely different approach to study history through the study of individuals, to study the arts through the lens of historical events and their influences, and to study literature as a reflection of the time in which it was written. By studying these subjects and others, in an integrative method, not only the subjects themselves are given new meaning in the lives and minds of our children, but these individuals, events, actions, and products are shown to be interactive. “No man is an island” (John Donne) and nothing could show this fact to be more accurate than the study of subjects in an integrative and creative format.

It is all too common to study subjects in isolated and mindless file folders of information, never taking the time to show our students how life and LIVES interact with one another. As children of the Most High God, we are to be a reflection of God to the world around us. But often, we think that our actions and our choices make little difference in the grand scheme of things. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our lives have the ability to influence for good or for evil, for positive action or for negative apathy.

Studying history, literature, the arts, and other subjects as they relate to each other helps students develop an integrated way of thinking and reasoning. On a spiritual level, it helps them to see their own lives as a reflection of God in their unique spheres of influence.

Core Value 6: The family is a God-ordained institution through which the next generation is nurtured and discipled.

The family is God’s first institution shown in Scripture; and by the very nature that it was created by God as a reflection of Christ and His church, it has important meaning and an aspect of holiness and sanctity. Yet, each family is made up of individuals, and because of that, there are many variables in our approach to our children as individuals.

It is our hope and prayer that The Artios Home Companion Series will literally be able to come alongside you and assist you in your role as the God-ordained institution through which the next generation is nurtured and discipled. We hope that you will find contained in the pages of these resources the structure, the guidance, and the flexibility needed to approach the individuals within your family as individuals, all while moving and growing as a family unit to bring honor and glory to the One of whom we are to be a picture.

Chapter Five Our Culture

Visit any of our Artios locations, and you will quickly notice a culture, a community that is reflective of an internal culture that is carefully nurtured within each of our programs. We believe that unique and very special culture and community happens at each location because of an emphasis on the following principles and ideas.

A Biblical View of the Child “Every child is made in the image of God, fallen by

nature but by God’s grace destined for immortality, gifted for a special purpose in God’s providence, and of infinite individual value.” 1 This principle upholds and emphasizes the sanctity and dignity of each child as uniquely designed by God. Each instructor in every program at Artios strives to guide each student to the fullest expression of his individuality in Christ as well as celebrating each child’s uniqueness. “As Christian educators we must take on the divine view of children that places them above the expected norms of society and draws forth their highest potential.”2 One only has to look at the example of Jesus in Scripture to see God’s eternal attitude and love for the individual child.

The Arts “Aesthetic education is essentially educating tastes and

sensibilities, and is mandatory to the education of the whole child. To neglect the fine arts in education is to admit ignorance and vulgarity. For every one pupil who needs to be guarded from a weak excess of sensibility there are three who need to awaken from the slumber of cold vulgarity. The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts. The right defense against false sentiments is to inculcate just sentiments. By 1 Harsh, The Noah Plan Homeschool Companion, Page 19 2 Ibid, Page 20

starving the sensibility of our pupils we only make them easier prey to the propagandist when he comes. For famished nature will be avenged and a hard heart is no infallible protection against a soft head.”3

Artios Academies offers fine arts that demonstrates and explains God’s creativity and character through the abilities that he has given various individuals. The scope and sequence of the curriculum of Artios Academy of Arts and History is designed as a four-year study matching the historical time periods studied in literature and history. Clothed in this four-year rotation are the age-appropriate skills found in the National Arts Standards for the subject areas of theater, music, and visual art. The artistic and worldview standard starts each year by studying the God Himself and His Creation and then moving into the time-period-related Artists and appropriate skills from the National Arts Standards.

By exposing the child to the “qualities of God and the pathway of Christ through His Story in art, he will be receiving “a rich feast that cultivates talent, imparts a Christian worldview, develops skills, and influences tastes for what is excellent.”4

In our Artios Conservatory program, God’s view of the arts and a Christian worldview of the arts is studied in depth, and students are encouraged to develop their God-given talents in a way that expresses excellence as a reflection of God’s character. Students are allowed and encouraged to specialize their time and efforts in the arts-related areas in which God has gifted them.

In our Preparatory program, each subject begins with a Biblical foundation. It is not enough to just insert Scripture into each subject. Instead, God’s word speaks to each subject and must be viewed as the foundation upon which that subject is built. Our curriculum and approach uses the

3 C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man 4 Adams, Beholding the Beauty of the Lord, Pages 63-68

Biblical principles as “leading ideas” upon which to study each subject.

God’s Principle of Individuality Everything that God created has a distinct purpose for

existence. When expressed toward our children, this principle focuses on unique individuality of God’s character and how that is demonstrated in the life of individuals. “This is a principle that transformed a nation and continues to confound the world by enabling every individual to achieve his God-given potential.”5 This principle is also foundational to the idea of personal responsibility and accountability in our lives, our choices, and our activities.

Environment of Biblical Excellence It is our desire that a personal relationship with Jesus

Christ permeates the teaching and environment within Artios Academies. We strive to hold to the standard found in Philippians 4:8 by maintaining standards in speech, vocabulary, music, and visual representation that is true, just, noble, pure, and of good report. By this emphasis, we hope to inspire the quality of work and work ethic. An emphasis on the fine and performing arts enriches an atmosphere of excellence. The arts are taught and viewed as a gift from God to be used to give back to God the glory due His name and to bless others around us.

Education…a Biblical Definition Education was defined by Noah Webster in 1828 as:

“bringing up, as of a child; instruction; formation of manners.

True education includes a sequence of instruction and discipline, which is intended to raise understanding, “correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future station. To

5 Harsh, The Noah Plan Homeschool Companion, Page 20

give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.”6 By reasoning through Biblical principles, we hope to lay a foundation that will address the whole child.

The Living Textbook Model Scripture gives us the ultimate example of a Living

Textbook. Christ was the perfect Living Textbook both to his disciples and is the perfect example to us today. When we realize that we as parents and teachers also serve as living textbooks to our children and to our students, our ideas and goals of parenting and teaching are radically transformed. Karen Andreola refers to a parent’s role as one of inspiring their children. The word inspire is defined by Webster’s 1828 Dictionary as to breathe. We as Living Textbooks have the opportunity and responsibility to “breathe into” our children and into our students.

Christ’s life is a perfect example of inspiring those around him. He was the perfect picture of his message. In order to become inspirational and in order to become Living Textbooks, we as teachers and parents must renew and refresh our own education. If we don’t take the time to prepare a lesson with Biblical reasoning, we cannot be equipped with wisdom and revelation to impart to our students. Spending time with Biblical principles is to spend time with the Author of every subject. “To give a child living books, those that are alive with moral purpose and relativity, is wonderfully enriching and far superior to the textbook mentality, more so for the parent/teacher to become a living book, as was Christ to his disciples, that we would also inspire a lifelong love for learning.”7

6 “Education,” American Dictionary of the English Language: Noah Webster 1828, 2010 7 Harsh, The Noah Plan Homeschool Companion, Page 21

Character Counts True education involves the whole child including the

heart. “True Christian education appeals to the heart and spirit by inspiring the heart, consecrating the individual to Christ, cultivating “the new man,” and instructing in the knowledge of salvation. Secular education methods treat education as an external experience, stimulating, motivating, and indoctrinating the child through education.”8

Artios seeks to inspire our students by guiding them to reason in all areas of study in light of the truth of Scripture. Key events as well as the life, “character and contributions of key individuals are studied and recorded in terms of internal and external character qualities. If a student only receives the facts of a subject but has no applications to the heart and soul of the student, the information becomes lifeless and boring. If character and conscience is not learned, information becomes lost and forgotten.”9 Artios Academies has designed their curriculum, trained their teachers, and made as an important part of their mission the goal of affecting the student’s own character by reasoning from God’s Word. Academics and the arts should not be a separate experience; rather they should serve to meet the needs of the entire person -- heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Scripture talks about Jesus growing in wisdom and stature with both God and man. Wisdom is much more than simply knowing random information. Growing in wisdom is the principle embodied in the third step of the Artios Academies mission statement: Educating, Equipping and Elevating. Wisdom is more than simply informing to educate. It’s more than just giving students academic tools and equipping them mentally. It’s elevating discernment into our student’s lives so that they can be effective salt and

8 Ibid 9 Ibid

light in every area of their lives. It is educating the heart, soul AND mind of our children -- the children in our homes AND the children in our classrooms. This is a foundational principle behind the Artios Academies philosophy of education.

Field Study Tours This enriching method, of encouraging the student’s

interest and love of the subject, is an experience that celebrates and culminates a particular unit, or topic of study . . . is far more than a traditional ‘field trip.” Field trips should be designed for student participation, and students are taught about what they will see and experience before they tour. Their experiences from the trips are related and recorded in various genres in the “records.”

Special Celebration Days “Creating memorials in learning is a Biblical concept.

God instructed his people to build an altar or celebrate a specific move of His divine Hand in their deliverance with a feast day, lest they forget His wondrous works and fall back into sin and national decay. Special Days are days of celebrating and memorializing learning!”10 They flow from any subject or art form. Celebrations provide opportunities for dressing in costumes, participating in related activities, and eating unique foods.

10 Ibid, Page 25

Chapter Six Our Invitation

We have covered an incredible amount of material in this book. Now that you have read through so much background and foundational information about the Artios program, we’d like to help you consolidate that information and help you find the best scenario in which Artios can assist your family in raising children that are “fully prepared.”

Below you will find a series of “profiles.” Each profile is one of the common categories or situations in which we have been able to assist families.

Profile A “We want an alternative to public

or private education…”

This profile and curriculum mix recognizes that there is

a growing number of parents and families who appreciate home education and want an alternative to public or private school but do not feel comfortable doing that completely on their own. In this profile, students attend a local Artios campus two days a week. One day each week the student comes for arts-related instruction and tutoring through either the Artios Academy of Arts and History program or the Artios Conservatory program. The second day students attend, for academic instruction and tutoring, the Artios Preparatory program. For arts instruction,

students begin in the Academy of Arts and History program and transition in 9th grade from Academy to Conservatory, at an age when a student’s inclination to, curiosity for, or talent in the arts has become more focused and when they desire arts-related nurturing, training and immersive experiences.

Profile B “I want to include outside instruction in the arts in my child’s education, but continue to teach my younger children from home…”

This program recognizes that it is often optimal for

younger children to be at home more with their parents. This profile features a hybrid approach combining age-appropriate home study materials through our acclaimed Home Companion Series, along with our Academy of Arts and History experience for music, theatre, history, and the arts. Students can then transfer to Profile A in high school for more in-depth study en route to mastering skills in the arts and academics and in preparation for college.

Profile C “I want my children to have exposure to the arts, but I want a more academic focus.”

While we would propose that the arts have life-long

value and ongoing exposure and involvement exponentially impact the maturity of a student’s worldview and critical thinking skills, we realize there are financial limitations and life circumstances that force priorities. This program profile is for someone who has determined that early exposure to the arts is adequate. This student has decided to honor God by focusing his/her creativity on academics.

Profile D “We want to home school but also want to experience creative community with other

families like ours…”

This program maintains an age-appropriate exposure and immersion in the arts and the coinciding historical context of the arts all the way from elementary through high school. Students in this program quickly find themselves not only embracing the material but also embracing the familiarity and continuity of moving from year to year in a shared experience with other students with whom they build deep relationships over time. Creativity happens best collaboratively in community. Academic subjects can be covered through our Artios Home Companion Series.

Profile E

“We don’t live anywhere near an Artios Campus.”

This program encourages parents anywhere in the

world to use our Home Companion Series curriculum, to find a few other families who share the same values, and to form their own cohort. The Home Companion Series curriculum can be a creative catalyst that impacts your community wherever you call home. We are always on the lookout for new locations and directors. When you have a starter group up and running, we should talk about opening an Artios location near you.

Profile F “We just moved here…”

–OR– “We’re moving where there is no Artios

Campus” –OR–

“Can I supplement with a few classes a la carte…”

Profile “F” is for Flexible. Look, life is unpredictable. One

of our central goals is to offer you the flexibility to educate in a way that glorifies God, honors Biblical truth, honors every unique student, and supports the infinite number of scenarios life could create for your family. To that end, we want to work with you to customize a program that works year in and year out. Of course, selfishly we would love to see and care for your family all the time! However, we realize economics change, unemployment, career moves, multiple children, college tuition, and a host of other things all require prioritization. Artios is here to serve you when and where your family needs us. Let’s talk more about a custom set of classes or art electives soon!

What Others Are Saying About Artios

We have been a part of the Artios program for nearly four years. Last year, our oldest daughter Sara graduated with a 4.0 in both the Conservatory and Preparatory program. No one would believe she didn't start reading until she was in the third grade. She is what one would call a “late bloomer”. Not only did she graduate with all A’s, but she also received the Literary Arts Award for Excellence and the Leadership Award her senior year. She was inspired by all of her Artios teachers and peers to be all she could be--and so much more. She is now attending a local college (still maintaining her 4.0 average) and teaching at one of the Artios locations. Through her teaching experience, she has now discovered she loves teaching and is praying about pursuing a career in education.

Even though our family has chosen the homeschool route, Sara has proven that one can positively influence those around her in a secular environment. Attending a secular school for the first time in her life, she is adapting very well. She has been able to challenge her professors and peers through taking a stand in what she believes through a Biblical worldview. Artios has done an incredible job in “fully preparing” our daughter to make a difference in her surroundings and to be a beacon of light in a dark world!

Laura Bachtel Artios Parent

My daughter looks forward to her experience at Artios Academy each week. She loves the arts, and the instruction she receives is outstanding by caring and gifted mentors.

Julie Hiramine Founder, Generations of Virtue

Wow! I can honestly say that Artios is an incredible answer to several years of travailing prayer. As our son grew, we began to see a strong creative bent in his personality and in his academic work. I really felt like he was being stifled at another homeschool program and he was always stressed out and almost depressed. Sadly, the other program was not set up to value creativity and he began to see his creativity as unimportant and a curse more than a blessing. He wanted to be the left-brained academic as those who succeeded in that environment are. I kept encouraging him that his gifts and talents were valuable. He honestly didn't believe me because he couldn’t see that as a reality in his small world.

When I signed him up for Artios Outpost and he discovered that not only can he sing, but that others value that quality, it was as if he was reborn. I saw the hard shell that had built up around him crack and the real person inside crawled out. His personality literally changed from a brooding, stressed-out teen in turmoil to the lively, confident, happy kid he was all his younger years. The teachers are fantastic and I'm so excited about all the classes he is taking. They are challenging, but really tap into excelling in one’s creativity. It’s a great environment for him. I am so blessed that Artios exists and is accessible for us. I can’t even express how thankful I am for this great program that will truly help these kids achieve their dreams.

Jeannie Fullbright, Author Elementary Apologia Science Curriculum

Artios is an outstanding community of educators and students that provides for a holistic education. With emphasis on the Biblical worldview as a foundation, the best writers, thinkers, artists, and musicians come alive to influence the thinking of ideas of prospective students who attend. I also love the practical, hands on experience that students will receive as they produce real videos, musical productions, photography and drama based on the messages they are building in the classroom. Lori Lane’s organization and instruction provided for each of these arenas is outstanding. I highly recommend Artios.

Sally Clarkson, Founder, Whole Heart Ministries Author, Educating the Whole Hearted Child

Works Cited Adams, C. G., Beholding the Beauty of the Lord: The

Relevance of America's Christian History to the Fine Arts in Education, (Journal of the Foundation for American Christian Education, 1991, 63-‐68).

DeMille, O.V., A Thomas Jefferson Education, (George Wythe College Press, 2000).

“Education.” American Dictionary of the English Language: Noah Webster 1828. Facsimile First Edition. San Francisco, California: Foundation for American Christian Education, 2010.

Harsh, J., The Noah Plan Homeschool Companion, (Foundation for American Christian Education 2003).

Lewis, C.S., The Abolition of Man: How Education Develops Man's Sense of Morality, (New York: Mac-‐Millan Publishing Co. 1947).

Sampson, R., The Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach: Bible Based Homeschooling, (Heart of Wisdom Publishing 2005).

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