Amen to Learning in Fallon
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Amen to Learning in Fallon
Logos Christian Academy provides an alternative education
By Steve Puterski
Lahontan Valley News
In the late 1990s, Don Travis Jr. and several other Fallon families decided they wanted an alternative school in the city. Not only was this school to be an option from the Churchill County School District, but also it added a religious template. In the fall of 2000, Logos Christian Academy was born.
The classical private school opened with classes from kindergarten through second grade in a storage shed off Soda Lake Road, and had steadily grown since. Now the school boasts classes through eighth grade with hopes of establishing high school curriculum and has resided at its current location, 655 Sheckler Road, since 2005.
Travis, along with Ghiglia, Card and Iverson families founded the school but added a different twist to the curriculum. Drawing inspiration from a Christian school in Idaho, Travis said the school wanted to base its education around grammar, logic and rhetoric, also known as Trivium.
"Our school is a classical Christian school," Travis said. "We use a lot of biblical bases for a lot of things we teach. Our classical part is based in part on Trivium."
Travis, who is also chairman of the board, said the school's population grew rapidly in its first six years but has plateaued since. He attributes the slowed growth to the economy, since the price tag for Logos is about $4,000 per year. However, Logos academy boasts 80 to 100 students in all grades.
The school has focused on keeping a smaller student population to maintain one class per grade. While Logos Academy prefers the small size, it is still looking to fill its classrooms. The school features nine full-time teachers.
Jack Beach, who will enter his first year as principal this fall, said grammar, along with memorization facts, is the focus for grades k-5. Logic is displayed in grades 6-8, which teaches the children to organize statements and arguments.
"Since children this age develop a propensity for argument we try to help them do it well," Beach said. "We teach formal logic during this stage."
Rhetoric comes into play in grades 8-12, and while Logos Academy does not currently have any high school students, Beach said all stages and skills are developed during each grade. In addition to the Trivium, the Bible, Latin (starting in third grade) and literature are also fundamental aspects of the education at Logos Academy.
"Latin is so much of our language," Beach said. "We're teaching students to be life-long learners."
Logos' growth had expanded so rapidly several years ago that high school classes were offered through 10th grade. But students started to transfer because many extracurricular activities and athletic programs were not available at the Christian school.
However, Beach said the students who moved from Logos to Churchill County High School transitioned well, bringing their strong study habits with them.
Travis, though, said his school isn't aiming to take students away from the Churchill County School District but rather providing an alternative to families who want a strong religious education.
"We want to be a strong Christian and cultural influence," Travis said. "We want to make a difference in the community."
Students Shaw and Glenda Lee, Dakota Roberts, Helen Albaugh, Sydney and Wyatt Gusewelle and Ashby Trotter qualified for the annual Association of Christian Schools International speech meet.
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