Prospectus 2020-2021 The Holy House of Our Lady & St. John - CONTINGENT ON COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS - Holy House of Our Lady & St. John
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The Holy House of Our Lady & St. John
Prospectus 2020-2021
CONTINGENT ON COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
July 2020
1423 - 8 Avenue S.E., Calgary, Alberta, T2G 0N1, Canada
Office: 403.265.5072 · E-mail: holyhousecalgary@gmail.com
holyhouse.net
The Badge Badges worn on clothing became popular (especially in England) in the late Middle Ages as a way of showing an association between individuals. Today this tradition has survived perhaps most notably as a badge on school uniforms. While some schools use a Coat of Arms for this purpose, Holy House follows the more traditional para-heraldic practice. Our badge brings together four visual elements: the Marian cypher which represents Mary the Mother of our Lord, St. John’s chalice for the patron of our parish in Inglewood, the Alpha and Omega representing Christ but also alluding to our classical educational tradition, and finally the arms of St. George, recalling the Anglican patrimony as a treasure to be shared. The Marian cypher or monogram is located in the top quarter and is composed of the letters ‘M’ and ‘R’ which means “Maria Regina (Queen)”. This design can be traced back to the eleventh century. The three points on each of the ends of the monogram remind us of the Holy Trinity. Below is the chalice with the snake emerging from it — a symbol of St. John (the patron of our parish of St. John the Evangelist and Jesus’ beloved disciple). It too is an ancient symbol and can be traced back to the thirteenth century. Christians have been persecuted right from the start, but this symbol shows us that we have nothing to fear. It comes from an old legend that tells us about someone who tried to poison St. John. The Evangelist was preserved by a miracle: the poison came out of the chalice in the form of a snake and St. John drank the cup unharmed. The left and right quarters have within them the Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These are appropriate for any Christian school because it reminds us most of all of the Lord Jesus’ words in Revelation 1:8, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Finally, at the centre, we have a shield with the cross upon it. By this symbol we are reminded that our only protection is Jesus Christ Himself. The style of the shield recalls St. George, who was martyred during the Diocletian persecution of AD 303. He refused to recant his Christian faith and his earthly life was taken from him, though of course not his eternal life. St. George’s cross and shield have become associated with the English Church and the Anglican patrimony which we preserve and celebrate at St. John’s. There are three other crosses found on the badge that remind us both of the Holy Trinity and of Calvary, where Jesus was crucified with the two thieves. We are reminded that Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Each of us, like the two thieves, has a choice to make: do we reject Christ, or do we choose Him as the good thief did? “Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). This is our ultimate hope for all of our students and is really the goal for the education they receive at Holy House: that they would choose to follow Jesus and live with Him forever in joy and felicity.
Contents 4. Letter from the Chair of the Gilbertine Institute 5. Letter from the Principal 6. The Mission & General Introduction to The Holy House of Our Lady & St. John 6. What Makes Holy House Unique? 7. A Focal Point: Stanza della Segnatura 8. Homeschool Enrichment Programme 8. Introduction & General Information 8. Division of Students 8. Daily Schedule 9. Homeschool Enrichment Courses 11. Big Picture Curriculum, Grades 1-6 12. Big Picture Curriculum, Grades 7-8 13. Interdisciplinary Approach 13. Integrated Portfolio 14. Sample of Integrated Curriculum 2020-21 16. The Disputation of the Blessed Sacrament 16. Faith Formation 17. Religion Curriculum 18. Schola Cantorum 19. Parnassus 20. Art 21. The School of Athens 22. Latin 22. Primary Latin 23. Latin Readiness & Proficiency Assessment 23. Latin Honours Projects 23. History 24. Primary Sources 25. Science 26. Cycle of Historical Periods and Main Texts 27. Literature & Spelling, Grammar & Composition 28. Physical Education 28. Student Houses & Intramural Games 29. Computorium 30. The Cardinal Virtues 31. Theological & Cardinal Virtues 32. Monthly Virtue & Saint Focus 33. Governance of the Holy House of Our Lady & St. John 33. Staff 33. Safe Environment 33. Disciplinary Authority of Holy House 34. General Expectations 35. Personal Cell Phones, Electronic Devices and Communication 35. Photo, Video & Recording Policy 36. Identity Protection Policy 36. Bullying and Harassment 37. Uniform and Appearance 39. Academic Standards 40. Academic Honesty 42. Communication, Controversy, and Conflict 42. The Removal of Students and Families from Holy House 43. Fundraising and Volunteering 43. Tuition Fees 43. Other Financial Considerations 44. Reading Lists 47. Parking 47. Map of Routes into Inglewood
the gilbertine institute
A LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
Dear families and friends,
I very much look forward to this upcoming school year at The Holy House of Our Lady and St. John.
We’ve come a long way in a relatively short time and are now an accredited private school. In some
ways not much will change; we will continue with our excellent range of classes delivered in much
the same way as former years, however the stability this new accreditation gives us will ensure that
we are able to continue in our efforts for years and decades to come.
The kind of education we seek to provide at St. John’s through Holy House is inspiring, and I
have had the wonderful opportunity to witness the growth of our students in the virtues, in skills and
in knowledge. I have seen them grow in an understanding of the Catholic faith and in the genuine
practice of it. Preparing our young people to succeed in such a complicated world is no easy task, but
the tried and true methods of a classical education, with empowered and engaged parents at the
helm, is our best bet.
This next year is beginning to take shape, and I look forward to meeting the new families who
will take part in this exciting new stage of our development as an educational institution. I have been
impressed with the families who have come to us these past few years and I anticipate more of the
same. It will be delightful to see everyone again! The involvement of our families make Holy House a
lively and dynamic place where young people truly matter, where children do not fall between the
cracks.
God has been very generous to us these past years — even through the coronavirus pandemic. I
have every confidence in His generosity this coming year, too, as we take up the valuable work of the
education and formation of our young people. As in former years, the work we do at Holy House is
ultimately to make and equip disciples of Christ: Catholics who will make a real difference in a world
that desperately needs them.
Fr. Robert-Charles Bengry GSmp
Chair of the Gilbertine Institute of Catholic Studies
4
A LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Warm greetings to the Families of Holy House,
There has been an immense quantity of volunteer work accomplished by members of the Holy House
community, and the results are becoming quite palpable.
One obvious result of these labours is the approval of Holy House as an Accredited Alberta School,
and it is a great blessing for all of Alberta that the Holy House model of education can now stimulate
the development of other such schools throughout the province.
Another obvious result of these labours is the Holy House program itself. Hitherto functioning as a
cooperative of Home Schooling families, the parents and staff of Holy House have fashioned a
program that promotes academic rigour, growth in virtues, serious practise of the Faith, and a joyful
community. It is no small feat to have these important qualities at the core of a school supported by
the province of Alberta.
At the very heart of all this work and all this promise is an unwavering support of family life.
Designed to support parent-led education, not replace it, the Holy House program provides a wealth
of activities that will help form students for life.
I am honoured to be part of the team of individuals able to support the work of families and staff in
the delivery of the education you are selecting for your children and supporting through your work
and prayers.
I join my prayers with yours, and may our Lord bless your family, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.+
Deacon Kenneth Noster
Head of Schools
5
THE MISSION & GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO
THE HOLY HOUSE OF OUR LADY & ST. JOHN
Holy House is an apostolate of the parish of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church and is an
accredited private school with a mission to support parents of the congregation in the education of
their children. Specifically, to assist parents in:
1. the spiritual formation of their children though regular instruction and prayer according to
the prescribed forms of the Personal Ordinate of the Chair of St. Peter;
2. the immersion of their children in the excellence of the Catholic academic tradition; and
3. the imbuing of a love in their children for the historic patrimony of the Anglican and Catholic
choral traditions as well as the great artistic treasures of the Church.
The Holy House of Our Lady & St. John is an integrated educational programme that honours the
theological order of the domestic Church, affirming parents as the primary educators of their
children. Holy House currently offers a Homeschool Enrichment Programme for students in Grades
1-8. Holy House also plans to begin a full time high school in the fall of 2022. All programmes at Holy
House are informed by the knowledge that children are persons with dignity and a supernatural
destiny.
The wholesome environment of Holy House allows each child to mature academically and in virtue
with gentle and charitable guidance. Studies are meant to emphasize and nurture the intellectual,
historical, artistic, and spiritual gifts of the faith. The ultimate goal is for students to discover the
influence and beauty of Catholicism in every aspect of culture and their own lives, growing in
holiness and drawing ever closer to the Triune God.
Be still, and know that I am God.
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth!
Psalm 46:10
What Makes Holy House Unique?
We go to school with Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament. We begin and end our day before him,
seeking His guidance and singing His praise. The most important class of each day is the Mass,
where the True, the Good, and the Beautiful are not absorbed through the subjects studied, but
consumed as the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.
Holy House is the only parochial school in the Province of Alberta that is an apostolate of a Roman
Catholic parish, and that takes place in that Roman Catholic parish: St. John the Evangelist Catholic
Church.
6
A Focal Point: Stanza della Segnatura
At the conclusion of their studies, students of the Holy House of Our Lady & St. John should go on
pilgrimage to Rome and be taken to the Stanza della Segnatura in the Apostolic Palace for their final
examinations. The walls of this historic room are adorned with glorious paintings by Raphael and
company. Once inside, students should be astounded and have a sense of déjà vu. If their education
has been a good one, these paintings ought to resonate deeply within them.
They may not have seen or studied these great works of art, but if the identity of the characters
therein is made known, students should be intimately familiar with the subject matter that is
represented by the various figures. The very curriculum they were instructed in should have been
reverse engineered from the subject matter of these paintings. The artistic merit of each work of art is
beyond dispute, but so is the subject matter and tradition they collectively represent.
“What was wonderful about childhood is that anything in it was a wonder.
It was not merely a world full of miracles; it was a miraculous world.”
G.K. Chesterton
7
HOMESCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME
Introduction & General Information
The Homeschool Enrichment Programme complements the vocational mission of homeschooling
parents by providing academically challenging courses in a deeply committed Catholic community.
Holy House provides a rigorous course of studies faithful to the doctrine and teaching of the Catholic
Church, which enlighten and inform all areas of the curriculum. Understanding our faith and the
ideas that shaped Western civilization allows our students to deepen their belief and expand their
understanding of the world.
We strive to maintain an environment in which our students can learn both the joy of intellectual
inquiry and the perseverance required for true study. Our curriculum is rooted in the classical
tradition.
All of Holy House’s physical classes occur at St. John the Evangelist Church, 1423 - 8 Avenue S.E.,
Calgary.
Division of Students:
Primary Division Grades 1-2
Junior Division Grades 3-4, 5-6
Intermediate Division Grades 7-8
Daily Schedule (See Calendar for specific dates)
At Holy House:
Tuesdays & Thursdays 8:15-4:00
Online Assistance:
Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays TBA
N.B. Some aspects of the curriculum (e.g. choir) and schedule are subject to change dependent on
Covid-19 restrictions.
8HOMESCHOOL ENRICHMENT COURSES
Holy House offers some courses which will be aligned with the Alberta Programs of Study and some
which will not be.
Probable Aligned Courses:
1. Art
2. English Language Arts (Literature & Spelling, Grammar & Composition)
3. Health
4. Music (Schola Cantorum)
5. Physical Education
6. Religion
7. Latin
8. Science
Traditional Courses:
9. History & Geography
Optional Courses:
10. Computorium
N.B. Math is not a scheduled course at Holy House this year. Parents are responsible for delivering a
math curriculum of their choosing to their children. Holy House recommends Saxon Math
(Homeschool editions). Each Holy House student will be provided with an IXL math account for
supplemental work to be done at home at the parents’ discretion.
Primary Division
The daily schedule for all Primary Division students at Holy House will include story time, prayer
time, snack time, and free reading time. Grades 1-2 will be combined for some of the day and
separated into smaller groups for other parts of the day. For instance, students study the faith, music,
art, Latin, science, and physical education together as one larger class, but are divided into several
small classes for literacy (phonics, spelling, literature, printing, cursive etc.). Students are not placed
into smaller groups by age or grade but rather by experience and mastery of skill in consultation with
the parents. Holy House strives to give each primary student the best place to start and depends
upon active parental involvement for the child to progress. Parents should tour Holy House and see
the beautiful room for the Primary Class and meet its tutors.
Junior & Intermediate Division
Junior and Intermediate students likewise share some classes together and separate into smaller
groups for other classes, depending on their experience and skill level in each subject. This allows for
socialization and friendships among students of varying ages, while providing for instruction
tailored to individual students’ abilities.
9Senior Division Courses Planned for Fall 2022 (Subject to Change)
Please consult with the Associate Principal regarding the Holy House Senior Division and
Requirements for a High School Diploma. Holy House will offer a full course load which students
can use towards their Province of Alberta High School Diploma. A student in the Senior Division at
Holy House should have a high degree of self-motivation and parents who are willing to oversee all
parts of their child’s course work.
Course Name Course Numbers Total credits
English 10-1, 10-2, 20-1, 20-2, 30-1, 30-2 15
Math 10C, 20-1, 20-2, 30-1, 30-2 15
Science 10 5
Biology/Chemistry 20, 30 10
Choral Music 10, 20, 30 9/15*
Physical Education 10, 20, 30 3/15*
Art 10, 20, 30 9/15*
Religious Ethics 20 3
Religious Meaning 20 3
Latin 10, 20, 30 15
Canadian History 20 3
Western World History 30 3
Origins of Western Philosophy 20 3
Contemporary Western Philosophy 20 3
Total credits offered through HH classes 99/133
*Depending on student commitment, interests, and activities outside of Holy House, students may qualify for
5 credits per course, per year.
To qualify for a high school diploma, students will need to complete three years of Social Studies (15
credits total) and CALM (3 credits) entirely on their own. Unless a student is planning on going into
one of the social sciences at the post secondary level, it is recommended that students pursue Social
Studies 10-2, 20-3, 30-2.
Parents and students might consider completing diploma requirements over four years of classes
rather than the usual three. This extra year allows students to take a broader range of courses in the
humanities at a rate in which they can absorb and reflect more deeply on the required material. No
matter what a student pursues after his or her high school studies, a solid and complete introduction
to the sciences and humanities from a pervasive Catholic world view is essential. A student may
receive full provincial funding so long as the student has not turned 19 as of September 1.
10Big Picture 2020-21 Primary/Junior Curriculum, Grades 1-6
The Catholic Faith
Morning & Evening Prayer
Daily Mass with Music and Homily
Devotions/Lesser Hours at the beginning and ending of each class
Catechesis based on the Disciple of Christ Education in Virtue Programme
Salvation HistoryText: The Story of the Bible (TAN)
All subjects taught with an overt and traditional Catholic worldview
Choral Music
Liturgical Music, Theory, Music Art
History, Musicianship, and Vocal Skills Art workshops and study of art
related to the historical
Latin period
Texts: Song History & Science
School Latin & Texts:
Libellus (select (Grades 1-4) Story of the World Vol. I by Susan Wise Bauer
lessons) (Grades 5-6) All Ye Lands (Catholic Textbook Project)
Latin dialogues, Select Lessons from Berean Builders Science Series:
plays, poetry, Science in the Ancient World Geography
Map work with
proverbs
every unit
English Grammar & Composition
Lessons adapted from
English Lessons Through Literature
Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum using the
Children’s Classics of English Literature
Literature & Spelling
Holy Scripture; Novel, Poetry, Short Story,
Fable, and Film Study
Assigned reading will correspond to the
historical period being studied
Physical Education
Using the Alberta Curriculum
11Big Picture 2020-21 Intermediate Curriculum, Grades 7-8
The Catholic Faith
Morning & Evening Prayer
Daily Mass with Music and Homily
Devotions/Lesser Hours at the beginning and ending of each class
Catechesis based on the Disciple of Christ Education in Virtue Programme
Salvation HistoryText: The Story of the Bible (TAN)
All subjects taught with an overt and traditional Catholic worldview
Choral Music
Liturgical Music, Theory, Music History, Art
Musicianship, and Vocal Skills Art workshops and study of art
related to the historical
period
Latin
Text: Libellus History & Science
(select lessons) Texts: All Ye Lands (Catholic Textbook Project)
Latin dialogues, Select Lessons from Berean Builders Science Series:
plays, poetry, Science in the Ancient World
proverbs Geography
Map work with every
unit
English Grammar & Composition
Lessons adapted from
English Lessons Through Literature
Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum using the Literature
Children’s Classics of English Literature Holy Scripture; Novel, Poetry, Short Story,
Fable, and Film Study
Assigned reading will correspond to the historical
period being studied
Physical Education
Using the AB Curriculum
12“ …all branches of knowledge are connected together,
because the subject matter of knowledge is intimately
united in itself as being the acts and work of the Creator.“
Saint John Henry Newman, The Idea of a University
An Interdisciplinary Approach
There is an intentional integration of material in the various curriculums of the Junior & Intermediate
Academic Divisions; all of them revolve around a common time period being studied in history class.
World history is divided into a four-year cycle. This scheme allows the students to be more
thoroughly immersed in the time period they are studying each year, with subjects constantly
reinforcing each other. At the same time, this arrangement makes studies less complicated for the
homeschooling family with children in different grades at Holy House. The four-year historical cycle
also allows for theme-oriented and multi-grade history projects, science fairs, music and drama
productions, feasts, and perhaps a field trip or two.
Assignments, assessments, and reading material will be adjusted according to the grade of the
individual student and parent expectations. Generally, the higher the grade, the greater the
expectations for assignments and assessments.
Integrated Portfolio: History, Literature, Science, Art, Music, Geography, and Catechesis
Students will assemble their own integrated history portfolio in a large binder with materials
completed in various courses. At the end of each term, students will add in historical order: book
reports, history-based science reports, art history projects, colouring pages, maps, music, history
timelines, biographies, newspaper articles, figures and events in church history, and various other
assignments. At the end of the four-year cycle students will have created their own comprehensive
history reference book that relates man’s story, beginning with the six days of creation.
“Symptoms of our educational crisis, such as the fragmentation of the disciplines, the
separation of faith and reason, the reduction of quality to quantity, and the loss of a sense of
ultimate purpose are directly related to a lack of historical awareness on the part of
students. An integrated curriculum must teach subjects, and it must teach the right subjects,
but it should do so by incorporating each subject, even mathematics and the hard sciences,
within the history of ideas, which is the history of our culture. Every subject has a history, a
drama, and by imaginatively engaging with these stories we become part of the tradition.”
Stratford Caldecott, Beauty for Truth’s Sake
13The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School, 1988
60 The increased attention given to science and technology must not lead to a neglect of the humanities:
philosophy, history, literature and art. Since earliest times, each society has developed and handed on its
artistic and literary heritage, and our human patrimony is nothing more than the sum total of this cultural
wealth. Thus, while teachers are helping students to develop an aesthetic sense, they can bring them to a
deeper awareness of all peoples as one great human family. The simplest way to uncover the religious
dimension of the artistic and literary world is to start with its concrete expressions: in every human culture,
art and literature have been closely linked to religious beliefs. The artistic and literary patrimony of
Christianity is vast and gives visible testimony to a faith that has been handed down through centuries.
Saturated in History:
A sampling of the 2020-2021 integrated curriculum at Holy Holy focusing on the ancient period.
Subject Class St. Gregory Term St. Benedict Biscop St. Brigid Term St. Bede Term
September, October Term February, March April, May, June
November, December,
January
Literature Primary D’Aulaire Nathaniel Hawthorne D’Aulaire D’Aulaire
for • Greek Myths • Tanglewood Tales • Greek Myths • Greek Myths
Grammar &
Composi- Aesop Aesop Aesop Aesop
tion • Aesop’s Fables • Aesop’s Fables • Aesop’s Fables • Aesop’s Fables
Rosemary Sutcliffe Geraldine McCaughrean James Baldwin James Baldwin
• Black Ships Before Troy • Jesse Tree • Fifty Famous Stories Retold • Fifty Famous Stories Re-
(selections) told (selections)
• Thirty More Famous Stories • Thirty More Famous Sto-
Retold (selections) ries Retold (selections)
Junior & Homer Nathaniel Hawthorne William Shakespeare Elizabeth George Speare
Intermediate -adapted by Alfred Church • Tanglewood Tales • Julius Caesar • The Bronze Bow
• Iliad O. Henry
• Odyssey • “The Gift of the Magi”
Virgil
-adapted by Alfred Church
• Aeneid
Literature Primary Helene Guerber H.E. Marshall Eva March Tappan Charles Morris
for History • “Death of Pericles” • “Alexander the Great • “Julius Caesar’s Two Vis- • “The Sports of the Am-
(Primary
Sources) • “The Philosopher Invades India” its to Britain” phitheatre”
Socrates” Helene Guerber John H. Haaren • “Rome Swept by
• “The Accusation of • “Defeat of Porus” • “Julius Caesar” Flames”
Socrates” Mary Macgregor Helene Guerber William Shepard
• “Hannibal Prepares to • “The Battle of Pharsalia” • “The Destruction of the
Invade Italy” Helene Guerber Temple”
• “The Death of Caesar”
Junior & • A School Boy’s Day in Alexander the Great Julius Caesar Seneca
Intermediate Sumer • Address at Hydaspes • A Chariot Race in Britain • Gladiatorial Games of
Thuycidides River Pompey Rome
• Pericles’ Funeral Oration Livy • Address Before the Battle Tacitus
Plato • Hannibal’s Address to his of Pharsalus • Fire of Rome
• Dialogues (In excerpt) Soldiers Julius Caesar Josephus
Demosthenes Cicero • Address Before the Battle • Destruction of the Tem-
• Third Philippic • Against Catiline of Pharsalus ple of Jerusalem
Nicolaus of Damascus Pliny the Younger
• Assassination of Julius • The Eruption of Vesu-
Caesar vius
Eusebius
• Apostolic SuccessionPoetry Primary John Keats Alcman Percy Bysse Shelley Ovid
• “On First Looking into • “Nature’s Calm” • “Ozymandias” • Metamorphoses, Book I
Chapman’s Homer” (translated by Garth,
Dryden, et al), in excerpt
Junior & Homer Thomas Babington, Lord William Shakespeare William Shakespeare
Intermediate • The Iliad (translated by Macaulay • Julius Caesar, in excerpt • Julius Caesar, in excerpt
Alexander Pope), in ex- • “Horatius at the Bridge”
cerpt
• The Odyssey (translated by
Alexander Pope), in ex-
cerpt
Virgil
• The Aeneid (translated by
John Dryden), in excerpt
Hymn Omnes St Clement of Alexandria Aurelius Clemens St Ambrose St Gregory the Great
Authors Prudentius
(amongst other
traditional
hymns)
Composers Omnes Ancient Greeks & Romans Ancient Greeks & Romans Ancient Hebrews First Christians
(for music
listening or in
choir) Handel Gluck Handel Handel
Xerxes (King of Persia) Orpheus Messiah Messiah
• Ombra ma fu • Dance of the Blessed Spirits • Select Arias & Choruses • Select Arias & Choruses
Purcell • Che Faro Senza Euridice
Dido & Aenas Stravinsky
• Dido’s Lament • Orpheus
Artists Omnes Antico Reubens Van Dyck J.M.W. Turner
• Hercules and the Hydra • Medusa • Cupid & Psyche 1 • Snow Storm: Hannibal and
Raphael Greek Pottery Roman Mosaic his Army Crossing the
• School of Athens • Cadmus Killing the Drag- • Submarine Fauna Alps
Minoan Frescoes on, 400 BC 6th Century BC • Dido Building Carthage
• Bull Jumping, 1500 BC Botticelli John Flaxman Jr. • The Decline of Carthage
Caravaggio • The Mystic Nativity • The Apotheosis of Homer Gustave Moreau
• Sacrifice of Isaac • Birth of Venus • Oedipus and the Sphinx
• David and Goliath • Primavera • Jacob and the Angel
• Medusa Etruscans
• Flutist Entertaining the
Banqueters 320-310 BC
Scientists Omnes Pythagoras Hippocrates Archimedes Ptolemy
• Ratios • Father of Medicine • Levers & Pulleys • Optics
Democritus Aristotle Hipparchus Galen
• Atoms • Scientific Laws • Astronomy • Anatomy
• Classification
Saints Omnes Saints & Martyrs of the Roman Canon
Peter & Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon & Thaddeus; Linus,
Cletus, Clement, Xystus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John & Paul, Cosmas & Damian; John the
Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicitas, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy,
Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia
Omnes Passages from the Old Testament focusing on the history of the Hebrews and the foretelling of the Messiah, including
Scripture
Easter Vigil readings.
Omnes Julius Caesar
Drama &
Film Study
“A person who is a good and true Christian should realize that truth belongs to his Lord,
wherever it is found, gathering and acknowledging it even in pagan literature… .”
St. Augustine, On Christian Teaching
15The Disputation of the Blessed Sacrament (1509-1510) Raphael
Stanza della Signatura, Apostolic Palace, Vatican City
FAITH FORMATION
All classes at Holy House will be infused with the Catholic Faith. Understanding our faith and the
ideas that shaped Western civilization allows our students to deepen their beliefs and expand their
understanding of the world. Holy House will utilize the Disciple of Christ Education in Virtue
programme developed by the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. All literature
classes will include the study of Holy Scripture and the Lectio Divina materials also developed by the
Dominican Sisters.
Disciple of Christ Education in Virtue: educationinvirtue.com
Lectio Divina materials: educationinvirtue.com/tag/lectio
The day at Holy House will be sanctified with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The community will say
or chant short form Mattins and Evensong in the church as well as the Little Hours in some
classrooms. Health regulations permitting, hymns, chants, and motets will be sung at daily Mass. As
singing permeates the day, the text of sacred song penetrates the hearts and minds of students. Daily
life at Holy House will foster a life of harmony with one another by being in tune with the heart of
the Lord.All staff of Holy House will take the Oath of Fidelity at the beginning of each academic year. All
classes at Holy House will strictly adhere to the Magisterium and it is expected that all who are
present (staff, students, and parents) will attend all liturgies.
“Quite early on, the name catechesis was given to the totality of the Church’s efforts to make
disciples, to help men believe that Jesus is the Son of God so that believing they might have
life in his name, and to educate and instruct them in this life, thus building up the body of
Christ.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Religion Curriculum
To know God is one of the primary ends of man. “Why did God make you?” the catechism asks.
“God made me to know him, love him, and serve him in this world, and to be happy with him
forever in the next.” Catechesis at Holy House has as its end not only knowledge of God but also love
and service. By teaching children the core truths about God and the Catholic Faith, we seek to draw
them deeper into a love of God and neighbour which will find its expression in service.
During the 2020-2021 academic year, catechesis will focus on God’s plan in Salvation History as
revealed to us in the Sacred Scriptures. The Story of the Bible (TAN Homeschool) will provide the basis
of instruction. Immersion in the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church through participation in
Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours as well as community celebration of various Church feast days is
also an important part of our catechesis programme. Their participation helps children see that they
are not merely studying the history of God’s people, but that they themselves are a part of that
history, that they belong to God’s people as members of his Church.
“Catechesis is intimately bound up with the whole of the Church’s life. Not only her
geographical extension and numerical increase, but even more her inner growth and
correspondence with God’s plan depend essentially on catechesis.”
Pope St. John Paul II, Catechesi Tradendae 13
17I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also;
I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.
1 Corinthians 14:15
“For he that singeth praise, not only praiseth, but only praiseth with gladness; he that
singeth praise, not only singeth, but also loveth him of whom he singeth. In praise, there is
the speaking forth of one confessing; in singing, the affection of one loving.”
St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalm 73
SCHOLA CANTORUM
The Holy House of Our Lady & St. John holds as integral to its daily community life one of the oldest
academic traditions in Catholicism: the singing school - schola cantorum. The venerable tradition of the
schola cantorum attributes its origins and patronage to St. Gregory the Great. Holy House will strive to
cultivate this ancient tradition along with the patrimony of the celebrated Anglican choral tradition.
In order for any schola cantorum to sing the Lord’s praises capably, the choristers must learn vocal
technique and sight singing as well as music theory and history.
Holy House will consist of two scholas: the Primary Schola (Grades 1-3) and the Junior/Intermediate
Schola (Grades 3-8). Each schola practices the skills mentioned above as appropriate to its level. Each
schola also learns its own repertoire as well as repertoire for the combined choirs.
Generally, choristers will be assigned listening homework which consists of listening to
YouTube links of the music they are studying. In addition, students will have music theory
homework and regular theory exams at the end of each of the four terms.
“The singing of the Church comes ultimately out of love. It is the utter depth of love that
produces the singing. ‘Cantare amantis est,’ says St. Augustine, song is a lover’s thing. In so
saying, we come again to the Trinitarian interpretation of Church music. The Holy Spirit is
love, and it is he who processes the singing. He is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit who draws
us into love for Christ and so leads to the Father.”
Cardinal Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy
18“A beautiful breathing instrument of music the Lord made man, after His own image. And
He Himself also, surely, who is the supramundane Wisdom, the celestial Word, is the
all-harmonious, melodious, holy instrument of God. What, then, does this instrument--the
Word of God, the Lord, the New Song--desire? To open the eyes of the blind, and unstop
the ears of the deaf, and to lead the lame or the erring to righteousness, to exhibit God to
the foolish, to put a stop to corruption, to conquer death, to reconcile disobedient children
to their father. The instrument of God loves mankind.”
St. Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Heathen
Parnassus (1509-1510) Raphael
Stanza della Signatura,
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City
19“Through his works, the artist speaks to others and communicates with them. The history of art,
therefore, is not only a story of works produced but also a story of men and women. Works of
art speak of their authors; they enable us to know their inner life, and they reveal the original
contribution which artists offer to the history of culture….
“In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art. Art
must make perceptible, and as far as possible attractive, the world of the spirit, of the invisible,
of God. It must therefore translate into meaningful terms that which is in itself ineffable….
“The Church has always appealed to [artists’] creative powers in interpreting the Gospel
message and discerning its precise application in the life of the Christian community. This
partnership has been a source of mutual spiritual enrichment. Ultimately, it has been a great
boon for an understanding of man, of the authentic image and truth of the person.”
Pope St. John Paul II, Letter to Artists, Easter Sunday, 4 April 1999
ART
Art History & Art Workshop for All Grades
Students will study art history as well as deepen their understanding of the faith through exposure to
the great visual works of the Catholic artistic tradition. Powers of observation and art appreciation
will be encouraged as classical skills are developed in drawing and painting. During the 2020-2021
academic year, beauty in relation to key images of the ancient period will be discussed using St.
Thomas Aquinas’ criteria for the beautiful: wholeness, proportion, and radiance. Monthly art
workshops will aim to engage students in the creative process while instilling in them an
appreciation for the various forms and works of art related to the ancient period. Young artists will
have the opportunity to develop visual language and technical skills in drawing, painting, sculpting,
and other media as they study works related to Minoan, Egyptian, Greek, Hebrew, and Roman
cultures. While some of these works will be from the time period, others will have the mythology and
history of the time period as their subject matter, and will include works by Raphael, Caravaggio, and
Reubens, among others. See the grid on page 15 for a list of specific artists and works.
“In the course of various epochs from antiquity down - and especially in the great period of
classical Greek art - there are works of art whose subject is the human body in its nakedness, the
contemplation of which allows one to concentrate in some way on the whole truth of man, on the
dignity and beauty - even ‘suprasensual’ beauty - of his masculinity and femininity. These works
bear within themselves in a hidden way, as it were, an element of sublimation that leads the viewer
through the body to the whole personal mystery of man. In contact with such works, we do not feel
pushed by their content toward ‘looking to desire,’ as the Sermon on the Mount puts it; in some
way we learn the spousal meaning of the body, which corresponds to and provides the measure for
‘purity of heart.’”
Pope St. John Paul II, Man and Woman He Created Them
Appendix: The Ethos of the Body in Art and Media 63:5 (General Audience of May 6, 1981)
20The School of Athens (1509-1510) Raphael
Stanza della Signatura,
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City
Finally, brethren,
whatever is true,
whatever is honourable,
whatever is just,
whatever is gracious,
if there is any excellence,
if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
Philippians 4:8
21”The Latin language is assuredly worthy of being defended with great care… for in the Latin
Church it is the most abundant source of Christian civilization
and the richest treasury of piety.”
Pope Paul VI
LATIN
The study of Latin is often promoted for three reasons: its grammatical significance, its influence on
English vocabulary, and its importance to the Classics and western civilization. These reasons are all
secondary. For Roman Catholics, Latin ought to be studied first because it is fundamental to our
culture as the primary language of our historical, academic, and spiritual traditions and patrimony.
Without a facility in Latin, Roman Catholic students are disconnected from their culture, cut off from
a significant formative portion of their history and their heritage. We study Latin in order to reclaim
that heritage, which has a cultural and spiritual significance extending beyond western civilization
and the Roman Catholic Church. Holy House attempts to reflect this significance by integrating Latin
into the entire curriculum and culture in a semi-immersive way, rather than having one isolated class
dedicated to its study. Therefore Latin has a fixed and central role in the Holy House curriculum.
Latin is everywhere at Holy House, but beginning in grade three or four, there is no scheduled class
devoted to Latin. Rather, Latin vocabulary and cognates are studied alongside English spelling, Latin
stories and dramatic scenes are studied alongside English ones in Literature class, and Latin grammar
is studied alongside English grammar. The goal of the grammar component of the Latin curriculum
at Holy House is for students to develop, as soon as possible, enough accuracy and facility in the
language to begin loving it as a language, a language which is both a tool to express themselves and a
means to understand what others have expressed. Students will almost immediately begin to have
the sense of satisfaction and delight that comes from translating and discovering meaning.
The love of language and the empowerment which come from mastering its technical aspects are
enhanced as students gain comfort and familiarity with Latin through encountering it as part of their
everyday culture. Students learn all the traditional prayers of the Church in Latin in an intentional
four year cycle, including the staples of Gregorian Chant repertoire. Students celebrate birthdays in
Latin, take part in scavenger hunts, pictionary and charades in Latin, listen to announcements in
Latin, and read calendars and homework instructions in Latin. Latin, Latin, Latin. By the end of a
few months at Holy House, a student will no longer view Latin as a strange dead language but as a
familiar, living reality.
Primary Latin
The Primary Programme (Grades 1-2/3) will use Song School Latin. Parents will be required to
purchase either Song School Latin Book 1 or Book 2 (Student Edition) from Holy House.
22Latin Readiness and Proficiency Assessment for Junior & Intermediate Students
New junior and intermediate students who have had previous instruction in Latin may be given a
placement test in order to determine the most comfortable place for them to start the programme.
For young students, factors such as proficiency in reading English and the ability to write (in either
printing or cursive) determine a student’s readiness to start the Holy House Junior and Intermediate
Latin Programme.
Latin Honours Projects
After some study, diligent students of Latin may choose to undertake Latin Honours Projects. While
the study of traditional grammar is necessary in the study of any language, these assignments are not
meant to replace or replicate a typical grammar lesson or Latin exercise. Instead, they are meant to be
a puzzle for keen students. The projects largely use texts from Holy Scripture which might be
familiar to students and parents, and to which they would have access in English. These assignments
introduce students to the complexity of translating works in another language, as even a completed
assignment might leave students with a few mysteries in regards to translation.
“…courage for the adventure of truth”
Cardinal Ratzinger, Truth and Tolerance
HISTORY
A misguided notion exists in modern education that it is not necessary for a student to know, let
alone memorize, the facts of history. We at Holy House reject that idea, yet we do not suggest that the
remedy is merely to memorize as if memorization equalled understanding. One must be guarded
against the danger of giving the student a head full of non-involved facts without a heart full of
beauty to make sense of those facts in a deeper and wider context - the context of salvation history
and God’s plan for mankind.
History is taught in two ways at Holy House for one larger purpose. There is a history class where
content is taught in an explicit manner and children learn and connect facts, but then there is every
other class at Holy House where history is taught implicitly in the subject matter as found in the
literature, art, poetry, music, and science of a designated time period. Through this subject matter
children become real historians, examining the primary sources of a particular age, but, even more
importantly, culture permeates the classes of Holy House and instills something more significant than
the facts: identity. Through a composite study of history, children realize that they are truly loved
characters with their own will to act in the real drama of Divine Providence, that they are inheritors
and curators of the civilization in which the drama is set, and that the Author of life desires and
inspires their own contributions to His story.
23Primary/Junior History & Geography
The history curriculum for Grades 1-4 will use The Story of the World Volume I: Ancient Times by Susan
Wise Bauer as its main text for the 2020-2021 academic year. Grades 5-6 will use select chapters from
All Ye Lands: Origins of World Culture, produced by the Catholic Textbook Project. Map work and
geography will be included with each unit.
Intermediate History & Geography
The intermediate history curriculum will use All Ye Lands: Origins of World Culture, as its main text,
along with map work and geography. All Ye Lands will be studied over a four year cycle, allowing for
an intentional deep reading of the text and time to truly absorb its contents.
Primary Sources
To enrich their study of the ancient period, students will have the opportunity to read excerpts from
primary sources of the time, many of which are considered the “Great Books” which provide the
foundation for classical education. Engagement with the Great Books and other primary sources is
first of all a conversation. It is a conversation with the authors of the works and, in a way, a
conversation with history itself. By reading the very words of Thuycidides, Plato, Livy, Cicero, and
others, rather than simply being told what someone else thinks about them, students are challenged
to actively engage with the ideas they encounter, to think critically and to form their own opinions
about those ideas. Reading sources contemporary with the historical period they are studying allows
students in some sense to become present in the history, by viewing it through the lens of that time
rather than their own.
Tutors will guide students in their study of primary sources through Socratic discussion, encouraging
students to both understand and challenge the ideas in the texts by asking questions and discussing
with other students.
Students in Grades 1-4 will supplement their history studies with short stories about events and
people from the ancient time period. These short stories will relate to the primary source excerpts the
older students are studying, enabling children to continue their discussions at home as a family.
See the grid on page 15 or the Reading Lists on page 46 for a complete list of this year’s readings.
24“The universe is full of mysteries left by the Creator as a gift for a lifetime of unravelling, discovery
and rediscovery, striking awe and constant wonder. These mysteries are not meant to be
compartmentalized merely in separate subjects or academic disciplines, but to be seen as a
beautifully woven fabric.”
Stratford Caldecott, Beauty in the Word
SCIENCE
Junior & Intermediate Science
In all matters Holy House defers to the teachings of the Magisterium. In regards to science,
particular attention is paid to the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 279-327, 2292-2295, and
2415-2418. The ultimate curricular goal of the science class is to provide and expose the students to
scientific principles and procedures as well as the ethics that should guide them.
Carefully-chosen lessons from the new Berean Builders Science Series by Dr. Jay L. Wile will be
utilized in the science class. Selected lessons from these texts will be studied in tandem with the main
history text. During class, students will have the opportunity to complete the many excellent and
interesting activities and experiments provided by the series.
For the 2020-2021 academic year, lessons will be taken from Science in the Ancient World, and will
focus on key scientific discoveries and developments of the ancient time period. Students will
discover the contributions of Pythagoras, Aristotle, Archimedes, Ptolemy, and Galen, among others,
and be introduced to some of the earliest works in atomic theory, medicine, classification, mechanics,
astronomy, optics, and anatomy.
25Cycle of Historical Periods and Main Texts
Guiding Resource Junior History Intermediate History Science Senior Literature
The ABC’s of The Story of the All Ye Lands: Berean World Literature
Christian Culture World Origins of World Culture Builders Holt, Rinehart &
by Fogassy by general editor Dr. Rollin Lasseter Science Winston
Susan Wise Series
Bauer by Jay Wile
Year Level A p. 21-75 Volume I: Chapter 2 Prehistory: Beginning Man’s Unit 1
I Level B p. 1-29 The Ancient Story Science in the World Myths &
World Chapter 3 The Mission of Israel Ancient Folktales
2020 Chapter 4 The Marvellous Greeks World
- Chapter 5 Eternal Rome Unit 3
2021 Chapter 6 Christianity: A Gift from The Ancient Middle East
God
Chapter 10 p. 198-207 China Unit 4
Chapter 11 p. 219-223 Japan Greek & Roman
Chapter 12 p. 235-252 India Literature
Chapter 13 p. 257-264 Africa
Chapter 14 p. 279-283 Russia
Year Level A p. 76-92 Volume II: Chapter 7 Byzantium & Islam Science in the Unit 7
II Level B p. 30-61 Middle Ages Chapter 8 Europe: The Middle Ages Ancient Persian & Arabic
Chapter 10 p. 208-210 China World Literatures
2021 Chapter 11 p. 224-229 Japan
- Chapter 12 p. 252-253 India Science in the Unit 8
2022 Chapter 13 p. 264-271 Africa Scientific The Middle Ages
Chapter 14 p. 283-288 Russia Revolution
Year Level A p. 93-110 Volume III: Chapter 9 The Renaissance & Its Science in the Unit 9
III Level B p. 62-88 Early Modern Consequences Scientific From Renaissance to the
Times Chapter 10 p. 244-247 China Revolution Enlightenment
2022 Chapter 11 p. 269-270 Japan
- Chapter 12 p. 294-296 India Science in the Unit 10
2023 Chapter 13 p. 314-318 Africa Age of Reason The Nineteenth Century:
Chapter 14 p. 332-340 Russia Romanticism to Realism
Chapter 15 p. 347-365 North America Science in the
Chapter 16 p. 373-397 Latin America Industrial
Canadian History Part I Age
Year Level A p.111 Volume IV: Chapter 10 p. 248-256 China Science in the Unit 11
IV Level B p. 79-88 Modern Age Chapter 11 p. 271-274 Japan Industrial The Twentieth Century
Chapter 12 p. 296-297 India Age
2023 Chapter 13 p. 318-322 Africa
- Chapter 14 p. 340-346 Russia
2024 Chapter 15 p. 366-372 North America
Chapter 16 p. 397-406 Latin America
Canadian History Part II
26“… the seeds are good but the cultural soil has been depleted; the seminal ideas of Plato, Aristotle,
St. Augustine and St. Thomas thrive only in an imaginative ground saturated with fables, fairy
tales, stories, rhymes, and adventures: the thousand books of Grimm, Anderson, Stevenson,
Dickens, Scott, Dumas and the rest.”
John Senior, Restoration of Christian Culture
LITERATURE & SPELLING, GRAMMAR & COMPOSITION
In every grade students will work through a programme adapted from the English Lessons Through
Literature series by Kathy Jo Devore. This comprehensive series includes a thorough instruction in
grammar, composition, and handwriting, all of which are directly connected to the classic literature
being studied. Spelling is reinforced through dictation and copy work, as well as word lists grouped
by spelling rules. Over the course of the year, written assignments will be added to the
student’s writing portfolio. Junior and intermediate students will be expected to complete their port-
folio compositions and other written assignments in cursive handwriting.
Primary & Junior Literature & Spelling, Grammar & Composition
Literature for junior scholars ought to penetrate and conquer the child’s imagination with the good,
the true, and the beautiful, as it is naturally found in the tried and true classics of children’s literature.
The literature will also correspond to the time period being studied in history class. In this way, the
great books of classic children’s literature can memorably instil the details of history into the minds of
young readers. In addition to novels, students will regularly study and memorize poetry, read short
stories and fables, and prepare short dramatic presentations to be performed throughout the
academic year.
Intermediate Literature, Grammar & Composition
Intermediate students are maturing passengers on a journey of wonder and inquiry. Great Books
provide the map for this adventure. Passengers are naturally compelled to engage and debate the
deepest questions and timeless themes that emanate from the texts. The journey ought to be filled
with great conversation and is meant to end in reasoned observations and answers.
“Teaching is not advertising or salesmanship. College English teachers faced with freshmen who
hate literature, think their job is somehow to convert them — by cajolery, finding something in a
text (or selecting lesser texts) relating to their sick, impoverished wants. But the fault was back in
high school where they should have loved Shakespeare. But, the high school teacher found his
freshmen coming up from elementary school with no desire to read Shakespeare because they had
not first loved Stevenson. And the grade school teacher found his students coming up from home
without Mother Goose. And more important still, the love of literature at any stage supposes love
of life ― grounded in acute sensation and deep emotion.”
John Senior, Restoration of Christian Culture
27PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Primary, Junior, & Intermediate P.E.
Active participation in a wide variety of team sports is encouraged throughout the day at Holy
House. Students will grow to appreciate the importance of physical activity, cooperation, leadership,
fair play, and teamwork.
In addition to daily gym class, students organize themselves to play sports before classes, at lunch,
and after classes. (See “Student Houses & Intramural Games” below.) Should they wish, students
have frequent opportunities to be physically active with supervision and coaching.
STUDENT HOUSES & INTRAMURAL GAMES
House Leagues are designed to instil a sense of student ownership and responsibility, foster
community and nurture student leaders. At the beginning of the year all students are placed in one of
two houses: Gilbert or Becket. Each house has a student prefect and is presided over by a faculty
member. The houses engage in friendly competition in three categories to win end-of-year
championships.
1. House Champions in Service. Students maintain simple aspects of the physical
environment by completing the “Daily Duties” (sweeping, dusting, kitchen crew, etc.).
2. House Champions in Athletics. Students compete in optional but highly-encouraged
intramural games.
3. House Champions in Academics. Tutors may award points for exceptional written work or
contributions to class discussion and activities. Tutors may also award points in this
category for outstanding public presentations by students.
BECKET HOUSE GILBERT HOUSE
Esse Quam Videri Sequimini Eum
(Crows) (Gillies)COMPUTORIUM
Online, 26 Wednesdays from 3:00-4:00 pm. See Calendar for specific dates.
Home school students in Grades 4 - 8 will have the opportunity to be instructed and mentored by a
Catholic professional in computer technologies through the Holy House of Our Lady & St. John. To
take this extra curriculum online class students do not have to be enrolled in the Homeschool
Enrichment Programme of Holy House. This course is not aligned with the Alberta Programs of
Study and is not mandatory for Homeschool Enrichment students of Holy House. Traditional Home
Education Students registered with any school authority may enrol. All students must have a genuine
interest in computing science and be willing to work on weekly assignments to be handed in and
graded. Assignments will be completed and submitted using trinket.io
Two levels will be offered simultaneously: Computorium Level One for new students, and
Computorium Level Two for returning students who mastered the basics of Level One.
Topics for Level One will include introduction to computer programming, algorithms, and
introduction to python.
Topics for Level Two will include introduction to object oriented programming in python (advanced),
and introduction to web design (HTML, CSS & Javascript).
At all times there will be an emphasis on using screen time constructively and becoming responsible
digital Christians. Students will be working on their own devices. Students’ devices must be able to
run Zoom, share their screen on Zoom, have a web browser, and have an actual keyboard.
At the technical level, the course will focus on getting students to understand basic programming
concepts like sequencing, decisions, and loops. They will study various concepts by finding
similarities in everyday life, Scripture, and the Catholic tradition through engaging activities and of
course through actual programming!
Additionally, students will be expected to work on their keyboarding proficiency and will have a
Typing Club assignment to complete each week.
Cost: $150.00 per year, per student.
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