Full Transcript for Vero Classical School

--> 00:03:27.460 Yeah. 78 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:29.219 We were talking about the staff behind the bar at 79 00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:31.990 citrus girl house. We love citrus girl house over at 80 00:03:31.990 --> 00:03:35.409 10 50 Easter Lily lane. Wonderful restaurant. If it's not fresh, 81 00:03:35.430 --> 00:03:38.050 they're not serving it. They are right there at Humiston park. 82 00:03:38.069 --> 00:03:40.770 So they're the restaurant that's directly on the ocean. You 83 00:03:40.810 --> 00:03:44.639 can eat lunch or dinner there Mondays until Saturdays. It's 84 00:03:44.740 --> 00:03:49.030 absolutely beautiful. Um, The staff is wonderful. The location is great. 85 00:03:49.430 --> 00:03:51.550 And the weather is going to get nicer and nicer. 86 00:03:51.569 --> 00:03:53.969 So sitting on that patio is going to be even 87 00:03:54.030 --> 00:03:56.490 better every day. And even if it rains out, you 88 00:03:56.509 --> 00:03:58.949 can still sit on the patio. But, you know, we're 89 00:03:58.990 --> 00:04:00.860 often inside. I like to sit at the bar with 90 00:04:00.900 --> 00:04:03.699 my friends and talk to Christy or Ivan or any 91 00:04:03.719 --> 00:04:05.080 of the other people that are working back there. 92 00:04:05.139 --> 00:04:07.500 So thank you. Thank you, Citrus Girl House, for the 93 00:04:07.539 --> 00:04:08.379 beverage of the day. 94 00:04:09.240 --> 00:04:10.879 OK, so I think a lot of us hear the 95 00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:15.389 words classical education and think, OK, what exactly does that mean? 96 00:04:15.969 --> 00:04:19.689 because classical, the Vero Beach Classical School, a lot of 97 00:04:19.709 --> 00:04:23.050 people think, oh, is it music? Because of classical music, 98 00:04:23.069 --> 00:04:25.829 it's just a word that's associated very often with that. 99 00:04:26.329 --> 00:04:27.769 Well, I have two people here who can explain it 100 00:04:27.810 --> 00:04:28.689 much better than I can. 101 00:04:29.189 --> 00:04:32.430 Scott Simpson, he's the head of the school, and Jameson Kelly, 102 00:04:32.470 --> 00:04:34.410 one of the founders of Vero Classical School. 103 00:04:34.490 --> 00:04:36.389 Welcome. Thank you for coming to the show, guys. 104 00:04:36.730 --> 00:04:37.449 Thank you for having us. 105 00:04:37.470 --> 00:04:38.410 Thank you for having us. 106 00:04:38.430 --> 00:04:38.689 Cindy? 107 00:04:40.889 --> 00:04:42.089 There we go. 108 00:04:43.029 --> 00:04:44.620 It's a delayed audience. 109 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:45.100 I know. 110 00:04:45.300 --> 00:04:47.319 What if this audience is sleeping? I don't know what's 111 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:47.800 going on. 112 00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:50.930 Jameson, as a founder, I wanted to start my first 113 00:04:50.970 --> 00:04:54.029 question with you, and that was, how did this whole 114 00:04:54.089 --> 00:04:54.730 thing begin? 115 00:04:54.990 --> 00:04:55.319 Tell us. 116 00:04:56.040 --> 00:04:58.079 If I'm being honest, I would say it probably started 117 00:04:58.139 --> 00:05:00.800 about 15 years ago when I was a senior in college. 118 00:05:01.319 --> 00:05:05.360 So I studied elementary education at Wheaton College in Illinois. 119 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:08.639 And upon graduating, I had the opportunity to teach first 120 00:05:08.689 --> 00:05:11.110 grade at Covenant Classical School. 121 00:05:10.889 --> 00:05:12.629 Of Naperville in Naperville, Illinois. 122 00:05:12.649 --> 00:05:16.329 And it was my first exposure to classical education. And 123 00:05:16.370 --> 00:05:19.149 I have to say I was blown away by the curriculum, 124 00:05:19.410 --> 00:05:22.449 by the teachers, by the head of school, the training 125 00:05:22.509 --> 00:05:25.569 I received. I couldn't believe what the kids were capable 126 00:05:25.730 --> 00:05:30.189 of in first grade. So there was formal grammar training. 127 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:32.379 They were able to write really well. They knew all 128 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:36.279 the parts of speech. They were learning chronological history. And 129 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:39.339 then another part of it was the teacher, the training 130 00:05:39.379 --> 00:05:41.430 wanted me to focus just as much on the development 131 00:05:41.470 --> 00:05:44.370 of the child's virtues and their heart just as much 132 00:05:44.430 --> 00:05:45.730 as the development of their mind. 133 00:05:46.129 --> 00:05:47.879 So I loved, I fell in love with it. 134 00:05:47.970 --> 00:05:50.110 And so fast forward to when I have my own kids, 135 00:05:50.149 --> 00:05:52.089 I have four boys, no, three boys, not four. 136 00:05:52.790 --> 00:05:54.089 Feels like four sometimes. 137 00:05:54.769 --> 00:05:56.389 I have one, so I know it feels like three. 138 00:05:56.709 --> 00:05:57.990 I know exactly what you're saying. 139 00:05:58.149 --> 00:05:59.290 I have three boys. 140 00:05:59.430 --> 00:06:02.519 And so I really wanted them to be classically educated 141 00:06:02.660 --> 00:06:05.139 and there was no option for that in our town. 142 00:06:05.899 --> 00:06:09.509 So over the course of time, I just deeply wanted 143 00:06:09.550 --> 00:06:11.069 that for them. And so the Lord just put it 144 00:06:11.149 --> 00:06:13.689 on my heart and my husband's heart to start Vero 145 00:06:13.709 --> 00:06:17.240 Classical School. And now Christian classical education is available to 146 00:06:17.269 --> 00:06:20.060 lots of children instead of me just homeschooling mine classically. 147 00:06:20.420 --> 00:06:20.839 I love that. 148 00:06:21.300 --> 00:06:25.100 Because there is a Christian part of this, of this 149 00:06:25.139 --> 00:06:28.339 education there. Are all classical schools, do they have that 150 00:06:28.379 --> 00:06:30.050 Christian part of it? 151 00:06:30.060 --> 00:06:32.870 No, you actually could find classical charter schools all over 152 00:06:32.889 --> 00:06:36.709 the nation that don't have the Christian element. But then 153 00:06:36.810 -->

00:06:39.410 you will also find Christian classical schools in the private setting, 154 00:06:39.750 --> 00:06:42.860 where for us in particular, the Christian part is just 155 00:06:42.939 --> 00:06:43.160 as popular. 156 00:06:43.889 --> 00:06:46.240 Just as prominent as the classical part. They're hand in hand. 157 00:06:47.180 --> 00:06:50.019 We have, you know, scripture as the foundation of all 158 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:52.699 truth at our school. And we weave the truth of 159 00:06:53.100 --> 00:06:54.420 God's word through all the subjects. 160 00:06:54.699 --> 00:06:54.939 Okay. 161 00:06:55.480 --> 00:06:58.639 I would, you know, I want to sit in. Yes, 162 00:06:58.740 --> 00:07:00.579 we'd love to have you. I think it would be 163 00:07:00.620 --> 00:07:01.089 really cool. 164 00:07:01.129 --> 00:07:03.629 Well, I just, like you said, to be fascinated by 165 00:07:04.050 --> 00:07:06.529 what first graders are learning. I mean, and in the 166 00:07:06.569 --> 00:07:09.050 right environment. And I told you that my son went 167 00:07:09.089 --> 00:07:11.670 to St. Helens and they had, gosh, I think they 168 00:07:11.709 --> 00:07:14.040 had 30 kids, but You've got 30 kids that. 169 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:14.519 Want to learn. 170 00:07:14.899 --> 00:07:17.879 And you're at all different levels of understanding and knowledge, right? 171 00:07:18.439 --> 00:07:20.699 But when you're in the right environment, you can teach 172 00:07:20.740 --> 00:07:23.660 them and they will learn. And it's, you know, it's 173 00:07:23.699 --> 00:07:24.790 amazing what you can get done. 174 00:07:25.189 --> 00:07:26.790 One of the things that we really focus on, and 175 00:07:26.970 --> 00:07:29.970 it's one of the paradigms of classical education, is re-enchanting 176 00:07:30.009 --> 00:07:32.990 the classroom, trying to really engage them with wonder and 177 00:07:33.329 --> 00:07:36.209 awe and preserving their love of learning for as long 178 00:07:36.230 --> 00:07:38.230 as possible. Because we really want kids to graduate from 179 00:07:38.250 --> 00:07:40.540 Bureau Classical School and want to be lifelong learners as 180 00:07:40.620 --> 00:07:43.100 opposed to, you know, drudgery of school or I don't 181 00:07:43.139 --> 00:07:45.300 like school anymore. We really want them to love and 182 00:07:45.339 --> 00:07:46.360 have a spark for learning. 183 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:46.899 Right. 184 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:49.720 Scott, so tell us now, how did you end up? 185 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:52.600 You were in Indian River County school system for a 186 00:07:52.620 --> 00:07:53.100 long time. 187 00:07:53.420 --> 00:07:53.600 Yes. 188 00:07:54.019 --> 00:07:57.439 And so what what was it about the classical school 189 00:07:57.480 --> 00:07:58.689 that drew you to that? 190 00:07:59.290 --> 00:08:02.949 So I had heard that Michael and Jameson Kelly were 191 00:08:02.970 --> 00:08:05.370 starting a new new school and I had met them 192 00:08:05.410 --> 00:08:08.290 a couple of times prior to that time. And I 193 00:08:08.350 --> 00:08:10.689 was approached a couple of times to consider because they 194 00:08:10.730 --> 00:08:13.889 were looking for ahead of school. And at first my 195 00:08:13.970 --> 00:08:16.990 answer was no, I'm enjoying where I am. I was 196 00:08:17.029 --> 00:08:19.009 enjoying the school I was working with. I felt like 197 00:08:19.029 --> 00:08:21.490 I was doing a great job as principal. And my 198 00:08:21.550 --> 00:08:24.310 original intention of meeting with Michael and Jamison was honestly 199 00:08:24.350 --> 00:08:25.910 just to help them out. So I've always been a 200 00:08:25.930 --> 00:08:31.199 proponent of choice, whether you send your kid public, private, charter, magnet, homeschool, 201 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:33.179 parents need to do what they need to do is 202 00:08:33.220 --> 00:08:35.429 best for their child. And so I met with them, 203 00:08:35.669 --> 00:08:37.990 and I had about two pages of things, of things 204 00:08:38.009 --> 00:08:40.149 they needed to do to make sure the school was 205 00:08:40.190 --> 00:08:42.480 going to run well. Because you don't just start a school. 206 00:08:42.649 --> 00:08:44.440 I know. I was like, that's pretty ballsy. 207 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:47.419 It's very complicated. 208 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:50.000 And I always tell people, as complicated as you think 209 00:08:50.039 --> 00:08:52.639 school is, multiply it by about 10 when you actually, 210 00:08:52.700 --> 00:08:54.799 especially if you sit in the principal's seat or a 211 00:08:54.840 --> 00:08:57.480 founder's seat. It's very, very complicated. So I sat with 212 00:08:57.519 --> 00:09:00.850 them to have a dinner and kind of, hey, here's 213 00:09:00.899 --> 00:09:02.850 everything that you need to do. Have you thought about this? 214 00:09:02.889 --> 00:09:04.960 Have you thought about this? And about two hours later, 215 00:09:05.019 --> 00:09:07.480 I realized that if they didn't already have the answer 216 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:10.500 to it, they had thought about it. And the response was, 217 00:09:10.539 --> 00:09:13.000 that's why we need someone like you. But we understand 218 00:09:13.019 --> 00:09:15.269 this is the direction we can go. And then the 219 00:09:15.289 --> 00:09:19.450 more I dove very deeply into what classical education is, 220 00:09:19.470 --> 00:09:22.730 I felt that resonated with who I've always been, both 221 00:09:22.809 --> 00:09:25.330 as a teacher and as a leader. And even today, 222 00:09:25.350 --> 00:09:28.389 when I'm looking for teachers, there are classically minded teachers 223 00:09:29.029 --> 00:09:31.629 all over Indian River County, all over Florida, all over 224 00:09:31.649 --> 00:09:34.669 the world, where they're If they get a chance to 225 00:09:34.690 --> 00:09:38.110 come teach at a classical school, the adjective I hear 226 00:09:38.129 --> 00:09:40.679 the most is refreshing. This is

refreshing to my soul. 227 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:43.320 This is who I want to be as a teacher. 228 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:45.960 And again, we'll go into more detail of classical education. 229 00:09:46.419 --> 00:09:49.879 But it has been refreshing. And it truly is just 230 00:09:49.899 --> 00:09:51.080 a wonderful way to educate a child. 231 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:52.450 And how long have you been there now, Scott? 232 00:09:52.500 --> 00:09:54.769 This is year number four. So we opened as a K-4. 233 00:09:54.909 --> 00:09:55.190 Okay. 234 00:09:55.250 --> 00:09:57.740 And then we added a fifth grade and then sixth grade. 235 00:09:57.779 --> 00:09:59.919 So that very first class of fourth grade is now 236 00:09:59.980 --> 00:10:02.299 seventh grade. And they will be the first graduating class 237 00:10:02.340 --> 00:10:04.980 of 2032. Oh, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. 238 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:07.039 Yeah, I got to congratulate you. There we go. 239 00:10:07.139 --> 00:10:08.399 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 240 00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:10.679 That audience, we needed some coffee in there. 241 00:10:10.700 --> 00:10:11.740 We're excited for our first graduating class. 242 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:14.039 Well, they're having some of those citrus girl house drinks. 243 00:10:14.370 --> 00:10:15.269 Yeah, right? 244 00:10:15.669 --> 00:10:16.590 No, they will not. 245 00:10:17.090 --> 00:10:20.649 So on to that, then our next question leads into Jameson. 246 00:10:21.629 --> 00:10:24.779 What makes a classical education different? If I walked into 247 00:10:24.820 --> 00:10:27.399 one of your classrooms, what would I notice? 248 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:32.299 I think initially, not to say that this isn't happening 249 00:10:32.340 --> 00:10:34.750 in other classrooms and other settings, but our teachers have 250 00:10:34.779 --> 00:10:38.029 a real joy for what they're doing, a deep expertise 251 00:10:38.070 --> 00:10:40.610 of what they're teaching, and the passion that they feel 252 00:10:40.730 --> 00:10:44.429 translates to the children really well. They also, the quality 253 00:10:44.509 --> 00:10:48.059 of the curriculum that they're teaching is really high. We're 254 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:51.820 teaching the science of spelling, which creates really good readers. 255 00:10:52.139 --> 00:10:56.549 We're building a strong foundation mathematically. Science, they study one 256 00:10:56.610 --> 00:10:59.169 thing all year long, so a deep love of something 257 00:10:59.210 --> 00:11:01.210 rather than kind of a bunch of different things all 258 00:11:01.250 --> 00:11:02.190 year long, just one. 259 00:11:02.389 --> 00:11:04.649 So third grade spends their entire years talking about astronomy. 260 00:11:04.710 --> 00:11:07.490 My youngest son's in third grade this year, and he 261 00:11:07.509 --> 00:11:09.250 comes home talking about all the different stars and the 262 00:11:09.309 --> 00:11:11.950 constellations and this particular planet and his passion

for it. 263 00:11:11.970 --> 00:11:15.889 You can see because he's getting a deep look. The teachers, 264 00:11:15.929 --> 00:11:18.570 I think, also work really well together. They feel a camaraderie. 265 00:11:18.870 --> 00:11:20.980 They feel a respect from us. They know we care 266 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:24.340 about them, faith, family, and then your job. And I 267 00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:27.220 think that that translates well to them. They also are 268 00:11:28.200 --> 00:11:32.220 very— they' re really focused, and I can't stress this enough, in 269 00:11:32.299 --> 00:11:35.110 a Christian classical school, they are really focused on who 270 00:11:35.139 --> 00:11:35.879 the child is. 271 00:11:36.230 --> 00:11:37.409 We have small class sizes. 272 00:11:37.470 --> 00:11:40.159 They're really— when they are— You don't have to do any 273 00:11:40.179 --> 00:11:42.740 kind of discipline because our school isn't full of like 274 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:43.379 angel children. 275 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:44.519 Like all children make mistakes. 276 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:44.799 Of course. 277 00:11:44.820 --> 00:11:45.960 All children need correction. 278 00:11:46.039 --> 00:11:46.340 I know. 279 00:11:46.620 --> 00:11:46.919 I know. 280 00:11:46.980 --> 00:11:49.759 But the way that our teachers go about correction is 281 00:11:49.799 --> 00:11:52.590 really after the heart of the child, not just behavioral management. 282 00:11:52.610 --> 00:11:55.309 And I think that their love for students really shines through. 283 00:11:55.330 --> 00:11:55.710 Yes. 284 00:11:56.100 --> 00:11:58.960 And so when we are looking to hire teachers, we 285 00:11:58.980 --> 00:12:00.879 really look for people that we would. 286 00:12:00.779 --> 00:12:01.960 Want the children to emulate. 287 00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:05.980 So joy of learning, a real prolific relationship with Christ 288 00:12:06.019 --> 00:12:08.820 on their own, and a love of learning that translates 289 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:09.440 to the kids. 290 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:12.379 You have to love kids, love learning, and love Jesus. 291 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:12.840 Right. 292 00:12:13.059 --> 00:12:15.039 And I think that's very evident when you walk in 293 00:12:15.059 --> 00:12:15.539 the classroom. 294 00:12:15.700 --> 00:12:16.259 Absolutely. 295 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:19.539 And so it's— When I looked at it, because I 296 00:12:19.559 --> 00:12:22.299 looked up, if anybody watching this wants to look up 297 00:12:22.539 --> 00:12:26.580 classical education, it's really gone back to like reading, writing, 298 00:12:26.740 --> 00:12:29.350 and arithmetic, and science. You know, you're going to add 299 00:12:29.419 --> 00:12:33.389 in those things, technology, whatever. But it's the basics. Yes. 300 00:12:33.409 --> 00:12:34.389 It's really the basics. 301 00:12:34.629 --> 00:12:38.750 And like you're saying, you're focusing in on those specifically. 302 00:12:38.990 --> 00:12:39.230 Yes. 303 00:12:39.389 --> 00:12:42.450 And to speak a little bit into what classical education is, 304 00:12:42.909 --> 00:12:46.409 it's harkening back to– thousand years ago the way people 305 00:12:46.450 --> 00:12:50.009 learned in Greece and Rome. So a true liberal arts education, 306 00:12:50.370 --> 00:12:53.970 how to think, how to argue well, how to be 307 00:12:54.029 --> 00:13:00.309 persuasive without being divisive. And so it's. 308 00:12:58.700 --> 00:12:59.340 Called the trivium. 309 00:12:59.460 --> 00:13:01.679 So we've got grammar school, logic school, and rhetoric, which 310 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:05.940 translates to elementary, middle, and high school. And it really 311 00:13:06.220 --> 00:13:08.980 lends itself to the natural development of a child. So 312 00:13:09.080 --> 00:13:13.220 in grammar school, there's a lot of collection of information, chants, songs, 313 00:13:13.259 --> 00:13:15.600 just building a foundation of knowledge. And then they step 314 00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:17.500 into logic school where they naturally want, I don't know 315 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:18.320 if you've been around middle. 316 00:13:18.179 --> 00:13:20.370 School lately, but they like to ask questions. Why is 317 00:13:20.409 --> 00:13:22.389 it like that? And so it's meaning making. 318 00:13:23.029 --> 00:13:25.190 They have formal logic training so they can break down 319 00:13:25.210 --> 00:13:27.460 a bad argument and they can build a good argument. 320 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:30.379 And it's kind of how can they synthesize information? And 321 00:13:30.419 --> 00:13:32.120 then rhetoric school, which we don't have yet, but it's 322 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:33.019 kind of the capstone. 323 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:33.639 It's coming. 324 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:35.120 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th. 325 00:13:35.210 --> 00:13:35.409 Yes. 326 00:13:35.529 --> 00:13:38.570 They really focus on speaking and writing eloquently. So there's 327 00:13:38.590 --> 00:13:41.269 also a public speaking aspect that has been largely lost 328 00:13:41.710 --> 00:13:45.230 in today's society. So even in kindergarten, they have opportunities 329 00:13:45.309 --> 00:13:46.629 to speak before their class. 330 00:13:47.029 --> 00:13:49.980 Lots of memory work. It's not monotonous. 331 00:13:50.019 --> 00:13:52.399 The kids really enjoy it, hand motions and everything, but 332 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:55.600 It's really hearkening back to the old way of educating 333 00:13:55.860 --> 00:13:59.159 students in a hope that they become citizens that think 334 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:00.940 really well and communicate really well. 335 00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:01.440 Right. 336 00:14:01.779 --> 00:14:05.070 Right. Scott, so then coming back to you, you've worked 337 00:14:05.110 --> 00:14:07.029 in the public school system for many, many years. 338 00:14:07.049 --> 00:14:07.250 Yes. 339 00:14:07.470 --> 00:14:11.019 Now you're in this private school system, obviously loving it. 340

00:14:11.110 --> 00:14:15.580 And I think I love that. Tell me what kind 341 00:14:15.620 --> 00:14:18.460 of a child does well in this or can any 342 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:20.259 child do well in this environment? 343 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:23.340 Yeah, I believe in any child. can do well and 344 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:28.659 does do well. I prefer having students when they have 345 00:14:28.679 --> 00:14:32.149 an opportunity to experience the entire range of Vero Classical 346 00:14:32.190 --> 00:14:36.029 School from kindergarten through 12th grade. We very much have 347 00:14:36.070 --> 00:14:38.970 conversations with our students that we truly do believe that 348 00:14:39.049 --> 00:14:42.480 every single subject is good, true and beautiful in itself 349 00:14:42.580 --> 00:14:45.200 and worth learning. There is a joy in learning science 350 00:14:45.259 --> 00:14:47.649 and there's a joy in learning mathematics. There's a joy 351 00:14:47.690 --> 00:14:51.029 in learning Shakespeare, but it also gives you skill. And 352 00:14:51.049 --> 00:14:52.789 we talk about, and when you say joy, it doesn't 353 00:14:52.820 --> 00:14:55.139 mean you're always smiling. Go out on a soccer field 354 00:14:55.200 --> 00:14:56.899 and no one's smiling. But at the end of the game, 355 00:14:56.919 --> 00:14:57.539 you say, how was that? 356 00:14:57.659 --> 00:14:58.299 Oh, it was great. 357 00:14:58.340 --> 00:15:01.340 And then the smiles come. So hard work, you can 358 00:15:01.419 --> 00:15:04.440 find joy, but sometimes it takes energy to find joy. 359 00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:08.220 And I truly believe that anyone who wants to can 360 00:15:08.299 --> 00:15:11.500 find joy in any subject. If you work hard, And 361 00:15:11.539 --> 00:15:14.080 you find it. Shakespeare is absolutely beautiful. And it also 362 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:16.500 teaches you how to speak eloquently. And it helps you 363 00:15:16.539 --> 00:15:19.779 understand the world. Science is just the understanding of the 364 00:15:19.820 --> 00:15:22.700 world that God made. It is fascinating from small to big. 365 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:24.600 But it also gives you those skills in life to 366 00:15:24.659 --> 00:15:29.269 problem solve, come up with solutions to difficult problems. Mathematics, 367 00:15:29.409 --> 00:15:32.309 it's challenging. Yes, it's challenging. But if you have a 368 00:15:32.350 --> 00:15:36.190 student that perseveres, learning perseverance in your life, I think 369 00:15:36.210 --> 00:15:38.049 is a skill that every single student should have. And 370 00:15:38.090 --> 00:15:40.669 learning to follow steps one at a time. But again, 371 00:15:40.710 --> 00:15:44.009 we have to train ourselves to train our affections and 372 00:15:44.029 --> 00:15:45.720 the order of affections in such a way that we 373 00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:48.620 can find a joy in challenging things. Because if you 374 00:15:48.659 --> 00:15:52.679 can find a job where everything is perfect, like, good luck. 375 00:15:52.740 --> 00:15:54.720 Same thing with life. Life will have a lot of 376 00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:56.779 challenges your way. But if you can find joy in 377 00:15:57.570 --> 00:16:00.899 every subject and understand the skills that comes out of it, 378 00:16:00.950 --> 00:16:02.929 you truly will be an educated individual. 379 00:16:03.129 --> 00:16:03.330 Yeah. 380 00:16:03.730 --> 00:16:05.990 And that's, again, like I said, if you want to 381 00:16:06.029 --> 00:16:08.870 go back to the classics, why they call them the classics, 382 00:16:08.909 --> 00:16:10.059 because this is what we're used to. 383 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:11.259 Thousands of years. 384 00:16:11.320 --> 00:16:13.259 And, you know, a lot of our founders of our 385 00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:16.399 country were, you know, early education is really what you 386 00:16:16.419 --> 00:16:20.100 guys are doing. And so and, you know, there's nothing 387 00:16:20.139 --> 00:16:22.620 to say that what they're doing in the public schools 388 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:25.019 is not the way to go because it works for 389 00:16:25.149 --> 00:16:27.509 a lot of students. Same thing with some of the 390 00:16:27.549 --> 00:16:30.149 charter schools and the magnet schools. There's something out there 391 00:16:30.169 --> 00:16:34.210 for everyone. And I think, again, kudos to Dr. Moore 392 00:16:34.269 --> 00:16:37.330 for being very supportive of that. He's so supportive of 393 00:16:37.350 --> 00:16:40.620 all of whatever it is a child in our community 394 00:16:40.659 --> 00:16:42.720 wants to do and what works best for them. 395 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:46.820 So do you think that a. 396 00:16:46.820 --> 00:16:52.100 Family, one, if they weren't Christian or didn't have a denomination. 397 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:56.759 Would they? It's more like, what do I say? 398 00:16:57.240 --> 00:16:59.259 Do families have to belong to a particular church or 399 00:16:59.299 --> 00:17:01.460 denomination to kind of fit in? 400 00:17:01.789 --> 00:17:04.910 No, so we are an interdenominational school. We have like 401 00:17:05.009 --> 00:17:07.349 tons of denominations represented at the school. 402 00:17:07.450 --> 00:17:08.029 Okay, cool. 403 00:17:08.069 --> 00:17:09.430 We also have a couple of families that I would 404 00:17:09.450 --> 00:17:12.849 say are unchurched, but they're real like families like that. 405 00:17:13.369 --> 00:17:15.730 They're really seeking out the virtue piece of school. 406 00:17:15.819 --> 00:17:19.660 They want the values and the virtues that we're offering. 407 00:17:19.940 --> 00:17:22.099 And it is our hope that through the experience of 408 00:17:22.140 --> 00:17:23.900 being in class, and we've already seen this happen on 409 00:17:23.940 --> 00:17:26.359 multiple occasions where the kids start learning a lot in 410 00:17:26.380 --> 00:17:28.559 Bible class and start praying at school and learning the 411 00:17:28.599 --> 00:17:29.500 catechisms

and then there. 412 00:17:29.730 --> 00:17:30.849 Mom and Dad, can we go to church? 413 00:17:30.890 --> 00:17:34.109 And we've seen whole families, you know, come to belief 414 00:17:34.150 --> 00:17:35.549 in Jesus through coming to. 415 00:17:35.529 --> 00:17:36.269 Vero Classical School. 416 00:17:36.289 --> 00:17:39.829 So that's our ultimate hope in situations like that. But no, 417 00:17:39.890 --> 00:17:42.349 there's lots of denominations represented at school. 418 00:17:42.650 --> 00:17:44.589 Oh, I love that. I love that. Listen, we have 419 00:17:44.609 --> 00:17:46.130 to take a break for a commercial. That's how we 420 00:17:46.150 --> 00:17:46.670 pay for this. 421 00:17:47.410 --> 00:17:50.400 We will be back with Jameson Kelly and Scott Simpson 422 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:53.819 from the Vero Classical School. It's a wonderful day. It's 423 00:17:53.859 --> 00:17:56.079 a beautiful show. And we'll be back to finish it 424 00:17:56.119 --> 00:17:57.180 up with you. See you in a minute. 425 00:18:06.210 --> 00:18:08.430 We all have that pair of jeans hiding in the 426 00:18:08.450 --> 00:18:11.069 back of our closet with hopes of wearing them again. 427 00:18:11.569 --> 00:18:15.130 Slim Therapeutics can make that hope a reality. Our GLP 428 00:18:15.150 --> 00:18:19.240 therapy offers personalized weight loss, helping you quiet that food noise, 429 00:18:19.400 --> 00:18:23.200 reduce those cravings and boost your overall health. Pair that 430 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:27.119 with our customized HRT for men and women. Let's balance 431 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:31.059 those hormones, improve sleep and restore your energy. Visit us 432 00:18:31.160 --> 00:18:34.859 in downtown Vero Beach or Google Slim Therapeutics today for 433 00:18:34.900 --> 00:18:35.980 a free consultation. 434 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:39.450 Don't let a dirty pool ruin your fun. Deja Blue 435 00:18:39.490 --> 00:18:43.240 Pool Service specializes in green to clean transformations in Vero Beach. 436 00:18:43.579 --> 00:18:50.279 We handle chemical balancing and dehumidification. service keep it clean 437 00:18:50.460 --> 00:18:51.380 keep it blue. 438 00:18:51.319 --> 00:18:54.500 At lunchtime enjoy a southern home-cooked meal paired with the 439 00:18:54.619 --> 00:18:57.660 best sweet tea in town at marsh landing you'll love 440 00:18:57.720 --> 00:19:00.819 our daily lunch specials like chicken and dumplings every thursday 441 00:19:00.980 --> 00:19:03.920 or one of our juicy half pound burgers experience old 442 00:19:03.980 --> 00:19:06.579 florida cuisine at marsh landing in felsmere. 443 00:19:06.349 --> 00:19:08.509 Are you opening a used car lot, pawn shop, a 444 00:19:08.569 --> 00:19:10.849 restaurant that will serve beer and wine? In the state 445 00:19:10.869 --> 00:19:13.890 of Florida, these and many other industries require a level 446 00:19:13.930 --> 00:19:16.769 two live scan background check for clearance to work in 447 00:19:16.809 --> 00:19:20.410

your industry. A1A Fingerprints is your certified live scan source 448 00:19:20.509 --> 00:19:23.190 from Broward to Brevard. And if you're a medical provider, 449 00:19:23.230 --> 00:19:25.690 you need to be registered on the ACA web portal. 450 00:19:25.930 --> 00:19:29.519 A1A Fingerprints will help you navigate and comply with the law. 451 00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:36.660 Call 772-494-6556 or visit a1afingerprints. com. A1A Fingerprints. 452 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:37.720 Hey, you! 453 00:19:38.039 --> 00:19:41.269 Post your very own show every week at Evergreen Media 454 00:19:41.309 --> 00:19:45.410 Network in Vero Beach. Go live to YouTube and Facebook 455 00:19:45.589 --> 00:19:48.630 with up to four people and your very own producer. 456 00:19:49.269 --> 00:19:49.849 Be heard on more. 457 00:19:50.130 --> 00:19:54.619 Than 15 podcast platforms and local radio all you have 458 00:19:54.650 --> 00:19:55.140 to do. 459 00:19:55.059 --> 00:19:56.420 Is show up and talk. 460 00:19:56.619 --> 00:19:59.380 Your guests can join from anywhere in the world it's 461 00:19:59.619 --> 00:20:02.779 easy to get started with the largest podcast studio on 462 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:07.200 the treasure coast contact evergreen media to tour the studio. 463 00:20:10.250 --> 00:20:12.950 The show, the breaks go fast. 464 00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:14.730 The show taping is so fast. 465 00:20:15.099 --> 00:20:16.680 All of a sudden you're sitting here looking at each other, go, 466 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:17.059 that's it. 467 00:20:17.140 --> 00:20:19.559 We're done. And then everybody goes, can I come back? 468 00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:21.799 We had so much fun. So we just try to 469 00:20:21.819 --> 00:20:23.400 have a little fun here on the Laurie Davis show. 470 00:20:23.740 --> 00:20:26.099 So Scott Simpsons, we want to talk to you about, 471 00:20:26.500 --> 00:20:30.740 because it is a smaller school, but you are comprehensive 472 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:33.740 in all the things you do. Tell us about sports, arts, 473 00:20:33.859 --> 00:20:36.490 and some distinctives. that you guys have going on at 474 00:20:36.509 --> 00:20:37.329 the school? Sure. 475 00:20:37.369 --> 00:20:41.450 Our students have music, art, drama every single day as 476 00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:44.400 part of their electives. They also have PE every day. 477 00:20:44.700 --> 00:20:47.420 And then our students are taking, yes, PE and recess. 478 00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:50.660 Our students are running every single day. Our students start 479 00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:53.940 taking Latin starting in third grade. And then from a 480 00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:58.579 sports perspective, our girls are currently have a phenomenal volleyball 481 00:20:58.859 --> 00:21:00.299 season going on. So if you want to come out 482 00:21:00.339 --> 00:21:03.910 and cheer for our volleyball girls, we also have basketball, soccer, 483 00:21:04.450 --> 00:21:07.319 and flag, flag football. And then we also have a 484 00:21:07.400 --> 00:21:09.299 running club, which in the future will translate into our 485 00:21:09.339 --> 00:21:11.319 cross-country team. And then in the future, we'll be adding 486 00:21:11.339 --> 00:21:12.319 additional sports as well. 487 00:21:12.579 --> 00:21:14.920 That's amazing. So it's like, I mean, it really is. 488 00:21:15.109 --> 00:21:17.890 You've got everything there. You've got everything there. It's wonderful. 489 00:21:18.609 --> 00:21:21.349 Now tell me, Jameson, about this new campus, you guys. 490 00:21:21.650 --> 00:21:23.470 It's very exciting what you got going on. 491 00:21:23.549 --> 00:21:25.670 Yes, we're very excited. We own 53 acres out by 492 00:21:25.710 --> 00:21:30.599 58th and Oslo. There's one One block off of Oslo, 493 00:21:30.619 --> 00:21:33.119 so we wouldn't be congestion on the traffic. We wanted 494 00:21:33.160 --> 00:21:34.190 to be careful about traffic. 495 00:21:34.509 --> 00:21:38.670 So we're working on funding phase one, which will be 496 00:21:38.670 --> 00:21:43.210 18 classrooms, a library, a music room, drama room, art room, 497 00:21:43.859 --> 00:21:48.339 and then admin and a gym. So we could be 498 00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:49.660 able to host 350 kids on the campus. 499 00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:49.750 Wow. 500 00:21:51.700 --> 00:21:54.420 That's amazing. Now, when you move over there, what grades 501 00:21:54.440 --> 00:21:56.000 will you then... By then, you'll have eighth grade? 502 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:58.799 So we're hoping that we'll be able to be in 503 00:21:58.980 --> 00:22:00.240 at some point next year. 504 00:22:00.259 --> 00:22:00.740 Wow. 505 00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:02.000 So I don't know if we'll be able to make 506 00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:04.119 it for right at the start of August, but at 507 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:06.480 some point next year, we're hoping because we should be 508 00:22:06.549 --> 00:22:09.029 announcing groundbreaking very soon. 509 00:22:09.130 --> 00:22:12.720 We don't have a specific date, but we just met... Oh, 510 00:22:12.750 --> 00:22:13.490 am I allowed to say that? 511 00:22:14.049 --> 00:22:16.589 We had someone, a very generous donor who believes in 512 00:22:16.609 --> 00:22:19.250 the vision who offered a $ 2 million match. 513 00:22:19.349 --> 00:22:21.009 And so... Hopefully we'll be able to. 514 00:22:20.970 --> 00:22:24.569 Announce that soon and then follow that with a groundbreaking day. 515 00:22:24.690 --> 00:22:27.170 So if somebody wanted to invest, if somebody wanted to 516 00:22:27.210 --> 00:22:29.029 make a donation, is there a website? 517 00:22:29.069 --> 00:22:30.309 Is there something that they can go to? 518 00:22:30.509 --> 00:22:34.680 Yes, we've got bureauclassicalschool.org and a give page. And we're 519 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:37.720 also always excited to host anybody who wants to come 520 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:38.220 on a tour. 521 00:22:38.259 --> 00:22:41.059 We have a lot of tours pretty much weekly. Yeah, 522

00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:41.400 that's good. 523 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:42.740 That's great. I love that. 524 00:22:43.160 --> 00:22:46.619 That VeroClassicalSchool.org and then go to the gift page. 525 00:22:46.680 --> 00:22:47.400 Yes. Okay. 526 00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:51.700 So one of the things I wanted to ask you about, because, 527 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:57.900 you know, there's a vision of this school. And 20 528 00:22:58.500 --> 00:23:01.500 years from now, one of your students comes walking back 529 00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:01.900 to you. 530 00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:04.680 And I'm going to start with you, Jameson. 531 00:23:06.660 --> 00:23:08.259 What do you hope to see in that person that 532 00:23:08.299 --> 00:23:10.640 makes you think we did what we set out to do? 533 00:23:11.970 --> 00:23:13.869 This is a personal question for me since I have 534 00:23:13.910 --> 00:23:15.829 three kids who are going to be graduating by then. 535 00:23:16.250 --> 00:23:18.910 I would hope they're a person of integrity who has 536 00:23:19.130 --> 00:23:22.549 a really genuine relationship with Christ, who is a leader 537 00:23:22.630 --> 00:23:26.740 in their community and makes decisions for their family and 538 00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:29.819 for their community that are honoring of scripture and that 539 00:23:29.859 --> 00:23:33.519 they feel like they had a foundation of truth at 540 00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:35.680 Vero Classical School that they could firmly step on as 541 00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:36.900 they stepped into the rest of their life. 542 00:23:37.339 --> 00:23:37.859 I love that. 543 00:23:38.220 --> 00:23:41.099 I love that because it is, I mean, you're, I 544 00:23:41.140 --> 00:23:43.660 know somebody from St. Helens, a teacher there, Maria Morgan, 545 00:23:43.700 --> 00:23:46.920 you might have met her in the school system. She 546 00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:49.480 knows every single student she's ever had in kindergarten. 547 00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:50.299 It's amazing. 548 00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:52.859 And when they come back to her and they tell 549 00:23:52.900 --> 00:23:55.160 her the stories, I know that. So Scott, I ask 550 00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:57.259 you the same question. When you've got a student who 551 00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:00.319 comes back after graduating college, 20 years down the road, 552 00:24:00.700 --> 00:24:03.009 and what would you say we did, what we set 553 00:24:03.049 --> 00:24:03.450 out to do? 554 00:24:04.029 --> 00:24:05.529 I would echo a lot of the same things that 555 00:24:05.549 --> 00:24:08.269 Jameson just said in terms of their personal integrity, their 556 00:24:08.289 --> 00:24:12.799 walk with God. truly being an educated individual, both their 557 00:24:12.819 --> 00:24:15.589 heart and their mind. They can speak eloquently. They can 558 00:24:15.609 --> 00:24:19.210 have conversation. And I think too often the world looks 559 00:24:19.230 --> 00:24:21.910 at education as a me perspective of what am I 560 00:24:21.950 --> 00:24:24.400 going to get out of it? You know, pursuing wealth, power, 561 00:24:24.910 --> 00:24:27.160 you know, pleasure, fame. And instead we say service of 562 00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:28.759 God and man. I think that's what I want. 563 00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:30.960 Well, thank you so much. Thank you guys for being here. 564 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:33.799 We are talking to the Vera Classical School. We have 565 00:24:34.119 --> 00:24:36.309 Jameson Kelly. You've got to watch the show. Scott Simpson, 566 00:24:36.349 --> 00:24:38.930 he's heading up the school. You guys, thank you so much. 567 00:24:39.029 --> 00:24:40.849 I'm so excited. We're going to be hearing more about 568 00:24:40.890 --> 00:24:43.349 you guys. And I want to hear when you were groundbreaking. 569 00:24:43.670 --> 00:24:45.450 I'll say it on the show. You guys be good 570 00:24:45.490 --> 00:24:45.799 out there. 571 00:24:45.880 --> 00:24:46.279 Be safe. 572 00:24:46.339 --> 00:24:48.039 We'll talk to you soon. See you here next week.