“Mount Parnassus” is distinguished in literature as the home of poetry, prose, music, and learning. The name reflects the founders’ vision that
Parnassus Preparatory School will provide a classical academic program that produces students who are critical thinkers, coherent writers, confident speakers, thoughtful leaders and responsible members of their community.
The
mission of Parnassus Preparatory School is to provide students with a K-12 classical education grounded in the classical Trivium, demanding their best in intellectual achievement and character development. Parnassus’ philosophy is that all students benefit from the highest standards of academic integrity and a rigorous, content-rich, educational program that develops their intellectual capacity, personal character, and leadership skills. The school provides an environment that fosters academic excellence through the habit of discipline and thoroughness, the willingness to work, and the perseverance to complete difficult tasks.
Parnassus' academic focus is on developing thoughtful, literate, and expressive high school graduates through classical education. Classical education is a time-tested model that is systematic and comprehensive. Parnassus utilizes the classical Trivium for delivery of its classical model. The Trivium divides learning into three parts: the Grammar Stage (grades K – 4) where students master facts; followed by the Logic Stage (grades 5 – 8) where, in addition to continuing to learn facts, students begin to make logical distinctions; and finishing with the Rhetoric Stage (grades 9 – 12) which neglects neither facts nor logic, but also teaches students to express themselves with evidence and sound logic.
Curriculum highlights include: chronological study of history that includes the use of original texts and sources integrated across subject areas;
Singapore Math; Direct Instruction reading; skill grouping in reading and math; Latin (beginning in third grade); Core Knowledge Science; Taekwondo for physical education and character education; Spanish (beginning in kindergarten); and formal Logic (beginning in 5
th grade).
Parnassus Preparatory School opened its doors on August 22
nd, 2011 and serves over 350 students in its Schools of Grammar and Logic in grades K – 6. The school will continue to expand through grade 12.
