Innovation, pioneers, and a new Catholic school: Why Fairfax County needed something different

A new Catholic high school launched this fall just inside the Washington beltway. St. Jerome Institute opened its doors on Sept. 1 with 21 ninth and 10th graders from 20 families who had the vision and courage to try something new. This begs the question: With dozens of well-regarded public and private high schools in the Washington area and Fairfax County specifically, was there really a need for another one? As one of the founding parents, I can answer with a resounding “Yes.”There is undoubtedly a strong case for parents to choose public school for their children’s education, as my own did back in the 1980s. Over 80% of families send their children to their local public high school because it is free, convenient, and its academics and athletics are often on par with, or in some cases better than, local private high schools that are not free and often much farther away.That’s hard to compete with. Yet, over 10% of families do choose to pay to send their kids to private high schools. Their reasons range from better academics to a safer and more disciplined school culture. The exposure to dysfunction and chaos in classrooms during COVID is also a real factor. Many parents acknowledge that public school has become a bit of a zoo, but they either cannot afford private school — my home state of Virginia does not yet offer a universal education savings account option like many other states have adopted — or they simply don’t perceive enough of a difference between their public school and the private schools in their area. Unfortunately, this perception is largely true; most high schools — public or private — offer similar lecture-style, AP classes for advanced students. So why would they pay for something they can get for free?And herein lies the reason why I believe the high school “market” is ripe for more innovation and another distinctly different option. Declining student performance levels, plummeting test scores, broken school cultures, and mind-numbingly boring classroom experiences have left the door wide open for inspiring alternatives. To attract pioneering families who see the need for something materially better than the status quo, any new private school cannot merely differ on the margins; it must be radically different from its competition.St. Jerome Institute is exactly that. Its leaders are not afraid to ask fundamental questions about the purpose of education and what the necessary ingredients are for accomplishing that purpose. They realized that the answer largely depends upon one’s view of what it means to be human, and as committed Catholics, they created an approach that fully embraces a Christian anthropology, including the fundamental truth that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, and that our ultimate purpose is to come to know, love, and serve Him.They also embraced the principle that parents are the primary educators; therefore, a school must serve as a support to parents in the formation of their children intellectually, morally, and physically. After all, it would be ludicrous to think that after spending seven hours a day, five days per week, and nine months a year with adults and peers at school, our children would not be at least partially formed by the example they set.These principles enabled a bold reimagining of Catholic high school education.First, every class is taught with the seminar method. There are no passive lectures. Teachers lead discussions with 15-20 students sitting and facing one another. While leading a great seminar is difficult for any teacher, it quickly becomes clear that it is worth the investment, given how much more engaging and beneficial the experience is for students. Well-run seminars require participation, necessitating that students become actively engaged as they learn to listen, think, and speak well.Second, the school culture is defined by the faculty community, whose members recognize that the school does not exist for their sake but for the young men and women entrusted to their care. At St. Jerome Institute, philosophical friendship among the faculty is the cornerstone of the school. Every couple of weeks, students have an early release day so teachers can engage in seminars about the great works of literature, theology, philosophy, math, and science. The school hires teachers who demonstrate virtues such as humility and charity and who desire to constantly learn and grow in their faith lives. Its leaders create an environment that reinforces this life of the mind and spirit so teachers may, in turn, share it with their students.Third, the curriculum embraces the liberal arts and the rich Catholic intellectual tradition. Students grapple with Plato and Aristotle, Augustine and Aquinas, and the great literary works of Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, and Dostoevsky. They gain an in-depth knowledge of Western civilization from Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem through England and the founding of our own country.Art and music are not electives but crucial to the curriculum. Math involves lots of problem-solving, but the ultimate goal is for students to see the intrinsic beauty of math. Students also appreciate the natural world and develop an understanding of the progression of science from ancient through modern times. Instead of learning biology, chemistry, and physics independently, St. Jerome Institute integrates them: Students take all three subjects each year and continue to go deeper as they proceed through each grade level. The entire curriculum is integrated, with philosophical and theological questioning taking place in every class, so students see the world as an integrated whole instead of a disconnected collection of parts.There are other distinguishing features. The school is small by design, with enrollment peaking at around 150 students across all four grades. A smaller student body leads to a more intimate culture where friendships become easier to form and toxic behavior is easier to avoid. It targets parents who value an authentically Christian culture that prioritizes prayer and living virtuously.Championship athletic teams may be a challenge due to the small size, but this makes it easier to avoid the trap of sports being over-prioritized. St. Jerome Institute will still field teams, including boys’ soccer and girls’ volleyball this fall, and students will benefit from athletic competition. Kids who aspire to play high-level college sports can still play club and travel sports on the side, which they would need to do anyway to get recruited.St. Jerome Institute also restricts the use of screens. Phones are handed in at the beginning of the day, and there are no internet-enabled devices in classrooms. Students are liberated from electronic distractions, enabling them to focus on conversations, deep thinking, and building real friendships. Teachers are also freed to focus on students without constantly dealing with computer glitches, software upgrades, and inappropriate usage.This is not a first-time experiment for St. Jerome Institute, which launched its first high school seven years ago in Northeast Washington. It has attracted national and local attention for its engaging classroom experience and integrated Catholic curriculum. My wife and I will never forget visiting that school in its first year and being deeply impressed by what we witnessed, only adding to our regret regarding our own high school education.Starting a successful new school is far from easy. Getting the vision, curriculum, and pedagogy right is just the beginning. Finding the best founding leader, faculty, and staff is challenging, as is finding donors willing to fund the financial gap that will exist for years. And the most difficult part? Finding families willing to be pioneers.Most areas, especially Northern Virginia, have many high schools with well-established college pipelines, extracurriculars, sports, and built-in friend groups. It takes a faith-filled and entrepreneurial spirit to forgo the easier path and recognize that something entirely different is needed for their families and surrounding communities.VIRGINIA’S PAROLE BOARD APPLAUDED A KILLER. SHOW US THE FILEI am beyond grateful for the other 19 founding families who had the courage to be part of building something new that has the potential to serve generations of families in Northern Virginia. My firm hope is that more parents will visit their local high schools, sit in on classes, observe firsthand the level of disorder that exists, and rise up to demand something far better for their children.We need more pioneers!Michael Ortner is the founder of Capterra, a board director at St. Jerome Institute, and is the author of The Catholic School Playbook.