A more than century-old building in Joliet, whichwas a long-time church, is now a new school.
The Yellowstone Classical Christian Academy opened on Sept. 2 in the old Joliet Christian Church, preserving a valuable piece of Carbon County history.
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“I love the idea of classical education,” said Justin Carter.
Carter and his wife have two children enrolled in the school.
The Carters say it's worthwhile to make the 25-mile commute from Red Lodge.
“Learning how to think rather than being told what to think,” Carter said about classical education. “And I think that's a huge advantage.”
The Carter children are in the class of 2nd through 4th graders.
“That memorization sets a foundation on which they build the critical thinking skills,” said Carter, who is a pastor at Church of the Rockies in Red Lodge.
The school is in an old church building and it does have more than one classroom, but the student body is small enough, so it has that feeling and atmosphere of a one room schoolhouse.
“When someone in the younger grades may be done with their work, they can listen in to what the older grades are doing,” said Virginia Stene Raines, found of the academy. “They're hearing that. They're ingesting that information.”
Stene Raines brings 50 years of teaching experience, and Wednesday is extra special with choir day.
“The tune really helps us remember absolutely,” Stene Raines said about songs for books of the Bible and the Presidents of the United States. “So yes, the rhythm and the notes, all of it, the melody helps us remember.”
“I really like that I have the the ability to make my own curriculum,” said Lindsay Hyland, who teaches pre-K and Kindergarten. “I really like that I'm able to teach the kids about God and about my Christian beliefs and our Christian beliefs as a school. And that we're able to fill them up full of love and joy and passion.”
Hyland’s son is in the class and she and her husband family also made the decision to make the trip from Red Lodge.
“Families are looking for a unique curriculum,” Hyland said.“And for more say in what their kids' education is. And so we make sure that parents are a big part of our classroom.”
